MANAGING MARCH MANIA -3

Just one day prior to the commencement of examinations. It was around 10 pm. The telephone rings..

“Sir.. I am Soumya from Delhi.. Are you involved in counseling students for examinations?”

Though I was not directly involved in this assignment, I had been doing the same informally to many. 

So I said “Yes. Please tell me what you need.”

“Sir. Tomorrow is my social science examination..”

“Yes. I know..”

“I don’t want to write the examination.. “

“Why?”

“ I don’t want to write…” she continued.  In spite of my repeated question for the reason.. she repeated the same sentence..

“Are you afraid?”

“No”

“Are you not prepared?”

“No.. I am good”

“Then..?”

“I don’t want to..” She insisted…

“OK.. Let me talk to your parents.. Can I talk to your father?”

“He is not at home..”

“Hasn’t he come from the office?”

“No, he has gone to club…”

“Club..? “ I continued “Let me talk to your mother..”

“She has also gone to the club.” 

“Who is at home?”

“I am alone”…

I simply pitied the girl. Possibly she suffered from a lack of support, lack of love and understanding.

I continued my counseling to her and somehow convinced her to participate in the examination and do her best.

There are a number of students who either suffer from want of support or from excessive control from the family. The cause of stress, very often, lies in extraneous reasons other than the examinations themselves.

Counseling the students is indeed a very useful support system. But a lot of this has to be done by the family, especially the parents. The meaningful role of parents in understanding their wards, their needs, their emotions and their fears is very important to facilitate them to go through this adventure.

Imagine of a child sitting in an examination hall without answering questions.

As I walked along in an examination hall, this girl child appearing for class X looked at me and asked 

“Sir, Is there any way I can get a coffee? I have been running temperature since yesterday and hence couldn’t take anything in the morning.”  I was dumbfounded and organized to facilitate her.

Examinations are not just administrative exercise. They need a bit of emotional understanding and support systems at all levels.