#Randomstory12: IIT is Not the Destination: The Story of Rohan’s Journey

Rohan, a bright-eyed boy from a small town in Rajasthan, grew up with a single dream—getting into IIT. Like many others, the IIT tag held immense value for him, representing a ticket to success, financial security, and societal respect. For a boy with limited exposure to the outside world, this seemed to be the only path to fulfilling the hopes and dreams of his family. His parents, especially his father, often spoke about IIT as the pinnacle of achievement. They would remind him that it wasn’t just an exam, but a means to elevate the family’s status and secure a bright future.

One day, after Rohan aced his 10th-grade board exams, his father sat him down and said, "It’s time, beta. We are sending you to Kota." Kota, the educational hub known for its high-pressure coaching institutes, was the breeding ground for IIT aspirants across the country. To Rohan, this felt like the natural next step toward his IIT dream.

The Kota Grind Begins

Arriving in Kota was like stepping into an academic battlefield. Everywhere he looked, there were students with thick textbooks, calculators, and sleepless eyes. Rohan quickly enrolled in one of the top coaching centers, famous for producing hundreds of IITians every year. It was here that he realized how tough the competition was. No longer was he the smartest kid in class; he was now just one among thousands, each fighting for the same limited seats in IIT.

Mock tests were an eye-opener. The first test slapped Rohan with the brutal reality—he wasn’t prepared. His score was below average. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t the top performer. Anxiety slowly crept in. The weight of expectations from his parents, teachers, and himself began to settle like a thick fog. Was he even capable? Could he meet the expectations? These questions loomed large in his mind as the months went by.

Pressure Cooker of Expectations

The life of an IIT aspirant in Kota was structured to perfection. Study from dawn to dusk, attend multiple coaching classes, take rigorous mock tests, and, at the end of the day, evaluate your ranking in comparison to others. It wasn’t just about learning; it was about surviving.

Each time Rohan called home, his parents would ask, "How was the test? You’re preparing well, right?" While his mother’s voice was filled with concern, his father’s held silent hope. His father never doubted that Rohan would make it, and that burden became heavier with each passing day.

Around him, Rohan saw the toll this competition took on his peers. Some withdrew into themselves, others had breakdowns, and every once in a while, there were whispers of a tragic suicide. The hostel he lived in had its own share of stories—students who couldn’t cope, who cracked under the relentless pressure of being good enough. "Another one," someone would say, referring to another aspirant who had given up on life entirely. The news would pass through the hostel like a faint breeze, and by the next day, it was as if nothing had happened.

The Breaking Point

The breaking point for Rohan came after one particularly bad mock test. His rank had plummeted, and for the first time, he couldn’t muster the courage to call his father. What would he say? What could he possibly tell his parents, who had invested everything in his future? They had moved mountains to send him to Kota—his father had even taken a loan. The guilt gnawed at him.

Rohan found himself lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if it was all worth it. What was he chasing, and for whom? Was getting into IIT the only way to prove his worth? He had always loved solving problems, enjoyed learning for the sake of it, but somewhere in the race to secure a rank, he had lost that passion. He wasn’t learning anymore—he was just competing.

The Dark Side of Aspiration

One evening, after another disappointing test result, Rohan decided to take a walk. He found himself sitting by the edge of a small lake in Kota, watching the sun dip below the horizon. His thoughts were a whirlwind. He wasn’t alone—there were dozens of students scattered around, all lost in their own worlds, contemplating their future. The pressure, the fear of failure, and the overwhelming need to succeed were suffocating.

He couldn’t help but think about the students who had taken their own lives. Their stories haunted him. Had they too sat by this lake, wondering if life was worth more than just an exam? Rohan realized that the system was merciless. It didn’t care about the individual; it only cared about results, rankings, and the number of IIT selections it could boast at the end of the year.

The Shift in Perspective

One night, while scrolling through his phone, he came across an article about a boy from a small village who hadn’t cleared the IIT entrance exam but had gone on to start a successful company. The boy had chosen a different path, one that didn’t involve chasing the IIT dream but still led to success and fulfillment.

Rohan began to think. Was IIT really the only way? Life was vast and unpredictable—there were countless ways to succeed, to find happiness and purpose. The idea that his entire worth was tied to this one exam began to seem absurd. He was more than a rank, more than a number on a list. He had talents, passions, and dreams beyond the gates of IIT.

A Conversation with His Father

The next weekend, Rohan called home. This time, he wasn’t anxious. He spoke to his father honestly, telling him about the immense pressure he was under and how he wasn’t sure if IIT was the right path for him anymore. There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

His father finally spoke, "Beta, I only want what’s best for you. If IIT isn’t your path, then we will find another one. You are not a failure. You have your whole life ahead of you, and there are so many ways to succeed."

Rohan felt a wave of relief wash over him. For the first time in months, he felt free. The invisible chains that had bound him to this one goal were gone. He wasn’t quitting; he was just choosing a different path, one that aligned with his true interests and passions.

The Realization

The next few months in Kota were different. Rohan continued studying, but with a new mindset. He was no longer obsessed with ranks and scores. Instead, he focused on learning for the sake of learning. He explored other interests, spent time with friends, and even started playing football in the evenings—a hobby he had abandoned since arriving in Kota.

When the IIT results finally came, Rohan didn’t make it. But he wasn’t devastated. He had come to realize that IIT was never the destination—it was just one possible path among many. Life was vast, and there were countless opportunities waiting for him.

Life Beyond the Exam

Rohan went on to pursue a degree in engineering at a different college, one that didn’t carry the same prestige as IIT, but he didn’t mind. He discovered a passion for artificial intelligence and robotics and eventually started his own tech company. His journey wasn’t defined by an exam result but by his curiosity, determination, and resilience.

Years later, Rohan would reflect on his time in Kota with a mixture of nostalgia and understanding. He knew that many students still saw IIT as the ultimate goal, and he couldn’t blame them. But he also knew that life had so much more to offer. The pressure to succeed in a single exam wasn’t worth sacrificing one’s mental health or happiness.

In the end, Rohan’s story wasn’t about failure or success—it was about perspective. IIT, like many other milestones in life, was just one chapter in a much larger story. And sometimes, the most important thing wasn’t reaching the destination, but finding peace in the journey.

The Moral

As a commentator of this journey, I leave you with this thought: Is the pursuit of a prestigious title or institution worth the emotional and mental toll it often takes? The world is bigger than any exam or college. Dreams can be vast and varied, and success doesn’t come in just one form. For every student feeling the weight of competition, know this—life is much larger than the boundaries of an entrance exam.

And in the end, it’s not about the destination but the journey.