The Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination will conclude on July 4, but class 10 students, teachers and even staff involved in conducting it are leaving nothing to chance. In an attempt, which doctors warn is often misguided, they are popping supplements in the hope that they will boost their immunity. Vitamin C, multivitamins and zinc are some of the more popular choices.
Rakesh S., a student, who is appearing for the SSLC examination, said that his teacher had recommended that all students take Vitamin C tablets till the examinations are completed. “We have been told to take several other measures so that we are healthy,” he said. However, experts say that consuming these supplements on a short-term basis is unlikely to provide any benefits.
Manjunath H.K., president of Karnataka State High School Assistant Head Masters’ Association said that the teachers are using social media platforms to share the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)’s guidelines which lists several measures such as drinking turmeric milk.
“We know that this will not prevent COVID-19, but we want to take measures to boost our immunity. Like the general public, our teachers who are involved in conducting the examination are afraid as the cases are rising. But we have to do our jobs so we decided to spread awareness among teachers.”
Nutritionist Manjari Chandra, however, said that it was completely futile to take vitamin supplements a week before the examination. “There is a need to work on a holistic diet, one that is healthy and balanced. Although we do recommend micronutrients to some of our patients, it is done after detailed investigation,” she said.
All the staff involved in the conduct of the exam at the Karnataka State Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) have been provided medical kits provided by the AYUSH department. “The entire building is disinfected once a day and restrooms are washed five times a day. There are sanitisers kept in each section in the board and officials are asked to maintain distance,” a source in the board said.
The source also said that precautionary measures were taken so that no positive case is reported in the board. “We have been told that if we report any symptoms, we should not come to office. Even if one person is reported positive, conducting the examination will be a huge challenge for us,” said an official of the board.