ROUND THE CLOCK READER

This article appeared originally in Mumbai Mirror, of the Times Of India group.

COMPETITION SUCCESS REVIEWED...



This rare round-the-clock library propels many a student in their quest to clear a competitive exam - with it's books and brotherhoods, finds Rishi Majumder



"The first battlefield is the AIIMS entrance exam in November. Then two other competitive exams for medical post-graduation in the first and last week of January," mutters Dr. Varun Darade, the nervousness making him edgy even as he speaks. "Only three percent of doctors can do their post-graduation on an average," Dr, Sanjeev Chaudhary explains Darade's worry. "For me it's the National Defence Academy. Exams are next April but I have to prepare!" pipes up 17 year old Prateek Sawant. "I got into an engineering college. Next it's the CAT. Four years of hardwork – then, enjoy!" is Tushar Telang's take on the 17 hour days he puts in, like so many others, at the Indian Library, Thane. These quotes have been taken from between 12 pm at night and 6:30 am in the morning at what the Limca Book Of Records acknowledges as the first library in India to remain open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The students at this learning centre, however, are themselves a study in dealing with middle class 's most malignant malady: competitiveness.

"I myself studied in very adverse circumstances. I started this library in 1999, because I wanted to give something back to the society in a pro-active way, not just through donations," comments the library's director - Sanjeev Malhotra. The library salutes utilitarianism with very basic wood, plastic and metal furniture – the only adornment is a quote from Bal Gangadhar Tilak on education. It's stock however, comprises academic material on nearly every subject under the sun – from Fashion and Astrology to Medicine and Management. "Considering I provide a 12 hour a day canteen, conference rooms, net-access, and the latest books on every subject, the Rs 1,800 fee charged can hardly pay for the library's upkeep," laughs Malhotra who calls the library a "social initiative funded by my business". "When this library was started four years ago, there weren't as many books," Darade remembers. "But when a student gives an application for a desired book, on any topic, it's here within a week!" In addition Malhotra organizes Seminars for counseling on career prospects. "Youth is the time to slog. Education will redeem you. Slog now and at 40 to 45 years you can relax," answers Malhotra on being asked whether such over-drive might not be a bit of an over-kill.

And the crowd burning the mid-night bulb filaments nod resolutely in agreement. "We're a group of 25 medicos preparing for our postgraduate entrance exams… and here is where we met," remembers Dr. Gurneet Singh Sawhney. This group-study is necessary not merely for concentration: "Doubts come up in every paragraph. If they're not cleared, then they distract!" Engineering student Virendra Shinde explains that "In a competitive exam, how you study is most important – having a team means you can devise the best methods." And just when one wonders whether such ardent discussions wouldn't disturb others, aged night guard Aziz Khan marches in sternly, and the group in question files out to one of the 'conference rooms' with 20 odd chairs – made specifically for discussion purposes. While Sawhney says he will attribute "25 percent of my career success to this library", Shinde claims the library with its atmosphere inspired him "to get my grades up from 50 to 62 percent!"

While most of the students in the library aim for conventional entrance exams pertaining to a UPSC, Engineering, Medicine or MBA, some like Harsh Thakkar digress. "Medicine is about giving life to a body… but Pharmacy gives life to a medicine," he elucidates about a course which that was relatively unknown when he joined up four years ago, but has many a taker today. His t-shirt matches his attitude to read: 'Beckam, Superman, Robin Williams and me'. But even Thakkar, who'd like to study Pharmacy further, is making it a point to attempt the CAT. As is Vibhas Sen, an IT student a student who's being on crutches hasn't dwindled his determination to study at the library daily for "the environment and material it provides." "At the end your career choices are shaped by what your peers and immediate family think is best," remarks Sen. "Sometimes when an examination doesn't work out you think 'Maybe I'm meant for a different, albeit less conventional career,' but that's always the second option. You don't really have time to introspect." At 6:30 am, just as the last student exits… the first one strides in! "Many years before I joined this library, I'd given an entrance exam with my 'best friends'." says CA and LLB student Sachin Verma bitterly, "They'd said there was no negative marking for wrong answers. They'd lied intentionally. When I confronted them on failing that exam, they told me they had to do it 'for competition's sake'."