CBSE helpline for boards gets 5,600 calls since Feb 1

BOARD’S COUNSELLORS SAY THEY RECEIVED HIGHEST NUMBER OF CALLS FROM STUDENTS IN UTTAR PRADESH FOLLOWED BY MP

NEW DELHI: Memory loss, lack of concentration, and not being able to cope are some of the queries the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) helpline is getting from students who will be writing the Class 10 and 12 finals, beginning this March.

The board’s counsellors said on Wednesday the helpline received 5,600 calls in 21 days since February 1 and these showed that anxiety levels are highest among students in Uttar Pradesh, followed by MP.

Students from other education boards in UP rang up the CBSE counsellors as well. “Though the helpline is meant for CBSE students, we do get calls from other boards and we answer their queries too. Most calls were received from UP,” said a CBSE official who doesn’t want to be named.

The UP board’s exams are testing the nerves of students this year after a crackdown to prevent cheating apparently prompted more than 1.47 million candidates to drop out in the first few days since the finals began this February.

The CBSE counselling service will be available till April 13 — from 8am to 10pm — to let students seek help by ringing up the CBSE’S centralised toll free number 1800 11 8004 or putting their queries on the board’s website.

According to the counsellors, more calls were received from Class 10 students who will be writing the CBSE board exam for the first time.

The Class 10 finals have been made mandatory from 2018 after a gap of seven years. The exam was optional since 2010.

The calls range from students complaining of psychological issues such as memory loss, unable to cope with stress, peer pressure and pressure from parents to not being able to revise the syllabus. Also, students and parents sought to know about career choices.

“Our counsellors try their best to listen to their problems and look for a solution. They try to build a rapport with the students so that they feel comfortable speaking to them,” said Rama Sharma, the CBSE spokesperson.

She said the helpline works better as students don’t have to face the counsellors in person and are comfortable opening up to them over the phone.