can it get worse?

I had to write this post! The recent happenings DEMANDED a post on themselves. The first thing everyone needs to know is that I am an engineering student and am registered under this *uckd up university, which I do not want to name. But mind you, it’s no ordinary little-known unacknowledged university I’m talking about! It’s a large university with some 70 odd colleges under it! (And I’m only talking about engineering colleges! Haven’t even included the non-technical one’s!) These 70 odd colleges with 3000 odd students each, adds up to a BIG number! One would generally expect a university of such large magnitude and power to make level-headed and sound decisions, but our university has taken upon itself to ensure that they defy all our expectations and come up with the most absurd and irrational rules and notices ever!

But all this is old news, what actually made me write this post is yet to come! We had our exams scheduled to be held on 28^th of April. But then there was this strike going on for some while now by the students for the removal of some particular rule (which btw, on the behalf of the students, was quite ridiculous in itself!). As the exams drew closer the protests just grew in strength. I do not know what exactly happened - either the strike had gone out of control or the university people just went mad - whatever it was, our exams had to be rescheduled. At 2o’clock in the afternoon the notice was issued saying that the exam which was to be held the very next day had been cancelled! Two days of studying a subject like optimizing engineering went to the dumps! Arghhgh!

Now the exams were to start from 2^nd on May but the ending dates hadn’t been shifted which implied that all the gaps between exams were reduced. This resulted in continuous back to back papers for a few streams. This obviously spelt doom and the students got even more agitated. The strikes continued and exam dates were reshuffled AGAIN to make sure there were no back to back papers.

The students having understood by now that the university is finally succumbing to their demands obviously thought this was the right time to make sure all their other demands were met too. They continued their strikes to make sure the rules were changed. There was a huge gathering in front of the university main building on 1^st of May. The student threatened that they would not let the university conduct the exams until their demands were fulfilled. Chaos, confusion and lots of drama followed. The whole day was marked with numerous phone calls between the students to make sure if we actually had the exams the next day or not. Imagine, we were sitting at home studying for an exam which we weren’t even sure would happen! You can imagine the amount of zeal with which we were continuing our studies! By evening the rumors grew very strong and seeing the student unions determination, all of us had almost given up studying for the next day’s paper as we were pretty sure that the exams will be postponed.

But we were wrong!

The university makes sure that our lives do not turn out the way we expect it to, not even 1percent! So what it does is , it comes out with a notice that the exams will be held as per schedules and that there wont be any delays! God!, now just consider the plight of the students, we had almost made up our minds that at least the next day’s exam would not be there. I admit it wasn’t the best of decisions to leave studying based on the possibility of a successful strike, but well what else do u expect from engineering students! We just love to study last minute and take it up as a challenge! J Now frantically everyone got back to their books and started studying. But the students who were on strike did not give up and continued with their no-cooperation movement. I do not know the exact minute to minute details but something happened between the last notice and midnight and there was the grandest surprise of the day or should I say the ‘next’ day. A notice was issued at 11.55 exact which carried the following information:

“It is hereby notified that All Examinations of the Even Semester, starting from May 02, 2009 are postponed until further notice”

I can’t put into words the exact feeling which we students went through after we read that notice. We were happy, sad, angry, and mad all at the same time! As we weren’t really prepared for the next day’s examination we were happy that at least that got postponed. But this indefinite postponement wasn’t something which we looked forward to. Of course the people who were at strike were happy that their day’s labor had finally paid off and the university will listen to their demands. But the problem for us now is that we do not know whether to sit and study for the upcoming exams or start partying thinking that the exams would not be held for a long time to come! But whatever the case, we will be having an exceptionally short vacation!:( now that’s bad. All vacation plans will take a hit. We want the exams to begin and want to get over with it as soon as possible! Now everyone is in a state of confusion not knowing what to do next. The hostel-ites are in dilemma whether they should return home or stay back and expect the exams to resume soon. Things look very uncertain at present and we have no idea what’s going to happen next. Exam dates could be announced any day any time-see we like surprices not shocks! Why doesnt our university get that?

At the moment we have let our books rest while we are just enjoying our unexpected vacation and behaving as if the exams are never going to happen at all. It’s the after effects of such shocks, you can’t really blame us! These days I just sit back and think-can it get worse? If my university is the one answering, ahem well, spare me the answer!