Exam-induced Stress

One word, the mention of which brings stiffness to every muscle in the body of a student and benumbs their mind is exam or test. Considered an inseparable ingredient of an education system, exams or tests are conducted regularly on the premise that without them students lose their focus/ direction since they tend to take studies for granted. ‘Excess of anything is bad’ is an old English adage that corroborates its worth if tests are conducted too frequently to draw students out of their comfort zone.

With more time for self-study, students feel frustrated since only rote learning is encouraged and rewarded. Imagination, innovativeness, ingenuity and novelty are lost due to which some students feel lost or frustrated. Moreover, with no or negligible time for pursuing their passion, students feel enslaved to this system of repeated tests. Little or no time for their leisure activities, which further demotes skill development, leaves students with no avenue to relax and rejuvenate themselves.

Those who are not academically gifted become selfdoubting and feel stressed as their self-esteem starts waning. Instead, if students begin their skill development journey at the elementary level, they wouldn’t be clueless and devoid of skills once they enter universities. No one can deny the imperativeness of tests, but austerity in the frequency at which exams are held is the need of the hour. One such thoughtful and inciteful step could really help students free themselves from the grip of stress.