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Delhi Student Bodies Protest Against Discontinuation of MANF, Allege Manhandling by Police

By Shriya Ganguly January 12, 2022

The Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme provided 5 years of financial support to minority scholars.

On 12th January 2022, members of the SFI (Students’ Federation of India) demonstrated against the government’s discontinuation of the Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme in front of the Ministry of Education, as well as at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Also part of the protest were members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Students’ Union (MSU), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and JNU Students’ Union, as well as students from institutions across the capital. The Maulana Azad National Fellowship was launched in 2009 and provided financial support for five years to students from six notified minority communities: Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs who were pursuing MPhils or PhDs.

While the government has claimed the decision to roll it back was taken because it overlapped with other schemes, opponents have argued that this justification is invalid, as students cannot benefit from more than one educational scheme in any case. They have also pointed out the discontinuation of other government aid such as the pre-matric scholarship for SC, ST, OBC and Minority students. They see this decision as part of a larger attack on minority scholars.

Shakir, a PhD student from DU, and a recipient of the MANF, told edexlive.com that following the decision he “will essentially have to stop my research, or rush through it to submit it soon.”

My academic journey will stop here. There are costs associated with being a research scholar that I cannot bear without this scholarship.” – Shakir, in conversation with edexlive.com

The protestors have alleged that they were manhandled by the police, being dragged across the road and shoved into buses despite demonstrating peacefully. Several students sustained injuries, and over 100 were detained at the Mandir Marg Police Station.

As far as I saw, all of the policemen at the protest were men and they seemed hostile right from the beginning. They soon began to push and shove us around, including the female protestors, and even those who were not seriously injured came out of the experience battered, both physically and otherwise.” – an MA student at the demonstration.

The student is not a member of any student political organisation, but attended the protest as she fears that the discontinuation of the MANF and other schemes like it will prove disastrous for her career as a scholar.

Feature Image credits: DU Beat

Shriya Ganguly

[email protected]

Features

A Clichéd Love Letter to North Campus from a Wandering Soul

By Sakshi Arora April 22, 2020

Fresh out of school, I was eager to join North Campus. I’ll put it simply. As cliché as it might sound and as annoying it might seem to my South Campus peers, North Campus is a world of its own. A world of the students, for the students, but not by the students.

A World where e-rickshaw drivers surround you like paparazzi, where Swiggy and Zomato give conveniently priced deliveries for the students, and where some lose their virginity. A world where some change their mentality (for good or bad reasons), some smoke their first cigarette or eat their first ‘malnourished’ momo in Kalyan Vihar, Vijay Nagar, or Kamla Nagar or non-Delhiites get to face some classic racist hate (again in Kalyan Vihar, Vijaynagar, or Kamla Nagar).

Where students, and even teachers come down to protest at the Arts Faculty when an obstacle arises, and great fests happen with mainstream musicians; and all the funds get drained with it. A world where all social classes have their own peer groups but unite under a common umbrella called the ‘College Canteen’. A world where attendance matters but doesn’t really matter.

A world where some sheltered kids get reality checks and try to change society in their little ways, and others become pseudo-intellectuals with their double-faced hypocrisy. A world where few become the future leaders by dominating student wings in the Students’ Union, like a gang of goons rather than a parliament of politicians, yet, there are more kids who tend to escape from the harsh realities and put their entire focus on studies. And then there are those who don’t exist in the real world; and only exist by the virtue of their involvement in the cultural societies of their college.

My point is that even though I have been living in this world for three years and I am to be a veteran soon as my course is about to end, I still can’t give you a guide to this world. That’s simply because it’s just so diverse as I have mentioned above. You are bound to be changed in various ways depending upon what path you take in North Campus. But that’s the thing about North Campus, most of us hardly chose paths consciously and some just choose us.

Okay, now, that just sounded ridiculously pretentious and poetically unrealistic. But what I mean to say is, if you are still going to be a student in North Campus (or even South Campus), try exploring the world which I tried describing in the aforementioned 400 words. This world might seem to get more Orwellian day-by-day, and soon after graduation we might become slaves to a larger system (I will have to see what happens when I reach that stage), so it’s better to make the best of our time in this Campus as much as we can.

I’m not saying burn your books, roll their pages into joints, smoke them up, and explore the city every day. Study, Wander, Write, Play, do whatever you want as long as you’re not harming anyone (so please don’t touch people at a college fest non-consensually, drive your car like you’re the DUSU president at a speed so high that a dog gets injured, or indulge in other miscreant behaviour of that sorts). If you hate the world of North Campus, then judge the living hell out of it and its people, and have a good laugh. Meet people, eat street food, throw around opinions, discern them, debate them, discuss them, sit idle in the college field. Study, surely study, but at the same don’t forget exploring this world you’re in. Because that world will give you knowledge that’s not in any sample paper or online module.

What knowledge awaits for you to be learned by in this Campus? That’s for you to find out.

So long,

Shaurya Singh Thapa,

Soon-to-be Ex-Web Editor, DU Beat.

Image Credits: Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat

Shaurya Singh Thapa

Revisiting: Hostels of South and North Campus

By DU Beat April 3, 2020

Among the most premier institutions in the country, the University Of Delhi has thousands of outstation students on its rolls, both at the undergraduate and at the postgraduate levels. Thus it was deemed necessary for the university to construct hostels to house these students.

From Assam to Afghanistan, Nagaland to Nepal, the University Of Delhi receives a significant number of outstation students every year. To accommodate this huge influx, the university has built numerous hostels in both the campuses. Besides that, many colleges have their own hostels for undergraduate students – St. Stephens’s College, Sri Venkateswara College, Hansraj College to name a few. Most of these hostels charge nominal fees, and since many students have financial constraints, the demand for rooms here is extremely high and allocation is usually merit – based. Students also prefer hostels due to the proximity to their place of study as well as for security reasons. We take a look at a few notable ones –

Mansarovar Hostel

Situated in North Campus opposite Khalsa College, the Mansarovar Hostel was constructed in 1993. It has 167 seats and houses male post graduate and research students of the university. Amenities include a dining hall, gymnasium, air-conditioned reading room and a computer room. Located in a slightly secluded spot, the hostel provides a respite to its residents from the hustle and bustle of the campus. Though during DUSU elections, the hostel is usually considered a hotbed of political activity. “I have made countless memories while staying at Mansarovar, and the constant interaction with people from diverse backgrounds has helped me grow immensely as a person”, said Meraj Alam, a Ph.D researcher and resident.

Aravali Hostel

Established in 2005, the Aravali Hostel, located on Benito Juarez Marg, provides accommodation to male post graduate and research scholars studying in South Campus, with a total of 76 seats. The hostel has facilities for table tennis and badminton, a dining hall and a recreation centre.

Geetanjali Hostel

One of the newer additions to the list of university accommodations, the girls-only Geetanjali Hostel is located in South Campus and takes in post graduate and research scholars, with a total of 102 seats. The hostel has a computer centre, library, gym and sports facilities. The boarders also host an annual function “Mridang”.

Gwyer Hall

With its sprawling lawns, rows of palm trees, huge arches and symmetrical corridors, one might mistake the Gwyer Hall for a colonial era monument at first glance. Among the most iconic and also the oldest hostel in the university, the Gwyer Hall has been a site of numerous historic events and produced a long list of illustrious alumni since its inception in 1938. Named after Sir Maurice Gwyer, a former Vice Chancellor of the university and the founder of Miranda House, the Hall is situated in North Campus, opposite the University Stadium and accommodates 158 post graduate and research students. “The years I spent at Gwyer Hall are the ones I cherish and remember the most. I often pay a visit once in a while to eat the canteen’s much loved meetha samosa”, quipped Pradeep Jain, a Delhi University professor and a former resident of the Hall. Indeed, the Gwyer Hall canteen, run by Pandit Ji, is famous for the unorthodox menu it has on offer – butterscotch lassi, butter masala Maggi and the flagship sweet samosa amongst others.

Meghdoot Hostel

Located opposite the School Of Open Learning in North Campus and secluded from the main road by a canopy of trees, the girls-only Meghdoot Hostel was inaugurated in 1992. It houses full time post graduate and research students, with a capacity of 100 seats. The hostel is equipped with a computer lab, common room, dining hall, medical centre and sports facilities. Meghdoot is known for its strict administration and tight security– a curfew was imposed on the day of Holi in 2017, sparking controversy.

International Students House

Located beside Mansarovar Hostel and probably the first building which a person driving towards North Campus sees, the men-only International Students House was set up in 1964 with the efforts of the Indian Council For Cultural Relations to provide accommodation mainly to foreign students studying in the university. ISH has 98 seats in total, with 68 reserved for foreign students and the rest for Indian students. Currently students of more than 35 countries reside here, both undergraduates and postgraduates. The International Students House For Women is situated a few kilometres away in Mukherjee Nagar. ISH has been devoid of any notable controversy since its inception, a testament to the unity and harmony enjoyed by students from across the world living together.

Other notable hostels include – Jubilee Hall which was founded to commemorate the university’s silver jubilee in 1947, VKRV Rao Hostel which was founded in 1999 and houses research scholars from FMS and Delhi School Of Economics, Rajiv Gandhi Hostel For Girls which houses a large number of students from Northeast India, DS Kothari Hostel and the Ambedkar-Ganguly Students House.

The government should allocate funds to the University Of Delhi for construction of new hostels for both men and women keeping in mind the rising hostel: student ratio.

Image Credits – International Students House

Araba Kongbam

DUB News

DU Student Allegedly Accused of Sexual Assault

By DU Beat March 17, 2020

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

A woman, who has asked not to be named in the report, recently posted several stories on Instagram, alleging that Vaibhav, a student from Delhi University sexually assaulted and forced himself on her.

One of the stories posted by her describes the incident. It states that she met Vaibhav on 13th march, with whom she had connected with on Instagram. After meeting him, she had to go to a party to which she invited him, the party ended at 2 A.M. At that point, Vaibhav had suggested that he would book an Oyo but out of courtesy and considering safety, she invited him to spend the night at her flat.

The story goes on to say “at around 3 A.M, Vaibhav started touching me a bit sexually and I pulled away to make it clear that I am not interested. Guess he could not take a no and started forcing himself on me, I pulled away, said no a billion times, asked him to stop, begged, told him that he was making me uncomfortable and that I was scared while he pinned my hands against the bed and kept assaulting my body. When I kept saying please stop, he replied with “HOW? HOW DOES ONE EVEN STOP?” While I kept shivering under him and telling him that I am scared, he replied with ” WHAT ARE YOU SCARED OF? BACCHI THODI HAI? HAVE NOT YOU HAD A BOYFRIEND?” my body felt numb and weak and I was constantly shaking.” She also posted screenshots of the conversations with Vaibhav after the incident, both of which have been attached below.

On reaching out to Vaibhav, he completely denied the allegations stating that while they had gotten “intimate” at the flat when she had stated that she was uncomfortable, he “stopped getting physical with her and promised we won’t be.” He further goes on to point out how he had tried several times to leave at the party from her friend’s place and had even booked a cab to go back home and later an Oyo, both times he says that she had asked him to stay and told him there was no problem with staying. He repeatedly points to him being uncomfortable and how he tried several times to leave as a sign of his innocence. He also alleges that there were four other people in the flat and she was under the influence of alcohol. He states that he has been fired from his job on the 15th after the allegations reached his employers and how he has been bombarded with messages targeting him, his friends, and his family.

When we reached out to the victim, she stated that she tried to file an FIR yesterday but didn’t do so as she didn’t want the news to reach her family. When asked about how Vaibhav had said that he had tried to leave, she told us that even though he had booked an ola, he had no intentions of leaving because even before they had met, he had informed her that he won’t be going back home because he had fought with his parents and would book an Oyo room. She says that this was preplanned as she had said that she wanted to just find a place to sleep at her friend’s party around 2 A.M but Vaibhav had said that he was “uncomfortable using someone else’s bathroom.” She points out that out of common courtesy, she had told him not to book an Oyo room and spend the night at her flat since it was already 2:30 A.M. She also alleges that when they woke up, and she had to leave around 8 A.M, Vaibhav tried to force himself on her again but she managed to call a friend and pretend that they were talking about packing and leaving.
Prabhanu Kumar Das

[email protected]

Feature Image Credits: SafeCity

Student Attacked in North Delhi’s Maurice Nagar

By DU Beat February 24, 2020

A 22-year-old student was attacked with a stone in Maurice Nagar, North Delhi. Police suspect a victim’s male friend behind the incident.

On 22nd February 2020, Delhi Police received a call around 11:30 AM about a woman lying unconscious near Bonta Park. The woman had sustained serious head injuries and was taken to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, where she was unconscious, but the doctors were hopeful for her survival, according to a senior police official.

The official says “Her mobile phone was also found lying at the spot. Angles of robbery or sexual assault have been ruled out in this case.” A case under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to murder) was registered and an investigation was taken up. The 22-year-old student was a graduate from University of Delhi (DU), and was currently studying at an institute in Ghaziabad. She was a resident from East Delhi’s Kabir Nagar.

The police suspect a male friend of the victim after analysing her call logs, with whom she had an argument. The official is quoted as saying “Call detail records of the victim were analysed and it is suspected that she had a fallout with a man who attacked her. We are waiting for her statement for further probe”

The victim’s family was informed after the incident, after which they reached the hospital.

With excerpts from The Hindu

Prabhanu Kumar Das

NGT Halts the Housing Complex Construction near North Campus

By DU Beat January 14, 2020

The National Green Tribunal has ordered a halt and a status quo on the construction of the housing complex being built adjacent to the University Campus.

As on 13^th January, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a status quo on the construction of the housing complex being built adjacent to the Delhi University’s (DU’s) North Campus. A Bench headed by Adarsh Kumar Goel, the NGT Chairperson Justice, has said that an evaluation of relevant data is required by a Joint Committee comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, in regards to the “Precautionary Principle” of Environmental Law, which requires that, if there is a strong suspicion that a certain activity may have environmentally harmful consequences, it is better to control that activity now rather than to wait for incontrovertible scientific evidence.

“The Committee may also undertake carrying capacity study of the area with reference to the project in question-based on the relevant data. The study may be completed preferably within two months,” the Bench said.

This statement by the tribunal comes after a hearing of the plea by DU challenging the environmental clearance granted to the construction of the housing project by Young Builders (P) Ltd. in North Delhi, and CPCB will be acting as the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.

The plea argued the order of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) granting Environmental Clearance (EC) for the housing complex located at 1 and 3 Cavalry Lane and 4 Chhatra Marg at Civil Lines in Delhi. It was filed and challenged through advocates Sanjay Upadhyay and Salik Shafique and claimed that the EC could not be granted by the SEIAAbecause it is within 10 km from Critically Polluted Area- Najafgarh, Naraina, Wazirpur and Anand Parbat are critically polluted areas. The EC can, therefore, be granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests but not by the SEIAA. The project is also in the Silence Zone, being within 100 m from Delhi University and Patel Chest Institute, and also in the water scarcity zone with the Sulphate content of groundwater being above the specified limit.

“As per the project proponent’s own report, the project is susceptible to subsidence and liquefaction during a major earthquake. A geotechnicalinvestigation needs to be carried out which has not been done. Traffic plans/congestion filed by the project proponent with the application is based on the statistics of July 2011,” the plea said.

Several protests- backed by student-led parties and activist groups, as well as the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA)- have been protesting against the construction of the high-rise in the University’s North Campus.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Shreya Juyal

Arts & Culture

Writing’s on the wall: the walls of North Campus

By Shaurya Thapa December 30, 2019

Every aspect of North Campus has its own story to tell. Just take the walls for instance; there is something or the other stuck, painted, splattered on these walls that are bound to catch your eye.

One can begin their “Dilli Deewar Darshan” with a common DU thing i.e. student politics. Take the left or the right, various shades of political opinion are expressed on the bricks that form the foundations of several colleges and lanes. This definitely includes the posters and bills featuring quirky close-up photographs with loud fancy fonts. Even before a fresher gets to know about parties like ABVP and NSUI, he will know who is Rocky Tuseer, Rajat Chaudhary or Mahamedha Nagar, all thanks to the endless posters and vibrant graffiti. Getting layers of these posters is like a monthly affair for many such “walls for democracy” in the campus. And some of the thin paper bills even start getting shredded over time making the wall look like a bizarre work of modern art. Sometimes rain might be the reason for the tearing away of these posters. However, we all know that rain and Delhi don’t have long-lasting relationships. So, one might wonder which beast goes on scratching off these posters in a savage fashion ravaging our North Campus walls.

However, the walls don’t get tattooed with the names of DUSU candidates always. Sometimes there are scribbles of meaningful text and art as well. Many free thinkers and peaceful revolutionaries form a part of the DU family and their mental product is reflected on the walls too. For instance, you can spot the words “Free Saibaba” spray-painted in different areas. This refers to the sudden arrest of DU Professor GN Saibaba who has been hailed as a crusader for peasant movements. Some detailed imagery and messages can also be found relating to women empowerment, road safety and menstruation awareness. These adornments to the North Campus walls are much needed for the aesthetic appeal and social relevance.

Talking about art and politics and social messages, it is no surprise that the Father of the Nation is also a featured guest. Mahatma Gandhi’s face is virtually everywhere in the country be it in textbooks or currency notes or the DU walls. A few walls near Vishwavidyalaya metro station and the souvenir shop, in particular, have several bright murals on Gandhi’s morals (no pun intended). Apart from Gandhi, historical greats like Swami Vivekananda and Bhagat Singh also keep a watchful eye on the students of DU.

A knowledge hub like Delhi University attracts people from diverse parts of the country. Many shift to North Campus with hopes, dreams and their parents’ money in their pocket and tend to shift in flats and PGs. So, it’s no surprise that amongst the tons of Post It notes stuck on the walls, advertisements for PG and other facilities occupy a major share too (especially on the Kamala Nagar and Hudson Line side). The names and ads are totally random so you can expect anything from “Radhe Radhe Boys PG” to “Cook Dhoni”.

Ranging from mundane to outrageous, these walls are something which makes North Campus what it is. The walls are filled with diverse colours, fonts, political parties, student unions, rebel messages, and paintings. Maybe indirectly, this symbolises the whole DU culture itself, a life filled with hues, cultures and ideas of all sorts…

Featured Image credits- Shaurya Singh Thapa

Shaurya Singh Thapa

DUB News

DUSU Converts Office Common Room into Open Library for Students

By DU Beat December 7, 2019

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) decided to convert the common room of its office space into a library for students, which is supposed to remain open throughout the hours of the day, all days of the week. Read on to know more.

The North Campus of the Delhi University (DU) has, for a protracted amount of time, longed for a good place to study. The students often complain about the lack of 24×7 libraries and moreover of quality libraries itself.

This problem is more visible during the exam season at the Varsity. As students aren’t able to study in hostel or PG rooms as the rooms are primarily small and the libraries seem to be full all the time. The present libraries either lack the seating capacity or updated books and internet. The students thus, are forced to go to private studying spaces and libraries which are chargeable based on the hour. A large amount of the students hence find this to be very expensive and therefore aren’t able to study properly.

DUSU has, on various occasions, tried to overcome this problem by sending letters to the DU Administration, but the same has not resulted in any positive reaction by the latter. Seeing the gravity of the issue, DUSU led by its President, Akshit Dahiya, has tried to deal with the problem on its own. DUSU has converted the meeting/waiting room in its President’s cabin, at the DUSU Office, into an open library.

Speaking to DU Beat, Dahiya said, “DUSU has for a long time demanded to turn regular libraries into 24×7 libraries in order to help the students. I have met with Proctor and the Rector several times over this issue, as we in our manifesto promised for better and increased number of libraries. During the exam times, several students have conveyed to me that their rooms are too small for studies and that college libraries are always full. Thus, they are forced to go to private libraries and as many of the students cannot afford the same, they face a lot of problems in managing their expenses. Thus, I opened my meeting room for these students to study. I have even sent a letter to the Proctor and other concerned authorities and have warned them that, if no action is taken to solve this library issue, I will even send these students to their offices itself. However, they seem to understand the gravity of the situation and have agreed to meet me on Monday. We are providing the students with internet for e-books and a space to study to the students at the DUSU Office. The students are supporting us a lot and are giving us positive feedback too. I aim to get a solution out for this issue in my meeting on Monday with the Proctor.”

This is a welcome step taken by the Union. However, its implementation and security will be seen only as time comes

Feature Image Credits: Scopio

Aniket Singh Chauhan

The curious case of the 39 storey building

By DU Beat December 7, 2019

The construction of a 39 floor High Rise building near Vishvavidyala Metro Station has raised important questions about ownership of this land. While the Private Builders braces up to construct a multi-story high rise complex, they want us to believe that the land belongs to Defense Ministry.

Student bodies, teachers association, environmentalists all of them came together to fight against the construction of 39 storey high rise building near Vishvavidyalaya metro station since early November this year. Their plight? How come an area dedicated to a university be used for corporate functionaries. The road that starts from the Vishvavidalaya Metro Station leads to the School of Open Learning, University Stadium which houses Cluster Innovation Centre and the Delhi School of Journalism, the VC house and Gandhi Bhavan. Imagine, amidst this path a giant corporate building standing which has nothing to do with academics let alone the University. This can be a reality if Young Builders Private Limited is allowed to execute its project at the site.

Going back to the disputed land’s history, it was in 2001 when the Ministry of Defense leashed the land to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for the construction of Vishvavidyala Metro Station. After using a part of it for metro construction, DMRC subleased the rest to a private company called Young Builders Pvt. Ltd for 218 Crore Rupees. DMRC selling it at more than 5 times the rate it bought (it bought the land from Defense Ministry at 42.4 Crore) is worth noticing, that too when public money is involved.

Since early November, protests started erupting in the north campus demanding the authorities to intervene and stop the construction. Campaigns like ‘Solidarity Through Food’ and ‘Indefinite Protest Strike’ were launched to garner eyeballs. A few days later, you see “Ye Zameen Raksha Mantralaya Ki hai” written on the boundary that walls the land. But, as mentioned earlier, the land was sold to DMRC way back in 2001 and sub leashed to a private company Young Builder Pvt. Ltd, a few years later. So why are the landowners trying to deceive the students by surrendering the blame to Defense Ministry? There’s no denial of the fact that the government might have an active role in this deceit too.

Young Builder Pvt. Ltd is, after all, a non-government company established in 1981 under the Registrar of Companies Act. The company was founded by Vinod Puranmal Bansal who also owns a few other companies.

The construction of this building will compromise with the safety of women living around, torment the environmental stability of the ridge area and create difficulties for people with disabilities who pass through the locality on a daily basis. It’s not that the University has not tried to stop the construction. In 2012, Delhi University moved the High Court against the construction but Court ruled against the varsity saying that the land doesn’t come under North Campus’ jurisdiction. In 2018, DU again filed a case in the National Green Tribunal and the Delhi High Court, but both of them rejected the appeal. In February this year, University appealed to the Supreme Court challenging the previous rulings.

Whereat one end talks of closing the north campus is doing rounds, erecting an odd building out of nowhere which is not even closely related to the varsity or academics will simply dilute the idea of Delhi University. Moreover, the amount of environmental harm it will create can not be undermined,

Feature Image Credits: Jaishree Kumar for DU Beat

Priyanshu