The competition tests one’s dedication, perseverance, and intelligence. Competition pushes a person to the limit and brings out the best in them. Competition is a universal truth that exists everywhere. It is not limited to books but every living being competes since time immemorial. Charles Darwin says ‘The survival of the fittest’; Only those who are able to compete are considered fit and can survive. The most powerful animal on planet earth, the dinosaurs did not survive because they failed to compete with the changing nature. In the garden, sometimes we witness that where flowers were planted, weeds also grow. This happens because weeds and flowers compete with each other and the better survives. When flowers get the help of fertilizer, they grow profusely. This teaches us that competition is something that is present everywhere and while competing also requires some external help which may be in the form of coaches, teachers, or parents.
Living in such a society, which wants nothing but success, it has become a common occurrence that people compete against each other, sometimes winning and sometimes failing. The extent to which their victories and defeats stretch the line of demarcation as to how good or evil the competition becomes for them. The term, healthy competition, which is becoming more and more popular today, may sound believable, but it doesn’t really matter unless one understands its literal meaning. So, accordingly, the question still remains, directly or indirectly, how good is competition for the youth? Whether you are a toddler or a baby, the competition starts from the day you step out of your mother’s womb. But, for an adult or a young person, it becomes more difficult to get up and walk the path they have chosen for themselves. If you pass out of school, the first thing you have to do is try and find the best carrier for you, and the struggle does not end there, getting a decent job becomes another duty. But, if you are fighting for a competitive exam, you have to do the same with dedication and struggle, but if you fail, the responsibility falls on you, and to kill your purpose, “words of the world” are enough. And if you are looking for a job, you should be perfect in all. Leading to more and more competitiveness among the youth. As for the goodness of competition in the life of youth, it depends entirely on the perception of oneself, so as to burden oneself, or to press on what is not yet good. Healthy competition is often invoked to motivate people, it works for people who really know what they want to deliver, but people who are less committed to what they want and are confused about what to do. Those who fail to do so are more likely to be disappointed by their own expectations. It’s soul-crushing to put all your heart and soul into something and still not get results, and to watch everyone else move on. But, still working on it is a sign, that you are moving forward in life, overcoming the rough roads you have been through.
Research in the developmental literature suggests that the competitive nature of humans varies by gender, race, and age. In terms of gender, most research suggests that men are more competitive than women. Similarly, students from cultures that emphasize ‘individualism’ like Americans, Europeans, etc., are more competitive than students from cultures that emphasize ‘collectivism’ like South Asians, Africans, etc. Also, young people are more competitive than the middle-aged population. So, it leads us to the conclusion that competition among youth is a global phenomenon and India is no exception. In India, the competition starts when a fifteen-year-old child appears in board exams when he seeks admission for a degree and when he tries to find a profession for himself, it is at its peak. According to statistics, around four lakh secondary school pass-outs apply for a few thousand seats in engineering/medicine and other professional courses in a handful of premier institutes across the country, leading to cut-throat competition among them.
The development of a nation mainly depends on its youth population. Nowadays, there is cut-throat competition for youth in all walks of life. Competition is the latest buzzword in society and survival of the fittest has become mandatory for the youth. Life of youth is not a bed of roses and they face competition in all aspects of life. Starting from his admission to college, the competition starts and keeps him busy till he retires from the job. Competition helps in getting the best effort from the youth. Now, youth crave strong shoulders instead of light-weight.
Gone are the days when youth felt they were in a safe zone after registering their name at the employment office. The current scenario is quite the opposite, even for clerical posts youngsters have to clear prelims, mains, and interviews. It is not strange to read in a daily newspaper that 3 lakh applicants applied for 03 vacancies. Youths need to burn the midnight oil for academic studies as well as preparation for competitive exams. Hence the aptitude of the youth increases and once selected he will perform his duties meticulously. Competition is essential to bring out the best brains among the youth.
Youth in India is a person whose age is between 15 to 29 years. Youth are energetic, enthusiastic, creative, and visionary. Youth is the future of every country. Youth are at the age when they learn new things, gain experiences, push new ideas, and bring a new vision to the new generation. The big question now is – should competition be allowed among the youth or is an increased level of competition good for the youth? difficult question. Both sides of the coin must be analyzed before reaching a conclusion.
If the energy of the youth is channeled into a good field, they can create wonders and vice versa is also true! All recruitment in any department starts at a young age and everyone wants to keep youngsters with them, be it multinational companies, government organizations, political parties, or terrorists. Why? Because young people are like wet clay, they can be molded into any shape. They can be turned into angels or devils. So, when competition increases- some win and others don’t. There are many who try and do but do not get the desired result. Oftentimes, youths fall into depression due to constant failures. So, do we want our future to be one of depression? If not, it can be assumed that increased competition is not good for the youth. However, like the wheel of religion, the wheel of growth and progress can only move when people come up with new ideas and make new discoveries. How can a person develop his mental capacity if he does not face competition and gets everything in hand? People work hard only because they know that life is not full of roses; competition is like walking on fire. Every year the competition is increasing and every year there are better competitors. Competition has turned the youth into quality producers. Thus, an increased level of competition is good for the youth.
The current scenario in India is one of the ever-increasing cut-offs, which demand absolute perfection, as was evident when some colleges affiliated with Delhi University announced a cut-off admission percentage of 99%. The competition faced by government job aspirants can be gauged by the fact that recently Ph.D. scholars, Master’s degree holders apply for Forest Assistant jobs that require Class 8-pass candidates. The reservation policy of the Government of India allows easy access to educational institutions and government jobs for the reserved class. This reduces the opportunity for non-reserved or general class people and increases the level of competition among them. So, we can say that competition is inevitable in the current time. AS Michael Jordan correctly stated, “You have competition every single day because you set high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up to.” The increasing levels of competition affects the youth in both positive and negative way. Competition being inevitable, there is a large section of youth who have embraced it and made it a driving force in their careers. Competition creates interest and excitement and helps a person to give his best.
The study found that India has the highest suicide rate among the youth. Almost every day, there are reports of youngsters unable to bear the shame or committing suicide for fear of failing to get admission to an educational institution of their choice. The guilt of not getting admission or a job also leads to suicide among youth. Thus, competition can be said to be morally neutral. A person’s perception of it makes it good or bad. Therefore, competition should be encouraged, but youth should have access to counselors so that they can deal with it positively. Also, SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threat) analysis should be conducted in schools and colleges which will help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and choose a career accordingly.
Mostly, the competition helps the youth involved in the business sector to promote their products. Globalization has given our youth an opportunity to compete with their counterparts from other nations. Even an established and well-known organization suddenly stumbles and takes a backseat if it loses its sense of competition. Only through competition can we get product standards and the best technology. Nowadays what is new in technology becomes outdated in a short period of time due to competition. Competition is necessary because it helps promote technology on the fast track.
In the field of sports, competition plays an important role in bringing out the indomitable spirit of the players. New records are set brilliantly every day in almost every sport. Records that once seemed unbeatable can only be achieved due to competition between players. Competition is the only motivation for players to achieve dizzying heights of success in their respective sports. The competition helps nurture the best talent among the youth, especially in arts and crafts. Many competitions like singing, dancing, acting, etc. are organized from district to national level to showcase their performance. Competition is the only ray of hope for youngsters to develop themselves and stick to their dreams.
Just as every coin has two sides, competition among youth also has the opposite effect. Many youngsters lose hope once they are unable to realize their dreams. Sometimes they choose the inappropriate formula of hook or crook to conquer the pressure of competition. Those who could not compete take the extreme step of committing suicide. Competitions sometimes create animosity between youngsters. Youngsters rarely get time to stand and watch in this competitive world. They feel frustrated because it is difficult to cope with the tight pace of competition.
So healthy competition among youth is the need of the hour. It is worth mentioning that the competition should be done in a productive manner. Parental guidance is very important and their wards should understand the difference between competition and jealousy. As we know smooth seas never make a skilled sailor. So ultimately, competition among youth is necessary to make them talented and skilled individuals. Youth should also understand the purpose of competition and master different professions to succeed in their desired field.
Thus, competition has both pros and cons. But the main thing is what scores over others- the pros and cons. Just because competition makes some kids depressed, is it right to put a stop to the competition? No, after all, all the good things have some disadvantages. For example, water gives life but sometimes it also takes away. Airplanes reduce travel time but are not immune to fatal accidents. Fire is man’s greatest invention but it also causes destruction. So, competition is necessary but it also has some minor side effects. It is the responsibility of parents and teachers to always keep the passion of the youth high. Parents and teachers should constantly motivate the youth. Youth should be made human beings, not machines. They should be taught that success in a particular field or exam is not the ultimate goal, one needs to be a good person first. Depression and sadness occur when young people feel that they have lost the battle and are good for nothing. As described earlier the youth are soft like wet clay, they can be molded into any shape. So, if from the beginning we inculcate in the youth strength, power to face every situation, confidence, and courage, they will never get discouraged, after every failure they will jump back into the competition field. Thus, an increased level of competition is as necessary for the youth as the use of less polluting vehicles is necessary for the environment. Thus, competition should be increased so that the youth become better and the nation as a whole progresses. However, in this process, the youth must also develop the strength to face all circumstances. Once this happens, we will see a better and higher level of positive competition where both winners and losers win.
