Blog@GraceJunction

“Most likely, you shall be debarred from the university”

My heart sunk as I heard my exam supervisor blurt these words out. “But everyone’s doing it!” I tried to justify. After all, why was it that she only caught me (and this stupid neighbour of mine) of all the 20-odd students in a 20×18 classroom?

But it had to be me. I was so ashamed since I was in (Yes!) my second year of post graduate. One of the most decisive years of one’s life. And here I was, almost ruining it with an act that I thought was being committed by all and so I had the equal liberty to do so too. Yes, I was caught copying.

Well, it’s been some years now. Yet, just when I thought I had had it pushed into the depths of my memory, it popped up again one day. The other day the newspapers carried a news article mentioning that an IPS officer had been caught copying during an LLB examination.

Whoa! Should I say ‘Kudos, Mr. Rajnish Rai!’ (the officer in news)?

We don’t know whether the media this time took the Socrates’ Test or not. Apparently, the Reforms Committee of Gujarat University found him guilty and declared him failed in all his subjects.

We don’t know what really transpired in the examination hall but an IPS officer getting caught while copying is big. So what really makes people succumb to the temptation of taking an easier yet a risky path?

I believe no matter how frivolous and insignificant it may sound, as against some of the biggest crime like corruption, murder and rape, copying tends to exhibit several traits including irresponsibility, indiscipline, laziness and rebellion.

Coming back to my post graduation, I was given another chance. I realised God IS merciful and hears our prayers if we are REALLY sorry for what we did…and I was too. So I was back to the same classroom among the unrelenting bunch i.e. my batchmates.

After having studied hard, I sheepishly pushed my chair to a distant corner of the room, the rest remained together, almost nonchalant to the episode that I was party to. As was evident, many of them didn’t seem to have learnt a lesson or two from my fiasco. But this time, I made sure I didn’t misuse the liberty and the second chance that was bestowed on me by God.

To my surprise and joy, I reaped the right fruits for my labour as I stood second in the repeat examination. Phew! So much for a better result!

Now I am not narrating a self-glorifying story. Rather I am trying to make a point.

The point is we may or may not receive a second chance in the smallest of our mistakes and they may wreck our lives or our future. Hence, it is better to be on guard at every moment of lives, doing whatever we are assigned to with due diligence, integrity and accountability. And in doing so, you will make news…but in a good way.

Tags: Copying, Debarred, Examination, IPS, LLB, Rajnish Rai

This entry was posted on Monday, July 14th, 2008 at 2:38 am and is filed under Articles, Justice, Society, Thoughts, Vinay, Youth Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.