It was the science paper. I could see the lines of worry writ large on the boy's face, beads of sweat on his brow as he stood waiting outside the exam hall. His lips were mumbling a prayer.
I think it all begins in class eight or so when pupils are warned about the ogre looming ahead in two years time. It's an ogre we are all familiar with, which many of us have tackled at one time or the other. This particular ogre arrives in March. I refer to the much hyped board exam. It makes your heart beat faster, you will have butterflies in your stomach and you lose sleep.
Remember, your career is at stake here. You need to score well. Take it seriously. It will affect your future. The platitudes keep coming. A rigorous schedule follows. Pressure from all sides to meet expectations is simply unbelievable. The kind of pressure that students face today is much more than the pressure building up inside a cooker. Such is the competition even parents and others in the household pitch in, eager to ensure that students start swotting up for the exams pretty early. Some parents even go to the extent of taking time off from work to monitor their child's preparation.
The famed time-table for study is drawn. Grandmas, mums and dads take it upon themselves to ensure a suitable study environment at home. Wholesome, nutritious food is a must for those burning the midnight oil. No need to troop into the kitchen. Steaming hot drinks, be it tea, coffee, or milk or other personal favourites arrive on time, direct to the study area to boost the energy levels and wake up sleepyheads.
Of course, the methods of tackling the ogre vary. Locking oneself in a room for individual study works well for some. For others, group study and discussion with friends help to master the subject. There's nothing like silent study and early morning study for great retention, insists grandpa. Reading out aloud, late night study, bleary-eyed zombies walking around with the book to study, jotting down important points, writing and learning are the other individual styles. Every tree in the school compound has a story to tell thanks to some who prefer the age old style of sitting under a tree with a book on their lap.
Dads and mums take turns to ensure that the exam taker is immersed in his book and not in slumber. For many students, chatting with friends via the mobile phone works as a destresser, something considered a strict no-no by the older generation. Watching television, DVDs, going to movies and having fun with friends are banned in quite a few households while others stick to the maxim, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Stay cool and take it easy buddy, insist the more adventuresome poring over their books and simultaneously relaxing with music from headphones. For many, the neighbourhood coaching class, tuition class or study guides are seen as the deliverer.
The school is not far behind. Mock tests after tests, revision, model papers, Sunday classes, question banks, preparations till the last minute, tips to tackle the paper, how to time your answers — the list continues. Today's students can even seek the help of a new kind of tutor, the Internet, to clear their doubts. Online counsellors and helplines are available to boost confidence levels and drive away fears.
Actually, in a roundabout way, I think the mental preparation begins long before, right at the KG level. The very selection of a school by a parent depends on the results achieved at the board exam. The theory is simple. Good results are equated with a good school.
When the eagerly awaited results are declared, they bring forth a plethora of emotions — happiness, tears, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, jealousy, calls for revaluation and retotalling. Some win. Some lose. Sadly, when some take the extreme step of suicide, it seems as though the ogre is winning. The story makes headlines in newspapers and is soon forgotten. And the battle continues with the next batch of students.
(The writer's email is: vidyav123@gmail.com)
