Excellence, the stepping stone to Social Responsibility

There are certain milestones in life, where you are better off on one side rather than the other... 40 years is one of them. On the healthier side, you are a middle aged man who can still date women divorced twice. But cross that, and you are an uncle with a receding hairline.

For a bschool student, this purpose of the all important milestone is served by a CGPA of 5.00. Even the most unenviable career prospects like selling soaps and colored water demand a minimum level of IQ. It is a different matter that companies measure this using a number dished out to you by people like the bearded lunatic raving about urns and balls.

Readers note that understandably, I tend to exaggerate the qualities of people I mention in my blog. It is a product of my 4.93 CGPA and a reluctance to shoulder the blame for the same.

Anyways, circumstances maketh the man. And when my FMK grades hit me, I was a changed man. For the first time, the gods of luck had bestowed upon me a B+. Translated in verbal terms, that meant“the student can effectively apply the concepts learned in the course in practical situations”.That was just a notch below “the student can take up research and teaching assignments in the course”. For the first time, I experienced the thrill that jacko gets every single time he logs in ais… and I resolved to request pandu (the prof) for a grade hike.

Ok, go on. Be mean and call me a loser. But losing out on a grade by 0.5 marks and the prospect of crossing over to a CGPA of 5 and an exciting career revolving around selling LUX to women in rural Chattisgarh overpowered my self esteem. As I was walking to his room, I searched for things I had done in his course that would have given him a favorable opinion of me.

Lecture # 6: “Ok, you there in the back bench. Would you like to say something in your debut class?”

Lecture # 8: “why rishi, walking up to the last row? Used to sitting on top of the Himalayas, eh?”

Mid Term Exam (open book): “why rishi? You are supposed to read the book and come. Not read it here in the exam. Spend more time writing….”

Lecture # 13: “it is ok to refer to the internet. But at least remove the links before you make the power point presentation……”

Lecture # 16: I was determined to listen in this lecture. So went out to wash my face after dozing off… when I returned, “Yes rishi, sneaking in after 40 mins eh? Should I give you attendance?”

Lecture # 18: I resolved to redeem my esteem and pride and made myself do some CP… the prof acknowledged my efforts with, “As usual, we have heard the layman’s views on mutual funds. Ravi, as a mutual fund manager, how would you react to them?”

End Term Exam: “how is the paper rishi? And I’m not asking you if it is white….”

I knocked and entered… “rishi, it is ok to be naughty in class. But you are studying for MBA.. be more responsible… I have not penalized you for anything. Havent I been generous to even students like you?” your honour, kindly note the emphasis on the word "even" in the just concluded monologue.

I swallowed hard, not being able to utter the words I had come to. Finally, “Sir, I heard your wife is a doctor. I’d like to donate a kidney….” kindly find the asking rate these days so that I can pay my EMI…

Excellence is the stepping stone to Social Responsibility