Released by Federation of God Believers on April 21, 2008 in New Delhi - IR Summary -Hurdles in Education :

I started growing with time, and passed my 4th standard, I was then 11 years old. I had completed my primary schooling there without English subject. English was taught only in high schools from 5th class in Punjab and other provinces of undivided India.

There was a good and bad news for me. One new high school was opened in our neighbor; it was named as ‘Arora High School’, a private institute. Those days, the school authorities begged the parents to send their children in their schools, since the population was very thin and most of the school seats remained unfulfilled and the schools thus ran in loss, compensated by social establishments.

I joined D.A.V. High School in the 5th standard. Only three months had passed when the Director of Arora High School along with its principal came to my father and requested him to admit his children in his newly opened school, we were two brothers.

The principal also declared an incentive that all students studying in 5th class would automatically be admitted to 7th class without any test or exam and would be given a special coaching to make up their gap.

My father was worried over my poor memory, being suffering from cognitive dysfunctions, memory loss, a disease of serious forgetfulness and that’s why he got my initial studies late by 2 years, all factors combined together might have forced my father to think over the matter seriously and he acceded to the request of the Principal of the newly launched school.

My father got my name withdrawn from the earlier school where I was then studying in the 5th class, and got me transferred to Arora High School by fresh admission. The school principal admitted me to 7th class without any test or extra exam, and promoted me from 5th to 7th standard on the day of admission day itself.

I had no problem with other students since they were equally poor in studies, they were also promoted from 5th class, and all had pitiable level due to accelerated promotion, and all of them had started learning English only from the beginning.

Those days, the only problem was English language, which started from 5th class, and so I was a beginner in learning English, though my elder brother tried to coach me in English, I was a bit weak to grasp the big sentences.

After about 6 months, the school authorities of Arora High School failed to get recognition for their school due to less numbers of students in their school. There was a very hard competition among old and new schools those days, and such reason might have forced them to announce the closure of their school or it could be the ground of their heavy financial loss.

Before the Arora High school was closed, the other private school  i.e. D.A.V. High School, who also wanted students to fill their vacant seats, where I got admission in the 5th class and withdrawn in the middle, invited my father again to send me and my elder brother to his school. He also promised a huge inducement, that all students of Arora High School, who were taken in 7th class, would be admitted to 8th class on the same day.

It was the end of the academic year; just about 2 months were left. My father had no other option but to say okay. That’s how I got admission to 8th class in D.A.V. High School, and after two months, the school declared all students passed up to 8th class, and I was one of the lucky ones who passed without any ability or talent.  

By virtue of all students promoted to 9th class, irrespective of the results of their papers submitted during the exam, I was privileged to enter 9th class along with others, with a genuine study gap of 2 years, from 5th to 8th class; I had only studied for one year due to  an attractive scheme of the school, whereas I should have practically spent 4 years.

Surprisingly, it was a gap of two years on sides, the study gap and the age gap; both were tender and important and could not qualify me as a genuine student of 9th class, whereas I was virtually there in that class. It was fake, a foul game that both the schools played with the career of the students and we kids could not realize how they were misguiding us on the name of filling their own vacant seats in their respective schools.

When I reached 9th class, my father asked me to drop one year and advised me to study hard whatever possible way even with weak memory.

My father made arrangements with the Principal of the DAV High School, and I should be allowed to stay in 9th class to make up my deficiencies. The Principle allowed me to stay there to make up my courses. 

There was an other good reason for the Principal to agree for me to miss the exam and to stay in the 9th class , because I was a good  junior hockey player, and sports students were generally preferred to be retained in schools as many years as possible to promote the name of the school in sports.

I did not appear in the exam of 9th class as arranged and that enhanced both ways - my ability and age by one year, which was otherwise necessary to qualify to appear in the Matriculation examination of the University. Despite some weakness in my studies particularly in math, I did my best aided by tuition and extra coaching that my father had arranged for me. 

The next year I cleared my 9th class exam with average marks. My age was still less than normal even though I started my studies at the age of 7. I was then hardly 15+ and I had entered 10th class in April 1942. I was promoted as a senior Hockey Player as a special case based on some merits.

Now my father wanted that I should drop again  in the 10th class exam, called matriculation, since I had studied one year less than normal course up to 10th standard. My father discussed with the Principal again about my age and the circumstances under which I was promoted with a huge jump of two years and that my age was a bit less.

The Principle allowed me to miss matriculation examination since I had won the hockey title of the school on divisional basis last year and he wanted me to win for the school another award from Lahore. I was a good runner, above average speed, I used to play center forward and I always got the privilege of putting four or five goals in a game of 1 hour.

Once I got the ball and found some free space in front, I would surely put the goal, whatsoever might be the playing ability of the opposite goalkeeper. So much confidence I had. That was the reason that my Principle allowed me to stay in 10th class, even though my age could not be questioned this time by the University if I appeared in the exam.

I missed my exam as mutually arranged and I was still in 10th class, and after the academic session, I was 16+ in January 1942.

The II World War had started in 1939 and India was under British Rule, the rulers were desperately finding the young people to join the Indian Army and were finding it difficult to fill their vacancies in the force.

People were reluctant to join the force. Most of them were waiting for the signal from Mahatma Gandhi, whose word was considered as divine law.  Since Gandhi Ji did not object to it, rather encouraged the people to join the force, the majority of people came forward and joined the force.
   
A small delegation composed of three English men came to our school and all students of 10th class were directed to assemble before them. The Principal of the school introduced the delegation and one English man, who had also known Urdu, spoke to all students. (Those days Urdu was the major vernacular language).

The officer tried to woo the students by offering incentive that those who join the force, Army or Air Force immediately while studying in the 10th class would be given a Matriculation Pass Certificate by the University and that would carry the value at par with those who practically pass the Matriculation Examination in a regular way.

The officer also elucidated that there was a scope of studying further in the force as private students. He convinced that by joining the force, the students would not only be able to earn for them and their families and pass the exam but would also be able to continue their higher studies during their service as private students.

I insisted my father to allow me to join the Army to fulfill my dream of adventures and in addition I submitted to my father  tht would get the matriculation certificate from the Punjab University without appearing in the exam. 

My father was reluctant since he was confident that I was able to clear all future exams and had made up my slackness in my studies by missing two exams and by doing extra home study. He had confidence in my ability even though I had poor memory. He used to say: “You have an original mind, high common sense, that’s more important than cramming the lessons and pass. And that shall take you very high one day.”

After my persistent request and pursuance of my mother, my father permitted me to join the Army. I was taken to Lahore Recruiting Officer which I cleared my test very easily and my rank was equivalent to Sergeant Clerk and I was sent for training to a Military School, in Madhya Pradesh.

Continued ………….

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