Is studying actually about learning or comepetiton?

Studying nowadays, it seems as if the concept of studying has changed to something completely different. It helps a person to learn more, gain more knowledge, know things better, and as well as help in leading a better life. However, in these times studying seems more like a competition. It seems like a goal that needs to be achieved to be better than everyone not in terms of knowledge but in terms of numbers and grades.

Of course, studying is very important in order to lead a better life, deal with its struggles, to survive life. Even so, making it into a competition is clearly not the right thing. This new concept affects a human being in various ways and most of those effects are not positive.

In my country, in my culture studying has completely changed from something that acquires knowledge to something that is about gaining a certificate. This practice is not mainly done by the willingness of the students but by the pressure given to them by their families as "they need to keep their reputation by bringing the highest mark in exams". 

Families, especially parents pressurize the students into getting the best grade, to be number one in their academic field, and to be better than all the students thinking about what might others say or think about them. Even if they do this thinking it's for the betterment of their child, it's clearly not. Doing this, thinking about their reputation, and thinking about what others will say is making them destroy their child's life, their dreams, their self-esteem, etc.

Student's in my culture are distinguished based on the subject they get or choose to study. Getting or choosing science as a subject to study makes a student superior to the students who get or choose commerce or arts as they are considered mediocre or bad students. Students are forced to study a subject they don't have an interest in by their parents either to fulfill their parent's dreams, to increase their reputation, to be better than everyone, etc.

One of the biggest reasons for students to have mental issues is their academic results. The students trying hard for the sake of everyone else is getting them nowhere but difficulty in their daily life. Forcing oneself to study something they are not interested in and sacrificing their own dreams and interest affects their mindset very negatively. Most students in my country are having to study a subject of their parent's interest and are expected to get GPA5 in their SSC/HSC or A* in O'levels/A'levels where they find it very difficult to cope with their studies. It demotivates them to the point where their mental state becomes massacred. 

Even if they pass with good grades, all of it will be compared with other students to judge who is better than who and judge on the basis of their grades who will be successful in the future. This brings down the self-esteem of the students and no matter how good they will never be satisfied with themselves.

As a result, this competition of studying, and doing better than the other is not helping students learn or gain knowledge that will help them with their future. This system of studying is slowly destroying the relationship between many students with their parents and friends. The students are getting tired not only physically but mentally. Study shows every 1 in 3 college students are suffering from depression and anxiety. Although not all parents force their children and not all students are forced to do good, the ones who are should be made sure that it isn't about competition, it is about acquiring knowledge for the betterment of their future. 

It's upsetting how nowadays a piece of paper validates a student's worth and capability.