This blog is a sequel to my previous piece on Youth Ki Awaaz, titled: “I Was Severely Bullied During My Schooling Days In DPS Patna”. Head here to read the next part.
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When the first piece was published on YKA, the support was overwhelmingly positive. Some recounted their experiences in the school and one of them has to seek therapy post-school.
The article is now being posted on YKA’s social media handles, which made people aware of my story. With that being said, I’ll now recount some of the aspects of my school life that I should’ve mentioned in my previous article.
The first point I wanted to mention was the students’ inability to handle their egos. Students who are jocks, toppers, members of the student council, or co-curricular aces have some kind of superiority complex.
When ‘Scholar Badges’ Boosted Students’ Egos
Some of them are so egotistical, that they consider their egos as top priority over their fellow student. They get aggressive if someone tries to “challenge their dominance”. I’ve seen some of the cases in the ninth and 10th standards, when the hype of board exams was in its prime.
It’s even worse when some of the students are family members. I guess you must be one of the guys or gals who got compared with your cousin, just because they’re better in academics.
If you’re from Delhi Public School (DPS), then you must be aware of the scholar badges. To those who don’t know, it’s a plastic badge that the principal bestows to the students if they get more than 90% in academics and attendance.
Although the badges were for the student’s academic excellence, they boost up their egos like mount Everest. Back in the waning months of eight standard (2013), a class which was probably the worst year of my life because of the extensive bullying on the bus, I remember a student who was a year junior to me.
When I Was Told: “Aukaat Mein Raho”
The incident happened on the bus. The principal stripped his scholar badge because he was back-biting on him and the principal overheard it. I don’t remember the conversation between me and him, but the prick took my glasses and started getting aggressive with me when I asked him to return them.
Back then, I wasn’t confrontational but if I wanted to, I could’ve said that he deserved it. You see, he and his friends were bullies, and they would belittle me because I don’t fight back. But when I do, they often remark back with “aukaat me raho” (stay in your limits).
Aukaat, at this point, has become a triggering word for me because this word has been used against me many times. They’re academically good but they’re not great with their behavior. I should’ve been confrontational, that fault was mine.
I could’ve said:
“Character ka C hai nahi aata, aukaat ka paath pada rahe ho. Baap ka paisa hai isliye aukaat bol rahe ho, nahi toh abhi bolne ki himmat bhi nahi hoti (you can’t even spell character and you’re teaching me about my limits; you’re cocky because daddy’s rich, otherwise you wouldn’t have the guts to speak this way).”
When I Was Forced To Sit Opposite The Bus Driver
Anyway, I should have said to that prick that I was happy that the principal took his badge because, for everything he did to me, he should at least learn some humility. Whether he learned it or not, I don’t know but it’s one of the reasons why I hate the school bus.
Another was, that I was forced to sit on the steel seat which was probably the hottest seat on the bus because it had no protective cushion (it’s located opposite the driver’s seat). Most students were unwilling to give me a seat, probably because they have some grudge against me for reasons I don’t even know.
Well, thinking about it now makes me hate the school even more. The bus teacher was also ineffective. The action he took had little to no effect on them. This makes me question the working of the school administration.
The same year (ninth standard), I had a beef with a guy who was a wannabe footballer. He was friends with two seniors and although one of them (the senior most) is fine, the footballer and another senior (a grade senior) were massive pricks.
When My Senior Grabbed My Collar
One day, when I was getting off the bus from my stop, they made some remarks about me and I replied too. So, they got off the bus and one of the seniors grabbed my collar and said: “Senior hai, tameez se baat kar (I am your senior, talk to me respectfully)”.
Because of the bullying in the previous year, I became very hostile to my juniors and peers. I complained to my bus teacher the next day and the matter almost went to the principal. I even told the senior: “tum tameez ke laayak nahi ho (you’re not worthy of respect).”
They apologized to me to save face, and we kind of moved on from it. Although I had no regrets beefing with the footballer and his senior friend, I did regret dragging their other senior friend with them. He was nice.
When I Slapped A Junior In The Bus
The same thing happened back in 2015-16 when some junior started to be an a**hole to me. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I slapped him hard, twice, which kind of changed the mood of the bus.
I had some argument with my classmate in school over some silly reason, I already had a terrible mood and he added more salt to the injury. Although, I did feel bad about it because I’m not a fighter, but even I reach the edge sometimes.
That kid’s ego got hurt and he started back-biting about me, and I could hear everything (the little prick knew that very well).
Well, the DPS bus stories kind of make you horrifying. Back in the sixth standard, I’ve seen seniors making their juniors salute them. Well, that’s a story for another time (If I want to talk about it). But you get the feeling, right? Most of these students act solely out of their inflated egos.
When The Teachers Didn’t Help Me Either
I remember back in the eighth grade when a senior snatched my glasses when I giggled a bit on the basketball court. Back then, I wanted to punch him in the face but I was too weak. The point I’m trying to make is they didn’t make a damn difference just because they got scholar badges or got some sports medals.
Because they don’t get the reality check that the world doesn’t revolve around them, their egos skyrocket. This is why we should stay away from these students because they can’t be changed easily.
Another thing I should be talking about is the lack of accountability in schools by students and mostly by faculty and staff. In my previous article, I was harsher on the teachers because most of them were pricks; and they still don’t take any responsibility let alone give a single apology to the students they’ve inflicted damage on.
The school administration and students allowed these untrained professionals to act like demigods and they’ll punish anyone who doesn’t abide by either their standards or their moral compass, even for trivial matters.
When My PE Teacher Made Another Student Hit Me
If the school fails to bring accountability, how can it make it a safe place? And, this is coming from a guy who hates the word “accountability” because of its overuse in the cancel culture campaigns.
In the third or fourth grade, there was this health and physical education (PE) teacher who made his star student slap me for no reason (I wore a cap). I don’t even understand why PE teachers are giant a**holes to the students?
Probably, they didn’t get past the national or state team, so they just lash out at students with their exhausting drills or exercises. It’s too soon to talk about their lives, but they don’t get to dump their emotions on us, and yet they expect us to sympathize with them.
Teachers are supposed to be the third guardians after the biological parents, the ones who are strict yet lovingly fair. They’re supposed to guide children to become good people, but if they’re so incapable of handling their own life, then I don’t think that they should be given the post of teachers at all.
When The Administration Doesn’t Help
Because, disgruntled teachers can scar children and bullied children sometimes can become damaged adults.
That being said, some of the teachers were good. They’re willing to help guide you on the right path. They’re even sympathetic to your plight and they could boost up your morale. Sometimes they can directly help you so that you could survive in that hellhole.
And, of course, my mates in the humanities section as well as, some of the students have made my life at DPS somewhat more bearable. Even the principal was somewhat better, although I have no love for the rest of the administration.
When My Classmates Stood Up For Me
Let me bring out an excerpt from my article “Why Bullying Turned My Relationship with School Sour?”:
“I remember when my classmates stood up against one of my bullies. Back in class 11, we had our library class, and one junior decided to be an a-hole to me. My classmates just united and were on the verge of beating that guy until the teacher stepped in.
It was these things that made me respect the humanities section. And that time, even the principal and the teacher were mad lads. They roasted the guy so much that he was about to cry. I did feel bad for him, but it needed to be done because this crap shouldn’t last long, and deterrence is needed.”
After that, the kid never bothered me again. It’s been almost four and a half years since I graduated from school.
When Discrimination Is The Norm
Another thing I should talk about is the lack of inclusivity. It’s not just race, religion, gender, sexuality, and caste. If you’re a gamer (now they’re popular thanks to PUBG), movie geek, meme maker, an introvert, or any other part of the sub-culture (in other words, if you’re a nerd), you might find alienation from other kids.
One of the theme sessions of DPS during my time was inclusivity and they miserably failed in that department. I don’t know whether a student was discriminated against on race, religion, gender, sexuality, and caste, other than in Arvey’s case, but they didn’t make school more inclusive based on sub-culture.
It happened on a school bus, this time it was 2016. Some students from the other bus came to ours because the former went on maintenance. And wouldn’t you know it, some of the students were my former bullies. I remember back in the 11th standard, there was a kid who was three-four years junior to me.
He started asking me if I had an interest in video games. I said yes. We talked about video games like “Metal Gear Solid V”, and then all of a sudden one of my former bullies told him to shut up.
When Inclusivity Is Neglected By Schools
I didn’t say anything because we were going back home and I was too tired to fight back. Back then I should’ve just stepped up and told him to piss off. I just couldn’t stand that smirk on his face.
So, basically, you’re not allowed to talk about your interest even though this is a free country, just because you’re not interested? Buddy, you’re not even a part of the conversation so why do you even bother whether someone talks about something they like?
If you don’t like it, that’s your issue but don’t shut someone out. Inclusiveness in Indian schools and society, in general, is like finding a diamond in sewers. You won’t get it.
The last thing I want to talk about is the existence of schools as a whole. I mean, the fact that coaching institutes and even ed-techs like Unacademy and Byju’s exist makes school more irrelevant and obsolete.
When Children Are Turned Into Robots
I mean coaching institutes are just schools but overpriced and even crueler and ed-techs are a new concept that only existed in the past few years, although the White-hat Jr debacle is still fresh in mind.
Anyway, the fact that coaching institutes exist in India, and cram schools exist in South Korea and Japan, challenges the existence of schools in general. Hell, you can get information on the internet for free so it replaces the school textbooks altogether. I don’t know what will happen.
Schools are supposed to be the foundation of a child’s mind but the state of our ultra-competitive yet useless education system turns children into brainless robots, robbed of their independent thought and critical thinking.
When I See Bullying Videos On Social Media…
I saw the worst in people in DPS. In that place, narcissism reigns supreme. In this “me” generation, the bullies have to make everything about themselves other than that of their fellow students. As I was writing this, I was remembering more and more about my bad experiences in school.
Amity was far better and even stricter with bullies than DPS will ever be. Not to mention you could be in jail if you’re involved with ragging (bullying with steroids), alongside expulsion and ex-communication from other colleges for five years.
The worst part is, that the bullying videos on Facebook and YouTube, often make my blood boil which is why I tend to ignore them.
The saddest part is, that bullying is technically not illegal because there is no codified law against the said act. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) can only punish someone based on the consequences of the act.
When The Existing Laws Don’t Work
For example, the tormentor can only be arrested under Section 306 of the IPC if your bullying caused the victim to commit suicide.
The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) also has some guidelines to take action against bullying like forming anti-ragging committees in school.
But given my experiences, I can say that no action has been taken by the school during my time (I don’t know about DPS since I graduated, but I can only speculate). Otherwise, we wouldn’t be hearing cases like Arvey.
If Article 21 of the Indian constitution (specifically speaking, Article 21-A) can allow the right to education, then it should also make the right to protection from bullying a fundamental right because of the vast scope of the said article.
When Institutions Fail Their Students
A child deserves dignity in education institutions and if a student goes through bullying by a teacher or student, then they can file a writ petition against that school’s administration, the teacher, or the students’ parents themselves.
That way, it could serve as a deterrence against bullying. And we need codified law on bullying as well. I know this is almost impossible, but it’s better to make our schools better.
For better or worse video games and to some extent memes and anime, helped me forget the worst of school life for some time.
Especially the original “Star Wars” Battlefront games, Sly 2, Metal Gear Solid V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Death Stranding, and The Last of Us (the game gives me nostalgia about the waning days of my school life, and makes me feel like “I can’t believe that school is finally over”). Read my LiveWire stories if you want to know more about them.
Let’s Agree To Disagree About DPS
With that being said, this might be the last time I’ll talk about my school life. I just want to be done with that part of life. There are still the school bus stories or perhaps even the good parts of my school life, but I’ll talk about them when the time is right.
I’ve already talked about the majority of events that happened and I want some closure with most of the events. Like I said in my previous blog, if you’re a DPS student and if you don’t like what I said, then it’s your problem.
This is a free country and I just want to talk about my school life. That’s all I have to say.