Tele-Manas a lifeline for students in stress

Tele-Manas counselling service helps students overcome exam-related anxiety, pressure

Hyderabad: Fearing consequences of potential failure, an intermediate student, whose name has been withheld, last week frantically called Tele-Manas seeking urgent psychological support. Having suffered a setback in the previous exams, the student was worried about the upcoming intermediate examinations, commencing Wednesday, and results.

The student who was battling exam stress poured his heart out to the psychologist over the call. After giving a patient hearing, the psychologist helped the student navigate and relieve anxiety, pressure and exam stress.

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“This student had previously failed in the examinations and he was worried about the forthcoming exams. We gave him tips on how to overcome exam-related stress and how to study with concentration. A few days ago, he called up again to tell us that he was doing better after the counselling,” a psychologist with Tele-Manas in Hyderabad, said.

Just like for this intermediate student, the Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking across the States (Tele-Manas), tele-counselling and psycho-social support of the union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that works round the clock, emerged as a lifeline for several intermediate students and parents alike before, during and after crucial board examinations.

Even before the commencement of the examinations, the tele-counselling centre is buzzing with numerous calls from students on a daily basis. While 475 calls were made by students in the last four months, 236 were done alone this month. Of the total calls, 230 were related to stress, reflecting the mental health of students during the examinations. Most of these calls were received during mornings or evenings.
“We also received a couple of extremely distressed calls wherein students had suicidal ideation over fear of failure in exams. In such cases we counselled the child and parents as well,” a psychiatrist said.

Not just students, concerned parents have also been making distress calls to the tele-counselling centre complaining about their wards. “Daily, we are receiving at least 20 calls from students. The number is expected to go up in the next couple of months due to examinations,” said a Tele-Manas official.

Inter exams: Latecomers beware!

Students appearing for Intermediate Public Examinations commencing Wednesday will not be allowed into the centre even if they are late by a minute. The entry into the centre begins one hour prior to the start of exams i.e., 9 am. Students have to occupy their seats by 8.45 am. However, a grace period of 15 minutes between 8.45 am and 9 am will be provided to students, who will not be allowed into the centre after 9 am.

A total of 9,80,978 including 4,78,718 first and 5,02,260 second year intermediate students are expected to sit for the examinations that will conclude on March 19.

Addressing media persons here on Monday, TS BIE Secretary Shruti Ojha said the Board is fully prepared and ready to hold the examinations. She asked students to appear for the exams peacefully without taking any stress.

According to Shruti Ojha, a total of 1,521 centres with an equal number of chief superintendents and departmental officers were constituted for conduct of the examinations.

A total of 27,900 junior lecturers and teachers have been deployed in centres. Further, 75 flying and 200 sitting squads have also been constituted for monitoring the exams.

Foolproof measures have been made for examinations, and there is no scope of question paper leakage, she said, adding that centres have been equipped with multiple CCTV surveillance cameras.

Carrying mobile phones into the centre is strictly prohibited for everyone including officials on exam duty, she added.