I hail from a place where education is given the least importance as far as career and profession are concerned. Back in the early 21st century, people were reluctant to invest in education and never gave a second thought beyond primary education. But my parents went out of their way to send me to a city to get in touch with the modernized version of education, even though it was extremely difficult for them to bear with the financial expenses. After I was done with high school, I had the offer from one of the best engineering institutes in hand. But life has never been a bed of roses. I was pressurized by the constant trouble of exorbitant living expenses. I decided to take an education loan and my community helped me with my living expenses. The beginning of my graduation period was one of the most crucial and difficult phases but at the same time it was a learning period of immense value. My most difficult hardship lay in the cultural differences and language barrier.
The greatest hindrance came from the lack of education in my family, as a result of which I had to take my decisions from an early age. But like the silver lining to every dark cloud, living life on my own terms has made me independent, rational and always ready to face adverse situations. I received a good job offer after graduation but I managed to live in minimum possible expenses so I could repay the loan and simultaneously prepare for CAT.
I scored exceptionally well in my MBA entrance exam and secured a place in one of the premium B-schools in India. This time once more I had to take a loan in order to pay my tuition fees. As rightly said, if one has a dream, there is someone to support it. To my utter happiness and gratitude, TAPMI awarded me a tuition fee waiver.
I have been away from home more than eleven years and this prolonged stay away from my parents has taught me the value of every penny. Obstacles have appeared in my life at every step. A person who hails from a city can cope with the expenses and sustain himself and the same applies to a person in a rural set up. But the real problem occurs when a person from a rural background has to bear the expenses of living in a city.