MUMBAI: Looking for ways to beat the stress ahead of the examinations? The CBSE may have the answer. And you don't have to be a
CBSE student to avail of the board's tips on busting stress.
For the first time, the board has introduced a short film on dealing with stress, as well as a booklet on how to "Smile Your Way Through Exams'', both of which are available on the website www.cbse.nic.in.
The booklet covers aspects of studying for an examination, right from how to make notes to how to study smart.
It also discusses eating and sleeping habits that are conducive to study as well as the need for exercise ahead of an examination. The bottom line, according to the booklet, is that life is more precious than an examination, which should not be viewed as a hurdle, but simply a stepping stone to rise higher.
"We have provided students with practical tips on how to deal with exam stress, based on what they see around them. While some children rely on their teachers, peers and parents, there are many who have nobody to talk to. We hope the booklet and the movie will help them address their anxieties,'' said Vineet Joshi, chairperson of the
CBSE.
The film and booklet have been created by the board along with Expressions India, a life skills education and school wellness programme, whose project manager is a senior psychiatrist at the Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health And Neuro-Sciences (VIMHANS)-Dr Jitendra Nagpal. Expressions India has partnered with the CBSE for its adolescent education program.
The booklet helps students understand the cause and symptoms related with stress, and helps them tackle routine problems such as `how to get the mistake you made in Question 10 out of your mind after an examination'.
There's also a section on Memorisation Mantras as well as one on how not to procrastinate.
"Reward yourself with ice cream, or the new outfit you've had an eye on,'' says the booklet, which also advises students to skip questions they don't know while writing an examination and focus on what they do know.
"An initiative such as this one is always welcome. In this case, it carries a lot of weight, especially since it comes from the
CBSE itself,'' feels Hema Nair, principal of the DAV School, Mulund. Students from boards other than
CBSE told TOI they would love to log onto the website for stress-busting tips.