Exam Stress in India: How Schools and Parents Can Protect Students’ Mental Health

India’s classrooms are cracking under the pressure of exams. Between 2013 and 2023, the country lost 1,17,849 students to suicide, painting a devastating picture of the mental health crisis unfolding among the young.

As marks, ranks, and results dominate headlines, the deeper question is—can India’s education system protect its students’ peace of mind?

The Growing Crisis

According to NCRB data, 13,892 student suicides were recorded in 2023, a 6.5% rise from 2022. Over the decade, student suicides have risen by 64.9%. While total suicides increased by 23.2% between 2019 and 2023, the rate among students has grown much faster.

A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry found higher depression rates among students in Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, while another Indian Journal of Community Medicine & Public Health study revealed alarming levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among exam-preparing graduates.

The Student Well-being Pulse Report 2025 by IC3 Institute and CISCE found 1 in 5 students rarely feel calm or motivated, with many Grade 12 students sleeping less than 7 hours due to screen use and stress.

Why Exam Stress Hits So Hard

The roots of exam anxiety often start at home. Parents, driven by care and societal expectations, push children to top exams or secure “safe” careers. Over time, students begin equating self-worth with grades, believing that failure in an exam means failure in life.

This belief, coupled with an education system that prizes ranks over curiosity, creates a cycle of fear, shame, and burnout. Most schools lack trained counsellors or teacher sensitisation programs, leaving children to navigate emotional turmoil alone.

Sharani Narayana, Director of Narayana Educational Institutions, explains:

“When parents focus not only on performance but also on connection, curiosity, and character, children thrive both academically and emotionally.”

She adds,

“A compassionate teacher can transform stress into strength by creating an atmosphere of trust, where students feel seen, heard, and supported.”

What Schools and Parents Can Do

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) recommends socio-emotional learning, counselling, and life-skills education. However, implementation remains slow. Experts suggest actionable steps:

• Appoint trained counsellors in every large school and establish referral links to mental-health professionals.

• Train teachers in emotional first aid, active listening, and identifying distress signals.

• Redesign exams to include continuous assessment, fewer high-stakes tests, and flexible windows.

• Include daily mindfulness breaks and stress-management practices in the timetable.

• Educate parents on supporting effort over outcomes through workshops and community discussions.

• Use simple emotional screening tools to spot students in need of help early.

Why This Matters

This is not a call for lowering academic standards—it’s a call to protect lives. Empathy and mental wellness are not luxuries; they are prerequisites for true learning.

“Empathy is not a soft skill—it’s a success skill,” says Narayana.

If schools, parents, and policymakers integrate emotional safety into education, India can create classrooms where failure doesn’t feel fatal and learning feels liberating.

The race toward success will not stop, but perhaps the nation can learn to breathe while running.