Counsellors work 24X7 to allay students’ fears

“Calls to the helpline began on Tuesday night itself with several parents and students unable to deal with the stress of waiting till the morning for the results. But we have qualified psychologists working with us around the clock 24x7 to help deal with this situation,” said Francis Joseph, team head of the helpline team at the Education Information Centre. 

“So far, we have received around 10,000 calls and more keep calling with every passing hour,” he said. Most of these calls are from students who are too depressed to continue with their education as they have either failed or received very poor marks, said Joseph adding that they also received calls from parents whose children have locked themselves inside the room or from those who have been contemplating suicide. 

Apparently, many teens call to discuss an ‘improvement’ exam even though only revaluation is possible. “Our MSc grad psychologists not only provide consolation and assurance, but also counsel them on career guidance – what is now possible with the marks they have obtained.”