Health experts to train students to handle exam stress

As the State Board and CBSE examination is in progress, mental health practitioners also setup 24 hours helpline +91 83768 04102 for parents and students to gain instant access to expert psychologists. The experts will help callers learn constructive ways to study better, retain what they have learnt and manage their stress. “We get more than 50 calls per day in Tamil Nadu,” said Dr Samir Parikh, the head of the expert team. 

“Exam stress is a far more prevalent problem in our nation than we realise. We want to encourage students to incorporate effective study habits, especially those that include following the 45/15 minutes schedule (taking a break after 15 minutes after studying 45 minutes),” he added.

According to him, following the 45/15 technique will help students not only maximise their attention and concentration span, but also optimise retention. 

A survey was conducted across India to explore the common study habits and behaviours during the exam season. Amongst 6,431 school going students in nine cities across the country, 86% students said that they are unable to spend time in any kind of physical activity during their examinations. Also, 82% students felt that socialising with their friends and family becomes equally difficult during the examinations due to the stress related to exams. 

“The steady increase in the identification of psychological difficulties faced by school children shows us the need to ensure their psychosocial well-being through an active collaboration between schools and mental health practitioner,” Samir said, adding, “Therefore, we must make sure that we identify, evaluate and intervene when problems related to developmental delays, academic difficulties, peer pressure self-esteem and emotional functioning arise.”