Stress, Success, and Schooling: Decoding Curriculum-Induced Mental Health Burdens on Indian Adolescents

Abstract

The escalating mental health crisis among adolescents worldwide, exacerbated by competitive educational systems, demands urgent scrutiny, particularly in high pressure context like India. This research paper synthesizes several empirical psychology studies, utilizing quantitative surveys, longitudinal cohorts, and validated scales. A profound paradox is unveiled by the results: scholastic ambition, propelled by high-stakes exam like JEE and NEET, brings severe psychological tolls. Across different studies, 65-80% of teenage respondents reported moderate to severe stress, with coaching culture intensifying burnout through extended study hours (12-16 hours daily) and sleep deprivation (<6 hours sleep per night). The division on the basis of gender surfaces, girls endure amplified anxiety combined with academic performance and marriage aspect, while on the other hand, boys internalize failure as emasculation. Systemic indications, prevail and institutional failures eclipse individual shortcomings. This leads to an urge for structural and systemic solutions, such as curriculum rationalization, embedded mental health curricula, and sustained monitoring. By redefining “success” beyond rote metrics, it envisions an empathetic educational framework preserving adolescents’ resilience.