Identity crisis to peer pressure: NCERT survey reveals 80% students suffer from exam anxiety

DA latest National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) survey has revealed that exams and results are a cause of anxiety for 80% of middle and secondary school students in India.

Titled `The Mental Health and Well-being of School Students', the survey was released on September 6.

The report highlighted the psychological, social, environmental, and other related issues faced by the students.

The survey was conducted among 3,79,842 students studying in classes 6 to12 in both public as well as private schools. Of the total students surveyed, 1,58,581 were from the middle school level, while 2,21,261 were from the secondary level.

While 51% of students claimed to be satisfied with their personal life, 73% were happy with their school life. The survey also showed that 51% of students faced difficulty in learning online content.

The survey found that identity crisis, peer pressure, fear of board examinations, uncertainty about the future, college admissions, and career worry were some of the markers associated with declining satisfaction with personal and school life as students shifted from middle to secondary school.

The survey found a similar trend in body image issues, where the students had less confidence in themselves as they reached higher classes. According to the survey, 45% of students were suffering from body image issues.

The emotional changes that students went through during the pandemic were also documented in the study. Nearly 43% of the students developed mood swings. Around 7% of students developed emotions of self-harm.