Schools in city hold workshops for examinees to address mental health

Due to exam dates being preponed, such sessions could not be conducted due to time crunch, some schools claimed.. 

Srishti Lakhotia, EOI, 28 Dec 2023 : Ahead of Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examination, schools in the city conducted workshops for examinees. However, many schools claimed that due to exam dates being preponed, such sessions could not be conducted due to time crunch. 

On December 21, Jadavpur Vidyapith held a workshop for the students who are going to sit for the Secondary and Higher Secondary examinations. Apart from the students of these two classes, 250 students and teachers from Class XI were also present for the workshop, which included psychologists, counsellors and doctors. 

According to the headmaster Partha Pratim Baidya, it was conducted with the focus of eliminating fear and “increasing mental toughness.” Also Read - Kolkata: Youth missing from Haridevpur found dead in Kolaghat Recently, a minor student of Jadavpur Vidyapith died by suicide. 

It was alleged that the student took the step after performing poorly in her selection test for the Higher Secondary (HS) examination, which is scheduled to take place in February. Her body was found hanging at her residence in Garia. 

According to sources, 272 students sat for the exam of which 14 students performed poorly. When asked if the workshop was conducted focusing on the incident, Baidya said: “It was a pre-scheduled programme.” 

However, they did interact with the students on the need to share their problems with parents and teachers, so that they can get help when needed. 

The deceased student performed poorly in the selection test. Hence the school called her guardian to talk of her academics but the deceased student did not inform her mother. Baidya said that if the students share their problems with either parents or teachers then we can assist them and guide them better. 

Regular counselling is conducted at Bethune Collegiate. According to a source, the school has a psychology teacher who interacts with class teachers in order to deal with students’ anxiety before and after examinations. 

However, this year due to the exam dates preponing, conducting any session was not possible due to lack of time. Pooja Sengupta said that conducting workshops or counselling only before the examination is not enough. It needs to be conducted on a regular basis. Sengupta suggested: “A psychologist needs to be kept at an examination centre to deal with emergency cases such as panic attack or anxiety attack of the students.” 

Meanwhile, a school headmaster in Cooch Behar district said that this year they do not have time for conducting counselling sessions as the dates for the examination have been preponed. 

“If we call students now, no one will not come. Ten days prior to the exam they will come for a day to collect their admit card,” the headmaster said while adding that a year or two ago, some students of the local college had visited the school to provide counselling sessions for the students. 

Madhyamik examinations are scheduled to take place from February 2 to February 12. This year, it was held from February 23 to March 4. Similarly, HS examination 2024 will be held from February 16 to February 29, this year it was held from March 14 to March 27. 

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