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Language Courses at University of Delhi

By DU Beat July 9, 2019

A prestigious institution in the country, the University of Delhi (DU) is a hub for students looking to make a career, and houses the best colleges in the field of science, commerce and arts courses in the country.

The University of Delhi not only offers the mainstream courses, but also offers certificate and diploma courses in languages such as Romanian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian. As the world is turning into a global village and different foreign firms are entering the Indian markets, there are a large number of job opportunities that are being created to tackle the demand by these firms.

There are many factors that one should consider while choosing a foreign language to learn in DU, some of these factors being: difficulty level, personal preference, interest, target country or region, sectors or industries, possible immigration, and future goals, etc. French, Spanish, German, Chinese, and Japanese remain the most sought-after languages for most of the students interested in pursuing foreign language courses in DU. However, in recent years, demand for Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Korean and Arabic has also been on the rise.

Ayush, a Literature student from Kirorimal College who pursued Mandarin language from St. Stephen’s College found the experience to be ‘mixed’ and said, “The faculty was brilliant and I was able to learn the language as well as the culture, since our teachers made sure we celebrated Chinese festivals and devoured Chinese cuisine. Although, it was a task to handle the academics as the exams for the language courses start around ten days before the semester exam. Over all, it was worth it!”

Another student of Philosophy from Miranda House, Rupali Gujral, who pursued Spanish language from Hansraj College stated, “The fees was very feasible and although it did become a little hectic to juggle academics and language course, it was pretty amazing. I would advise students to go for it preferably in the first year itself as it is less tedious then.”

Application forms for the courses can be obtained from the respective colleges. St. Stephen’s College has made their registration process completely online. Colleges release merit lists based on the composite scores of best four subjects studied at Higher Secondary level. Once enlisted in the said merit list, students are required to report to the respective college and complete their admission. Self-attested documents including class 12 marksheets and class 10 marksheet-cum-certificate are required to be submitted along with the fees.

Considering the myriad options that DU has to offer and its wide-ranging opportunities, DU Beat brings you all the information you need about Language courses at DU.

(i) Delhi University – North Campus Colleges

St. Stephen’s College, University Enclave – Certificate, Diploma & Advanced Diploma in French, Spanish, German, Chinese and Japanese. Certificate and Diploma in Arabic, and Certificate in Persian.
Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Pitampura – Certificate in French, German, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
Satyawati College, Ashok Vihar – Certificate & Diploma in French and German.
Daulat Ram College*, Maurice Nagar – Certificate, Diploma & Advanced Diploma in French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
Hansraj College, Malka Ganj – Certificate, Diploma & Advanced Diploma in French and German.
Ramjas College, Maurice Nagar, Delhi University – Certificate course in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese & Chinese, Diploma in French, Japanese & Chinese and Advanced Diploma in French.
Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Pitampura, Near Sainik Vihar – Certificate course in French and German.
Mata Sundri College*, Mata Sundri Lane – Certificate course in French, Spanish and German.
Miranda House*, Patel Chest Marg – Certificate course in French, Spanish and German.
SGTB Khalsa College, Mall Road – Certificate course in Spanish, Russian, German, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Karampura – Certificate course in Russian.
Hindu College, University of Delhi – Certificate course in French, German, Spanish and Russian.
Zakir Husain College, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg – Certificate course in Russian.
LakshmiBai College*, Ashok Vihar – Certificate course in Chinese and Japanese.
Kalindi College*, East Patel Nagar – Certificate course in Chinese language.

(ii) Delhi University – South Campus Colleges

Jesus & Mary College*, Chanakyapuri – Certificate course in French.
College of Vocational Studies, Sheikh Sarai Ph-II – Certificate course and Diploma in French and German.
Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Netaji Nagar – Certificate course in French, German and Spanish, and Diploma in Spanish and German.
Acharya Narendra Dev College, Govindpuri, Kalkaji – Certificate in Russian; Certificate & Diploma in French, Spanish and German & Advanced Diploma in Spanish.
Kamla Nehru College*, August- Kranti Marg – Certificate, Diploma & Advanced Diploma in French
Bharati College*, Janakpuri – Certificate in Russian, French, Chinese and German, and Diploma and Advanced Diploma in French and German.
Sri Venkateswara College, Dhaula Kuan – Certificate course in German and Chinese.
Gargi College*, Siri Fort Road – Certificate course in German.
Lady Shri Ram College*, Lajpat Nagar 4 – Certificate course in Russian.

*Women’s colleges of DU.

Certificate level requires candidates to have passed 10+2. For Diploma and Advanced Diploma level, certification and Diploma is required respectively in the corresponding language. Admission will be given on merit or entrance test.

All the colleges offer convenient time slots for the classes on all the days. The fee structure too is pocket friendly varying from INR 12,000- INR 19,000 depending on the course and time slot one chooses.

It’s time to finally replace your ‘Proficiency in English’ to ‘Proficiency in Spanish/French/any other language’ that you want!

Happy learning!

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Bhagyashree Chatterjee [email protected]

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Arts & Culture

Growing Audience of K-Dramas

By Shaurya Thapa February 10, 2019

How K-Dramas created a stir and gained love and support from Indian viewers

Korean Dramas or K-Dramas have completely swept the people of India and won over our hearts. The sublime storyline, splendid soundtrack, unique culture and adorable actors have all contributed into getting us hooked. The ‘Korean wave’ or spread of Korean culture happened in bits and pieces but gained momentum with the airing of the worldwide blockbuster show ‘Descendants of the Sun’ on Zindagi Channel in India.

The Plot

What makes these dramas special is the earthiness of the stories. Unlike Indian TV shows which comprise of theatrics and whole new level of extra, K-Dramas remain realistic allowing us as viewers to relate. There are no thalis falling or mandir ki ghantis ringing; the characters, their problems, the setting and storyline all remains grounded. These dramas usually have 20 episodes, with the plot evolving and keeping you on toes with every episode. And thus, the story leaves an impact rather than being stretched for years where the same actors even play their own children.

Although usually famous for its heart-breaking and toe-curling romance, these dramas do justice to every genre. Shows like Goblin and Descendants of the Sun have raised the bar in every aspect of television content and thus every show- be it romance, thriller, action- has become addictive. Another reason for this susceptibility to getting addicted is the deep understanding of emotions in these shows, viewers do not remain spectators but as though become an active part of it. They feel the pain of the characters, cry along with them, feel the chills and suspense, gush with them- such is the command and charisma it holds.

The Soundtrack:

The dialogues, characters, story is all tied together by the soundtrack of the show, and K-Dramas have provided us with stellar music and music artists. These shows also come with beautiful locations, sets and cinematography all beautifully woven by music by popular and talented artists from Korea. While these sets have attracted people to visit South Korea, the OST of these shows has become a gateway for many into K-Pop as well.

The Characters

The best quality about the characters is this sense of relatability we have with them, we get to connect with them and the problems they face. As the story unfolds, we begin to get more and more attached to the characters. Each character has her own unique story, the other characters do not just exist to further the story of the protagonists.

K-Dramas are very subtle with regards to romance and only imply certain things, leaving their viewers wanting more. This innocence and the good-looking actors also add on to charm of the characters. The surreal performance by Korean actors brings these characters to life.

Culture
These shows give us glance into the culture of these people, the clothes, language, lifestyle, food, families and so on. A pattern in these K-dramas is that it depicts two extremes- the very wealthy and the poverty stricken. Most shows focus on pressures in school life, authoritarian parental relationships and importance of money. Among these what has gained major attraction are the skin routines and remedies and the funky and trendy sense of fashion, which Koreans are famous for.

This is only the first wave which has created such a strong place for itself in the hearts of the Indian audience, the future holds endless possibilities for this culture.

Featured Image Credits- grafpicf

Shivani Dadhwal
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8 Korean words, K-Drama fans use in real life

By Shaurya Thapa February 8, 2019

The Hallyu storm has taken over Delhi University, with students going gaga over famous K-Dramas let us look at some of the common Korean words that have blended into our lives.

1. Sa-Rang-Hae (I love you)
Every fan would know this phrase by heart, these are the words that bring our protagonists together and seal their love forever. So next time you desperately want to reveal your feelings to your crush, go over and say it, she/he won’t understand a thing, and if they do, keep them for life.

2. Hyung/Oppa/Unni/Noona
The most complex set of words used in K-Dramas are words used to address someone older than you. Here is a guide to these words
Unni : what a female calls an older female.
Oppa : what a female calls an older male.
Noona : what a male calls an older female.
Hyung : what a male calls an older male.

3. Aeomoni or Amma / Abbujje or Appa (Mother/father)
While calling your parent’s formally, many a times we use Aemoni for ‘Mother’ and Abbujje for ‘Father’. In informal settings we lovingly call out Amma and Appa. Even our parents are now familiar with our obsession and used to our multilingual tongue.

4. Wae? (Why?)
Screaming at incredulous and unbelievably stupid ideas by our friends, we scream Wae to get across the ideas that this is dubious plan. This Korean word is used the most.

5. Mian-Ae (I am sorry.)
Rather than saying Sorry, we say Mian-Ae. Most emotional sequences in K-Dramas involve this phrase in one way or the other. Hence, this one is unforgettable.

6. Aarran-So (You got that?)
Asking politely or frustrated, this phrase comes in handy. Korean is such an emotive language that parts of it has become a close part of our everyday routine.

7. Soonbae/Hoonbae (Senior/Junior)
Often heard in Delhi University societies, use of these words has changed the dynamics of hierarchy. Now, Soonbaes and Hoonbaes together fangirl over Korean Dramas.

8. Kam-saham-nida (Thankyou)
One of the most commonly used words in our daily life is now, being replaced by a weird sounding Korean phrase. So, Kam-saham-nida for reading this article.

Image Credits: Cosmopolitan

Sakshi Arora
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Arts & Culture

Satya Niketan’s Essence of the East

By DU Beat October 19, 2012

The doors of Essence of the East open into a small room with eight tables, with plain green walls. It is a no non-sense place where you can just concentrate on the flavours from the East. A pleasant looking girl hands out the menu. Don’t hesitate if you don’t understand any name, ask and she’ll answer it most readily. The menu has a wide range of dishes and is presented in a direct manner, without any superfluous descriptions.

Coming to the food, pork ribs are enormously loved by the customers. Naagah, a 3^rd year student of Sociology from Sri Venkateswara College is a regular customer, along with Sean, who is pursuing MA from the South Campus. They both enjoyed the pork ribs and pork noodles. They find the place to be easy on the pocket, something which every student looks for. Kriti Talwar, pursuing MA English from South Campus, said, “The pork noodles are a little too oily, but tasty.”

Thukpa is a popular soup-and-noodles dish, and rightly so. It is yummy and tummy-filling. EOTE offers Thukpa to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian customers. Another popular dish, Honey Chili Potatoes, is average in taste and a better version can be obtained elsewhere.

EOTE has introduced Leafu Noodles, which are neon green in colour in their vegetarian version. A little sprinkle of soy sauce from one of the tiny bowls make the noodles all the more delicious. Kimchi, a Korean dish, is a cold cabbage salad with just a little too much chili. Gooseberry juice is well-suited for the taste buds that can accept something new, as it is made from fermented gooseberries. It is a bit strange, but it surely is something fresh for our palate.

The restaurant has free home delivery service with minimum order of Rs.100. You can bring the East to the comforts of your P.G. and enjoy!

Shreya Mudgil
[email protected]

Image credits: zomato.com

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Arts & Culture

Korean delight at Shim Tur

By DU Beat January 21, 2012

Hidden within the terrace of a tremendously down-trodden (could give it no stars whatsoever) hotel by the name of Navurang Guest House in Paharganj, the Shim Tur Korean Restaurant is one of the many eateries serving Korean food in the area. Unless referred to by someone, a visitor unfamiliar with Paharganj would not even consider looking for this place.

Started by Mr. Chang, nine years ago, this particular restaurant is not in plain view but can only be accessed after passing through a ‘shady’ corridor and climbing up to the third floor of Navurang Guest House.

But once you reach your destination, it is pretty much the warmest ambience to devour an authentic Korean meal at. With few tables for guests and a kind of peaceful serenity, one can eat away from the noise and crowd of Paharganj’s market area, while being very much in the heart of it.

For Delhi University students looking for not-too-costly Korean cuisine, this would be an apt location, serving not only scrumptious Korean food like Kimbap (rice wrapped in sea weed), Kimchi(a spicy and tangy side dish which Koreans eat along with almost every meal), egg-soup, pork, beef,squid and other vegetarian dishes; but also food which provides immense value for money. Here food is prepared with care and good taste, minus the taxes and VAT! Korean Coffee and Tea are also available, although there is no section for desserts.

Winter season is at its peak and the evenings here are absolutely enthralling. Most customers, about a 100 people a day, visit this small space during January and December, while in the summer, footfall would be approximately 30 people per day.

The crowd here is also mixed, ranging from Koreans visiting Delhi, Europeans and Australians to people from various parts of India. There is a board that has been filled up by passport size photographs of visitors. Also present is a small library made up of Korean Anime comics and Lonely Planet guides (all written in Korean).

The food here is terribly delicious, especially during winter’s spell when the air is crisp and cool, with the food being equally hot. Cutlery that we are used to is very much available, though eating with chopsticks has its own charm. So if you are a foodie who loves trying out newer cuisines, or simply a Korean fan (be it the sitcoms or the culture) or a DU student awaiting an exotic meal for not much money, the Shim Tur Korean Restaurant is the place to go.