The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has started a counselling helpline for students appearing for the SSC and HSC board exams.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has started a counselling helpline for students appearing for the SSC and HSC board exams. The helpline, named iCall, will provide both telephone and email counselling to students as well as the option of anonymous counselling for those who do not wish to identify themselves. The helpline, which was started with an aim to cater to people across age, gender, sexual orientation and issues, will have professional counsellors to help students in six different languages.
According to a iCall spokesperson with the board exams around the corner, students of class 10 and 12, gearing up to achieve their level best tend to face exam anxiety. “In midst of preparing for these ‘high-stake exams’, students are in a state of mind where they experience extreme distress and anxiety. To address this problem, iCall, which was started in 2012 for people across different strata of society, has decided to offer counselling for these students too,” said the spokesperson.
According to IIT-B students who have benefited from iCall, the service helps build confidence as it is discreet and counsellors do not insist on knowing the name of the student. “There is a mindset against going for counselling among the student community, as they feel unable to express their problems in front of others. However, the anonymous talk or response through email allows the students to be at ease with counselling,” said a student mentor at IIT-B.
