From stress to focus: how mental health support improves learning outcomes

Every March, across India, a familiar silence descends over homes. Screen time is going down. Social events are postponed. Dining tables are quietly transformed into study tables. Board exams are not merely a milestone in a student’s life; they become a season for the whole family. In most homes, parents adjust their working hours, take leave and stay up late at night with their children, as if they themselves are turning up for the exam. The pressure is collective, the stress is shared, the hope unspoken but strongly felt. But what lies beneath the discipline and passion is something we talk about less: stress.

According to IC3 Student Suicide Avoidance Report 2025, one in five students rarely feel calm, motivated or excited about life, with academic pressure, career anxiety and homework emerging as top stressors. Girls experience nearly twice the rate of persistent sadness compared to boys, indicating increased exam-related anxiety. Despite policy reforms, this decades-long mental health crisis highlights exam fear as a persistent challenge in Indian education.

This is not a new concern for me.

Back in 2010, when I decided to make my first educational film, the topic I chose was exam fear. The film was titled “I Can Do It.” It explored how students can overcome anxiety and self-doubt during exams. At the time many questioned why I would focus on something so “ordinary”. But for me exam fear was not ordinary, it was fundamental. If a child is paralyzed by fear, learning stops. Over the years, through School Cinema and our work with thousands of schools, I have seen it repeatedly: stress does not improve performance. Do focus. And focus comes from emotional stability.

Hydration matters. Even mild dehydration affects cognitive performance. A well-hydrated student thinks more clearly.

Sleep is non-negotiable. Memory consolidation occurs during sleep. Reducing sleep to study more often reduces retention.

Physical activity reduces cortisol. Yet many schools and parents stop sports during exam season, precisely when it is most needed.

Hobbies restore balance. Music, painting, reading for pleasure, these are not distractions. They regulate emotions.

Instrumental music in schools can improve focus. Structured audit environments improve concentration.

Positive reinforcement works better than fear-based motivation.

Meditation, breathing exercises and grounding exercises are valuable. But along with them, nutrition, water intake, structured breaks and movement are equally powerful and often overlooked. We don’t need complicated systems. We need consistent habits.

Imagine if every school devoted just 15 minutes daily to structured wellness, breathing exercises, reflective dialogue or guided silence. Imagine if one million teachers were trained not only to deliver content, but to detect emotional distress early. The return on such an investment will not only be higher exam marks. These would be emotionally secure young citizens.

We must ask, “How do we build focus?” Focus grows out of: Emotional safety, Consistent routines, Supportive parenting, Balanced schedules and encouragement rather than comparison.

When schools and families work together, small shifts make a difference.

Let children sleep well.

Keep them hydrated.

Let them move.

Let them listen to calming music.

Let them stand still.

Make them feel supported.

And most importantly, let them know that exams measure preparation, not worth it.

Because when students feel emotionally secure, they don’t just pass exams. They are thriving!

(This article was written by Syed Sultan Ahmed, Chairman, The Association of International Schools of India (TAISI), Festival Director, School Cinema International Film Festival (SCIFF) and Founder and Chief Learner, LXL Ideas)