The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Relaxation `is key to beating examination stress'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 09, 2007
ePaper


<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> <IMG SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60 ALT="Click Here"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Relaxation `is key to beating examination stress'

Meera Srinivasan

Tips from experts on tackling the tests; helplines available too

— PHOTO: K.PICHUMANI

COLLECTIVE EFFORT: Students appearing for the public examination this year at a group study session.

CHENNAI : Less than four weeks to go before the Class X and XII board examinations. The students busy with the final rounds of preparation and revision.

But along with the preparation, there builds up the pressure-cooker atmosphere at home and school - especially those of today's competitive teenagers. Teachers and counsellors agree that marks, grades and the glowing ambition to enter an institution of choice to pursue lifetime goals are the top most in the students' minds. And very little else.

As the pressure builds up towards D-Day, the students are bound to feel stressed. It can affect their examination performance.

Gauging the pressure levels prevalent during this time of the year, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced a tele-counselling helpline about ten years ago. This year too, the service has been made available from February 1 to March 31.

Jaya Ravishankar, head mistress of Chinmaya International Residential School and Vasanthi Thiagarajan, principal, Sishya School, Hosur, are the two counsellors from Tamil Nadu. They shared a few tips that could be followed during the last few days of preparation.

The simplest and most practical thing to do would be to learn what one already knows, thoroughly. There are no quick-fix solutions that one could adopt at this stage. "Sample papers are available on the CBSE website with the answer key. Students can practise questions given there," says Ms.Thiagarajan.

The students often call to find out what they need to do to excel in an examination on a day they are sleep deprived. For students who say formulae, theories and equations haunt them all through the night, this is what she has to say. "Nothing like a good night's sleep the previous day. It is very important to relax." Counsellors also receive a number of queries on the syllabus. They note that schools need to create awareness about the CBSE website, which has comprehensive information on these aspects.

"I've had students asking me how they should prepare when there are 10 days left for the examination," says Ms.Ravishankar. She also recalls frantic calls from parents eager to know what they could do to help their child get that one extra mark.

Counsellors recommend relaxing techniques such as yoga, meditation besides a healthy diet and an optimistic outlook. Students may use graphic organisers and concept maps to remember lengthy answers. Presentation has significant weightage. "There is great pressure on an examiner and a neatly presented paper always gives a good impression. Simple things such as drawing a line after each answer and marking the question number clearly can make a whole lot of difference," Ms. Thiagarajan says. For more details on the helpline, visit www.cbse.nic.in.

24-hour helpline

Sneha's 24-hour helpline (24640050), which has been functional since last October, has been receiving a number of calls from anxious students in the last few weeks. Volunteers have also been working with schools and conducting programmes on stress management and emotional well-being.

"Right from January we get frantic calls from children who ask us how they can meet their parents' expectations or their own. Some of them call to discuss their examination. When they know they have a patient and sympathetic listener they go on about problems in relationships and other related issues," says P.V.Sankaranarayanan, director, Sneha. Parents must understand that exams are a part of life and not life itself. Students may be encouraged to see public examination as just another examination. After all, all of them have grown up writing examinations and this should be no mammoth task, he adds. Counselling is also offered through e-mail. (help@snehaindia.org)

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu