JOIN USGuides sell more than textbooks in City
For many decades, Avenue Road has been the destination for the City students to buy school and college textbooks. Ahead of the exams, the lane witnesses students scrambling for guides.
The shopkeepers, who have catered to many generations of students, find a disturbing trend on the rise among students.
Buying guide books is not uncommon. However, most of the shopkeepers observe that there has been an increasingly unhealthy dependence on guides.
Gangadhar, owner of Chandrakala Book House, says that a large number of students approach the shop before exams without acquainting themselves with the syllabus.
He finds it a matter of concern that many a time he has to explain to the students the contents of their textbooks, with just a few days for the exam. “This was not the case a decade ago. Of course, people bought guides even then. But it was for reference in addition to the textbook, and not out of total dependence on them,” he says.
Shekar, who manages the nine-decade old Shiva Book Store here, says: “Students come to me on the day before the exam asking for easy-to-follow guides. I am familiar with the chapters in all the textbooks and can help them. Yet, this trend makes me anxious about the students’ future,” he says.
The rush for guides had begun right from November last year.
Dr H R Krishnamurthy, lecturer, Vijaya Composite College, says the main reason for this problem is that colleges and schools are in a hurry to complete the syllabus and just rush through it. Krishnamurthy, who also counsels students at the Prasanna Counselling Centre, finds a contradiction between students’ ambition and their preparation. The tough competition to make a career and the high aspirations of students and parents, combined with complete lack of awareness on how to approach the ambitions, leaves the students confused.
Since the exams are approaching, many students come to him seeking help with their exam preparations. Three out of five cases he deals with are related to exam stress.
Krishnamurthy advises students to solve question papers of the previous years, instead of depending on guides. Most of the guides come with a lot of errors, he points out.
Anxiety and panic are mostly a result of students feeling incapable to meet the goals they have set for themselves.
“Students have to map their aspirations and commit themselves to work according to it. This will avoid randomness in the efforts invested,” says the lecturer. On a positive note, he finds that there is an increase in awareness among parents about not pressuring their children for high scores.
Also, many parents take the initiative to consult a counsellor, which is a healthy sign, he says.