Answer To The Point

In our schooling days, as it is now, examinations were naturally an integral part of learning process. The system of examinations was somewhat different then than what it is today. It was a fixed date and time business, unlike today's round the clock affairs. It was paper and pen system and not pick and click systems of present times. In the lower classes, we had to carry our own paper as well for writing answers. Hence there was the spectre of answer papers of different sizes, colours, and plain white sheets as well as ruled sheets. Students carried their own simple gadgets like pen, pencil, eraser, scales, instruments box, and so on. A family's economic status could be easily gauged by looking at the nature of items their children carried to the examination hall. 

At higher levels, referred to as public examinations, a student would pay a prescribed fee to write the examination. The recognised body conducting such examinations would supply the standard answer books, and additional sheets in case the candidates needed more paper. There were indeed some brilliant students (as at all times) who could write more lengthy answers than others. They naturally needed more paper. They were not examinations with multiple-choice answer questions with given answers and the student picks one of them and ticks the answer. This system came in much later. 

After the time of examination is done, and the candidates are out of examination halls, there would be the usual small groups of candidates discussing the events of the examination rooms. "Who took the maximum number of additional sheets?" was a popular question asked in these groups. "What was there so much to write? He might have written all irrelevant things!" would be the exclaim of those who could not fill even the given main booklet. 

To discourage candidates from writing irrelevant and unnecessary lengthy answers, question papers carried a warning at the top of the paper. "Answer to the Point" was the popular phrase giving expression to these sentiments. Even when oral questions were asked in the regular classes, students attempting to digress or beat around the bush would be warned by the teacher. "What is it that I asked? What is your answer? Answer to the point!", the teacher would admonish.

"Answer to the point" remained the essence of the learning process. Even with all these, there were many students who never understood this simple rule. For some of them, it needed more than mere schooling to understand this very valuable principle!

*****

The patient was lying in the Intensive and Critical Care unit (ICCU) of the big hospital. His hands and legs were tied to the bed and their movement was restricted to a few inches at the most. This was for his own protection as otherwise he might have pulled out any of the many wires and tubes that were attached to his body. He knew there were many nerves and blood vessels in his body, though he did not know the count. There were so many wires and tubes attached to his body from the outside, but he could not count them as well. There were computer monitors around showing so many numbers and graphs all the time. He could not make any sense out of those numbers. The graphs they presented looked similar to some of the graphs he studied in his Mathematics classes. But it was long long ago. 

Now and then, the monitor would beep. The sound would draw the attention of a nurse. While he could not understand the reason for beeping, she knew exactly why it was so beeping. Her adjusting or moving a wire would stop the beep. She would also add some liquid to the bottle in the stand. The tube linking the bottle and the blood vessel on his hand would do its job and ensure that the liquid slowly but steadily reached his veins or arteries. When this happened, sometimes he would get agitated, while at other times a soothing feeling engulfed him. 

The lights in the room were always on. It was difficult to know whether it was day or night, or what time of the day or night it was. Initially he did not understand anything, but as days passed he realised that a shift had changed when a different nurse was moving around. There was no question of eating or drinking as the bottles in the stand and tubes connecting them to his veins did the needful. At times it would seem as if it was unfathomable bliss. A team of strong young men would come from time to time, and move him from one position to another, for whatever reasons they deemed fit. 

*****

He opened his eyes after another spell of drowsiness, or sleep, or whatever it was. A different nurse was staring down at him. Another shift has changed, he reasoned. Hers was a familiar face, as seen in earlier shifts. She had a syringe in her hand. Why does she need a syringe? The bottle is already there. She could as well drop the medicines in it, he thought.

"Good morning!", she said.

Oh! it is morning now, he understood. He tried to smile. With all the tubes around, she might not have understood that he was smiling. 

"I have to draw some blood for the lab. Can I draw, please"

"What difference will it make to a person who is already wet, standing in neck deep water, if it rains a little?"

"Can I draw some blood, Sir?"

"So many times blood has been drawn. What difference one more time will make?"

"Can I draw some blood, Sir?"

"If any blood is still left in the body, you are welcome to take it"

"Can I draw some blood, Sir?'

"You can do whatever you want"

"Is it a "Yes" Sir?"

He realised it was no time for a humorous or implied answer. Nor a round about answer. "Answer to the point! You silly", he felt his primary school teacher was shouting in his ears. 

"Yes", he replied meekly. Answer to the point, at last. Needful was done.

An individual's privacy is highly respected in some societies. Touching another person's body without permission is not acceptable. Not even by a doctor or a surgeon, while conducting an examination. They show the courtesy of asking whether it can be done. The answer should be a straightforward "Yes". Not an implied or round about permission. Express and unambiguous permission is required. 

*****

Many teachers over several years had failed repeatedly to teach him the importance of "Answer to the point". Many superiors in his work life had also failed miserable to bring home its importance. 

The smiling nurse in ICCU achieved this in a single instance!

Don't Ask That Question, Again

The young bank manager was greatly influenced by his previous branch manager, who was his mentor. He had learnt from him about the theory of Hunting and Farming as tools for business development. He believed that building long term relationships was the key for his success as a branch manager. He had seen his mentor giving top priority for mixing with and talking to customers. He would make frequent rounds of the banking hall and satisfy himself that all the customers are being attended to promptly by his staff. He would keep aside all internal work and issues whenever he saw a customer or prospect walking into his branch. He would exchange pleasantries with them and enquire about the purpose of their visit to the branch. There would be some small talk about the happenings around, on some thing that would be of interest to the customer. The topic would differ with the age, gender and background of the customer. It was sports with some, literature with some others and politics with someone else. Music and price rise would also figure with some oneelse. If the customer appeared to have some extra time, he would invite him or her for a cup of tea in his cabin. His shrewd brain was always analyzing what the customer said and attempted to spot some business opportunity all the time.

The branch was located in an upcoming extension of the city and there were some educational institutions around. Many teachers and non-teaching staff had their accounts with the branch. Branch manager was particularly interested in this segment of customers as a good share of his branch's business came from these people. Their requirements were limited and often uncomplicated. They would recognize good service quickly and were also sensitive to delays and uncourteous behavior. Staff members were aware of this and attended to them promptly and efficiently.

The two lady teachers of a nearby school would always come to the branch together. It was so even if only one of them had some work at the bank. The other would just provide company to the one with some requirement. Their accounts were well maintained and transactions were also simple. Branch manager would greet them during their visits and they would reciprocate the gesture. 

One day both the teachers walked into the branch manager's cabin and took their seats before him. The elderly teacher took out two checks from her purse and handed them over to the branch manager. They were for substantial amounts and she told him that they were the fruits of her long service at the school, being retirement benefits. She wanted to deposit them in her account and desired to invest a part of them in fixed deposits in the branch. She said she would decide about investing the other part later on. Branch manager called out the dealing staff member and gave appropriate instructions. Tea was ordered and the teacher duo waited for preparation and handing over of the fixed deposit receipts. 

The branch manager had to keep them engaged during this period. "What are your children doing?" he asked. She replied that the elder one, a daughter, was working in a private company. The younger, a son, was pursuing his post graduation. "What is your husband doing?" was the next question that was asked as tea was brought in and placed before them.

The teacher got up from her chair abruptly and told him in a stern voice, "Don't ask that question, again". As she was walking out of the cabin, manager requested her to have tea and wait for the fixed deposit receipts. "I do not want tea and I will collect the fixed deposits later", she said and walked out of the cabin. The other teacher also followed her dutifully.

The manager was perplexed with the happenings and tried to gather his thoughts. The assistant manager who saw this from outside the manager's cabin was also flabbergast. There was nothing wrong with the question. It was a normal and usual question that is asked to many around us. There was no need for such response, he thought. What should be done next, he wondered. He decided to keep quiet for the time being.

The other teacher came to the branch alone after a couple of days. Manager tried to raise the issue with her. "It is not proper for me to say anything on this. She is not coming to the school as she has retired. She has also not spoken to me since. She may come to you to collect the fixed deposit receipts. Let us see", she said and left after her work was done.

The elderly teacher came to the branch after a few days. She seated herself before the manager. Manager was wondering how he should start the conversation. Before he could say something she herself started talking. "I am sorry about my behavior during my last visit. Your question is something that is often asked to me by many others. Unfortunately, that is one question I don't want to be asked. That is one question for which I have no answer", she said. The manager waited for a moment thinking as to what he should say. "I was young and beautiful and he was very handsome. He was a physical trainer in the same school. We fell in love and got married. We lived for five years together and they were the best days of my life. The daughter and son were born in that period and ours was a model family. But misfortune struck me suddenly. He left with his athletics team for participating in an event in a nearby city. He did not return from there. What happened to him is not known. All efforts were made to trace him. Nothing succeeded. Police closed the missing person case after sometime. I do not know whether he is alive or not. I have been living with this question since then. When you asked me that question, it touched a raw nerve in me and I walked off in a huff", she said and wiped the tears in her eye with her kerchief. 

She collected her deposit receipts and left. Her subsequent visits were rare, but as usual. 

*****

There could be such instances when a seemingly innocuous question may bring a surprise response. But these are indeed rare and should not put us off. Talking to customers and looking for business opportunities should continue as always. Such instances provide an insight into the vagaries of life and its many dimensions. They help us to understand human nature and appreciate the joys and sufferings of people around us.

The Question is wrong

This happened when I was appearing at the SSLC (10th standard) examination. Our High School was in a good location and had large number of rooms and other infrastructure facilities were also available. Classes from VIII standard to X standard were conducted in the school and each class had at least four sections of about 50 students each. That made for nearly six hundred students. About 150 to 200 students would sit for this examination from our school. Many of the High Schools in the villages had 10 or 12 students taking the examination and the biggest school had about 50 students. Being a taluk headquarters and better connected by roads, it was an ideal place to act as a center for conducting the examination.

We often hear about the demand for seats to merit candidates. The voice for such a demand emanates from the Urban and educated sections. Because the rural and uneducated sections do not have much voice in making the demands. No doubt rural areas are politically important and strong and throw up a large number of representatives. But the representatives once elected mostly remain in the cities and the basic requirements of the villages is still inadequate. Students and women suffer more than others. Even today students in some rural areas are made to sit on the floor to write the examinations because the schools do not have required number of desks! Students from villages have to travel by bus or walk two or three miles before reaching the examination center. Many of them may not even have a breakfast when they arrive at the center. Some may say it is good because they do not fall asleep due to full stomachs. Once the examination starts all are equal. Questions papers and method of valuation are the same. Where is the level playing field?

Our school being the examination center for students of many nearby village schools cast an extra responsibility on our school authorities. Question paper bundles would arrive from the district headquarters a week before commencement of the examination and kept in the Locker room of the local bank. Head Master of the school was the Examination Superintendent and had to bring the bundles of question papers each day for the next day's subjects and keep in a room with door locked and sealed in the presence of two other officials and opened the next day in their presence. Two other senior teachers of the taluk were assigned as Assistant Superintendents to support him and run the system. Each day was a tense day for these officials as bundles have to be opened and arranged room wise and subject wise, answer papers bundled, sealed and dispatched  and everything had to go like clock work.

I was a student of Mathematics. The system at that time was that every student had to study Mathematics for 100 marks paper and this paper was called General Mathematics. Students had an option to take either Science or Arts as Optional subjects. Among the optional science subjects was another paper of Mathematics of 100 marks. In other words, arts students were to write one paper of Mathematics for 100 marks and Science students had to write two papers of Mathematics for 100 marks each. One common paper of General Mathematics and one paper of Optional Mathematics. Art students used to have subjects like History, Geography and Political Science. Naturally Optional Mathematics had a higher syllabus content and tougher than the General Mathematics paper.

There was and still is a general consensus that students taking up Optional Mathematics were or are more intelligent than arts students. Nothing can be farther from truth. During the course of our lives we have all experienced that much of what is learnt in school is useless for many of us. I was a student of Chemistry in college and ended up as a Bank Manager, fighting with Accountancy and Banking Law and had to study these subjects outside formal education. Many arts students did very well in their life and brilliant mathematics students often had to work as their employees! 

On the day of Optional Mathematics paper I went to school as usual and the examination started at 10 AM. It was a paper for 3 hours. After receiving the question paper and reading it, I found that one question for four marks was wrong. I told the hall Supervisor that the question was wrong and that I want to talk to my Mathematics teacher - the one who taught "Anything multiplied by Zero is Zero". He was one of the Assistant Superintendent  for the examination and was a busy man. Student from any other school could not have the privilege of calling his teacher. The Hall Supervisor sent words for calling the teacher. I kept reminding him every half an hour. Around 12 noon the teacher, now Assistant Superintendent , came almost running and asked me what the problem was. I showed him the question and told him it is wrong. He saw the question for a few seconds and told me it is correct and advised me to think calmly and answer. I started arguing with him but left hurriedly to attend to other work after again advising me to think calmly and answer. I did not have the maturity at that time to understand that he was an Assistant Superintendent and discharging a different role and also that we were in an examination hall. I could not answer the question and left after completing the paper except that question.

When I came out of the hall he was waiting for me and took me aside. He asked me to read the question. The question was : "A bird flies at 60 miles an hour while flying with the wind and 20 miles an hour while flying against the wind. What is the speed at which it is flying?". What is the principle on which it is based, he asked. I told him it was based on Simultaneous equations. How, he asked.   x+y = 60 and x-y = 20, I replied. Then what is the speed at which the bird was flying, he asked.  40 miles per hour, I answered. Where is the question wrong, he asked.  They have not taken the weight of the bird into account, I said. Why is it required?, he asked. I did not have an answer. I had used super intelligence and brought an extraneous issue into the question. In the bargain lost 4 marks!

Over the years I have realised that we commit the same silly mistake many times in our real life as well.  Many questions that confront us in daily life are actually correct. We know the answers too. Often the correct answers. Instead of answering the questions in a simple way that we already know, we complicate the question by bringing in irrelevant issues. And allow the question to become tougher and more demanding. Thus we fail to answer the questions and in the bargain lose peace of mind also!