``A course that prepares you for the toughest exam - life,'' says the brochure of the Ecole Solitaire. If you thought this institute teaches you survival tactics in a tough world, you are right - well, almost. Among the tough decisions that trainees at the Ecole Solitaire, a finishing school, are scheduled to learn include how to open a champagne bottle, the correct way to hold your knife and fork and to train domestic staff to be the envy of the upper-crust neighbourhood. This residential finishing school, which claims to be the country's first, promises to equip aspiring debutantes with these social graces and is all set for admissions in the city next month.``There are many social graces that prove invaluable, whether in a business or a social situation, which our regular education does not throw up,'' says founder-director Minocher Patel. The training consists of month-long intensive instruction in module format held separately for girls and boys in May and June and again in December and January at the Ganga Retreat Club. While admissions to the first such course will open in December, the one-month intensive course itself will start only in May.Does one really need a course in how to behave in polite society? ``With the world becoming a smaller place, one needs to be culturally sensitive to the international community,'' says Patel, adding, ``In the changing social environment, we Indians fall back when it comes to presenting ourselves, something so crucial in the world today.'' Patel hit on the idea of a finishing school when, during one of his workshops, a student came up to him and suggested it. ``She had been to an expensive finishing school herself and did not feel that she had benefitted from it. That set me thinking about setting up a finishing school. As it is difficult to unlearn a lot of old habits in a workshop situation, I thought that one which was residential would be most effective.'' he says.One wrong move at the fashionable do would mean committing social hara-kiri. To furnish these innocents with the finer details of how to conduct themselves, the modules include the fine art of entertaining, business etiquette and protocol - which is the subtle art of telling your guest their position in the pecking order. Lessons in personal grooming, cookery skills, table service and communication skills are also part of the training. Girls can avail themselves of a separate section on child care, floral art and domestic science. And to keep their health up after all those taxing duties, there is also a regime of health and fitness which includes an introduction to the business-friendly game of golf.``The permanent faculty will be drawn from Pune but guest lectures will be invited from the best people in that particular field,'' says Patel. Non-Resident Indians need not despair. A special `cultural comeback' package has been specially designed for them and is aimed at informing them of the rich Indian culture and tradition that they have missed all along!The age-group is restricted to those between 16 to 30 years. ``We hope to transform those who come for the course into focused, polished and good human beings,'' says Patel about the course. Of course, all these accomplishments come at a cost - in this case, a whopping Rs. 59,000 for each of the 30 seats. And if the price makes you gasp aloud, please don't. 'Cos as Patel would vouch for, it simply ain't good manners!
