‘More Class 10 students call 104 helpline’

The government-run 104 health helpline has been receiving a number of calls, especially from the students who are taking up the Class 10 board exams. “They are more anxious about their future, compared to the Class 12 students who have already undergone the transition a few years ago,” says B Prabhudoss, who is part of the helpline that is equipped with four counsellors who are available around the clock. 

“They are stressed when they don’t perform well in any particular subject. They need assurances that they can still do the remaining exams well and that the unsatisfactory performance in one shouldn’t influence the rest,” he adds. 

The 104-helpline that receives more than 1,000 calls when exam results are announced, has its task cut out in three phases — counselling before exams, during exams and ahead of the results. Prabhudoss also adds that boys tend to seek more help than the girls. “It is probably because girls are a lot more involved, when they receive advice from parents or teachers,” he says. 

Chennai-based psychologist Mini Rao, agrees, “We tend to see more depressed parents, who are worried about their boys being hooked to TV, videogames or the Internet around exams. I tell them to give them their space and supervise. Any kind of ban related to TV, games or Internet will only make them more resentful.”