CBSE is offering its tele-counseling service for students free of cost. The service will be available until July 15 throughout the week from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

The tele-counseling service ‘CBSE Psychological helpline’ offers two features: IVRS and Live counseling which will be available on toll-free number 1800-11-8004. While general queries will be answered by tele-operators, 73 counselors and principals will be available for live psychological counseling in India. Although the board will not hold exams in foreign schools, 21 volunteer principals and counselors will, however, remain available for students outside India at Sultanate Of Oman, Singapore, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Japan ,Nepal, Kuwait and USA.

The board had issued a press release on June 1 stating that CBSE will continue to offer the tele-counseling service with IVRS facility as it has the inherent advantages of accessing pre-recorded information anytime, anywhere and even multiple times. The students/parents can get information on board exams including tips for better preparation, managing exam anxiety and time, contact details of CBSE offices and FAQ’s.

There are new segments on IVRS in times of COVID. These include important FAQs for students on exams during Covid-19; useful tips for students and parents about exam centres; self-care during Covid-19; and learning from home in Covid-19 times.

The Board further stated that COVID-19 has severely impacted lives and systems across the world, prompting the Board to provide help for the mental well-being of students and parents amidst cancellation of exams, disruption of regular schooling and compulsory lockdown. This is the fourth time this year that CBSE is offering the counseling service. The 23rd CBSE annual pre-exam psychological counselling had started from February 1, 2020. A dedicated additional free of cost CBSE helpline for students and general masses was also pressed into service during the lockdown period, primarily to create awareness and deal with the pandemic. The Board further provided counseling to the students stranded in hostels of its affiliated schools from April 1 to 14 to mitigate students’ problems and ensure their mental well-being in the times of uncertainty.

The Board had also recently announced that it would conduct its pending class X and XII exams from July 1 to 15 in India.

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