NO, it is not a French word, as I hardly know French.. It is a reversed order term for those bright young minds who manage to get into the Merit List (TOP 100) of the SSC (10th Grade) exams.
To begin with, as already illustrated in my previous post, these breed of people were a rarity at Crescent High, May be if there was a list for the BOTTOM 100,,, No, No, because those who could have been eligible for the Bottom 100 spot, were disqualified by the school in IX standards itself, to maintain a 100% result record.. what a pity?
But anyone who has gone through the rigor of a X standard Board exam, in Maharashtra, or perhaps in any other board in India, can testify to this craze of getting in the Merit List.. it is huge
There is a huge peer pressure, relative pressure (close and far off relatives whom you see when you are in Xth and then they just mysteriously are never seen again), neighbors, parents, pets,
typical conversations begin with a tone ” you are in Tenth.. right na? “, really, we have been neighbors for 10yrs, your son is in my class, are you having Gajnini disease… but no, you politely say ÿes”, and then begins a long pointless set of questions
“So when are the board exams ” ..really for the past 3 decades they are in the month of March.. but again a polite “March”
“So how is your preparation”… other than engaging in pointless conversations that remind me I am in Xth…polite “Good
“So how much did you get in the tests”.. which one, school test, unit tests or terminals.. or class sunday tests, or the test series .. or the prelims….polite “Decent”
“So good, you should work hard”… really..polite ÿes
“So we should expect your photo in the paper”.. for what, killing a mindless person asking mindless question.. polite ‘I will try”
“You know my cousins.. brother”s..in laws.. aunty’s’… daughter came 5th in the board exams”…really, that is your claim to fame ..polite “thats great, she must be intelligent” (cant control yourself all the time)
but to all these poppers I had a question which they never could answer…”Ok if a person comes in the merit list, what exactly happens ??
you get admission in a good college.. DUH, there are 5 top colleges in Pune, each has a capacity of 700, I bet those who do not get in Merit List do get admissions
you get a medal.. so a lifelong reminder that you spent 1 yr of your life as a Bookworm..
here is what you get.. YOU GET CLAIMED
you are claimed by a hundred relatives, who pop in with flowers to congratulate you, with cassandra belief saying “I knew you would come in the merit list”
you are claimed by your teachers, who probably never noticed you in class that much..
You are claimed by your so called friends, who call to congratulate you, and every call you have no idea who is on the other side of the line..
But just imagine the pressure it creates…apparently 10th board is followed by a 12th board, which is followed by a quest to become the University topper each year of your Bachelors degree, and then a quest for a perfect GPA at your masters.. and every time you slip, you are reminded by your peers, you are a TOPPER, do not waste all that you have done your entire life, this NEXT exam is IMPORTANT…
So I am glad that I am not a Board Ranker… to be frank was never in contention for it,, miles away..not even close
because after all what is the point, when,
After being the Merit ranker in 10th, getting another medal in 12th, being a university topper for your bachelors, getting another medal for it… you are going to sit next to a person, who took 5yrs to complete a 4 yr degree,, and both of you are going to Copy-Paste a piece of computer code from one file to another..and probably the next person is better at doing it..
oh yes, I though this crazy obsession is not in India only, but as it turns out US schools have it too, there the TOPPER is called as a VALEDICTORIAN..fancy name,,same shit
fun story