What helps a child cope with exam stress?

Reduce the stakes in how you talk about it, since parental anxiety transmits directly and is a major driver of exam stress in India. Practical support matters more than motivation: a consistent sleep schedule, since sleep is what consolidates learning and is the first thing sacrificed; regular meals; short study blocks with real breaks rather than long unbroken hours; and physical activity, which measurably helps. Testing themselves is far more effective than rereading. And separate their performance from your approval explicitly — many children believe the two are linked even when parents believe they have said otherwise.