Social media use for exam preparation a hit among students in Ludhiana

Excess of everything is bad but a sensible use of anything can prove beneficial. With final examinations underway, social networking platforms that are generally considered a bane have turned into a boon for many students who prefer using them as a constructive tool for exchanging notes and clarifying doubts during final revision hours. Not only the students residing in urban areas prefer using social media tools like Facebook and WhatsApp for exam preparation but its popularity is also increasing among students coming from rural areas.

Students resort to them mainly to exchange notes and clear doubts instantly as they feel it saves a lot of time and is very convenient. On WhatsApp, students have created groups with their classmates and keep each other updated with how much syllabus they have revised. Some ask questions to clear their doubts while some seek better alternatives while revising tough chapters.

“This is for the first time that I am using these social networking platforms for study. Best part is that you can instantly exchange notes and clear any doubts. Luckily, in my WhatsApp group, there are classmates who are top scorers and their guidance is very helpful,” says a Class-12 student Jaskaran Singh of AS Modern Senior Secondary School, Khanna who daily comes from a nearby village.

Similarly, Parambir Kaur, a Class-10 student of Government Senior Secondary School, Dakha adds, “On WhatsApp, everyone is easily approachable and most importantly, no one feels hesitant in putting up queries as all are our classmates only. In the class room, one often feels shy or nervous to approach the teachers again and again for clearing some doubts. Wish we all could have thought about taking support of WhatsApp and other social media platforms in our earlier exams as well.”

On being asked as to what inspired them to take support of technology for their revision, majority of them credited their friends studying in urban areas where these social media tools are already popular.

“Although, social media tools are often criticised by teachers and parents since youngsters excessively use them, I feel they can also be positively used. I personally exchanged many of my notes with my friends on WhatsApp. Had such tools not been there, I would have wasted a lot of time heading to different photocopy shops,” shares Amandeep Singh, a Class-10 student of Government Senior Secondary School for Boys of Mansuran village.

On the other hand, experts including teachers and psychologists while appreciating the use of the social media tools cautioned that parents should also keep a tab on the children while these tools are being used.

“Since one can also indulge in chatting that has nothing to do with study, it is important for parents to keep an eye on their children when they are using their phone for clearing any doubts on social media,” said Jatinder Kaur Gulati, former head of human development department at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Strap: Turning a bane into boon: Students exchange notes on WhatsApp, Facebook; find them convenient and fast methods to clarify doubts during exams