My job interview with NDDB and lessons learnt !
Slipping back to the den of glorious past in 1975, I had graduated from Gujarat College of Veterinary Science Anand and had obtained prestigious degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry ( BV Sc.& AH). I got my first job on an ad hoc basis as a lecturer in surgery in the College itself based on merit and thus my professional career had started !
Singing being my ardent passion, I had inculcated wonderful relationship with Prof.Dr. Jayvir Anjaria who was a connoisseur of music. Almost every weekend, we had wonderful sittings for singing !
Our audience of that time mostly comprised Shri Girishbhai Jhala the then Secretary of National Dairy Development Board, Anand and sometimes Rashmi Nagarji and a few others.
I was popularly known as Gadhvi, a name given by Jhala Saheb. I would also get invitation to conduct prayer sessions university convocation as I was the leading voice !
Two years passed but there was no offer for a regular job. Naturally we all were worried as to when would we be selected for a regular job. This question was hovering in our psyche !
In fact, we were trapped in the college. We were interviewed in the department but not selected so our future were in limbo as salary was meagre and if we wanted to study further we had to seek admission at our cost and no study leave was granted !
In such a grave scenario, suddenly there was a ray of hope as NDDB had the requirements for training personnel in Artificial Insemination and Veterinary First Aid in a wonderful pay scale hardly a young graduate could expect !
At that time we had an impression that NDDB was “heaven on earth” and it would be just a golden opportunity to grab it !
I approached my Professor and counsellor Dr.Anjaria who pushed me and helped me obtain the form which I filled and submitted for the post of Assistant Executive !
Ultimately the day for interview arrived and I entered in the vast panoramic scenic area of NDDB premises ,so clean and neat people were quite punctual standing in a queue to sign muster in the high rise multi-storey office buildings. Hostel area was amazing.
I was very nervous as it was my second job interview of my life, tension was grabbing me what sort of interview would be there and how they conduct !
We were in all 28 candidates. We were asked to sit and wait on the sprawling lush green lawn. Exactly at 10 am, we were asked to appear at a written test.
We moved into the hostel building and appeared at he test. In the afternoon, short listed 12 candidates were asked to appear in personal interview in the office building. Dr AA Chothani who was Head ( FO&AH ) known as a fearful person who talked in high decibels which made almost all the candidates feel pangs of pain down the spine !
Those who came out after appearing at the personal interview were quite dejected may be due to nervousness unable to face such ferocity!
When my turn came I was almost trembling while entering interview room. Inside it was like “bombardment” of volley of questions mostly asked by Dr.Chothani about my experience and present job in his fearful tone. Towards the end Dr. Chothani told me that he will ask only one technical question and if I answered correctly he would select me !
I just concentrated and focussed and with deep breathing prepared for the question that was to decide my future !
“When does a cat ovulate and how does one know that it has mated? “ Within seconds as if an invisible third force helped me and before any one could say say “Jack Robinson”, I answered spontaneously and correct,y. He seemed quite satisfied with my answer which made me happy to see my dream coming true to serve at NDDB!
Finally seven of us were selected and asked to go for medical examination at Dr.AshabhaiPatel ‘s consulting room at Amul dairy.
All selected candidates were quite elated and happy. But the joyous time ended abruptly !
Once we reached Amul and met Dr.Ashabhai we found that he was shouting at candidates who forgot to bring their complete documents. “Please go and bring your paper” would yell at the candidate who did not have complete papers. Many would have their heartbeat go up and run to bring their missing papers.
However, fortunately I was among those who had all their documents !
Dr. Ashabhai then commanded us stand in a line and to open up our pant for examination which we found unusual but there was no option!
All of us then stood with our pants down. He came to each of us and almost quizzed the testicles to examine, which was quite a painful process! On checking my eyes on opthelmological examination ,I had number for long sight so asked me to prepare specks and further report to NDDB!
And ,ultimately I was on ninth cloud when I received the order to join NDDB in 1977 ,after three months of training at Head Quarter at Anand ,I was placed at Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala Project at Ahmedabad as Training Incharge for AI & vety.!First Aid !
It was an eventful day and I learnt a lesson I to be punctual and face any situation with careful preparation, confidence and discipline.
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