Students turn to ‘smart pills’ as exams fever rise

EXAM FEVER: One in 12 students worldwide resort to memory enhancing pills at exam time, says study.

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New Delhi: When the pressure builds school, as exams loom large and the annual memory testing ritual begins, Sameeksha counts on a little white pill to help her get through the academic grind.

“I think it helps me. Whether it helps me medically or not I don't know but I can study for longer hours. Which is a bonus!” says Sameeksha, a Class 10 student.

Sameeksha is one of the many students who regularly turn to what they think of as "smart pills" to enhance memory, increase concentration or stay up till the wee hours in morning, all this without knowing their medical effects or even side-effects.

“It can cause a sleep disorder, headache, stomachache if taken without proper prescription,” says child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Amit Sen.

A study carried out by Deccan Herald says that the sales of memory-enhancing pills, tonics and anti depressants almost treble in the month of February and it's mostly students and sometimes parents who are the buyers.

Access isn't an issue, because most of these drugs are sold over-the-counter, without a prescription.

Adding to the health hazard, most of these medicines have been developed for specific diseases.

Alprax is prescribed to angina patients, Rockville for patients with Alzeihmers and drugs containing serotonin are for those suffering from depression.

Taking them without a prescription can be fatal, but what about that other big question, are there really pills that can enhance your memory?

“No, no nothing, there is nothing like a memory enhancing pill, otherwise all of us would love to take it. Its nothing, they are just out there to cheat, these can do more harm than good,” says Dr Sen.

A more deeper issue needs to be addressed, are students solely to be blamed for brain doping as it is termed, or is it the education system at fault whose purpose is no longer developing the mind but stuffing the memory.