Stress-free atmosphere vital during exam time

Visakhapatnam: ‘Study’, ‘revise’ and ‘recollect’ are some of the common words that echo in several households these days as students prepare for the final examinations. With the SSC examinations all set to begin from March 18 in the State, students find it tough to handle growing stress levels they experience, especially during this season of the academic year.  

Experts opine that parents should make every effort to provide a conducive atmosphere at home sans any pressure for their wards. Indulging in outdoor activity for at least an hour, consuming fresh and home-cooked food without an overdose of spices and oils, minimising screen space and distractions would go a long way in helping the students prepare for the exams ahead.

Emphasising the need to keep distractions minimal during exam time, clinical psychologist at Government Hospital for Mental Care Pragna Mitra suggests that parents should keep achievable targets for their wards. “Just because they did not fit into the bracket of toppers during their school days, it does not mean they rub their unfulfilled dreams on their children by pressurising them,” she clarifies.

Creating a stress-free atmosphere at home plays a key role in helping children focus better on their study plan. “Parents should lead by example by skipping their television time which will eventually help children stay away from television,” adds Dr. Pragna Mitra.

Ahead of the exam time, the initiative of the School Education Department to offer counselling to parents visiting homes has come in handy as the officials say that it is receiving encouraging response in the recent past. Besides counselling sessions facilitated to students in government schools sourcing psychologists, teachers also visit students’ houses and interact with parents. 

The facility was provided this academic year for Class X students studying in government, Zilla parishad and aided schools. “Many students find the atmosphere at home quite distractive as their parents keep arguing and yelling at one another for reasons unknown. When teachers interact with parents, the situation at home tends to get better and students find it comfortable to concentrate on the syllabus,” explains N. Prem Kumar, Deputy DEO, Visakhapatnam.

 -Rani Devalla