February and March bring heightened tension and bustling activity to Indian households with teenage children, particularly those in 10th or 12th grade, where the pressure intensifies into what’s commonly known as “Board Fever.” During this time, anybody and everybody advise them to study hard. In fact, I remember our maid telling our son to study when he was in 12th. The pressure on these young shoulders is immense as they strive to achieve high marks, paving the way for their desired academic streams and colleges.
In partnership with Navsanjeevan Social Trust, we recently conducted a workshop for 10th-grade students from Subhedar Ramji Maloji Ambedkar Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Ramwadi, Pune. While our initial goal was to assist them in choosing their streams based on their career interests, it became apparent that their immediate need lay in preparing effectively for their upcoming board exams.
Observing the visible strain on their faces, we shifted the focus of the workshop to provide practical guidance on exam preparation strategies aimed at maximizing their performance. The response was remarkable, with the mood of the students transforming from apprehension to enthusiasm. It was immensely gratifying to witness their active participation as they absorbed valuable insights and learned the “tricks of the trade” for tackling exams effectively.
However, the question remains: Are the board exams truly so crucial and challenging that students & parents need to get stressed out and lose their sleep worrying over them? Can’t we strive for simplification? Hopefully, the New Education Policy will be able to provide a better solution.