Carrying the Weight of the Exam: Stress, Coping, and Help-Seeking Among Civil Services Aspirants in Thiruvananthapuram
Abstract: Preparing for the Civil Services Examination is long, costly, and uncertain, yet little research has listened to aspirants in India's Tier 2 cities. This descriptive survey asked 523 aspirants enrolled in coaching in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, about their stress, coping, attitudes to professional mental-health support, and the support their institutions offer. More than half (55.8%) called the past month very or extremely stressful, and financial strain, family expectations, and fear of judgement were prominent. Aspirants coped through peers, breaks, and planning, yet 84.3% felt they had not found a strategy that worked. Most (90.6%) thought professional help reasonable, but only 23.9% had used it, mainly held back by fear of peer judgement, cost, and confidentiality worries. Most (84.1%) rated stress-related support from their institutions as inadequate or absent. The findings are descriptive, not causal, and suggest support should change the conditions of preparation as well as strengthen individual coping.
Keywords: civil services aspirants, stress, coping, help-seeking, institutional support
How to Cite?: Jinaraj B, "Carrying the Weight of the Exam: Stress, Coping, and Help-Seeking Among Civil Services Aspirants in Thiruvananthapuram", Volume 15 Issue 10, October 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 2050-2052, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR261029181550, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR261029181550