Remembering my days in college

If I recall my graduation days, I remember how I struggled during the initial years of the transition. Having opted for non-medical program after my matriculation and then switching over to commerce stream to pursue my graduation at Bemina College was arguably the biggest career challenge I ever faced.

The admission process was bit chaotic with students standing in a queue for hours together. Besides there were lot of paper work and attestations to do but it was still exciting. As soon I collected my admission form, the banking and business related courses listed on the subject combination sheet captured my interest. I started dreaming and visualizing my success in banking sector and I could not wait to fill out the application to mention commerce as my subject.

For almost three months, I used to travel from Bandipora to college on a daily basis. Travelling nearly 100 kilometers each day was an incredible experience that challenged me and helped me evolve into a disciplined individual. Our classes took place in the picturesque U-Block of the campus surrounded by a vibrant green garden.

The first day of the class made me feel bit uneasy with unfamiliar faces around. I was excited to meet people, learn new things and challenge myself. However, I wasn’t able to grasp anything the teachers were trying to teach us. With no prior understanding of accounting fundamentals, I was getting frustrated with debit/credit blah blah blah. This made it difficult for me to keep up the pace with my classmates. The fear of failing the exam was always at the back of my mind.

Almost all of my classmates would attend reputed accounting tutors of the city. I also thought of joining them. I was staying with my maternal uncle Wali Mohammad Shah at Umarabad HMT. He was a professor of mathematics. Instead of allowing me to join a tuition center, he encouraged self-study and assured me that he would bring books for me from the library.

When the first year results were announced, the pass percentage was relatively low around 40%. Many students had failed. I managed to secure 265 marks out of 600 less than 45 percent. I wasn’t happy. I broke down in tears. Some of my classmates praised my efforts knowing I hadn’t studied commerce in 11th and 12th. I started reassessing my approach to academics to identify my strengths and weaknesses. I reached out my teachers and classmates to sought their guidance. After attending all the classes in college, I used to walk 3 kms to reach to the house of one of my classmates at HMT to enhance my subject knowledge.

I was able to improve my grades as I had obtained 338 marks in my second year examination. What surprised me most was when I emerged as topper during my 3rd year. My graduation experience has taught me that as long as there is a commitment and willingness to learn, anyone can attain their academic goals. I was fortunate to be taught by dedicated and intellectually gifted professors such as N.A. Gilkar, Z.A. Chatt, F.A. Shah, T.A. Kawoosa, G.M. Lone and G.Q. Lone among others. During our free time, students from both north and south Kashmir would gather to share their cultures and engage in academic debates and discussions. The college left a lasting impression on me and inspired me to dream big. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would complete the latter part of my academic journey at the prestigious IIT Madras and also receive a gold medal from the Indian Commerce Association.

My college journey not only laid the foundation for my career and professional life but also instilled in me a profound humility. During my second year, I remember an incident when I was beaten up ruthlessly by my Professor. I remember, he was delivering a lecture to the final year students and I was waiting outside for my class which was scheduled to take place in the same classroom.

One of my classmates from Batmaloo Srinagar came, smashed the classroom door and ran away in a blink of eye. The Professor instantly came out and started beating me hard instead of asking me who smashed the door? He slapped me and even kicked me from the back. I broke up in tears and he returned to his chamber in anger.

The final year students who were watching the scene asked me why did I smash the door when the teacher was inside the class? I replied I didn’t. It was the other boy who did so. Everyone was shocked and some of them accompanied me to the chamber of the Professor. Sir! This boy is not the culprit. The door was smashed by other student. The Professor was short of words. Gobra logei ma? He asked. I replied with tearful eyes. “Sir, it’s okay”, and then returned to my class. Today if a teacher were to slap a student, the student might react back. The society is growing more intolerant and disrespectful.

When I got appointed as college teacher, I imagined a classroom with active students, eager to learn, full of questions and ready for discussions. But what I saw was the opposite. There is no energy, no curiosity and no spark in the eyes of the students. I remember how we used to go to the library every day to explore different authors. Today students hesitate to visit libraries. They believe the internet gives them everything they need to know. Recently, when I entered my classroom, I took all my students to the library. I told them they could choose any book like fiction, autobiography, literature. Some of them looked confused and asked, what are we supposed to do with these books? I explained that they had one month to read the book they chose and then write a review. I also explained how to write a review and announced a cash prize from my own pocket for the best reviews.

The idea behind this activity was to bring students closer to books and to help them develop a habit of reading. I still believe that spark in them can be brought back. It may take time and effort but it’s possible. Every student has potential. They just need the right environment and a little encouragement. My mentor the late Prof. N. A. Gilkar would always give me tips on how to develop curiosity among my students.

Maybe it’s time for all of us to rethink how we teach, what we teach and most importantly why we teach. With quality teachers come quality students and with quality students a better world.

Aasif Shah is a college teacher.