JEE Postponed due to Covid - What Experts Say

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur has postponed the JEE Advanced Examination 2021 due to Covid-19 situation all across the country. The exam that was scheduled for July 3, 2021 now stands postponed till further notice.

The decision was made after a three-member committee of IIT Kharagpur which is the organizing institute of JEE Advanced held a meeting. The meeting was organized to review the COVID situation and accordingly take a decision on conducting the exam. 

The members were thinking of postponing the exam to make sure there is a good gap between JEE Mains and JEE Advanced.

Last month, NTA (National Testing Agency) announced the postponement of JEE Main April and May sessions in view of the second wave of COVID-19 in the country.

About JEE Advanced

The top 2.5 lakh candidates who clear the JEE Main examination are the eligible candidates to apply for JEE Advanced.

JEE Advanced is required for the Bachelor's, Dual Degree and Integrated Master's courses in the 23 IITs of the country. JEE Advanced exam is organized every year by seven Zonal Coordinating IITs. These are IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, and IIT Roorkee.

What does this mean?

The pandemic has affected children and parents in a big way. Career plans have been on hold putting immense pressure on children and parents. The fear and anxiety that the pandemic has caused along with uncertainty of the future when it comes to study and career decisions, all of this has had an impact on the mental and emotional well-being of children who have been studying hard with clear goals and timelines.

We spoke to Parentune Expert Child Psychologist Kumkum Jagadish who says “Postponement of exams is creating anxiety and stress in students as well as parents. The uncertainty is difficult to deal with. Parents can help by understanding how their child is feeling about it. What are the different emotions their child is facing because of this. For example, there could be anger or boredom from revising again and again."

What can be done to help?

Highlighting on the different emotions a child may face, she says “A child may want to enjoy life and be free of exams but because of the uncertainty the child is feeling stuck and this could be the cause of anger. There could be guilt for spending time doing other activities other than studying.”
She says what the parents should do is to create an environment where the child is able to vent out these emotions without being judged or criticized. The parents should support the child by accepting the emotions and empathising with their child.

Kumkum gave some practical tips that can help students and also parents and keep the environment positive and stress free.

• Parents should encourage children to take a day off or a few hours off each day from studies and focus on hobbies.

• Exercising, yoga, taking a walk will all help in making the child feel good and deal with the stress levels effectively.

•  Eating healthy, being hydrated, and getting good sleep is very important.

• Encourage your child to be in touch with their friends.

• Creating a routine for the day will help your child focus on the "here and now" which will help keep negative thoughts away as the mind may be focused on doing the activities that are planned as per the routine.

• Connecting with your child by asking "what" questions rather than "why" questions. Why questions make a child feel judged or criticized.

Furthermore, what a parent should not do is compare their child and the amount they are studying with other children. “Do not control their routine and how they spend their time. Instead, give your child a chance to set his / her own routine with some inputs and directions from you if required, ”she further adds.