Supporting students to master exam-related stress and anxiety

Published: 23 February 2025

It’s essential to avoid panic and worry during board exams. Parental support during this time is crucial, writes Hameeda Kadar

Stress levels often spike before board exams as students rush to wrap up their preparation. The pressure of the impending ex­ams can make it hard to stay calm, but it’s essential to avoid panic and worry. Last-minute revision can still be effective if approached with a clear and focused mindset.

Parental support during this time is crucial – their en­couragement, understanding, and guidance can help reduce anxiety and boost confidence. Remember, it’s not about cramming every bit of in­formation, but about staying calm, organized, and believ­ing in your ability to succeed.

Furthermore, students while handling the enormous pressure to excel and achieve higher grades in the examina­tion invariably end up in ex­periencing anxiety and stress which is very often a self-imposed one. Another set of students undergoes the fear of failure and the anticipation of challenging exams which account for their below-par performance.

As for parents, this is the apt moment to play a more supportive and collaborative role to reinforce students’ level of confidence. Hence, it is reckoned that emotional well-being is of paramount importance. At this juncture, parents’ contribution to the preparation of a child’s exam study schedule with a few well-timed breaks will prove to be an immense psychologi­cal fillip for them.

As students treasure a great deal about parental guidance and support talk with them about the exams in an affable manner, and how they feel about them, thus ensuring that you are there for them at every crucial cir­cumstance. Words of reassur­ance such as, ‘Do not worry so much about results’ and ‘Do your best’ will not only render emotional support but also go a long way in tack­ling their mental strain and not succumbing to pressure. Encourage the child to study with ideas jotted down in bul­let points to be very specific and sure about the required value points.

The increased level of stress as the exam days close in, there may be a sign of children being lackadaisical and showing inconsistency in their day-to-day routine including their food habits and regular intake of water, which may have a direct im­pact on their health.

Skipping daily meals and consuming junk food and snacks results in children be­ing stressed. Thus, sleep de­privation and improper diet will cost so dearly in a child’s progress.

Keeping a close look at their choice of food, and sleep pattern and recogniz­ing these signs of stress will help children to get away from such self-harming activi­ties besides enabling them to maintain the anxiety level to a minimum.

Here are some key pointers in a nutshell for students ap­pearing for the board exams of Classes X and XII.

• Reach the Exam Centre on Time: Arrive wellin ad­vance to the exam centre to avoid last-minute stress.
• Carry Hall Ticket and Other Essentials: Ensure you have your hall ticket, school ID card, pens, pencils, erasers, and a water bottle.
• Be in Proper uniform: Follow the school’s dress code and be well-groomed; main­tain a neat appearance.
• nCheck the Timetable: On daily basis review the exam timetable well in advance to know the dates and timings for your exams.
• Verify Hall Ticket Infor­mation: Check your personal details, exam centre, and sub­ject details on the hall ticket for accuracy.
• Write Subject Code and School Code Correctly: Follow the instructions and write the subject code and school code as per the hall ticket on the answer sheet.
• Utilize Cool-Off Time Wisely: Use the 15-minute cool-off period to read the question paper carefully and plan your answers.
• Avoid Unfair Means: Be aware of the consequences of cheating. Stay calm and fo­cused on your own work.

Answer Framing Techniques:

• Read the Question Thorough­ly: Understand the question before you start writing.

• Plan your Answer: Quickly outline key points to avoid missing any important information.

• Be concise and clear: Write answers in a clear, well-structured manner. Use bullet points if appli­cable.

• Highlight Key Points: Under­line important points or keywords in your answer.

• Time Management: Keep track of time and allocate appropriate time to each section/question.

In all, parental support and guidance in the prepa­ration of an examination is vital and plays a crucial role in the overall perfor­mance of their child.These steps, I believe, will help you stay organized, calm, and focused during your board exams!Wish You All the Best

(Hameeda Kadar is Prin­cipal, M.E.S Indian School, and one of the CBSE board exam tele-counselors appoint­ed to deal with exam-related stress and provide counsel­ing to board goers and their parents. Students and parents may contact the author of this ar­ticle for exam-related anxiety or stress on +974 44572801 be­tween 8.30 a.m. to 12 noon).