Teachers Day Special: Rich students and their expensive gifts
Cards and flowers on Teachers' Day are passe. The city's students are getting hi-end, costly stuff for their teachers.Gone are the days when students would sit and make Teachers' Day cards for their teachers. Now, handmade cards, flowers and chocolates have been replaced with gem-studded pens, iPods, branded watches and gold jewellery as gifts for teachers. For them, it's the best way to make it into the good books of their teachers. And while faculty members say they are okay with students showering expensive gifts on them, it won't make them give extra marks in exams - hard work is the only key to success.
Gift mein dum hona chahiye
- Students
Who gives chocolates and flowers to teachers these days, ask students. It is just so old school.
"If my teacher is special to me, it should also reflect on my gifts, no? That certainly won't happen with a stalk of rose or a five-rupee chocolate," says Sukhdeep Kaur, a class XII student, adding, "My math teacher is the coolest teacher in my school. And since this is my last year in school, I had to get something special for her. She's a music lover, so I've bought the latest iPod for her. I'm sure she'll love it." For Sashant Singh, a second-year college student, the choice was easy. He says, "I didn't have any second thoughts about my favourite teacher's gift. I have bought a Titan watch worth `6500. Today is certainly the right day to show my teacher how special he is to me.
Gift mein dum hona chahiye tabhi toh unhe yaad rahega. Sider Singh, a middle school student, shares, "I have decided to get my favourite teacher an elegant gold pendant. I got a very cute one for 5000 bucks that I'll be presenting it to her today. I know it's a little expensive, par impression jamane ke liye yeh sab chalta hai. Obviously, she won't start being lenient with me, but at least the pendant will ensure my entry in her good books." Gold pendant for being in the teacher's good books? How about working hard in class? He adds, "Arre, actually, she teaches us three subjects, out of which I'm weak in two. Also, she gives our performance report to the vice principal every week. Toh thodha bahut maska bhi lagana padta hai. Marks naa sahi, but at least performance report mein thoda lenient ho jayengi!"
Gifts to theek hai, but no buttering
- Teachers
"Our school has a no-gift policy for Teachers' Day and children are only allowed to bring flowers and cards. But rules maanta kaun hai? Kids drop in at my house after school to gift me expensive items," says Harshit Karnik, a school teacher, adding, "Last year, I got some exquisite perfumes, luxury pens and also an imported pearl necklace. I tried my best to return the necklace. But the parents requested me to accept it as they had got it specially from Bangkok. Now how do you say no to such requests?" Vastika Gupta, a lecturer at a college, shares, "A weak student trying to flatter me with expensive gifts is understood. But last year, when one of the brightest students in my class got me an extremely costly watch, I was pleasantly surprised. Now, I accept the presents but not before making it clear to my students ki jitna bhi maska laga lo, marks utne hi milenge jitna woh deserve karte hain."
But not all teachers will smile and accept your costly presents. Atiya Khan, a school teacher, "Students coming up with all sorts of pricey gifts for their teachers is just not acceptable. It is so shocking. I summon their parents to school and told them out rightly that such form of flattering won't help their child pass in the exams. Instead of wasting money on buying such gifts, they should pay more attention on their child's performance in class. I'm going to do the same thing this year too." "This year, I got a beautiful sculpture made of clay by a student, I had accepted it happily because I knew that she had made it with hard-work and I don't reject handmade gifts. If someone gives a gift made by himself, his love, his dedicaton and his art, it is a true gift for any teacher." she added.
