Chandrani:- Now, I will release these little fishes in our pond.
Nonigopal:- What fishes are these?
Chandrani:- Chara Pona…I mean, when these little fishes will grow up, they will be known as Silver Carp fishes. He he he…look at those little fishes…the moment I released them in our pond water from this big bowl, they have started moving randomly here and there to find a suitable area in the pond to settle down and survive.
Nonigopal:- Oho! I know that you had the subject of Pisciculture as additional in your Madhyamik Examination.
Chandrani:- No, I am not telling these things to display my knowledge on fishes. Actually, don’t you think that we are like these little fishes only when we are in our school days? After getting out of the school, we will also start roaming here and there to find something to settle down. In our school days, we are like the little fishes enjoying ourselves in the aquarium waters, where there is no risk, no danger, but only fun and fun.
Nonigopal:- hmm…you have given the Secondary Exam this year. That’s why; you are feeling somewhat nostalgic about your school days.
Chandrani:- Yeah! To some extent…I have to…because I am a village girl. All depends on the Madhyamik Exam result. If I don’t get 75% marks or above, then my parents may not permit me to study further. If I become a well-educated girl, then my parents have to search for a well-educated groom for me. The dowry amount will increase. If I get a job, then it is ok. But, if not, then it is a double expense for my parents. They have already invested so much on my studies, and then they have to do expenses on my dowry and wedding ceremony.
Nonigopal:- I can understand your feeling, dear, but, that’s life…that’s our society…can’t help it…can’t change it also. Accha, how much these little fishes cost?
Chandrani:- Each Chara Pona is of 25 paise. If you release around 50 Chara Pona (little fishes) in a pond, then maybe, around 10 to 12 little fishes will survive to become Silver Carps, others will die. Don’t forget that some big fishes eat small fishes also. So, in the pond, for the fishes, it is the survival of the fittest.
Nonigopal:- How these little fishes are taking birth in the aquarium?
Chandrani:- In the fisheries (Myotsau Arauth), there is a separate division to reproduce little fishes from the eggs by using chemical fertilization. All these little fishes are then sold to the villagers who want to have fishes in their ponds. This is how the fishing culture in Bengal helps to boost the overall economy of Bengali people indirectly.
Nonigopal:- Hmm…You are right, Chandrani. I am feeling hungry now.
Chandrani:- Do you like green peas (Matar Suti /Kalai Suti) ?
Nonigopal:- Yeah! of course!
Chandrani:- Follow me to that field. In this season, there are lots of green peas. We will pluck and enjoy eating them. Tomorrow, you will go back to the city again to attend the first class as a student of Class IX.
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Mrs. Nainital:- Good afternoon, students! I am Mrs. Naina Nainital.
Bhanu:- Madam, you are from Nainital?
Mrs. Nainital:- Ha ha ha…No, no, I have never visited Nainital in my life, but, I also don’t know, how this surname came. Anyway, this is Class IX A, right?
Fatima:- Yes, madam!
Mrs. Nainital:- Only 42 students. All of you have taken Madhyamik Board right?
Students of Class IX A:- Yes, madam!
Jahar:- Madam! Who is the teacher of the Class IX B?
Mrs. Nainital:- Mr. Richards is their class teacher.
Students of Class IX A:- Ooooh…
Mrs. Nainital:- Hey! What happened? Why you people are making that kind of a sound?
Raqeeb:- Actually, madam! Richards Sir is a very strict teacher.
Mrs. Nainital:- No, no, nothing like that. He is a very nice man at heart. Sometimes, strictness is necessary; otherwise, you people will never learn good things in life. Anyway, Mrs. Purokayastha already told me about Bhanu and Jahar. They will remain as the class monitors in Class IX A also. Bhanu, please distribute these forms to the class. You all need to fill it up to select your additional subjects.
Bhanu:- Ok, madam!
Ritwik:- Madam, why these subjects are known as additional subjects?
Mrs. Nainital:- Because these subjects are giving you additional marks, naah! How many subjective papers do you have in Madhyamik?
Tiya:- 8 papers, madam. Each carrying 100 marks.
Mrs. Nainital:- So, in total, it is of 800 marks. Now, no matter, what additional paper you keep, the 100 marks of this subject will not be considered in calculating the gross total marks of the exam. For example, say, you have got 80 marks in your additional subject, right. Now, you have got 560 out of 800 marks. So, it is 70% marks. Now, these 80 additional marks will get added to that 560 marks to become 640 but the percentage calculation will be made on 800 marks, not on 900 marks. So, for the additional subject, your marks will jump from 70% to 80% marks.
Srabanti:- Sir, Bairagi Sir has already told us that from this year, we will have a new additional subject on ‘Work Education’.
Mrs. Nainital:- Yeah! That’s true! Generally, there are four additional subjects; Biology, Book-Keeping, Maths and Computer. Generally, no one takes Maths and Computers. So, traditionally, everyone takes either Biology or Book-Keeping. And from this year, another new subject got added, which is Work Education.
Satya:- Madam, in other schools, students have taken additional Maths and have got more than 90% marks in it. Can we opt for additional Maths if we want to?
Mrs. Nainital:- See, for a single student, we cannot have a class of Additional Maths.
Nonigopal:- No, madam! Around 10 students from this class are interested in Additional Maths.
Mrs. Nainital:- Those who want to take Additional Maths, please raise your hands. Hmm…Ok, you 10 students should go and talk to Mrs. Mohini Mukherjee.
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Mrs. Mukherjee:- I understand that you people are good at Mathematics. That’s why; you want to capitalize on it. But, the subject of Additional Maths is entirely different from the subject of General Mathematics. Here, in this subject, we have introduction of differential calculus, functions and solid geometry. Unless, you have a good depth on basic mathematics, it will be very difficult for you to grab the subject.
Sajal:- No, madam! We are confident that we will get more than 80 marks in Additional Maths. We neither like Biology nor Book –Keeping. And forget about Work Education. That is not our cup of tea.
Mrs. Mukherjee:- Ha ha ha…ok, ok. I will take a simple test on General Mathematics tomorrow. Whoever will get less than 10 in that test will not be allowed to take the Additional Maths. Is it ok with you people?
Arindam:- Yes, madam! We are ready for it.
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Mrs. Mukherjee:- So, are you all ready for the test?
Raja:- Yes, madam! We are ready for it.
Mrs. Mukherjee:- Hmm…I am dealing with 10 courageous students of this batch…I hope. Ok, here I go with my questions in the Blackboard. But, I want proper seating arrangement. Only 1 student will sit in 1 bench only and give a gap of one bench both horizontally and vertically. You are only 10 students; naah…this classroom is very big for you. Just scatter out. Now, I am writing the questions, if you have any doubt, just ask me, but don’t talk among yourselves. 1st question is ‘what would be the value of y, if 1/x + 2/y = 3/z?’ (2 marks). 2nd question is ‘A man bought 36 articles and sold 32 articles. Find his gain or loss percent.’(2 marks). 3rd question is ‘State the Sreedhar Acharya formula with an example of an equation.’ (3 marks). 4th question is ‘10% more is gained by selling a wrist watch for Rs. 2120 than by selling it for Rs. 2100. Find the cost price of the watch.’ (2 marks). 5th question is ‘If the sides of a square is increased by 10%, then the area of the square increases by what percent?’ (3 marks). 6th question is ‘A steamer travels a distance of 170 Km in 4 hours. 75% of this time has been consumed in travelling downstream and the rest in upstream travel. It can travel 10 Km less distance in the same time if it travels downstream and upstream for equal periods. Find the speed of the stream in Km/h.’ (3 marks). 7th question is ‘A number is multiplied by the square of itself and divided by the cube of its reciprocal. The number thus obtained is 5*(451/729). Find the original number.’ (3 marks). 8th question is ‘A sum of money is sufficient to pay Mayank’s wages for 40 days for Maya’s wages for 80 days. The money is sufficient to pay the wages of both for how many days?’ (2 marks). 9th question is ‘A product is subjected to 15% tax while it leaves the factory. On this price, the consumers pay an additional tax of 22% while buying it for Rs.360. Find its price before any tax in rupees.’ (2 marks). 10th question is ‘The sum of three consecutive numbers is 5 more than 1/4th of 148. What is the middle number?’ (3 marks). The total time for this test is 50 minutes. That is, 5 minutes for each sum.
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Mrs. Nainital:- All students have submitted their Additional Subject Selection Form except you 10 students. What have you people decided?
Nonigopal:- We are waiting for the test result, madam.
Prakash:- Yeah! It was a very tough test. Today in the 5th period, Mrs. Mukherjee will tell us the marks and the students who will get more than 10 in that 25 marks test will become eligible for Additional Maths.
Mrs. Nainital:- Oho! You all are playing the qualifying round now…ha ha ha…
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Mrs. Mukherjee:- Raja got the highest marks with 18 marks out of 25. But, luckily, no one has got below 10. So, all of you are selected for Additional Maths class. But, I want all of you to get more than 80% marks in Additional Maths. Start studying hard from now.
Mainak:- Madam, I always used to do silly mistakes in Maths and never even got more than 50% marks in any exam. But, here I have got 13 out of 25 and that too in a very tough Maths paper. I am getting confidence now.
Mrs. Mukherjee:- We do silly mistakes in easy Maths papers by underestimating it. When the Maths paper is tough, automatically, you become more cautious and you don’t make any silly mistakes. That’s a natural tendency of students. My hairs have become whitish by teaching you such students of Mathematics. Am I right!
Mainak:- Yes, madam! You are right!
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Nandita:- Good afternoon, Sir! May I come in!
Mr. Roland:- Yeah! Yeah! Do I have the moral right to disallow you! Come in.
Nandita:- You are smoking, Sir! That’s a bad habit, Sir! You must quit smoking.
Mr. Roland:- Oho! I am sorry! But, can’t help it! It is an addiction. I can’t live without smoking at least 5 cigarettes in a day. But, I smoke branded cigarettes only. This is ‘555’.
Nandita:- Whatever it may be, branded or non-branded. Tobacco is tobacco only.
Mr. Roland:- Yeah! I agree with it. Anyway, tell me, how can I help you this time?
Nandita:- Our NGO, ‘Aastha’ has got a special request from the central government team to campaign for ‘No Smoking’ and ‘Quit Tobacco’.
Mr. Roland:- My goodness! You are going to campaign against smokers like me. No, no, it is not a good initiative. Why you people are against smoking, I don’t understand.
Nandita:- Consumption of tobacco in any form causes cancer. Do you know that, Sir!
Mr. Roland:- Look! Let me give you one example. I know both Mr. X and Mr. Y. Mr. X never used to smoke, but died of cancer. Mr. Y is a chain smoker. He is still alive and is 62 years now.
Nandita:- Passive smokers die earlier than active smokers. So, this Mr. Y is indirectly a murderer of the society.
Mr. Roland:- There is no point in arguing with you. Anyway, you want volunteers, right. Talk directly to Shiela. She will help you out in this matter.
Nandita:- Ok, Sir! Thank you.
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Shiela Madam:- Wow! I am so happy that at least 9 students have taken ‘Work Education’ as their additional subject. I really love you such students.
Ganga:- We are in love with you since childhood, madam. That’s why; we took Work Education.
Shiela Madam:- Shut up! You are very naughty, but very good at heart. Do you people know that my elder daughter has come to afternoon session from this year? She is in Class VI now.
Joseph:- Wow! That’s a good news. What’s her name, madam?
Shiela Madam:- Her name is Sucharita.
Dolui:- Baah! It is a very good name. Ki naam shonabo tomaye ogo Sucharita…
Shiela Madam:- Dhaath…toraa naa baddo dhyepo hoye gachish…naughty students. Anyway, Dolui, we have a task to do. For the ‘No Smoking’ campaign, we have to create lots of posters and placards and Subir Sir is also planning to organize a drama on it.
Srabanti:- Dolui has already finished creating a poster, madam. The poster is completely in black and white. There is a face of a skeleton in white color with a black background. Just below that skeletal face, it is written, ‘Say No to Smoking’.
Shiela Madam:- Fantastic! Pramanik, you will play the role of a Skeleton in our street walk. Don’t worry about the make-up.
Pramanik:- Ha ha ha…I will be the Skeletor…Where is the He-Man?
Srabanti:- Dhaath…you are still a little kid.
Pramanik:- Accha! Ok, from now on, I will call you as aunty.
Joseph & Ganga:- Ha ha ha…aunty aunty…Srabanti aunty…how are you?
Srabanti:- Uff…you all are mad…toder sab kotaar screw dheela…from tomorrow, I will bring a screw driver…ha ha ha…
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Raqeeb:- Now it is high time for us to select a good tutorial or coaching center.
Kanchan:- I will not go to any coaching center. What will happen?
Raqeeb:- Nahi hota hain boss…Do you think that everyone is a fool. Now, we are in Class IX, boss. If you have to do a decent result in the Madhyamik Examination, then you have to take the help of the tutorial centers.
Chinmoy:- Yeah! These tutorial centers give lots of suggestions for the exams.
Raqeeb:- It is not only about suggestions, boss. They are so systematic in their study materials and classes that you will learn lots of things very fast and in depth.
Arindam:- Actually, these coaching centers take exams on every week. That’s why; you will automatically get prepared for any exam. But, you people are deciding to enroll in which coaching center?
Kanchan:- There are lots of good coaching centers, but it is better to go for new coaching centers because their teachers will give more effort on us to get good results in Madhyamik. The results of Madhyamik will act as marketing tools for them. Moreover, the newly formed coaching centers will charge less tuition fees than the existing coaching centers which have already earned some reputations in the education market.
Prakash:- Saala…Seyana baccha…(Smart Boy)…Ok, we will go for new coaching centers.
Raja:- At present, there are two new coaching centers competing with each other. One is ‘Superstars’ at Hazra and another one is ‘Titans’ at New Alipore. Some of us will enroll at ‘Superstars’ and others at ‘Titans’. We will get an idea which of the coaching center is better. Just before the Pre-Test of Class X, we will all enroll in the better of the two leaving the other one. This strategy will help us to compile the notes of both the coaching centers.
Ganga:- Baapre baap! You people are making strategies from now on itself for the Madhyamik Exam in which we will appear after 1.5 years. As if we are a football team, targeting the league cup…ha ha ha…Anyway, I will enroll in the ‘Titans’ by this week.
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Sudeshna:- Uff…biology is such a boring subject.
Santu:- Then, why have you taken additional biology.
Sudeshna:- Because the syllabus of additional biology will help me in the future if I take biology in Class IX and X.
Santu:- Exactly! It will help us in future and moreover, it is a scoring subject also. Ei...can you see those young lady teachers. Who are they?
Sudeshna:- I have no idea.
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Mr. Roland:- Students! I have an important announcement to make. For the next two weeks, your classes will be taken by the budding teachers who are doing their B.Ed courses in some of the respective colleges of Kolkata. This is a part of their B.Ed curriculum to visit any reputed school and teach there for 2-3 weeks as a trainee teacher. So, I would request all of you to co-operate with them and please don’t misbehave with them, because the prestige of the school is associated with it. I don’t want any of the B.Ed students to go out of this school and say, ‘Oh! I have taught the students of Saint Sebastian School. My God! They are just hooligans!’ No, I don’t want that kind of a response. These trainee teachers are hardly 7-8 years elder than you. They are very friendly and I hope you all will enjoy their classes. If I find any complaint in any of their classes, then you know me very well. Don’t forget that you all are in Class IX now. Hope my statements are crystal clear to all of you. Bye for now.
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