Delhi University is accommodating a lot of changes in its campus for the Commonwealth Games at the cost of not being able to accommodate its students in the hostels of various colleges. The hostels of almost all north campus colleges have been or will be vacated for the Commonwealth Games delegates. However, some north campus colleges have made alternate arrangements for the evicted students.
Daulat Ram College has offered to put up 45 of its hostelers in its air conditioned seminar room and provide them with three meals daily. The seminar room has attached bathrooms. All these services will be provided free of cost. The girls will also be provided other amenities like television, an electric iron and drinking water. Similarly, Kirori Mal College is accommodating 25 students who face financial constraints or are physically challenged and are hence having difficulty finding alternate accommodation. They are being allowed to stay in the warden’s quarters which are currently unoccupied.
Miranda House has also assisted its students to find temporary lodging till October. The college administration helped the evicted hostelers by identifying suitable rented flats and Paying Guest Accommodations in the vicinity of the college which provide their services at reasonable rates. The college has agreed to provide basic furniture and meals to these students. While they can have breakfast and lunch in the college mess, dinner will be delivered in meal boxes to the students.
On the other hand, several other colleges have been completely apathetic towards its students and their accommodation needs. In some cases, the students were unceremoniously displaced without complete information. Says a student of Hindu College, “Right up till February, there was no official information from the college as to whether our hostel rooms have to be vacated or not. It was believed to be a rumour. We were then informed informally that we should start looking for alternate accommodations. So several out-stations students had to spend a sizable portion of their summer vacation looking for PGs and flats to rent. The college did not assist us at all.” Students of St. Stephen’s College are similarly clueless about when they have to vacate their hostel rooms, if at all. The first years have been made to sign a bond saying that they will have to vacate their rooms whenever it is demanded of them. The students of the Hansraj College hostel faced a similar plight and have not received any assistance from the college authorities. Says an aggrieved hosteler of Hansraj College, “We weren’t even told till the end of May whether we would have to vacate our rooms or not. We thought we would have to find someplace else to stay for at most 15 days. Most of us had to pay security for 2 to 3 months, which will only be refunded to us if we stay in the hostel for 11 months. Rates outside are also skyrocketing. Are we supposed to study or look for places to live?”
Lady Shri Ram College for Women has not asked its second and third year students to move out. However, the first years, despite being allotted hostel rooms, have not been allowed to move into them before October. Says a student of LSR, “While I have been allotted a hostel room, I cannot occupy it before October. I had to make my own arrangements for living in Delhi and the college provided me with no assistance whatsoever in finding alternate accommodation.”
Teachers at Universities will soon be graded and assessed annually in a system that will take into account their teaching and non-teaching activities. Under the UGC’s “Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education”, teachers will be graded on different parameters called Academic Performance Indicators(APIs).
The new system, called the Performance based Assessment System (PBAS) accords a weightage of 75% to teaching-related activities, their use of innovative teaching tools and examination duties. The remaining 15% will be assessed on activities outside of the purview of the classroom. These include student-centric activities such as the NSS/NCC, contributions to the department’s management, and participation in activities such as seminars, conferences, and so on.
Further, there is a proposal to also take into account “research and academic contributions” of teachers. Under a points system, there will be scores for different levels of publication. There will thus be different scores for publication of books, of chapters in books, of research papers, while research projects and consultancy projects will also be covered under this proposed points system.
While a committee on teachers’ pay revision had recommended self-assessment along with students’ evaluations, the latter does not figure in the new regulations. This is in line with the demands of teachers.
There are only around two months left before the opening ceremony. Yes, two months, and many of the venues are awaiting completion. What’s worse, students have been paying the price for the overhauling of the city
The construction around Delhi has caused various hazards for students. The main arteries of north campus are mostly dug up, eating up the already modest pavements, leaving you to fend for yourself in the middle of traffic. Colleges in and around CP have been suffering from such problems too.
If that was not enough, almost all north campus college grounds have been seized since last session for renovation. Sportingly-inclined students have to make do with the indoor facilities and basketball courts (used for impromptu cricket sessions or 5-a-side football). Add to this the increase in time spend getting to/back from college. The dug-up roads have added 10 minutes to an hour, based on whether its peak hours or not. U-specials have become even less punctual (but they’ve always been moody).
Room rentals have hiked in PGs where the athletes will be staying because the committee decided to jazz-up these accommodations. Rebecca George of JMC feels that the increased rates are forced on them. “We didn’t ask them to upgrade our PG. They don’t care if we can’t afford the new rent.”
It’s not just rude weather that’s plaguing Delhi’s efforts to get ready in time for its gold-medal moment, come October. There are a few eye-catching changes, especially the refurbished Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, whose interiors might make you go “wow…” Sadly, many top athletes have decided to skip the games and Queen Elizabeth II won’t be gracing Delhi either, citing a ‘busy social calendar’ as her reason. Given the new concerns over safety, Delhi’s other invited guests may soon be sending regrets as well. Watch this space.
5. Get everyone to play Big Boss (reminiscent of 1984, perhaps?)
4. Get Amir Khan to make a movie about how awesome your rule would be. That should convince everyone through discussions in newspapers, news channels etc.
3. Pretend to have a highly contagious disease and threaten to sneeze if everyone doesn’t give in to your rule.
2. Use CID to send out subliminal messages like, “Daya, Darwaza todo (to give way to new leadership)” and “Oh God (who has been replaced by
1. Buy Cricket. And make Sachin Tendulkar your puppet PM.
1. Full Speed Ahead for CWG
In an optimistic statement, Lalit Bhanot, the CWG Secretary General has assured the media that India will be ready to host the games even as officials and labourers race against time to finish the remaining jobs like cabling, landscaping and removal of debris at the games venues.
2. DUSU election to be held on Sep. 3
Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) elections will take place on September 3,2010 and the date of display of final list of candidates is August 26. Issues like- inconvenience caused to students due to upcoming CWG, semester system and infrastructural problems are likely to be a part of election agenda of various students’ parties.
3. DU colleges to help evicted students
In a long-awaited and much needed manoeuvre, a number of DU colleges like Kirori Mal College (KMC), Daulat Ram (DR), and Miranda House (MH) extended a helping hand to the students who had to forgo hostel accomodation due to CWG. Physically challenged students are being accomodated in the warden’s quarter at KMC while DR is to put up hostelers in the seminar hall and MH has offered to help identify suitable accomodation as well as provide meals in the college mess for the hostelers.
4. Airlines to compensate for delays, cancellations
Did the flight get cancelled without prior information? The Aviation Ministry will come to the rescue in the form of monetary compensation (along with a full refund) for the inconvenience caused by flight delays and cancellations in case alternate tranport arrangement is refused by the passengers.
Friday, the 30th of July it was, when the auditorium of Ramjas College resonated with euphony. The Music Society of the college was just about geared to set the students to shake and tune their heads to music. The “Musical Extravaganza” it was, as they called it.
The auditorium of the college underwent minute seat realignment and resetting and voila! The dance floor was ready. Following that, it was the Choreo society of the college that drew attention upon themselves by performing an assorted basket of street jives. While their performances lasted a while, the DJ was set for the much awaited jam session.
The auditorium vibrated with music as he switched between a mix of English and Hindi songs. While the jamming lasted for a long time, it did set feet tapping and most moving.
Outside the auditorium, food stalls were placed in the lawns of the college. There was much to choose from after the dancing. Chinese and North Indian cuisine were among the many.
The event lasted for about four hours with none so tired to stop or go!
Freedom- be it from colonial oppression, societal rejection or racism- has historically not come by easily to the people who were denied this freedom. People all over the world struggled tirelessly and fought ceaselessly for this freedom, driven by the hope for a better tomorrow for themselves and their children. History is testimony to many freedom struggles and what is common to all these is the fact that they were all led by charismatic leaders, and their inspirational speeches, which were instrumental in the success of such struggles. As DUB celebrates Independence Day this week, we remember some of the famous speeches which moved people into action or celebrated their ultimate vindication in their respective freedom struggles.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech to the Constituent Assembly, on 14th August 1947:
Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance…
Martin Luther King Jr’s speech on August 28, 1963 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom:
…When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men – yes, black men as well as white men – would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note…The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people. For many of our white brothers as evidenced by their presence here today have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone…I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’…
Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Address as the President of South Africa on May 10, 1994:
…The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.
We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people. We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity–a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world….Never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.
Let freedom reign.
Declaration of War on Japan – by Franklin D. Roosevelt
December 8th 1941
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements of hope for continued peace…Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory…I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again…With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounded determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God.
A Disguised Subjugation
As far back as I can remember, we’ve been taught that India became independent on the 15th of August 1947. Recently, though, it became more and more obvious that formal independence and recognised sovereignty can hardly be equated with true freedom. If freedom is the absence of any external coercion, then India is not a free nation, and developing nations scattered across the globe are practically colonies, though they may be recognised as sovereign states. While powerful nations do not directly rule these countries, they use both military and economic power to influence policy making and trade of the less-powerful developing nations. This is the phenomenon of neo-colonialism, which had most famously been described as the “last stage of imperialism”.
India is amongst the many nations who depend greatly on developmental aid from nations like the U.S.A., as well as international bodies like the United Nations. In order to receive this aid, they are forced to modify their foreign policy, and also to open up their markets to multinational corporations and foreign investment. While this is of great benefit to the more prosperous developed nation, the poorer nation often gets a raw deal, with its resources and manpower being exploited blatantly. A classic example of this is the forced liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1991, in return for financial aid from the World Bank to help deal with the economic crisis in India. This may have led to economic growth, and development in a very narrow sense, whereas it actually led to a widening of the gap between the haves and the have-nots. It benefited only certain sections, and a vast majority of the population, especially in rural areas, received no benefits at all.
Providers of such assistance also treat it as a license to interfere in the domestic matters of the recipient nation. Their foreign policy is constantly influenced by the vested interest of a hegemonic power, rather than being determined by the requirements and aspirations of the nation in question. In a bid to ‘liberate’ them from dictators, the United States of America not only invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, but also seized control of their resources, particularly oil. Thus, the primary motive was economic, not humanitarian. Neocolonialism is also a cultural phenomenon, because it projects the culture and norms of the more powerful nations as being the ideal. This attempt at creating cultural homogeneity is the death knell of distinctive characteristics and practices of the indigenous groups of a nation. This is often referred to as the McDonaldisation of the world. The global hegemony of the English language has further helped neo-colonialism to spread its tentacles and take roots all over the world. The popular belief that the ‘west’ is more advanced, superior and modern makes it easy for neocolonists to continue this system.
The major crisis today is a lack of realisation among people that they are in fact being subjected to neo-colonial suppression and therefore that their nation is not truly independent. It is only once that this awareness spreads that colonialism in its new, disguised form can be challenged. In a country likes ours, where formal independence was gained as a result of sacrifice and struggle, it would be a shame if the Indian people submit to this new form of external rule. Once again we must ask ourselves whether we are independent in the true sense of the word, or is our independence merely an illusion, a mirage that disappears once you actually reach out for it.
Ketaki Misra
[email protected]
Definitely not in the Red Corner
In an age when the economic affairs of all the world’s countries are closely entrenched with a highly precarious balance of political power as in existence today, speculation on capitalist ethics and their political implications is inevitable. And an oft thrown about piece of jargon in this melee is “Neocolonialism”. Supporters of this theory broadly define Neocolonialism as continuation of a sort of economic colonialism even after a territory has achieved formal political independence.
What rubbish.
Neocolonialism is a façade created by the remnants of a fast fading leftist/Marxist ideological tradition struggling to retain relevance, and has been often used as a rather convenient excuse by certain regressive schools of thought to explain their failure. African nations, for example, have been blaming postcolonial interference as the major reason for their problems, while in actuality corruption, inefficiency, and a mad scramble for power were the real issues. During the period from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, Africa had more than 70 coups and 13 Presidential assassinations. This is the exact period when African economies were allegedly destroyed by rampant economic imperialistic practices. In 1972, the Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin, as part of his economic war, broke diplomatic ties with Britain and nationalized 85 British-owned businesses. The Queen’s coffers were most certainly not the cause of Uganda’s concerns, then. In fact, the acute lack of organized foreign investment and stunted political will is perhaps the reason why Africa still remains the world’s poorest inhabited continent, despite having an abundant supply of natural resources.
Closer home, the Left, which has been sounding warning bells at every mention of foreign investment in India ever since PV Narsimha Rao’s government, and specifically his Finance Minister at the time, Manmohan Singh shook up things in 1991, is realizing that their crowd of aam janta supporters is seeing the light and leaving. As of 2009, about 300 million people—equivalent to the entire population of the United States—have escaped extreme poverty as a direct consequence of these policies. That is enough data to make Dependency Theory (the notion that resources flow from a periphery of poor and underdeveloped states to a core of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former), which constitutes the very fundament of Neocolonialism critique, fall flat on its face in the Indian context. That the pseudo-Marxist approaches of the left are losing relevance was demonstrated in the 2009 Lok Sabha election, with the CPI (M) losing several seats in two of its three strongholds, West Bengal and Kerala. The only post-colonialism India experienced was the self exposed diktat of the License Raj, referring to the absurd red tape-ism in all matters of business that accompanied its initial socialist aspirations. This foolishness only ended with the economic reforms of 1991 and with the critical support of the IMF, a body that is, and rather ironically so, often accused of being a perpetrator of Neocolonialism. One shudders to think of the implications of a non-liberalized economy in a land where the highwaymen come before the highways do.
The perceived cultural colonisation of mind space or simply put “the aping of the west” is nothing but a generation realising that they aren’t at the mercy of a disinterested central authority to achieve the standard of life that they desire and deserve. Their patronage of multinational corporations, the one entity every true nationalist worth his salt loves to hate, is their expression of this realization. And you can’t really say that McDonald’s or MTV is the reason why kids don’t touch the feet of elders anymore when our immense cultural heritage has been so coolly sidelined in our primary level educational texts, and the rare occasions that they do find a way in, it is either for (i) furthering of propaganda or, (ii) minority appeasement.
It’s too early to say if I’m lovin’ it, but I’d sure as hell like to see to where we’re headed.
Prateek Arora
[email protected]
Books
On Independence Day, la grande dame decided that this Independence Day issue would treat the day not only as some sort of day of reverence in honour of the country, but also talk about the liberated spirit. Two books that talk about absolute opposites in that sense are Train to Pakistan and 1984.
Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan, is one of the most famous works based on Partition, and was also the basis for a movie starring Mohan Agashe and the late Nirmal Pandey, who passed away in February this year. Written in extremely simple language, “Train to Pakistan” portrays the lives of an ordinary cast of characters turned extra-ordinary by their changing world. What does independence of thought, of action, of country, mean when whole train-loads of dead people arrive at the railway station everyday? The answer, perhaps, is thought and action that goes against the grain of thoughtless violence, even if it has serious, perhaps fatal consequences.
While Khushwant Singh’s novel is based very much in the reality of history, George Orwell’s 1984 is as dystopian a novel as dystopian novels can be. The novel envisages a world completely under the control of one party. The world has been divided up into three and the book’s setting is remembered perhaps most for the ubiquitous “Big Brother”, the larger-than-life leader whose presence is prevalent through every sphere of life, but who is never seen in person. Independence is stultified to the extent of the absolute control of history, total control over every aspect of a person’s life; ‘thoughtcrime’ (the thinking of rebellious thoughts) is among the most serious crimes.
These two books differ widely in their settings and their stories, but are extremely crucial to understand the importance of independence of an individual.
Eeshaan Tiwary
Movies
V for Vendetta
Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V’s plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption. The Wachowskis’ adaptation of Alan Moore graphic novel is remarkably faithful. The direction is bold and some dialogues powerful. It depicts violence as a means to free the state. It’s not a call to rise up against authority, but a warning about the way fear can be used to give a person or organization too much power.
Haqueeqat
Haqueeqat is National Award winning film about the Sino- Indian war of 1962. Directed by Chetan Anand, the film is memorable for its songs sung by Mohd. Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. The plot centers around Capt. Bahadur Singh (Dharmendra) who dies fighting along with his girlfriend in order to protect other platoon members from the Chinese. A gut- wrenching movie with excellent songs like, Kar Chale Hum Fida, Jaano Tan Saathiyon, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon, Haqueeqat makes for ideal I- Day viewing.
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Hazaaron is a story of three people consumed by angst and desire during a turbulent period of modern Indian history, the Emergency of 1975. Siddharth (Kay Kay Menon), Geeta (Chitrangda Singh) and Vikram (Shiny Ahuja) are Delhi University students in the 1970s. Siddharth, born to judge and raised in luxury lives in abject contempt of the noncommittal attitude of the power bearers of the country, wants to be the harbringer of a revolution. Vikram, on the other hand, born to a Gandhian father and having been around revolution all his life, wants nothing to do with it. Both are in love with Geeta, a shy and reserved South Indian girl. All of them seek true happiness, but all they really find is that they’re cogs in a machine which they really can’t control.
Songs
This Independence Day, DU Beat brings to you; a list of absolute must listens. If you haven’t heard them, you must and if you have, revisit them this I- Day. They are songs, not just about India’s freedom struggle but about independence, freedom in the very base sense of the word. Freedom to be; for an individual, a nation, a world.
Kar Chale Hum Fida, Jaano Tan Saathiyon, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon, sung by Mohammed Rafi
The Wall- Pink Floyd
Redemption Song- Bob Marley.
Bharat Humko Jaan Se Pyaara Hai- AR Rahman, Roja
Gimme hope, Jo’anna- Eddy Grant
Wavin’ Flag- K’naan
Winds of Change- The Scorpions
Vande Mataram- AR Rahman
Q. Dear Amma, I am going to marry the next month. So can you help me in explaining
’veginitty’ ?
A. Aww marriages always make me cry! Congratulations young man. But aiyyo, you make virginity sound like a McVeggie burger! Virginity has been claimed to be every woman’s secret treasure, the golden lotus, her pride. Well, that is just bollywood being silly. In the strictest term, you are a virgin until you’ve had sexual intercourse with the member of the opposite sex, and the woman’s hymen is broken. Also, it is not necessary for your wife to bleed once the hymen is broken. It is a myth. Since you are a good man and this is your wife and your first time, you must make her feel comfortable with the concept, be careful about her needs and be gentle. And don’t forget to use a condom lest you want little children crying “appa!” within a year of your wedding! Trust me son, you will learn the rest on your wedding night itself, wink wink.
Q. Hi Amma. How are you? I had intercourse with my girlfriend while she was menstruating. She complains of pain now, please help.
A. Oh dear, sonny in these times it is best to listen to your girlfriend because we are talking about a very delicate time for her. However, there is nothing unhealthy about having sex during menstruation. In fact, Amma knows a little known secret you must tell your girlfriend- getting an orgasm will alleviate her of her menstrual pain. It’s up to her how she does it. But don’t think periods can avoid pregnancy since there is always a chance of an egg sticking around, so always use protection. And most importantly, have sex only with consent. After all, two happy people is better than none na!