104 helpline choked by calls

Chennai: With plus-2 exams results to be announced tomorrow, the third phase of counselling with 104helpline has reached its peak. The helpline has been receiving large number of calls in the past few days. Most of the calls are from students fearing Chemistry paper.

Prabhudoss B, regional manager of GVK EMRI is expecting endless calls on May 17, the day the state board results would be declared. “Students who called are mostly anxious about results. On Tuesday, six to seven additional counsellors will be deployed apart from our own psychologists,” he said.

Last year, the helpline received some 8,000 calls from plus-2 state board students and 10,000 calls from class 10 students. So far, for exam preparation starting from February it received 3,000 calls and for examination results for the past three days it got 150 calls. Most calls are from Chennai, Salem and Namakkal.

Krishna Moorthy, clinical psychologist, at 104 helpline said that most students are anxious about low marks and that they can’t match parents’ expectation.
“Students fear they may not get cut off marks. They are also worried about Chemistry paper, which was difficult this time. Students from rural area are
anxious if they would be able to compete with the urban students,” he said.

Of the 150 calls received, 75 were from parents. Some parents also blamed the government for Neet row.

B. Elayaraja, counselling psychologist, at 104 helpline said, “There was a call from a man whose son is not talking to anyone but sitting under tree all alone. He requested us to counsel him. Tomorrow, we are expecting huge number of such calls.” Many students also called saying they want to give up their life if they fail.
“We counselled them asking them to accept the reality whatever it is,” he said.