Student Anxiety Spikes After Telangana Inter Results, 100 Call Tele Manas

Hyderabad:Tele Manas, the free mental health helpline, received more calls from students as the Intermediate exam results were released on Tuesday. Many students reached out to the helpline expressing anxiety and disappointment for scoring low marks.

The 24-hour Tele Manas helpline is available on the toll free number 14416.

Controllers said they had not received any suicide calls.

Parents also called the helpline on behalf of their children said Dr Srishanthi, psychiatrist. Counsellors helped calm them down and explained about other avenues. They also convinced students to be strong emotionally.

Tele Manas had received around 100 calls till 9 pm on Tuesday, most them from 2 pm to 4 pm, after the results were announced at noon.

Counsellor T. Gnaneshwar said among the callers were those who had failed in some subjects, while others compared their marks to others. “Parents have also been talking to us and we have advised them not to give pressure to children,” Gnaneshwar said.

Counsellors were advising students that there was a lot they could do in the future and mistakes could be rectified. They also gave study plans for the supplementary exams month.

“A few students said that they were calling Tele Manas after seeing the report in Deccan Chronicle,” Gnaneshwar said.

P. Jawaharlal Nehru, a senior psychologist, said that they were listening to students explain what they were facing, advising them to adopt new methods to achieve different results and helping them cope. He said parents have to encourage students who were facing a crisis.