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In India there is a myth….which may also be interpreted as a joke. That when you conceive your baby, you register her/his name in the school or playschool of your choice to ensure admission a couple of years thereafter.
That it is a myth or a joke, was a misinformation.
It is neither... Well, at the most it is an exaggeration...but definitely not a myth neither a joke!
I realized this recently when my daughter completed three years and we started enquiring about schools. Browsing through the websites of various reputed school, another fact which hit me was that in some cities of our country (in my hometown of Kolkata, for example), she would have lost an academic year because she falls short of the ‘CUT OFF’ date for admission by 4 days!!!
Yes! Had she been born 4 days earlier she would have gained a year, at least academically!!
If only I knew, I would have asked the doctor to advance the Caesarian operation by four days ! Huh!!!! What a joke!
Yes, in our country that is what school admission procedure is all about.
Well to make matters worse, in some (read ALL METROS) cities, money is the solution to all hurdles of education. The more you ‘donate’ the better the school your child gets admission in. A Lakh or so for your three year old!!! Too expensive? Who cares.....
And of course I forgot the recommendation part….an MP, MLA, or for that matter any ‘angootha-chhap’ politician or someone with some clout in the society or government will make the admission process a cake walk.
The admission process begins in another day or two…commencing with the form distribution, followed by interview (of the parents and their two and a half to three year old unpredictable, temperamental kids!).
I am tensed and anxious! My husband is cool and unperturbed! And the person (albeit a miniature one but a person she sure is!) in question, whose academic future or non-future is to be determined in a month or so, is NOT EVEN AWARE that the first judgemental event of her life is about to happen.
I guess, amongst the three, the onus of worrying and anxiety falls on me…!!!!
It is neither... Well, at the most it is an exaggeration...but definitely not a myth neither a joke!
I realized this recently when my daughter completed three years and we started enquiring about schools. Browsing through the websites of various reputed school, another fact which hit me was that in some cities of our country (in my hometown of Kolkata, for example), she would have lost an academic year because she falls short of the ‘CUT OFF’ date for admission by 4 days!!!
Yes! Had she been born 4 days earlier she would have gained a year, at least academically!!
If only I knew, I would have asked the doctor to advance the Caesarian operation by four days ! Huh!!!! What a joke!
Yes, in our country that is what school admission procedure is all about.
Well to make matters worse, in some (read ALL METROS) cities, money is the solution to all hurdles of education. The more you ‘donate’ the better the school your child gets admission in. A Lakh or so for your three year old!!! Too expensive? Who cares.....
And of course I forgot the recommendation part….an MP, MLA, or for that matter any ‘angootha-chhap’ politician or someone with some clout in the society or government will make the admission process a cake walk.The admission process begins in another day or two…commencing with the form distribution, followed by interview (of the parents and their two and a half to three year old unpredictable, temperamental kids!).
I am tensed and anxious! My husband is cool and unperturbed! And the person (albeit a miniature one but a person she sure is!) in question, whose academic future or non-future is to be determined in a month or so, is NOT EVEN AWARE that the first judgemental event of her life is about to happen.
I guess, amongst the three, the onus of worrying and anxiety falls on me…!!!!
Bibliography:
Angootha chhap-A Hindi terminology used colloquially to imply illiterate individuals who place thumb impressions on written documents in lieu of signatures
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1 comment:
Getting admission in school is an age old problem in the country. With excessive pressure of huge population coupled with handful of good schools especially in big cities and metros, the admission of budding stars are becoming a real uphill task. In recent years the problem has increased by many folds to take an elephantine shape.It was not that serious in late 60s or 70s when we started our school days.
At the behest of corrupt politicians taking admission in reputed schools has become a common practice nowadays.The people mostly belonging to upper rung of the society utilizing immense money power or by exercising influence via politicians get their offspring admitted in so called good schools.Then what will happen to an ordinary man? Their children will never a chance to study in good schools!!
The tinge of humor shown by the author in her write up is a matter to be appreciated. The proposal to the doctor for advancing the cesarean operation by four days to gain an academic year for her child was amusing.
My all good wishes remain with the child and her parents for getting through the interview and emerge as a winner.
We await some more write up from the in coming days.
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