Experiencing anxiety, pressure or self-doubt during exams is normal, and recognising these feelings early and addressing them constructively is essential, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has told a section of school counsellors in the run-up to the board exams.
The ICSE (Class X) exams begin on February 17, while the ISC (Class XII) starts on February 12.
In an advisory document, the council said students should “avoid unhealthy comparisons with peers and focus on personal progress”. Maintaining open communication with parents, teachers or counsellors can provide reassurance and guidance, it said, adding that “seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness”.
Emphasising that emotional well-being is integral to effective learning and exam performance, the council has stepped up efforts to support students during the high-pressure exam period.
In January, the council launched the CISCE-Care (Counselling and Resilience Education) fellowship aimed at strengthening the capacity of student counsellors. Counsellors from several schools in the city have been selected for the fellowship after being nominated by their institutions.
The council also highlighted the importance of healthy lifestyle habits,
such as maintaining
regular sleep routines, ensuring adequate rest at night, balanced nutrition and proper hydration. Excessive screen time, especially before sleep, should be avoided, the advisory said.
“Every year before the exams, we tell our students to maintain healthy habits and a regular sleep pattern. But when it comes from the council, it carries more weight, both for the students and for the parents,” said one principal.
As part of its mental health support measures, the council has instituted a centralised student helpline “to provide emotional support to students” appearing for the ICSE and ISC exams.
“This initiative has been introduced to mitigate the heightened stress and anxiety experienced by students during the exam period,” the council said in a circular to school heads sent on Monday.
“The primary responsibility for safeguarding the mental health and well-being of students during exams rests with parents, followed by the school. This additional support mechanism has been instituted to enable students to reach out to a centralised helpline whenever the need arises,” the circular said.
The helpline is meant to assist students in overcoming exam-related stress and anxiety, the CISCE said. Students who reach out will be supported by trained counsellors identified through the CISCE-Care fellowship.
Awareness around exam stress has improved in recent years, partly because more young people are seeking help.
“There is a significant proportion of students who exhibit prominent distress, but there is also a large group with moderate levels of distress that often go unnoticed by parents,” said psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram. “These students tend to absorb the stress and carry on, which can harm their performance.”
Some degree of anxiety is normal and even expected. “Feeling anxious about exams is a sign that a student wants to do well. If a student is not at all bothered, one wouldn’t be anxious,” Ram said.
“But when anxiety starts impacting concentration, sleep or overall well-being, it can affect performance, and that’s when support is needed.”
Support does not always mean therapy. It can come from parents, teachers or counsellors, he added.