It is hard to imagine a life without exams. We are so very accustomed to them that without them, this world just wouldn't work. What is an exam? I asked a few people, they said, "An exam is test with a bunch of questions that are asked for testing us and our knowledge of is being taught. Here's what the dictionary says;
'A set of questions, problems, or the like, used as a means of evaluating the abilities, aptitudes, skills, or performance of an individual or group.' Exams and tests are closely associated with marks and grades. You take the exam, you get marks or you get grades. Exams are pretty common in our life; from the time we learn the ABC's to the time we're in college and even many times after that. After about seven to eight years of age, we're pretty aware of what an exam is. But what about before that? I asked a five year old what an exam is. He replied he didn't know; of course it was obvious he knew what happens in an exam, but he couldn't describe. So I asked him in a different way, "What do you get from exams?"
He replied, "Marks."
I asked, "What do you get from marks?"
He said, "Stars." (His teacher gives students stars if they get good marks.)
I asked him, "What do you get from stars?"
"Mummy is happy of me," he said so innocently.
"What happens when mummy is happy?"
"I'm happy!" he said cheerfully.
When one hears the word exam, another thought comes in the mind ~ getting good marks. Why do you want good marks? A five year-old as seen, wanted good marks so that he could be happy. Is that the same case with us? It is observed that getting could marks leads to a more secure future, that's why we don't like getting less marks. It is also observed that many know this logic, but never realize it. But that's not always the case. I heard a girl saying, "I'm afraid to see my marks!" I asked her why.
She said, "If I get less marks, the teacher insults me."
It is true, there are many teachers out there who literally punish students if they don't get good marks, and then there are many others who don't get the difference between a punishment and an insult.
So I asked her, "If the teacher never insulted anyone, would you still be afraid of less marks?" She replied yes. I asked her why again. She said I don't know ~ which just meant 'less marks mean less secure future.'
It all comes down to the person who invented exams associated to marks and grades.
*asking my brother Exam म्हणजे काय?*
