The Journey to the Exam Hall

Human psychology is such a cumbersome thing actually- when the mind is in a perilous condition it takes a decision within a fraction of a second but when it has time to think, it may take an era to solve every dilemma or question! Nitin however did not take an era; he was quick enough to decide upon his seat within a mere 45 seconds. However, before choosing his seat he had a stroll on the aisle. Consequently he also noticed all the other passengers in that bus. Nitin's seat was the second last from the left side. The immediate seat before him was still vacant. After occupying his seat, Nitin kept his bag in the alcove above. He realised that in the days when he was unemployed he had always kept his bag with him on his way to the exam hall. The valuable hall ticket, black ball point pen, photo Id proof harboured a very special significance to him during those days of unemployment. But today he is not even remotely conscientious and his focus is on having a comfortable journey. 

It was Sunday. Those who are still unemployed and aspiring for a government job know the meaning of this week day. They equate it with Exam Day. It was a Sunday of WBCS (West Bengal Civil Service) Preliminary Exams. Needless to say government jobs offer a high social status and power along with lucrative salary. Therefore this preliminary exam day is no less than a gala day for the aspirants of government jobs. They have been preparing themselves for many years only for this day. Although the main exam and the interviews have an indispensable role to play in terms of securing the coveted job; the ambience of this preliminary exam day is somehow unparalleled. Each employed aspirant and each unemployed aspirant have their own story to tell.

Nitin woke up in the morning without much hope. Nitin is aspiring for a WBCS job. However, this year he is going to sit for the exam without much preparation and expectation. Nitin believes that no preparation can be good until one gets the job. He did not sit for the WBCS exam in the previous year (as he already had secured a government job). However, this year he is going to sit for the exam (for the very first time) without a heavy heart.

Before leaving his bed, Nitin was casually recapitulating his days of unemployment. He had enjoyed a good night's sleep. Finally he left his bed and washed his face. While he was brushing his teeth, his thoughts travelled to his past days. He was looking absentmindedly at his mirror reflection in the washroom mirror.

That Sunday was cloudy. The rain had stopped just a few hours before Nitin left his bed. The birds were chirping outside and a few rain drops were dripping from the tips of the leaves. The atmosphere was looking as reluctant as Nitin- the sun was hesitant to emerge from the canopy of clouds and the clouds refused to budge from their spot in the sky. The birds however were an exception and were busy in their routine activities.

Nitin's reverie was disrupted when his mother hollered, "How much more time will you take? All busses have gone."

Nitin said, "Just coming" and hurriedly splashed water on his face.

After taking his bath, Nitin had his breakfast which to some extent resembled lunch, especially in terms of its proportions. This was nothing unusual he realised for in Indian households there is considerable focus around good food during exam days. Then there are the scientific theories and myths- too much food can make you drowsy and certain categories of food help to sharpen your memory.

Nitin hurriedly bade goodbye to his mother and walked out of the house. His mother frantically inquired if he had taken the hall ticket, black ball point pen, photo Id proof.

Nitin nodded.

The bus stop was not far away from Nitin's home. He walked few minutes and reached the bus stand shed.

Nitin stood there and again started going over his past days. The bus was taking very long to arrive. Who knows? Why? May be it does not want to disrupt my reminiscences? - Nitin quietly concluded. Finally the bus arrived after a considerable stretch of time and jerked Nitin back to reality.

It was not a crowded bus. Most of the seats were still to be occupied. Nitin wondered if he should sit in one of the empty window seats. But the decision wasn't easy as he realised that the sky was becoming inky in shade and a torrential downpour was impending. The sun has started to smirk away from the now cloudy sky.

The journey from Nitin's house to his exam centre was long, spanning about 50 kms. Many twist and turns were there on the road. Meanwhile he was calculating that after half an hour which side would be cosier for him.

Human psychology is such a cumbersome thing actually- when the mind is in a perilous condition it takes a decision within a fraction of a second but when it has time to think, it may take an era to solve every dilemma or question!

Nitin however did not take an era; he was quick enough to decide upon his seat within a mere 45 seconds. However, before choosing his seat he had a stroll on the aisle. Consequently he also noticed all the other passengers in that bus. Nitin's seat was the second last from the left side. The immediate seat before him was still vacant.

After occupying his seat, Nitin kept his bag in the alcove above. He realised that in the days when he was unemployed he had always kept his bag with him on his way to the exam hall. The valuable hall ticket, black ball point pen, photo Id proof harboured a very special significance to him during those days of unemployment. But today he is not even remotely conscientious and his focus is on having a comfortable journey.

There were hardly seven passengers in the bus. And all of them had the same goal in life as far as that particular day was concern. Nitin started to watch them one by one. Only two passengers sat behind him in the last row seats.

The young boy, who was sitting on Nitin's right hand side seat, was casually plugging the ear phones. Nitin knew he was not listening to any song. He was only pretending to be very relaxed as his anxiety was not allowing him to open a book. Nitin thought that the boy might be listening to some recorded study notes. He assumed that probably it was current affairs because most of the students neglect this subject from the very beginning of the year and it always puts them in trouble.

Another boy was reading a paper. It was an employment news related paper where one can find important questions of upcoming exams. Nitin knew from experience that the WBCS or any Civil Service has no short cuts. Persistence and labour are the two major formulas to get any post in WBCS or Civil Service.

In that bus two more people were a little relaxed. They were sitting on the very first seats' beside the rear entry door. They had been chuckling when Nitin had boarded the bus. They were engrossed in a loud chatter.

Although Nitin was trying his best to not overhear their conversation he was forced to hear their exchanges. They were that loud! Nitin assumed these candidates belonged to the breed of aspirants who never did any preparation work alone. They would always find a friend to fill up the form, go to the library and have elaborate and often inconsequential group discussions.

The two candidates, who were sitting behind Nitin, looked very serious about the upcoming examination. They definitely had their hearts and hopes centred on the positive outcome of the examination.

Nitin's contemplation on his fellow passengers was interrupted when the bus halted in a stop. A lot of new passengers crowded in.

Now Nitin could read many more faces and listen to many more words. His face reading was interrupted by a young girl who was sitting in front of him and who was incessantly turning down a call on her mobile. For the first few times Nitin did not think anything about it. But when she received the call and said, "Yes, speak it out. How many more times do I have to say the same thing- I don't like it anymore." Nitin realised what might have transpired in the previous night. He had seen many bachelors and the pressure they go through the night before any competitive exam. That pressure is unparalleled and unique actually. However, Nitin had always thought that compared to bachelors (young men) this pressure is always less for a young girl. But now his belief lay challenged and he became curious to know the entire story behind the girl's irritation.

The young girl told her companion (at the other end of the phone) that her aunt had a discussion (about her marriage) the previous afternoon with her mother. The young girl had opposed the proposal and that rejection had triggered an unpleasant altercation. Apparently if she succeeded at cracking the preliminary examination she will get another five or six months in hand; else she would have to marry per the groom's convenience. The groom is a bank manager and has an aristocratic lineage.

Nitin understood that the young girl's boyfriend was not well established yet. Not well established per the dictates and norms of our conventional practical and fairly materialistic society. The core of the situation dawned on Nitin. If the girl managed to crack her prelims she would be actually lending some time to her boyfriend to establish his bearings in the conventional manner. He clearly needed to secure a good job to ask her hand in marriage.

Until now Nitin was happy, relaxed and nonchalant in his approach. But now his heart started clouding with anxiety. The weather on the other hand started clearing up. The petrichor from the drenched road was wafting in from the half open windows. Two white pigeons were flying over the green paddy field. These pigeons had never had any competitive exams. Few boys were angling outside in the meadows in carefree abandon. They too had no bags with them.

Nitin closed his eyes and leaned back on his seat. A few minutes later he opened his eyes hearing the conductor's call. The exam hall was waiting for Nitin and everyone else.

By: Dipjay Ganguly

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