Very, very testing
The kids are CUETing, the parents are sweating
'Room hi room. Wifi free. Only 300.' As sweat dripped down my brow, one bead at a time, I weighed the offer. The 'room hi room' guy had competition, and the price tanked as I walked on…Rs150, Rs100. Village Sawda in north-west Delhi's Ghewra may not have resort-like rooms or a view to rival Greece's Santorini but it certainly had entrepreneurs to match Silicon Valley's. Someone had built a building and stuffed it with computers in the middle of wheat fields. NTA had anointed it as a test centre and set the money-making juices flowing.
As parents from across the city landed – Rohtak Road was dotted with moon craters – with CUET aspirants in tow, all manner of services were on offer. Along a narrow road, someone had set up a rickety table with a computer-printer combo offering instant printouts and an ink pad to stamp your left thumb on the card – who said angootha chaap's dead? Another, on a PA system, warned students not to be misled, advising them to leave their belongings at the authorised – obviously meaning his – set of lockers. Open spaces meant for grazing cattle had been converted into parking for Rs 50 a pop with one guy offering car wash services including 'rubbing greece'.
To beat the heat, there was a cold drink stand that had emerged out of nowhere (displaying better humint than our RAW guys in China), chole-kulche and a Madhur Dairy ice cream cart, which having lived in the shadow of its more famous cousin, was enjoying its moment in the blazing sun.
'Room hi room' guy looked at me like a shark eyes its prey. It had been an hour and he could tell I'd gulped down a lot of water in my anxiety. I eyed the 'REST ROOM wifi free' sign, centering my thoughts around washroom & wifi. Shark in water wasn't the best metaphor at that moment. Sharks typically do not eat humans but more significantly, thinking of water was perilous in my pressing condition. I peeked inside the room and spotted a cooler and four thin mattresses. Seven people had already plonked themselves down, having struck a deal for Rs 50 each. I paid up too. Later I found the cooler didn't work. Hopes dashed, I decided to abandon all expectation and wait out the miserable afternoon in the hot, humid room praying the exam taker – my child – was displaying better common sense than I had.
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer
This article is intended to bring a smile to your face. Any connection to events and characters in real life is coincidental.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Over Rs 1 crore allocated for geobag installation at Chellanam
Kochi: A meeting convened by district collector NSK Umesh to discuss sea erosion issue in Chellanam coastal area, decided to create temporary protection wall by placing geobags in Kannamaly, Cheriyakadavu and Kattiparambu in Chellanam panchayat. For this purpose, Rs 1.25 crore has been allocated from Kerala state disaster management fund. Temporary safety measures will be implemented by installing sand-filled geobags in seven locations from Kannamaly to Manassery, where sea ingress is severe. Collector has instructed that the work should commence immediately. In four critically affected areas, work will start before Tuesday. Thursday's meeting was attended by officials from irrigation department, Chellanam panchayat authorities and local level action council. The council had approached court seeking a solution for sea surge in the area. It was decided to increase the number of units manufacturing geobags to be laid in the area. However, Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedi expressed strong protest over the decision, stating that temporary barriers made of geobags are insufficient to prevent sea erosion in Chellanam. The organization demanded construction of tetrapod sea walls and breakwater structures north of Puthenthodu to protect beaches in the area. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo "As a temporary measure, geobags are going to be installed over a 961-m stretch from north of Puthenthodu beach to Moorthy Ambalam. However, this is entirely inadequate," said Janakeeya Vedi convener V T Sebastian. Representatives of the organization staged a protest at the meeting, alleging delay in preventive measures. "While constructing geobag barriers, do not exclude areas due to opposition of a section of people. Steps should be taken to obtain funds from Cochin Port for coastal protection. Identify weak areas and prepare an action plan, as installation of geobags in northern areas would worsen the situation. Complete construction of tetrapod sea structures north of Puthenthodu as a long-term solution as soon as possible. Immediate measures should be taken to protect seven houses at Cheriya Kadavu," demanded the Janakeeya Vedi. In 2023-24, geobag barriers were constructed over 485m in Chellanam at a cost of Rs 65.2 lakh. In 2024-25, this was extended to 591m at a cost of Rs 69.59 lakh. By 2025-26, it will be further extended to 961m at a cost of Rs 125.9 lakh. The cost would further escalate next year, said the Janakeeya Vedi. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Without state funds, official leads community-driven revival of 12 lakes in Chikkaballapur
Bengaluru: In a remarkable display of grassroots leadership and community cooperation, a KAS officer and a team of local villagers have successfully rejuvenated 12 lakes in Gauribidanur taluk in Chikkaballapur district — all without a single rupee of govt funding. The initiative was spearheaded by BN Varaprasad Reddy, a Karnataka Administrative Service officer who served as a special officer in the taluk during the pandemic years. Reddy, a native of the region, earned the trust of residents during his service, goodwill that helped restore the taluk's neglected water bodies. The idea took root during a casual conversation Reddy had with two friends from his village. They identified Mudugaanakunte Lake, which had been dry for 18 years, as a starting point. The group reached out to the community, proposing to revive the lake by desilting it. Villagers responded enthusiastically, contributing funds. With voluntary contributions and support, the team cleared silt from the 84-acre lake and cleaned connecting water channels. When the rains arrived in 2021, the lake filled up — for the first time in nearly two decades. Buoyed by the success, the group went on to rejuvenate 11 other lakes, spending a total of over Rs 50 lakh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Accounting Automation Software Might Help You To Earn More Accounting Automation Software | Search ads Undo Reddy said some people donated as little as Re 1, while some others donated as much as Rs 10,000. "In addition to public donations, we raised funds by selling excavated silt to farmers and brick manufacturers at Rs 30 per tractor load," said Reddy, also an agricultural science graduate. "Farmers benefitted further by using the nutrient-rich silt to enhance soil fertility." Support came in kind too. Some residents provided earthmoving machinery, waiving rental charges and only requesting fuel expenses. The team, now operating under a registered trust called Gauribidanur Seva Prathistana — that was registered on Thursday — focused on lakes that were free from legal disputes and had natural water inflows from surrounding hillocks. "We chose lakes with good water sources and no encroachments," said Venugopal M, president of the trust. "Today, many of these lakes are thriving, and farmers and people are thrilled." He said that since the lakes are filled with water, nearby open wells, which were dry for years, now have fresh water and farmers are sowing two crops per year instead of one due to groundwater recharge. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Aishbagh ROB under the scanner over faulty design & safety issues
Bhopal: As the 'peculiar' design of the newly-constructed Aishbagh railway overbridge (ROB) becomes the talk of the town in Bhopal, many experts have no qualms in describing it as a 'faulty design'. The political leadership of the state has also taken cognisance of the matter. Minister in the Mohan Yadav govt from Bhopal city, Vishwas Sarang, is scheduled to visit the site of the overbridge on June 14 for an inspection to see what corrections are required to make the overbridge convenient for riders. The overbridge is not open for traffic yet, and removing the 'design defects' before the formal inauguration of the overbridge appears to be the best course of action. Design defects were detected on the Ganesh Mandir-Gayatri Mandir flyover (GG flyover) after it was recently inaugurated by chief minister Mohan Yadav. Following media reports on the issue, backed by the opinion of experts in structural engineering, some engineers involved in the project were placed under suspension. "The turn in the middle of the overbridge at the right angle is an issue. Sarang has taken up the issue with engineers involved in the project, and corrections as required would be made in the design," said PRO to Sarang, Mukesh Lodhi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He further stated that the minister would visit the site on June 14 for an inspection. Retired Chief Engineer, PWD, V K Amar, while talking to TOI, said, "The design of the overbridge is glaringly faulty. Whenever there is a turn on an overbridge, you give a curve to alert the driver about the turn ahead, but here, you have a turn at the right angle without any curve, and any driver would be taken by surprise at the turn, making it an accident-prone area. The design will have to be altered by giving a curve 100 metres ahead of the actual turn so that a driver is ready for the turn as it arrives. " The overbridge, costing Rs 18 crore, was completed after an eight-year delay and features an alarming right-angled curve at its highest point. Residents have expressed safety concerns, whilst experts have questioned the engineering decisions made by the PWD department. "Residents waited 10 years for this bridge. Instead of relief upon its completion, the community raised significant safety issues. The primary concern centres on the sharp 90-degree turn at the bridge's peak, which vehicles must traverse, posing considerable risks," said Aslam, a resident of the Aishbagh locality. Railway authorities clarified their role in the project. "We are responsible for the bridges built over the railway tracks. The approach roads of the bridge were built by PWD," says Nawal Kishore, PRO of Bhopal Railway Division. An engineer involved with the project sought to justify what he called the 'distinctive design' of the bridge. Talking to TOI on the condition of anonymity, he pointed to limited available space and the adjacent metro rail station as key constraints during construction. In response to the concerns, the PWD officials said that an inspection team evaluated the situation and will submit its assessment report. ACS (PWD), Neeraj Mandoli, did not reply to the calls and texts sent to him. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
