How to Deal With Board Exams Result Pressure

The cases of depression amongst students rise during this time of the year as they await the board exam results. Many times students resort to extreme steps like running from home or committing suicide if the exams results are low.

As the fear of depression and anxiety looms over the students, News18.com talks to psychologist Dr Sandeep Govil, consulting with Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital and Max Group of Hospitals, to find out how students can deal with the pressure and how the parents can play a key role in preparing the child to deal with the results.

Dr Govil said,"The parents should first of all lower their expectations and let the child have a realist approach."

"Rather than building pressure on the children at the end of year they should start preparing them well in advance," he said.

They should spend time with the children to understand their problems and help them deal with it, he added.

"Lot of times, parents go looking for extra tuitions and get serious at the end of the year, which results in putting a lot of pressure on the students and creating panic. Only thorough preparation throughout the year and revision help build confidence and lower risk of anxiety among the students," Dr Govil said.

When asked about what parents can do in case the child gets low marks in the exams, he said,"The parents should be supportive as their support can go a long way in keeping the depression at bay."

The parents have to realise that the final aim is to gain knowledge and not just get good marks.

"The parents should understand that the exams and results are not the end of life and they should make the child realise it too," he said adding that nowadays there are so many avenues that the child can explore.

He said,"Earlier getting good marks really meant a lot but now there are so much more that the child can do."

Talking about the role of teachers and schools can play in avoiding situations where the child takes extreme step like suicide, Govil said,"Nowadays, many schools have psychologists who help identify weak students and help them improve."

In schools where there are no psychologists the teachers should help the students. They have to understand the student psychology and not create panic, he said.