Nagpur: The board exams scheduled for the scorching month of May is going to be a bigger problem for students coming from affluent families, who usually spend those days in either air-conditioned homes or by holidaying abroad. CBSE will also hold its board exams throughout the month of May, when temperatures in eastern Vidarbha soar past 47C.
TOI on Saturday reported how students who walk, cycle or use public transport to reach exam centres will struggle in their commute during peak summer time.
Many academics pointed out that even students from the higher economic strata will suffer as they are rarely, if ever, exposed to the blazing Nagpur heatwave.
The principal of a CBSE school said, “If you look at the lifestyle of the affluent families, they barely spend their time outside air-conditioned rooms when it comes to the month of May. We are talking about a generation which was born between 2003 to 2005 and have gotten used to material comforts.”
Another school principal said the worst thing for these kids will be to leave their AC homes and cars and walk right into a ‘blast furnace’. “Around noon, the sun will start beating down heavily. We all know that ceiling fans have zero effect in May and will actually blow hot air only. None of these kids has experience in appearing for exams over multiple days in the dead heat of May,” said the principal.
Dr Rajiv Mohta, adolescent counsellor and MD (paediatrics), said the two biggest threats to students are dehydration and sunstroke. “In the scathing Nagpur sun, the biggest mistake will be moving out on an empty stomach. Apart from this, parents must not prepare their home made concoctions to replace the ORS (oral rehydration solutions) because the required proportions of all vital inputs can never be achieved at home. The best option is to get small ORS tetra-packs from a medical shop which the student can take once of twice during the exam,” said Dr Mohta. He added that students must cover their ears and head while walking from the main gate to the exam hall.
Abhilasha Kashiv, a well-known nutritionist, said drinking fluids and a balanced diet are important. “Avoid fatty foods on exam day as it can induce sleepiness. Having the right amount of fruits and healthy home food before the exams is advisable. Always carry water or lemon juice. Keeping a sweet candy as an emergency resort to boost the sagging sugar levels is also a good idea,” said Kashiv, adding, proper sleep is also the key.