MYTH OF THE MERIT RANKERS 

We may not get a better example of a good thing being used for a misleading interpretation than the word “Merit Rankers”. Such hype is created about the merit rankers by some coaching classes that important facts were sidelined leading to the distortion of their actual performance. 

This is the age of transparency. Now a days no body tolerates window dressing. Everybody deserves to have the true picture. While selecting coaching classes also correct picture is required to ensure that the right choice could be made. 

Hence the need for examining the issue. 

1. Basically the merit rankers are bright and hard working students. Their getting ranks need not be construed as the achievement of the coaching classes, unless the students’ previous performances were average. But what normally happens is that many coaching classes claim sole credit for their students' merit rank, even though the help given by them to those students might be bare minimum.

2. When coaching classes announce the number of merit rankers, it is desirable to know the total number of students who obtained coaching from them. How can we build opinion for 100% students based on the results of 0.01% students?

3. There are many reputed colleges, which attract bright students by their name and fame. Those hard working bright students anyway get meritorious marks by making use of all the facilities available in the college. Even before the colleges claiming credit for their performance, many coaching classes vociferously announce the same as their achievement!

4. On many occasions the names of the merit rankers are published with hardly any details. Mostly coaching classes do not provide the complete name of the students. Vague and incomplete names such as Nisha, Shyam, and Urvi definitely raise doubts and make verification impossible.

5. There may be many instances of merit rankers being bought just for publicity. Actually those merit rankers might not have joined the coaching classes at all! When commercial considerations get priority over educational values such instances happen.

6. Coaching classes generally teach the practical subjects from the exam point of view. Merit ranks are awarded based on the performance in all the subjects. Without guiding the students in all the subjects it is illogical to claim credit by them for the Merit rankers.

Thus it is apparent that the performances of the coaching classes are not truly reflected by their claims regarding the Merit rankers. The parents and students should be aware of these facts and cautious while selecting coaching classes.  The best way is to go by the opinions of the present and old students of the coaching classes instead of misguided by the claims regarding the Merit rankers.

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