A CALMER YOU

My dear list, I am not sure if I need to ask if you are doing well because we all know how high you stay most of the time. I’ve always wanted to ask you how it feels to have a name like ‘cut-off.’ Because, in us humans, we have names that tend to have positive meanings, not ones that bring in violent imagery in the head. Though it may be interesting for some to be named such, like Terminator Chaddha, but let’s not take away your uniqueness. Am sure you are aware of, and enjoy being in the news headlines these days. Who doesn’t want their very mention to create ripples?

But do you know that most of us deeply dislike you for the immense stress you have been giving us over the years? You are the number one stress point right now for lakhs of students who are spending sleepless nights fearing you’d come in the way of them getting admission into a college. You won’t like it, but today, I’m going to tell those students, and their equally anxious parents, to not give too much importance to you. I know your ego will be hurt but then you stay so high, you can manage it! So here’s the deal. There was life before you, and there is life beyond you: The parents who Disappointments are temporary: All of them. I know of a couple who was apparently very disappointed when their son didn’t get admission in class nursery in the school they thought was the best. ‘Ek baar yeh ho jaata toh life set thi,’ is what his dad told my father at that time. Anyhow, the child got through in another school where he excelled in studies all through and got 91% in class XII board exams, 14 years later. ‘Bure nahi hain, but these days students are getting 95-96%’