Assessing level and causes of exam stress among university students in Pakistan

Abstract

The current research has been undertaken to assess the level and potential causes of exam stress among Pakistani university students and to suggest remedial procedures in order to overcome exam stress for an improved academic performance. The students enrolled in different programs in all public universities of Pakistan constituted the population of this study. The data were collected through a questionnaire and were analyzed in a quantitative manner by calculating the percentage of pressure, lack of confidence and deficient conceptual clarity as being the most common causes of exam stress identified by university students. In order to manage stress and test anxiety, students may be taught time management techniques and effective strategies to achieve clarity of concepts during the academic sessions. Moreover, teacher’s assistance is of mandatory importance in enabling the students to develop conceptual clarity. Teaching techniques need to be modified so that the students receive guidance while simultaneously developing an independent learning. Mentoring is necessary for channelizing them in the right direction. This study aimed at exploring not only the stress-inducing factors; rather it suggested techniques for both students and faculty members to nullify the influence of stress in a pragmatic manner. What makes this study significant is that it has been delimited to university students enrolled in the semester system, rather than in the annual system. This system is comparatively new and hence mutating as an understanding of its dynamics is gleaned through experience.