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Women in Sports, Finish Last

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What are the different connotations that sports hold for us? Have its horizons expanded to accepting women, and how successful is it now?

29th August is celebrated as the National Sports Day, dedicated to the sportspersons and their hard work. It is a day to commemorate their contributions towards playing for our country and winning laurels. But, in reality, it is a day to celebrate popular sportsmen like Virat Kohli, with huge cults around them and few popular sports like cricket, which have a massive viewer-base. With a few days still left to this important day, why not realign our horizons and shift our focus?

PV Sindhu, Dutee Chand, Mithali Raj, Deepika Kumari, Tanlai Narzary, the Phogat sisters – over the past few years, Indian sportswomen have created a name and distinct space for themselves. However, the recognition from people still seems to be a far-fetched dream. But movies like Dangal and Mary Kom haved helped in garnering traction to and some attention towards their struggles. With these films, not only did they gain more recognition, but it also tackled the ideas of social stigma attached to women in sports.

Recently, there was a celebratory parade for the four-time Women’s World Cup Champions in the United States of America. This event is significant given that, not just in our country, but all over the world, women’s sporting events are disregarded. The idea behind this attitude often stems from the belief that their performance is not at par with those of the sportspersons in men’s sporting events. The only focus, if given at all, is upon their clothes and their outburst. 

Tennis, which is one of the only sporting places where women are seen as equals, also tends to gain attention only when Serena Williams displays her anger. What this normal emotion of rage is linked to is the idea of how women are ‘too emotional’. Women are represented in the light of being too sensitive in magazines and news pieces. What we do not realise is that this discrimination in terms of behaviour, pay, and popularity only pushes women to the background. 

The problems extend further to the lack of funding and even basic training conditions. Stories of sportspersons having to sell their medals to earn money, because they are not provided with anything, have become commonplace. Many talented sportswomen are not trained in the first place, due to the many obstacles that lie ahead.

Female products-oriented companies will now sponsor their events, in the big leagues, more companies now want to be front-of-shirt sponsors. India’s Dutee Chand opened up about her sexuality as a queer person recently, and fought the backlash she received from her village, in order to make a more inclusive environment for others like her. Megan Rapinoe has also come out with her partner, Sue Bird. These mark historic steps for our country and the way sportswomen demand respect. 

In a country like India, ideas of equality cannot be implemented immediately because of how our society thinks. But movies become an important access point to normalise this. The film, Chak De India, recently completed twelve years since its release. Despite being a decade old, its plot and issues remain relevant. It deals with women not being allowed to play sports, women’s teams being deprioritised, being considered at an inferior status from the men’s team, among other issues.

What has opened up today is a dialogue. Newspapers talking about the starkly different salaries for Kohli and Mithali Raj, advertisements campaigns trying to spread awareness – there are some of the things contributing to it. This dialogue may have just begun, but it could soon lead to equality among sportspersons of all genders. Maybe soon, people will stick to their televisions for a Women’s Cricket World Cup tournament, as they did for the one played by men.

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Shivani Dadhwal

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Campus Central

PM Set to Launch the Fit India Movement

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In light of the upcoming launch of the Fit India Movement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked students and faculty to walk 10,000 steps daily.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Sunday Mann ki Baat, announced the launch of the Fit India Movement on the occasion of National Sports Day, on 29th August 2019. The launch is scheduled for the entire day, at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex, where students from all across the country, as well as fitness enthusiasts, will be taking part.

Bringing this movement to the institutions of higher education in our country, the UGC has instructed colleges to prepare and implement fitness plans for their students and faculty members and motivate them to walk 10,000 steps daily. The UGC has also encouraged them to incorporate physical exercise, sports, and fitness activities in their daily routines. The commission has directed the institutions to screen a live feed of the launch event and ensure that faculty and students attend.

The authorities of higher education institutions have been asked to upload their fitness plans on their websites as well as notice-boards within a month. The official notice also said, “Universities and affiliated colleges can make well-meaning efforts for the health and well-being of their students, teachers, staff, and officials to achieve physical fitness, mental strength, and emotional equanimity.”

Abhinandan Kaul, a first-year B.A Programme student of St. Stephen’s College said, “It’s a brilliant step to inspire students who are the future of our nation to adapt to a fit and healthy life and this will surely ensure that India becomes a healthy country full of positivity!” His classmate, Jaideep – a squash player – agreed, “This is a nice initiative. Maybe all the colleges could have a period of 30 minutes, every day before the college classes start, in which students can do some physical activity, even as basic as walking. This would help them to get ready for the day and freshen up. Exercise hasn’t always been a big part of our “campus culture,” but we can gain from it in many ways including more energy, deeper and more satisfying sleep, and increased fitness.”

Although the Fit India movement has already been met with a positive response from students, what remains to be seen is how well it can be taken forward in our institutions.

Feature Image Credits: Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat

Bhavya Pandey

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Admissions

Sports Trial Guide

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The admission process of University of Delhi for the academic session of 2019 has begun. With this, candidates applying for sports quota have the coveted seats up for  grabs. The process is tedious and long, and requires the candidates to go through the requisite trials in their preferred discipline.

Here we will breakdown the whole process into concise steps:

REGISTRATION

The process begins with candidates registering themselves by filling up the online application forms available on the DU University of Delhi (DU)  Undergraduate (UG) portal. They can apply for a maximum number of three games/sport(s). The candidates have to submit an additional fee of Rs. 100 to apply in the sports category. 

The admission is based on two categories 

       1. Direct admission without Sports Trial

The candidate should have represented India in — Olympic Games (IOC), World championship or World Cup by International Sports Federation (ISF), Commonwealth Games by Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Asian Games by Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Asian Championships (ISF), South Asian Games (SAG) by South Asia Olympic Council (SAOC) and/or Paralympic Games by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to be eligible for this category. They should be recognized and funded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS).  

  1. Admission On the Basis Of Sports Trial

The admission process under this category requires candidates to go through two stages:

  1. Merit/Participation Sports certificate for 40 marks

The candidates can upload their self-attested copies of three merit sports certificate. However, only the highest value certificate will be considered for the marking. The certificate should fall between the timeline of 01st May 2016 to 30th April 2019 to be considered. The minimum marks required to be eligible for the sports trial is 04.

       2. Sports Trial for 60 marks

The three broad categories of sports in which participants can apply are: team games, dual and combat sports, and individual sports.  The team games include Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Handball, Hockey, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Netball, Softball, and Volleyball. The dual and combat sports include badminton, boxing, Judo, squash, table-tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis and wrestling. The individual sports include Archery, Athletics, Chess, Diving, Gymnastics, shooting, swimming and weight-lifting.

 

The sports trials will be held in the last week of June. The venue and the timings will be uploaded on the DU website.

The participant can only appear in one event/position/weight category and they should secure a minimum of 30 marks in the sports trials to be eligible for consideration in sports merit list, which will be further forwarded to the colleges.

RESULTS
The list of finally selected applicants will be displayed on the college website for three days. The marks of the sports certificates and sports trials will be displayed on the dashboard of the applicants as well. It is also mandatory for the candidates to submit an undertaking on Non-judicial Stamp paper of INR 100/- stating that he/she will play for the college and University during the course of three years.

Points to be noted:

  • Admission of candidate is solely based on the availability of seats in a course in the college.
  • An applicant’s name appearing in the sports merit list doesn’t guarantee admission in a college.
  • Any grievances pertaining to the marks shall be addressed by the UG Sports Grievance Committee.
  • Any injury/casualty suffered by the applicant during trial will be their sole responsibility.  

Feature Image Credits: Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat

 

Antriksha Pathania
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Admissions 2019

Open Day Sessions for DU Aspirants Starting from May 31

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In an endeavour to simplify the process of admissions, the University of Delhi (DU) is organising several open day sessions where officials will be available to answer and address various doubts and concerns that students may have.

The DU admission process for the academic year 2019-2020 has finally begun, following various date speculations and unprecedented excitement from young people all across the country. The online applications for all undergraduate courses began on 30th May and the other online applications too will be available shortly.

Every year, the Dean’s Student Welfare Office hosts open day sessions before the admission process ends, in order to address questions and concerns from prospective students and parents. The application process and the documents required for various categories and courses are different, and hence many questions are bound to arise. These sessions are structured like press conferences where the University officials will be available to answer any question or doubt that the students may harbour regarding the application process.

DU is one of the most reputed and sought after universities of the country. A large part of that can be credited to the diversity of students it invites to its campuses each year. Students can apply via sports quota, ECA quota, foreign quota, etc. These open day sessions are especially useful for students from the the aforementioned different categories who have a significantly variable admission process as it helps them understand the requirements better.

Here are all the details you need to know about the Open Day sessions being held for the admission process in 2019-

DATE AND VENUE :

  1. Conference Centre, North Campus Gate Number 4 –

May 31st, June 3rd & June 8th

  1. Kamala Nehru College, Zakir Hussain College, Rajdhani College, Ramlal Anand College and Maharaja Agrasen College –

June 4th, 6th, 7th & 10th

TIMINGS:

These sessions will last from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM on all the above mentioned dates.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Additionally, a help desk will also be set up outside the conference centre in room number 5 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM everyday during the admission process to assist students and parents if any concern arises.

The different colleges under DU will also set up separate counselling sessions and help desks to address the concerns of applicants and explain their admission processes further.

Pragati Thapa

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Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

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Campus Central

Editorial: Delhi University, It Is Time to Pull Up Your Socks

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To stay relevant in the 21st century – the University of Delhi (DU) needs to let go of its laissez-faire attitude. Read our Editor’s take on why DU is trapped in its own history.

Making it into DU was a dream for so many of us. We battled the unpredictable and exhausting board examinations, obsessed over  cut-off lists, and withstood the impossibly frustrating admission process to finally make it here. Once here, all the effort seemed worth it. To study with the brightest people in our generation, participate in DU’s competitive society culture, absorb its active protest culture, and learn under its brilliant faculty, made it a one of a kind experience. This, coupled with a relatively relaxed attendance policy and reasonable fee, was enough to make this place a dream come true.

However, three years in the University and my rose-coloured glasses have finally worn off. What I saw as the culture of protest is actually teachers and students demanding basic resources and rights. What was seen as thriving society culture is the students’ way to keep themselves occupied and challenged since the varsity offers few opportunities to do so. The affordability of DU is constantly at threat, with newly established schools like Delhi School of Journalism charging a hefty fee and offering sub par education in return. With the Higher Education Funding Agency and the current government’s obsession with privatisation, DU’s accessibility is historically most vulnerable right now.

However, this is not all. The bigger problems with DU are related to its academic rigour. The truth is, towards the end of our three years, there is very little that the institution has taught us.

This facade of DU’s reputation has limited influence; recruiters and major corporations are distinctly aware of how little a DU degree teaches you, which is perhaps why they avoid us like the plague. Navigating the process of landing your first job on your own is chaotic and most people seek the security of campus placements. However, in DU, the word ‘placement’ is reserved for commerce students from the five top – ranked colleges in the varsity. It’s not as if commerce students or those in top colleges are necessarily more skilled than the rest of us but selective elitism goes a long way. The rest, pursuing other “non-employable” degrees in the remaining colleges, cannot aspire to be recruited in any capacity.

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to DU for the exposure and experiences but they were by and large the product of the hard work of the students who made societies their life and gave them their competitive edge. Apart from its reputation, there is very little that DU offers us. My resentment stems from the fact that I, like my peers, am horribly under-prepared for the real world. It is responsible to revive the curriculum to make it competitive with other universities, and it is their responsibility to realise that their job does not end by offering students mere theoretical knowledge.

Sports facilities in DU are underwhelming and most sports’ quota students find their own way of training themselves independently. Certainly, there is a funding crisis that the varsity is experiencing and the threat of a bigger impending crisis looms above the surface, but even existing funds aren’t appropriately utilised. For example, in 2017, the varsity returned 108 crores to the University Grants Commission (UGC) because it could not find an avenue to spend it. Three crore rupees allocated by the UGC remained under-utilised and had to be returned as well.

As I reflect upon my three years in DU, I am grateful for the creative minds I got the opportunity to interact with. However, nostalgia has not clouded my judgment and I know that there was so much more that DU could have offered and so much more that I deserved. The only people who graduate from DU and make it in life should not be B.Com. students, IAS officers, rich kids whose resources get them into an Ivy – league college for Master’s or those studying in Hindu, Lady Shri Ram, Stephen’s, and Hansraj. The rest of us also deserve access to an education that teaches us the required skills, has a curriculum abreast with top international universities, and offers us the opportunity that allows us to get employed if we wish to be. Like an egocentric, ageing actor who cannot get over their glory days, DU is iconic but stuck in the past. It needs to catch up with the times and enter the 21st century. After all, reputations alone can only last so long.  

Kinjal Pandey
[email protected]

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Photo Story

The Fore Challengers of North Campus

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Every sport event is more than just a contest for the testing of physical fitness. Each player represents his or her own dedicated effort and expectations in the act of living their favourite sport. Stories of the following sports teams and societies go on to show just how passion drives human endeavor.

 

Image Credits:Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat.
Image Credits: Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat.

Winning their first match in an official tournament, the Girls’ Basketball Team of Hindu College defeated a presumptuous patriarchy. Being the first team of its kind in more than two decades, a team with minimum amenities, these self-trained ‘underdogs’ thrive on passionate interest and intoxicating energy for their game.

Image Credits: Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat.
Image Credits: Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat.

Championing the second most expensive sport, the Ramjas Archery Team has registered itself as a leading team in the varsity. The girls’ team has won gold for four consecutive years. Playing at the national and inter-college level, the team is expecting even brighter prospects in the upcoming Nationals; for which, two women archers of the team have already qualified.

 

Image Credits: Aakarsh Gupta for DU Beat.
Image Credits: Aakarsh Gupta for DU Beat.

Defined for its individuality, the game of Shooting tests every player’s talent to add up to the team’s overall performance. Four members of the team have been selected for the World University Trials. With the vision of representing India in Olympics, every shooter plays importantly for a sense of gratification and satisfaction. Hansraj College is known for its excellent produce of opportunities for these young shooters.

 

Image Credits: Aakarsh Gupta for DU Beat.
Image Credits: Aakarsh Gupta for DU Beat.

With the background score of players indulging in a game of Cricket, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College’s cricket team’s coach recounted countless achievements of the team. The team won Lala Raghubir Singh Tournament this season. Looking forward to a better and more rewarding season ahead, the team exudes dedication.

 

The housing of agile talent in University’s North Campus is only a fraction of the vast multitude of achievers and to-be olympians in the varsity. DU Beat wishes all of them luck.

Feature Image Credits: Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat.

 

Kartik Chauhan

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Mahi Panchal

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Surbhit Rastogi

[email protected]

Aakarsh Gupta

[email protected]

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Spo(r)tlight

National Sports Day: What DU has Contributed to the Realm of Sports

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On the occasion of National Sports Day, i.e. 29th August 2018, let us look at how DU has managed to influence and produce sportsmen in various fields.

National Sports Day is celebrated throughout India on 29th August 2018. The day also involves the celebration of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand. Often referred to as ‘The Wizard’ he had incredible hockey skills. To commemorate his birth anniversary, in 2012 the Government of India designated 29th August as the country’s National Sports Day.
On this day, the President gives out all the sports-related awards like the Arjuna award, Dronacharya award, and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to honour sportspersons and coaches who have made the nation proud with their service in their respective sports.
The University of Delhi is a varsity that recognises the importance of sports in everyday life. The University has produced world renowned sportsmen like Unmukt Chand, who is a graduate from St. Stephen’s College, and plays for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League, and also plays domestic cricket for Delhi. Naveen Jindal, former Member of Parliament and the Chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, is a graduate from Hansraj College. He is a national record holder in skeet shooting, and has won many national and international awards for the same. Apart from this, he has also excelled in Polo. Gautam Gambhir, the well known cricketer who represents India at the international level, is a graduate from Hindu College. Anjum Chopra, former captain of the Women’s National Cricket Team, is also a graduate from Hindu College. These are a few amongst the many DU graduates and current students who have been achieving international success.
Manish Adhikari, a football player from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) who represented India in the 43rd Asian Football Championship held in China says, “From playing football with my neighbourhood friends to being selected for the school, and then getting selected in my dream college SRCC, football became a huge part of my life. Representing India at the international level was a once in a lifetime experience which I will cherish forever. DU has helped me emerge as a player by giving me a platform to train and compete with the best players in the country. Football has taught me to be a responsible and disciplined individual. It has also helped me understand the importance of teamwork and leadership. Some of the best memories of my college life are on the football ground with my team mates.”
Playing a sport in college is somewhat similar to having a job- if you do not show up to practice, your position in the team is in jeopardy. Sometimes it is hard to choose to stay in when your friends are going out because you have practice in the morning, or you wish you could go to the movies, but you have a game. However, as a college athlete you must be dedicated and committed to the team.
Admission to the University of Delhi through sports quota is a long process. The candidates who apply are given marks based on their certificates. The next step is a fitness test, and later trials, which include both individual skills and team matches. The cut off is then released by different colleges that have vacant seats for the respective games and positions. After the admission, the students are required to go for practice sessions every day. Proper diet coupons are provided by the colleges to maintain the health of the hardworking sportsmen and sportswomen. Despite its questionable sports infrastructure, DU has time and again given great gems to the nation in the field of sports.

 

Feature Image Credits: Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat.

Anoushka Sharma

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Spo(r)tlight

Novak Djokovic Wins His Fourth Wimbledon Title

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The Serbian defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in the Sunday final, en route his 13th Grand Slam title.

Novak Djokovic is finally back to the winning ways. This victory comes after his long spell of injuries, which kept him off the court for an entire year, and off the podium for two. His last title came at Roland Garros in 2016. While the tennis world was dedicating it’s attention to Roger Federer’s reincarnation, the Serbian master was slowly looking to find his way back to the court. He started playing tournaments, big and small, keeping off the limelight, just to mark a comeback of this magnitude.
And what a comeback this has been.

He had been playing every major tournament this year. Starting with the Australian Open, he was giving it all against every opponent, but to no avail. He was crushed in the Italian Open semi-finals at the hands of Rafael Nadal. Later Marin Cilic got the better of ‘Djoker’ in the Queen’s Club Championship final. But his fans, in the haze of all these disappointments, could see the gleaming signs of resurgence. Novak was hitting his forehands like always, holding his grounds to tackle the best of serves, and gliding across the court in his trademark style. They believed that a championship point was around the corner. They were right.

However confident his supporters had been, Novak himself was not expecting this prestigious title,more so against the Nadals and Federers of the game, nevertheless, the self-belief, which saw him win 12 slams in the times of absolute Rafa-Federer dominance was still there. “I did not expect to be back in the top shape already here in Wimbledon so quickly,” Djokovic said after the match. “If you asked me after Roland Garros, I would probably maybe doubt that. At the same time, there is a part of me that always believes in my own abilities, believes in my own quality of tennis, what I possess. Whenever I come to the tournament, and a Grand Slam especially, I believe I can have a good opportunity to fight for the trophy.”

The victory on Sunday was anything but a challenge for Djokovic. Anderson had certainly given it his best, and  it shows in the quarter final marathon against Roger Federer and the semis showdown against John Isner, but in the final he looked out of gas, while Novak had saved his best for the ends. The champion breezed past his opponent in his very own fashion, reminiscent of his heydays. By the time Anderson could chart his dominance in the third set, the game was all but over.

After the game, once again he ate the legendary Centre Court grass, this time he even found it sweet.

Throwback? Rightly so.

 

Feature Image Credits: Sky News

Nikhil Kumar
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DUB Speak

The Carnival of Indian Cricket: Indian Premier League

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The eleventh season of the Indian Premier League is set to start from the 7th April. One can admit that it has been no less than a festival, celebrated for almost two months every year since the past decade.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a sensation in the world of cricket. The much beloved tournament has completed ten successful years, and is about to enter in its eleventh year on the 7th of April.

Idealized by Mr. Lalit Modi, the introduction of the event was a massive hit among the viewers since the very beginning. After all, who thought that players from different countries rivalling each other at the international level could play together? It was a big example of sportsmanship, friendship, and fraternity.

Over the years, it has served one of the major purposes it was introduced for. The tournament has been significant in terms of helping talented young players earn fame and money while benefitting Indian cricket simultaneously. A lot of players having good seasons in the IPL have gone on to represent the national team. The success of this sporting contest to help identify future stars has led various other nations to introduce similar tournaments, some of them being the Pakistan Super League, and the Caribbean Premier League.

But it has not been a smooth ride for IPL all the way. There were cases of match-fixing by players and team owners, which put the tournament in jeopardy. Experts and pundits all over the world criticized the level of corruption in the league that was defaming the spirit of cricket. One shocking incident was the suspension of two teams, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) for two years due to match fixing allegations. Also, the engagement of players from various nationalities in such a hectic and tiring tournament raised concerns over their fitness and commitment towards their national team.

But against all odds, IPL has made its way through to the 11th season, much to the delight of cricket lovers. This season is highly anticipated, particularly because of the return of the two suspended teams. Also, there has been a complete revamp of the teams in an auction that was held in January. Fans are excited to see new players playing for the teams they are rooting for, while a shuffle in the team composition means that many players will fight it out against their older franchises in the upcoming season.

A lot has been said, done, and discussed up to this point. But all eyes will now lay on the tournament which is expected to deliver to the hype with thrilling matches and some good cricket. As it has always been the case with IPL, viewers can now just wait and witness all the different surprises the tournament will unfold in this season.

 

Feature Image Credits: India.com

Karan Singhania

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Campus Central

Sports Quota Entrants in DU: The Victims of Poor Facilities?

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Come January, and you’d mysteriously find the basketball ground refurbished and gentrified with new forward-looking basketball paraphernalia, something that you couldn’t get the sports department to do since months. Come January, and you’d find the most avant-garde gadgetry in the gym with goods and chattels that you had no idea even existed. Come January, and you’d find the worn-out and frayed tennis balls being replaced by newer, winsome looking ones.

Ask me what’s so special about January. The sports quota entrants of colleges across the University of Delhi (DU) would have a uniform answer: Tournament Season. January for a sports quota entrant is like the Regina George of the average American high school, it screams ‘high maintenance’ and ‘flashy’. In the first month of the year, these sports quota entrants are given optimum treatment, for they have to win tournaments and bring laurels to their college. Once the tournament season is over, these entrants go back to being the proletariat, being swindled and hoodwinked by the class of bourgeoisie, the college administration.

If I were to give you an unorthodox analogy, I would compare inter-college rivalry and contention with today’s National media channels vying for TRP ratings. Just like the prime-time news channels have abandoned all pretense of neutrality, becoming the drum beaters of a state narrative aimed at its laid out propaganda, even colleges try to win tournaments by hook or by crook. As a result, we have Motilal College taking in swimmers even when they don’t have a swimming pool, we have the Centre of Vocational Studies (CVS) taking in entrants for badminton even when they don’t have a proper badminton court, and we have Rajdhani College taking in recruits for gymnastics even when they don’t have a gym.

The question being flagged by thousands of sports quota candidates of DU is, why do these colleges accept these students when they can’t provide them with the requisite facilities? Arjun, a footballer from Kirori Mal College, asserted, “Our college is in a crisis when it comes to sports.” Speaking about the poor maintenance of the college football field, he commented, “When we go for practice, it feels like we’re in a beach, there’s so much sand and so little grass. The gym is functioning, but the equipments are in a pathetic condition.” Disclosing certain anomalies in the administration, he added, “The college is supposed to allocate a certain amount of fund for sports facilities, but it gets siphoned off before it can reach us.”Alleging a gross under a provision of facilitates, he observed, “While a team of footballers at least requires 10 to 14 footballs, we are provided with only two to three.”

 Lizza Talukdar, a swimmer from Motilal Nehru College, has had a strenuous experience which costed her a significant amount of money. Due to the absence of a gym and a swimming pool in her college, she had to spend INR 5,000 every month to practice in private gyms and swimming pools. Jahnavi, a tennis player from Miranda House, through a phone call conversation with the DU Beat correspondent, elucidated on the sanitation facilities in her college. A lack of proper hygienics in a girls college can be an authentic torment, for the use of a better term. While her college has no showers or washroom in the gym, she admitted to sneaking into the hostel to take a bath after practice. Her teammate, Isha, complained about the lack of maintainance of the tennis court and said, “As our court is surrounded by foliage, the leaves fall on the ground. Because the surface gets packed with leaves, we slip and end up hurting ourselves.”

Vibhan, a handball player from Rajdhani College, revealed that one of the grave problems that he and his team members face in summers is the absence of a water cooler near their practice grounds. As an outcome, the team has to go to the college time and again to get water. This might sound like a juvenile argument to make. However, for a sportsperson who has to spend hours toiling on the field and battling with the scorching heat, even this anomaly is a grave deceit on part of the college. Eshita from CVS shed light on the negligent attitude of the college administration as she discerned, “While shuttles are decreed to be given to badminton players, we are often provided equipment of unsatisfactory quality.”

Come admission season, the sports quota aspirants would compete with each other to grab the coveted seats in the University of Delhi. Providing them anything less than the best facilities would be deceiving them, beguiling them into a trap. When they have to devote three years of their academic lives to play for the college then don’t they deserve a certain amount of accountability from the colleges?

 

Feature Image Credits: Praveen Negi

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak
[email protected]

 

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