As the familiar silence of “Board Exam Season” descends upon school corridors across India, the air thickens with a predictable blend of ambition and anxiety. For Grade X and XII students, these weeks are often framed as a final verdict on their future, a high-stakes narrative that can inadvertently trade a child’s mental well-being for a percentage point.
However, at the helm of some of the country’s most progressive educational institutions, the conversation is shifting from “pressure” to “perspective.”
Devyani Jaipuria, a prominent educationist, philanthropist, and the Pro-Vice Chairperson of DPS International Gurugram and DPS Sector 45, as well as Chairperson of Dharav High School, is a leading voice in this transition. Her vision transcends the traditional metrics of academic success, weaving together a holistic ecosystem where global exposure, emotional intelligence, and social responsibility coexist.
In this exclusive dialogue with ETEducation, Devyani Jaipuria reflects on the “quieting of corridors” during exams, the transformative power of international exchange, and her cross-sectoral mission to strengthen India’s human capital — from classroom pedagogy to menstrual hygiene and healthcare.
Q1. Board examinations continue to be high-stakes milestones. As Grade X and XII students face mounting pressure, how can schools and parents work together to ensure excellence without compromising mental well-being?
Every year around board season, we notice a shift in the corridors. Students who are otherwise lively grow quieter, and conversations begin to revolve around marks rather than learning. Many capable and hardworking students begin doubting themselves, and this is where pressure and anxiety start building. Excellence matters, but not at the cost of students’ confidence or emotional well-being. What helps is perspective. When parents communicate ‘reassurance’ rather than fear of failure, and when schools emphasise preparation over panic, students regain their footing. We encourage families to maintain normal routines at home and remind students that these exams are milestones, not verdicts of their worth. Calm adults often create calmer children.
Q2. With exam stress becoming an unspoken reality in many households, what practical interventions can educators introduce to help students manage anxiety and build confidence beyond marks?
Sometimes students simply need reassurance that feeling nervous is normal. Open classroom discussions about stress and expectations, where teachers acknowledge that anxiety is common and manageable, and creating psychologically safe spaces where students can speak freely are some interventions that can help students manage anxiety and exam-related stress.
Q3. DPS Sector 45 Gurugram runs vibrant Student Exchange Programmes. What is the core objective behind these global collaborations?
The intention is to widen a student’s sense of the world through real-life intercultural learning, Institutional benchmarking & collaboration. When they step into another classroom or stay with a host family abroad, they begin to see that learning and living can look different, and that difference is not something to fear. These experiences build adaptability and quiet confidence that textbooks cannot provide.
Q4. What kind of cultural, academic, and experiential learning do students gain through partnerships with institutions across Spain, France, Germany, Denmark, and Poland and how does this exposure shape them as global citizens?
Students often return with meaningful shifts. Exposure to varied pedagogical approaches and classroom dynamics help them benchmark their own learning standards against global systems.
Collaborative projects with international peers, understanding interdisciplinary and application-driven learning models, strengthen their acumen as they learn to navigate unfamiliar settings, collaborate across language barriers and appreciate everyday cultural practices.
They become more independent, more respectful of differences, more adaptable and confident. They often let go of their inhibitions and are willing to ask questions. These experiences help them feel comfortable in diverse environments later in life.
Q5. You work across education, healthcare, and social development. What connects these sectors in your larger vision for strengthening India’s human capital?
Working in schools and healthcare settings, you see how closely learning and well-being are interconnected. Education builds capability, healthcare ensures continuity, and social initiatives help extend access where gaps still exist.
Within the RJ Corp ecosystem, the focus has long been on building institutions that support everyday life, not just moments of growth. Our values are entrenched in the belief that inclusive systems form the backbone of the human capital of a nation, and to sustain it, we need ‘capability, care and inclusive access’ moving forward together.
Q6. In line with the Supreme Court’s emphasis on menstrual hygiene as a fundamental right linked to health, dignity, and education, what inspired the Pravah Skill Development Centre to take up this focused intervention?
The initiative grew out of conversations with girls and families where the issue was present but rarely spoken about. We saw how lack of awareness, access and comfort around menstrual health quietly affects attendance, confidence and participation.
At Pravah, the intent was not to run a one-time distribution drive but to begin a sustained conversation. The programme combines access to sanitary kits with structured awareness sessions so girls can understand their bodies, make informed choices and speak without hesitation.
Menstrual hygiene is not only a health issue; it is linked to dignity, continuity in education and a girl’s sense of self. When stigma reduces and knowledge increases, participation changes in very visible ways. This is a long-term effort, and we hope to deepen and scale it over time.
