CBSE helpline flooded with calls from anxious students

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) A day before the class 12 results are declared, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) helplines Thursday were flooded with phone calls from anxious students and parents.

As many as 37 principals, trained counsellors from CBSE affiliated government and private schools, psychologists and social scientists are operating these telephone helplines, interactive voice response system (IVRS) and online counselling individually from Wednesday. These helplines will be functional till June 3.

'The response from students has been tremendous. I have lost count of the number of calls I have got since morning. Students are asking several questions as some of them are not satisfied with their performance and are scared of what might happen,' Geetanjali Kumar, a professional career counsellor, told IANS.

According to counsellors, the parents of students are more anxious than their children and are burdening them with the weight of their expectations.

'I have seen a lot of panic among students as well as parents. In fact parents are more anxious than their children and I requested all them that they should try and differentiate between dreams and reality. They must apply logic and keep their expectations real,' she added.

P.C. Bose, former deputy director (Education) and CBSE counsellor, says: 'I have been getting calls from students who have scored very less marks in their pre-board exams. They are not only worried about their scores but also about the career they should take up in future.

'My advice in general to all the students is that they should pursue graduation in whatever subject that comes natural to them,' he added.

There are in all 18 helpline centres in India and three abroad - Dubai, Doha and Kuwait. Students can also log onto CBSE website cbse.nic.in to get information and techniques to cope with post-result anxiety.

This year, 637,578 students - 264,248 female candidates and 373,330 male candidates - took the class 12 board exams in the country and abroad.

Many students are also seeking career guidance from the CBSE counsellors about what courses and subjects they should opt at university level, engineering and medical coaching facilities and taking competitive exams.

'The students are also interested in knowing about Delhi University cut offs and how to apply to other universities. Many students want to know about coaching facilities in the city for various competitive exams and reference material,' said Anita Sharma, principal of Sanatan Dharma Public School.

NGO Snehi has also started a helpline to deal with stressed students.

'It is a hope-line rather than a helpline. The students are really nervous with just a day left for the results. They are anxious about what if they fail to meet their expectations,' said Leela Dhawan, the coordinator of the helpline.