Making examinations less stressful for the students

Till some years ago, I remember waking up to the occasional dream featuring an upcoming exam that I wasn't adequately prepared for, or even worse, that somehow, I had studied for the wrong subject.

- Jayant Chaudhary

Till some years ago, I remember waking up to the occasional dream featuring an upcoming exam that I wasn't adequately prepared for, or even worse, that somehow, I had studied for the wrong subject. It is a fairly common dream and is believed to reflect some anxiety that we may be experiencing. Experiencing this particular manifestation of stress is at complete odds with my basic nature as I try to not be anxious even in the most trying circumstances. In fact, I remember going with a friend to see Jurassic Park on the eve of an exam as I thought I was adequately prepared. As the father of two teenage girls, one in Class 9 and the other in Class 11, I am not pacing in the corridors awaiting their exam results either. Don't get me wrong, I care deeply about the quality of their education and understand that the assessment process is designed to highlight learning outcomes. It's just that I realised that my role as a parent to school-going children isn't to be my children's personal stress amplifier.

The thrust of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's message to students and parents at the annual Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) event captures this spirit of the thought that "education is a journey, and exams are just one chapter of the story".