In India, students from a very young age endure the massive academic pressure that comes with appearing for competitive examinations for engineering and medical degrees. From the moment they enter their teens, they are put into private academic institutes that prepare them for exams like JEE and NEET. Needless to say, the competition is cutthroat. Hence, kids these days have to deal with academic pressure, competition, peer pressure and societal expectations that unrealistically decide a child’s worth based on their marksheet.
However, FITJEE took things to a new level after they named and shamed a student in a newspaper advertisement because she decided to quit the institute and join another coaching class. FITJEE revealed the student’s academic performance, her school details, and her photo. This comes at a time when there are several student suicide cases being reported across the country.
According to Moneycontrol, the advertisement appeared on the front page of a leading daily. FITJEE claimed that the ex-student could have secured a 100 NTA score in JEE-Mains 2024 and not 99.99 if she remained with them and not shifted to an “EVIL Institute from Kota with a history of suicides”.
Here’s a look at the advertisement:
A picture of the newspaper was shared by Katyayani Sanjay Bhatia who is the Deputy Commissioner of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax). Calling it a “new low in advertisements”, she slammed FITJEE for trying to claim their superiority by belittling a girl child.
A new low in advertisements @fiitjee . You are posting the picture of a child saying that she performed badly because she left your institute! I have blurred the picture because I don't believe in this disgusting way of claiming your superiority by belittling a girl child. pic.twitter.com/W18Rd9rh1s
— Katyayani Sanjay Bhatia (@katyayani13) March 17, 2024
We talk about parents putting pressure on kids for IIT JEE, but what about this manner of advertising where you shame a student for not performing? And claiming superiority by claiming that she would have performed had she been in your institute? Shameful @fiitjee
— Katyayani Sanjay Bhatia (@katyayani13) March 17, 2024
And it doesn’t stop here.They are claiming about their superiority by talking about the institute with a ‘history of suicides’. Shameful. Suicides in Kota are an issue that concerns us all above petty competition but claiming in this manner is cheap@fiitjee @EduMinOfIndia pic.twitter.com/QS90pkPs9s
— Katyayani Sanjay Bhatia (@katyayani13) March 17, 2024
And goes without saying (even though I have completed for competitive examinations) that getting into IIT really isn’t everything. Life indeed is how you respond to situations, not how you just win. The examination of life is really beyond such petty messaging by @fiitjee
— Katyayani Sanjay Bhatia (@katyayani13) March 17, 2024
Several people slammed the institute for harassing and trying to defame the student and urged the parents of the girl to sue FITJEE for causing such a nuisance. This is unethical and deplorable on so many different levels!
@fiitjee should be sued for criminal harassment and defamation. That’s the only way to fix them.
— Divya Kanwar (@DivyaKanwar14) March 17, 2024
The girl and her parents should sue them for criminal harassment and defamation. Mere withdrawal of the ad or an insincere apology ain’t enough
— мαηιѕн (@_manishkapoor) March 17, 2024
I have respect for Fiitjee due to their teachers but This is horrible advertising!
Don’t know how this was approved in the first place that too, on the first page of a national newspaper 🤦🏻
— Akshay Akash (@UnlabelledGenZ) March 17, 2024
This is a maddening academic race that children go through.
If they survive this, they go through another bizarre and much longer corporate rat race.
Parents are busy earning for their family.
Grandparents are usually not staying with parents in a nuclear family.
Who will teach…— Manoj Arora (@manoj_216) March 17, 2024
DK Goel has gone overboard in this one.
It’s very dangerous for that child, his/her family and society at large.
This is akin to direct threats and defaming.
Unbelievable.— Sandeep Manudhane (@sandeep_PT) March 17, 2024
This is horrible! @fiitjee, please remove this advertisement from all places & issue a public apology to the general public, specifically to the girl.
Any activist lawyer if seeing this comment, please initiate legal proceedings against this institute if possible.@shashank_ssj
— Mohd Shahwaiz (@itsmohdshahwaiz) March 17, 2024
Imagine the kind of agony the student must have gone through because of this!