With board examination results due next month, both children as well as parents must understand that these are but just a learning opportunity for all. We should be able to identify our strengths and capitalise on them, no matter what the score

There is no denying the fact that exam results can be a big deal not just for students but for parents, teachers, schools, tutors and significant others as well. While the exam season is known to bring with itself inherent stress levels — be it in terms of preparing for the exams, dealing with the academic burden, or actually dealing with the anxiety of writing the examination — facing the results is definitely one of the most stressful aspects almost universally.

Common concerns related to exam stress: Many hospitals and experts have been doing their bit to tackle exam stress effectively. Exam stress helplines, too, have been launched, where a team of experts are available 24x7 to offer support and guidance related to examinations to the students as well as parents. Despite a growing level of awareness and information among the students about the importance of dealing with exam stress, fears as well as concerns linger, thus affecting the young minds at the crucial time of taking a test.

For instance, it is common for children to be concerned about simple issues like managing their time efficiently, not letting exam stress have an adverse impact on regulation of their routine, being unable to concentrate due to high distractibility as well as not coming up to expectations of oneself and others. In fact, a very common concern reported universally by a lot of students, be it in school or college, is their inability to strike a balance between studying and other aspects of lives. This becomes a major contributor to exam-related stress.

Last but not the least is the concern stemming from anticipation of exam results. The fear of marks governing not just the actual evaluation of their performance but also being correlated with their future, which remains at stake, lurks in young minds continuously. In fact, this over emphasis on marks can inadvertently be detrimental not just for students but for parents as well. Especially given the competitiveness of admissions, both students and parents continue to have worries about exam results.

Examinations are a learning opportunity: It is important for us to realise that any examination should be viewed not just as a hurdle or challenge that needs to be dreaded but can become an opportunity to test our ability and apply certain skill-sets for better use. Moreover, examinations are not just related to the educational system but are, in fact, a never-ending process — the journey of life in itself can be viewed as a series of examinations one after the other as we are tested time and again by never-ending opportunities, challenges and circumstances.

Therefore, we also need to look at the most important aspect of dealing with stress associated with examinations, which is related to social factors. For instance, the attitude and approach of parents — be it dealing with their own anxieties or stress levels about exam results — can impact their children’s ability to prepare for exams and their actual performance, not to forget the impact on the parent-child relationship in the process. On the other hand, the kind of peer support available is also extremely crucial to recognise, especially given the importance students attach to the impact of their results on their peer groups and vice versa.

In fact, comparisons made by students with their peers can play a pivotal role in determining their stress levels, not just during the time of preparation but also in making career choices. It is not surprising to see students being more concerned about what their parents or friends will think of their results than what they themselves would feel about their performance.

Tips to deal with stress due to exams: 

• Instead of making comparisons with peers, students must try and focus on their own selves. Yes, it is true that drawing comparisons with peers is often considered to be a sign of healthy competition but what is important to recognise is that such comparisons often tend to be unrealistic and only add to stress levels, further impeding their ability to prepare as well as perform effectively in the exams. Competing with peers may help increase motivation levels intermittently. On the other hand, added stress levels will inevitably impede children’s coping ability. Therefore, it is important for students to shift the focus to their self, their efforts and performance.
• Focus should be on evaluating the actual performance and not just the marks they score. It is very common that the actual marks the children get may or may not be proportionate to the efforts put in by them. We must be able to consider the role of various extraneous variables that impact the results and, therefore, make a realistic evaluation of their actual efforts.
• Yes, we need to remember that exam results are not actually the end of the world. As opposed to the amount of stress emanating from exam time, they need to be viewed just as a part of the student’s entire life span, which are not the only deciding factors of the life ahead. They should instead be considered as a learning opportunity.
•  Experiencing stress during exams and results is inevitable.  However, we must openly talk about it. Remember, it is normal to feel anxious during exams, not just for the students but for parents as well. Therefore, they should talk about the way they feel — with their friends, teachers, parents as well as with the counsellor or a mental health expert.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that exam results need to be considered as a learning opportunity. This implies that we must utilise these results as a feedback of our efforts as well as our performance. We should be able to identify our strengths and capitalise on them, while also addressing our weaknesses and devising strategies in order to overcome them and improve in the near future.

Further, a realistic evaluation of our examination results, which includes the role of extraneous factors which are not within our own control, while at the same time viewing the results not as an end of life experience but as an opportunity to strive for change in the future, is extremely important.

Yes, examination results, like many life circumstances and events, can tend to be unanticipated, unexpected and unpredictable and, therefore, some amount of stress associated with them is inevitable. However, it’s important to recognise the role of parental support. At the same time, they must remain open to seeking professional help, if required.

(The writer is a consultant and a psychiatrist)