Om Swami
Did I really fail if I missed my goal by a small margin?
Missing a cut-off is not failure
Scoring 97% when the cut-off was 98% does not mean you failed. Failure depends on the parameter for success. The unsuccessful one always has someone or something to blame.
Suppose you prepare for an exam and score 97%, the cut-off was 98%, and you did not get admission to that college. It does not mean that you failed.