The world had already suffered a drastic change one year ago. After several months of adjustment, the 10th-grade students had finally gotten used to the nuances of online schooling and for a moment, it felt like things had settled down. However, change being the only constant, this calm did not last and before soon another challenge arose- the feared board exams. What was anyway an anxiety-inducing experience, now doubled in its maliciousness, as students attempted to cope with studying at home. In another twist, the board exams were cancelled, which led to a collective sigh of relief and then the uprise of collective doubt regarding how the marks were to be allotted now.
In the course of this true rollercoaster of an experience, some students managed to hop off the ride by getting admitted to schools, which considered their previous scores and were not too concerned with the board results, given the circumstances. While these students faced a challenge in trying to adjust to their new schools, the ones still on the rollercoaster encountered a divergent one- anxiously navigating their college admissions.
This ride was not without its numerous twists and turns either. All students were waiting at the edges of their seats, for the ICSE board results. There were bouts of fake news and a fair share of fake WhatsApp messages in the following months, but no word from the board. At last, when it felt like the news was never going to arrive, an announcement was made, declaring that the results would be announced on the 24th of July. At 3 pm on the momentous occasion, all ICSE students sat with their laptops and received their results, which, largely, were quite satisfactory! Even when the board declared that no rankings would be announced for 2021, there was hardly anyone morose, for it felt like the nightmare was finally over.
Yet, even this proved to be a temporary victory. The CET exams were announced in
Maharashtra, which were to be considered during college admissions and which were also to take place in-person. Another important aspect of these exams was that they were to be based on the state board’s portion, which left the ICSE students baffled. How were these students to study an entire year’s portion in a few months? Nevertheless, CET tuitions and crash courses began, with students keeping their heads down and hoping to somehow get through it. After a while of working and a few appeals to the high courts, the CET exams, too, were cancelled.
The admissions, now back to relying on the board results, announced their procedures and students began to gather their paperwork. After a lot of questions asked, and several answers provided on the aforementioned WhatsApp groups, applications were sent out. Today, lists are already coming out and students are either rejoicing or sulking. Thus begins the final hurdle to the ultimate ‘new change’. The college sessions will soon begin and students can suffer through just one more adjustment period, hopefully for the last time this year.
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