Students under stiff peer, parent pressure
The Indian Medical Academy conducted an Exam Preparation Practices Study across 5 cities- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore. The survey shows that three in four students preparing for the Boards feel that meeting their parents' expectations is the biggest stressor and stretch the study time by sleeping less and skipping at least one meal.
The study also reveals that students are wobbling under exam pressure. 41% out of the 625 students surveyed feel nervousness over their preparedness as the biggest stress factor whereas for 29%, it's performing better than their peers, reported Hindustan Times.
Majority of the students follow the norm of studying 8-10 hours resulting to sleep less than 7-8 hours a day. Students also skip meals and opt for junk food at their desk. (Read full story)
According to the survey, pressure from the family and their unrealistic expectations usually affect students' performance. In an HT report, senior pediatrician Dr Sanjeev Bagai, a member of the academy feels that the pressure is strongest on Class 12 students as it begins early on in middle school with majority of them attending coaching classes to prepare them for a battery of entrance exams to courses they don't have aptitude for. Apart from becoming psychologically stressed, it also affects their self-esteem. Students are not able to cope up and lose focus and succumb to exhaustion, he added.
There have been complains about infections, vomiting, headache, body ache, indigestion and sleeplessness, revealed the Exam Preparation Practices Study. Doctors feel that students preparing for the Boards must be given all the essential vaccines, such as influenza (annual), chickenpox (twice in a lifetime), typhoid and meningitis (every two to three years) to ensure they do not fall victim to such illnesses during the boards.
Anuja Agarwal, chief dietitian, (AIIMS) of the Academy told HT that children are tense, sleeping less, eating junk food and ignoring basic hygiene. To perform optimally, balance between study, nutrition, leisure and sleep is a must. He feels that parents can help ensure their children maintain this balance to lower physical and mental breakdown. Counselors suggest short breaks, regular meals and some entertainment.
However, on an optimistic note, most of students had not set unrealistic academic goals for themselves, with a majority aiming for 80-85%. A meager 13% target over 90%. Around 73% adopt at least one healthy measure, such as balancing out the junk food with healthy drinks such as milk and juices, eating memory-boosters such as almonds and fish, keeping out of family arguments and fights, and meditating to music and yoga to de-stress. (Read more...)
What's your tip for the students to de-stress and maintain good health during exams? Share your thoughts.
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