The Family

The First Days of My Job Were Horrible

Posted on the December 6th, 2008 under My college by Sweet Mommy

I had started working right after doing graduation. I joined Jansatta, the Hindi paper of Indian Express group in Chandigarh. I worked as trainee sub editor. I have worked with Amar Ujala as reporter. Both the jobs were low paying and demanded a lot of work. As a sub editor, I used to work in the 3 to 11 shift and as a reporter there was no fixed hours of returning home. Then for three years, I worked as a kindergarten teacher in a school which I opened in partnership with four other persons. I used to get up at 5 a.m. and work till 12 in the night. Then the partnership failed and it caused a lot of embarrassment for me.

After marriage, my in-laws asked me to quit job, which I gladly did. I was fed up with working and changing jobs.

Then three years passed peacefully, I gave birth to my daughter and suddenly I got the news that I had been selected for the govt. job for which I had applied ages ago.

Every body was saying that my daughter has brought good luck with her.But the reality struck very soon. I had to live alone in the city where I got my first appointment. There was tension about who will look after my daughter who was eight months at that time. My mother took leave from her job and came to stay with us initially. Then my husband’s aunt came for three months, after that it was again my mother’s turn. That first year was really harrowing. I was always tense. I had to prepare lectures, I was made head of department so there were added responsibilities, the timing of college was very uncomfortable. It was from 11.15 am to 5 pm. My daughter had never been separated from me from birth, but now I had to be away from her for more than seven hours. She got ill. My husband was away with his job in Bangalore. He could do nothing.

The principal of the college was very nasty, a shrewd politician, who liked to  play dual games with the lecturers. Making them quarrel with each other.

. The other two colleagues, who were also newly appointed like me, made things worse. They would enter in arguments with the principal and ask me to sort things out. Being the head of department, I would have to interact with the principal on daily basis and I dreaded that. I had lost my sleep in those days. Even a small issue in the college will give me headache and I would lose appetite. I developed chronic diarrhea as a result of being always in tension.
My daughter lost considerably. It was the first time since her birth that I had to be away from her and that too for six-seven hours. I didn’t get the time to settle her gradually.Separation from
mother always affect a child. My daughter stopped eating. Earlier she was a healthy child but now she got ill frequently.
Now when I look back, I can’t imagine how I passed those days. I can’t thank my mother enough. I have never told her how grateful I am. My mother- in law never offered to take leave and come to stay with us, not even during holidays. She always has this excuse: I am asthmatic.
My husband’s aunt also helped a lot. She became quite attached to my daughter. I feel sad when we go to meet her. She tried to cuddle Jahnavi just like old days but Jahnavi shies away. She doesn’t recognise her.

Staff Room Tiff

Posted on the August 6th, 2008 under My college by Sweet Mommy

There is no use of being a hard working and sincere teacher here. People feel jealous, they make fun of you when you show sincerity in your work. This is what I felt today.
The class room for 3rd year was not yet ready, the workers were shifting benches there. I asked them to sit in the staff room, as no body sits there( when the whole college has power running at full, the staff room lacks electricity). One lecturer came,gave us one look, and then off she went” Don’t take classes in the staff room. This is not the place to take classes.” I said that our room is getting ready and we will sit here for another five minutes till the class is over ( obviously, she had let off her class earlier than the scheduled time). She retorted, ” No,no you should not sit here.” Such audacity! You don’t take your own classes properly, and you have problem with those who are doing their work honestly.

I have to be on Exam Duty

Posted on the July 13th, 2008 under My college by Sweet Mommy

Today is Sunday, but I have to be on exam duty in my college. The exam duty is a nuisance for most of the teaching staff ( especially females). Many lecturers had proposed that the non-teaching staff be employed in the duty and those lecturers, who are not interested in this duty, they should be spared.but the new principal is adamant that the lecturers will do this duty.

Lecturers argue that these exams are being conducted by a different university, so they should not be forced to do the exam duty. They say that we already do other duties( including exams) which are assigned by our own university, so either the college should decline to hold exams of other universities or it should  involve the whole non-teaching staff, so that lecturers don’t feel the pinch.

The remuneration is pathetic. Its $2.50 per exam, why would I sweat for four hours in this heat just for this petty amount?

The new principal seems to be rude and un-coperative. He straight forward told all the staff that they have to do these duties come what may. Now people have devised ways to get around it. Many lecturers get the duties assigned in pairs ( two teachers in one room). Teacher A will come in the second half, till then teacher B will do the exam duty. After teacher A comes, teacher B leaves for home. So both of them are being paid for two hours instead of four.