Policing Students

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Policing Students

1990: IIT KGP:

In all my 40 lovely years at KGP there was only one duty I hated:

"Invigilation"

I felt I was recruited to teach my students, not police them.

There were other specialists in this task keen to do it...and I was left alone in the exam hall to relax.

I loved reading the question papers set by engg profs for their students.

And many students used to bring their text books and leave them on the dais after their last minute mugging.

I used to browse them.

Once, I read in the exam hall the absorbing essay "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell; and that very evening I bought that English Prose Text Book that is still with me now.

And once I wrote the Introduction of my Physical Review paper sitting on the last bench in the gallery of Raman Auditorium for three peaceful hours.

But not everyone was that lucky.

My young friend Dr G narrated to me his experience:

He was sitting in the chair lost in reading a text book he found on the dais. 

And then entered this very senior Professor-in-Charge of Examinations, Prof KM (otherwise highly admired and respected for his teaching). Dr G didn't notice him. Prof KM lost his cool, approached Dr G, pulled out the text book from Dr G's hand, and threw it on the dais, all action in front of 150 students.

Dr G, known for his volatility, got up from his chair and caught hold of Prof KM's collar...

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

When I joined IIT KGP at 21, I was looking boyish; average build, no moustache, wearing slack shirt and slippers.

When I entered for my first lecture class in C - 136, it was brimming with 90 rowdy students (combined 4-year and 5-year batches).

I skipped the attendance, got up onto the dais, wrote Coulomb's law with shaky hands on the black board, and was trying to draw the torsion balance.

A paper arrow hit my back.

I turned round and started explaining to them the lovely experiment verifying that law, in a subdued voice.

Nobody was listening, all having fist fights with their neighbors.

I was on the verge of breaking down.

Then this sardarji, Bhogal, got up onto the dais, turned back and shouted:

"Shut up all of you! I want to listen to what this professor wants to say!"

Rest is history...

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Somehow I kept my boyish looks till my hair turned grey.

25 years later I was the Hall-in-Charge of the exam in the Raman Auditorium. I entered along with two of my junior invigilators; we started the exam, I told them to hold the fort for five minutes, and left the hall to check my own question paper in the Bhatnagar Auditorium at the other end of the corridor.

By the time I returned, I found the late-coming invigilatress Dr Indira-di sitting on a chair facing the quiet students.

As I approached her, she blasted me:

"Late-comers should go and take their seats in their allotted places in the gallery quietly. The invigilator will supply them the question paper and the answer book. Go take your seat!"

Some of the front-benchers looked up and were smiling.

And Dr AD rushed to her saying:

"Didi! Aapni ki korchen! Ini amader professor shaastri!"

...And then I had to run away to the canteen to escape her profuse apologies...

:)

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