Mother of all tests
Kajal Chavda appears with her newborn for college prelims so she would save a year
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, February 24, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20120224201202240218427443ddb026/Mother-of-all-tests.html)
Exams are always stressful. But it is more hassling if you are a mother still breastfeeding your newborn. That, however, did not stop Kajal Chavda — who gave birth to a baby on February 4 — from appearing for her prelims at B D Arts College for Women at Lal Darwaza.
The 24-year-old has been taking the newborn to college with her. She writes her exam on the same desk that her baby lies asleep. “The baby needs to be fed frequently so the college allowed the baby to be with me during the examination. There are two exams a day: 8 am to 11 am and from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm. The baby is asleep through most of it. If he wakes up, I feed him and hand him over to my husband Mukesh or mother-in-law who wait outside,” says Kajal.
Testing times
Kajal’s delivery was normal but she needed several stitches to close tears in the birth canal. This made it tough for her to move around. Seeing her in pain, her husband advised her against appearing for her exams. “He could not see me suffer. So, he asked me to take a drop. Exams began on February 18 and I was appearing for a retest. By skipping this chance, I would have wasted a year,” she says.
The retest was being held on the second floor but college authorities gave Kajal a room near their office on the ground floor so she would not have to climb the stairs.
“Post-delivery, I am off household chores. But the baby takes up a lot of my time. He does not understand that his mother has to study,” she says laughingly, caressing his head with love.
“I studied through the year but last-minute revisions are important. I read my textbooks while I feed him. I go through my notes at nights when he is asleep. It is tough but I find my strength in my family, and in the thought that my success will make life easier for the family,” Kajal says.
‘My husband, my strength’
When the Asarwa resident received news of her pregnancy, she was ecstatic and worried. A PTC graduate, Kajal had rejoined college so she could acquire a BEd degree to fulfil her dream of being a well-qualified teacher. Having a baby was great but she knew things were not going to be easy.
Her husband Mukesh, aware of her concerns, reassured the 24-year-old. Says Kajal, “Mukesh and I lived in the same neighbourhood. We fell in love and got married in May 2009. Meanwhile, I passed the Primary Teacher’s Certificate course with 81 per cent. I remained at home for a year. One day, while talking to Mukesh, I shared my dream of becoming a teacher. Since I had joined PTC after my Class 12 exams, he encouraged me to rejoin college so that I would become eligible to join a BEd course. I was reluctant but he really motivated me to go for it,” says Kajal.
Bight Future
She joined the BA English course at B D college and began studying in earnest when she found out she was pregnant. “I had a moment thinking it was all over. Then again I thought that by becoming a teacher with a BEd degree instead of just a PTC certificate, I would secure a brighter future for my child. The pregnancy fuelled my aspirations. Thankfully, my husband and college authorities backed me to the hilt,” says the 24-year-old.
Mukesh, who works with Havmor restaurants, ferries Kajal and their son to college and back. “My office has been helpful in letting me off for a while during the day so that I can bring Kajal and the baby home,” says the 30-year-old.
Principal Gita Mehta and the staff help Kajal in every way they can.
“She is a good student. We decided to help her after seeing how determined she was to give the exams.”
Kajal’s story does re-affirm that where there is a will, there is a way.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, February 24, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20120224201202240218427443ddb026/Mother-of-all-tests.html)
Exams are always stressful. But it is more hassling if you are a mother still breastfeeding your newborn. That, however, did not stop Kajal Chavda — who gave birth to a baby on February 4 — from appearing for her prelims at B D Arts College for Women at Lal Darwaza.
The 24-year-old has been taking the newborn to college with her. She writes her exam on the same desk that her baby lies asleep. “The baby needs to be fed frequently so the college allowed the baby to be with me during the examination. There are two exams a day: 8 am to 11 am and from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm. The baby is asleep through most of it. If he wakes up, I feed him and hand him over to my husband Mukesh or mother-in-law who wait outside,” says Kajal.
Testing times
Kajal’s delivery was normal but she needed several stitches to close tears in the birth canal. This made it tough for her to move around. Seeing her in pain, her husband advised her against appearing for her exams. “He could not see me suffer. So, he asked me to take a drop. Exams began on February 18 and I was appearing for a retest. By skipping this chance, I would have wasted a year,” she says.
The retest was being held on the second floor but college authorities gave Kajal a room near their office on the ground floor so she would not have to climb the stairs.
“Post-delivery, I am off household chores. But the baby takes up a lot of my time. He does not understand that his mother has to study,” she says laughingly, caressing his head with love.
“I studied through the year but last-minute revisions are important. I read my textbooks while I feed him. I go through my notes at nights when he is asleep. It is tough but I find my strength in my family, and in the thought that my success will make life easier for the family,” Kajal says.
‘My husband, my strength’
When the Asarwa resident received news of her pregnancy, she was ecstatic and worried. A PTC graduate, Kajal had rejoined college so she could acquire a BEd degree to fulfil her dream of being a well-qualified teacher. Having a baby was great but she knew things were not going to be easy.
Her husband Mukesh, aware of her concerns, reassured the 24-year-old. Says Kajal, “Mukesh and I lived in the same neighbourhood. We fell in love and got married in May 2009. Meanwhile, I passed the Primary Teacher’s Certificate course with 81 per cent. I remained at home for a year. One day, while talking to Mukesh, I shared my dream of becoming a teacher. Since I had joined PTC after my Class 12 exams, he encouraged me to rejoin college so that I would become eligible to join a BEd course. I was reluctant but he really motivated me to go for it,” says Kajal.
Bight Future
She joined the BA English course at B D college and began studying in earnest when she found out she was pregnant. “I had a moment thinking it was all over. Then again I thought that by becoming a teacher with a BEd degree instead of just a PTC certificate, I would secure a brighter future for my child. The pregnancy fuelled my aspirations. Thankfully, my husband and college authorities backed me to the hilt,” says the 24-year-old.
Mukesh, who works with Havmor restaurants, ferries Kajal and their son to college and back. “My office has been helpful in letting me off for a while during the day so that I can bring Kajal and the baby home,” says the 30-year-old.
Principal Gita Mehta and the staff help Kajal in every way they can.
“She is a good student. We decided to help her after seeing how determined she was to give the exams.”
Kajal’s story does re-affirm that where there is a will, there is a way.
