A nation does not fall only to war. It crumbles when its own people begin to lose trust in it. When the youth no longer believe that merit leads to opportunity, they begin to lose faith in the very idea of a nation. The social contract is not printed on paper; it lives in the heart. When that heart withdraws, the contract collapses.
This summary is AI-generated. Please read the full article for complete understanding.
Originally published in the The Sunday Guardian on 10 aug '25.
Across the country, in the hope of a better future, millions of students spend their formative years preparing for competitive exams. In their single-minded pursuit, they bury themselves in books as friendships fade, hobbies are set aside, and festivals pass unnoticed. This discipline rests on a simple belief: that sincere effort will be recognized and rewarded through a fair system. But what happens when that expectation is betrayed? When the student who trusted the rulebook discovers that the rules bend for a chosen few?
Despite years of preparation, many students are seen facing technical or logistical issues at exam centers that undermine their performance. Sometimes their admit card is faulty, or their biometric attendance fails, or their exam center is hundreds of kilometers away. In some cases, they later discover that the paper was leaked and that selection was manipulated in favour of less deserving candidates, through unfair means or powerful connections.
