Why are we still fixated on JEE? Indian professional asks why rank still matters at 40

An Indian professional in Germany was surprised to be asked about his JEE rank during a recent Bengaluru visit. His experience sparked a wider conversation about why an exam taken in adolescence can continue to influence how success and credibility are judged decades later.Why are we still fixated on JEE? Indian professional asks why rank still matters at 40 (Image: AI generated image)You clear JEE at 17. But in India, the rank can follow you for decades. It can surface in college applications, job interviews, professional introductions and even conversations long after the exam is forgotten.After nearly a decade in Germany, Indian professional Mayukh says he had almost forgotten just how deeply JEE ranks are tied to status in India. Now, he is questioning why an exam taken in adolescence still carries so much weight among accomplished professionals in their 40s.‘I HAD ALMOST FORGOTTEN THAT THE JEE WAS A BIG DEAL’Mayukh said his perspective changed considerably after moving abroad.In Germany, he found that people were largely unfamiliar with Indian undergraduate institutions, whether IITs, NITs or Goa University. From their perspective, the distinctions that carry enormous prestige in India did not necessarily translate into professional status. As he settled into life in Europe, his undergraduate education gradually became less relevant. He also lost touch with many of his former batchmates, several of whom moved to the US, while he was the only one from his group to relocate to Europe.His career took another turn when he moved from engineering into pure science. That shift brought him into contact with researchers and PhD students from a much wider range of academic backgrounds, including institutions such as Delhi University and IISERs, rather than only the engineering colleges that dominate India's traditional prestige hierarchy. Over time, he said, the metrics that mattered to him became very different.FROM JEE RANK TO PUBLICATIONS AND INVITED TALKSFor much of the past decade, Mayukh said, professional credibility in his environment was built around the stature of one's graduate school, research output, publications, conferences and invited talks.In other words, the focus shifted from where you started at 17 or 18 to what you had actually accomplished years later. That made his recent return to Bengaluru particularly striking.During a professional visit, he was surprised to find that people still wanted to know about JEE ranks or subtly tried to determine which college someone had attended.“Why are we fixated so much on an exam taken during adolescence?” he asked. Mayukh acknowledged that securing a strong JEE rank is a remarkable achievement. He also stressed that he was not criticising people for highlighting their accomplishments.In a competitive professional world, he argued, everyone has to demonstrate why they are worth choosing. His question was different: why should an achievement from adolescence remain such a prominent status marker decades later?WHY DOES COLLEGE PRESTIGE STAY WITH US?His post raised a broader question about how India defines achievement.In the country’s fiercely competitive education system, entrance exams can become powerful markers of identity. A JEE rank may determine access to an IIT and, later, become part of a person’s professional and social identity.The hierarchy can remain surprisingly durable. Even years into a career, conversations often return to one’s college, branch, rank or academic pedigree. Mayukh wondered if this attachment reflects “the regret of a missed childhood” — the idea that an achievement earned early in life can retain emotional significance long after its practical value has faded.‘THE PRESTIGE HIERARCHY MEANS NOTHING OUTSIDE INDIA’His observation sparked a wider debate online. Some users said they had similar experiences abroad, where India’s elaborate college hierarchy often carries little weight.Others said living overseas made them realise how local the prestige system is. One commenter recalled rarely being asked about their undergraduate college in the US, only to face those questions again after returning to India.Others defended the value of early achievements, arguing they can build confidence and motivation. As one commenter put it, the older we get, the harder it becomes to define what an “achievement” really is.THE BIGGER QUESTION: WHAT SHOULD DEFINE SUCCESS?Mayukh's post ultimately goes beyond the JEE. It raises an uncomfortable question about whether Indian society sometimes holds on too tightly to the first visible proof that someone was exceptional.At 18, a JEE rank can be enormously significant. At 40, however, a person's work, judgment, contributions, reputation and impact arguably tell a far richer story.Perhaps the real measure of success is not where someone stood at the beginning of adulthood, but how far they managed to go after that starting line.- EndsPublished By: Apoorva AnandPublished On: Aug 29, 2026 12:44 IST