CBSE 12th results this year felt like an emotional roller coaster for lakhs of students across the country. The wait seemed interminable at first. Then, on May 13, when the results were finally announced, emotions ran wild. Some students refreshed websites with trembling hands. Some avoided looking at their mark sheets altogether. Some crumbled before the portals opened, while others sat quietly beside distraught parents who spent months watching their children disappear into books, mock tests and late-night revision schedules.For some, the day turned into a celebration. For others it brought despair and heavy sighs. Yet, as is often said, numbers never define a student’s worth. Every result has a story, sometimes of success, sometimes of struggle, and there is something to learn from both.One such story is that of Aarav Goyal, a student of Noida’s Shiv Nadar School, who secured an impressive 97.20% marks in the science stream.For Aarau, however, the result didn’t feel like a finish line. A science student who constantly balances stress. NEET Preparation Along with board exams, the moment felt more like an emotional clash than a celebration.“There was joy, obviously,” he said, pausing carefully between thoughts, “but emotions were high because at the same time, there was uncertainty around NEET. So it all felt overwhelming.”Behind the polished scorecard was a young man who had spent nearly two years organizing his life around a single date, May 3, the day he believed would define his medical admissions journey. Uncertainty surrounding a possible re-conduct followed, turning it into another phase of anxiety.
Exhaustion hidden behind high scores
We often see a rosy picture, no sweat behind it. India often celebrates toppers through percentage and ranking lists. Newspapers print pictures. Schools released congratulatory banners. Social media is full of “study tips” and “success spells”. But rarely do students talk openly about the emotional fatigue that accompanies excellence.Urwa said. “You mentally prepare yourself from the start of class 11 that the exam is going to be held on May 3,” he said about NEET preparation. “After that, you think you’re finally going to be relatively free. So when things suddenly change, it affects your state of mind.”Honesty is outstanding.No artificial confidence, no dramatic claims of “studying 18 hours a day,” no exaggerated myth of perfection. Instead, Aarav speaks as thousands of Indian students feel, constantly balancing ambition with anxiety.Since January, his study days ranged from seven to eleven hours. Earlier, in Class 12, he put in six to seven hours a day while simultaneously preparing for one of India’s most competitive entrance exams. Yet despite his tireless preparation, his thoughts were filled with doubts. “I hoped to be in the top 10 or top 5 in school,” he admitted. “I really didn’t expect to get the highest marks.”
A topper who is still questioning his numbers.
Despite scoring 99 in chemistry and 98 in three subjects, Aarao says one subject bothered him, psychology. “I was a little surprised by my psychology score,” he said. “I thought my exam passed just like my other subjects.”His remarks echo a broader sentiment expressed by many students regarding the subjective evaluation patterns after the 2026 board results.“CBSE is a subjective exam and is not always very transparent about marks,” he said. “At the end of the day, you can control your actions and your performance, but you can’t control how an examiner grades you.”For students who go after the results, the statement comes with unusual maturity.
Physics, nervousness and the pressure to prove yourself
Ask almost any NEET or JEE aspirant about their toughest subject and one answer comes up again and again: Physics.Physics was not just difficult for Aarav, it was intimidating as he topped the board exam schedule.“I was definitely more stressed about physics,” he recalled.He devoted almost 12 concentrated days before the exam to this subject only. But the challenge was not memorization alone. It was adaptation. He felt that this year’s physics paper was significantly more application-oriented.“The moment I opened the paper, I realized that the difficulty had increased,” he said. “So inside the exam hall, I adapted.”His preparation strategy was methodical rather than flashy. Previous year papers. Timed practice test. Conceptual explanation. Understanding the derivatives rather than mechanically dragging them out.“In one or two derivatives, I forgot parts during the test,” he admitted. “So I had to derive them from there. So your fundamentals have to be very clear.”There is an obvious honesty in the way he describes the board exam hall, not as a place of confidence, but as a place where students constantly negotiate between speed, presentation and accuracy.“If the paper is difficult,” he explained, “you need to compromise a little on presentation and focus on completing the paper properly.” This is exactly the kind of practical insight that anxious students desperately seek after exams.
No one talks about burnout enough.
At one point during the conversation, Aarau spoke not like a topper, but like a student carrying accumulated exhaustion. “Burnout is very real,” she said quietly. The sentence remains.Because beneath India’s coaching culture and competitive ecosystem lies an uncomfortable reality: students are often taught how to study, but how to avoid pressure.“There were days when I felt low,” he admitted. “Especially since January because I was giving a lot of NEET mock tests and board mock tests.”Mock scores became emotional arenas. “Sometimes it happened, even if I scored 61 out of 70 on that test, I would try to avoid those mistakes next time.”But unlike the toxic productivity narratives that glorify endless study, Arao returns to one idea again and again: balance.He said that sometimes it is necessary to take a break. “If you want to do good things in life, you need to be in your best state of mind.”This philosophy shaped his routine. Even during intense preparation, he continued to play guitar, connected with friends and participated in activities outside of academics.“Transitioning from class 10 to 11 and 12 doesn’t mean giving up everything you love,” he said. “It’s about maintaining a balance.”
The role of teachers, parents and emotional security
High-achieving students are often portrayed as completely self-directed. Aarau completely resists this narrative. Again and again during the interview he returned to the people who stabilized him emotionally.He spoke warmly of his teachers, crediting them not just for academics but for understanding the extraordinary pressure of balancing boards with NEET preparation.“My teachers understood that my journey was a little different,” he said. More importantly, it emphasized the role of the home.“I think parents are very important in creating an environment where you feel good,” she reflected. “You can’t always get everything right.”For many students reading this during results season, especially those unhappy with their scores, this statement may feel more comforting than any motivational slogan.
Three words every board student needs to hear.
At the end of the conversation, Aarav was asked to describe the preparation of the board in three words. He paused before answering.“Discipline. Focus. Positive attitude.” Then he added something even more important. “You need to demonstrate success, but also know that you can only control your actions.”In India’s exam culture, where marks often become shorthand for value, this distinction matters a lot.Because behind every percentage lies a hidden story: sleepless nights, self-doubt, comparisons, pressure, parental expectations, incomplete mock tests, panic before practicals, silent breakdowns, motivational speeches that stopped working, and the dreaded uncertainty of whether all the effort will finally pay off. Auro Goyal’s attempt on 13 May did just that. But perhaps the real lesson from his journey is not 97.20%.It’s a reminder that even toppers struggle, doubt themselves, feel exhausted and fear failure, and still keep going.
