Stress buster: CBSE goes hi-tech to counsel students

The board exams are barely a month away (March 3) and the CBSE board has begun counselling services for students and parents. This is the 13th consecutive year that the board is offering the service.

This year, multiple modes of communication such as telephonic counselling, question-answer columns in newspapers, interactive voice response system (IVRS) and online counselling through its
public portal will be used by CBSE to reach out to students.

“This year, tele-counselling will be offered by as many as 52 principals and trained counsellors from CBSE-affiliated schools across the country. There are also three helpline centres outside India at Kuwait, Dubai and Doha in Qatar,” said Rama Sharma, spokesperson for CBSE.

Every year, principals and teachers who volunteer for the counselling services are trained at workshops in Delhi.

“We are trained by qualified counsellors on how to help students during stressful times. We have to attend simulated calls, and counsel students or sometimes just lend a sympathetic ear,” said Avnita Bir, principal of RN Podar High School, Santacruz.

Bir has now been counselling for two years and receives calls from across the country. “I have had students calling from as far as Tamil Nadu. Sometimes they want to know how to study for their math exam or call up just after a difficult exam for some advice,” Bir said.

The board has also set up a facility to provide counselling to special children, which was started last year to take care of the needs and anxiety of such children. The CBSE offers exemptions to physically challenged, spastic and dyslexic candidates taking the month-long board exams and most calls are related to how they can avail of the facilities.

There are four special educators who have volunteered to provide their services. “Special children are vocal and there is a need to listen to their voices. Their worries are not different from those of a regular child, but they need specialised counselling to handle their queries,” said Abha Sharma, special educator, CBSE.

Parents and students can also interact with the CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi on exam-related issues through the online website or through email. “The Director (academic) and Controller of Examinations, CBSE, can also be contacted for online counselling at diracad.cbse@ yahoo.co.in and mcsharma2007@rediffmail.com,” Rama Sharma said.