Students and parents in Guwahati discuss exam stress, rising fees, teacher shortages, AI concerns and the challenges facing India's education system
For millions of students across India, education has become a journey marked by uncertainty. Years of preparation for competitive examinations can be overshadowed by allegations of paper leaks and irregularities, while high marks do not always guarantee admission, affordability or employment opportunities. Rising college fees, shrinking opportunities and anxiety over the future have made the promise of education feel more fragile than ever.
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From examination controversies and unemployment to rising competition, financial stress and the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI), students today say they are navigating an education system under immense pressure. The recent protests over alleged exam irregularities have once again reignited a nationwide debate over transparency, accountability and the future of young aspirants. For many, repeated controversies have shaken confidence in a system they have spent years preparing to succeed in.
Against this backdrop, students and parents in Guwahati shared their concerns with GPlus, highlighting the everyday challenges they believe are shaping the educational journey of the city's youth.
Champak Deka, a law student from Guwahati, described the burden of paying tuition fees as one of the biggest sources of stress. According to him, higher education has become increasingly expensive, forcing many students to constantly worry about finances instead of focusing on academics.
Recalling a personal experience, he said one of his close friends had to discontinue his studies because his family could no longer afford the monthly fees.
"The monthly fee itself becomes a huge burden. One of my friends had to leave college because he couldn't continue paying it," he said.
The student also highlighted another challenge that often goes unnoticed; the shortage of teachers in many educational institutions. According to him, several schools continue to operate with inadequate faculty, leaving students without proper academic guidance during their formative years.
"When schools don't have enough teachers, students fail to build a strong foundation. Later, when they prepare for competitive examinations or higher studies, they struggle because the basics were never taught properly," he added.
While financial and institutional issues continue to trouble students, technology has emerged as a new concern.
Baishali Kar, another student, identified artificial intelligence as one of the defining challenges facing the current generation. Although she acknowledged AI's usefulness in making information more accessible, she warned that excessive dependence on technology is gradually affecting students' ability to think independently.
"AI is definitely helpful, but we have become too dependent on it. Even for a small inconvenience, we immediately turn to AI and get the answer within a minute," she said.
According to Baishali, this growing reliance on AI risks reducing creativity and critical thinking among students. Instead of analysing problems themselves, many are increasingly looking for instant solutions, she observed.
Beyond technology, Baishali also spoke about what she considers one of the most debated issues in higher education; the reservation system.
Sharing her personal experience, she said she had secured 90 per cent marks but could not obtain admission, while another candidate with 60 per cent marks was selected because of a caste certificate.
"I scored 90 per cent but couldn't get a seat. Someone with 60 per cent got admission because they had a caste certificate," she said, expressing disappointment over the outcome.
Her remarks reflect a debate that has existed for decades in India, where reservation policies continue to generate differing opinions. While supporters argue that reservations are necessary to address historical and social inequalities, critics often question whether merit-based opportunities are being compromised. The issue remains one of the country's most sensitive policy discussions.
For research aspirants, however, admission is only one part of the problem.
Swati Borah, who hopes to pursue a PhD, said her biggest concern is not the academic workload but the credibility of the admission and evaluation process itself.
"I am afraid of doing a PhD in Guwahati or Assam. I don't know how authentic the entire procedure will be," she said.
According to Swati, the absence of accountability within the system discourages many students who wish to pursue higher education and research.
"The biggest problem is that the system is not even accountable," she added.
Her concerns echo a broader demand from students for greater transparency in academic institutions, particularly in admissions, evaluations and recruitment.
Parents, too, believe the education system requires fundamental reforms.
One parent, Shruti Borah, argued that the current examination-centric model encourages rote learning rather than genuine understanding.
"The biggest challenge is the exam-based evaluation system," the parent said. According to the parent, many students study only to score marks in examinations, memorising information temporarily without developing practical knowledge or real-world skills.
"Many students only have the knowledge required to pass the exam. But after the exam, they don't even remember anything. They are not trained for the practical world," the parent observed.
The parent also questioned the widespread tendency to equate examination scores with intelligence.
"Our education system creates the impression that students who score high marks are intelligent, while everyone else is considered less capable. That is not how intelligence should be measured," the parent said.
Education experts have long argued that while examinations remain necessary for assessment, they cannot be the sole indicator of a student's potential. Skills such as communication, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork and emotional resilience are increasingly valued in today's workforce, yet many students feel these receive little emphasis inside classrooms.
Taken together, these voices reveal an education system grappling with multiple challenges at once. Financial constraints continue to push students out of classrooms. Teacher shortages weaken learning at the foundational level. The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping study habits in ways that remain poorly understood. Questions over admissions, research opportunities and institutional accountability persist. At the same time, the pressure to secure high marks continues to dominate the educational experience, often overshadowing practical learning and personal growth.
As debates over examination reforms and educational policies continue across the country, the concerns raised by students and parents underscore a larger question: Is India's education system preparing young people merely to clear examinations, or is it equipping them to navigate an increasingly complex world?
The answer remains uncertain. But as students continue to voice their frustrations and aspirations, one thing is clear; the conversation is no longer just about marks or degrees. It is about trust, opportunity, fairness and the future of an entire generation. Whether these concerns translate into meaningful reforms remains to be seen.