The Lethal Cost Of Percentages: Dr. Vini Jhariya Urges Parents To Prioritize Mental Health Over Marksheets

As board results are announced across the state, the atmosphere in many households has shifted from academic anticipation to a state of "silent dread." This warning comes from Dr. Vini Jhariya, Child and Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Urjasvini Child Development Center in Indore, who is calling for an immediate intervention in how families handle academic outcomes.

​Dr. Jhariya highlights a harrowing reality where a child’s worth is frequently reduced to a numerical value on a marksheet. This reductionist approach is fueling a mental health crisis of staggering proportions. National statistics underscore the gravity of the situation, revealing that Madhya Pradesh accounts for approximately one in every ten student suicides in India. Furthermore, localized research indicates that a shocking 70% of students show visible signs of depression, often linked directly to academic performance and parental pressure.

​The psychologist emphasizes that the "wait for a parent’s reaction" is often more terrifying for a student than the actual marks they received. In modern nuclear families, where there is often an only child, the pressure is intensified as that child carries the collective hopes, fears, and unfulfilled dreams of the entire family. "We cannot give a child seventeen years of 'I will decide for you' and then hand them a marksheet and say 'now choose your life,'" Dr. Jhariya asserts, noting that this dynamic prevents children from developing the autonomy needed for adulthood.

​Furthermore, Dr. Jhariya argues that the traditional obsession with engineering, medical, or accounting careers is becoming obsolete. While parents fear that creative or non-traditional paths are "risky," the global economy tells a different story. With the OTT boom and the rise of industries in design, sustainability, and psychology, the professional landscape has shifted. Reports suggest that by 2030, nearly 100 million new job roles will exist, many in the very fields parents currently discourage.

​Dr. Jhariya’s message to parents is simple but urgent: prioritize the child over the percentage. A child pursuing their passion will always outperform a child merely fulfilling a parental mandate. To bridge this gap, she recommends that parents dedicate twenty minutes to a phone-free, judgment-free conversation, asking their children what they would love to do if marks and money were not the primary concerns.

In a state where result day can literally be a matter of life and death, that one conversation could be the most important investment a parent ever makes.