Background: Academic stress is increasingly burdening students, who must navigate each stage of life in a fast-paced world. Challenges such as disinterest in classes, comparing academic abilities with peers, difficulty understanding subjects, and striving to meet parental expectations exacerbate this stress. The demanding schedule of school hours and coaching sessions makes it hard for students to maintain both physical and mental health. Consequently, children and adolescents, like adults, face daily hassles, with little time or freedom to enjoy life as they juggle early mornings, extra classes, and late-night study sessions. Academic stress is a concern not only for students but also for teachers, educators, and public health specialists. It hinders not only academic progress but only lead children to engage in harmful behaviours such as drug use, smoking, and alcoholism. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of academic stress and identify its contributing factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents in higher secondary schools in South Kerala. Balaji Rao Academic stress scale is used as pretested tool to measure academic stress. The sample included 301 adolescents, comprising both males and females. Results: The study found that 37.0% of adolescents experienced slight academic stress, 28.0% had moderate stress, and 35.0% had high stress. Contributing factors included younger age, rural residence, and being female. Conclusion: Academic stress poses a significant threat to school-going adolescents and requires immediate intervention at both academic and community levels. Implementing effective measures is crucial to address this issue and support the well-being of students