Call on the counsellors

This is another offering to The Free Press Journal.

Aristotle said that, "The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet." The bitterness is tasted by thousands of budding young minds across the length and breadth of the country, as they brace themselves for the most critical time in their academic lives - exam season. Sometimes, the fruits are neither sweet because, not all can meet with success during their exams. In spite of spending sleepless nights, endless cups of tea or the aura of competition makes the young academicians nervous to a point that they are not able to clear their exams.

Students, be it brighter or a bit dull, prepare for their exams well in advance. When the exams draw closer, they shut themselves away from the outside world and engross themselves in their study material. A topper is worried about the cut throat competition, an average about securing decent marks whereas a below average student is worried about passing in the exams.

Parents, teachers, peers, etc. nails the importance of exams on the students to a great extent. That is why; students are completely strained during the season. Unfortunately, a handful of them are not able to meet up with the enormous pressure, thus getting into a state of depression or in worst cases, even commit suicide. How many times does one hear that a particular student who has failed in his exams has embraced his failure? It is certainly not to be taken as a badge of prestige but definitely faced with more maturity and grit.

There are methods to cope with the exam stress such as studying effectively without any parental or peer pressure, leading a healthy and a balanced lifestyle, etc., Schools and colleges nowadays have signed up a program under which counselling sessions will be provided to students who have failed SSC and HSC exams respectively so that they do not take up drastic steps like committing suicide.

Marathi Vidyalaya, a school in Mulund has signed up under this program.. Counselling sessions will definitely help these students cope up with their failures. The school teachers will gear up as the counselors and conduct sessions. Students who failed from the school in the past but cleared later on will talk to these students personally and motivate them to give another try.

Students who fail during exams not necessarily take failure in their stride. Even though they are encouraged to take counselling sessions, generally such students do no co-operate for they feel that taking up counselling sessions indicates that something drastically is wrong with them and they are suffering from some disease. Such notions are complete baseless and should not be encouraged.

Curriculum is strenuous in today’s competitive scenario. But students should take help from their parents, teachers or even those at their coaching classes to assist them in formulating a methodology that is suitable to them. Students need not think twice to talk to counselors like us.

The youth has to deal with both success and failure in their lives but it depends on them how to make most of their failures and lead a successful life ahead instead of getting demoralized.