Finally An IITian

by Nuruddin Bahar
(Mumbai)

Hi! I was glad to visit your website . It's really motivating to read your articles.

I am an engineering student studying at IIT Bombay. I was selected the first time , but with a low rank. That was when I decided to follow what my parents and my sister wanted me to do. I joined an engineering college in UP , through AIEEE , and was under a big confusion. I was well aware that I wanted to try for IITJEE the second time , but couldn't make up my mind as to how to do it.

THE BAD PHASE : It was during the first few days in that college , I realised that I deserved much more than that. I was feeling disheartened physically , mentally and psychologically. I cried a lot of times over phone to my parents , that this was not I was meant to be. Then one day , instead of thinking about what will happen to my future , I took the harder way. I asked my sister , that I wanted to drop out from here and try for IITJEE once again. My sister and parents supported my decision and I dropped out from the college and returned back home. I went to my coaching class teacher , he said "We can't change what is done. So now , your complete focus should be on cracking IITJEE."

THE GOOD PHASE : My parents used to stay away from my home in a different town where they worked as Doctors. I decided to stay with my elder aunt , and began analysing the situation in first few days. It was as if I knew the way , and that I just needed to clear out the stones. Though sometimes I felt a bit lonesome , but then I realised I was on a bigger goal , and I needed to think bigger. I made my daily time table , and began to complete 70-80% of it. Though it was quite tough , but I decided to cut off my recreation time for it. Even my hanging out with friends was greatly reduced. I just knew that if I could crack IITJEE the first time , I have got the very enthusiasm to crack it the second time as well.

On a personal front, I was weak at Maths and strong at Chemistry, while I required equal focus on Physics as well. I remember my sister saying , do as much as you can to improve upon your weaknesses, but remember during those last days, focus more upon, making strong whatever you are already strong at, to leave no chance for mistake. I began to feel the problems and pondered over more thoughtfully than I used to, a year back.

There were times I felt I should back off a little, but then work used to pile up, so I found it better to finish off as early as possible. There was a time when I was all alone at my home, and at that time one is tempted to do what one wants, but I kept on reminding myself of my goal, and put a DO IT! sign in front of my desk, which helped me motivate, whenever I felt a bit off. At this time, I suffered from chicken pox, but my parents helped me manage it well. A month before, I started solving mock papers everyday the same time the actual exam was going to happen. So I was well experienced in managing the time allotted to each question at the time of real exam.

ETERNAL BLISS : I cracked IITJEE with a good enough rank to have my seat reserved at IIT Bombay. The biggest task for which I was working hard for past 3 years was finally accomplished. I know there is a long way from here, but I am happy that I made my parents proud at that very moment.