May 4th marked an important (read : career
deciding, life ruining etc etc) day for medical aspirants (me too!) nationwide. While being Star Wars day, it also
played host to the All India Pre-Medical Test, an exam which enables one to get
into premier (or so they say) Govt. and private medical institutions (or
institutes) across the country.
It was quite the festival for smart people; I was sharing my
exam centre with around five to six THOUSAND students, most fresh out of school
and raring to go forth to decide their lives. No amount of man power is enough
to successfully discipline so many young adults, and quite surely, mayhem
ensued even prior to our entry into the exam hall. The girls outnumbered the
guys three to one; I really don’t see where the problem with the sex ratio is.
What is a day in India without a strike or a dharna called?
Incomplete. But not the 4th of May. Mid-way through our exam, our
ears were met with the sounds of loud hollering and general chaos. The purpose
of the demonstration is something only Morgan Freeman knows, but the vociferous
chanting soon fizzled out and died, akin to the rains in B’lore, leaving us to
write our exams in relative peace.
An entrance exam in India is a family affair, extending to joint families even, with grandpas tottering around with walking sticks a fairly uncommon sight. Some turned it into a family outing, with my uncle alleging that he definitely saw some picnic mats and elaborate luncheons. Groceries and local eateries, in and around the centre, probably had the best business day of the year. The auto-drivers had a field day as well, charging outrageous amounts to anxious parents pleading with the gods of the traffic jams and such for safe passage.
An entrance exam affords one an opportunity to observe at
close quarters the various kinds of students that comprise your competition and
your peer group through college life. The
following forms a comprehensive list as to the type of students I found at the
AIPMT, and which I believe applies to most other exams :
1. The Freaks and the Geeks aka Sherlock and the
Rainman :
The former lot are like Sherlock, freaks of
nature capable of solving most problems with no apparent effort, their brain
cells making impossible connections to arrive at the answer. The latter like the
Rainman, have prodigious memories and/or are hard workers, committing vast
amounts of information to their cranial data banks. These students are the
ones, who walk in and out the exam hall, with smiles on their faces, knowing
fully well that it’s their names that are going to be in the newspaper.
2. The Starks of Entrancehell :
This is where the junta (me too!) resides.
The students with above-average intellect and moderate preparation who
fervently hope that what they haven’t studied won’t be tested. They can be
found tucked away in quiet places, notes in hands, feverishly invoking the old
gods and the new. While some of the Starks might survive, most of them will perish
at the Red Wedding.
3.The Rahul Gandhis :
Why are they writing the entrance exams?
Because Mummy(or Daddy) said so. These are students who want to do journalism
or arts, but whose parents want them to do a basic degree first. They are
characterized by their sullen expressions, and a singular response to most
questions, which may or may not be ‘Women Empowerment’.
4. The John Watsons :
These students have already been accepted
into universities abroad or at home, but are writing the exams because their
friends are doing it. Moderately intelligent and loyal to a fault, they’ll be
the ones with confused expressions on their faces, as they watch their friends
(who may be Sherlocks) discuss theories they’ve never heard of.
All in all, writing an entrance exam in India is an
unforgettable experience, one that you’ll cherish or curse to doom’s day. It’s
also the place to be, if you’re looking to meet smart young adults your own age
(wink wink). I’d better get back to studying (read : watching TV shows) for my next entrance now , lest I
turn into the unfortunate Rob Stark. I wish my fellow aspirants the very best
of luck, and pray that they score less than I do. Just kidding. Maybe.
