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I am an educator and the never-ending torrent of news about leaked exams, faulty corrections, insecure websites along with the tragic consequences for the young students triggered memories of my younger years as a student. My father was a printing technologist who managed a renowned printing press in a South Indian city. Ours was a middle-class family, where education, integrity and hard work were considered important, non-negotiable, and we were taught there were no shortcuts. 

It was rare that my father travelled any distance beyond 500 kms once a year. The memory that leeched out relates to a time, perhaps in the mid seventies. There was no telephone at home and my father not returning from work beyond half an hour of his usual time, meant walking to the road every 10 minutes, and looking out for a silhouette that could be his. 

When he finally came home, a good two hours beyond his usual time, it was only my grandmother who could dare question him about his late return from work. His curt reply was that he was late because there was ‘urgent work with a deadline’ at the press. This recurred for the next few days, and his work hours stretched beyond the usual dinner time. My grandmother now demanded a `proper reason’, and he cut her off saying he was working hard because it was important for the press and that it was her problem if she thought that there were other distractions beyond caring for his family and the reputation of the press. 

He ventured to add that the overtime hours at the printing press were also forced by the erratic power supply during the day, and late evenings were better to ensure that there were no interruptions.

After a few days, there was a dramatic announcement at dinner. My father said he would have to travel on work, and that he could not say when he would return except it might take anywhere between two weeks or up........

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