The High School Certificate examination is underway, while the final year exam under the Council of Higher Secondary Examination is round the corner. Stiff competition coupled with parents’ expectations make exam days very stressful for school children. The situation is not only challenging for the kids but also for other household members. With the beginning of the exam season, Orissa POST spoke to some students, parents, teachers and psychiatrists to know more about examination pressures.
Dr. Amrit Patjoshi, a psychiatrist at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, says, “Students these days are only concerned about results. Fear of failure often leads them to depression. Instead of concentrating on their studies, they think more about the reaction of others. Every student needs to overcome this.”
“I am seeing more competition among the parents than among students these days. All parents want a secure job for their children and, accordingly, put them under tremendous pressure to excel. No games, no physical activities, as if children are born only to study and do nothing else. The parents also discuss nothing but studies with their counterparts and that creates more anxiety among the children. The ordeal doesn’t end here; people also compare the exam scores of their kids with that of others which creates undue pressure. I would advise parents to build up the confidence level of their kids instead of pitting them against other children. It is also important to discourage students from using smartphones frequently and playing online games so that they can do better in their exams.”
It is also not good to judge a student’s talent by the marks he or she secures in examinations, the doctor adds. The parents should help their wards develop qualities like building and maintaining good relationships and sympathy for others. They should not judge their children by the yardstick of success and failure in exams, he says.
“I feel the pain when I see parents bring their kids to me for counselling. The main cause of distress is the overwhelming burden of expectations. Every kid is good in some way or the other. The parents shouldn’t speak rudely to them if they fail to score well in examinations. Moreover, they should identify their child’s talent and encourage that. The teachers should also chip in to build up the confidence of the children,” says the psychiatrist.
Sambit Nanda, a child psychologist from Cuttack, says, “The pressure of revision of school syllabus before the examination is a task that many students find difficult to negotiate. They are not sure whether they will be able to give accurate answers in the examination hall. This sort of pressure results in depression among the students. Parents should not force children to always sit with their books. They should find new methods of learning that can help their children. They should also not discuss career issues before the children as it puts them under great pressure to perform. There is a need to treat your child as your friend so that they can share their problems. Don’t entertain negative thoughts during or before the examination. ”
High expectations increase the level of stress and anxiety among children during exam time, says Krusida Begam, a teacher in the Satyabadi Government High School, Dhenkanal. The teacher, who has received the President’s National Award for her good work, says, “Even the best of students come under pressure. Though they enter the exam hall all prepared, they are worried about things like the pattern of questions. As a teacher, I always ask the students to treat the exam day as just another day in school and approach the questions like in a class test. I always feel that good marks in exams are not the only yardstick to judge knowledge.”
Most students these days are desperate to score big to enter a good university and get a better job, says Sandhya Jena, principal of BJEM School, Bhubaneswar. “I have seen how parents worry about their children and spend lakhs to secure their future. That puts additional pressure on the students to perform well. So, the teacher should play the role of a mentor during examinations to help the students achieve their goals. The parents must understand that their children can perform better if they sit for the exam without stress,” she adds.
Like other teachers, the headmistress of VSS Nagar UGUP School, Bhubaneswar, Haimabati Satpathy feels, “Family pressure to score good marks in examinations is the main reason for the increasing stress level among students. I have noticed that the students of Class VII and VIII don’t prepare for exams properly as they just aim to get a class promotion. This sort of attitude becomes costly at a later stage. So, teachers should encourage the students to take all examinations seriously and prepare to do well in all of them.”
Sisters Ananya and Chinmayee Subudhi from Banki are appearing for the HSC board exam this year. “We have been led to believe that it would spell doom for our career unless we score well in the examination. Our parents have pinned their hopes on us for a bright future. Though we have prepared well, we are afraid of the question pattern and we also hope we will be able to write at a good pace. Even though our parents expect us to perform well, they never ask us to study round the clock. They always take care of our health which is more important during exams.”
Priyanshu Biswal from Bhubaneswar is a multitalented student. The Class IV student from DAV, Chandrasekharpur says, “My fear is about the question pattern and time management. Answering all the questions within the stipulated time often is not possible. I am good in all subjects but feel stressed on the day of the mathematics examination. However, I am happy that I am blessed with caring parents, especially my mother, who keeps aside everything to take care of my needs during the examination.”
Priyanshu’s mother Prativa who works in a college says that she had decided even when he was a little child to be his support system at every stage. “I know my son can perform well provided he is given the right kind of support and encouragement. Priyanshu never neglects his studies but sometimes seeks my guidance to solve his problems. Every parent should allow their children to get involved in some recreational activities so that they get the needed break from studies. They should also not react badly if their child fails to answer a few questions in the examination. I make sure that my son gets to relax after every exam so that he can maintain his good performance in all subjects. Though I feel stressed, I try not to show it. ”
Like Priyanshu, Ritika Raiguru, a Class V student from St Xavier, Bhubaneswar only feels stressed thinking about issues such as the question paper pattern or questions from outside the syllabus. “I thoroughly go through my lessons and possible questions suggested by the teacher. My mother also helps in revising my lessons. Though many of my classmates prepare well for the examination, they get stressed due to the high expectations of their parents. In my case, my parents are my best friends and I can share every little thing with them and that eases a lot of pressure.”
Ritika’s mother Pratima adds, “These days the course syllabus has become tough and that puts pressure on the students. Ritika does well in all subjects but sometimes she feels stressed when it becomes difficult for her to cover the vast syllabus. I always ask her to study as much as she can absorb. I allow her to watch TV for some time after study time. I have seen parents who expect their kids to be bookworms. But such an attitude adversely impacts the prospects of their children.”
An overprotective mother Manjula Parida from Banki is completely focused when it comes to the education of her daughter. A teacher by profession, she wants her daughter to get a government job. “My daughter has appeared for HSC final exam this year. Often I have noticed that she struggles to concentrate on studies but I never put pressure on her to do well. At the same time, I tell her how important it is to score good marks. But sometimes, the children lose concentration and then the parents should be strict with them.”
BRATATI BARAL, OP
