page 3 ( 73 ) The Final examination in Std X

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     The syllabus we studied had outdated, therefore I have to give a short description about it.   The total marks for the final examination in Std X ( known as SSLC ) was 600.   Out of 600 marks,  the students who achieved 80 %, ie. 480 and above were considered as those who got distinction.   Those who got 360/600 upto 479/600  were considered as who got first class in the examination. In IXth Std,  I had scored 498/600.  So,  my aim was to score above 500 marks or in other words,  above 84 % of marks. Before the examination,  we had ten days ( I write this from my memory ) of study leave.   During the days of study leave,  I tried my maximum to learn according to the timetable which I had prepared.   

     During the daytime,  I was outside my house,  sitting or walking in the rubber plantation, with a book in my hand.   In the evenings,  I took a chair,  placed it on the left side of our house and read the lessons, to escape from the curses. But I would leave that place and enter house without looking at Puthiyaveettil Varghese's land,  where the 'ghosts' had said to have been appearing frequently and would sadly sit in my chair.   My father didn't change his trip to Kadayiruppu junction in the evenings during my study leave and examination days.   On the 1st day of my examination,  the subject was Malayalam.  I got up at 05 o' clock in the morning, hearing the alarm and I wondered to see my mother and father coming to the kitchen.   My mother was smartly making tea and father sitting in a chair in the kitchen.   I got angry with their activity because till the previous day,  I was the person who first entered the kitchen and burnt the fireplace.   Yet,  how many abusive words they used !  So,  I burst out, "what are you doing there ?  Where were you during this year when I was struggling for the examination ?  Today,  why do you act like this ? "  I had only pity towards them.   I realised that somebody had told them to do so during the examination days.   I didn't cry externally,  but my mind - it was broken - broken to how many pieces ?  I don't know. 

     However,  the examination was over.   I calculated my marks.   I thought I would score above 500 marks.   At the sametime,  I was afraid that sometimes it might be below 500.   There were talks about the schooltopper in that examination.   Oneday,  a woman called Eliamma and her daughter Reeja came to our houlse.   Actually,  they came to Puthiyaveettil house,  I think.   Reeja was one year younger to me.   I knew her from the L P School onwards.   She had many learning problems and her mother used to come to the school frequently.  Ms Eliamma said to my mother that Rani,  who was my classmate,  was spreading the news that I was very cruel and she was praying that I wouldn't be the schooltopper.   My mother, being very sweet to others, said that she couldn't believe it and Rani behaved always as a person who loved me very much.   Then Ms Eliamma said that it was not so and we couldn't believe others blindly.
     It was May,  1989.   On the day of examination result,  my father went to school and returned.   He said that I was the schooltopper.   I was sitting in the chair.   When I heard it,  I felt a shocking experience.   I had not expressed happiness or sadness in the presence of my father & mother.   It had become my usual habit.   I thought about Nitha's reaction.   I remembered her smartness,  loving face and beauty.   "She deserved it", I murmured.   When the marks were revealed,  I was again shocked.   I was got 487/ 600 and Nitha,  485/ 600.   Only two of us got distinction.   Was the valuation very strict ?  I couldn't believe that I scored below 500 marks.   A schooltopper having below 500 marks !  But we were only 40 students ! No, only 39 students because Jeena was affected by chicken-pox and couldn't attend the examination.   Only one student failed in our school.

     It was after sometime that the percentage of victory was calculated.   Then our school reached a higher level among the govt schools in Ernakulam district.   From the next year onwards,  there was a flow of students to our school from distant places.   "A govt school can achieve above 90 % result", that was the reason behind it.   It didn't end in our school.   In Ernakulam district,  the nearest govt schools to our school like Govt High School Pazhamthottam & Govt High School Poothrika - all of them awakened to a new era.  From the next year onwards,  these schools also achieved above 90 % of victory.