After passing my Xth Board and XIIth Board examination from the good old school of South Calcutta, I took admission in the third-best college of Calcutta (now Kolkata). This college is now among the top hundred colleges in India in Science stream. In the beginning, I had had a great excitement that I would study in a co-ed. college. But, very unfortunately, the Head of the Department of Maths. (I was a student of Maths. Hons.) was very well-known to the entire extended family of mine and lived very near to our residence. So, if I bunked the Honours classes, the next morning he used to complain to my father in the market.
However, as the students of Science Departments were considered intellectuals, most of these Science students (including myself) used to smoke, had cups of tea during the break and used to discuss politics. But these intellectual students never used the main library or departmental library. Only a girl from Maths. Department used to visit the library. I avoided her as much as possible. Ultimately, she stood first in the Maths. Hons. and acquired overall third rank in the University. Later, she did very well in M.Sc. Applied Maths.
I also watched many movies during my college days (needless to say, bunking classes of subsidiary subjects).
Later, during my university days, I became member of cine club and joined various other activities. Bunking university classes, I even obtained a Diploma in Science Journalism and learnt various nitty-gritties of journalism like giving short, crispy and uncommon titles to attract the readers.
So, breaks, open periods and bunking classes are also important for overall education and personality development of students. This is my firm opinion.
Billo Rani kahon to abhi jaan de doon: Oh dear Billo, if you ask, I will give my life
