Every March, across India, a familiar silence descends on homes. Screen time goes down. Social events are postponed. Dining tables are silently converted into study tables. Board exams are not merely a milestone in a student’s life; they become a season for the entire family. In most homes, parents adjust their work timings, take leaves, and sit with their children late into the night, as if they are appearing for the exams themselves. The pressure is collective, the stress is shared, the hopes unspoken but strongly felt. But what lies beneath the discipline and the passion is something that we talk less about: stress.
According to IC3 Student Suicide Aversion Report 2025, one in five students rarely feel calm, motivated, or excited about life, with academic pressure, career anxiety, and homework emerging as top stressors. Girls experience nearly twice the rate of persistent sadness compared to boys, signaling heightened exam-related anxiety. Despite decades of policy reforms, this mental health crisis highlights exam fear as a persistent challenge in Indian education.
This is not a new concern for me.
Back in 2010, when I decided to make my first educational film, the topic I chose was exam fear. The film was titled “I Can Do It.” It explored how students could overcome anxiety and self-doubt during exams. At the time, many questioned why I would focus on something so “ordinary.” But to me, exam fear was not ordinary, it was foundational. If a child is paralysed by fear, learning stops. Over the years, through School Cinema and our work with thousands of schools, I have seen this repeatedly: stress does not improve performance. Focus does. And focus comes from emotional stability.
The Hidden Cost of Exam Stress
Research consistently shows that chronic stress impairs memory retention, reduces concentration, and affects sleep cycles. Stressed students are more likely to experience dips in academic performance and disengagement. In one national pulse study, over 80% of students reported moderate emotional or physical stress during exam periods. Poor coping mechanisms often translate into lower scores and diminished confidence. Yet, we continue to approach exams primarily as an academic preparation challenge rather than a mental readiness challenge. That mindset must change.
What I Learnt from “Mission Exams”
For several years, we ran a nationwide initiative titled ‘Mission Exams,’ in partnership with Horlicks. The goal was simple: help students manage exam fear. What I learnt during that period was transformative. Instead of constantly talking about “stress” and “pressure,” it is far more effective to focus on proactive habits that enhance performance. Simple interventions create powerful outcomes:
Hydration matters. Even mild dehydration impacts cognitive performance. A well-hydrated student thinks more clearly.
Sleep is non-negotiable. Memory consolidation happens during sleep. Cutting sleep to study more often reduces retention.
Physical activity reduces cortisol. Yet many schools and parents stop sports during exam season, precisely when it is most needed.
Hobbies restore balance. Music, painting, reading for pleasure, these are not distractions. They regulate emotions.
Instrumental music in schools can enhance focus. Structured auditory environments improve concentration.
Positive reinforcement works better than fear-based motivation.
Meditation, breathing exercises, and grounding practices are valuable. But alongside them, nutrition, water intake, structured breaks, and movement are equally powerful and often overlooked. We do not need complicated systems. We need consistent habits.
The Role of Counselling and Life-Skills Education
Mental health support in schools must go beyond crisis intervention. Counselling, when integrated early, equips students with cognitive tools to reframe fear. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques help students shift from “What if I fail?” to “How can I prepare better?” Mindfulness practices strengthen attention spans and emotional regulation. Life-skills education builds resilience long before exam season begins. When students develop self-awareness, emotional vocabulary, and problem-solving abilities from primary years onward, exam pressure becomes manageable not overwhelming. Through TAISI schools and School Cinema programmes, we have seen measurable improvements in student engagement when structured social-emotional learning is embedded in the academic calendar. When children are taught how to think about their emotions, performance improves. It is not magic. It is neuroscience.
The Link Between Well-Being and Academic Performance
The evidence is clear: students who receive structured emotional support demonstrate higher concentration levels, stronger academic outcomes, and lower dropout rates. Well-being is not separate from learning. It enables learning. The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) speaks of holistic development. CBSE guidelines emphasise life skills and socio-emotional growth. Government initiatives like Manodarpan and Tele-MANAS signal national recognition of student mental health needs. The direction is correct. The implementation must deepen.
Imagine if every school dedicated just 15 minutes daily to structured wellness, breathing exercises, reflective dialogue, or guided silence. Imagine if one million teachers were trained not only to deliver content, but to detect emotional distress early. The return on such investment would not just be higher exam scores. It would be emotionally secure young citizens.
From Fear to Focus
The narrative around board exams needs reframing. Instead of asking, “How do we reduce stress?”
We should ask, “How do we build focus?” Focus grows from: Emotional safety, Consistent routines, Supportive parenting, Balanced schedules & Encouragement rather than comparison.
When schools and families collaborate, small shifts make a difference.
Let children sleep well.
Let them hydrate.
Let them move.
Let them listen to calming music.
Let them pause.
Let them feel supported.
And most importantly, let them know that exams measure preparation, not worth.
A Personal Reflection
When I made “I Can Do It” in 2010, I believed that helping a child overcome exam fear was about boosting confidence. Fifteen years later, I understand it more deeply. It is about designing systems that reduce fear before it becomes overwhelming. If we truly want to move from stress to focus, mental health support cannot be an afterthought during board season. It must be woven into everyday school life.
Because when students feel emotionally secure, they do not just pass exams. They thrive!
(This article is written by Syed Sultan Ahmed, Chairperson, The Association of International Schools of India (TAISI), Festival Director, School Cinema International Film Festival (SCIFF) & Founder & Chief Learner, LXL Ideas)
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