Around 11,000 students scored 100/100 in PUC (mathematics) exam 2026. But most of them did not score 50% which is good score in CET/NDA which has similar syllabus as PUC. This is a continuous trend. This write up is to explore reasons for that contrasting performance by same students in board exams and competitive exams.
Let me start with a story: A boy in a small town in Karnataka wanted to become a top hockey player. He started playing hockey at home., at school and college. He played 16 hours a day. As it was obstructing his practice schedule, he did not take part in any other tournaments or camps. Finally, he could represent India in Olympics.
Before discussing the first story, please read then second story: Here one middle class parents wanted their children to build a top notch career (like in top defence/IAS officer or in an elite corporate company). They put their children to the best of schools and colleges pouring in lakhs of rupees. For spending so much of money, they made children to study day in and day out.
The routine of these children consisted of only school, extra classes and private coaching. No TV or entertainment. Theme- “education brings prosperity.” They are exposed to no games, no extracurricular activity. No responsibility or freedom. The effort gives results as per the expectation and they excel in studies. They score 99%! throughout. Will this mark ensure that children become successful in best of the available careers?
Most of you say excellent.
But factually both these stories are same.
We all know that first story is fictional because selection to hockey team for olympics has several stages. Selection of school players to represent junior state and junior India. Selection of college/ league players to senior state. Best players among them represent the nation in Olympics after several rounds of grooming and final selection to national team.
Likewise – dream careers also have different levels of preparation. The qualifications for dream careers in Government sector (IAS, Defence/ Navarathna companies) needs graduates in respective streams. Even though private sector caters all candidates, selection to top jobs in strong corporate enterprises requires high end education (IIT, IIM, NIT, NLSUI etc.) and strong technical and soft skill capabilities. Interestingly in both these sectors selection to top posts is through entrance tests and personality tests with almost similar depth.
The crux of the stories is that, to be successful in finding a top career we need to train our heroes in facing competitive exams and build leadership skills from very young age. If you still believe that school education is sufficient to builds great careers there is a twist in the sequence started from around year 1980s.
From that point of the era, thousands of students around and away from our geographical location are being groomed for 3 to 8 years ahead of the stage of expected exam. In places like KOTA city of Rajasthan ( hub of IIT/NEET coaching) there are around 2 lakh students studying and several lakhs are being groomed for these exams. A few students actually started training from as early as class 5.
You may wonder what coaching for IIT from class 5. They start grooming/ mentoring for Sainik school/Navodaya school entrance tests, (from class 5) then to RMS/RIMC, then for Olympiad (class 6,7,8) , NMMS/ NTSC, KVPY (8,9,10) continued for IIT- JEE and NEET )11,12) which will continue for CAT, IAS etc, through online or offline. Those are the faces now seen as IAS, in Defence, as highly paid executives or in all the places where people dream to see themselves. It is happening since decades when we still believe that only school education can build great careers to our children.
You may still feel that competitive exams shared similar syllabus as school/ college curriculum. Why it needs a separate preparation?
If you watch results of II PUC (Science) 2026 there were over 10,000 students scoring 100/100 in mathematics. But majority of them will fair very bad in CET or NDA where toppers score little above 50% marks. The main reasons for this difference is the predictability of questions.
To be clearer about predictability:
In PUC, there is a chapter wise blueprint issued by the examination boards, that is from one chapter how many one mark, two mark, 4 marks etc., questions to be asked. Teachers of colleges/ coaching centres know the pattern and can coach students optimally for assured results. But in competitive exams like CET or NDA, there are only chapters in the syllabus. Questions can be anywhere from that framework. So, success in competitive exams need few times more knowledge and preparation then school/ college exam preparation.
The roadmap for success: To start preparation for entrance tests for Navodaya school/ sainik school/ RMS/RIMC in class 5,6,7 and 8. Then NMMS, Olympiad’s etc. in class 8,9 and 10. With these experiences of failures and success in these practice matches they get groomed for IIT-JEE, CET, NEET, NDA etc upto class 12 to get into their dream colleges and subjects. Then preparation starts for top corporate/ Government exams online/ offline mentoring/ coaching.
Building leadership is also important. But combined with this is a long reading: Let me bring it out shortly. Thanks for reading this full write up.
Note: If you want to build a roadmap for your children/grandchildren please feel free to get in touch with me. With my long years of experience in this field can help you in this regard. Prathvi Uthaiah. 9845013053.
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While competitive exams may demand conceptual application, speed, accuracy, problem solving, time management and the ability to handle unfamiliar questions under pressure.
This is exactly what is required in competitive exams. Thank you for bringing it out.
Better than asking why a high Scoring student perform badly it may be worth asking whether our Education system is preparing students for understanding and application, or primarily for marks in examinations.
The examination boards prepare students for topics prescribed. It is upto the students to prepare for competitive exams, pressure, specialisation etc.
A very relevant and thought provoking topic. Scoring 100/100 in a board examination and performing well in a competitive examination are not necessarily the same skill. Board examinations often reward thorough preparation and mastery of a defined syllabus, while competitive exams may demand conceptual application, speed, accuracy, problem solving, time management and the ability to handle unfamiliar questions under pressure.
Better than asking why a high Scoring student perform badly it may be worth asking whether our Education system is preparing students for understanding and application, or primarily for marks in examinations. This is an important conversation for parents, teachers and students alike. A useful article would also explore practical ways students can bridge the gap without turning preparation into additional pressure.
A much needed discussion in today’s examination driven education system.