And You Thought I Have a Bad CV

I still remember the day 16^th August 2006 when we were given warm reception from some Senior Scientist, for showing immense encouragement for choosing a different path called IISER. One Senior Scientist told that the concept of IISERK would be successful if one of the 38 students became a good scientist. As all I thought I was the one. Never thought what would happen to others. We few friends still celebrate this day by taking annual photo session in front of City Centre.
I never think that joining IISER was bad decision. I always feel proud to be an IISERian. Wherever I get chance I try to spread positive feelings of IISERK by proudly telling them I study in IISERK showing my hard work and sincerity. I have never thought about my future as I think that when we are getting best education why you should worry about future.
"You must have a bad CV that's why you failed to get." Our beloved director replied when I told that I was not selected for DAAD. True Sir, I have a very modest CGPA of 8.36. I did not showed to inclination towards studies in first two years. I did not declare in first year that I loved a particular subject and thus I was harming the spirit of IISER. You were right those who openly declared in the first semester itself that they would take any particular subject after 2 years. I was harming the spirit of IISER by not choosing any particular subject at start of 1^st year. I had thought we should take try to understand all subjects them choose the subject of most interest at the end though I had loved Chemistry the most since Higher Secondary days. I did not apply for KVPY. Sometimes I repent to think that I followed the word of some faculty member who taught us that CGPA did not matter. But what we at present see that only CGPA counts. Definitely something was wrong with me.
But as soon as I realized my goal, I was involved in it with my heart and soul. I had worked hard from that day sincerely. I had spent all my summers and winter learning and gaining experiences. Though my mother always complained that she missed me much and I should stay with her. I was a fool who spent struggling day and night so that one day everyone will recognize me. Due to my work in whole 2^nd year and following summer I learnt the art of handling wet chemistry, I received Prestigious Summer Fellowship to work at the Phosphorous Lab at IIT Bombay. I did not require any recommendation from any faculty at IISERK to get that. In the alien environment I worked hard and in end I earned their love and affection.
Let me tell you an incident. One Night (around 1 am) I was working at the laboratory. One Research Scholar from different lab came worried in our lab asking for help. He was stuck doing an experiment using Fluorospectrometer and he had got the only that night slot to finish that experiment. There was no one to help him. Nobody in our lab or in whole Chemistry and Chemical Engineering department at that moment I volunteered as last semester I had done project in fluorospectrometry. I was able to help him. Though his problem was small, he shook hands with me and asked name of my institute. This was proud IISERK moment.
I believe in learning the art involved in my field that is why I worked in Research Lab. In the field I was assisting there was no guarantee for any success, but I kept working to learn. I even for long time did not knew about publications.But now I have completed work for two publications in my institute. I can have publications anytime. Until recent time I was helping in working for the third one. But I quit it. I did project in spectrofluorometry as I were unware about how this filed worked. Working in this project have given me confidence to look around the current research going in this field. I had good results in this project.  How often I hear that we did not participate in any Co-Curricular activities. I am good in managing Co-curricular activities; guys from my school know it. But here I find other students to eager to organize it. So, I have left all responsibilities on their able shoulders. My roommate tells me they are additions to you CV. I tell him I have enough to keep my CV floating. I have not enrolled myself in any club because I am busy in with my 2 clubs namely Class club and Lab Club. Professors tell that we know very little in chemistry that is why I am taking audit classes so that I can be sound in my field.
I am not brilliant student but what I do well from my school days is follow rules. If institute/professors set some rule I follow it. You will rarely find on other side of rules. In this process I do not care about marks. In first two years professors did not give me internal marks as I bunked the classes and they would tell you have not participated in class discussions. I was having problem in understanding what was going on. Professors were coming, giving lecture and going. No one had the time to ask what was happening with us. Even I tried to improve I got 78 in 4 subjects and 88 in one in 4^th semester. But as soon as I got professors who believed in my capabilities I took no time to climb the ladder. But now when I participate in discussion there are no marks for that. Officially I have a missed single class for the last year.
I really wanted to get DAAD fellowship. I had planned to that one day I might be a worker in field of Nanoscience. I was personally inclined to do PhD. I am learning handling Nanocatalysis. I had planned to do a project in Nanobiology in fifth year and to learn about Nanoelectronics in this summer at Institute of Karlsruhe, Germany to complete the spectra of Nanoworld. As if you will be with me you will know I am a good planner. I plan all my activities and schedule before hand that's why I do not feel pressure before the exam. I still pack my notebook before going to sleep as I used to do in my school. I had spent around 20 days for searching my potential guide. I was not one the Privileged ones who had to tell to some professors and they arranged everything for them. I would not say that my 20 days were wasted away as in this process I have learn about the higher education system of Germany. I am very happy that my mentor has told me to plan my fifth year project myself. Hopefully I will not disappoint him.
My friends tell me why you did not have the backup plan. You were overconfidence. I believed in my hard work that is constituted in CV.  This should be reflected along your CGPA but you inclination towards your field. But I did not understand the importance of recommendations. Recommendations should just show the genuineness of the person. After I got the news I sent my CV to head of R&D of company whose profit is Rs 3434 crores and next day she replied that she could try to accommodate me next summer. That's the power of my CV. Why should I trade my CV?

  "Believe Believe Believe" - Swami Vivekanand