Society

'Beta, Gwala Mat Bolo'

Advertisement

'Beta, Gwala Mat Bolo'
info_icon

Mrs Kamra and Mrs Dogra. The genteel Dehradun ladies don't advertise. Theydon’t need to, being only too well-known on a narrow circuit of public schoolpupils, parents and teachers. And word-of-mouth travels fast to aspiring parentsfrom north India, increasingly sending 11-year-olds to them to be coached andpolished for entrance exams and interviews conducted by Doon School and itscounterpart for girls, Welham Girls School.

There are other coaching centres around in this city, but it’s theseladies, says the grapevine, who’ve sussed out what impresses a Doon schoolheadmaster these days. Be honest, they tell kids, if you’re asked whatlanguage you speak at home. If it’s Hindi, say so. Don’t pretend to play aninstrument that you can’t; say, "I’d love to learn". But a kid whoartlessly blurts out, "My papa is a gwala (cowherd)", is gently told, "Beta,gwala mat bolo, say 'dairy farming'". Get yourself an interesting hobby,kids are told -- watching insects, perhaps, rather than Formula One racing cars- and research it well. And don’t shake your leg when the headmaster istalking to you.

Advertisement

There is a price-tag attached, of course: tuition costs nothing less than Rs20,000 per month, and can involve three-and-a-half months of coaching, or more.Even a quick crash course before the interview can set you back by Rs 10,000.Doon school frowns upon the coaching, but that hasn’t stopped thismini-industry from flourishing.

Dehradun housewives are reaping the benefits, too, renting out furnishedstudio apartments for Rs 8,000-Rs12,000 to aspiring parents, who arrive withtheir wards from Delhi, UP, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar, during the "season". Itpeaks during school holiday time in May and October, but continuesintermittently until interviews are held in December. Some parents don’t evenhang around, they park their 11-year-olds in hostels in Dehradun, having themmiss school back home.

Advertisement

Ironically, it is the fairness of the current admissions system at Doon --more transparent that it has even been in the past, say teachers -- thatencourages hopeful parents to get their kids coached. If your kid can max thepapers, and can convince the interview panel that there’s more to him thanacademic ability, he has a pretty good chance of getting one of the 80-100 seatsfor which there are 500-plus applicants.

Tags

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement