Saqib Rather
Srinagar, Oct 24: For students preparing for competitive examinations in Kashmir, the timetable extends beyond coaching classes and textbooks. It follows them to the dinner table, into late-night revision and through mornings that begin before the body has recovered. The pressure is measured in marks, ranks and attempts; its physical costs can be harder to count.
Sleep is the first sacrifice. Students who stay awake to finish another chapter may find it difficult to concentrate the next day, remember information or regulate their emotions. A cycle can develop: fear of falling behind leads to longer study hours, fatigue slows learning, and lost time prompts more late-night work.
Psychiatrist Dr Abdul Majid explaining that stress can be both motivating and harmful when it exceeds a manageable level. His point matters for students and families: some pressure may encourage preparation, but distress that overwhelms daily functioning should not be treated as proof of dedication.
The consequences are not confined to mood. Prolonged stress may accompany headaches, muscle tension, stomach discomfort and changes in sleep or appetite. Digestive symptoms can have other causes, so they should not automatically be blamed on anxiety. Persistent or severe symptoms deserve medical assessment rather than repeated self-medication.
Nida Zehra, a mental health counsellor at the Child Guidance and Wellbeing Centre in Kashmir, said, “Kids are losing confidence in themselves as school environment focuses on marks and syllabus only.” The observation points to a wider concern: when performance becomes the main measure of a young person’s worth, a setback can feel like a verdict on their future.
The body pays for hours spent sitting. Coaching sessions, online lectures and revision can keep students at desks for much of the day, leaving little time for walking, sport or daylight. The World Health Organization says physical activity supports physical and mental health, while high levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with poorer health outcomes in children and adolescents.
A study of 1,471 college students in Kashmir, conducted from January to April 2024, reported severe anxiety in 24.26 per cent of participants, severe depression in 12.5 per cent and high perceived stress in 19.17 per cent. The findings concern college students, not only competitive-exam candidates, but they underline the importance of taking student wellbeing seriously.
The pressure reaches families too. Parents may invest savings in coaching, accommodation and examination fees, making each attempt feel expensive. Encouragement can unintentionally turn into constant comparison with relatives, classmates or toppers whose study routines are presented as universal formulas.
The answer is not to dismiss ambition or suggest that students should stop working hard. It is to make preparation sustainable. Regular sleep, short movement breaks, meals at consistent times and realistic study plans can support concentration better than an endless stretch at the desk. Students should seek help from a qualified professional if anxiety, low mood or sleep problems persist or interfere with daily life.
Families and coaching centres also have a role: notice changes in behaviour, allow recovery time and avoid treating exhaustion as a badge of honour. Teachers can help by discussing progress and learning strategies, not only ranks. An examination can shape a student’s next opportunity, but it should not define their health. Kashmir’s competitive culture needs room for a truth: a rested mind and a cared-for body are not distractions from preparation. They are part of it.
