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September 8, 2014

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A tale of two migration cases

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Here, in our own Editorial team, we had quite a few people who had applied for migration to various colleges. While two of us were from the same college, one of us managed to get migrated to another college but the other did not. Recounted below are our accounts on how hard migration can be in the University.

 

Account 1: Migration Rejected

Being amongst the numerous students who were brainwashed by the FYUP approach last year which stated that migrations will be a distant reality for the third semester, I was at peace and accepted the reality that I would have to spend the rest of my college days in the same off campus ‘second rate’ college. Until one day a random conversation woke me up to the fact that DU had been approving migration applications and offering students an opportunity to escape their pre-sealed fates. I was also betrayed when I got to know that many of my contemporaries had already applied and were on the verge of getting their jobs done as discreetly as possible. And this happened only two weeks back.
Since then I have been on nothing less than a roller-coaster ride writing applications, chasing the administrative staff and that HOD to make things work. After having applied to three colleges of South Campus, I found a variety of issues coming my way –

 

• First, each college has a different cut off (apparently created on the spot by the teachers). Inside sources have reported favouritism and source admissions.
• Second, some colleges completely deny migration, citing a variety of reasons. From having unavailability of seats and yet allowing migrations outside to making aspirants run around till the last date and leaving no choice for the student to go back home and try again from scratch the next day.
• Third, Apart from the loopholes with administration, it is a strenuous task to catch hold of the principal, who is the supreme decision maker and the authoritative head when it comes to admissions and migrations. The staff is uncooperative and unreliable unless you don’t have “connections” or “sources” involved.

Lastly, I would state that after a two week long roller-coaster ride, I still found myself standing at square one. Although I had been able to impress the H.O.D of the other college, the Principal there did not accept my application irrespective of the fact that the teachers of the concerned department had signed an application supporting my decision to migrate to their college.

 

Amitoj Singh
[email protected]

 

Account 2: Migration Successful

Although there is not much of a difference in opinion from the one presented above by my peer, I would still like to present my account on how I was successful in migrating to another college and the hardships I had to face to achieve it.
• Day 1, 28th August 2014 – Three days before the deadline for migration I was lucky enough to be informed by few friends that migrations were going on in a South Campus college. After getting my application verified by the H.O.D, I was allowed to talk to the Principal who provided me with a N.O.C. (No Objection Certificate). The same day I rushed to my college and submitted the N.O.C. and the Principal of my college acknowledged it by commanding the administrative department to provide me with a N.O.C. and a College Leaving Certificate.
• Day 2, 29th August 2014 – After running around the campus and getting signatures from four different people, I finally submitted the application which stated that I had no dues left with the college to the Senior Officer. However I was scared stiff when I was told that the Principal had not come to the college and 31stbeing a Sunday meant I had time till the next day to get my migration confirmed. After three hours of negotiations involving my parents, we were told to accompany a peon of my college to the Principal’s house and getting it signed by him there. At 9 PM in the night I received the requisite documents.
• Day 3, 30th August 2014 – On the D- Day, I rushed to my new college. I presented all my documents but was asked to get an Anti- Ragging Affidavit made. After submitting it, we were given the fee slips and we finally paid our fees and secured our seats in the new college.

 

Ishaan Sengupta
[email protected]

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Flicks

Movie review: Mary Kom

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Call her “ziddi”, brilliant or a totally insane person Priyanka Chopra is limitless. A film’s worth is measured by what the audience takes away from it and while walking out of the theater, one cannot get over the amount of strenuous physical training Priyanka Chopra must have undergone to portray the 5 time world amateur boxing champion “Magnificent Mary”. Mary Kom is the directorial debut of Omung Kumar and also stars Sunil Thapa and Dharshan Kumar.  The Creative Director of the film is Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

The movie showcases Mary Kom’s journey from a fearless schoolgirl to a boxer, wife, mother and the constant battle between these roles and her love for boxing. With exhaustive training, doggedness, a focused mind  and her “ziddi” behavior, Kom swims through all the struggles and becomes the face of Women’s boxing. The movie also attempts to bring to light the struggle faced by Indian sportsperson’s in a corrupted system, with minimal facilities available.

The Biopic exploits emotions with the mother-son connection giving it a slightly Bollywood masala touch. Another example is when Mary’s father, who is not on speaking terms with Mary cheers for her while watching her getting beaten up in a match on television and all the blessings and cheer seems to be transcended across the country to Mary’s boxing ring, and she of course wins the match with vigour.

The background score floats average, either not in sync with the emotions in the scenes or almost abrupt in its beginning and ends. A thumbs up to Darshan Kumar who plays Kom’s supportive spouse, a character that husbands should look up to. The movie questions the state of sports in India especially for girls, and lives the most important message that “If the government cooperates and supports, every nook and corner of India can have a champion.” The movie wins in making Mary Kom a household name and is definitely a must watch for its inspiration.

PS- Watch out for the GOAL Dialogue.

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News

Delhi University Teacher’s Welfare Fund unaccounted for from the past four years

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The Delhi University Teachers’ Welfare Fund was set up by the teachers themselves to help the fellow teachers in urgent financial needs untimely death and medical reimbursements. Although certain revelations have come up recently, stating that the Welfare Fund has been non-operational and unaccounted for the last four years. To make the process properly administered, it is done via the institutions from where a certain amount of money is deducted from the salaries of the teachers. The fund is administered by a collective group of people who are collectively decided.

Earlier, in the competition of the committee called the Teachers’ Welfare Fund Committee, there would be some teacher representative from the DUTA, the elected teacher representative of the executive council, some members from the academic council, some professors and some non-teaching S.O. staff. But speculations state that the governing body is keeping everything secret about the ongoing matter of questioning of the funds.

Expressing deep concern over the matter, Delhi University Teachers’ Association’s president Nandita Narain says, “Everything about Delhi University has changed in the past four years. All representatives are being handpicked.” “The matter came into light when certain teachers who were in some financial distress applied for the funds. First they were told that there is one S.O. in the School of Open Learning to whom they need to submit their application to. DUTA was not made aware in any meeting about the existing place. We are trying to find out what’s going. There was no dialog between the Vice Chancellor, the administration and the DUTA.” She said. “What we heard from a certain teacher was that the fund was not being managed properly, so the S.O. has thrown up his hands because of the big mess. So we asked him to directly approach the VC to account him for the funds and where the money was going.”

DUTA’s white-paper is a document on the large scale mis-governance, financial scams and violation of the rule of law for which the association has documentary evidence. In this case, it consists of 450 pages of the lies which they got to know about this scam. She said that DUTA is currently looking into the matter, “We have put it in out white-paper which is one of the documents regarding the financial scams of this university and we have demanded that the body should have new staff quickly. We have visited honorable presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee and nothing has been done to restore the peace in this matter. We will fight against this large scale victimization of teachers in this university.”

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Uncategorized

AISA releases manifesto and list of candidates for DUSU elections 2014

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It is that time of the year where we, the citizens of Delhi University, choose our leaders – The DUSU elections. The process for these elections, which will reach its climax on 12th of September 2014 with the elections, has already begun with the contesting parties declaring their manifesto and list of candidates.

One of these parties is All India Students’ Association popularly known as AISA. AISA declared its manifesto for the DUSU elections 2014 on 4th of September 2014. Here is a list of the major points that AISA brings out in its manifesto and hopes to achieve if elected.

Manifesto Highlights

Hostel Accommodation

Hostel accommodation is an important point being raised by all parties this year. A desire to have hostels in all colleges so that students are provided proper accommodation along with a proper rent regulation act is one of the major points that AISA wishes to take up.

Anti sexual harassment and discrimination cells

After various cases of sexual harassment and rape in Delhi there have been repeated efforts to ensure safety for women. One of those measures on college level by AISA would be the establishment of cells for the same in every college where girls can step up and raise their voice along with anti-discrimination cells to prevent the kind of discrimination happening with North- East and other students.

AISA has always been an advocate of women safety. After the gang-rape incident on 16th of December 2012 the led a movement called ‘Freedom without Fear’ demanding the Vishaka guidelines to be applied in all colleges.

Metro and bus passes for students

In an effort to better the transportation service for students, AISA demands concessional passes for students in Metro and recognition of student bus passes in all buses along with more connectivity by DTC buses and more DTC bus pass counters where none exist.

For this, AISA initiated a campaign interacting with 20,000 students on transportation and gathering their opinions and then mobilized students to Delhi Secretariat to demand proper and affordable transport facilities after which U-Special buses for girls in evening colleges were provided.
Many individual units of AISA keep holding protests for this cause.

Provisions for visually handicapped in libraries

AISA aims at making Braille books available in all Delhi University libraries for the aid of visually handicapped students.

Infrastructure development

Another major point in AISA’s manifesto is the development of all-round college infrastructures from water facilities to clean washrooms and classrooms and labs along with proper facilities and infrastructure for the physically handicapped students like ramps, sound indicators and other safety measures.

Merit cum means scholarship

Merit cum means scholarship is specifically for the economically weaker section of students and AISA aims at properly and strictly providing this scholarship to that section to ensure equal education to all.

Annual GBM for DUSU

Annual GBM’s will be conducted where DUSU will provide a proper annual report to maintain transparency and keep everyone informed of all decisions.

Other than these major points AISA also brings out other issues like:

Presidential debate before all DUSU elections
Stalling of unreasonable fee hikes
Reinstating the reevaluation process
Handling the FYUP B.Tech issue with a proper vision
More student participation in decision making process
Remedial classes for students
Hostel for PH students
Active grievance committees in colleges
Regulation of canteen rates

On 25th of July 2014 with 250 people and on 22nd of August 2014 with 1000 people AISA led protest marches bringing together all their major points like accommodation problems, ragging issue, women safety among others.

AISA’s list of candidates for DUSU elections 2014 are –

Madhurima Kundu, B.A Economics 3rd year, Hindu College – President
Aman Nawaz, M.A English, Dayal Singh College – Vice-President
Aman Gautam, B.A PROG 1st year, Sri Venkateswara college – Secretary
Vikramaditya, M.A Buddhist studies – Joint Secretary

 

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