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Admissions 2017

The Great College Debate: College Vs Course & North Campus Vs South Campus

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The long and tiring admission process in Delhi University which dominates the imagination of aspirants since the beginning of March means taking multiple important decisions. With the onset of this season comes the dreadful pressure of making life-changing choices. While we certainly can’t dictate what you ought to do, we can list some pros and cons to help you make a worthy decision.

 COLLEGE VS COURSE

The juncture where most students get stuck is the great debate of college vs course. On one hand, you have your dream college and on the other, you have your favourite course. It is a tough call to make but there isn’t any one answer that is right for everyone.

The faculty members of Delhi University are good at their jobs all over and great professors aren’t just restricted to a few colleges. So the difference in the ranking of colleges is usually a result of other factors and not solely because of a lack of the quality of the faculty. However, it is a fact that a high-ranking college does make a positive difference to your CV. Therefore, for those who feel this factor to be essential in their chosen field can choose course over college. On the other hand, if one aims to pursue research and higher studies in one particular subject then choosing course over college might just be the right decision. As a Department of English professor says, “Before choosing a stream, the student should understand that a college tags for three years while the discipline tags throughout the career.”

The choice of college or course also depends on the career path one has chosen. If your career is leaning towards co-curriculars, it makes sense to choose a college that has the best society or team for your chosen field. At the end of the day, what matters is if you are getting the most out of your choice.

(Anagha Rakta)

[email protected]

 NORTH CAMPUS VS SOUTH CAMPUS

The north campus of the University is the natural first choice of all Delhi University aspirants thanks to its sprawling Lutyens-esque buildings and its rich alumni. But with the perennial growing standards of and around the colleges outside the University enclave, are north campus colleges really worth blind-shots?
A majority of students and professors around the University deny the supremacy of the north campus colleges and believe that the chosen course is what really matters. A University professor from the Department of English opines, “The faculty across the University are evenly qualified. Hence, there is no scope of relatively mediocre teaching standards in any college of the University. The professors across the University would unanimously agree that the preferred course should not be compromised at the cost of campus, or college, for that matter.” In this light, the varsity also allows the student to switch colleges in the second and third years on the basis of the marks scored throughout the year.

For non-educational aspects, both the campuses have a culture entirely unique to themselves, without either being inferior. Satya Niketan in the south and Hudson Lane in the north, along with other marvelous hangout zones around almost every DU college, ensure a brilliant time for every student of the University.

Both campuses have their own special charms and unique factors and it is impossible to say which one is superior. Whatever side of the city you choose, your campus will give you immense opportunities to make the most of your college life.

(Nikhil Kumar Thakur)

[email protected]

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Reviews

Hello Meal- Food at a click away!

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Hello Meal for you! Founded by Tushar Kanti Das, Amandeep Singh, and Saraswat Mishra, the alumni of Swami Shraddhanand College, University of Delhi, the organisation serves a wide range of demands.   An app-based delivery service conceptualised with the goal to provide instant food anytime and every time, Hello Meal is a start-up which seeks to cater to the dual goals of excellent quality and sufficient quantity. With a vast menu and the vision to instil and diversify into new domains, the food-delivery service seeks to provide palatable food to all communities. Following a technical-oriented approach, Hello Meal has incorporated various services to allow a wholesome experience to the consumers. Operating through Zomato, it allows the user to pre-book orders, thus, tomorrow’s lunch or dinner can be decided and booked the night before itself! Along with this, through their quirky food jackets referencing ideas from pop culture, Hello Meal is a trendsetter in designing jackets which consumers can happily indulge in. Doing away with the usage of tissues to clean the hands, this start-up provides their customers with wet-wipes instead. [caption id="attachment_49326" align="aligncenter" width="225"]Friends on cover Friends on cover[/caption] Hello Meal is a budget-friendly source of exquisite pleasure with their affordable prices, and provide multiple options ranging from economy meals to thaalis and platters.  Their well-thought services are an added advantage, and they promote an ideology of ‘Mood Kia. Food Kia.’  They are the convenient solution to the woes of all college students. The co-founder, Tushar, remarked on this unique initiative, “This is a part which is not touched yet. For students, we need something more accessible and affordable to serve their daily needs.” [caption id="attachment_49328" align="aligncenter" width="300"]image2-1 Food on your plate[/caption] For quick, delicious, and pocket-friendly meals, this is your place. You can find Hello Meal on Zomato to book the food of your liking, and they shall take care of your wishes, be it pre or post meal! For more details, explore them on:   Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/hellomeal/ Play Store : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.invetechsolutions.hellomeal Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/hello_meal/         Image Credits: Saumya Kalia for DU Beat     Saumya Kalia [email protected]]]>

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DUB News

Women reclaim the streets: Pinjra Tod organises night march against gender biased campus laws and more

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“The desire for nights where the moon and the star is not glimpsed through barbed wires, where the sky is not forbidden through rods, through gates and locks” –  Pinjra Tod

Pinjra tod an autonomous women collective, organised a Night march in the North Campus of University of Delhi on 23rd of September. A large number of students participated to support the campaign.

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Image Credits: Pinjra Tod: Break the hostel locks/Facebook

The march was primarily organised to reiterate and implement the new UGC circular against sexual harassment. It also demanded a regulation of the exorbitant fees structures of hostels and PG’s.

A night mass of women and men, took to the streets at night and marched from Arts Faculty of Delhi University to Miranda House Hostel, Meghdoot hostel, UHW, hostels of Hindu, Hansraj and St Stephens college. They marched sloganeering through areas such as Malkagunj, Kamla Nagar and Vijay Nagar. In some cases, they climbed up the locked gates of some hostels and shouted slogans against moral policing by wardens and restrictions put on movement of women by discriminatory hostel curfews.

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Image Credits: Pinjra Tod: Break the hostel locks/Facebook

In spite of problems caused by some ABVP members, the march carried on for quite long in the night which was followed by a night vigil at Vijay Nagar.
The group also sung songs, recited poetry and danced to reclaim the night and call it their own. The mood of the march and vigil was of a serious celebration. It exercised and celebrated the freedom that Pinjra Tod demands for women and was a way of militantly reclaiming the streets denied to women at night in the pretext of ‘security’.

Featured image credits: Pinjra Tod: Break the Hostel Locks/Facebook

Tooba Towfiq
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Priyanka and Anshu: Bungalow Road, Kamla Nagar

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Swarms of people passing the Bungalow Road seem to miss the unmissable. Having honed the art of ignorance myself, I quite successfully give certain human coordinates that form the aesthetics of the area as much as McDonald’s or Bookland a miss, but not this time.

Priyanka and Anshu, having evaded the liberal policies of the government, carry an air of versatility, to be able to fit in or rather have the surroundings fit them. The articles they are selling are like accolades on offer. They sell stationery items.

Having punctuated the area for over 8 years, 16 years old Priyanka, who is typically seen reading elementary school books outside Planet Fashion, boasts of having taught business skills to many top notch garments vendors in the area. Bablu, a prominent garments crusader in the area confirms the claim. “Priyanka taught me the nitty gritty of the garment market, from getting the articles at wholesale rates from Tank Road and Ramesh Park to selling the articles and managing my accounts”, says Bablu.  He assists his partner in managing a make shift niche where wide variety of clothes can be seen arranged in files of threes on a cot.

Albeit a school dropout, Priyanka takes pride in attending tuitions from 3 to 6 PM every day. However, she laments her parents’ decision to make her leave school and doesn’t want the same fate for her 4 younger sisters. A resident of Chandrawal Village, Priyanka’s day starts with helping her mother with domestic chores after which she gets down to tutor her younger sisters. “I study everyday so that I could teach my younger sisters”, says Priyanka.

On a typical day, she can be seen with a box of assorted stationery articles switching spots to try and get potential customers. Her wingman is usually 9 years old Anshu, who unable to pronounce the ‘N’ in her name calls herself Ansu. She considers Priyanka her idol and can be seen copying her jargon in her own way.

The duo earn somewhere between Rs 600-700 per day on weekdays and over Rs 1200 on weekends. Priyanka claims that she gives her earnings to her father who works in a thread factory in Malkaganj. She also takes pride in having an account in Canara Bank.

After a day’s work, much like the other 40 children selling different articles in Kamla Nagar, the duo retires at 9PM. Their employers are their parents who tally the numbers of articles sold and the earnings upon their return. About to leave, I extend my hand towards Priyanka for a handshake. She shies away and instead folds her hand wishing me adieu.

Featured Image Credits – Jowhiti for Tripadvisor

Sidharth Yadav

[email protected]

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Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

Beyond The Obvious: Hindu College

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The largely red building of the college glares at you on traversing the Delhi School of Economics and St Stephen’s college corridor. The premises are flanked by the Ridge forest on one side and the D School on the other. This part of Delhi has been the epicentre of the Indian freedom movement with Hindu College spearheading the student’s campaign majorly in the Quit India movement. The college was established in 1899 to counter the hegemonic control of the British over higher education in Delhi after the establishment of St Stephen’s college. Late Shri Krishan Dassji Gurwale, the founder of the college boasted of the secular and inclusive being of the institution when it functioned in a small establishment in Kinari Bazar before finally shifting to the current spot in 1953.

That the inclusive and liberal being of the college, although having undergone many reconfigurations has stayed intact is unmissable when one comes to the college during a festival or regular college days. The annual college festival Mecca, which succeeds in having major personalities every year has been the zenith of the institution’s liberal being when an entrant is allowed inside the premises without any hassle to witness motley range of events in the state of the art infrastructure of the college. The Virgin tree Pooja that happens every 14th of February also sustains the diverse aesthetics of the institution. A student of the college can visit any part of the college, attend classes of other departments, make public engagements with students and organise academic events in a relatively easy fashion. You’d find a unique activity once a week around the student centric area of Pizzas and More (PAM) ranging from sponsored events and society promotions.

The Parliament of Hindu College, which is the student body here, has inculcated political acumen in the students as  a result of which major political organisations at the varsity like ABVP, NSUI, AISA and SFI strategically position themselves in the ecosystem of the college to start political conversations. Being a student of the college, I constantly feel the repercussions and calls for student movements that happen in any part of the varsity. At the college level, the political environment calls for polarisation between majorly two sides that consolidate themselves and then contest for the parliamentary elections.

Interesting is the fact that departments like History and English have their own libraries which aim at furthering the academic interests of students. The Bharat Ram Centre, the cultural square of the college boasts a gothic style art gallery and is right at the centre of a magnificent garden. Art and photography exhibitions are a common sight in this area. The Bharat Ram Centre garden offers a composed atmosphere to have conversations and read books. The college canteen on the other hand symbolises a euphoric being of the college life at Hindu.

The institution boasts one of the largest sports grounds in the varsity with a sports centre, gymnasium and facilities for indoor sports being inheritances from the Common Wealth Games 2010, whose centre for the rugby sevens was the varsity. You’ll find many students playing volleyball and basketball in their breaks in the field. The college functions on the philosophy of letting the students decide the path to their own academic and co-curricular brilliance on the sidelines of having a system of administrative checks and balances.

Sidharth Yadav
[email protected]

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Campus Central

DU North Campus: Where the Insiders go

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Jyoti Chinese Corner at Patel Chest Situated amidst the gazillion printing shops and book stalls in Patel Chest, Jyoti is a small stall dishing out excellent food. For such a tiny establishment, it certainly boasts an extensive menu starting from the famous momo and chowmein, to thukpa and shyapta (a Tibeatan meat dish). The portions are also quite large. The only glitch perhaps is that it is constantly packed and seating is limited to about 5 persons. However, for such good food at reasonable rates, who would even complain waiting for a few minutes? One insider tip is to order the ‘home delivery momo’ which although priced substantially higher than the regular momo they serve, is definitely a must have! Le-phing at MajnukaTilla The best reason to visit the famous Tibetan Market, which is a 15 minute auto ride away from North Campus, is perhaps to try ‘Le-Phing’ which is only available here. A famous Tibetan street dish, Le-Phing is usually priced at Rs30 a bowl, and served both dry and with soup, and you can either choose it in yellow or white. Most stall owners are tight lipped about how they prepare it, so you probably won’t even know what you’re actually having. It’s basically a cold mung bean noodle dish dolled up with soya-beans, soya-sauce, salt, vinegar and some magical chutney-like concoction. Perhaps an acquired taste, Le-phing has some serious die-hard fans. If you join the club, expect frequent trips to MajnuKaTilla in between classes to satiate le-phing cravings. Waffle Hut at Kamla Nagar This is a waffle joint in a small bylane in Kamla Nagar, behind the McDonalds on Bungalow Road. Be-fitting its name, it boasts a wide range of freshly made waffles with both sweet and savoury toppings. In case you want to try an extensive variety, it is advisable to order quarter sized pieces with different toppings. The unique pizza waffle is definitely worth a try! Since it is tucked in between many other shops, you might overlook it, so asking for directions is helpful. Bistro at Kamla Nagar A perfect way to ‘TRY’ to beat the summer heat is to have one of the various drinks and sundaes available at this stall. While there are many places around campus offering the same, its main attraction is its pricing. An almost half-a-litre glass of Virgin Mojito comes at 50rs, and a substantial helping of chocolate fudge sundae at just Rs.60. In addition, veg sandwiches and snacks are also available. Although seating isn’t available, you can’t help yourself from going back once you’ve tried it. FUNKY at Bungalow Road A mini Sarojini-Nagar, Funky is a clothing shop that many DU students frequent. Although there are many vendors selling cheap clothes on the streets, the collection here is the best. Tops, dresses, trousers and shorts are priced at around Rs.150 to 250. An occasional gem in the form of a cocktail dress or branded item isn’t uncommon here. However, sometimes the clothes are a little costume-like, so a keen look through the racks can go a long way. Also, they do bring in new stuff quite frequently. Since it is somewhat hidden in a basement amidst the shops in Bungalow Road, it is best to ask seniors or friends for directions.   Swareena Gurung [email protected]]]>

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Campus Central

Spotlight: Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College

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22-06-2016 05.05.13                          

Infrastructure:

Situated at the north campus of the university, the college boasts of a 5 building structure with a world class sports stadium along with a lawn tennis and a basketball court. The college’s newly opened multi-storied air-conditioned library (also half of the college’s class rooms have air-conditioning system in place) has books on almost all the topics available to mankind. The topmost floor of the library is glass-walled and honestly speaking, looks like a squash court. [gallery size="medium" ids="43282,43280,43281,43279,43278,43277,43283,43284,43285"]

What to do in between classes:

  • As you head your way out from the library, you will see cafe coffee day’s ‘cafe day express’, welcoming you to try its hot coffee along with exotic vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks.
  • If you prefer something more sub-continental, you can head straight using a narrow passage to the college’s canteen. There, you will find all the mouth watering foods from aloo-ki-tikki to North Indian Thaali. Though the odd thing about the canteen is that the bill you get features the name of Miranda House instead of the college’s own name. Too much affinity, I guess.
  • The college is almost perfectly located, with the Kamla Nagar market, the Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar market and the Hudson lane at just a walking distance.
  • If you are visiting for the first time, it is recommended that you do visit the Tom Uncle’s Maggie point and the Wood Box cafe.
  • The college has its own Gurudwara in the premises for you to seek peace at.
[gallery size="medium" ids="43286,43288,43287"]

Delights to catch on:

If you really want to enjoy such an environment and are bored of your boring college routines, you should visit SGTB Khalsa College and especially its standout area, ‘jannat’. Jannat is located at the centre of the college and is a hub of almost all the activities that take place in the premises. From the art society displaying various art forms to the photography society featuring its best photo shoots, from the dramatics society’s street plays to the Music society’s foot-tapping performances, Jannat sees it all through the year. The name comes from the fact that the place is beautifully maintained and also has an exquisite lawn. [gallery size="medium" ids="43289,43292,43290,43293,43291,43347"]

Annual Fest, Lashkara:

So, once you are here at the North Campus, SGTB Khalsa is a college you must surely visit and since the fest season is near, you should also attend the college’s annual fest ‘Lashkara’ which features almost all the Punjabi celebrities from the music world. [gallery size="medium" ids="43348,43349,43351"] [gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="43352,43350"]   Images by Gerush Bahal for DU Beat Brij Mohan Pahwa [email protected]]]>

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Reviews

Food Review : The Food and Booze Exchange, near North Campus

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If you too are one of those people who are jaded by the idea of going to Hauz Khas or Connaught Place to dine at a luxurious lounge, then it’s time you looked at North Campus!

As much as students like going to eating joints in the Hudson lane, they still feel a dearth of proper lounges in the North Campus. As a result, they travel in metros covering long distances to reach CP or Hauz Khas where most of the lounges are situated. But, The Food and Booze Exchange, with its quirky name, has come to change all that. Situated in Roop Nagar, near North Campus, The Food and Booze exchange is one of the newly opened lounges near the North Campus where we got a chance to review some of their specialities recently! Snippets from our experience: 

The decor and more..

When you enter the place, the interiors and the decoration of the place are what you notice first which are completely in-sync with the ‘stock and investment’ motif present in their name. Ranging from vast graphics on the wall of investors making a bid to numerical silhouettes carved out, in place of windows, for the natural light to come in, all thoroughly amuse you.

[gallery ids="42213,42215,42214"]

To quench your thirst..

After taking a look at an interesting line of mocktails and other beverages in their menu, we decided to order ‘Guava Exchange Punch’ which is gaining momentum with their new customers and ‘Kiwi Lemonade’. Both of the drinks were refreshing and perfect to beat the scorching summer heat. 

[caption id="attachment_42223" align="aligncenter" width="200"]Kiwi Lemonade Kiwi Lemonade[/caption]

Delectable delicacies.. 

Post the revitalising  beverages, we ordered the following food items to gorge on: For starters we chose to order a Kebab platter and Veg Platter. While the Kebab platter was full of non-veg delicacies like Chicken Tikka, Chicken Seekh Kebab, Murg Malai Tikka and more, the Veg platter on the other hand was replete with the customary Hariyali Kebab, Veg Seekh Kebab, Tandoori Soya Chap and more. The generous proportion and taste of the platters was worth a try and didn’t disappoint us at all. In the main course, our team ordered a Veg Lasagna and an Olive and Mushroom Pizza. While the freshly prepared Lasagna was a delight to our taste buds, the Olive and Mushroom Pizza was a light and crispy thin crust pizza with unique toppings, A+ for creativity! [gallery columns="4" ids="42232,42231,42229,42230"]

Cost and Benefit.. 

While the place does boast of a fancy interior and some mouth watering dishes, the place may not be a regular hangout joint, owing to its lounge setting, but it is definitely a cool after-party, farewell party and other occasions suitable place for college students! With a great and on time service, generously portioned dishes and uplifting beverages, the place is sure to light you up and we recommend you to try it.   Pictures by Alex Arthur for DU Beat Reviewed by: Shubham Aggarwal

Riya Chhibber ([email protected])

Nishita Agarwal ([email protected] )

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DUB Speak

North Campus- A No Big Deal!

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North Campus

It’s that time of the year again when the farewells have just ended and everyone is busy with exam preparation. It’s also that time of the year when students are eagerly waiting for the exams to end and the fucchas to arrive. Well, the fucchas -to- be, on the other hand, have nothing to do but sleep, eat, dream and repeat. Dream about making it to the college they’ve always wanted to be in and have a taste of the freedom that college life promises. And a lot among these young aspirants also dream of making it to North Campus.

Allow me, a former North Campus aspirant just like them, to bust all myths about this place.

1. Elite Colleges
When people talk about North Campus, the first thing they mention is the number and names of elite colleges it has. Hindu, Stephen’s, Miranda and the list goes on. What they forget to take note of is that some of the best and top colleges of Delhi University are either Off Campus or South Campus Colleges. (Heady hint: LSR, CBS, JMC)

2. Food Joints
Can college life ever be complete without eating joints? Nay! So, when people from North Campus come up to you to tell you about how North Campus (NC) has Hudson Lane and apart from the million other small eating joints, tell them about Satyaniketan which is home to almost all the cafes in NC or the proximity of Amar Colony from PGDAV College and drive home the point by mentioning the proximity of HKV, Shahpur Jat and Cyber Hub from South Campus.

3. Markets
Now, everyone knows how the North Campus walas have K-nags all to themselves but let’s not forget how South Campus has Lajpat Nagar, Khan Market and Sarojini Nagar nearby and the proximity of off campus colleges to the Paharganj Market. We’re not the only privileged one’s here!

4. Infrastructure
Yes, the infrastructure in many North Campus colleges is top notch but that let’s not underestimate the off campus colleges. In the past few years, a lot of off campus colleges from ARSD College to Deen Dayal Upadhyay College have shifted to better locations with better infrastructure facilities.

5. Courses
Off Campus colleges offer specialized courses which is not common in North Campus. Lady Irwin College and Institute of Home Economics, both of which are off campus colleges are the only colleges which offer courses in Home Science.

The next time someone from North Campus comes to you talking about the environment in North Campus ask them to think about the time of the elections in the campus and compare the crass cacophony of sloganeering with the peaceful environment in Off Campus Colleges!

Akshara Srivastava

Image Credits: http://churchak.org/

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Campus Central

The E-Rickshaw Phenomenon in North Campus

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It’s impossible for me to escape the hordes of e-rickshaw waalas when I exit the Vishwavidyalaya metro station for I need to reach the cycle rickshaw of Chun Chun , who I struck an acquaintance with a few months back, for he is always stationed outside my college. Chun Chun, who hails from Bihar and lives in the Majnu-ka-Tila area has a perpetually animated way of doing almost everything, from riding the rickshaw to engaging in political discussions with me. His animation always beats my cogent arguments.

Of late, he’s been discussing how the e-rickshaw waalas have taken over the city by targeting specific areas with the largest concentration of short distance travellers (including the north campus), thus affecting the livelihoods of cycle rickshaw waalas like him.

The e-rickshaw community has grown from 4,000 in 2010 to more than 1,20,000 in 2016 in the city. As per a research by the Centre for Civil Society (CCS), 37% of the drivers were either unemployed before taking up the occupation or were cycle rickshaw pullers. Around 21% were either factory workers or daily wage labourers.

The concept was e-rickshaws was initially started in China, which is the largest e-rickshaw manufacturer in the world. In April 2015, Hero Electric became the first domestic company in India to launch the vehicle at Rs 1.10 lakh and named its model ‘Raahii’. Most of the rickshaws that ply on North Campus roads are Raahiis, which can travel up to 90 km on a single charge and also have inbuilt accessories for the drivers, like USB mobile charging system and electronic lock system. The batteries of the rickshaws have a life of about six months and new ones can be had for 25,000.

The drivers in the area have average net earnings of 550-800 rupees per day, which is more than that of cycle rickshaw waalas – Rs 300-450, and is slightly less than that of autorickshaw drivers – Rs 700-1000 (CCS). More than 89% of the people who took the job as e-rickshaw drivers saw an increase in their salaries after joining the occupation. Charges per passenger are set as per the rules laid down by the e-rickshaw unions of respective areas.

Most e-rickshaw waalas would disallow carrying a fifth passenger if a TI (traffic inspector) is on duty in the area. This is a common sight around the Vishwavidyalaya metro station in the mornings. You’d find the area outside the station in frenzy mode from 10-2 PM as the window signifies the peak time for the drivers.

The e-rickshaw phenomenon is also seen by many drivers who’ve come from motley occupations as a means for social upliftment and security. It has essentially become a part of the city’s travel ecosystem.

Feature Image: The Hindu

Sidharth Yadav

[email protected]

 

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