Examtime.. funtime..

Weekend is nearing and I have already started making plans! No movie this time yaar, sadd... It seems kids have their boards; mamas would sacrifice movies, wont let papas go out too! The marketing is targeted at families of 4 may be, nobody cares
for us or what! After all, we have given 872 examinations in life and now we ought to see movies! Protest apart, am getting flash memories of the exams I gave throughout my life... I don’t remember the first one, it must have been in Lower KG considering the strict academic curriculum in India.. Exam times were always eventful for me.. I enjoyed watching the crowd - searching for exam halls, trying to match their roll no with the ones on the list, borrowing pens, discussing the for-sure questions in the last minute – (oo I love that- u just tell someone “this is a sure one”- and then watch the mugging up speed).It’s all fun really, not forgetting the best part of the exam – copy ing!! Now don’t act innocent, am sure you must have done this atleast once... If not, I would say you didn’t have the guts to! I simply enjoyed taking this risk... A rewind of some of the incidents which happened with me..

Part 1:

Scene – A classroom, 9th STD board hanging outside. Boys and gals sitting in alternate rows (this idea was to reduce the chattering in the class, but this only encouraged it.) The boys cracking PJs, the gals giggling... Half of “Holy killers” on a bench, enjoying the free period. What are the first benchers studying there? Some Moral Science!! OMG is that a subject now, to give an exam? Atleast in HTS it was... The bell rings... The entertainers in the bench just in front snatch exam sheets, pen pencil scale eraser from us...

Arun : Hey, I haven’t studied a word yaar.. U should help ok...
Me : Don’t worry, I will..
Arun : Tilt your paper in my direction and write, I will look back..

I followed his instructions and we were happily writing the exam in synchronization. I would wait for Arun to finish along with me, so that I can turn the page. Friends are precious u know, then, now and ever! All this continued till our HM came to our class, all of us stood up to wish her, had no idea her visit has got anything to do with me! I saw her clutching something in hand, some paper... May be some announcement to make. Finish it off fast lady; I have to complete the crap paper! All in class noticed her walking to our bench- we are 3rd out of 6 benches- the perfect place- last bench is an old concept now, cos even teachers know this tactic- 3rd is the best. I had no clue what was going to happen next. She thrusted the paper in her hand, into mine – it was a carbon paper – and she was fuming with anger! I didn’t need more to understand what’s happening...

HM : Why do you take this much effort to help someone copy? You can just write one more copy and pass on to whomever you want. We will provide you the carbon paper also.
Me: Speechless, head down, sad expression, controlling the laughter!
Arun: Full of guilt cos I am caught, giving the HM- its my fault, please don’t scold her- glances..

End of Part one


Part 2

Scene: A classroom again, converted into examination hall. Everyone outside the hall, last minute discussions, a guy pleading something to a girl newly joined in school. Bell rings. All enter. The above said guy and the gal sits on the same bench, a junior in between. On further observation, 11th std students were clubbed with 8th std students.

People usually learn from mistakes, incidents like the one in Part1 have happened many more times in HTS, many more lectures/advices I have listened to... But tell me, helping a friend is a mistake? I hope I am not getting a “not yet learnt a lesson” look!

That explains, I agreed to Deepak’s pleadings!

Exam starts...Biology paper...
Deepak stares at the question paper for the first 5 min, till I finish my first sheet. Then I keep the first sheet in the shelf below the desk, a little to the right, easily accessible to Deepak across the small girl sitting in between... He keeps it below his paper and copies line by line!! I know re, its difficult to modify the sentences when you are under pressure! 3 hrs about to get over, last 5 min, many started to submit the paper and move out. My last page going on, Deepak’s second last. But then it happened, teacher comes and comfortably settles down on her chair. Hey, did I tell you that we were on the first row and that the shelf beneath was open?? My 10 mark question is on the sheet with Deepak and now how on earth can he return it to me? We made ishhaaras to each other..

Deepak (ishaara) : Don’t worry, I will manage.
Me (ishaara) : Noooo.. Don’t manage anything for gods sake.. Keep it with you.. I will write once more.
Deepak (pointing to the watch) : No time!!

Next moment I see my paper flying in the air. Poor Deepak, it was a dumb spontaneous action, only to help me earn my 10 marks. In the process he didn’t think - Teacher is not blind and she can see the direction in which paper flew. His motive was that I should collect the paper, once it lands on to ground, in the pretext “Oh oh its time for me to tie up all the papers!!” The teacher having already noticed the dumb-sharades between us, could put everything in place... Gone Iam, yet another time!
Thankfully, she was a Hindi teacher, and was shouting in Hindi.. I didn’t mind cos I understood only half of it!!

End of part two


Part 3:

Scene: Govt. Engineering College...

Oh no!! Can we do this later?? :)


P.S : 872 was jus a vague no.. Pls dont start counting!