At first glance, your guesses would be random, but I will put it straight forward. Yes, this is IT Aspirant where the title resembles some popular web series which shows hard work, dedication, perseverance, confidence and motivation required to clear UPSC. Lot of aspirants' dreams get shattered in this toughest and oldest exam of India. Highly motivated aspirants feel depressed and lonely when they start realizing that they have lost so many years, friends and family. But this was not UPSC this time, rather a chase to be a good Software/IT Engineer!! IT Aspirant or whatever people call.
Gaurav, an engineer graduated from a not so reputed college and had the same dreams. It was 2012, 31st June, the last paper of the 8th semester, as usual in the small chai sutta shop, all the hostelers including me and Gaurav were having conversation on the exam paper. Suddenly the sound horn from the bus alerts everyone that it’s time to depart from college and now everyone starts to feel. Some were laughing, few were sad and others were busy making promises. Because 4 years are nevertheless always special regardless of if you are a 5 pointer or a topper of the college. 8 semesters, 24 internals, Vivas and projects teach you everything. The day we stepped into the engineering college was full of Vasna to do extraordinary things. Though there were some other Vasnas too like the Suta, Daru and Masti. Some of us liked it.
I remember Me and Gaurav too were indulged in making promises and to chase the dreams. It was not UPSC in fact i was an IT aspirant and Gaurav was a GATE Aspirant. For the last time, we went to the terrace of the college and looked into the dreams which we both have been weaving for the last 4 years. My branch was ECE in papers, but my heart is always for CSE. The recession or slow growth in the IT sector forced me to become an Electronics and Communication Engineer. I never regret my decision as I was always clear with my plan and so was Gaurav.
The prep to be in IT for me didn’t start when I was hunting for the job, it was from the beginning of my grad life. The story was different for Gaurav. It's been almost 9 years since I am trying to reach out on social media, cellular calls and messages. As always, no replies. It was 9 o'clock and as SSE I was loading my next sprint at the end of the month. My phone rang and it was Gaurav.
Gaurav: “Hello”
Me: “Gaurav”
2 minutes of silence
Me: “Gaurav bol bhai!! Kaisa hai chutiya. Long time no see. Called you from last 9 years and how come you called me today”
Gaurav:”Bhai”... he was crying
Me: “Kya hua bhai. Sab thik”
Gaurav:”Mere se galti ho gayi”
Me:” Kya hua!! Bata ne ache se. Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha”
I can feel his deep breath.
Gaurav: “Iss baar bhi nahi hua yaar”
Me: I was speechless. No idea how to condolence him. I can feel the pain of failing. I too lost so many things in getting to the Software Industry. Writing K-12 storyboards and doing data entry was never my cup of tea. Sleepless nights have brought me here. Gaurav would have gone through the same.
Gaurav: “Bhai i need your help. I need to be QA Test Engineer”
Me: “ I was shocked. WTF, WTH he was talking about”.
What about those 9 years of hard work, all will be in vain. My brain was not able to process anything. No No No.. I was saying to myself.
Now I am a Senior Software engineer. My life has changed from being an IT aspirant to SSE. Definitely everyone would have come across such situations where sleepless nights, Maggie in lunch, dinner and tea in breakfast would be there.
Dedication, Hard Work and patience is always required in all professions. So, friends I leave to you to know what my reply to Gaurav should be
PS- Gaurav: “Abe Gandu, kuch toh bol”
He is still waiting for my reply.
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