My Chemistry Teacher

My Chemistry Teacher

It was an  archetypal morning. Yes, Board results for 12^th standard CBSE were to be declared. Rahul was quite nervous about it. Even though he was always considered to be a lazy child, unlike his true self, he had put in lots of efforts for this exam. “I wish I make at least myself proud ,” he thought while refreshing the site .

 “Are the results declared?” asked his mother. “No  Maa. The site is crashing again and again.” He answered anxiously. He closed his eyes for a while ,chanted Gayatri Mantra ,opened his eyes and refreshed the page. The moment of surprise was just about to tap at his door .**CBSE 2016 Board Results**.He opened the link and entered his seat number. The marksheet was flashing on the screen. He could not believe his luck.

He had scored 95%. He checked his seat number and name again but the score didn’t change. He had scored highest in Chemistry. Good Lord! This was out of the world feeling. Has he really??? He was jumping with joy. Hugging his mother tightly he actually cried. “Thank you so much Anjana ma’am.I love you”. He shouted at the top of his voice. He knew she wouldn’t hear it but he wanted to express his happiness and he did.

His teacher had always told him that if she was making them slog, it was for their benefit. If she had been strict with them it was for making them disciplined. But did he realise it then? No, he didn’t. His mind drifted back into the memory lane......

“This is not Markonikov rule. What’s wrong with you Rahul?” she screamed. Rahul was physically present but mentally absent. He was trying to recall his past experience with his Chemistry teacher. Anjana ma’am was such a partial teacher. Whoever would be responsible for the mischief but finally the one to  be punished was Rahul. If someone would giggle, she would throw dagger on him. If someone would produce a weird sound to distract her, she would directly walk to his desk .She was the most irritating teacher in the school. She would get on his nerves.

He still remembered the day when Science practical exams were going on. Somebody had flicked off a beaker from the lab. When she got to know about that she called him out of the lab and asked him to return the beaker .He was at the end of his tether. He was mad with rage. He felt like screaming out loudly but then he remembered what his mother had said. “I don’t want any complain from the school , Rahul”. Why does CBSE keep 11^th and 12^th grade students in school? Why can’t they keep separate Junior Colleges? At least they will have different teachers.

He was back from his trance when he heard the shrill cry of Anjana Ma’am. “I am waiting for your answer,Rahul”. “But what was the  question ma’am?”,he asked seriously. “What is Markonikov rule?” she asked sarcastically. “The person having power, dominates”, he mumbled. “Speak loudly I can’t hear”, she demanded. “The product with more branches dominate”, he said loud enough to be heard. She asked him to take his seat. He simply hated the way she made the students slog and learn.

But ,today while looking at his computer screen he realised that if she would not have been strict with him he would not have scored the highest in the subject he hated the most, ‘ Chemistry’ . He understood the fact that even though he didn’t like the way it was taught, her intentions were always good. “Thanks a ton Anjana ma’am.I will always be indebted to you”, he shouted with joy.