Pressure of Competitive Exams

Have you ever imagined how it would feel if you were in a no man’s land? Have you ever had a sinking feeling deep inside with no vision of the future and little hope of finding one? Have you ever felt breathless with excessive efforts and thought that they would not be enough? Have you ever felt the need to be accepted so that your existence could be acknowledged? - Heavy questions? Yes! Think of the trauma that one will have to go through to come up with such thoughts. This is the life of people who are one amongst the thousands who sit for a competitive exam for higher education in India.

School is a lovely place. Even though it has its own issues (tests, homework, exams, attendance, strict teachers etc) yet it is still a sanctuary which plays shelter to our childhood mischief and adolescent struggles. At the end of it we look back and find happiness in all the good and bad that happened there. But as soon as we set foot beyond the boundaries of school we find that we need to fend our way forward through a very hostile competitive environment, to find our next calling.

 Competitive exams are now a part and parcel of student life. They have become the step that leads to our career. Once common for medical and engineering or government jobs, they have now become mandatory for all post graduate and some graduate level courses. Government competitive exams for banking, staff selection, railways, etc. are vital to get jobs in the related sectors.

 In the pursuit of the dream career, students spend a lot of time and energy preparing for such competitive exams. On an average, around one year or more is spent in preparation. In an attempt of perfecting the skills required for succeeding in the exams, coaching classes are sort after. In all, not just time and energy, but money is also spent in this process.

 The pressure starts to mount under the many mock tests, question papers and not to mention the expectations of the family and peers. The gargantuan demands that parents have today really cut the self belief which students have in them before an exam. Actually the problem is that parents generally over stress on the fact that how important an exam is when they should actually make things seem more normal to their children.

 Records and results too show a large fail rate which further discourages students. The thought that thousands of students appearing for the exams and the need to outperform can also be intimidating. The atmosphere of approaching exams mount to such pressure that often candidates feel disoriented. Many times these insecurities, worries and inhibitions infest as physical issues like fever, nausea, sleeping disorders and dietary issues- all of which are sure to further dampen spirits.

The pressures to outshine these exams are high, but there are ways to tackle them normal human mind can easily clear competitive exams but you have to modify some basic strategies regarding preparation for exams.

 These strategies are listed below:

1. Self Belief: You should believe in yourself and your abilities. You should believe that can clear these competitive exams if you can perform to best of your abilities. Belief is everything and everything can be achieved through belief.

2. Knowledge: You should have proper knowledge about your concepts. We don’t have to acquire extra knowledge as conceptual knowledge is needed for competitive exams.

3. Time Management and Data: We can manage this time by preparing time table for each day. We also have to record weekly data which ultimately helps in representing our performance graphically.

4. Sharpness: A sharp mind has many advantages such as concept understanding, quick response to a tricky question and speed. The best method to sharpen your mind is to do as many questions as you can. Try to challenge yourself.

At the end one must understand that competitive exams should not be looked upon as us against many but us against ourselves. If we perform the best we can, our determination will bear fruit.
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