K Bhuvaneshwari, a Class 12 student, has been preparing for the exam every day till late in the night. But on Wednesday, she decided to be calm ahead of the first exam. “I am comfortable with Language 1, and have decided not to overdo it and instead sleep early,” she says. 

Around 8.66 lakh candidates from 6,903 schools in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will write the class 12 exams on Thursday. The government has set up extra centres, and have also opened a helpline for students to deal with the stress. 

There are some students who are expecting certain papers more difficult than others. “With the government determined to prepare the students for competitive exams, I am worried that the maths and science questions will be tougher than the usual,” says N Prakash, a student from Chetpet.

PK Ilamaran, state president of Tamil Nadu Teachers Association says, “Teachers have ensured that the students go into the examination hall well prepared. The teachers in most schools have individually counselled every student to encourage them that they can perform well.”

Some schools have brought about set of guidelines and tips for the students, while some like the KRM Group of Schools sent across tips for students through WhatsApp.