First Impressions : VMC

I’m still quite confused. I consider it to be nothing short of a fluke…perhaps an administrative cock-up of some sorts. Let me go through the sequence of events once again…just to make sure I’ve got it right:

1. Sometime before the ‘Boreds’, I had decided to apply for the entrance test for Vidyamandir. This was done, obviously, with the knowledge that my chances of getting in were practically non-existent. Nevertheless, a thousand bucks out of my pocket, I realised I better gear up for the task.
2. After a few days, I was e-mailed the prospectus and admit card, accompanied with a test prep CD. The contents of the CD were…well…tough…for someone of my level (which isn’t exactly very high). Still, I gave some of the tests, was shocked and awed, in alternation, by the results.
3. They also e-mailed a printed sample paper, and it seemed to me it was better suited for a CAT exam prep rather than IIT, with a range of data interpretation questions et al. Still, I found this bit a bit easier.
4. Obviously, all of this collective bouyancy vanished in a puff of dust on 7th May, when I saw the VMC paper. It was a curious thing. Some of them were mind-bogglingly tough. Some were easy once you looked past the complicated language. And some were of the type you’d get if someone was introducing a topic to you. I left quite a few, bearing in mind that negative marking was aloof.
5. Some squirmy days later, on the 12th, I was reminded by Ponnappa in the morning that my result was due. How I forgot, I have no idea. But I checked up, and my state of mind can be said to be relieved. I couldn’t be jumping all over the place, because I didn’t get into the regular batch, but I couldn’t be sad, because the extended classroom course wasn’t exactly rubbish, was it?

So, it took me a bit of time to digest the fact that I was a VMC student. I then had to go to enroll myself at their Punjabi Bagh centre. Bearing in mind that the centres would be allotted on a first-come-first-serve basis, and the fact that one of the centres was in Patna(!), I decided to stay over at my friend, Saumya’s, place in Punjabi Bagh just to make sure I got it in the PB centre. Was slightly concerned when I showed up much before time and saw people pouring out. Apparently they decided to open early. Their course fee is 1 lakh rupees + taxes, to be paid in three installments.

The next thing to be noted is the commute taxing journey of epic proportions. It could be called a commute if you’re talking about going in a car. In a bus, it’s different – with blueline drivers who are reluctant to come to a halt at bus stops, and buses overcrowded to the extent that you have to hang off the handles at the door. Standard procedure for most people…am still getting used to it. Mom had offered to hire a driver, but I refused point-blank, because that #&@*%^$ would charge an arm and a leg, and steal some fuel while at it.

For my first class, I caught a bus from school going to Punjabi Bagh. I reached a bit tired, quite hot and still in my school uniform. I noted that most of the others were in casuals. That being besides the point, the class began soon. The class was Chemistry, the topic was stoichiometry. The pace does take some time getting used to. As does the fact that it’s almost 3 hours non-stop of studying. There is something with some semblence of a break, for about five minutes, but we’re usually given a question to solve before it, so it really doesn’t count. I’ve noticed that by the last 15 minutes or so of the class, my concentration tends to wander a bit.

The next thing that strikes me is the level of discipline. If you arrive early for a class, you’re supposed to take out your modules (that’s textbooks) and study. During the 3 hours, not a whisper must be heard from you. In fact, if a teacher catches you making eye contact with another student, you’re in for it. And by the way, since we all are considered ‘family’ in VMC, we’re supposed to call our teachers as ‘bhaiyya’, and not as ‘sir’. Still having trouble getting used to that. And obviously, no idle chit-chat after a class either.

The work they assign us is also pretty rigorous. VMC stresses a lot on self-study. Before I can attend a class, I have to study up that portion, or at least die trying. There are 4 notebooks per subject, making it a total of 12. A pre-class notebook for the pre-class prep, where we’re supposed to do all the illustrations and questions of that section that’s going to be taught, an in-class notebook to take down notes during the class, a fare notebook to fare up the in-class notebook, and a practice notebook to do all extra stuff, cause ideally we’re supposed to do each module’s questions three times over at least, and some teachers prefer to have the lectures fared-up a few more times.

As I said…very rigorous.

I only know two teachers as of now, because I’ve only had three classes – 2 Chem and 1 Maths. I’m taught Chemistry by Kulwinder sir, and Maths by Vivek sir. Kulwinder sir describes himself as the Hitler of VMC Extended, and I wouldn’t really contest that. Vivek sir jokes around a bit more and seems a bit more forgiving.

EDIT : No idea why I’m doing this a few months after having left VMC to pursue my overseas UG dreams, but the last statement is very misleading.

Vivek sir jokes around a bit more and seems a bit more forgiving.

This should read.

Vivek sir jokes around a bit more and seems a bit more forgiving. if you bothered to study before a class. Otherwise, please begin pleading to your personal God of choice and hope that he doesn’t come and start breathing down your neck. Avoid the aisle seats.

My next class is on the 13th, and it’s Physics. Hope it goes well…wish me luck…