July is the month when colleges open in most cities and towns of India. By now the admission lists are out and most formalities have been completed even for professional colleges like engineering, medical colleges, aviation and hotel management campuses.

The anxiety and uncertainty regarding cut-offs at various colleges is done. Tears have been shed and wiped off over acceptance letters not arriving, while cousins were exulting over seeing their names on lists of prestigious colleges. One way or the other, students have found courses that they are going to study for the next few years. It is frustrating when you don’t make the cut despite identical grades. That is because there are several factors at play, quotas for caste, religion, domicile, sports, extracurricular activities and so on. Rejection is hard to face. But if you are a parent who has a transferable job then you have had to face rejections at educational institutions in the past too. There are just too few prestigious institutions in the country.