Stressed students misread aim of examination helpline

The state board last week declared helpline numbers dedicated to students suffering from examination-related stress. For the first time ever, the board is giving students a chance to connect with leading psychiatrists and share their anxieties.

While most of the calls are centred on examination fears, many students seem not to have understood the objective of this service.

Shailaja Mulay, one of the counsellors said, “I attend to calls wherein students are scared to appear for their exams because they have not been able to complete their studies. Obvious subjects like mathematics, chemistry and physics are giving students a tough time. In such cases we ask for the students’ schedules to see if we can make alterations, and try and get them to relax and concentrate by keeping aside mobile phones, televisions, etc. “

“But there are also some questions from students that make me laugh; for instance when a caller asks whether he should study in the morning or evening, and ‘What is the time table?’ etc.,” she said.

“Some callers have misunderstood the idea of these helpline numbers, and think they’re a service offered by the board to answer their technical questions. We then have to guide such callers to their schools/colleges or the board, based on the type of the query,” added Mulay.

Another counsellor, Prof Vijay Jamsandekar, said, “Other than stress-related queries, I have fielded technical queries such as ‘Can you explain a certain mathematical sum?’, ‘What is the formula to be successful in board exams?’, ‘From where will I get the timetable?’, and ‘Can you help me in any ways to clear the exam?’ All such queries we have to handle tactfully.”

Dr. Harish Shetty, a well-known psychiatrist, said, “I have received calls asking if I had any influence in getting students seats in colleges. We as mature counsellors have to deal with these situations properly and direct students to the right sources.”