Examinations are often framed as individual battles, a student versus a paper. However, in a country as vast and aspirational as India, the examination season is also a national moment: a collective rite of passage when millions of students and their families pause, prepare, and hope.
Nearly 36 million students across India are appearing for Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations conducted by various national and state boards this year. That scale matters.
When tens of millions of students sit for Class 10 and 12 assessments, the outcomes influence not only individual futures, but also workforce readiness, higher-education pipelines, and long-term national human capital. Examinations, therefore, deserve our sober attention, not as mere hurdles, but as structured moments that reveal strengths, identify learning gaps, and help institutions to recalibrate. The stakes are real; so is the opportunity to shape a generation that is resilient, responsible, and prepared to contribute to nation-building.
Board examinations stand as one of the few nationwide processes that reinforce deep trust in public institutions from students, their families, and all other stakeholders. Fair conduct of examinations, transparency, and credibility reinforce faith in education systems. This institutional trust itself is also a nation-building outcome.
Beyond academic performance, examinations play a quiet but powerful role in ethical formation in the lives of students. For them, board exams are their first encounter with formal, high-stakes accountability. Choosing honesty, responsibility, and respect for rules under pressure builds moral character and reflective habits are qualities essential for citizenship in adulthood with personal integrity, professional competence, and social responsibility.
Resilience is not the absence of stress; it is the ability to respond constructively to pressure. Studies focused on adolescent students repeatedly show elevated test anxiety during examination periods, a predictable human response that requires practical mitigation rather than stigma (WHO, 2021). Acknowledging this reality allows schools, families, and policy makers to act - not to lower standards, but to strengthen the support systems that enable students to perform at their best.
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Constructive action begins with students adopting steady, practical habits that build confidence and readiness. Consistent and focused study works far better than last-minute cramming, while practicing under timed conditions strengthens exam temperament. Adequate sleep and proper nutrition support concentration as much as revision does. Reaching out to peers, teachers, or helplines when needed is a sign of awareness and strength, not weakness.
For parents, the role is to remain a steady presence - offering reassurance, stability, and confidence. Encourage routines, avoid comparisons, and celebrate efforts as much as outcomes. Teachers and schools play a structural role by ensuring effective delivery of the prescribed curriculum, mock assessments, and basic mental-health literacy, alongside referral mechanisms.
Policy makers must respond systemically by investing in counselling services, expanding access to credible helplines, and ensuring equitable examination conditions so that socio-economic disadvantage does not become an academic penalty.
The evidence supports these measures. Student helplines have seen surges in calls during exam seasons, a reminder that accessible, well-publicized support channels can make a tangible difference. Initiatives that combine prevention with response are especially valuable. To this end, the CISCE’s #iGotCare helpline represents a quick, solution-oriented strategy specifically aimed at examination-related concerns.
But building resilient students is ultimately about more than immediate remedies. It requires embedding values across the education ecosystem: holistic and competency-driven curriculum, honesty and creative innovation in assessment, and a civic orientation that links personal mastery to public good. When students learn to handle pressure with responsibility and integrity, they do more than passing examinations, but develop habits of mind - essential for leadership, innovation, and public service.
As a nation, we must also resist simple binaries that equate marks with worth. Scores are indicators, not identities. A child’s examination outcome should inform the next step - advanced study, remedial teaching/learning, alternative pathways, or vocational options, not a narrative of failure.
Policy choices must expand the horizons of success, recognising diverse talents and enabling lateral entry into professional and technical careers.
When millions of students prepare simultaneously for the board examinations, society briefly aligns around learning - families adjust routines, schools coordinate efforts, and institutions mobilize support. This shared focus reinforces education as a collective national priority.
Finally, the examination season offers an important story to tell our society: that we value hard work, resilience, and collective support. Students who complete examinations with confidence in their preparation, supported by teachers and families, are better equipped to contribute meaningfully to society in the future. That is the true nation-building promise of examinations, not merely to sort, but to prepare citizens who can think, care, and lead.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.