EXAMINATION ANXIETY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG TEENAGE STUDENTS IN INDIA

Examination anxiety is a situational form of anxiety that arises in response to evaluative situations and may influence students’ concentration, memory, emotional regulation, confidence, and academic performance. In India, academic examinations are often associated with educational progression, social expectations, competitive entrance examinations, and future career opportunities. Teenage students may therefore experience considerable psychological pressure during board examinations, school examinations, and preparation for competitive tests such as NEET, JEE, CUET, and state-level entrance examinations. The present study focuses on examination anxiety and its relationship with academic performance among teenage students in India. The proposed population consists of students aged 14–18 years studying under CBSE, ICSE, and State Boards in urban and rural settings. The study adopts a correlational and comparative framework, using an established measure of test anxiety and students’ term or board examination scores as indicators of academic performance. Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and ANOVA are proposed to examine the relationship and contextual differences. The theoretical foundation draws on Spielberger’s Test Anxiety Theory and the Yerkes-Dodson Law, which together help explain how excessive anxiety can interfere with working memory and retrieval, while moderate levels of arousal may sometimes support alertness and task engagement. The paper highlights gaps in Indian research, particularly concerning rural students, government-school students, first-generation learners, and the influence of coaching culture. It also discusses implications for teachers, parents, school leaders, counsellors, and educational policy. Importantly, the present manuscript distinguishes expected findings from verified empirical results; actual statistical results should be inserted only after the study data are analysed.