Students across India are preparing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams, which will begin on February 17, 2026. The entire family becomes involved, schedules are completely altered, and there is a constant buildup of pressure due to expectations.
In such a situation, the ex-CEO of HCL Technologies, Vineet Nayar, has given a hopeful message to the students who are going to appear in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.
Posting on X, Nayar challenged the belief that academic performance alone determines one’s future. “If board exams decided life, half the CEOs would be unemployed. Let that sink in,” he wrote, adding a perspective that resonated widely: “Boards are important. But they are not your destiny.”
Nayar further reinforced his point that a single paper does not define a lifetime by sharing his marksheet in an X post, which shows 94 in math and an overall 71 percent.
Reflecting on his own CBSE experience from 1979, he remembered a moment of panic after feeling he had underperformed in his Chemistry exam. "At 17, I walked out of my Chemistry exam knowing I had messed up. " I'm in full panic mode," he admitted. A conversation with a cousin changed his perspective: "Will you die if you fail?" I said no. "Then why are you treating it as a life-and-death situation?" "That question changed everything." The exchange helped him refocus on his next paper. "Two days later, I had math. I studied peacefully. Walked in steadily and crushed it" he wrote.
Using this experience to guide today’s students, Nayar highlighted that examinations and life test different qualities: “Exams test memory. Life tests courage. Boards are a level in the game. Not the whole game.”
Nayar also urged students to approach their exams with balance rather than panic; he wrote, “Life is bigger than one exam. Look in the mirror and say, ‘Not life or death. Best shot. No fear.’” He also advised students to occasionally shout, “Dad, omelette please… and don’t forget the mango shake.”
Vineet Nayar advises all students preparing for board exams to remain calm and focused, reminding them that fear and pressure only grow if given attention. He advises students to avoid panic, to approach each exam with confidence, and to give their all without becoming overwhelmed by anxiety.
