SRINAGAR: Senior civil servant Shahid Iqbal, who secured the 51st rank in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) examination despite scoring 55 per cent in his Class 10 board exams, has urged students and parents not to equate academic marks with success in life. His appeal comes amid reports of student suicides following the declaration of Class 10 and class 12 results in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a post on social media platform X, Iqbal expressed deep concern over recent incidents reported from several districts of the Union Territory, where students allegedly died by suicide after the announcement of examination results.
The last few days have been deeply disturbing.
News from different districts of Jammu & Kashmir about young students taking their own lives after the Class 10 results should shake our collective conscience. One child lost is one too many. No examination result can ever justify…
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) January 16, 2026
“The last few days have been deeply disturbing,” he wrote, stating that such incidents should “shake our collective conscience”. He stressed that no examination result can ever justify the loss of a child’s life.
Criticising the growing culture of comparison and public shaming linked to academic performance, Iqbal said that every year social media is flooded with expressions of disappointment — and at times humiliation — when students score “only” 85 or 90 per cent.
“This culture of comparison, flaunting and silent humiliation has become an annual ritual. It is unhealthy, illogical and dangerous,” he said.
Referring to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Iqbal noted that nearly 14,000 student suicides are reported annually in India, many of them linked to academic stress, examination failure or fear of disappointing families and society.
He emphasised that Class 10 and Class 12 board results do not determine life outcomes, stating that such marks “never have”.
Drawing from his academic experience abroad, Iqbal said education systems in several countries do not obsess over marks and instead follow pass–fail or broad grading structures that prioritise conceptual understanding, creativity, curiosity and skill development.
“During my time at Oxford, I saw firsthand how learning is valued over scoring — how education is meant to expand minds, not trap children in rank lists,” he wrote.
He further said society requires professionals across diverse fields — including scientists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, policy experts, judges and innovators — rather than lifelong “Class 10 distinction holders”.
Iqbal’s remarks have drawn wide attention online, with educators and parents echoing calls to reduce academic pressure and strengthen mental health support systems in schools.
Shahid Iqbal Choudhary is a 2009-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre and currently serves as Secretary/Commissioner of the Department of Science and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir. He secured All India Rank 51 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2008.
The concern follows tragic incidents reported from Rajouri district after the declaration of the Class 10 examination results, where a 16-year-old girl allegedly died by suicide after failing in one subject. A similar case was earlier reported from Doda district, where a boy also allegedly ended his life after failing in one paper.
On Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) declared the results of the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations, recording pass percentages of 85 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.
Education Minister Sakina Itoo, while congratulating students who cleared the examinations, urged those who could not pass not to lose hope. She said academic setbacks do not determine a student’s future and encouraged them to continue pursuing their goals with confidence.
