Self-promotion is now an accepted social value. Everyone, from a politician to an actor, is engaged in self-promotion. Watch any TV serial, you will come across examples of brazen self-promotion. But it is a fact that too much self­ promotion often boomerangs. This is what we see in the case of Private Quelch. Private Quelch or the ‘Professor’ has awesome knowledge about his field. He is in a hurry to impress others with his knowledge to realize his aim of getting commission in the army. So he tactlessly makes a show-off of his knowledge. He loses no opportunity to correct even his seniors in public. His fellow trainees .begin to resent his attempts at self-promotion. He becomes a butt of their sarcasms and jokes. He tries to impress the Sergeant and the Corporal by interrupting and correcting them before others. Finally, his self ­promotion costs him dearly. He is sent on permanent cookhouse duties. He loses a golden chance to get commission in the army.