Memoirs contd..

Hi fellas,

This post is an extension to my previous post "Physics Class Memoirs". Slap me with your feedback if you get bored ;)

After writing physics class memoirs, I thought I should write a series of such incidents that took place during my education life. Although I cannot continue this like a soap opera for 13 episodes, I guess I still can manage to write another episode in this series. Well, the incident am going to write has happened during my Bachelor's. As I mentioned already about my diligence to be different, I was so even during those 4 years of Engineering. As there was freedom at engineering college, I could easily avoid lectures that were not interesting to me. Attendance was the hurdle as it was equally important for any student to get promoted. I don't know for good or bad reasons I was given good attendance, though I skipped so many classes. I still remember my Math lecturer who gave me full mark although I made blunders. ??? [Readers should remember the fact that am a Math hater!]

In the 2nd year of college, I came across a lecturer who was again an IIT pass out (I guess it’s the affinity I had with IIT pass outs right from my XI standard) who came to teach us one of the important courses. His very 1st class turned out funny, as he carried a typical accent and mannerisms. But I should admit that he was much better than some other lecturers who lacked minimum knowledge of the subject. None of us knew he was a tough task master in the beginning. Slowly when we got to know the fact, his class became a compulsive lecture for us. All was going well, until he got overboard and started monarchy. His monarchy made him set some rules especially against females in the class. All of us concluded that he hated girls.

We the females of the class planned to take this issue to the higher authority. We did but we did not succeed. Though many promised to support this complaint, eventually very few remained in the list. Everybody had their own fear. Meanwhile, a friend of mine had disobeyed one of his stupid rules unknowingly and was thrown out of the class. I felt bad for her, and when I got a chance to talk to him I took her side...I requested to excuse her. He defended his side and I defended her. The result as all of you can guess, his target was changed. When all he can do was only taking me to task and chastising me, he got a chance during our practical exams. Here the history repeated...but his frantic agony against me made him resort to illegitimate acts.

At end of the semester, during the practical exam, we had to give a computer programming test which included us to submit a back up calculation on paper before executing the output. When we finished, I was confident that I will be scoring good mark and when he gave us our scores back, to my shock I scored the least. . So, I disputed his evaluation and there was no proper answer from him as there was no mistake that he can claim to award me such a score. So I left with distress and planned to take this issue further. One of the best options I had in front was to ask my Dad to come to the college. I know it sounds extremely childish...before you conclude something else let me tell the reason. Our college was looking for some accreditation and credits. So they had to bring in some parents to interact with national committee and collect opinions. My Dad got the invite but never planned to visit…Ultimately he had to on my request.

When there is an opposing group, there will be some pro-group too...right? So there were folks who respected him and flattered him for their benefits. Those folks proved their loyalty by informing him the ongoing situation at my desk. As I already said there was no mistake to claim on my answer sheet, so he banked on a malpractice. He was expecting someone to question his decree. My Dad came to meet the Head of the department and before he met he was invited by this lecturer. He was so guilty himself that he on his own brought the evaluated paper and displayed it to my Dad.

He miserably failed in hiding his flaws on my paper. Yes, friends...his flaws. You read it right. When I was given out my paper, it was absolutely perfect. When my Dad was given my paper to look at, it had repeated mistakes. I don't know if he used his brain or his well wisher's brain to make those blunders, but the negative signs in the calculation part were all changed to positive signs. I was simply shocked to know that he can get down any number of steps to prove me wrong. Until then, I only disliked…from then I hated him.

I should tell you this entire episode was very dramatic. The conversation went on this way: My Dad simply said “I neither can understand these calculations nor I can judge your caliber as I hail from medicine background. There is no use showing me all these stuff, I won’t ask you why my daughter scored so less, I know her worth. If you think she deserves low grade, you can award it. She will retake the exam”. He in response said, “No sir I was not able to give her any mark although I feel sorry for her”. Dad said “why should you feel sorry if I myself n she herself are not sorry for this”. He sensed the necessity of support and so started opinion collection; he called his fans (students) and asked them to flaunt his worth. And then couple of his colleagues came to rescue him. All of them performed very well in this spontaneous drama.

Finally all this melodrama landed him in trouble when the Head of department came to know about the fuss and walked out from his chamber… he changed his stand and started requesting Dad not to take this issue to him as he will lose his job. He started pleading like hell…n our head of the department asked if something was wrong there. Believe me; it was like watching the climax suspense in a Tollywood movie. After few moments, Dad said no, and walked away with the head of the department. Next semester he quit his job by himself.

When some said, at last you took the bold step, some of them said I made a mistake. I don’t know if I was tagged as most arrogant and diligent woman in the college. But I take pride in whatever I did. Thanks to Dad n couple of my friends for standing by me.

Cheers,

Vennela