From food to politics: Parents bond outside exam halls

It’s that time of the year once again which tests the navigating skills of parents travelling with aspiring children to exam centres. Naturally, every plan of action is tailored around the needs and interests of students. But the world outside examination rooms is a different sphere.

Once candidates are holed up in an examination hall, parents are a free bird — leisurely sipping tea and chowing down on roadside eatables. This godsend moment is an opportunity to relax and discuss nearly everything under the sun: from food to fashion, movies to OTT series, family to friends, neighbourhood to mankind, India to the US and above all Rahul Gandhi to Narendra Modi. Interestingly, debate is always healthy and respectful, unlike what goes around in some other world — virtual or real.

The system to assess students’ capacity is also a hot topic of discussion. Although suggestions fly thick and fast, conversations mostly end with a usual refrain — “but what’s the solution; what can we do? The system is such”.


The most surprising part about this assemblage is the feeling of belongingness. Even inactive participants, who express their thoughts with just a nod here and a smile there, are valued as much as the active ones. Those observing the camaraderie from a distance may feel that the group members are acquaintances, which clearly isn’t the case.

Despite the sweltering weather and not-so-healthy surroundings, the environment is cool and has the atmospherics of a perfect setting for a picnic spot. For the period that examinees are confined to their seats, mothers and fathers appear least bothered about the results. Needless to say, students are quite oblivious to the hustle and bustle around the building. The destressing sessions last until the examinees pop out of the centres. As time approaches and stars become visible, the groups of crowds vanish into thin air, abandoning the topics of debates and discussions abruptly. Performers are back on the radar; everything else can wait.