‘Half the CEOs would be unemployed if…’: Ex HCL CEO’s message to students ahead of board exams

With board exam season bringing stress, long study hours and anxious households, Vineet Nadar, Founder of Sampark Foundation and former CEO of HCL Technologies, shared a heartfelt note for students on X, reminding them that marks do not define their future.

In a post, Nadar began with a striking line, “If board exams decided life, half the CEOs would be unemployed. Let that sink in,” he wrote.

He acknowledged that board exams are significant, but cautioned students against treating them as the ultimate measure of success. “Boards are important. But they are not your destiny,” he noted.

Rather than offering generic advice, Nadar turned to his own teenage years. He recalled walking out of his Chemistry exam at the age of 17 with a sinking feeling that he had performed badly. “Full panic mode,” he wrote, capturing the fear many students feel after a tough paper.

What followed, he said, changed his perspective. A cousin noticed his anxiety and asked him, “Will you die if you fail?”

When Nadar replied no, the cousin responded with another question, “Then why are you treating it as a life and death situation?”

The simplicity of that exchange stayed with him. According to Nadar, it helped him step back and look at the bigger picture. Instead of carrying panic into his next exam, he chose to reset. Two days later, he appeared for his Maths paper with a calmer approach. “I studied calmly. Walked in steady. Crushed it,” he shared.

Using that experience as a lesson, Nadar drew a clear distinction between academic testing and real-world challenges. “Exams test memory. Life tests courage,” he wrote.

He reminded students that board exams are just one stage in a much larger journey. “Boards are a level in the game. Not the whole game.”

His advice was practical and direct,“So sleep. Study hard. Give it your best shot. Then accept the result. Life is bigger than one exam.”

Adding a touch of humour, he suggested students lighten the atmosphere at home during exam time. “And occasionally, shout, ‘Dad, omelette please… and don’t forget the mango shake!’”

He followed that up with a gentle reminder to let parents handle their own anxieties. “Let parents cook and worry. Your job is to prepare and stay steady.”

Ending on an encouraging note, Nadar addressed students directly, “The Board Exam Bully survives on fear. Starve it! You’ve got this, my friend!”