"How was your Exam?"

September 19, 1997

Swami: How was the exam?

Student: Swami exam starts on 27th.

Swami: How was the small test conducted today in the class? How much will you get? (The student hesitated). You must have self-confidence. Tell approximately how much you will get?

Student: Swami, 10/25.

Swami: Why so less?

Student: Question paper was tough.

Swami: (Calling the teacher) Was it tough? (To the student) If you read properly from the book, will it be tough?

Teacher: Swami, he is a good boy.

Swami: All boys are good. One should get good marks too. Good boys should get good marks. (To the student) What is asked in your exam is from the subject and the text. You must therefore never say the paper was tough. You can give this excuse in other colleges, but not here. I keep a watch on all things. If I feel that any paper is tough, I will tighten the teachers. There is a question bank of 3,000 questions in the library. A person by name Natarajan from Delhi spent two months with all the teachers here and prepared the question bank. Why don’t you make use of it? There was once a teacher who used to pronounce the words ‘hostel’ and ‘bag’ in a wrong manner. Therefore, I arranged for training in pronunciation for the teachers. A teacher from Hyderabad came and taught them for two months. Then, I used to visit the Institute regularly. How can I come now? Boys do not like My coming. (Students shouted in unison, “No, Swami.”)

(To a student) Talk Less and Study More.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (1991-2000)