Compelled by self-imposed ideals, a young man denied himself the avenue of higher education as he could not bring himself to spend on his own education funds earmarked for the weddings of sisters. Having spent his early twenties in pursuit of political ideals and devotion to family, he joined the teachers' training course at the age of 29. By that time, he was no mere student, but a family man of full responsibilities. Those responsibilities constantly took him away from the classes with the result he had no requisite attendance in all three terms.
On a few occasions when he attended the classes, friends exclaimed in genuine surprise, "Oh, you are still in the course". It was a light course and the subjects were taught at an elementary level. Some students were studious and prepared thoroughly. One man went round the hostel making a list of students who had not failed in their career. Legend had it that if one had not failed till then, he would fail in B.T. There was another tradition that no one who was the secretary of the hostel had ever passed B.T. in the first attempt. As he qualified on those two counts, this student who was going round announced that the family man would certainly fail. A month before the examination, one who had thoroughly prepared for the exam offered to help this family man with his own notes. He took his own notes from it.
From the age of 18 to 29, the family man was given to reading books of interest and that made him feel the examination was no challenge. He was a fast writer and in the exam, he answered all questions ahead of time and left the hall. It gave rise to the rumour that he left the hall in the first half an hour. He accepted a job in a new place, but had not yet settled down when the results came out. So, when he saw someone reading a newspaper he asked if he could see. That man, a lawyer, desired to see the results himself and could not find the number. The lawyer passed the paper to the student. He also could not find the number. "I have answered all the questions well. There is no way I can fail," he thought. He requested the lawyer for the paper again and found his number in II class to his utter relief.
Doing one's duty is service to the highest - the Spirit. The Spirit never fails. At school he was offered condolences for not securing I class which was awarded only to two students in the state.