Before I start my not so brief lowdown of my journey to the crux of success, let me introduce myself.
My name is Rohan Anand. I hail from Odisha which is pre-eminently known for Lord Jagannath. I have completed my B.Tech (Needless to say) in the year 2011. So, I am kind of a veteran in the arena of competitive examinations. Before engrossing myself fully into the competitive world, if I may say
so, I was an inept person who had always belittled his ability. My story isn’t an emotional one unlike others. Even I would restrain myself from bragging about my prowess which isn’t decent at all.
After completion of B.Tech in Electrical Engineering, I was sort of sure that with emboldened by the so called technical knowledge which I had learnt in those 4 years of my B.Tech, I could nail anything that would have come on my way. That was a sheer myth. In reality, I was inept and quiet far off from the real Engineering. Like other engineering graduates I had applied to almost all core companies in Odisha and in other states. But it is quiet apparent that if you don’t have recommendations or references then your chances of getting a job in a core company is no more than a “ZILCH”. As I was naïve at that point in time, I was kind of pleading and moving from pillar to post to bag a job in a core company but of no use. Then from Aug 2011, to be précised, to March 30, 2013, I had worked as a lecturer in a city based Engineering College. These about one and half year work profile obliterated the real profile of mine. Having a degree with a monumental score is not a new thing now-a-days. You have to prove yourself at every stage of your tryst with the struggle as a graduate or an engineer, whatever may be. Even after leaving lectureship which I left because of the dogmatic rules of “Private” organizations particularly in Odisha, I was bit skeptic about my future.
Then one of my friends, Biswajit, who was preparing for competitive examination, literally convinced me about most hallowed “Government” Jobs. It might be sounding like a T.V. commercial but it’s true. Then we both started preparing not so seriously, that’s why it took us another 2 years to get a govt. job. We started shuttling from one coaching institute to another without any idea of what we were actually needed whether SSC or Bank or Insurance etc. Finally, we decided to cash in on internet and edifying websites which were available to help us like an ATM.
Some predicaments which crippled us to a great extent were:
§ Exorbitant application fees: Well, I don’t want to cast aspersions on any particular category be it general or special. Everyone knows it and we all have to bear with the system. But that Rs 600 per application was quiet heart-wrenching.
§ Nagging relatives and neighbours: These people are the most infuriating elements in your life. They would irritate you without any sole purpose. I wish if I had a press button of Ctrl+Shift+Delete for permanently deleting these nagging elementsthen I would have pressed it quiet earlier. “When you face the no sayer, remember the people who believed in you and spoke positive words to you”.
§ Failures in examinations: This is a part and parcel of any competitive examination. Each one has to face this at least once in one’s struggling before relishing the taste of success. Success isn’t a quirk of fate or any hocus-pocus it’s a locus where one needs to focus.
§ Hidden Family Pressure: Father would always tell you, son doesn’t worry about your failure I am here with you. Mother would pray for you selflessly. But you can discern and feel all the hidden sorrows without them being saying it. This is what is near impossible to endure it no matter how much strong you are.
§ Tormenting Time: Nobody knows when she/he is going to get his aspired job. But time plays a pivotal role in deciding the overall result of one’s effort. Time brings anxiety and anticipation. Anxiety of an impending failure and anticipation of an impending success. Time can make or mar the future of anyone.
Brief History of my competitive journey as of now:
One might think that I am writing as if I have got an IAS job. But at present scenario getting a govt. clerical job is no less than a collector job. I am not saying that I will not try to ascend further but that is an axiomatic fact.
IBPS PO 2013: Unable to clear even sectional cut-offs.
IBPS Clerk 2013: Same as above.
NICL Assistant 2013: Same as above.
SBI PO 2013: Got star marks in some sections.
Postal Assistant: Written cleared but failed in typing test.
IBPS RRB 2013: Cleared but was not called for interview because of low written marks.
RBI Assistant 2014: Written cleared with 162 marks and wasn’t hopeful about the final selection. Same happened.
Then not so fortunately I cleared the celebrated IBPS PO 2014 with 86 marks as the grin on my face at that point in time was about to narrow. I got 13.8 in interview and didn’t make to the final PO list because of low combined score.
IBPS Clerk 2014: Written Cleared but failed in the interview.
After the IBPS “D-day” i.e. April 1, 2014, I plunged into the core of despair. I was shattered to the very core and that day was no less than a doomsday. But it wasn’t an insurmountable problem for me at all. I decided to fight back. Well, I mustered a lot of valor and started preparing for NICL Assistant 2015. Meanwhile, I developed a knack of writing articles. Some of my articles have been published in news daily of repute “The New Indian Express”. I have also written some articles for different blogs. This attitude somehow became an impetus in cracking the NICL interview.
NICL Assistant 2015: Finally I got my selection in this PSU of repute.
The moment I saw my name in the final list I couldn’t believe eyes. All of my efforts finally have paid off. Now I can proudly say that I have transfigured myself from a no one to someone. I would take this opportunity to present a bouquet of thanks to almighty and to all those who stood by me through thick and thin. At last but not the least a special thanks to BANKEXAMSTODAY and Ramandeep Singh (My digital mentor). Self study is way better than any coaching institutes. Those who cling themselves to internet need no advices and suggestions.
Ability to rise amidst adversities is a hallmark of a champion.