Parents unhappy with evaluations despite syllabus cut, flood psychologists with calls

Hyderabad: Within hours of the Intermediate results’ announcement on Tuesday, dissatisfied parents started making enquiries on steps for revaluation of papers, recounting and supplementary exams for their wards to get better scores.

Educational counsellors and psychologists received around 300 calls on the helpline number on Tuesday, mostly from worried students and parents over poor marks.

Dr Anupama, a clinical psychologist who attended to as many as 100 calls, mostly from rural areas, said, “Students called us wanting to know the procedure for revaluation and supplementary exams, which was their major concern. We did not get any suicide calls this year, luckily.”

Many parents said that they have received no support from the board or the institutions, and that students must be given grace marks due to disruptions to the academic session due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Parents are dissatisfied with the results and are blaming the board for wronging their children, who worked hard. Most of the students are worried and are in panic as to how they could fail or score low marks,” said Asif Hussain Sohail, the president of Telangana Parents Association.

However, junior college managements dismissed such claims.

A principal from a private junior college said that physical classes started in September. “Several model papers were distributed to the students. The syllabus was already cut short and more choices were also given. After so much effort, when students do not want to study, nothing can be done,” the principal said.

Experts cited a lack of understanding of students’ interests for poor marks and called for identifying their interests during formative years in school.

Dr Jawaharlal, a student behavioural analyst, said, “Parents should become the support system of their children and approach their teachers to understand their child’s interest, instead of imposing their unfulfilled ambitions on their child.”