More than two weeks have passed since the Maharashtra State Board started its helpline for students appearing for HSC (Std XII) and SSC (Std X) exams in October. But the counsellors manning the line have had very few callers.
The helpline was started on September 23 to help students deal with stress and last-minute panic that is generally associated with exams. But as compared to March, when the students take their board exams, the October schedule is seeing barely any activity. Even the ones who do call do not have any serious queries, the counsellors said.
User not busy? Counsellors at the state board’s office in Vashi
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“The supplementary sessions started from September 25 this year. On the day prior to the exams, we received the maximum number calls, which were around 50. Most called to ask centre locations or sometimes to recheck the examination dates. The level of seriousness of the calls is very low. However, that may well be because there are fewer students taking the exams,” says Chandrakant Munde, a counsellor who operates the line at the board office in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Counsellors sit in two sessions along with a staff official from the board office, and the helpline is active from 9 am to 7 pm.
“We receive calls from students all over Maharashtra – Nagpur, Jalgoan, Shrirampur etc. Generally, the number of calls increases before examinations like Physics, Economics and Bookkeeping, because most students find these subjects to be difficult,” added Munde.
However, board officials say that this session has students who only take one or two exams. Hence, the lack of activity on the line is quite justified. Laxmikant Pande, Mumbai divisional board chairman, said, “Approximately 1lakh students are taking their HSC and SSC board exams in October. The seriousness in the queries may be less, but for the benefit of the students, the helpline will be functional till the exams are done with.”
The board helpline number will be active till October 17.
Helpline number
022-27893756
56,180
Number of students taking the HSC exam in the October session
42,928
Number of students taking the SSC exam in the October sessionu00a0
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