#NEP

1. FYJC Science at Andheri Bhavan's college. First biology lecture. Having studied biology in vernacular language till Std 10th, everything was a bouncer.

Bole toh ... sab upar se jaa raha tha.

It was a shock for a ' brilliant' 'School Topper's small town boy.

Nearly similar situation in all other subjects as the language of education was English.

Being a hostelite prevented from getting into depression.

Bhavan's had a girl's hostel in the campus then.

Not sure if it's still there.

Some of my hostel mates were from the same public school in Panchagani as some of the girls from the girl's hostel.

They were a group. Soon I became a part of the group.

[I still wonder why & how of it]

But, it worked like a miracle & by the end of first year - I was cool.

Not everyone is as lucky.

Cut to - First year law at GLC. A lot of hostelites at GCH were from small towns.

By this time - having spent 5 years in 5 different colleges (all in western suburbs & SoBo) & 3 different hostels - I was what they called - quintessential Bambaiya

But the First year law students, hailing from rural Maharashtra found it tremendously hard to cope with study of law ....in English.

Cut to 2020 : try visiting Rajpuria Hostel at Andheri. Students from Rajasthan pursuing CA. Try & understand their English handicap.

These graduates from different parts of Rajasthan are completely out of place. Not for lack of excellence in CA subjects, but English. They move around Mumbai with an unexplainable sense of inadequacy. Low self esteem.

Many succumb to the inferiority complex & withdraw.

If the govt is aiming to create more such students - it may well culminate in a cruel decimation of budding young talent & uncluttered dreams.