##Ts, ##$s Devise %a&s to Ta'e Stress (ea)*+n

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Publication: The Economic Times Delhi;Date: Nov 15, 2011;Section: Career & usiness;Pa!e: 1"

IITs, IIMs Devise Ways to Take Stress Head-On ALL-OUT BATTLE: Technica and !ana"e!ent instit#tes t$eak st#dy %ro"ra!!es, %ro!ote e&tra-c#rric# ar activities, invite %arents to ca!%#s and even arran"e co#nse in" $ith %sycho o"ists to he % st#dents co%e $ith the '#rden o( hi"h e&%ectations
SREERADHA D BASU KOLKATA

Li(e took an #n% easant t#rn the !o!ent A'hinav D )na!e chan"ed* +oined IIT ,an%#r- A to%%er thro#"ho#t schoo , the ./-year-o d s#dden y (o#nd hi!se ( str#"" in" to co%e in a c ass (# o( st#dents e0#a y 'ri"ht or even shar%er- Be(ore on", he (o#nd hi!se ( s%ira in" into de%ression- A on" stint o( co#nse in" ater, A'hinav is (arin" 'etter in his st#dies and is an enth#siastic %artici%ant in ca!%#s activitiesMany others aren1t as (ort#nate as A'hinav- This year, seven st#dents have taken their ives across the co#ntry1s %re!ier techno o"ica instit#tes, an #nsett in" ne$ hi"h- Whi e 2,/23 st#dent s#icides $ere re%orted across India in 4556, the (i"#re +#!%ed to 3,738 in 45.5, accordin" to data re eased 'y the 9ationa :ri!e ;ecords B#rea# recent yOn y the 'est and the 'ri"htest !ake it thro#"h the co#ntry<s eadin" ed#cationa instit#tes- B#t this is +#st the 'e"innin" o( the 'att e=ierce co!%etition and the '#rden o( e&%ectation > a "reat +o' and sa ary are seen as nat#ra coro aries > have 'een takin" their to on yo#n" st#dents- The iss#es ran"e (ro! (a!i y %ress#re, ad+#st!ent and re ationshi% %ro' e!s, % ace!ents and (ear o( (ai #re- The "ood ne$s, ho$ever, is, instit#tes are ste%%in" in to %rovide s#%%ort- =ro! co#nse in" ce s to st#dent and (ac# ty !entorshi% %ro"ra!!es, e&trac#rric# ar activities, chan"es in c#rric# #!, resched# in" o( c asses or even "ivin" st#dents the o%tion o( s$itchin" to s o$-track %ro"ra!!es, every e((ort is 'ein" !ade to ease their '#rden- :o#nse in" sessions $ith 0#a i(ied %sycho o"ists and %sychiatrists $ith ass#red anony!ity are %ar (or the co#rse at the IITs, ISB and other instit#tes o( hi"her earnin"IIT De hi has recent y started an intensive St#dent Mentorshi% ?ro"ra!!e, $here third-year st#dents are assi"ned (ive to ei"ht st#dents (ro! their hoste s in the sa!e de%art!ent to have %ersona ised interactions on a iss#es, ran"in" (ro! acade!ic to co-c#rric# ar, %artici%ation in e&tra-c#rric# ar activities and "enera %ro' e!s- This is es%ecia y #se(# d#rin" the initia stay o( the (reshers on ca!%#s, $here interaction $ith seniors is i!ited, and %revents ra""in"- Me!'ers are se ected a(ter an intervie$- 9ear y a .55 !entors are se ected (or 355-/55 (reshers- @It1s a 'i" he % (or (irst-year st#dents, inc #din" those (ro! s!a to$ns, to !ake a transition into co e"e i(e,A says IIT De hi<s "enera secretary, st#dents a((airs co#nci , ;achit B#%ta- IIT ,an%#r says has 'een o((erin" e&tensive co#nse in" services and has even 'een he %in" o#t other instit#tes, inc #din" '#i din" a te!% ate (or IIT Bandhina"ar- They have even taken the he % o( Dr Manas Manda , director o( the De(ense Instit#te o( ?sycho o"ica ;esearch, $ho has dea t e&tensive y $ith iss#es o( stress a!on" so diers- @=or o#r 355-odd #nder"rad#ate st#dents, $e have assi"ned a'o#t 455-425 st#dent "#ides (ro! hi"her 'atches to he % the! $ith their orientation- Each st#dent "#ide is a"ain attached to a (ac# ty "#ardian and a iss#es are dea t $ith in a very con(identia !anner,A says dean )st#dent a((airs* A, Bhosh- This a%art, st#dents are "iven the o%tion o( dro%%in" co#rses i( they can1t co%e, and !akin" #% (or it over the s#!!erMana"e!ent schoo s are not (ar 'ehind- At Cavier Instit#te o( Mana"e!ent, Bh#'anes$ar, director ?T Dose%h teaches EEF and Leadershi%1 as a !andatory (o#ndation co#rse- @St#dents are he %ed to identi(y their e!otiona %ro' e!s as %art o( the co#rse- There is a "ro#% thera%y session $ith .5-.4 st#dents %er session, $hich he %s the! '#i d ra%%ort $ith their c ass!ates so they can he % each other,A says Dose%hIIM Ban"a ore has a so taken initiatives to dea $ith acade!ic stress- @St#dents $ho are not doin" too $e are identi(ied in the !idd e o( the (irst year and %#t on a s o$-track %ro"ra!!e, so they can co!% ete their co#rse over three years instead o( t$o- We are a so ookin" at i!% e!entin" chan"es in the "radin" syste! (ro! ne&t year,A says ?B? chair%erson Ish$ar M#rthyAt IIM L#ckno$, director Devi Sin"h says the !o!ent any si"n o( %ro' e! cro%s #%, the instit#te "ets invo ved thro#"h the st#dent co!!#nity and (ac# ty- @?arents are in(or!ed in a discreet $ay and $e "et the! over to s%end ti!e $ith the chi d- I( necessary, $e even et the! take the st#dent a$ay (or a (e$ days- That a%art, a IIMs have red#ced %ress#re in the (irst year in ter!s o( the n#!'er o( co#rses,A says Sin"h- St#dents sho# d 'e enco#ra"ed to %artici%ate in e&trac#rric# ar activities, says G, B#%ta, o((iciatin" director, MDI B#r"aon- @We have a ot o( (aci ities inc #din" a "y!nasi#!, "o (, tennis, 'ad!inton and so on (or st#dents to destress so they can re a& and en+oy,A says B#%taB#t $i a these initiatives # ti!ate y he % in c#r'in" st#dent s#icides or stressH @:o#nse in" and !entorin" are very $e , '#t yo# can1t take a$ay (ro! the (act that in today1s $or d, a o( #s are a!'itio#s and instit#tes are constant y drivin" #s to e&ce - It1s hard to !aintain that 'a ance so!eti!es,A says Givek 9air )na!e chan"ed*, a second year st#dent o( the 9ationa Instit#te o( Techno o"y, Waran"a It1s hi"h ti!e societa !indsets $ere trans(or!ed, says IIM L#ckno$1s Sin"h- @We re(#se to reco"nise that stress is a %ro' e!I neither do $e reco"nise the ro e %sychiatrists have to % ay--- As $e 'eco!e !ore #r'anised, these %ro' e!s are 'o#nd to increase- :reatin"

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##Ts, ##$s Devise %a&s to Ta'e Stress (ea)*+n

htt,:--e,a,er.timeso/in)ia.com-0e,ositor&-!et1iles.as,2St&le3+live45...

inst#t#tiona and societa in(rastr#ct#re is a !#st,A he saysWHAT INSTITUTES DO TO HELP :OU9SELLI9B is %rovided at !ost instit#tes to he % st#dents (oc#s, #nderstand and dea $ith the iss#es a((ectin" the! THE co#nse or o((ers s#%%ort and #nderstandin", and res%ects anony!ity IITS a so o((er "#idance (ro! seniors and (ac# ty !e!'ers assi"ned to the!- They are a so enco#ra"ed to take %art in (#n activities IIM Ban"a ore and L#ckno$ have !ade chan"es in c#rric# #! to a o$ st#dents to s$itch to s o$track %ro"ra!!es AT CL;I Da!shed%#r, 'ehaviora science co#rses he % dea in" $ith stress- A ho!e-a$ay-(ro!-ho!e c# t#re is enco#ra"ed IIT ,an%#r a o$s st#dents to dro% co#rses i( they can<t co%e, and !akin" #% (or it in s#!!ers

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