Yes, it wasn’t over yet. As the last, yet most tricky round awaits them. The final exams!! The boards are just a month away. And as it happens in India, Boards are not just an exam, but a test of your child’s worth and a vindication of your status in society. The parents are hence equally tensed as their child, regarding the Exams, if not more so. The case of Sachin and Riya is not any different in this respect. While Riya’s engaging and interfering parents are certainly worried about their child’s performance, Sachin’s rather indifferent parents are not far behind.
‘Beta, take this glass of hot milk. It will help in sharphening your memorization skills’, says Sachin’s mother as she enters his room. At the other corner of the room was Sachin, busy in doing what he loves and does the best- painting. ‘You are again at it. Will this come in your exam’, asks his mother. ‘ Which exam.’ ‘Boards, of course. What else at this time of the year. And are you studying.’ ‘A bit so’, says Sachin, rather nonchalant of the conversation.
‘A Bit? See Sachin, do what you want but I want a good result. If not anything better than Sweta, Riya and Sumit. That’s all I need.’ Says his mom. ‘What if I get more than them in one exam? Life will hardly change.’, says Sachin with his usual reclusive expression. ‘You will know it soon. This life is full of competitions and I want you to win this first competition of your life.’, says his mom. ‘Mom then, what about those five paintings competitions, I won gold medals in. ‘This is different. Okay leave these now. And get to your study table now.’
Meanwhile, Riya is busy reading her favourite author, Ruskin Bond when her mother walks in. ‘What’s my princess’s reading! History?’ ‘Mom, I took the Commerce stream, but you are right I should have taken literature. I just love it’, says Riya. ‘Oh, do that in your next life. For now, stick to your subjects.’ ‘And what are you reading?, huh.’, asks her mother.
‘Bond’, replies Riya without looking up. ‘Oh god! Exams nearing and this girl’s reading ‘bonding with boys.’’, says the visibly annoyed Mother. ‘Oh, Mamma c’mon. I am reading Ruskin bond, the author not that bonding’, clarifies Riya. ‘Okay, even then stop this and start reading Accounts.’ ‘Okay..’, says Riya getting up from the couch. She now proceeds to her study and open the Accountancy book.
Contend by the effectiveness of her scolding, She leaves ‘Complete a chapter by today or else no meal.’
The days pass by and with every passing day increases the anxiety. Finally, the exam day arrives. The Exam centre is located at the centre of the small town. Sachin moves there in the company of his worried Mom, frank Father, nonchalant siblings and Grandpaa. At the gate, he meet his friends and parents. Greeted by them, as they awaits the opening of the gate. Just then a voice startles him from behind, ‘Hey Sachin all the best beta’. It was Riya’s Mom. ‘Thank you’, replies Sachin and there opens the Gate and follows a rush of eager crowd. Sachin goes in, so does Riya. And the exam begins.
Similar was the ordeal followed on other exam days. Finally, after a 15 days, the last day of exam pops up. At 3 as the exam ends, the exam centre gets enlivened. Within moments, sea of students rush out with an unanimous expression of joy, even if that outer expression of joy hid diverse emotions within. With this Exam ends and hence school life and thereby begins the vacation.
