Anant Arora at A a T m A n...conversations with the self

‘No matter how hard an individual fights, he can never overcome a community’. I am one person who never believed in this notion, and always thought that one, who is with the truth, prevails…

I have often seen in typical Hindi movies whenever an imandaar and izzatdaar police officer turns down a bribe from a villain, he is either transferred from the given place or is crucified. But, since the real is always hidden from you until you go down, deep down into the system, you are always unaware of the truth.

One such incident happened with me. It was 21st nov., the day, CAT, the toughest management exam in the country and also the world (I suppose so) was scheduled. I, not having much of an interest in pursuing MBA and thus, ill-prepared, appeared for the same. As soon as the examination was over, and I came out of the exam center, I was besieged by two journalists asking me all the things in the world about the CAT exam. They said they are press and after giving an interview for 5 mins. or so, they reveal their identity saying they are from the daily newspapers, one from Times of India and the other from The Indian Express. I am quite happy after giving the interview thinking it would now be published in the newspaper.

To my surprise, my comment appeared on the front page of Times of India, Nov. 22nd Ahmedabad issue. It went like

“It did not come just as a surprise, we were stumped,” said Anant Arora, a student of DAIICT in Ahmedabad, after the examination. “The inclusion of two and half marks(questions) left us puzzled”.

Although the contents of my interview were not exactly the same as what appeared in the newspaper, the meaning was conveyed. But I was disappointed on one front and that is, I made a complaint which the news correspondents never published. Here it goes: The authorities administering the CAT, considering themselves to be the top-notch managers of this country, did not have so much of a common-sense of how would a grad student give an exam in a primary school with desks so small that he is unable to sit erect, leave aside comfort. (My exam center was in NS primary school, Ahmedabad)

Nevertheless, I was happy of the outcome of the interview, it immediately made me famous among my colleagues and collegiate. But the happiness was short lived, as a get a call from the Chairman, Admission Office, IIM-Ahmedabad at noon asking me to clarify whether our institute is recognized by AIU/AICTE or not, as is mentioned in the CAT bulletin (He was under the impression that DA-IICT, being a new institute in town hasn’t been recognized by either), to which I give an affirmative reply but still would clarify with my executive registrar and revert back.

As soon as I reach the office of my registrar, I immediately have a quarrel with him. He argues with me of why I went to media. Doesn’t he posses so much of a sense that, anybody, who had been in my shoes would have done the same. And moreover, do I need to tell anyone that it is my personal choice to do whatever I want, unless I am not being offensive or hurting someone. Hasn’t it been mentioned in the Constitution of India that we are a democracy and every individual has a right of expression, unless he is not harming anyone.

Freedom of Speech and Expression

The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian citizens the right to express one's convictions and opinions freely. Freedom of speech and expression, which is an integral component that ensures the functioning of democracy, is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of India. The mode or manner of expression could vary from speech to writing, printing, picture, electronic media or in any other manner. Electronic media would include communication through the net, a popular mode of communication in today's world of advancing technology. Freedom of expression would also include the freedom to propagate ideas, publish and circulate them and defend such ideas.
(source: http://law.indiainfo.com/constitution/freedom.html)


Whatever it is, the students of DA-IICT were under a wrong impression that we are a recognized institute, affiliated to UGC and the state govt. and can take any damn exam in this country (which is not true as you need to be approved not only by UGC but either of AIU/AICTE). As the matter gets more complicated and the rumors spread, things take a different turn. Students, my own batch mates, start thinking that I am at fault and start blaming me for giving a statement in the media thinking if IIM checks the credibility of my statement (I, telling the admission officer IIMA, that we are a recognized inst.), it may disqualify all of us from the admission process or may even blacklist our institute for you are not allowed to take the examination until all the pre-requisites are met. And since, am reluctant to share all the stuff with each and every student, as am pissed of explicating the story again and again, things come up on me. I start thinking haphazardly, not knowing what to do, as I can’t go to each and every single person on the campus (there are more than a thousand of them) and convince them of how right I am and how wrong the administration is…

Whatever it is, things finally get sorted out and a day has passed since the incident took place, and nothing has happened. But one thing I have realized for sure and that is, no matter how strong you are at your opinion, you can never fight and overcome a mob who have some preconceived notions imbibed into them.