My 12th grade results were announced. I had always wanted to pursue computer engineering, but my PCM (Physics-Chemistry-Maths) scores were not up to par (though they weren’t horrible). There was a lot of doubt and anxiety. My father was an optimist , h e always believed that I will make it to Computer Engineering. If I had applied to colleges outside Mumbai, I would have had a better chance of getting into Computer Engineering. My parents were concerned, we kept discussing every possibility, calling relatives and asking for advice from people.
The big day arrived, when the engineering entrance forms were made available. The form packet included a booklet with general information on various colleges at Mumbai University, and also prior cutoff dates for various courses. The most sought-after course was computers engineering, and the competition was intense. I had very little chance of getting into Computer Engineering, at least at Mumbai University. But then there was a twist, for some reason, the University had a 20-80 format. For Round 1, 20% of all college seats were available. If you applied and were allotted a seat, you could not apply for Round 2. This appeared to be a decent bet. We decided to be realistic, and instead of applying for the best courses at the top colleges, we applied for those that were somewhat lower on the list. After much consideration, I chose to maintain ‘Electronics Engineer’ as my secondary choice. So the forms for Round 1 were filled and submitted.
When the results of the allocation were released, I was offered the choice of enrolling in the ‘Electronics Engineering’ program at Datta Meghe College of Engineering. The best thing was that the college was close to my home, I could walk. The not so good part was that I did not get into ‘Computer Engineering.’ I decided to seize the opportunity.
I recall well the day me and my dad went to VJTI to complete my admissions procedure. Most graduates from the 2004 class will never forget that day. That day it rained like crazy. People had to walk through waist-high water to get to the admission office. Many people were unable to reach. Due to severe rains, the authorities postponed the process until the next day. Everyone’s issue was that they couldn’t go home due of the flooding. The fortunate ones had a friend or relative in the neighborhood. My father and I went to his friend’s house. We brought clothing and food before checking in.
The next day was considerably better after a rough night. The weather had cleared, and everyone was greeted by bright sunshine. We went to the center, I reconfirmed that I was option for Electronics Engineering. I was reminded that I wont be able to participate in second round. We paid the demand draft, got some sweets, and went back home.
The decision I made that day was one of the best I’d ever made in my life. I was drawn to Electronics Engineering since the course covered computer principles like no other, from transistors to gates to programmable ICs and devices. I can confidently state that my knowledge of electronics has aided me in developing a solid grasp of computer hardware and software. This was the start of a new adventure in which I learnt a lot and met a lot of amazing mentors!
