104 to offer free counselling for exam-bound students

The toll-free 104 service will be available to students from January. Officials said that they would provide tele-counselling before, during and after the exam. 

Board exams for Higher Secondary students and SSLC students have been scheduled to commence from March 2017. 

With both the private and government schools completing their syllabus much ahead of time, revision tests and repeated assessments prepare the students to face public examinations. 

However, the revision instead of making students feel at ease, actually induce stress. 

Since the 104 service is available 24X7, the calls have been increasing year by year. This service also give counselling about a proper diet during exams. “We provide them counselling for their physiological as well as psychological issues ad most of the students face too many problems during their adolescence,” S Prabhu Doss, State Head 104 EMRI helpline said. 

Prabhu Doss said that January to May is the peak period for students and the helpline used to receive even around 10,000 calls a day. 

“Last year we received around 25,000 calls from anxious students. Sometime, we receive calls from the parents as well as the teachers,” Prabhu doss said. 

As the 104  health helpline is stepping into its fourth year from December 30, 2016, the helpline management has scheduled to launch the pre examination distress addressal system for students and parents from the first week of January. 

“We have a well-equipped team of psychologists who would find the problem as well as the solution when a distressed student makes a call,” Prabhu Doss added.