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‘Main akela hi chala tha janib-e-manzil magar, Log saath aate gaye aur karwaan banta gaya’(I started all alone towards the goal but people kept joining and it began to turn into a caravan.) These lines by Majrooh Sultanpuri, painted on the walls of Shaukat (Irrfan Khan)’s blue van speak a lot about what Akarsh Khurana’s Karwaan revolves around. The movie, released on 3rd August, has grossed over Rs. 12.50 crores till now. Its story revolves around the intricacies of human relationships and the complexities of our choices. The movie’s aesthetic revolves around an unconventional road trip, Prateek Kuhad’s soulful music, Shaukat’s blue van, a rebellious teenager right out of a hangover, the peril of human choices, and the backdrop of the most scenic places in the South of India. Avinash, played by Dulquuer Salmaan, is an unsatisfied employee at an IT firm in Bangalore, who gets a call about his father’s death in a bus accident. He travels with his companion, Shaukat (Irrfan Khan) from Bangalore to Kochi to retrieve his father’s corpse. On their way, they pick up Tanya (Mithila Palkar), a troubled teenager, full of character and rebellion, ready to take on the world in her own ways. Sometimes getting lost is the best way to find yourself. This lies at the heart of Karwaan, as three flawed, complex characters take on this journey, with bumps of its own, and find themselves along the way. This beautiful movie has a lot to offer, from realisations about the mortality and unpredictability of life to a closer look at the complexities of human emotions, and the courage required to embrace fresh starts.  A few lessons that a student should take away from this heart-warming tale are: Difference between rebellion and stupidity Tanya’s character, flawed in its own way,  reflects upon the millennials today. Avinash, though a little conservative in his personality (reflects the opinions of his father), does open her up to understanding the difference between bagaawat(rebellion) and bewaquoofi (stupidity). The former being a drive for change, and the latter only bringing destruction in its path. Always choose passion Avinash works in a dead-end job in an IT firm in Bangalore and shares a strained relationship with his father, blaming him for not letting him follow his dream of becoming a photographer. He resents his father for charting out a career path for him that leaves him unhappy and unsatisfied. The journey reminds him of his love for photography and makes him want to forgive his father for not understanding. Life is short, live it more often The movie begins with the untimely demise of Tanya’s grandmother and Avinash’s father. Avinash’s father dies with a heavy heart and a letter full of regrets. It makes you reflect on the unpredictability of life and how there are so many things we should say when we have the chance, and time to. Have more courage! Even though Irrfan Khan is struggling from a debilitating disease, he’s still the most vibrant, energetic and quick-witted Shaukat that the movie could have asked for. His convincing performance and humour bring life to the journey. If there is something that everyone should take away from this story, is how courage is grace under fire and the only way out is through. Feature Image Credits: The Indian Express Muskan Sethi [email protected]]]>

The tradition of flying a kite every year on 15th August not only honours the sacrifice of our ancestors but also celebrates the freedom that they fought for. This year, DU Beat brings to you a complete guide to flying a kite on Independence Day.

The tradition of kite flying, now viewed as a symbol of freedom and celebration of independence, started as a medium of protest against the British Raj ninety years ago. In 1927, the British government appointed a Commission under Sir John Simon to report on the working of the Indian constitution. Indian revolutionaries opposed this idea and kites, with the slogan of “Go back Simon”, were flown across the country as a mark of protest against the Commission.

Though the meaning of flying a kite has evolved over time, the conviction with which these beautiful hues cover the sky each year remains the same. DU Beat offers you a few hacks for kite flying:

Pick the Right Kite

Pick the right shape and style for your kite. Use a kite with a bold colour so that it is easy to spot in the sky. Red kites are easy to see and spot, especially when they crash. In terms of shape, the most common ones include diamond, delta, box, and dragon. Each shape will fly differently so give them all a try before you settle for one.

Fly in the Right Weather

The best winds for flying are between 5-25 MPH. Moderate winds will be perfect to fly a kite. Anything lighter would not be able to carry a kite. Strong winds make it very difficult to properly manoeuvre a kite. Never fly a kite during a thunderstorm.

Pick a Great Spot to Fly

A large and windy area free of trees and electric wires would be perfect. Do not fly a kite near power lines, telephone wires or high-rise apartment buildings.

Practice

To fly a kite, stand with your back to the wind, hold the kite in both your hands and toss it lightly until the wind catches it. Slowly unravel the string to let it climb. You will eventually get the hang of it, just remember to practice.

Where and what to buy?

Kite flying is very popular in Chandni Chowk, Daryaganj, Hudson Lines, Kingsway Camp, Kamla Nagar, Tilak Nagar, and other West Delhi areas. In such areas, you can get great varieties and deals on kites. Remember to only buy kites with cotton threads. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has issued a request not to use manjha for flying kites, because it is coated with crushed and powdered glass, which is dangerous not only for birds but also pedestrians and two-wheelers.

Where to Fly?

With people coming together from across Delhi, there are a few spots that are a delight to fly kites at. India Gate, Connaught Place, Nehru Park, and Lodhi Garden are the perfect places for kite-fliers and kite-lovers to be at on Independence Day.

 

Every time, a kite soars higher than the clouds or a child cries, “Kai Po Che”, there is freedom in the air and honour to the struggle made to acquire it.

 

Feature Image Credits:  Above Android

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

 

Maggi has always been a favourite for kids and adults alike. It’s always been a go-to for lazy Sunday mornings, crazy all-nighters, beautiful monsoon evenings, trips to the hills, treks and long drives. Every person has some beautiful memories attached with Maggi. For college students today, it’s a tasty and economical option to opt for, that never disappoints. With this, DU Beat brings to you a list of 7 Maggi Joints in or around your college to cater to your palate:

Kev’s Maggi Point, Satya Niketan

Location: South Campus

Image Credits: Trip Advisor
Image Credits: Trip Advisor

The first cafe in the Satya Niketan lane, Kev’s Maggi Point serves a wide range of Maggi variations and Maggi Omellettes within the range of: Rs.40- Rs.100. Its specialities include Mexican Maggi, Italian Maggi, and Punjabi Tadka Maggi. The recommended picks also include Thai Red Maggi and Cheese & Pepper Maggi.

 

KMC Hostel Canteen, KMC
Location: North Campus

Image Credits: Trip Advisor
Image Credits: Trip Advisor

The KMC Hostel Canteen or KhoCa is one of the busiest places for Maggi in North Campus offering a plate of Veg Maggi at just Rs. 30. 

The Gargi Nescafe Stall, Gargi College
Location: South Campus

Image Credits: Fuccha
Image Credits: Fuccha

The famous Nescafe stall at Gargi offers delicious maggi at just Rs. 25 that you can relish with a glass of iced tea, sitting under the humble sheds.

Maggi Point, Dyal Singh College
Location: South Campus

Image Credits: Flickr
Image Credits: Flickr

The Maggi Point located next to the Petrol Pump, near the Dyal Singh college, offers a perfect hangout location for the students, serving delicious Maggi at just Rs. 35 per plate.

Billu’s Hut, NSP
Near Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce
Location: Netaji Subhash Place, North West Delhi

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Image Credits: Zomato

Billu’s Hut has captured popular imagination among students. Being a regular hangout spot for students from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, the place is known for its delicious Pasta. It offers a wide variety of types of Maggi, with the Cheese Maggi being overwhelmingly the most popular.

Nescafe Stall, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies
Location: West Delhi

Image Credits: Zayka ka Tadka
Image Credits: Zayka ka Tadka

The Nescafe stall at CBS offers a Maggi, rich in flavours, at just Rs. 30. Even though the price is 5 bucks higher than what the canteen serves, the experience is worth it.

Tom Uncle’s Maggi Point
Location: North Campus

Image Credits: Trip Advisor
Image Credits: Trip Advisor

Irrespective of the number of new Maggi joints opening up, Tom Uncle’s Maggi Point remains the most famous across all colleges and campuses. The most favoured Maggi Joint in town, it offers over thirty different varieties of Maggi. The place is definitely worth a visit and the most recommended Maggi remains Cheese and Butter Maggi, loaded with melting cheese and steaming butter.

 

Feature Image Credits: Flickr

 

Muskan Sethi
[email protected]

Your first year of college becomes the building block to the next two years and your career too. It becomes all the more for you to make the most out of it. DU Beat brings to you a list of 5 things that you should consider while planning it out.

The first month of college is always full of excitement and apprehension, nervous energy and giggles, hopeful faces and fresh starts. It revolves around getting used to the new environment, getting to know your new friends, travelling around, trying out for societies, and making a place for yourself.

The first year eventually becomes the foundation for the next two. It helps you understand parts of yourself that you didn’t know you could be. It makes you be more confident in your identity and a lot more of you.

It also becomes the building block for your career. The societies you become a part of, the events you organise, and the internships you do help build your career path.

Thus, planning out your first year becomes important, and this planning isn’t as much sitting down with sheets and pens, as it is about questioning yourself and what you want out of this year.

Everyone enters college with different goals, dreams, and aspirations. To begin with, you have to question yourself, “What is my passion?” Is it playing basketball at the national level or landing a job at a big MNC? Is it trying out new things and experimenting or working on your personality?

Once you have set your goal, your journey becomes a lot more visible. Here are four things worth considering.

1. Create a Schedule

It’s important for you to make time for things that are really important to you, be it your old friends or preparation for a certain professional examination. Create a schedule so that you have enough time on your hands to cater to all that you want to do.

2. Only take up things that you can handle

During your first year, it’s natural for you to want to do everything, but it’s definitely not advisable. Do not take things on your plate that you cannot handle. Only join societies and do internships that you can cope up with and give your best to

3. Build your personality, not your CV

In college, your CV does become an important factor to do/not do something. But your CV isn’t everything and it’s important for you to understand the difference between building your personality and building your CV. College offers a lot of opportunities. Make the most of them and make sure that a grown, more independent, and skilful version of you reaches second year.

4. Remember to make the most of it!

Your first year of college is indeed one of the most beautiful years of your life. It has so much to offer to you. Do not let anyone/ anything intimidate you, and believe that you can get anything that you set your heart out to! Cheers and Good luck!

 

Feature Image Credits: Jagranjosh

Muskan Sethi
[email protected]

Celebrating Harry Potter’s birthday, DU Beat brings to you 11 ways through which you can access your own Hogwarts at the Delhi University and create your own magic!

Harry Potter has ruled the hearts and souls (refer: Hurcruxes) since we stepped into the Wizarding World through Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997. Today, as we celebrate Harry’s 38th birth anniversary, we bring to you a few parallels that you could draw from the world of muggles and magic to the world of the University of Delhi (DU) and the lack of it. Here’s tracing your journey at Hogwarts through DU:

  1. The Sorting Hat or in our case, DU cut-offs
download
Image Credits- Pottermore

 

The cut-offs act as a sorting hat (but in our case, they don’t really listen to us) as they sort us in different campuses and colleges.

  1. The Four Houses or in our case the different DU Campuses
0742da8e32132f969c26bd9182af4f67
Image Credits – Pinterest

 

The sorting Hat, i.e., the cut-off’s divide us up in 4 separate houses:

Gryffindor: The South Campus Colleges

Slytherin: The North Campus Colleges

Hufflepuff: The East and Central Delhi Colleges

Ravenclaw: The West Delhi Colleges

  1. Dumbledore’s Army or dedicated society members
Dumbledore's_Army
Image Credits- Wikia

 

The societies in every college are led by the man behind the show himself: Albus Dumbledore. (Meeting in secret spaces because the college rarely ever gives you space for your society/ lets you miss classes for meetings)

  1. Errol Weasley or the constantly  glitching DU website
download (1)
Image Credits – Wikia

 

The Weasley’s loyal family owl is flown out to us in the form of the DU website, which never works during results or exams or pretty much ever.

  1. Dolores Umbridge or scary faculty members
Dolores_Umbridge
Image Credits- Harry Potter Wiki

 

The professors’ and the principals’ reactions towards our self-proclaimed autonomy serve as a social manifestation of the most real villain in the series, Dolores Umbridge. (Read: I must not tell lies.)

  1. Rubeus Hagrid or in our case, college gatekeepers

Every college guard is Hagrid. Try sneaking into your college without an ID and you will see what we mean!

Rubeushagrid
Image Credits – Harry Potter Wiki

 

  1. Argus Filch and Hostel wardens
WB_F4_ArgusFilch_FilchStoodInCorridor_C394-7
Image credits – Pottermore

 

Argus Filch is every strict hostel warden ever who holds on to dear curfew as if it were oxygen. How dare you return at 8:01 p.m. when the in-time was 8!

  1. Norris (Filch’s Cat) and the one classmate who is the teacher’s pet
Image credits- Screenrat
Image credits- Screenrat

 

Every teacher’s pet ever is Filch’s Cat, ready to rat on us and score extra points with the professor. CR’s can sometimes be guilty of doing so.

  1. Voldemort and exams (they must not be named)
Voldemort-Death
Image Credits – MuggleNet

 

The nose-less demon is socially manifested in our lives in the form of exams, with its Horcruxes leaching at our souls all year long through internals and practicals.

11. Howler or an angry phone call from parents

Image credits- Howler
Image credits- Howler

 

A call from angry parents is just like a howler, involving endless screaming, shouting, and embarrassed silence on our end as we get berated endlessly.

12. Hogsmeade aka Hudson Lane and Satya Niketan

Image Credits- Pottermore
Image Credits- Pottermore

 

Each Campus has its own Hogsmeade. North Campus has Hudson Lane, South Camus has Satya Niketan, and the off-campus colleges have their own few spots to go drink Butterbeer too!

 

Every year, the applications are out and the cut-offs release, DU receives its very own fresh batch of Wizards, ready to change the world in their own ways. And even though Hogwarts has no comparison and it never will, we can’t help but wonder if Hogwarts is only accessible through Platform Nine and Three Quarters or do we really create our magic, even if it is in the Muggle world.

 

Feature Image Credits:  Cnet

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

Be it Dhinchak Pooja’s 35 million or Taher Shah’s 47 million hits on YouTube, we have fallen prey to the world of cringe. DU Beat analyses and lists down five reasons why cringe-worthy content has become our bread and butter.

 

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines cringeworthy as “so embarrassing, awkward, or upsetting so as to cause one to cringe.” Unfortunately, the past three years have seen an unbelievably high rise in the number of cringe-worthy videos that have gone viral for all the wrong reasons, be it the utter lack of tune in music or lyrics that are highly offensive on a million levels. Pop music now has a new genre named ‘Cringe Pop’ which includes music and videos that are so revolting, you cannot stop watching them.

In May 2017, a 25-year-old girl from Chandigarh, Pooja Jain became a viral sensation under the alias of Dhinchak Pooja when her song, ‘Selfie Maine Leli Aaj’ hit 35 million views on YouTube and trended in the top 20 list.

Digging ourselves much deeper into the cringe-trap, we listened to every tone-deaf, off-note song produced by her. Because of the way her music was trolled on Twitter and Facebook, her popularity grew as she earned over Rs. 7 lakhs on one song. She now has over 4,00,000 subscribers on YouTube and 40,000 followers on Instagram.

In 2003, Taher Shah, a 37-year-old Pakistani singer and music producer, became a pop culture sensation when his song Eye to Eye, with lyrics like “without your eye, I’m a butterfly”, went viral and hit over 900,000 views on YouTube. Two years later, he took over the world, dressed in a purple overall velvet gown, a crown, and wings, in his song ‘Angel’ that reached over two million views on YouTube.

His excessive narcissism, repulsive music, and meaningless lyrics packaged him up as a complete cringe deal that now a search of Eye to Eye springs up over 47 million results on YouTube.

The latest to join the rulers of the cringe world is Omprakash Mishra, whose song Aunty ki Ghanti took over the world by a storm in 2017 with over 6.5 million YouTube views. The extremely sexist and misogynistic song has had thousands gather at Connaught Place, Delhi and Marine Drive, Mumbai to ‘celebrate’ the self-proclaimed ‘Rap God’s’ hit. The song attracted intense media scrutiny and a journalist at The Quint, who demanded its removal from YouTube, faced death threats by defenders of the anthem, that somehow created a sense of relatability for millions of Indian men out there.

Cringe-worthy content is taking over the world today, be it through memes, newspapers, media channels or our daily conversations. However, not everyone views it as and shares such content just for the ‘heck’ of it.

We bring to you a list of five reasons why the world today welcomes such cringeworthy pop sensations and presents them this throne of fame:

1. SIMPLICITY AND REPETITIVENESS:

If the content features a simple, repetitive, and catchy tune like Taher Shah’s ‘Eye to Eye’ or Dhinchak Pooja’s ‘Selfie Maine le li aaj’, then it makes it easier for the sing to dig itself into the listener’s brain and urge him to share/ ridicule it in public.

2. SOCIAL CURRENCY:

In today’s world of extreme social media addiction, people are willing to do anything to earn that extra social currency, whatever makes them feel cool in front of others. Sharing such cringe worthy content and joking about it makes them feel more socially secure and acceptable.

3. EMOTION:

The cringeworthy content, simplistic in its own right, does have such emotional value attached to it, in terms of relatability towards the person or the setup. The mediocrity of content and the lack of the popular Bollywood setup in these videos connects with people through emotion, nostalgia, and humour, which forces them to share it with others.

4. PUBLIC’S OPINION:

If such cringe worthy content already has some social points attached to it, in the sense that, there have already been multiple shares online, then it makes it easier for people to participate and share it further. This helps them feel more validated as they feel that their opinion resonates with the public’s opinion.

5. SADISTIC PLEASURE:

A lot of research also shows that people derive sadistic pleasures from seeing the humiliation of others and a person who enjoys watching such videos, most likely suffers from low self-esteem and enjoys the discomfort and humiliation of others. There is also a high probability that this person is a bully or has bully tendencies.

Be it Dhinchak Pooja, Taher Shah, Vennu Mallesh or Omprakash Mishra, the world is obsessing over cringeworthy content and hawking at it like its fresh prey to all their memes, jokes and conversations. This has, unfortunately, deteriorated our standards for content consumption by multiple levels and has brought us to a point where we almost enjoy the cringe.

 

Feature Image Credits: Pinterest

 

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

Admissions bring with them their own turmoil and chaos. While they fulfil a lot of dreams, they also break a few hearts. Either way, not everyone makes it to the college of their dreams. Here is why it’s okay:
When it comes to Delhi University, you don’t really get to choose your college, your college chooses you. While that might be true, there is a lot more to it than what meets the eye. Every single year, the cut-offs soar a little higher, the percentages drop down a notch, and the stress levels skyrocket.

There are queues of thousands of applicants outside every college in campus, wishing to meet the cut-off and get a seat in their desired course. However, as accessible as the colleges sound at times, not everyone gets into their dream college, mostly due to no fault of their own.

At this point of time, it is absolutely natural for you to feel nervous and confused. However, looking for someone to blame and beating yourself over it will not get you anything. It is completely okay to feel disappointed and dwell in your feelings, but carrying this disappointment to the first day of this new journey, is not the best choice. If you decide to call this a failure on your part, let it be a failure that makes you strive harder in the future, and accept it on its face value. Dealing with it positively is so important for entering this new journey.

College is a big step of life and wherever you end up, it plays a pivotal role. College merely serves as a platform, more than anything, it always depends on how you want to use that platform. There is no right or wrong to the path of success, and your college definitely does not determine the path you seek. You can take any path, strive hard, and still get to your destination. The college will provide you with a lot of opportunities, but it is completely up to you to utilise those opportunities.

Step into college with optimism, and you will be greeted by a new home and family. Within the first month, you will meet people who will understand you and the kind of turmoil that is within you, and you will find support through thick and thin. You will soon adjust to this new environment and learn to love it like home.

Good luck for all that is ahead!

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

The Non Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCWEB), established in 1943 through an amendment in the Delhi University Act, is a special provision of the university through which female candidates can take examinations of the University with coaching on the weekends, without the requirement of attending regular classes. Degrees are granted for undergraduate and postgraduate courses through this system.

NCWEB only accepts female applicants residing in Delhi NCR and offers lectures only during the weekends and academic breaks. The non collegiate students are not authorized to enroll themselves in other full time courses. The board began functioning in September 1944 with three students. Currently, the enrollment is more than 24,000 as the board is able to accommodate only 20% of the applicants. The admission is granted on the basis of merit through declaration of cut-offs.

The first cut-off list for the admissions this year will be released on June 30. Rakesh Batra, teacher in-charge of NCWEB admissions at Hansraj College said, “We offer a total of 288 seats in two courses, B.A. Programme and B.Com. Programme. The response has been really good till now and all our seats get filled. The classes in Hansraj are conducted on Saturdays or during the vacations.”

Hemchand Jain, Vice Principal of Deen Dayal Upadhyay College said, “NCWEB was introduced to our college last year. We offer a total of 495 seats for two courses- B.A. Programme and B.Com. Programme. The enrolled students are performing really well and doing wonders since we have seen great results in this past year.” Since there is no classroom teaching, no written material is given. The students have to maintain a minimum of 66% to appear for the university examinations. There are 50 teaching days in a year and at the Undergraduate level, classes are held between  9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m with 6 periods in a day.

Anju, a second year student of B.A. Programme at Deen Dayal Upadhyay College said, “We have around 60 classes during the year and we have classes every Saturday and throughout December. The classes have been very fruitful for me and I am doing a course on makeup along with this.”

Professors of the Delhi University and affiliated colleges are deputed as guest faculty to teach the non collegiate students. The pass percentage is similar to that of regular students. The programme accepts students at a low cost and utilises existing infrastructure of educational institutions. Financial aid is provided to needy and deserving students for the academic year.

NCWEB provides library facility to all undergraduate students in their respective teaching centres and the postgraduate students can access the library at Arts Faculty Building, North Campus.

NCWEB offers the following courses:

  • M.A./M.Sc.Mathematics

  • M.A. in English

  • M.A. Hindi

  • M.A. History

  • M.A. Philosophy

  • M.A. Political Science

  • M.A. Bengali

  • M.A. Sanskrit

  • M.A. Urdu

  • M.A. Punjabi

  • M.A. Arabic

  • M.A. Persian

 

The following are the NCWEB teaching centres for undergraduate programmes:

  • Aditi Mahavidyalaya

  • Aryabhatta College

  • Bhagini Nivedita College

  • Bharti College

  • College Of Vocational Studies

  • Deen Dayal Upadhayay College

  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar College

  • Hansraj College

  • J.D.M College

  • Jesus & Mary College

  • Kalindi College

  • Keshav Mahavidyalaya

  • Lakshmi Bai College

  • Maharaja Agrasen College

  • Maitreyi College

  • Mata Sundri College

  • Miranda House

  • Motilal Nehru College

  • P.G.D.A.V. College

  • Rajdhani College

  • Ramanujan College

  • Satyawati College

  • SGGSC of Commerce

  • SPM College

  • Sri Aurobindo College

  • Vivekananda College

Postgraduate classes are held at the Tutorial Building, Arts Faculty, University of Delhi, North Campus.

Screenshot_20180701-204934 (1)

The first NCWEB cut-off was released yesterday.

To download the cut-off click on –  NCWEB-1st cut-off

Feature Image Credits: College Duniya

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

 

In the course of saving seats and subsequently moving to better opportunities with the drop in cut-offs, here is a much-needed withdrawal procedure guide.

1. Confirm with the college that your best of four matches: Some colleges and courses have different criteria for calculation of best of four percentage. Check and confirm with the college that your best of four calculation is in accordance with their guidelines before cancellation.

2. Fill the withdrawal form online: The Delhi University online portal provides a form where you have to specify the college and course you are withdrawing your admission form.  Note: It is advisable to visit the college you are withdrawing admission from on the 1st day of the cut-off so that you have the other day to secure your Collection of documents and admission in another college.

3. Collection of documents and admission in another college cancellation: Visit the college where you took admission. Submit the copy of the cancellation form and pay the cancellation fee of INR 500. Ensure that the college cancels your admission on their online platform.

4. Fresh Admission: Go to the new college and fulfill all the formalities that you completed during your previous admission. Make sure you have a copy of the previous fee receipt with you. The Admission fee will be adjusted automatically and you will only have to pay the balance fee. In case the new fee is lesser than the paid fee then the extra fee will be refunded.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

 

Kamala Nehru College conducted trials for Divinity, which was introduced as a separate category in 2017, on14th and 15th June.

The Delhi University has received 17,586 ECA applications this year. The preliminary trials commenced on June 14 for 7 out of the 12 ECA categories. Kamala Nehru College conducted the preliminary trials for Divinity on June 14 and 15 which was introduced in 2017 as a separate ECA category before which it was included as a subcategory to vocals.

According to the University guidelines, the candidates have to be prepared in the elemental aspects of Sikhism as well as the cultural aspects. Harminder Kaur, former Vice Principal of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, and Harpreet Kaur, a doctorate in fine arts from Miranda House College judged the trials.

“The candidates are being assessed on the basis of their caliber, creativity, and intellectual capability. After their performance, they are asked questions on their technical knowledge of music and their knowledge of Sikhism,” said Mamta Tyagi, coordinator of the trials at Kamala Nehru College.

Namneet Kaur, who aspires to study B.Com. Programme at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, recited the ShabadAb More Jiwan Padvi Par’. She said, “The trials went very well. I was able to answer all their questions.” Simarpreet Kaur, an aspirant of Economics Honours at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce said, “I have been preparing the Shabad ‘sabhe jee Samal Apni Meher Kar since the past one week. I feel confident that my performance will go well.”

178 applications were received for divinity this year, out of which only 38 applicants turned up for trials. Looking at the low turnout, Tanushree, a representative of the organising committee at Kamala Nehru said, “Many applicants thought that divinity was a subcategory to vocals because of which they had filled the form incorrectly and their application was rejected for this category.” Krishna Shree, another member of the organising committee said, “There have been many clashes in the preliminary trials because of which many applicants have prioritised other categories over Divinity and haven’t turned up for these trials.”

Mata Sundri College, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, and Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce are the four colleges that offer admission on the basis of this category.

Trials for Creative Writing, which have received 1395 applications, were conducted at Hansraj College on 15th June and the trails for Debate- English and Hindi commenced on 14th June at Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening). The trails for NCC, which received the highest number of applications at 3,019, will commence on 19th June at SGTB Khalsa College. The preliminary trials are scheduled to end on 21st June and the list of selected candidates for final trials will be declared on 22nd June.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat
Muskan Sethi
[email protected]