Backlogs!

I feel like reminiscing about the much dreaded backlogs.. I mean, now that college is over and the degree has been "earned", it is easier to talk about Backlogs as a sort of experience that helps one "mature" and develop a "holistic" view of things... But mind it, these very backlogs were the source of much agony & heartbreak when they actually "occured"...


My hypothesis of me getting backlogs is very simple... I had nothing to do with them... They were freak accidents that could have happened to anybody...Only, they happened to me... Weight is given to this hypothesis by the simple fact that I managed to pass most of the subjects where I really dreaded getting a backlog... Take for example Econometrics... or even Economics... or for that matter Financial Management... or even OR... I only got backlogs where I felt I had performed exceedingly well (relative to my knowledge of the subject) or where I thought I'd at least be an "average"...

Case 1: Managerial Accountancy Internals was my first backlog...My first backlog in the history of my educational "career"... I was handed out a backlog when I failed to score the 0.7* average score i.e. 36 or 37... I think I scored 24.. And why, you ask?... Because I had not had a good meal for days, dreading the Man Acc paper... I avenged my hunger by eating up all 0s... So 10,00,000 magically became 10,00,00....So Cost Sheets would obviously be wrong... I made the same mistake in least 3 different questions... I remember begging the prof to somehow pass me so that "ye kalank mere charitra se dhul jaye", but he refused... So thats that... By the way, I scored very well in the Man Acc externals, implying that the fault lay not with understanding, but merely with executing... And anyways.. I turned out to be the Man Acc backlog topper... and it contributed more to my GPA than what would have been the contribution in case of just scraping through in the Internals...

Case 2: Leadership internals... I mean who flunks Leadership?... It was a paper that tested pfaffability and I am certain of my prowess in pfaffing my way through most situations... So the question is, How did I flunk?.. Basically, I was not allowed to sit for one of the evaluations, thanks to me bunking one of the Guest Lectures... Later on, when I begged to be allowed to write the missed evaluation, I was told that I'd have to pay a fine of Rs. 1000... Now, applying for backlog cost Rs 500 ... So, demonstrating the business acumen that had been gained in the last 3 semesters, it was clear that paying the fine would undoubtedly be a "lose-win" scenario, monetarily speaking... I also remember begging and stalking the professor for days at end and the way she treated me, like a stray dog, really disgusted me...And anyways, it is not always about marks... It is about principles... Why should I pay to sit for re-exam for bunking a stoopid guest lecture that was in no way related to this subject?... In any case, flunk I did... And I did re-appear for Leadership internals.. where, once more I turned out to be the topper...

Anyways...My sole 'academic achievement' in College has been topping Backlog exams.

I am yet to use a single principle of Man Acc in my life or for that matter demonstrate the traits of leadership that were identified in the course on Leadership...So, thats that!