Stress levels soar as exam results near

New Delhi: Increasing cases of depression and suicides among the youth has become a grave concern for many parents and teachers. With CBSE results for 12th standard being declared on May 23, stress levels in students as well as parents are at an all time high.

Board exams, they say are nothing new. But it's the increasingly competitive age and pressure that's driving many over the edge.

Is it a nervous breakdown just before the results are announced? Or is it high expectations?

On Sunday, fifteen-year-old Shefali Bhan took her life in the Capital's Satya Niketan. Shefali was a tenth standard student of Sanskriti School and had cleared her pre-Boards with over 90 per cent and was awaiting her Board results.

Just last month, a 12 standard student of Father Agnel School, Delhi, jumped off from the third floor of her school to end her life.

Such cases have led to an increasing number of debates on exam stress and parental pressure.

“The parents start comparing their kids to others, put their societal pressure onto the children and peer pressure is of course there,” a parent, Ira Lal said.

However, another parent Mallika Sarkar says parents can’t be blamed. With so much cut-throat competition, they just can’t help but worry about their kids.

"To an extent it's quite natural. In India, student's future depends on it. Kehte hain na, bhaag pariksha (It’s also known as the test of your fate)," Sarkar said.

But counsellors say that's being over-simplistic. It's not exam stress that's the the problem in this situation.

"The problem is lack of relationship in a child's life and not just stress," Director of NGO, Snehi, Abdul Maqood said.

Suicides highlight not just the personal trauma of the individual, but it also reflects on the society at large.

Children need security and stability at home and also an assurance that they would be accepted, regardless of their academic success.

Most importantly the younger generations' impatience needs to be channelised into a healthy conversation with people they care about.