The Examination Fever

Leaked Dreams

Denzil Jayasinghe

5 min read

“The Examination Fever. Leaked Dreams” by Denzil Jayasinghe is a short story about a group of schoolboys in Sri Lanka in 1970 who are preparing for their all-important island examinations. Facing immense pressure from their families and a pervasive atmosphere of anxiety, the boys are tempted by rumours of leaked exam papers. They pool their money and resources to obtain these papers, believing they have found a shortcut to success. However, their plan backfires when the leaked papers prove to be fake, forcing them to confront the consequences of their actions and the importance of genuine effort. The story highlights the pressures of academic expectations, the allure of shortcuts, and the ultimate value of integrity and hard work.

November’s chill had barely settled over the school, yet the air was electric with anxiety. Fathers, their faces stern with expectation, issued firm reminders: “This is it, son — the all-island examination. Your cricket matches, your football games, they can wait. But this…this cannot.” And so, boys who had grown complacent, hiding behind friends, were rounded up and marched back to their rooms, their noses pressed to the grindstone.

At school, almost everybody at the senior level seemed overwhelmed by the thought of the coming examinations. It had been weeks since anybody had seen a smile, and everybody was beginning to look worried.

Every spare moment was consumed by the study as if cramming a lifetime of knowledge into the last few fleeting weeks could somehow guarantee success. Some, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of it all, had already thrown in the towel, resigning themselves to failure. But still, the others toiled, driven by a desperate hope that somehow, someway, they would emerge victorious. The once-peaceful halls now thrummed with the quiet intensity of a hundred individual struggles, each boy wrestling with his own doubts and fears as the examination loomed, an unyielding spectre on the horizon.

The countdown had begun, with only two weeks separating them from the examinations. But it wasn’t just the looming deadlines that had their hearts racing — rumours of leaked papers had set the entire school abuzz. The whispers spread like wildfire: “Papers are out…papers are out…” And with them, a glimmer of hope for those who had lagged behind.

For the adventurous ones, the ones who had prioritised sports over studies, and those cowering under the weight of their fathers’ expectations, the leaked papers represented a lifeline. “Let’s buy them,” they whispered among themselves, their eyes gleaming with a mix of desperation and mischief. But the price tag was steep, and the Rupee amounts quoted by the shadowy traders were far beyond the reach of even the wealthiest among them.

So, they hatched a plan, pooling their money, resources and contacts and scouring the black market for leads, determined to track down the elusive papers. It was a long shot, a gamble born of fear and adrenaline, but it seemed worth the risk for those teetering on the edge. And so, they embarked on a clandestine quest, navigating the hidden corners of the market, searching for the coveted papers that could make all the difference.

The teachers in school got wind of this fact, but the whole thing was out of control for them. The boys who pooled money and found those rogue traders of leaked examination papers found innovative ways to exploit the system. They found safe houses to get together, get rogue tuition masters to answer these difficult questions, and study them together. Willing tuition masters had to be bribed, and all of these were becoming expensive affairs.

Meanwhile, the government’s education department was issuing radio bulletins stating that no papers had been leaked and vouching for the department’s integrity. But it was a farce that everybody knew to be false. However, the boys knew they had an easy escape route. They planned to focus on higher studies and avoid the yelling from their anxious fathers and mothers and the stares from their grandfathers and grandmothers. They were a happy lot, and smiles replaced their anxious faces. They put all their efforts into studying together, stopping street roaming, watching movies and playing sports. The parents were surprised to see how confident their boys were becoming.

The exams came, and everybody was ready with their stock answers after all those cramming sessions. But to everyone’s surprise, the examination questions and sums were different. The boys knew they had been duped by the rogue traders of leaked papers, and their anxiety returned. They felt frustrated and disappointed in themselves for resorting to such measures.

As the reality of their situation set in, the boys’ initial confidence and happiness began to fade. They had let their desperation get the better of them, and now they faced the consequences. They had wasted time and resources on leaked papers, and their actual preparation was lacking.

Fortunately, something changed. The government acknowledged that the papers had been leaked and announced that the previously held exams were null and void and would be repeated in a few months. The boys felt relief wash over them, mixed with a bit of apprehension about facing the exams again.

In the intervening months, the boys refocused on their studies with renewed determination. Their earlier efforts to study the leaked papers had helped, but they knew they needed to do more. They reduced their sports and leisure activities, channelling their energy into revision and preparation. The parents were surprised to see how diligently their boys were working, often late into the night, fuelled by a newfound sense of purpose.

The education department repeated the mathematics, chemistry, and physics exams in record time three months later. Gun-toting policemen secured and protected the government printing press where the exam papers were printed.

This time, there were no leaked papers. The boys, now better prepared, performed satisfactorily in the new exams, though not exceptionally well. As they walked out of the exam hall, they shared quiet smiles, relieved that their hard work had paid off.

“We did it,” one of them said, exhaling deeply. “We actually did it.”

Their parents and grandparents beamed with pride, relieved that the ordeal was over. The boys had learned a valuable lesson about perseverance and honest effort, and they knew that this experience would stay with them for a long time.