The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has resumed the tele-counselling services for the pending board examination of class 10 and 12. These pending board exams will be held from July 1 to July 15, 2020, across India. The psychological tele-counselling services will be available for seven days a week from June 1 to June 15, 2020, and the timings would be from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
This would be the fourth time this year that the CBSE Board will be providing the psychological counselling facility. And while the board is not holding any exam outside India in countries like the Sultanate Of Oman, Singapore, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Nepal, Kuwait, and the USA; the tele-counselling service will continue there.
The Board claims that the helpline will have two features:- Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and live counselling. Students can avail of the toll-free facility at 1800-11-8004. “While general queries will be answered by tele-operators, 73 counselors and principals will be available for live psychological counselling in India. Although the board will not hold exams in foreign schools, 21 volunteer principals and counselors will however remain available for students outside India,” CBSE said in an official statement.
“The widespread COVID-19 has severely impacted lives and systems across the world. It has prompted the board to provide help for the mental well-being of students and parents amidst cancellation of exams, disruption of regular schooling, and compulsory lockdown,” the official statement added.
The board will continue to provide the IVRS facility as it has the inherent advantages of accessing pre-recorded information anytime, anywhere, and even multiple times. The students or parents can get information on board exams including tips for better preparation, managing exam anxiety and time, contact details of CBSE offices, FAQs. Additionally, the Board will also provide FAQs on exams during coronavirus, COVID-19 daily protocol, learn from home in COVID-19 tips among others.
The Board had earlier started the 23rd CBSE annual pre-exam psychological counselling from February 1 this year. It provided pre, during, and post-board exam counselling, however, since the exams are being re-conducted, the facility has also been revived. The board further provided psychological counselling to the students stranded in hostels of affiliated schools from April 1 to April 14 to mitigate students’ problems and ensure their mental well-being in times of uncertainty. “A dedicated additional free of cost CBSE helpline for students and general masses was also pressed into service during the Lockdown period primarily to create awareness and deal with the coronavirus pandemic,” CBSE claims.
