To Prepare or Not to Prepare

This year, just like last year has been a roller coaster ride for students, especially for those in the 10th and 12th. Exams… postponed exams.. this ambiguity about exams has created much more frustration amongst students as well as their parents than ever before.

‘To prepare or not to prepare’ is the current million dollar question!! Honestly, no one has the answer – except Time… we get so many parents, friends whose children are currently in the 10th or the 12th , who are constantly worried and ask questions about ‘When will the exams happen? If they do what will be the mode of exam? If not, how will they grade the students? What will be the passing marks? These are obvious questions haunting every one.

From an administrative point of view, the massive number of students appearing for these board exams from across the length and breadth of the country, the numerous boards that exist and the availability of infrastructure and manpower – the decision is too tough to make. An easy solution is easier said than done.

From parents point of view, they don’t know how to make future plans and keep their child motivated to study more and harder and most importantly – for how long?
From students’ perspective, studying at any given point in time isn’t a welcome a situation. They are in a phase where they don’t know, for how long will they have to revise, what would be the format and marking system and how should they plan for further exams [especially those who are planning further entrance exams]. As time passes, the motivation to study decreases and the pressure to still keep on revising / studying increases. This state of flux is too stressful for students and their families as well. Neither can they fully give up on studies nor take it up completely.

The students can prepare better, try to have fixed hours of study and relaxation too; so that even the sudden announcement of the exam date does not affect their performance. Instead of listening to rumours or over-discussing in personal groups, it would be better to stick to updates from officials only.

With an exam oriented approach, focussing on learning concepts has taken a back seat and hence so much of uproar regarding the uncertainty of exams. This is a global calamity, where the remedy does not lie in the hands of any one authority or person or limited to a specific location. We will have to live with this uncertainty for some time. We will have to wait and watch. The best approach is to work on mindfulness, taking care of health, exercising, relaxing and being prepared to face each day as it comes. Students should remember, what they are studying today is the foundation of courses and [probably] careers of tomorrow. Hence they should focus on concept strengthening so that they are not only prepared well for exams but for life and career too.