Mera Beta Engineer Banega

School Days are undoubtedly the best days in Life. There are lots of things everyone remembers & often recalls like…

The Group of Good old friends,

The Favorite bicycle,

The First pair of sports shoes,

The Favorite Tiffin box,

The Favorite Bench,

The Favorite Trip,

The First Wrist Watch,

The Favorite class teacher,

And the list goes on….

School days are always the most honest & purest part of any individual’s life as he is unaware of the other part of life which is eagerly waiting on the other side of school. There isn’t any fishy politics & dirty mind games involved; it’s just pure emotions & real friendships which roots from this tender stage of life.

I consider myself a very lucky person to be still in touch with by school mates. We often meet & re-cherish the cozy moments we spent together in our school life. I have some special people in my life; those are the first school mates (Kinder Garten KG friends) whom I knew other than my Family. Life is fun to be with the people you love & more importantly to be equally loved by them. It’s a long journey from Playschool to Engineering from sharing your Tiffin’s to sharing yours joys & sorrows.

I wasn’t a studious child but I used to make myself noticed by teachers. I was amongst the top 10 ranks. I never ever got a chance to become a class monitor in my entire education journey. But I never complained about it as none of my friends got a chance as well, not really back-benchers but were not Toppers (Actually when there was a Educational visit of any committee to my school, we were in the defaulter list of students to be seated in first row, to disguise them as studies ones as no front-seaters are questioned (J).

It was a long happy journey from 1^st to 10^th Standard. Being in a home where you have Studios elders puts heavy pressure on the younger one (One of the dis-advantages of being youngest one in family). Every known person has lot of expectations & above all your parents are in the front seat of the same line.

I unexpectedly dint score much in my SSC exam (66% wasn’t a satisfactory figure though). A School student is totally unaware the @ vast competition outside school, as their life is limited to school, friends & family. My Exam performance was a concern to my family. I applied at all possible science colleges. But reality check; no one entertained me. Then there was a serious round of talks with family that if I don’t get admission for any Science college I shall try diploma. I never liked diploma, no reasons just that had a feeling it will again be a school like environment. But after couple of rounds I got admission in Rajaram College.

Rajaram College:

Rajaram College

The best college at my time in terms of Infra-structure. Students used to call themselves as Rajaramian. So I was a new proud member of Rajaramian dynasty. Another reason of joy was to accompany friends who were already a part of college & remaining were along with me for a re-union. I never knew at any time of life what I will be in future. The popular choice was either Doctor or Engineer. So I chose both the groups Biology & Mathematics.

If I score in PCB group (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) I will be a Doctor & I score in PCM (Physics, chemistry & Mathematics) I will be a Engineering for Sure. Other reason I was happy as my father told me he studied in the same college for his bachelors. I was very happy knowing this.

Finally the day came and it was finally college days round the corner.

I was happy I was happy & I was happy.

This was a very important stage & phase of life. The transformation from School to college life. The best things about college are:

No compulsion of typical uniform:

Wearing jeans, t-shirt was almost having a feeling of celebrating you birthday (as that’s the only day in entire year where I was allowed to wear casual uniform in school).

No compulsion on attendance. So to Bunk the class was on the top of things to do-list.

College: initially it was very embarrassing to enter the class with so many unknown faces in there. It’s habitual for every schoolboy to seat with your same friend at same bench but college something different scenario.

Rajaram college is a very old college (Angrez ke jamaneka college he). It has huge buildings, separate building for every department & that too at a long distance from each other. It had the biggest Library in entire University 3 stories high with unending list of books.

Initially I struggled to find the way to my lecture rooms as there were so many of them. One of the identities of RCK was the Class rooms.  The Class rooms were simply larger then life. The school I came from a small one, with limited number of students & limited infrastructure. So this was something new to me.

Class Rooms

Remember Sanjay Dutts’ Class room Entry in Munna Bhai MBBS, exactly the similar class room.

It was fun attending lectures in such big classes. Even though it was awkward feeling to answer a simple question as there were so many eyes watching you, but as time passed by & the more I knew my class mates, lectures were happy times.

12th Standard 

My ride to standard 11^th was my MTB 9000 bicycle. Bikes were very rare; although few had without gear bike.

I was forcefully asked by my family for Extra Tutions as my performance in 10^th was satisfactory (as per parents’ expectations).

So daily it was early morning tuitions then college then a little hangout in college & back home. That was the routine for the entire year.

11^th Standard went in no time. There were 1^st semesters which are conducted internally so no such stress. Then there was a 2^nd semester plus Practical exam. To my worst nightmare I scored life-time lowest marks in Finals (% than I can’t even mention). As per college policy the student has to take parents signature on the final mark sheet before getting admission in 12^th standard.

Thank God, one signature from either parent is acceptable in college. I silently approached my father & got his signature with having a eye contact with him. Till date only my father is the only person in my family who know @ my grades in 11^th standard. J. (So it’s like a Dad-Son secret). Although I had some brain wash from him which was expected with the grades on my mark sheet.

HSC (Standard 12^th): Milestone in every student’s life:

Standard 12^th this was it. I was in the first lap of college heat. New class new approach & yet again new tuitions. Parents are very anxious when there Son is in 12^th Standard coz grades in 12^th decide future of any student. If grades are good Doctor / Engineer/ Architect is always on cards, if average marks then BSc, Bcom & worst case scenario get admission to diploma & re-begin the journey (which I was afraid of).

Daily schedule for me was : 

1. Early to raise (Which was difficult initially though but Mothers early wakeup call helped a lot)
2. Long ride from home to Private tuitions. What I like & miss about college & School days is the pure friendship. I was the one to stay at the longest distance, so I was the initiator of the morning journey towards school/ college. I used to travel to my friend’s home, pick him up & now it was 2 on the go, then the 3^rd friend, then 4^th and so on. It was like a chain reaction. Everyone used to wait until we used to arrive at there place (as there were only landlines & no mobiles at that time. )
3. Tuitions were of very long session. Physics followed by Maths then Chemistry. Biology was only on weekends.
4. Then College for the whole day, with 3-4 lectures & 1 or 2 Seminar/ Practical.
5. Evenings were peaceful as we used to hangout at friends place or at the college ground.

First BIKE:

Actually it wasn’t the first Bike for me, it was my Sisters: LUNA.

My First Ride

I was happy that I was given Luna to ride for my 12^th. It was common bike to have those days accompanied by bikes like Sunny, Kinetic etc. but everyone dint had it. So I was feeling excited to have a ride to College & Tuition.

The entire year went the same way & finally the Exams arrived. My mother was on Fasting mode those days, not to worship any God but she was just stressed because of my Exams. She used to wake me up daily very early in the morning. I hardly studied in mornings though; I used to study just lie in my bed with mother watching me from Kitchen. That was the story of morning glory.

It had been my practice since School days to start Studies each Subject in reverse time-table.

So if there is 1 month for exams to proceed I shall Study last subject as per timetable by distributing equivalent number of days for each Subject. So till I start studying the last subject which is First as per time-table I get a better grab of the Syllabus & I can revise the subject as well ( It might sound strange but It always worked for me).

Exam time Table was declared & I was ready with the reverse Study schedule. It’s a total different scenario writing exams when you writing exam paper in other College. But that was the practice, every college students had to go to other college as per University list to write exam papers. It was a little different story at that time. My initial few papers were in one college & remaining in other, don’t know why that was the case. Paper by Paper passed, I was very happy with myself as I was able to almost attempt the entire paper & that too in stipulated time.

One habit I have which many other don’t, I never ever see the paper after the exam nor I calculate the marks I can score out of it. I mean what’s the point of looking into it, just be happy that paper is over. I have seen friends later despondent knowing that their answers were wrong & they have lost those marks.

Just a simple concept whether it’s Exam or Life, confront exam/ situations/People, give your best & simply forget it, U can’t change what already has happened no point wasting your present on it. Like the very famous phrase “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is Gift so called Present”

I was overall happy that my 12^th Exam, the so-called milestone was finally over & here I was planning my vacations as I had 2 long months before the results are displayed. You know every student likes to Bunk lectures & hang-out with friends, but its worst feeling, just to seat in home idle when there is no college. But I was lucky enough as I had friends & family to spend my time. I did lot of Visits to my relatives, when to lot of 1 day Bike rides & parents were OK as there was no exams, just my mother used was stressed with my results in her mind.

Days went by one after other & the judgment day arrived. There was news that the results will be displayed in college in the afternoon. I was ready by morning & all friends were gathered together at a friend’s home near our college.

We all friends were just busy planning which college to join if we get good score & were trying to sort out the college accordingly. Our parents were stressed tough, especially my mother. All parents were on mute mode just praying for good score for us. In the afternoon we got a call at friends that result has been displayed. So here it was, we were ready on our bicycles ready to see what’s in store for us. I had these goose bums as I entered the college campus. There was rush all over the campus. There were Student, there were parents, and there were professors. Every face had a unique expression. Some happy faces, some sad, some worried, some angry, some facing sky, some jumping with joy. Parents were consoling there children. That was a unique situation; experience so much enthusiasm all over the place.

We came to know that a list had been displayed somewhere outside college administrative building. I never felt so nervous ever in my life. I can feel my heartbeat as I approach the notice board. I still remember my Admission card no. S-15111. My eyes were just searching it on the notice board. After sometime I came to know that the results are displayed as per grades i.e. Pass Class, First Class, Distinction & FAIL. I dint wanted to but my friends started to look in FAIL sheet first just to have fun. But I was so nervous that thought what if my name is displayed in that list. Thank God no one was on that list. Then we went to Pass class. It was the longest list though. Had to spend a lot of time searching number over there. Wow no one was here as well. Then the most popular list 1^st Class. Started searching the number sequence wise……and I was there…..First Class 62.17%. I was happy I cleared the exam but in the very next second I was bit nervous First Class that’s it…… I started looking at the faces which I had seen few minutes ago. I started searching myself in each face I was watching. Thanks to my friends who were around were just happy as much as I was, to get me out of 1000 thoughts in my mind. Many of my friends were in First class & also in Distinction. I was happy with what had happened. The very first thing I did was called my family confirming my result as my mother had specially reminded me to give a call as soon as I see the results because I had forgot to inform them during 10^th exam & there were very tensed. My parents weren’t so happy but they were satisfied with 1^st class. I came to know that detail mark sheet will be given next day in college. The entire day went in combined set of emotions. Happy-Not Happy-Confused.

I went home & my mother greeted me with Sweets in her hand. I was happy seeing the smile on my family. 

Next Day I went to college to collect mark sheet. As I came to know @ results from other colleges I became more nervous as the % of Students was way more than where I was. Distinction was an ordinary scene. Good thing @ Engineering that only PCM i.e. Physics, Chemistry & Maths marks are counted for Admission. So my Consolation price was getting 68 % in PCM group. Also I had similar grades in PCB i.e Physics, Chemistry & Biology. So Doctor or Engineer was open option again.

The very same day there was a small Family meeting (Serious one) to decide whether to go for Medical or Engineering. After consulting teaching faculty of college, Private tuitions & friends I decided to go for Engineering.

ENGINEERING ADMISSION:

Walchand College Sangli

Those days Engineering admissions were conducted at Walchand College of Engineering Sangli.

ROUND 1:

I knew I had no chance in the first round. It was just for the top cream level students. So I dint even bother going to the first round. Meanwhile I was suggested by my friends to take admission in BSc in my college itself just to be on the safer side just in case there is a twist in Engineering admission. Even though I dint wanted to I took admission in BSc in my college.

ROUND 2:

I would never ever forget round 2 my life nor will be friends & family. I was ready in morning & was planning to go by ST (Government Bus) with few of my friends from college to try my luck if I can get admission. But there was a twist as I got a call from my father that even he is coming with me for admission purpose. I dint knew how to respond to him I just said OK.

I was ready in home & was just waiting for my father. It takes around 1 hour from my place to reach Walchand College on Bike. After a while I heard sound of a Tempo outside my home, it was ours. I thought it might have come to collect some documents as we are having Transport business. But I jumped out of my seat when I saw my father was also present along with Driver in the Tempo. I was like where’s your bike…??? how will we go..??? Are you coming with me in ST….??

Special Ride for Admission

My father asked me are you ready to go, I shaked my head to say Yes. He said “Get in the Tempo. I had some important work to finish in Sangli MIDC , I will drop you at Walchand College & we will come back together OK.”

I knew instantaneously he had no other work there, it was just my admission, he was worried so he is accompanying me.

Tempo was a different ride. Not at all comfortable. It was a long ride.

I thought my father might drop me at the entrance of the College & proceed further as he had said earlier. But something strange was about to happen with me. My father said he will be with me the whole time for admission process. Father took the tempo all the way inside to the admission hall. I still don’t believe we did that. The whole bunch of students, their parents, the College faculty, the security all were watching as if we were aliens. Our Tempo was parked in the parking slot along with the other Cars.

I asked my father to wait inside the admission hall & I made a DD of 10,000 Rupees. That was the requirement to make initial fees payment during admission round. I went inside the hall, it was a pack house.

Similar Admission photograph

Every student was been accompanied by their parents. I was very happy to have my father on my side. We were just watching the Large projector on which the details were displayed. Options displayed were availability of Branch, Availability of College etc. My number was not even close to what was being displayed. I was just watching the number announcement, one student use to come look at the options & happily get admission in at least on choice college. I was not even in any position to ask or inform my father what was happening. After a while we had some refreshment & again were back to the same seat for next 1 hour. I was in many emotions Dejected-Unhappy-Unsatisfied-Guilty. My father said after a while is there another round or this is the last one..!! I replied that there will be 2 more rounds I guess I have to try next round. I knew he wanted to say it’s time to go home Son.

We were on return journey after the engineering round; we also went to one industry where some material was unloaded & again reloaded in Tempo. It dint took too much time. It was a long journey Total Silence till the end. Father had called my mother already informing what happened at the admission round.

Mother eagerly inquired what happened, how come I dint get admission even in the 2^nd round. Her mind was filled with lot of questions…!!!

Father consoled her sayings don’t worry next round he will be definitely getting in next round.

BSc had already started & I was in no mood to join their as I had made my mind for Engineering. 3^rd Round was after few weeks. The bad thing for me Engineering colleges were about to start & I was yet to get admission.