Students, parents dial in for help

A day before the HSC exams, helplines across the city were flooded with calls from anxious students and parents, reports Kiran Wadhwa.

A day before the HSC exams, helplines across the city were flooded with calls from anxious students and parents.

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The Board’s helpline was the busiest, with over 140 calls. “From exam queries to students blanking out, parents and children have been calling,” said Basanti Roy, divisional secretary of the Mumbai board. “We directed distressed students to the counsellors working with us through the exams.”

There were calls from anxious parents too. “One parent broke down on the phone because she was nervous about her child coping with the competition. She later admitted that her child was all right and it was she who was losing it,” said Pradnya Aklekar, counselling psychologist, Avishkar.

Agreed Renu Daga, head psychologist at Blessings helpline, which received 60 calls on Wednesday. “Parents are calling us and asking us to calm their children down.”