On her first day back after winter recess, Shreeparna Ghosh from St Augustine's Day School, Barrackpore, opened her diary to find more than just a timetable. Revision tests were marked in red, project deadlines circled twice and a countdown to the annual examinations scribbled in the corner.
“It felt like the break ended overnight,” she said. “There was no time to settle back mentally. Suddenly, everything was about exams,” the Class IX student said.
As winter recess ended in the first week of January for most schools, classrooms turned into revision zones, with teachers accelerating lesson plans and students pushed into high-intensity preparation. While the break offered physical rest, many students felt the return was mentally taxing, marked by syllabus pressure, performance anxiety and a sense of urgency.
For board examinees, January was about sprinting back to serious studies.
Yutika Das from M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School, who is appearing for her ISC exams, said the academic atmosphere shifts the moment vacations end. “Although we are mentally prepared for our boards throughout the session, January feels more stressful than the entire year,” she said.
Pre-board examinations, practical assessments, revision deadlines and project submissions pile up within weeks.
Students say this intensity leaves little space to process information or manage stress. “You want to study properly, but your mind feels cluttered,” Riddhika Khan of Class X from Heritage Academy High School said. “There’s always the fear of falling behind.”
Class XII student Debonica Dutta of St Augustine’s Day School, Shyamnagar, is struggling to cope with the shift in mood. “The mood in school becomes very serious,” she said. “Teachers rush through chapters and students keep comparing how much they have revised. There is no room for relaxation and the stress is contagious,” she said.
The pressure extends beyond Classes X and XII.
Class VIII student Navoneer Bhattacharyya of Birla High School said the transition felt abrupt. “During the break, routines become relaxed,” he said. “When school reopens, you’re expected to study for hours every day immediately. It’s mentally draining.”
Teachers acknowledge that the post-recess period is challenging. Sudipta Sarkhel of Vivekananda Mission School, who teaches English to the students of Classes IX and X said January is one of the most demanding months. “With exams scheduled for February - March, we have to complete revisions and assessments within a deadline,” he said. “We do try to pace lessons, but the academic calendar does not allow for a gradual transition.”
Another teacher pointed out that students often underestimate the mental load of returning from a long break. “Students come back refreshed physically, but mentally they need time to adjust,” said Debjyoti Dolui, who teaches history to X, XI and XII.
“Unfortunately, exam pressure does not wait. This mismatch often leads to stress and burnout.”
Counsellors say the post-recess period sees a rise in anxiety-related concerns.
“Many students experience heightened stress in January because the shift from rest to high-stakes preparation is sudden,” consultant clinical psychologist Sreemoyee Tarafder said. “We see symptoms such as sleep issues, irritability, panic attacks, blanking out and
loss of memory.”
