Dealing with Results

It is important for the counselor to help children cope up with the disappointment, if at all, related to examination results. Broadly speaking examination results should be treated as a spring board to future achievements and better prospects. Examination results can cause a great deal of anxiety to the students and parents alike. However, a consistent family support system can be of help.

Parents should look out for the following signs:

• Physical symptoms, such as sleeping or eating more or less than usual
• Mental symptoms, such as loss of concentration and interest
• Emotional symptoms such as tears, tantrums, panic attacks
• Addictive symptoms, such as excessive drinking or smoking or using pills
• Self depreciating comments “I knew I’ll never pass or never do well or…Mohit’s much brighter than me………”

Must Dos for parents:

• Do not nag the child. Be supportive and encouraging.
• Help the child to develop self-discipline, self-direction, self-confidence and a sense of achievement.
• Just good schooling and tuition are not substitutes for emotional cushioning.
• Help the child in maintaining his confidence especially when he seems discouraged by his dropping marks or grades.
• Do not displace your anxiety on the child.
• The achievement goals should be realistically set according to the child’s capability.
• Praise the child when he does well. Encourage the child’s performance with positive statements like, “well done”, “you can do better”, rather than saying “that was not enough”.
• Do not harp on previous failures or results.
• If achievement expectations are too high it may lead to greater anxiety.
• Humor relieves tension. Be light and humorous with the child.
• Try to gain your child’s confidence and discuss problems. Help to find a solution.
• Exams are not the end of the world.
• Accept that expectation for every one to do well is unrealistic.
• Involve the child in decision making.
• Be aware of the market demands and do not concentrate on traditional courses alone. This will narrow down the options considerably and cause stress.
• Many students do better after school because of maturity and greater focus, course of interest, rise and awareness level and exposure to options.
• Avoid criticizing or comparing the child with others.
• Make the child feel important and loved.
• Listen to your child.
• Take help of a professional counselor in case of a conflict or depression over the result.

The students should:

• Assess priorities, assets and difficulties
• Follow a normalized routine atmosphere at home.
• Imagining extreme consequences and worst situations is of no use and needs to be discouraged.
• It is helpful to know what she/ he can accomplish.
• Do not magnify failure and try to talk them out of it. Should not demean themselves.
• Contact the teachers or counselors if they feel low or anxious or disinterested.
• Develop alternative coping strategies and de -focus from the pain.

Must Dos for students:

• Learn to be positive.
• Learn to relax.
• Talk to family and friends.
• Do your best and stop worrying. Result is not the ultimate decisive factor.
• It is more important to choose the next options.
• Find out and update with wide and varied career choices. Invariably the decision should not be based or influenced by the friends.
• For an average performer or below average, skill based/vocational courses. are best choice

Handling Suicide

Common feelings in suicide:

• A crisis that causes intense suffering and feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.
• Conflict between survival and unbearable stress.
• Narrowing of patient’s perceived options.
• A wish to escape (it is an escape rather than a going-towards).
• To punish self and/or to punish others with guilt. Indicators for increased chance for suicide
• Withdrawal Behaviour for few days
• Mention of suicide repeatedly.
• Suicide note
• Changes in eating and sleeping patterns
• A history of serious psychological problems.
• A history of impulsive, poorly controlled and destructive Behaviour.
• A history of continuing academic problems and learning difficulties.
• Adjustment difficulties with family, school, peers etc.

Helping suicidal adolescent

Establish rapport

Allow the student to narrate his/her own story

Use age appropriate language

Tactful questions. Avoid leading questions e.g. “you don’t want to kill yourself”

Obtain detailed description of any suicidal plan ask about availability and lethality

Smooth movement from one topic to another

Interventions:

1. Communicate that people do get through this – there are other children who feel as badly as he/she feels now.

2. Advise the child to give himself/herself some time e.g., “I will wait 24 hours before I do anything”. Or a week. Suggest that feelings and actions are two different things – just because you feel like harming /
killing yourself, doesn’t mean that you have to actually do it right this minute.

3. Periodically, keeping in touch over the phone will reduce the intent of ending their lives. Counseling needs to be practical and useful.

4. Long lectures with a moralistic tone are not advised. These make the already depressed student guiltier and his intent stronger.

5. The student should be advised to contact a professional counselor as soon as possible. If not efforts should be made to encourage him to meet his teachers or school counselors or talk to his parents. The more he talks about his problems to various people; he is likely to feel much better.

6. A student who is severely depressed and expresses absolute helplessness about future is more at risk than a student who talks about casual things.

7. No medicines should be prescribed over the phone.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q.1: Is it possible for a student who has failed in Science stream in Class XII to change subjects to pass at subsequent examination?
Ans.: Yes, but with prior permission of the Board

Q2: What is the eligibility criteria for a student to appear as a private candidate in Board examination?
Ans.: The Board prescribes following conditions under which a candidate can appear privately: -

• Failed candidates
• Teachers serving in educational institutions
• Women candidates who are bonafide residents of NCT of Delhi and Physically handicapped students

Q.3: I appeared in the compartment examination in July-August, but failed again, do I now have to re-appear in all subjects again?
Ans.: The Board gives five chances to clear the compartment examination. The first examination is held in July-August followed by second chance in March-April and the third chance in July-August and so on. Unsuccessful candidates after these five attempts are required to appear afresh in all subjects there on.

Q.4: I wish to improve my performance in Chemistry and Maths in class XII. Is it possible and how?
Ans.: A candidate who has passed Class XII examination of the Board may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subjects in the main examination in the succeeding year only. The candidate may appear privately; those re-appearing for whole examination can also appear as regular candidate if admitted by the school.
    - For subjects involving practical work, if the candidate has passed the practical examination, he or she will be allowed to appear only in theory part.
    - Only a statement of marks is issued by the Board after the improvement of performance.

Q.5: Is it compulsory to pass in theory and practical exams. Separately?
Ans.: Yes, it is compulsory to pass separately in the subjects involving theory and practical in Class XII.

Q.6: Is a student required to appear in all subjects in improvement examination?
Ans.: No, the student can appear in one or more than one subject(s) as per his/her choice. However, improvement exam. can be taken only in the successive year of passing Class XII exams.

Q.7: Is the candidate allowed to see the answer script in case the result is not as per the expectations?
Ans.: No. There is no provision of showing answer scripts. The candidate can apply for scrutiny, for reconfirmation of marks.

Q.8 If a candidate passes in the additional subject but fails in one of the main subjects, what will the result show?
Ans.: The candidate will be considered as having passed the examination in such a case. A language will replace a language only. For further details the scheme of examinations can be referred to.

Q. 9: What is the procedure followed in marking the answers?
Ans.: Each answer is divided into steps and marks are given in accordance to the weightage assigned for these steps. It is advised that a copy of Marking Scheme be procured to get a clear idea.

Q. 10: Can a candidate simultaneously appear for Improvement as well as Additional subject examination?
Ans.: No, a candidate appearing for Improvement in one or more subjects cannot appear for additional subject examination simultaneously.

Q. 11: How many times can a candidate appear for Improvement examination?
Ans.: For improvement examination only one chance in the succeeding year is permitted.

Q. 12: What is the pass criteria for Class XII?
Ans.: A candidate has to pass in all five subjects to be declared Pass. However, a candidate is placed in compartment if he/she fails in one subject in Class XII.

Q. 13: Can one appear for additional exam along with the comptt. Exam conducted by the Board in the month of July/August in class XII?
Ans.: Yes, from 2006 Exam. onwards a candidate having six subjects and declared ‘Pass’ by securing pass marks in five subjects can now appear in the failing (sixth) subject along with comptt. candidates in July/August in the same year.

Q. 14: What is meant by verification of marks?
Ans.: The verification means:

• Checking whether all answer have been evaluated,
• That there has been no mistake in the totaling of marks for each question in that subject,
• That the marks have been transferred correctly on the title page of the answer book and to the award list,
• Whether the supplementary answer book(s) attached with the answer book mentioned by the candidate are intact,
• No revaluation of the answer book or supplementary answer book(s) shall be done.

Q. 15: What is the procedure for re-checking of marks?
Ans.: A candidate can apply for re-checking within 21 days from the date of declaration of results for Main exam. and within 15 days for Compartment exam.

Q. 16: What is the fees for re-checking of marks?
Ans.: It is Rs.100/- for one subject. The candidate should apply at the concerned Regional Office only.

Q. 17: Can one apply for verification of marks in all five subjects?
Ans.: Yes, verification of marks can be done for all the subjects on payment of separate fee for each subject.

Q. 18: How long does it take to get verification result?
Ans.: The result is sent by ordinary post within a reasonable period of time invariably between 3-4 weeks.

Q. 19: Do the marks increase after verification?
Ans.: It will depend upon the scrutiny while mostly there is “No change” found. The marks may increase or even decrease on verification and the candidate will have to accept the result.

Q. 20: Is a new mark sheet issued after revision?
Ans.: Yes, a new mark-sheet is issued after the revision whether upward or downward. The candidate has to surrender the old marks statement. In case of change in marks, the fee is also refunded to the candidate.