Exam Helpline Calls Transform into Group Therapy Sessions as HSC Stress Intensifies
With the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) board examinations scheduled to commence next week, state board-appointed counsellors in Maharashtra are witnessing a significant surge in distress calls from students grappling with mounting pressure and apprehension about their academic performance. These dedicated helplines are now receiving between 10 to 15 calls daily from anxious examinees seeking guidance and reassurance during this critical period.
A New Pattern of Collective Support Emerges
This examination season has revealed an unexpected and heartening trend among students. Rather than seeking individual counselling in isolation, many callers are now transforming private conversations into collective support sessions. Students are increasingly placing their phones on speaker mode, allowing classmates, friends, and occasionally family members to participate in these discussions. This innovative approach has effectively converted traditional helplines into informal group counselling platforms, fostering a sense of shared experience and mutual understanding among peers.
One counsellor shared a particularly memorable instance where a student from an Ashram Shala—a residential school serving tribal and backward communities in Maharashtra's interior regions—requested permission to enable speakerphone so his entire class could benefit from stress management advice. "The student called to discuss escalating stress levels, especially concerning last-minute preparations," the counsellor recounted. "Once the phone was on speaker, other students began voicing their own fears, from making errors in answer sheets to experiencing mental blocks during exams and the overarching dread of failure."
The Therapeutic Power of Shared Experiences
The counsellor observed that this group dynamic provided substantial emotional relief to participants. "As one student articulated their anxieties, others recognized they were experiencing identical emotions," she explained. "This created a safe environment where students felt more comfortable expressing their concerns, demonstrating how collective dialogue can be profoundly reassuring when individuals realize they are not alone in their struggles."
Another counsellor described receiving a call focused on the pressure surrounding board results and their implications for higher education pathways. "The caller expressed doubts about achieving scores sufficient for their desired academic course," she said. "During our conversation, I noticed background discussions and realized four to six individuals were participating. After gaining confidence through this group interaction, several students subsequently requested private sessions."
Diverse Concerns and Family Involvement
Counsellors report that student anxieties encompass a broad spectrum of issues, including:
- Last-minute preparation stress
- Anxiety surrounding preliminary examinations
- Nervousness about oral tests and practical assessments conducted before written papers
- Parental expectations adding to examination pressure
Interestingly, the helplines have also received calls from parents seeking guidance on managing their own worries during this stressful period. One counsellor recalled a poignant conversation where a girl expressed feeling overwhelmed by parental pressure. "After she finished speaking, her parents joined the discussion," the counsellor noted. "This evolved into a family dialogue that helped them recognize how they were inadvertently amplifying each other's stress during an already tense examination phase."
This emerging pattern of collective counselling through examination helplines highlights the growing need for emotional support mechanisms among HSC students. As academic pressures intensify, these impromptu group sessions are providing valuable psychological relief, demonstrating that shared vulnerability can become a powerful tool for resilience during one of education's most challenging milestones.
