"Bench" marked!

HEARTILY CONGRATULATIONS!!
To Floyd Charles Fernandes Student of GIBS Bangalore has Won 2nd Position in the WeBind BlogStar Contest. 


Hi, I'm Floyd, a second year MBA student. It's been 17 years since I've been religiously placing my faith in the Indian education system and like every other student I have been subjected to the various climates a vidyarthi is likely to face in the classroom ecosystem.

We've all had to participate in that eternal debate where first benchers and last benchers claw at each other. It’s almost as though they are two unassigned teams that naturally exist in every Indian class room. In fact, most of us might have spent a good amount of time convincing our parents of the cons of being in the opposite team.

So here I am trying to understand both sides of the coin. After all, it wouldn’t be fair to criticize or praise any one over the other without first analyzing various factors that may influence my dear reader’s perception.

One thing is for sure, whether you are a front bencher or a last bencher, you are bound to be famous in the class and, if you’re awesome enough, even the whole institute (of course you’ll have different reasons to credit your fame to.)

So what does it take to be a back bencher? Here’s my compiled list:

1.     Give assignments/homework a second priority… you obviously have better things to do.
2.     Be an entertainment for the class… because you’re the unsung heroes who destress the environment.
3.     Be, literally, “outstanding” students… yes, it’s a privilege to be shown the door every now and then.
4.     Have your parents visit your teachers every time you mess up… because you want your parents to relive their school days.
5.     And finally, be known as the “gang of troublemakers” … now that’s a title well earned.

And here’s more or less what front benchers are like:

1.     Become a teacher’s pet for at least one teacher… hey, teachers can have crushes too.
2.     You would get suicidal if you came second… because coming anything but first is a classroom evil, right?
3.     You’re the right hand of the teacher… and that’s why monitors, assistant monitors and CRs come into power.
4.     Ask every possible question even if you know the answer… a little attention seeking never hurt anyone.
5.     Obey every instruction your teacher gives you… that’s testimony to the fact that we live in a matrix and freedom is only an illusion.

Now comes an important question; what gives me the supreme right to criticize either party?

Well, I’ve had the privilege to be on both sides so, there, that’s my vantage point.

Floyd Charles Fernandes

MBA - 2nd Year

GIBS Business School