This year has been like none other. After almost 3 months of camping at home, preparing for my boards and entrance examinations, I was in for some major experiences. Perhaps the first of those experiences was having to see the Board declare that the Economics exam is going to be conducted again, thanks to some brats who've wonderfully managed to smuggle question papers. The first feeling that I had was to break down. Economics was a really easy paper and I had worked really hard for the exam. To see a whole year's hard work being thrown into the bins, so easily, is one of the worst feelings that can come over you.
But then I had some major takeaways from the incident and the most interesting of them was being able to organize and participate in a public protest for the very first time. We formed watsapp groups to mobilise fellow protestors(!) and close to 50 people turned up before the CBSE Regional Office in Pattom for the event. Being schools students, with no prior experience at protesting and no intention to turn violent, we were a bit intimidated when we saw the huge police turnout in front of the CBSE Office(seems we were quite famous!), but it turned out absolutely right because even the police sympathised with us 17 year olds having to give a whole exam again, due to no fault of ours. We shouted slogans and gave fiery speeches before the media persons who were streaming us live on channels across the state. We entered the front pages of several local dailies and became locally famous overnight! The re-exam was never cancelled but we felt happy to be able to register our discontent. It felt like a really good way for us to bid adieu to school life, especially as humanities students- more strong, empowered and with a voice of our own.
But then I had some major takeaways from the incident and the most interesting of them was being able to organize and participate in a public protest for the very first time. We formed watsapp groups to mobilise fellow protestors(!) and close to 50 people turned up before the CBSE Regional Office in Pattom for the event. Being schools students, with no prior experience at protesting and no intention to turn violent, we were a bit intimidated when we saw the huge police turnout in front of the CBSE Office(seems we were quite famous!), but it turned out absolutely right because even the police sympathised with us 17 year olds having to give a whole exam again, due to no fault of ours. We shouted slogans and gave fiery speeches before the media persons who were streaming us live on channels across the state. We entered the front pages of several local dailies and became locally famous overnight! The re-exam was never cancelled but we felt happy to be able to register our discontent. It felt like a really good way for us to bid adieu to school life, especially as humanities students- more strong, empowered and with a voice of our own.
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