Two stories...
A former colleague's brilliant son....
Ended up with 79% in three out of four subjects...
In the CBSE Std XII exams....
He had his sights firmly set on a berth in medical college..
Based on academic merit....
Disappointed..
He is trying to get his papers revalued!!
As we keep our fingers crossed....
A neighbour's daughter
Totted up a grand average of 64%..
In the State Board Standard XII exams...
Her father has his sights firmly set on a berth for her...
In medical college!!!...
He is trying to mortgage his home....
To pay a donation of Rs 40 lakhs in a private medical college!!!!
As we wonder whether this is the sensible thing to do....
Actually there is a third story...
Writer in Residence...
Heard from her daughter in the USA last week...
The girl has just graduated with a Bachelors degree in economics...
She has now changed her mind!!!
Her sights are now suddenly...
But firmly set on becoming a vet!!!!
Somehow...
This seems to be the best situation to be in!!!
A favourite lecturer in college...
Was fond of telling us...
That the word school..
Originated from the Greek skholḗ
It meant leisure!!!!
I wish those halcyon days would return...
When one could study for the love of it!!!
After all...
What do marks reflect???
At best..
That the student is a hard working disciplined learner...
Who has cracked the code...
For success in the exams!!!!
It does not reflect...
His character...
His personality...
His values...
His ability to perform on the job...
Maybe not even his intellgence..
Or aptitude for the job...
Yet..
Success in the dreaded Boards...
Can open those doors to the best institutions...
Or shut you out forever....
No wonder...
Even last week...
I dreamt that I was writing an exam...
And at the end of it all...
Had not...
Could not..
Write more than three lines...
I woke up in cold sweat!!!
In a state of panic!!!
Oh!!
The horror!!!
The horror of it all!!!!
Pity the poor kids!!
Don't you????
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About Me
- Life Unedited
- I love my family, a few close friends, my earlier profession of journalism, Franny and Zooey, watching movies, Jay Leno....mulling about Madras, nostalgia
2 comments:
If wishes had wings....
Did you notice that inspite of our days of yesteryear having been relaxed and not stressridden as they are for today's young, you still have nightmares about exams.
My dreams are about inkless pens and forgotten compass box or calculator..
Iwonder what kinds of nightmares the kids have these days..more likely they sleep well because it's a tough life anyway, whether youput in your best efforts or went to the movies on exam eve.
The best way we can help them is by encouraging them to be streetsmart, by introducing in the curriculum, lessons in stressmanagement,interpersonal relations, business ethics and so on as mainstream subjects.
In my opinion they cope very well even with the limited skills that our education system offers them,and they should be admired rather than pitied.
We should not transfer our anxieties to them, but reinforce their self confidence by offering a strong supportive arm of reassurance.
radha
I agree. Heroic they are!!! I guess it is a perplexing time for parents too...Then again..some kids take it well...some don't..its hard on the latter.
Anyway, my first story seems to be drawing to a happy close! Former colleague's son took the IIT enterance exams for a lark and ended up on the merit list!!!!
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