03 March,2009 09:07 AM IST | | Kaumudi Gurjar
Arts student Lalita Shivarkar consumed poison yesterday
Yesterday's suicide of 18-year-old Lalita Kumar Shivarkar, a resident of Alandi Mhatobachi near Pune, who was appearing for her HSC exams, has once again brought to focus the stress of that students have during exams.
It is not clear what prompted Lalita to end her life, but her brother, Nilesh, said, "Soon after returning home from the exam hall yesterday, Lalita was very upset. She told me that English paper was tough. I tried to console her and advised her against taking too much tension. But she kept on crying the whole day."
Poison
Lalita was an Arts student at Mhatoba Madyamik Vidyalay. According to Nilesh, she was a good student. Nilesh said Lalita was alone at home when she consumed poison in the morning. Nilesh came to know about her condition when he returned from their farm at around 11.30 am. He immediately rushed her to a nearby dispensary in Kunjirwadi.
There, a Dr Wankhede asked him to take Lalita to Noble Hospital in Hadapsar for further medical aid, but she died there.
According to sociologist Vishal Jadhav some parents push their children too hard to do well in exams without realising the stress to which they are subjecting them. "Such practices should be stopped as they do immense harm to the children," he added. Psychiatrist Dr Hemand Chandorkar said parents should make their children understand that exams are only a journey and not the final destination of life.
Bear in mind
Your child is under stress...
> If you notice a sudden change in his behaviour or sleep schedule
> If there is a change in communication with peers
> If he/she starts postponing or avoiding routine activities like going to college
To beat stress...
> Eat good food and keep your mind calm
> Have healthy interaction with your parents
> Maintain comfortable atmosphere at home
