Admission Hassles

Boy.!!!! Whats the most flourishing business as of today?...Please don`t answer as-politics.... Its EDUCATION !!! The other day when one of my friend asked  me to accompany her to one of the coaching classes, I was surprised by her ardent pleas and return promises when she perceived my slight hesitation.... But as it was a lazy day and I didnt have anything better to do (other than lazying around).. I thought why not?...Was I in for a surprise?... She took me to the quietest part of the city..U know where the only sound you hear are the auto rickshaws screeching, the drivers abusing every passer by, the local buses toppling over you, the roadside hawkers screaming their lungs out, school children doing antics in a cycle which will put the circus artist to shame, and you dont know whether you re moving forward or backward????? Of course I was too shocked to react to any of it because my eyes were drawn to a looong queue snaking through the side of the street ...of mothers and children ....all the children looking tired n worn out and the mothers...well !!!....the mothers looked like they were ready for any kind of bout...specially the- `10 counts and you are OUT`type of bout.

I meekly followed my friend and we stationed ourselves at the end of the line when I belatedly asked her what this was all about. "Areyy....."she sounded like an exasperated mother explaining the truth of life to a toddler...." Don`t you know???" As i racked my brain for the `supposed to be obvious answer'...she continued.."Today is the Admission day for the Physics class. From here we have to go for the Chemistry class but my husband is already in the queue there so no pblm but its Maths I am worried about...The admission starts at 11.00am..hope we wind up everything here by then".  I was shocked....but there was more to come..."Physics is OK ..Its only 10k, but maths and chem are 15k each, I have also appointed a home tutor but he comes only 5 days a week" This was too much...." but Jyoti"... I Hissed..."which college did he get?...U didn`t even tell me" She again had that pained look I was talking about " College he will get baba.... Its these elusive tuition classes which  are ...elusive....Please pray that my son gets admission here." I was just nodding mutely trying to come to terms with reality when she screamed... "Run Bindu...Run to the first floor and hold a place for me there"...God knows from where she had the telepathy, I certainly didnt hear any sort of announcement, but may be there was one because everyone ran with me.I ran as if my I was qualifying for the London Olympics.....but  so were every one else.... No wonder Ladies Gym are coming up at every 100m...... I was soon jostling and pushing and shouting...not caring about any dignity (after all..`in Rome, do what the Romans do') I finally found a place in another long queue and waited for Jyoti. As I waited for her to come... It finally dawned on me why she wanted me with her  in the first place....with her robust and generous frame, she could never have  had a scope of getting a place for registration here. I was the official lackey here... not that I cared... it gave me some exposure to what I have to face next year when my son will be joining college... As I waited the security closed the gates..... with Jyoti standing outside the gate. It took some explaining as to why the mother is outside with the documents and has sent a stand in to wait in the queue. With the atmosphere at boiling point I was relieved when the guard took stock of the matter..... and threw me out... but admitted her.

I stood outside along with other dejected parents....But then I forget about the never say die attitude of mothers.... they started running again...... for the second best coaching class in the city.

While the admission process was going on upstairs I came down to relax and reflect on the race for bringing up the next generation and wondered how we survived without taking part in the rat race.

We sure had it cool back then...but our poor children...when will we let them live their life in peace.

Its sure good re- assess the pros n cons every now and then..... but after you have assessed all the points..... throw it out of your mind and get ready....remember? The Maths admission starts at 11.00