Mystory@Shruti Jiwrajka: How I made it to my chosen course and college

Mystory@Shruti Jiwrajka

I was not a bright student in my class but just about an average student who never liked to study subjects which everyone else thought to be very important for students’ future. Luckily, my parents were very supportive of me. I always had a keen interest in drawing, arts & craft, etc. So, during school holidays, my parents would send me to some craft classes. They only advised and explained to me the need to clear school exams in order to move on to the next class because to pursue further studies I had to clear my 12^th Board exam.

After passing class 10^th, I thought of joining the only institute in town which helped students prepare for NIFT entrance exam. As my hometown Bhagalpur is not a big city or town, there is no scope for higher education. It was decided that like all my elder sisters, I’ll also have to move out for studies after Class 12^th. There was no option to study Arts in schools in Bhagalpur, so I had to take Commerce stream in Class 12^th.

When I was in Class 11^th, I started having health problems and couldn't go to school regularly. So, going to attend NIFT entrance exam coaching was not possible for me. Somehow, I managed to show 75% attendance in school, without which I would not have been promoted to the next class.

My parents took me to doctors in Bhagalpur and also Kolkata. It was a long and tedious process but after visiting many doctors and taking a lot of medicines, my health started getting better. As I hadn't gone to school for quite some time, all friends I had made in the first three months of school ditched me, except one. I didn't get any help from my friends and had to complete all my coursework and missed lessons by myself without any help.

Back then I was very disturbed and NIFT was totally out of my mind. Passing my Board exam was my first priority. My friend Bharti supported me at every step and because of her I got the confidence that I can clear my exam. She used to come and stay at my house from morning to evening and helped me prepare for my exam. She shared with me everything that was taught in school. With the support of my family and friend I gave my 12^th Board exams.

How I cracked college admission

After I was done with my Board exams, my parents and my sister suggested me to join JS Education to prepare for NIFT entrance exam. When I went for admission, the institute’s director Rajiv Kant Mishra asked me just a single question, “What do you want to do in future?” and my answer was, “Not what everyone is doing, I want to do something creative, something artistic in my life and not simple studies,” and after seeing my art & craft work he said that I was on the right path and a perfect student for NIFT. I think that was the turning point of my life.

I took NIFT coaching for more than 50 days till my 12th board result came out. I passed the exam but not with very good marks, only 56%. That time I was very confused about what to do and what not “shall I drop a year or I should I take admission in some private Design college”. That time I thought that dropping a year was a big deal but my elder sister Surabhi told me, “To achieve big things dropping a year is nothing”. But leaving my home town and living in a PG accommodation was not possible for me because of my health. My dad also didn’t want me to go out and study due to my health issues. I decided that if my family doesn’t have any problem with me taking a drop year, why should I take the tension of people around and what they think about my decision. My main motive was to get admission in NIFT so I decided to prepare for it but it was not easy due to my health issues, moreover people around start talking that you are doing nothing sitting at home.

There were so many problems but for the first time in my life I was so determined and desperate for something that my only goal was to get admission in NIFT. My parents and my teacher helped me a lot and I started feeling confident when I topped the first test in the coaching institute. This was my first time when I topped in any field or in any subject. After studying hard for nine months, the time came for the competitive exams. The first exam for NID was on 10th January. I didn’t fare well in the exam, so I knew that I will not get admission in NID. So my next chance was to qualify NIFT. I was waiting eagerly for the exam date and my first written exam for NIFT CAT and GAT was on 14^th Feb (Valentine’s Day). It was my bad luck that the question pattern of CAT was totally changed that year. No poster, no human figure, none of what I had prepared for was asked in the test. We were asked to make a grid and 4 figures from shapes. I did my level best in both CAT and GAT and started to prepare for the next exam, i.e. NIFT Situation Test. NID results were out and I missed to qualify by two marks but I qualified NIFT written test.

I was confused about my status as no marks were given, I was just informed that I had qualified the written test and had to appear for the next test on 16 April 2016. So, I was not sure whether the final result would be in my favour or not so I started to prepare for different private Institutes for Design to ensure admission in any one college if I was not selected for NIFT. The result got declared on 26^th May and I got selected. With Rank 599, I became the topper in my coaching institute. I was called for NIFT counseling on 20^th June.

I took admission in NIFT Kolkata as my grandfather wanted me to stay in Kolkata as it’s close to our hometown and many of my relatives live in Kolkata. I have joined its leather designing department. Studying in one of the best design college in India is a very nice feeling and now I think dropping one year was the best thing ever in my life. It was the best decision I made.

Thank you Shiksha for giving me the opportunity to tell my story that how I got what I have today. I felt really blessed to work as a CR for Shiksha and I hope you like my story and it helps new students to never give up on their dreams.

About the Author:

I am Shruti Jiwrajka, a resident of a small town called Bhagalpur. At present I Iive in Kolkata and by God's grace, a stroke of good luck and may be because of my hard work I am studying at the National institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata. I am in my 1st year of graduation course.