Shyam Sudan
These days we usually discuss that Examination stress is creating trouble in the performance of our new age learners. No doubt phobia and stress of exams is a bitter reality for all. During examination days all the children face problems related with their study and teaching. Even the brightest learners are also in stress during this time, because it is the time for their achievement and fruitful delivery. Now a days we are living in the age of competition and performance. Moreover there are other factors like peer pressure, over expectations of parents and personal ambition of learners put burden and stress in the minds of our children. However, various counseling activities and guidance sessions are available for our children to mitigate this problem. Even our prime minister personally took many initiatives like Mann Ki Baat, Pariksha Pe Charcha and many other guidance sessions for our children. Our education department is also working on this subject through its various platforms to reduce the burden and stress from the minds of our children. But, there is topic of discussion for us,how much our children are in stress. Is there any reality behind this factor or we are giving unnecessary advantage to our children. Now, in every educational institution we are giving stress free environment to our children all the years, because these days our education calendar are designed in such a way that there are lot of recreational and other cultural activities available for our children. Now there is no place of corporal punishment and other psychological pressures for our children. Moreover parents are also very much friendly and aware about their children. Now, with the advancement in technology and improving life standard of people, we are continuously giving every comfort to our children. No doubt all the children cannot get all the comfortable advantages of life due to poor backgrounds of many families. But by and large we can say that our children whether they are in government institutions or in private academies are enjoying the basic necessities of their life. Moreover, now days with the introduction of new education policy we are focusing on relieving the burden of academic curriculum. Now we are giving priority to other areas of concern like games, skill education, recreational activities and talent of children. Under such child friendly environment, we think there is less chances of stress as compared to our past time. once there was a time when there is no place of these extracurricular activities in our education institutions. Moreover, learners have no idea and pre-planned strategy of their academic side. Exams were considered as a nightmare in those days. Now a days we have a proper pre planned bifurcation of syllabus and other curricular activities for the whole academic year. moreover, now a days with the advancement in technology everything is available for our learners. There is provision of online method of imparting education. Further the sources of knowledge are many. A student can get all kind of knowledge and assistance by merely sitting in his home. Under such available facilities and comfort we think there is no place of stress for our children. No doubt, all the children are not of the same psychological level. Some learners needs counseling and guidance in their life to overcome from such situations i.e., stress.
Basically there is need of proper identification and screening of children, only then we can say that which children will come under the category of counseling and guidance. We can treat every child with the same meter and scale. Those who are well capable and competent to overcome from this situation I.e stress can be given chance to tackle it at their own level. Assistance and unnecessary guidance at every step can create trouble for the caliber of our children. Little stress and small hurdles are necessary for every individual in life, because if we face these hurdles and obstacles in our life only then we can learn lot of things in our life. Stress removing sessions and activities are good for our learners but care must be taken. There is need of proper research in this field. There is need of introspection in this direction, whether our assistance is helpful for our children or it is giving unnecessary advantage to them.
