Polls and My School Annual Exams
Shubhadip Deb Roy
May 1, 2026
Elections
in West Bengal remind me of my annual school exams. Not because of democracy or
change of government. Because of panic. The fear of failing and not getting
promoted.
Before
elections, candidates run nonstop. No sleep. No break. Same as me before annual
exams. One night. Full syllabus. Most pages look brand new. Zero preparation.
Maximum confidence.
That
confidence comes when I know I can copy and pass. When the invigilator Sir or
Madam is soft & lenient. Same as a candidate who is sure of winning through
rigging.
Candidates
move ward to ward. Door to door. Smile fixed. Promise ready. I move question to
question. Page to page. Hope fixed. Guess ready.
The
whole year, I ignore teachers. Candidates ignore voters. Exams come, teachers
become important. Elections come, voters become important.
“Sir,
important questions ta বলুন.
Next year I promise, Sir, I will pay attention to your classes. মাকালির কিরা স্যার,
বিদ্যা স্যার,
একদম মন দিয়ে পড়ব।”
Candidate version. “দাদা,
দিদি,
কী চাই বলুন। এবার ভোটটা আমাকে দিন। আমি আপনাদের পাশে থাকব।””
At
home, I read loudly so my mother believes I study. Candidates do rallies,
miking, street meetings so voters believe they work.
Volume high. Intention same.
Then
comes the big day.
Question
paper opens. Two questions look familiar. The rest feel alien. I think the
teacher made a mistake.
“এটা সিলেবাসে ছিল?”
Same
on voting day. Candidates recognize a few faces. The rest looks new.
“এত ভোটার কোথায় ছিল?”
After
the exam, real stress starts.
My
mother turns into a full time psephologist. Exit poll starts instantly.
“How many questions attempted?”
“Question 5 ঠিক হয়েছে?”
“Question
3 ছেড়ে এলি কেন?”
Her
prediction is brutal.
“Result খারাপ হবে।”
Result
day comes. She is always right.
In
elections, candidates wait for counting day. TV channels run exit polls. In my
life, my mother declares the result on exam day itself.
Moral.
Election Commission takes time. Mothers don’t.
Mother’s
Day is on 10th May 2026. Pay a tribute to your mother, love her, hug her &
tell her you care for her.
(Tripurainfo)
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