The Test: Page 3

The raja-saheb's court was decorated in the evening. All the wealthy and prominent people from the town, the raja-saheb's courtiers and officials, and the candidates with pounding hearts assembled in the court. They were dressed in their best.

Sardar Sujan Singh rose from his seat and began speaking.

"Gentlemen, all the candidates for the dewan's post, please forgive me for the trouble I have put you through.

"For this post, we wanted someone who is kind at heart and who has strong willpower. We wanted someone who has a heart filled with generosity and has the will to face all obstacles with courage.

"It is the good fortune of the state that we have found such a person. There are very few people in the world who possess these qualities. Those who have these qualities are already occupying positions of fame and honour; we cannot reach them.

"I congratulate the state on finding a dewan like Pandit Jankinath."

The officials, courtiers, and the rich people looked at Jankinath; their eyes held respect. The rejected candidates also turned their eyes towards Jankinath, but these eyes were envious.

Sardar Sujan Singh said, "Here is a person who, despite being injured, helped a poor farmer by pushing his grains-loaded cart, which was stuck in the mud, to the top of the nullah. You will agree that courage, willpower, and kindness reside in the heart of such a person.

"Such a person will never trouble the poor. His strong resolve will ensure that his mind is well balanced. He might get deceived, but he will never deviate from the path of compassion and righteousness."

< PREV



Summary

Do not pretend to be someone you are not to impress people. The strategy often backfires; sooner or later, others will see through you. Those with impressive qualities will stand out; they don't need to pretend.

Pareeksha, a story by Munshi Premchand, revolves around a selection test. Sardar Sujan Singh, the dewan of the principality of Deogarh, wishes to retire. The king admires his dewan and is not willing to let him go. But he has to relent. The king asks Sujan Singh to select the next dewan.

Sujan Singh invites candidates for a selection test. The test is quite novel; the candidates have to do nothing but enjoy the dewan's hospitality for a month. They do not even have to possess any degrees or certificates. Sujan Singh would observe them for one whole month and select the candidate based on his observations.

There are a large number of candidates. Although a degree or a certificate is not required, many aspirants are graduates. The candidates feel if they flaunt their degrees, the dewan will be impressed and overlook their faults.

Most candidates put up a false front to show themselves in a better light. Those who slept late rose early; those who disliked reading books sat with fat volumes; those who admired Huxley showed great religiosity. The author has not mentioned the name of the member of the Huxley family. It could be writer Aldous Huxley or his grandfather Thomas Henry Huxley who coined the term agnostic.

A crane standing on one leg appears like a sage doing penance, but it is only waiting for an opportunity to catch fish; it is no sage. Sujan Singh has discerning eyes. He identifies the graceful swan from among the flock of pretentious cranes. He selects the best candidate.

Some useful links for
your career:


  • Union Public Service Commission - www.upsc.gov.in
  • IIT-Kharagpur - www.iitkgp.ac.in
  • Indian Statistical Institute - www.isical.ac.in
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras - www.iitm.ac.in
  • Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad - www.iimahd.ernet.in
  • Indian Institute of Mass Commission - www.iimc.nic.in
  • IIT Bombay - www.iitb.ac.in
  • Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad - www.ismdhanbad.ac.in
  • Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi - www.bitmesra.ac.in
  • Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training - www.cifnet.nic.in
  • Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (Deemed University) - www.iiita.ac.in
  • Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi - www.cmfri.com
  • Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai - www.tiss.edu