“You have the power to act, only act. You do not have the power to influence the results. Therefore you must act without the anticipation of the result without succumbing to inaction.”
This is a quote from Bhagvad Gita.. And true it is… However qualified we are or what ever profile we have there are moments of distress and doubt we go thru. The perfect example of such a situation is when we are sitting in front of the computer having typed our roll number and waiting for the result page. I feel helpless and we definitely don’t have the power to influence the result…
Now, Indian Institute of Science spared me from that anguish. When I landed from Delhi and was identifying the baggage, I got a call from my dad saying that I got through IISc, Bangalore. They had sent it via post to my house. It was a wonderful feeling…. to know that you are not a complete failure… 1 down … 4 more to go. I was thankful to God… More than happiness, it was relief.
I had been through the same state at 7pm, April 7, 2008. SJMSOM published their results. I did not get through… That was the only place where I really hoped with all my heart to get in. I didn’t. But in the last 6 months, I got to understand me, what I really wanted and that I can handle failures… Or rather, God always gives me strength to handle myself in such conditions… The results coming out definitely began on a sad note. I was disappointed or should I be? What should I expect when some one with all India rank 18 did not make it or my friend with a rank less than 200, 2 yrs work ex and impeccable academics records didn’t make it? But then I got to know that they took a meager number of freshers and I was the last rank to be called.
So on April 7, 2008 my best friend sits in front of the computer for 2 and a half more hours to bring me some good news… VGSOM, IIT-Kharagpur published the results by 9.30 pm… I got through. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t feeling anything. What use? I will not be going to some corner of West Bengal.
Then on April 9th IIT-Madras came out with the results. I made it! I was pleased. Any convert feels good. Then the wait started for IIT-Delhi.
Everyone unanimously agrees that IIT-Bombay and Delhi are indisputably the first 2 of the IITs for the MBA. But I have seen all the presentations and I think VGSOM is also doing a good job with IISc following closely.
My parents were not keen at all on me going to Kharagpur. The results were supposed to be out on April 11th. I was preparing myself as if I am going to some unknown land. I used to ask about Kharagpur to anyone has been at least 500km near that place. People tell me all horrifying things about that place. East India is one place I have never been to in my life. My friends started teasing me about me speaking Bengali. Someone who had been there few weeks back said that the place is atrocious with the refugees from Bangladesh coming in. I was devastated. 1 year of slogging to end up in such a location! But I am choosing it over Bangalore. I am making the choice. Hiding my apprehension I was trying to look at the positive sides of the place… That’s the place that offers 6 months of internship. So, I won’t have to be at Kharagpur for 6 long months. My best friend tries to cheer me saying, ‘Think of the brighter side. If you travel a few distance from Kharagpur you can be a foreigner at Bangladesh.’ Yes, my best friend doesn’t leave any stone unturned to cheer me up!
I had my worst experience at Delhi. Now I just wanted to convert it so badly. So badly that I don’t have words to express the urge I had. The fear I had about converting DMS wasn’t the fear that I am inferior. But I had seen the competition. Only those who wanted it attended it, since it was the last interview of the season. Everyone there were like me. Only the first 400 candidates who made it were called and I stand there with a meager rank of 345.
So came April 11th, 11.00pm. The results of DMS, IIT-Delhi came out. I was dreading this moment. I typed my number myself, because I wanted to see it myself for the first time. I have never been the one who sees my results…either my friend or my mother does it for me. So there I sat waiting for the page to come and it seemed like hours. I just read “selected” and I just screamed! That was my initial reaction. I never get over excited when I see my good results but I couldn’t help it. The first person I told this to was God… Big thanks! I got through the main MBA programme at DMS, IIT-Delhi and I will be joining if He permits.
