Exam Stress Management: Tips for Students, Parents, and Teachers

Examinations are round the corner and the stress of the same has started to build up not only around the examinees but also their parents, teachers and even across stakeholders. Every passing year, exam-related stress particularly during board examinations takes its toll on our younger generation not only making children vulnerable but also changing the trajectory of healthy development at large.

First and foremost examinations are just another milestone and not the final destination in our long and enduring academic and professional lives and results are indicative of our growth. These days, we place more emphasis on skill and knowledge than marks we obtain and mere percentage doesn’t define one’s efforts and capability. Skill-based learning is the key in the changing system and we should all yearn for that.


As family is equally stressed it’s always prudent to celebrate examinations as a festival and acknowledge each others effort. We need to be grateful to all who have been by our side through those sleepless nights and those tense moments waiting outside the examination hall.

Let’s take this moment to share our love and camaraderie for each other and live through the experiences collectively even when someone scores less marks than their friends.

Take breaks, make small goals, eat well and sleep tight, most importantly remain consistent and look after yourself. Whenever you feel out of steam, seek strength and solace from your loved ones.

So, buckle up, hold hands and spend these moments with energy and hope so that it makes us knowledgeable and wise rather than the “topper”.

A bit of advise for the parents. It’s a fast pace changing world so please try to keep your calm and avoid undue comparison as each kid is different and is born with their own unique strength and weaknesses. We need to play on their strength to motivate them as uncanny comparisons and undue assumptions not only add on to their anxiety but also makes them more scared. It’s time to reiterate to our children and vow to be always by their sides whatever may come.

So enjoy this “Pariksha Parv” together and remember this time as a phase rather than the final destination. Let’s vow to build a stronger future together where exam-related stress is better dealt with utmost positivity and a hope to come out healthier.

Dr Nishant Goyal

(Writer is professor of psychiatry at Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke)