Language student is first in exams and put on a pedestal (7)
I believe the answer is:
idolise
'put on a pedestal' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'language student is first in exams' is the wordplay.
'language' becomes 'ido' (Ido is an example**).
'student' becomes 'l'.
'first in' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'exams' is 'e'.
'ido'+'l'+'is'+'e'='IDOLISE'
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for idolise that I've seen before include "Hero-worship, revere" , "Doilies to worship" , "Worship extravagantly" , "Worship and adore" , "Worship to extremes" .)