American tech founder says he could never have made it as student in India: ‘Look at the competition’

In India, academics are often seen as one of the most intense forms of competition, where parental expectations, constant peer comparison, coaching culture, and extremely high cut-off marks create immense pressure on students.

From board exam scores shaping social perception to college admissions demanding near-perfect percentages, students are pushed into a highly competitive race from an early age. Even a gap of 0.5% can make the difference between celebration and disappointment, turning marks into more than just an indicator of academic performance — they often become tied to identity, ambition, and self-worth.

That harsh reality was recently highlighted in a viral video by Tony Klor, who said he could never have survived as a student in India.

Posting on X, Klor shared a video of a roadside examination result board filled with scores close to 99%, reacting with shock and humour to the intense level of competition faced by Indian students.

“This is why I could have never freaking made it as a student in India,” he said in the video while pointing the camera at toppers’ names and percentages.

“Look at the competition — Tanishka, 99.3%. Tanishka, leave a little bit for the homies,” he joked.

Continuing to read out the scores in disbelief, he said, “Ruchi got a straight 99 flat, these hudugis are on top always. Madhu 98.3, Madakari 97.5.”

At another moment in the video, he noticed a different student’s name and joked, “These are like radio stations. Shankraya Gurumath — obviously he’s a guru at math, physics, 98.”

Sharing the clip online, he captioned it: “These kids in India are too locked in.”

Here's how social media users reacted:

The video swiftly gained traction on social media, evoking reactions ranging from laughter to frustration. For many Indians, the viral clip highlighted a reality they know all too well — the constant race for marks in one of the most fiercely competitive education systems in the world.

Many social media users also noted that even outstanding scores are often no longer enough to secure admission into top institutions.

“You can’t imagine how competitive India is. Even candidates who score 99% don’t have the guarantee to get a tier-1 college,” one user commented.

CBSE results sparks debate on toxic parenting

Days after the CBSE Class 12 results were declared, a heartbreaking photo of a shattered laptop lying on the floor went viral on Reddit, sparking a debate on toxic parenting in India.

A student took to the platform to share the aftermath of their CBSE Class 12 results, alleging that their father smashed their computer and even took away their bed as punishment for scoring low marks.

“Ik I am late here, but this is what my father did after 12th results were out,” a Reddit user wrote while posting a picture of the broken laptop.

The student further claimed, “And if that wasn't enough, he took away my room and bed from me, and makes me sleep on the floor now. I am facing verbal, physical, mental and emotional abuse since the results are out. (I got 57.4%, Essential Repeat).”

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint does not endorse them.)