Time Is Value

The first realization of it came when sitting in the examination hall and concentrating on the question paper that was handed over moments ago. All the guidelines given by the class teacher that thinking beforehand about the strategies you might use in the exam room to plan and write your answers would help you to feel calmer and more prepared. rushed to revive in mind:

Read the instructions carefully – Before looking at the actual questions, read the instructions. Are there compulsory questions? Marks are often lost by nervous or over-confident students who overlook instructions.

Work out the timing - Divide your time according to the number of questions to be answered. Split it proportionately if you have some questions (or parts of questions) which attract more marks than others.

Read the questions carefully -  Read through the paper once and then re-read each question. You might think a topic you've revised hasn't come up, when it is there but the wording is unusual.

Choose your best questions - Mark any questions you might answer, and then check that you fully understand it. Do not answer a question that you do not understand.

Decide on question order -  Start with the topic you know best to give yourself  good start.

Plan before you write – The stress of working under time constraints in the exam room can make all your good study intentions disappear. However, this is when it's more important than ever to get your ideas across clearly and concisely.

What to do if your mind goes blank – most students fear this happening. If it does – put your pen down, take a deep breath, sit back and relax for a moment. If you're in the middle of an answer, read through what you have written so far – what happens next? Leave a gap. It will probably come back to you once you are less anxious.

As I grew up, I realised that all those guidelines given by the class teacher for taking exam hold good for our everyday adult life - each one of them. We need time. We need time to work, to eat, to sleep, and to accomplish all the daily chores of living. We also need time to know and understand our mates, our children, and our friends. Most of our relationships, in fact, require more time than we have, and it is difficult to avoid the feeling that we could never have enough. Nor is our list of demands on our time complete. It is my endeavor always to remember those school time guidelines when tackling any questions  coming up in life, but many a times fail to follow them, thinking they are no longer relevant, and then have to face the consequences.

Before concluding my response, as is expected of me being a movie buff, I would like to bring in a brilliantly written movie “Kanoon” made by the late B. R. Chopra., especially the stunning climax scene - a scene that captures a five-minute silence, with the pendulum in focus, in the courtroom is a BR master-stroke. On the lighter side, another movie that comes to mind in the context of time is Shashi Kapoor’s superhit, “Jab Jab Phool Khile” in which the leading lady Nanda while avoiding to interact with Shashi Kapoor speaks the dialogue - “Tam nahin!” (No time) - every time he wants her attention.