New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS): An NGO entered its 17th year of providing counselling to students ahead of the CBSE examinations beginning March 2 this year by starting its helpline Sunday.

The Pre-exam Helpline called Disha run by NGO Snehi will be available from Feb 1 until March 3.

Students can call on the helpline - 011-65978181 - between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and their queries will be handled by a group of trained counsellors and mental health professionals.

Students can also seek help through email at examhelpline@gmail.com.

"They will help the students in distress through telephonic and face to face counselling under the supervision of our senior professionals. The counselling services are confidential and free of cost," the NGO said in a statement.

The statement added that last year, the helpline attended 2,605 exam stress-related calls.

A total of 23.89 lakh students have registered for the 2015 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board examinations as compared to the 22.65 lakh students in 2014 and 21.76 lakh students in 2013.