Halo Effect ?

You like the TV series "Office Office" on SAB TV??

I hated it. I hated it coz of the pessimism it served. I always liked watching news of India shining, markets improving, Indians heading cosmo-bigshot firms, Indian firms acquiring, Indian per capita income rising, Indian youth carrying the baton and all feel good news.

But I never liked these middle-class-struggling-with-bureaucracy-labyrinths stuffs.

Until today.

Today was the second day of my education loan hunt exercise. Oh yeah, just second day of the loan seeker is like completing words starting with letter A in pursuit of mugging up the whole wordlist.

I began my hunt with SBI. Following were the Banks and responses on day 1:

Bank

State Bank of India

Response: Meet tomorrow

Bank of Maharashtra

Response: Meet in evening. Saab is not here

State Bank of Indore

Response: I know the branch manager, who is on leave for 15 days.
On duty manager says: Rate of Interest is 13.5% (far more than its counterparts. Dropped)

Allahabad Bank Bank

Response: Manager: Meet after 3 months

Punjab National Bank

Response: Difficult at this time. Umm… Time lagega… 1-2 months….. I have some other applications pending…
Me: Sir, Its okay if it takes 1 month.Shall I at least begin the process today or so..
Ok.. Come after 5 pm today. Fill the form. But I have some pending applications. I would give them preference before you.

I was left with two considerable options by EOD. 1. Punjab National Bank (PNB) 2. State Bank of India. SBI had asked to come next day as the officer was absent. I was a bit inclined towards taking it from SBI reason being its Scholar Scheme that is the education loan only for IITs and IIMs. During admissions, we were given a presentation from some banks which included SBI also about the scholar scheme with low interest rate and ease of obtaining, no mortgage and no guarantee required.

Next day morning I went to SBI at 11.30. (It's better to keep some buffer time for the Govt employees of these Public Sector banks to come to office, they are always late.) The officer had not come even at 1130. I waited for half an hour, then left. Came back after one hour. The officer was still not there. Had gone for meeting with Collector. Was to get back after 3 pm. I got back to home. At 3:30 pm, I again went. Hard Luck, the officer had left 1 min back to "See some flat or something..". Was to get back in an hour. I waited. For an hour. In the bank.

Finally, he came, at around 4:30. Lucky me, yeah!! Well, I talked to him about the loan. Mr. Deshpandey. I told him about my being student of IIT Bombay, about the scholar scheme and all. The response was amazing and so typical of what they showed in Office Office.

Mr. Deshpandey: You will have to wait.

Me: Sir, Until when?

D: We have not got target as per now. We will get it after 15 days.

Me: Okay Sir. 15 days. So, after 15 days, I will come again (Though, tomorrow I have to leave back for IIT ). After that I will get the loan, na.. How much time will it take after 15 days.

D: That we can't say, it is not sure whether you will get the loan or not. It depends about your eligibility.

Me: But Sir, I believe that under Scholar Scheme it is so straight forward, no eligibility required except for your being student of IIT/IIM. So, I think there is no possibility of rejection of my application.

D: That is what "you believe". That is not what we believe. We will need to check eligibility and all.

I left. Went to one employee Mr. X in the bank who knew my family. Told him the case. He gave me a number:

Mr. Sanjay Dixit Senior Manager Jabalpur Division. SBI

I got back home. Mum kept asking stuffs. Told her to wait. And called.

Me: Good evening Sir. I am Roopak Patel. I am calling from Balaghat.

Senior Manager: Hello. Sorry, come up with your name again..

Me: Sir, I am a student speaking from Balaghat.

SM: Oh, Ok. Tell me.

Me: Sir, I got admission in IIT Bombay and I need education loan to pay college fees.

SM: Ok. For IIT students we have very good scholar scheme. You will get loan easily at much less interest rate. In fact, we send letter to every one selected in IITs offering them scholars loan.

Me: Sir yes, I am trying to get this loan for two days. But they have not got some "targets" and thats why they say I can apply after 15 days only that too is not a guarantee that I will obtain the loan or not.

SM: Ok. Got it. what's your name?

Me: Sir, Roopak.

SM: Ok. Roopak, Please remain On line. Lemme make a call.

Me: Ok sir.

SM (After a pause): Hello Mr Deshpandey, You have to sanction loan to Mr. Roopak Patel within 24 hours. Roopak, What is your phone number.

Me: Sir, 9867108213.

SM: Deshpandey, note his phone number. And call him offering loan and tell him the documents to bring. Complete all of it in 24 hrs. and inform me as soon as the process is over.

Roopak, Deshpandey will call you. My mobile no is 98xxxxxxxxx. SMS me or call me as soon as you get the draft. You will get the draft by tomorrow.

Me: Ok sir. Thank You.

Conversation ends.

I got a call after 10 mins from the local branch. They asked me to please come. I visited the bank where the officer asked me to "Please sit in the sitting room, why you should be messed in this crowd. You please sit, I am coming there only to you with form". I sat. As said, he came exactly in 2 mins with a form. Made a list of docs to bring. Explained things in great details. Said, its ok if some doc is even not present. Its ok even if the form is not fully filled. "Fill as much as you want"

Now that I know that my loan will finally be sanctioned as I submit the docs tomorrow and I know no Deshpandey can stop the process now, it's an experience worth cherishing.