To help students overcome exam-related stress, CBSE will begin the pre-exam counselling process from tomorrow for the next two and half months.

This year, 49 principals and trained counsellors from CBSE-affiliated government and private schools besides a few psychologists will participate in tele-counseling and address exam-related psychological problems of the students, said a CBSE official.

While 44 of them are available in India, the rest four would operate in Dubai, Doha, Kuwait and Japan where it is being opened for the first time, said the official.

The class XII and class X board exams would begin from March 1.

This is the 14th consecutive year that CBSE will be providing counselling to students and parents during the entire duration of examinations.

Students can dial a toll-free number 1800 11 7002 from any part of the country which will give centralized access to the CBSE helpline.

The official said while the general queries will be answered by the operators, students will be connected to the principals or counsellors in case of exam related anxiety or stress.

Multiple modes of communication such as telephonic counselling, question-answer columns in newspapers, Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and online counselling through CBSE website are usually used to reach out to more and more examinees.

The counselling would continue upto April 13, 2011.

Arrengements have also been made to provide counselling to specially-abled children to take care of their needs and anxiety.

The official said CBSE experts will answer the queries of students through weekly question-answer columns which would be published in leading dailies during February.

Information related to examinations and techniques to cope with exam-related anxiety is also provided at the CBSE website www.cbse.nic.in.