With just a day to go before the Maharashtra State Board’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams begin, stress and anxiety are running high among students. Board exams are often seen as a major milestone in a student’s life, shaping their future. As a result, students appearing for the exams this year are under immense pressure. However, this pressure can sometimes escalate stress and anxiety—or, in extreme cases, even push students into depression. To help students navigate this challenging time, we spoke to experts, counsellors, teachers, and past SSC toppers, who shared valuable tips on managing exam stress and last-minute anxiety.

Toppers advice

Ayush Patil, a former student of Bal Mohan Vidyamandir who scored 99.40 per cent in his SSC exams in 2022, is now a first-year MBBS student at King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College.