Pass And Aggregate : Chapter 3: First year in College

Chapter 3: First Year in College

V.ADITHYA IYER. After filling my name in CA form I wondered how many days later I would become a CA. (I should have thought in years or decades). My doing this course had one positive impact that now for once in my life I was not considered as looser. All of a sudden my relatives started talking to me as if I am something big. I just enjoyed the attention I was receiving, although I had not even given the paper of PE-I (Professional Examination-I, the entry stage of CA Course). In this stage we had to appear for four papers and after clearing it we reach the second stage (it sounded easy) and all this while doing graduation I thought it was fun.

Having secured admission in DU and getting admitted in CA Course, life was fully secured, it appeared to me that all the turmoils of my student life are over and now I should concentrate in getting myself a bike, a girl friend and CA degree. Within few months I realized that getting any of these things is not easy.

First day at college was fun, we had fun ragging sessions. I liked the college, there I came across Bobby Chaddha, a bully at my school in seventh grade, I was hesitant when he approached me, I almost tried running but some how my flightdom could not happen, he caught hold of me. At 6 feet he was 4 inch taller than me he and without really criticizing his looks honestly he appeared to me as some clone of ‘Kumkarana’. I was scared of him; actually he was responsible in advertising my zero marks to the whole class in unit tests. Later he left the school and to me those were the best years of my life. But now Bobby Chaddha was a different person he was happy to see me and at the second meeting he apologized for his behavior, though I never became his friend but still we had this ‘hi,hello’ relationship. I made few friends, Karan, Sakshi, Ankit. Though I could not having a large pal circle, few people from my CA coaching were good, I liked talking to them but I never over indulged with them. College was fine, I tried attending all classes. I got up early in morning went to my coaching in east Delhi then attended my college in South Delhi and then back to home in Mayur Vihar (The heart land of South Indians in Delhi).I was a golf ball being thrown off from one end of Delhi to the another end. Also travelling in DTC or Blue Line (The killer Bus of Delhi) during peak hours is the worst thing that you can do to yourself, I feel pity for the girls who travel by these modes for them it is even more difficult (I don’t know why these Human Rights Activist do not raise their voice against these buses, almost everyday we are stuffed in buses the way Nazi’s stuffed the concentration camps). By the time I reached home I was dog-tired. I had no clue what I was studying and why! The daily routine took a toll on my health and mind, within few months I was exhausted and I stopped my coaching class. Although my parents were against my decision, they were furious but I just could not tolerate it any further. I had Maths as one of my subject and I dreaded it so much. I still do not know why they have kept Maths in CA; how does integration or differentiation helps in accounting I still have no clue. I slugged for hours studying. My first year of college was uneventful, I had no interest in social activities of my college and obviously I started loosing all my social contacts. Most of my friends got admission in North Campus I was alone in my group who was at South Campus and I started developing a complex. I don’t know why was I behaving in a strange manner in literal sense I became socially outcaste.

On other hand at my house, my sister who was preparing for IIT, the usual crappy stuff, was being pampered by my mother. I never mentioned about her earlier but yes she was there to irritate me as always. She was the last breed of dinosaurs existing without any signs of extinction in near future. She was named by me as ‘Akshya –Sauras’. I was her elder brother (though only a year and a half elder) but she behaved as if I was younger to her. Dad never allowed me to hit her but she left no day without hitting me or taunting me. She thought that she has all rights to touch my stuff without my permission and she is real owner of my possessions. I often thought it would have been nice to have a dumb sibling rather than to have one who behaves like a super-computer.

From the month of March we had a curfew in our house, no TV, no music, no outings, no internet. Even my college exams date sheet was out; my mother insisted that both of us should get up before the sunrises, in ‘Braham-mahurata’. Akshya got up at four in but I never managed to leave my bed before 5:30, that too when my mother shouted her lungs out. Akshya studied like any thing I was sure she would make it to IIT and that day would end me, no do not think other wise but if you have a real intelligent sister to whom you are constantly compared , you feel so dwarf. It was a abuse that I was bearing from the beginning, she was intelligent, she was talented and above all darling of our household.

Finally came the months of April and May and a Marathon of our exams started, Akshya was giving IIT, AIEEE, Tamil Nadu Engineering , UPTU…….,etc etc, and I had my graduation papers along with CA papers back to back. My parents were exhausted to the core.

I was very nervous on the day of my maths paper, I had selectively prepared for the exams, Akshya tried teaching me Math but I as an elder brother never liked to be told and taught. At times ego can kill you and I came to know of it when I saw the paper.

The paper appeared to me as if it was written in some ancient language may be Pali or Prakrit. I could not decipher what was being asked, the only question I knew were from permutation and combination and a bit of statistics. I still took three hours in decoding the words, many people will not believe if I say there were words which I was reading for the first time in my entire life. I came across a word in Stat section which was ‘Chi-Square’ and I jokingly said to my self that this is some Feng-Shui paper. At last those three hours ended.

After all the papers got over and colleges got closed I was relaxed. I met my old friends and I realized that some how I was stupid at not meeting them. I got reenergized and promised myself I will enjoy this year irrespective of my result.

Result of IIT came out and as expected my sister scored 396 AIR, it was a celebration time at our house but that was short lived I got 50% in graduation and could not clear my CA exams, I got 21 out of 100 in maths, rest all subjects I got more than 55 which was not bad. I called up Karan; he was my friend in college and was giving CA exams with me. I asked him about his result hiding my sorrow “Dude how is the result??I am sure you would have cleared it.” “No” he replied and continued “I passed in all the papers but could not make it in aggregate” .Those who are unaware, should be told about this strange ritual in CA exams, we have to pass by getting 40 marks in each paper and in aggregate we should score 50%. My father did not utter a single word, his silence and stillness was killing. I tried talking to him but in vain. My mother was horrified, she told me that I was responsible for my father’s Blood Pressure and I am solely bringing bad name to the family of V.Subhramaniyam Iyer, my great grandfather. He was highly educated and a fredom fighter and made a name for himself in the pre-independence era. He died leaving behind a legacy of goodwill which all his kids and grand kids and great grand kids had to fiercely protect. I was not a pick pocket, neither I was involved with drugs and mafia nor I was in politics and therefore till date I do not know how would I bring bad name to the family but I never utter a word while my mother did a scolding session with me.

Late at night I went to my father, he was sitting on the traditional arm chair, he was obviously upset, I bended on my knees and kissed him and declared “Appa (usually I call him papa or dad but when I get emotional I address him that),I am sorry I have let you down, but now onwards I will study and I would not let you down”. He said “Adithya………..I trust you”. That was it, but something was unspoken, I understood it. I had to prove myself.

Talking to mother was not difficult after all the serious stuff she said to me, her temper came down, as far as my sister is concerned she took admission in IIT, Delhi, poor me I thought she should have gone to Mumbai, or Chennai or some place where I would have to meet her once in six months but she was 25kms from the house would be there on all weekends.

After the debacle, I was sitting in my room and thinking about the reasons behind my failure and suddenly my sister appeared and sat besides me, she began “Anna” (Anna! I don’t remember when she last spoke to me like that but when emotional, I and my sister behave very oddly) “I know some day you will be the most successful person. Love u Anna”. I had no words. Sometimes you get soothing words from the most unexpected people and those moments are path breaking emotional moments of life time. Even I got emotional with her. Kind words can alter few things in life.