Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Author

Saumya Kalia

Browsing
News

Supreme Court restrains IITs, NIITs, other engineering colleges from inducting candidates until marking controversy is solved

By

This year’s admission cycle has once again been subjected to a tumultuous trajectory. On Friday, the Supreme Court stayed the counselling and admission procedure in IITs, NIITs, and all government-funded engineering colleges. The order was passed to counter IIT’s decision to compensate for the erroneous questions in the Joint Entrance Examination ( Advanced) paper by awarding them 18 bonus marks. It is reported that 33,000 candidates have already enrolled in IITs spread across the country.

The apex court, with Justices Dipak Misra and A M Khanwilkar on the bench, ordered all engineering colleges to cease the admissions procedure until the marking controversy could reach a conclusive decision. The proceedings came into effect after two students filed a petition to contest IIT’s decision. “It is a problem and it has to be solved at the earliest … We will think about the solution but don’t create further confusion by giving admission,” The Indian Express quoted the bench.

The contention stems from IIT’s decision to award 18 bonus marks to all candidates for the incorrect questions in the paper. The breakdown of this includes offering 11 marks for incorrect questions in Paper II and 7 marks for incorrect questions in Paper I. The argument that whether the marks should be awarded to all the candidates or only to those who attempted the said questions has been brought to the fore by this restraining order.

However, the IITs have reasoned that the said solution cannot be executed. Appearing for IITs, Attorney General KK Venugopal has commented that the re-evaluation of the answer sheets of 2.5 lakh students was not possible. He further mentions the two courses of action implementable. “We do not know who took test in Hindi. It is very difficult to find out and that is why it was decided that bonus marks be given to all students. Till date, more than 33,000 have already taken admission and whole process would have to be started afresh if merit list is revised,” Venugopal said.

He further argued that out of the fallacious questions, two questions were there in only one set, out of a total of 10 sets of question papers which was in Hindi medium. The two practical options at hand, he says, are ether to continue with the bonus marks or to refrain from including the wrong questions.

IITs have filed an affidavit to fight the plea, which mentions:

It is respectfully submitted that the relief is entirely against equity since the process of seat allocation is going on and around 33,000 candidates have already accepted the allotted seat and reported for physical verification of the documents … It is submitted that in case ongoing counselling and admission process is disturbed, the admission procedure of more than 36,000 students in 97 institutes under the joint seat allocation programme for IITs, NIITs, IIITs and GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutions) would be scrapped.

The other side of the legal tussle is led by Senior Advicate Vikas  Singh and lawyer D K Devesh, who maintain that the decision taken by the leading engineering college is ‘arbitrary and illegal.’  The petitioners rationalised that despite clearing the exam, their ranks had been devalued substantially due to this mechanism.

The Apex court sought to cite a precedent of 2005 when the Supreme Court ordered that the awarding of bonus marks can ask be justified to those students who attempted the eponymous questions.

This year’s JEE Advanced was conducted on May 20th and the results were announced on June 11th, 2017. Every year lakhs of students eye the JEE entrance to enroll into the likes of IITs and NIITs. The bench has scheduled a hearing on July 10th to reach to a conclusion after examining all options.

 

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times

 

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Admissions 2017

Unveiling the Irony of the CW Quota: Late Colonel’s Wife Asked to Provide Proof of Husband’s Death

By

As the flurry of admissions takes lakhs of undergraduate aspirants by storm, a case of turbulent admission presents itself; reeking of sheer injustice and irony. Aspiring to take admission under the Children of War Widows Category (CW Quota), Anjali Sirohi’s brother, and son of Late Lt. Col. Ravinder Kumar, was subjected to a harrowing experience. The authorities refused to accept the documents submitted by the applicant and asked his mother to provide proof of her husband’s death.

Probing the issue

Anjali took to Facebook to narrate this unjust tale on July 5th:

Image Credits: Anjali Sirohi's Facebook
Image Credits: Anjali Sirohi’s Facebook

Through the Facebook post, Anjali sought to draw eyes of the netizens to the exploitation and blatant mishandling of the issue by the authorities.

According to the regulations, Anjali’s brother fits in the 3rd Priority, the ‘Widows/Wards of Defence personnel who died in peace time with death attributable to military service.’ In their case, the Certificate of Educational Concession was drawn up by the Rajya Sainik Board. However, during the actual process, authorities from the Kendrya Sainik Board (KSB) were called in to verify these certificates, who refused to accept Sirohi’s document on grounds of corruption in the ‘Rajya Sainik Board’. The KSB authority further added that the certificate is not admissible as it doesn’t mention the term ‘with death attributable to military service.’ Speaking to DU Beat, Anjali says, “The exact terms were not mentioned in our certificate, due to which the person from the KSB refused to accept our documents. However, this phrase was mentioned in some certificates and not in others. The blatant discrepancy in record-keeping is the Board’s fault and cannot be pinned on us.”

The sheer apathy which the family was subjected to is deeply disturbing. Anjali went on to add that the officer asked her mother to prove the death of her husband as an official document, bitterly humiliating her. “After eight years, my mother was asked to produce documents proving her husband’s death conditions and was forced to pull all strings for arranging the certificates. The sheer humiliation she had to endure by the authorities was uncalled for”, she says.

Anjali had also tried contacting the Army Veterans Cell and the PMO’s website to seek for help but wasn’t acknowledged with a response. Last year, her sister who aspired to enroll in the University of Delhi’s Faculty of Medical Sciences-Lady Hardinge Medical College, was not granted admission due to a series of issues. Anjali explains how the seats were awarded to two students of influential figures – seats which should have clearly been offered to her sister who was eligible for it. They proceeded to take the issue to the High Court, never receiving a climactic order for the same.

Anjali’s mother was able to get the revised certificates documented in time. Hinting at a flair of hope, Anjali says, “The officers have accepted the certificate and we are now awaiting further actions as per the procedure.”

The framework of the CW category

Every year, candidates are admitted in the varsity through the CW quota, which offers respite to candidates hailing from a defence background. The University allows a provision of 5% (increased from last year’s 3%) of seats in each course to the children of eligible armed forces. The 5% concession offered to these candidates takes place in a particular order as per the guidelines. The admission procedure is conducted within a common pool of applicants at the Conference Centre in North Campus, where these applicants proceed to get their documents verified as the category list keeps descending. Documents majorly include the CW Category form, death certificate of the father, and the pension order.

Where the irony lies

The last few years have witnessed an erratic upward trajectory in our nationalistic attitudes. From debates about intolerance to altercations alluding to endorsing ‘anti-national’ speech, the country has grown conscious of the scrupulous membrane of patriotism which we’re bound to conform to. Amidst these confusing times, a certain pattern seems to have developed with each conflict – the usage of soldiers as a noble foundation of one’s argument. Some may nod their heads in agreement while others may regard it as a sour attribution to our country when I say the rhetoric of ‘Humare jawaan sarhad pe lad rahe hai’ has been used as frequently as the flinging of the blame on women when it comes to rape.

Sadly, this is where the adulation of the armed forced ends. Beyond the chatter of hailing and exultation, there lies the stark reality of exploitation of these families and the apparent unawareness which plagues them. Anjali recalls her encounters with various such families who remain in the dark about the quota services available to them, and how their rights are snatched from them, making them more susceptible to suffering.

It is important to comprehend that this is not a solitary incident; there are innumerable families of the armed forces who share a similar fate but are unable to exercise action due to the lack of services at their disposal. This issue is riddled with blatant corruption, mismanagement, and an unveiled disregard for those families who carry the baggage of the past. Awareness about these provisions needs to be disseminated. Only then can one truly laud the machinery and councils in place which seek to cater to the force of justice.

 

Feature Image Credits: Anjali Sirohi

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]  

Keep Reading
By
News

DU Curriculum to Include GST in Commerce Courses

By

The machinery of education evolving and growing with the dynamic forces of time is evident. With the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) marking the most significant tax reform in the country since Independence, the implications of ‘one country, one tax’ was bound to permeate to the amassed literature of the textbooks. The University of Delhi’s Academic Council has announced that the historic unifying tax has been approved to be a part of the syllabus for Commerce students. The same has been recommended to the varsity’s Executive Council.

GST and the students

Considering the economic system has been practically refurbished, the council feels the inclusion of GST in the curriculums of B.A. Programme, B.Com (Programme), and B.Com (Hons.) is necessary for the current set of students to comprehend its totality. An air of ambivalence surrounds the introduction of the tax, as uncertainty shrouds over how it will influence various products and services. The new section on GST will be included from this academic session onwards.

The nitty-gritties of the tax will be taught in the third and fifth semesters to B.Com (Hons.) students and fifth and sixth semester students will have to study a paper on GST and Custom Law in B.Com (Prog.), while the course will be taught to B.A. (Prog.) students in the third and fourth semester, depending on the approval of the executive council.

The course curriculum will comprise of the constitutional framework of indirect taxes before GST, which shall focus on the taxation policies of the union and state governments, like the Value Added Tax. They will also be taught the drawbacks of the indirect taxes which palled over the country’s economy before GST. Further, they will be acclimatised to the structure of GST, the GST council, state compensation mechanism, registration, amongst other topics. The curriculum is also expected to include levy and collection of GST, which will cover taxable events like supply of goods and services, places of supply within state, interstate, import and export, time of supply, valuation rules, taxability of reimbursement of expenses, and exemption from GST.

The decision has been welcomed by the faculty members of the varsity’s colleges, who emphasise on the importance of the students learning the intricacies of the new economic structure. “So far, the Goods and Services Tax was not included in the curriculum. Going by the status quo, it is important that students understand the tax well. We are awaiting a formal notification from the University and will include it in the curriculum for this academic year”, said Reena Chadha, Professor at Shri Ram College of Commerce. Rajesh Jha, Professor at Rajdhani College and an Academic Council member, mentions that the Executive Council is most likely to give a nod to the academic inclusion.

GST: The unifying economic umbrella

Heralded as the mechanism to bring about ‘fiscal liberation’, the GST council has devised a system which seeks to subsume the complex net of an array of taxes previously levied. The system was rolled out on the midnight of June 30th and July 1st in a grand ceremony at the Central Hall, and witnessed the likes of the President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister, members of both the houses, and other eminent personalities. The journey to implement GST can be tracked back to ten years ago, ever since the government was aiming to bring about economic reforms. The tax will supposedly lead to widening the country’s tax base and enhancing compliance while also freeing up internal trade and effecting a direct growth in the country’s GDP. However, there stand various regulatory challenges in its path to ensure that the tax brings comfort to the country.

Dr. Bhibhu Pratap Sahu, Assistant Professor at Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, highlights the positive impact of the newly implemented tax. He says, “Tax has now been simplified for our country with GST. Revenue generated from GST will be generated in a manner that will benefit India. Economists are already expecting the tax revenue to reach 2 trillion from 1 billion so students should be apprised with the times they will have to work in.”

 

With inputs from India Today

Feature Image Credits: Media India Group

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Uncategorized

Complaints of Cheating Emerge in PG Entrance Examinations; Students Caught Cheating in Political Science and LLB Entrance Exams

By

After weeks of frantically checking the University of Delhi’s website for acquiring information about the postgraduate examinations, the entrance cycle officially began from July 1st. However, within three days of the commencement, reports of cheating across various examination centres in courses like M.A. (Political Science) and LLB have scarred the admission phase.

Both the fields conducted their entrances on July 3rd in 29 examination centres spread across India; 24 of them located within the capital. Cases of cheating through mobile phones and impersonations have surfaced through Sunday and Monday at Hindu College, Kirori Mal College, Hansraj College, and Faculty of Law, amongst other centres. Hindustan Times quoted an official from the exam department who shed light on these occurrences. “There were 24 centres in Delhi where the LLB exam was held. There was an incident of impersonation and at least eight incidents of applicants trying to take in their mobile phones to the exam halls. We have complained about this to the police,” he said.

Cases of sneaking in the mobile phones were tracked at Hansraj College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, and Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College. In typical Bollywood fashion, a student was caught testing the ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S’ tactic in action. The candidate, who was appearing for LLB, was caught cheating at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College on Sunday. The 21 year-old was caught using WhatsApp during the entrance and when probed by the invigilator, tried to run away, to no avail.

The police officer who came in for the inquiry told IANS that the candidate (Naveen) claimed his fascination with the Bollywood movie and sought to pass the exam using this. “Singh and the college management later informed the police and a mobile phone and earphones were recovered from him. It was found that Naveen was cheating with the help of a person named Nirmal Bhaiya. Through ‘WhatsApp’, he was asking him about the answers,” the officer added.

Issues of impersonation and forgery have also cropped up in the varsity. Prem Kumar, a student appearing for the LLB entrance, was arrested for impersonation while cases have also been filed for forgery complaints. A letter which accounted for one such incident was written by an LLB applicant, Anjul Jain, to the officer on special duty, which delineated on the cheating tactic used by one of the students. “An aspirant whom I had known from my coaching class came to the hall with two cellphones. When we were asked to submit our phones before the exam, I saw him giving just one phone. He later went to the loo, and came back with the answer keys that were sent to him through an SMS,” she alleges in her letter, later accepted by the officer.

Complaint about invigilator-assisted cheating was also reported at Hindu College in the Political Science entrance where Krishna Kanhaiya alleged that the invigilator allowed the candidate to click pictures of the question paper ten-minutes before the exam. “The invigilator, instea of questioning the boy, asked him to click the photos and leave quickly before he gets caught,” he wrote in his letter to the examination controller.

Allegations of proxy attendance were also noted in the LLB exam in Kirori Mal College, however, the Acting Principal ensured that no cheating took place. The Principal of Hindu College, Anju Srivastava, said a report would be submitted to DU after the necessary investigation. Vinay Gupta, the varsity’s Dean of Examination, confirmed that the flying squads caught students using mobile phones for cheating in at least eight colleges.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Dyal Singh College

Dyal Singh College Scrimmages Over Evening College’s Conversion

By

The tussle to acquire the status of a day college has escalated within the premises of Dyal Singh College, where the morning and evening colleges have found a bone of contention to dispute upon. The agreement which was proposed and accepted concerning the conversion by the Principal of the morning college, I. S. Bakshi, is being questioned upon its validity. Ahead of the Executive Council meeting scheduled to meet today, the Principal refuted the concurrence of any such document and requested the council to not deliberate on this matter.

On January 24th, the Principals of the morning and evening colleges allegedly signed an agreement which was later sent to the Academic Council. This agreement is being contested as being fraudulent, according to a resolution passed in a staff council meeting which aimed to “prevent the bifurcation of the colleges into two morning colleges on the same premises”. Bakshi claims to have never seen this document. However, the document, as acquired by The Times of India, reflects the signatures of both the Principals.

The resolution also adds that, “The Principal of the day college has categorically denied of having signed any such document. This is a serious…attempt to fraudulently mislead the AC.” Citing this, the council requested the Vice Chancellor to look into the matter and conduct an enquiry into the alleged forgery on the document.

In response to this, the evening college implores its morning counterpart to initiate an official inquiry if the documents are fraudulent and have no credibility. The official spokesperson of the evening college, Bhawana Pandey, comments, “It is appalling that the Principal is implying that his signature was forged. If so, we request them to approach police.”

The Academic Council gave a thumbs-up to the transition of the evening college to a morning college in principle. A five-member committee is yet to contour out the nitty-gritties of the split and share a report on the same.

 

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DU Dhaba

McDonald’s Delhi outlets shutdown: What you need to know!

By

We’re definitely not loving it.

The world’s favourite fast-food chain will no longer be ubiquitous in the streets of Delhi. In an unprecedented move, 43 of the 55 McDonald’s outlets in Delhi will be temporarily shutting down, due to a tussle between the North Indian segment and the global authorities.

What is the tussle about?

The scrimmage between the Connaught Plaza Restaurant Ltd. (CPRL) and Vikram Bakshi has been in the pipeline for quite some time now. CPRL is the regulatory body which operates the fast-food restaurants in North and East India. Vikram Bakshi was signed on as a partner of McDonald’s India Pvt Ltd. back in 1995 when the global fast-food chain entered India on account of liberalisation. A 50:50 joint venture agreement was adopted by the two parties. In 2013, however, leadership battle came to the fore. Alleging misconduct, McDonald’s resisted the re-election of Bakshi as the Managing Editor, countering which Bakshi challenged his removal in the Company Law Board, Delhi (CLB). He claimed mismanagement and oppression as the contesting arguments, paving the way for an unpleasant legal battle. Naturally, McDonald’s rescinded the JVA and citing an arbitral clause in the agreement, proceeded to claim arbitration in the London Court of International Arbitration. Bakshi appealed to the High Court and Supreme Court to contest the proceedings, which remained unfruitful. They currently await a decision from the CLB.

What are people saying?

McDonald’s India Pvt Ltd issued a statement announcing the decision. It said, “The ‘eating house licenses’ of a number of McDonald’s restaurants in Delhi have expired. The board of Connaught Plaza Restaurants Private Limited (or “CPRL”, McDonald’s licensee in North and East India) is working to obtain the required licenses. Pending this, CPRL is temporarily suspending the operations of the affected restaurants.” It also added, “India continues to be an important market for McDonald’s and we are committed to working with CPRL to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”

The former Managing Director, Vikram Bakshi, was quoted in the Economic Times saying, “It’s unfortunate, but operation of 43 restaurants operated by CPRL has been temporarily suspended.” The decision was made in a Skype call on Wednesday.

What are the other factors which contributed to the shut-down?

Due to the initiation of the legal battle, revenue trends and investment valves deteriorated inadvertently. The store-level efficiency had to suffer major challenges and maintenance factors such as the hygiene requirements were severely hampered due to the ownership struggle. Due to this, the eating house license of these outlets has been expired. The decision also comes as a blow to the employment sphere, as it will lead to a loss of 1,700 jobs. According to reports, CPRL has decided to retain the employees and will not revoke their salaries during the turbulent period. The negative impact of the tussle became visible post-2013, with Domino’s overtaking the position of the country’s largest quick-service restaurant chain in the country. In 2014, the number of stores opened was a palsy 9 as compared to 27 in 2012.

Which outlets are still open?

The following areas will continue to devour the lavishness of the McBurgers, McFries, and McDesserts!

  1. Ground Fllor, Ansal Plaza Mall
  2. Community Centre, Saket
  3. 17 Regal Builing, Connaught Place
  4. 10, Block N, Connaught Circus
  5. ITO Milap, Milap Building, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, I.T.O
  6. Shop No.: 1, Plot No.: 45, Satyam Cinema Complex, Nehru Place
  7. Shop No.: 34, 102B, 109, 110, Ground and First Floor, DLF South Square
  8. Domestic Terminal of Terminal-3, D-40, IGI Airport
  9. International Terminal of T-3, IN-50, Food Court, International Aiport
  10. Kashmere Gate, ISBT, DMRC Railway Station, Kashmere Gate
  11. Form No.: 16, Old Delhi Railway Station
  12. E-31 and 31, South Extension Part II
  13. V3S East Central Mall, Ground Floor, Laxmi Nagar, Preet Vihar
  14. Agarwal Fun City Mall, Shop No.: 7,8, and 9, East CBD, Shahdara, East Delhi

 

Feature Image Credits: McDonald’s

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Admissions 2017

A DU Beat Guide to the Withdrawal Procedure: From the ‘What’ to the ‘How’

By

Amidst the series of cut-offs that the University of Delhi offers your way, in one of the lists lies the primal score for admission into your desired field. Once you hit that lucky number on the list, you will revel in the thought of cancelling the enrolment in that back-up college you had initially gotten admitted into. Before you begin this process of withdrawal, here are a few pointers to help you trace this journey with rationale and clarity.

  1. What and Why: The need to secure a seat

The cut-off trends possess a tendency to waver and flicker every academic year. In this mayhem, it is imperative that you exercise prudence when it comes to admissions. If the first, second, third lists betray your anticipated cut-off, ensure that you still secure a seat in your backup college/course. With your heart temporarily placated and consoled into waiting and hoping, be sure to keep a tab on the lists that are to follow, as they can offer you a slightly/majorly better option.

  1. The Process: Step 1

Fancy this: on June 20th, you have enrolled into a course, say B.Com (Hons.) in College B, despite eagerly wanting to get into College A for B.A. (Hons.) Economics. In the third cut-off list, the percentage requirement for College A drops and matches your score. Congratulations! Now before in elation you run off to cancel your admission, check and confirm with College A if your Best of Four is correctly calculated according to their guidelines. Visit the college if need be, or check their website. Once your enrolment is withdrawn and cancelled, you will then be able to access other courses and colleges on the admissions portal.

  1. The Process: Step 2

The usual process entails visiting the college with a cancellation form (available on the undergraduate admissions portal), a cancelled cheque (in some colleges), and the fee receipt previously obtained. You might be required to fill a cancellation form at College B, after which you can collect your original documents that were previously submitted. You will then proceed to College A with these documents, the college-specific form filled online, and fulfil all other formalities which were followed the first time. You shall repeat the usual admissions process to enrol into College A. The first admission, which is cancelled, does not lead to immediate return of the fee payment but instead takes a duration of one or two months. So, manage your finances accordingly as it might require double, and in some cases triple, payment on your part.

The DU Beat team wishes you all the best throughout the admissions process!

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
News

Delhi Assembly passes resolution for 85% reservation in Delhi University for city students

By

The AAP-led Delhi Assembly session, which began on June 28th and has been extended till July 3rd, has unanimously passed a resolution for 85% reservation for city students in government-funded University of Delhi colleges, with all the MLAs committed to bringing this issue to the fore.

The Assembly has also adopted a resolution which seeks to amend the Delhi University Act (1992) which currently allows no other university in Delhi to give affiliation to colleges. Both the resolutions have been passed in light of the struggles endured by the 2 lakh plus students in the city in getting admission in higher education institutions.

Resolution for 85% reservation for Delhi students

On Thursday, the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia lobbied for the students who had passed Class 12th from the capital and said they should be given a quota in 28 colleges which are fully and partially funded by the Delhi government. “Many of these students are struggling to get admission in higher education institutions. The money of taxpayers from Delhi is being used to fund these colleges. And it is our responsibility to safeguard the interest of Delhi students. We will meet the HRD minister, L-G and DU Vice-Chancellor to raise this demand,” he said, delineating on the drawback suffered by the city students.

In conversation with a popular national daily, advisor to Sisodia, Atishi Marlena, said, “Out of 63 DU colleges, the Delhi government funds 28 colleges, partially or fully. Around 2.5 lakh students pass out from Delhi schools every year and only 28,000 of them are able to secure a seat in DU colleges.”

The colleges which come under funding by the government are as follows:

Image Credits: University of Delhi
Image Credits: University of Delhi

2

Sisodia emphasised on the efforts made to execute the reservation policy, informing that the government had written several letters to the Union HRD Minister which could not materialise, as the University is centrally funded by the University Grants Commission. Both the resolutions have now been passed by the Assembly as a consensual decision, and it has been clarified that the Delhi government does not endorse regionalism through this decision. “If this administration cannot give 85% reservation, it can at least give relaxation of 5-10% in the cut-off marks to Delhi students,” he added.

The decision will tacitly impact thousands of outstation candidates who aspire to enrol in the University every year. “Trying to ghettoise DU is another belligerent move by the Delhi government, which will not only affect the outstation students but the entire education system. DU is a central university, so it is almost impossible that it will ever turn into a reality. Moreover, a university like DU which has been the home of young and intellectual minds from all over the nation for more than 100 years must not select talent on the basis of domicile now. AAP must realise that the ability to accommodate so much diversity is the biggest strength of DU and that makes DU what it is today,” says Mandeep Singh, a second-year student at the University of Delhi. Probing the duality of the issue, the implementation will grant preference to students from the city, thus proving advantageous to them. Siddhi Jain, a third-year student at the University says, “The issue of reservation of local students in a central varsity is a contentious one, especially given how popular the University of Delhi is. As a Delhi student, I feel there should be a certain quota of reservation for domiciles of Delhi, even if it is not as high as 85%. In general, I strongly advocate betterment of universities, state or central, in all regions of India,  to (i) prevent so much competition due to flocking of all states’ students to DU, and (ii) give some relief in terms of different moderation policies of different boards.”

“The idea is appealing, but I don’t exactly support it. It is sort of undemocratic because every institution cannot be made exclusive like that. Moreover, DU is a renowned and sought after University. In this case, I feel Ambedkar University can be expanded,” says Sukanya Khar, a Delhi-domicile candidate studying in the varsity.

The response from the educationists has also been majorly sceptical, who have brought the underlining issues to the fore. Saikat Ghosh, a member of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association, believes that the resolution passed would negate the accessibility of the central University. He says, “The suggestion is preposterous. DU is a central University meant to be open to all students of the nation regardless of region or state domicile. The argument that 28 colleges of DU are funded by Delhi residents is also a fallacious half-truth. Not all Delhi tax-payers have Delhi state domicile. Additionally, most of the Delhi government’s revenue is through indirect taxes which non-Delhiites also contribute majorly to. The resolution passed in the Delhi Assembly is a ridiculous gimmick.”

Resolution for amending the Delhi University Act (1992)

The Section 5, Sub-section 2 of the Act has been proposed to be changed. It currently states:

“5. (2) Notwithstanding anything in any other law for the time being in force, no educational institution within the afore-mentioned limits shall be associated in any way with or be admitted to any privileges of any other University incorporated by law in India, and any such privileges granted by any such other University to any educational institution within those limits prior to the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to b withdrawn on the commencement of this Act:

Provided that the Central Government may order in writing, direct that the provisions of this sub-section shall now apply in the case of any institution specified in order.

Provided further that provisions of this sub-section shall not apply in the case of any educational institution affiliated to the Indraprastha Vishwavidyalaya incorporated under the Indraprastha Vishwavidyalaya Act, 1998.”

The House has voted to add a second provision to this Act, which shall read:

“Provided further that provisions of this sub-section shall not apply in the case of any educational institution affiliated to the State Universities in Delhi, which are presently existing or may be set-up in the future.”

By adopting this resolution, the government plans to increase the number of higher education institutions in Delhi in order to meet the requirement of the student populace. The road to this can be paved by amending the Delhi University Act (1992), which will grant more options to those pursuing higher education.

In the past, efforts have been made by Congress and top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi unit to demand a certain preference for the city students. BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa is a strong advocate of this issue and expressed the urgency to address it. “This is an important issue and all MLAs should demand reservation for city students cutting across their political and ideological differences. The Delhi government can also set up a college which is only for Delhi students,” he said at the Assembly.

Currently this resolution has only been passed in the Delhi legislative assembly and has no explicit legal backing. It needs to be approved by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and then passed as a law to be legally implemented.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Financial Express

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Admissions 2017

First cut-off, last day: Admission procedure strains on Daulat Ram College

By

On the last Wednesday of June, tensions rose and confusion ensued as the police was called in to Daulat Ram College to assuage the worried applicants. June 28th marked the last day for applicants to enrol in college under the first cut-off list, and some candidates were denied admission to the college due to a lack of availability of seats.

Admission denied

According to some student testimonials, applicants wishing to pursue B.A. Programme were prohibited from entering the college as the authorities claimed that the seats were full. These candidates had cleared the cut-off and fulfilled all eligibility requirements, and as per the varsity’s rule, were entitled to secure a seat in the college.

While the University has a prescribed number of seats for admission into various courses, there is no bar on the number of students who actually register and confirm admission under a certain list. Moreover, as the undergraduate portal was riddled with technical glitches, several students were unable to obtain the acknowledgment slip of a college on the first day. Students also often wait till the last day of a cut-off list to weigh in the college options available to them, and to clarify the Best of Four requirements. The time frame allocated to a cut-off list allows every student who meets the criteria to secure a seat in a given college, without any counter policy.

Intervention by ABVP and DUSU

The situation scaled when volunteers of the RSS-affiliated student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), intervened on behalf of the aggrieved students. The Delhi University Students’ Union’s President Amit Tanwar expressed his dismay at the erroneous decision on the college’s part. He said, “According to the University rules, all students who clear the cut-offs are to be admitted. There is no first come, first serve policy. Several applicants had come to seek admission today [on Wednesday] as it was the last day to do so under the first cut-off list. They were, however, told that the seats were full. This caused panic.” As the agitation transferred from the applicants to the student leaders, the police were asked to step in.

The college has lodged a complaint at the Maurice Nagar police station against the ABVP, DUSU, and parents who allegedly manhandled the Principal, along with vandalising her office. The Principal, Ms Savita Roy, claimed that the ABVP and DUSU members entered her office without permission and misbehaved with her. The complaint filed proclaimed that, “They used abusive language, manhandled me, and threatened me with dire consequences if I did not admit the students.” She also added that the crowd refused to send a representation of two people despite her request. An FIR has been filed against six persons who were involved in the scene, and the Principal has requested police protection to continue with the admission process.

However, these allegations have been refuted by the ABVP as an “excuse” by the administration, and are being labelled as an “arbitrary denial.” Tanwar adds, “The parents of students, who were confused after being denied admission even after the verification of documents, approached the ABVP and DUSU members. All of them went to the administration to ask why were they denied admission.” A student from DRC spoke to DU Beat and confirmed the refusal of admission, and also added that the teacher coordinators for the admission process refused to allow a student to opt for B.A. Programme on account of the lack of seats, and continued to “misguide” her by advising her to enrol in other courses. She said that the ABVP proceeded to help the student who had to bear the brunt of the commotion. However, she claimed that members of the ABVP and DUSU barged in the college and misbehaved with the officials.

Authorities’ stance

A senior member of the administration said that the college complied with the admission process of all candidates who met the cut-off requirements after the ABVP volunteers barged in. However, the number of seats would act as a hindrance for them to undertake the subject-combination of their choice.

According to sources, a committee was set up to look into this issue.

Daulat Ram has set the cut-off for B.A. Programme at 91% this year, a lower number as compared to other North Campus colleges. An all girls’ college, it offers 169 seats for the course. The next cut-off list is scheduled to be announced by the midnight of June 30th.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Admissions 2017

Day 1 Report Card: Overloaded website, high cut-offs, and confusion pall over the turnout

By

As more than 2 lakh candidates across the country collectively waited for the release of the University of Delhi’s cut-off lists on June 23rd night, hopes ran high and anticipation reached its peak. June 24th officially marks the first day of the admissions process for the academic session 2017-18 and was met with a series of hurdles which led to lower turnouts as compared to previous years.

Technical glitches

Amongst the documents required for securing admission in the colleges, candidates were supposed to present a college-specific form/acknowledgement slip which had the name of the college and course on top, along with other documents. This form could only be generated through the undergraduate admissions portal, which was unfortunately not updated on time. As the list released, those who cleared the soaring cut-offs were eager to fulfil all the formalities and appear for the process on the first day. However, the site failed to reflect the option to generate this form on time. The process was scheduled to begin from 9:30 am and continue till 1:30. Many candidates were unable to access it even till 12 pm, making it impossible for them to secure admission in the college of their choice. “The admission portal of the varsity was not accessible. Thus, students could not take the print out, resulting in less number of students turning up for admission. However, it was still a normal crowd, considering the high cut-offs and the holiday on Sunday and Monday,” said a professor from Ramjas College, in conversation with Press Trust of India. The operational hindrance paved the way to anxious students and a dampened spirit.

The sky-high cut-offs

The University manages to bemuse the academic world every year with its soaring cut-offs, and while this year witnessed a marginal dip in the trends of popular colleges, the bar was set high. The highest cut-off has been released by Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College at 99.66% for B.Sc. (Hons.) Electronics, 99% for B.A. (Hons.) Political Science, 98.75% for B.A. (Hons.) English, and 98% for B.Com (Hons.). Shivaji College has set the bar for B.A. (Hons.) Economics with a requirement of 98%. This year also witnessed various off-campus colleges announcing an equal or higher cut-off than North and South campus colleges. The high percentage requirements limited the admissions uptake. This was also coupled by the muddle surrounding the best of four calculations, with many students uncertain about the method.

Documentation requirements

One of the documents required to be presented at the time of admissions is the Class XII marks-sheet as provided by the school authorities. Due to the delay in the announcement of results this year, there was a disparity in the timeline. Many students from Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Tamil Nadu Board were unable to show their original marks-sheet as they had not received the document from their respective schools yet and were denied admission to some colleges. Some colleges have resolved the issue by allowing them to enrol in the college by signing an undertaking that the originals will be submitted within a stipulated period of time. Students who were unaware about presenting the anti-ragging form or the medical certificate (as required by some colleges) also faced issues.

This is the first cut-off list which has been released by the varsity. Eligible candidates can appear for admissions till June 28th. You can refer to more details about the procedure here.

The next list will be announced on the midnight of June 30th, with the process commencing from July 1st.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Alex Arthur for DU Beat 

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By