Walking through exam season can feel like you’re trapped in a pressure cooker. You’re not alone – India’s exam fever is well-documented. Each year, millions of students sit for India’s toughest tests (over 10 lakh for the UPSC alone, plus lakhs more for JEE, NEET, CAT, etc.). It’s no wonder people speak of an “exam epidemic.” Surveys show about 80% of students are anxious about exams and results, and roughly 30–40% experience significant stress or burnout during preparation. In other words, feeling overwhelmed or scared is normal, not a personal failing.

Competitive exams can trigger what feels like an existential crisis: Why am I doing this? Will a rank define my worth? These questions are common. In India, success is often framed narrowly (clear IIT-JEE or NEET, then IIM, then UPSC). That high-stakes narrative can pile pressure on any student. Add to that personal and family expectations, and it’s easy to set impossibly high goals. However, remember that even “sure-shot” toppers often needed second tries or strategic changes. Persistence is what counts, not perfection. In fact, many successful aspirants started out not in the first attempt, but by learning and improving each time. Putting insane standards on yourself (thinking you must study 100% efficiently with no breaks) will only fuel burnout.

Excessive pressure doesn’t just feel bad – it can take a real toll on your body and mind. You might notice symptoms like insomnia, stomach aches, headaches, irritability, or mood swings. In extreme cases you might feel exhausted, numb, or hopeless. Experts warn: “Burnout is not a fancy word, but a lived-out reality.” Students facing chronic exam prep often report fatigue, anxiety, isolation and even depression. One study found about 72% of medical aspirants had stress interfering with daily life. If you catch yourself snapping at friends, losing interest in hobbies, or worrying uncontrollably about scores, treat those as red flags. These are warning signs, not personal weaknesses, that it’s time to pause and recharge  financialexpress.com.

The good news is that you can build resilience with manageable daily habits. Think of yourself as an athlete training for a marathon – you need a balanced routine, not endless grind. For example:

• Schedule real breaks. Study in focused chunks (roughly 90 minutes), then take a 10–15 minute break. Stretch, walk around, or do something relaxing. This 90-minutes-on/10-minutes-off rhythm is backed by experts because it keeps your brain fresh.
  
  

• Sleep enough. Don’t trade sleep for extra cramming – most top students still stick to 7–8 hours of sleep nightly. In fact, one mentor advises aspiring civil servants to cap study at a few focused hours per day instead of pulling all-nighters. Proper rest boosts memory and prevents burnout.
  
  

• Move your body. Even a 20-minute walk, jog or yoga break every day can reset your stress levels. Physical activity pumps oxygen to your brain and triggers “feel-good” endorphins.
  
  

• Mindful breathing. Try a simple breathing exercise for 3–5 minutes. Deep, slow breaths activate your relaxation response. Research shows that even brief mindful breathing can significantly reduce test anxiety and improve focus. For instance, closing your eyes and inhaling slowly for 4 seconds, holding briefly, then exhaling for 6 seconds can calm the nerves.
  
  

• Journaling. Writing about your worries or your plan for the day can help clear your mind. In fact, students who spent just 10 minutes writing about their exam fears before a test performed better than those who didn’t. Journaling lets you “unload” anxieties onto paper so your brain can concentrate on the exam, not on your fear.
  
  

Building these routines doesn’t mean you’ll never feel pressure. But with structure, short breaks, and healthy habits, you can keep stress from overwhelming you. Every small positive habit compounds – gradually you’ll feel more in control and less on edge.

Your mindset can turn a pressure cooker into a challenge you can handle. First, rewire failure. One myth is that success only belongs to first-attempt prodigies. In reality, many top scorers didn’t ace it the first time – they learned from mistakes and tried again. Treat any setback as feedback: “Okay, here’s what I’ll do differently next time.” Remember, 100% efficiency all the time is impossible – being human means having off-days.

Second, plan a Plan B (or even C). Very few careers follow one straight path. If one exam doesn’t pan out, other doors open. Maybe you pursue a different field, try a related exam, or leverage the skills you built (discipline, problem-solving) in a new way. For example, an engineering student might switch gears and find a great career in data science or business analytics. In fact, “transferable skills developed during preparation—grit, research ability and structured thinking—are solid assets for any career,” as one guide reminds us. Success is not linear: your “Plan A” can become a stepping-stone to a rich “Plan B.”

Third, redefine success and identity. You are more than any single test score. It’s dangerous to tie your self-worth to an exam rank. A former top-ranker even admitted he battled depression despite clearing UPSC, noting, “There is life, and then there is life. We only have one life, this life.”. In other words, life beyond exams holds many meanings. Maintain hobbies, spend time with family or friends, and remind yourself of your other passions. Build your identity around being a student (or a curious learner), friend, or family member first – not just a “future doctor” or “future IAS”. This perspective keeps the pressure in check: passing an exam can be important, but it isn’t the whole journey of your life. 

Remember, millions of students are in the same boat. Roughly 35 lakh (3.5 million) aspirants nationwide are preparing for UPSC, NEET, CAT and similar exams at any given time. They feel the same fear and doubt you do. Many of them share stories online and in support groups; you can too. Reach out to friends, siblings, or mentors who understand competitive exams. Sometimes just talking about your fears helps you feel lighter.

If anxiety or sadness becomes too heavy, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. School counselors, college mental health services, or online therapists can give you tools to cope. The government’s Manodarpan initiative and various NGOs offer free helplines for student mental health. For example, a psychologist quoted in the media noted that acknowledging stress and even going for therapy are signs of strength, not weakness. Similarly, some universities and apps provide guided meditation and counseling aimed at students.

Online communities can also offer peer support. For instance, Reddit and Instagram communities are brimming with fellow aspirants sharing tips and encouragement. Our own MentallyPrepare platform (a student mental health community) has a Reddit group and Instagram page where peers vent, share memes, or swap study tricks. You’ll find people discussing exactly what you’re going through – you’re definitely not the only one feeling this way. economictimes.indiatimes.com

To give students extra support, MentallyPrepare.in has developed a couple of handy tools. First is Dogesh Bhoi, a friendly dog-themed chatbot study buddy mentallyprepare.in. Dogesh is designed to chat with you 24/7 – offering stress relief, motivational pep-talks, and quick study tips. According to the site, Dogesh Bhoi provides “friendly chat support for exam stress,” along with personalized motivational messages and study encouragementchat.mentallyprepare.in. Whether you need to vent at 2 AM or just want a bit of motivational humor, Dogesh is there to listen and respond.

Another cool project is BoneUp – a new to-do list web app (coming soon on MentallyPrepare) to help you organize your day. The idea is to give you a simple way to break your prep into bite-sized tasks, so you always know “what’s next” and don’t feel overwhelmed by the big picture. (The name “BoneUp” is a fun nod to “bone up on something,” meaning to study hard.) By writing down your goals and ticking them off, you get a clear sense of progress. Using a to-do list app like BoneUp can also ease anxiety: when tasks are on the screen instead of swirling in your head, it frees mental space to focus on studying.

Both Dogesh Bhoi and BoneUp reflect the spirit of MentallyPrepare’s mission: to surround you with support and practical tools. They’re meant to remind you that help is available – in technology and in community – whenever exam stress creeps in.

Exams are important, but remember: you are the prize, not just the paper. If all this sounds like a lot, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’re not alone. Over 35 lakh fellow aspirants across India are feeling exactly what you feel right now. What matters most is how you handle the pressure, not the pressure itself. Build good habits (sleep, breaks, exercise), be kind to yourself when days are tough, and keep life’s perspective.

Above all, keep in mind that exam results are just one part of life, not its definition. Every challenge you overcome now – every late-night study session, every setback and recovery – is forging qualities like resilience and grit. These qualities will serve you far beyond exams. You have only one life, and your worth isn’t tied to a rank. So give your best on the tests, but never forget to give yourself a break. You will get through this, and brighter days are ahead.

Your mental health and well-being deserve as much attention as your books. Keep breathing, keep planning, and keep reaching out. One step at a time, you’ve got this.