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Environmental Studies' course now mandatory in Delhi University

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University Grants Commission has now made it mandatory for students enrolled in the undergraduate courses at Delhi University, to take up the course in Environmental Studies in their first or second semester.

The qualifying course introduced in the current academic session will consist of 100 marks as per the scheme notified for the three-year undergraduate programme, of which 25 per cent weightage will be given to field work. Various mediums of teaching would be lectures, seminars, video presentations, field visits, excursions, project work, report writing and presentations.

“The evaluation for the course shall be undertaken by the respective colleges. The responsibility of evaluation will be of the teacher in charge for the conduct of learning of the course. After evaluation, the marks shall be sent to the examination branch through a pre-developed process,” Dean of Examinations Prof. Rup Lal wrote in a circular to the principals.

“Delhi University took a lot of time to implement this decision. Now the faculty will ensure that students are taught the subject and various topics like waste management and global climate change in detail. The college students can only educate the masses further.” – Prof. Pardha Saradhi, Department of Environmental Sciences

Ecosystems, renewable and non-renewable natural resources, biodiversity and conservation, pollution, environmental policies and practices, exploitation of mineral, land, water resources and deforestation will be among the subjects covered as part of the course.

“Although the new course will be available only in English for the current batch, future batches will be able to avail it in Hindi as well. Also, the interdisciplinary course will help impart knowledge about the earth and its resources to students from all educational backgrounds which will in turn help them develop lateral thinking in this area through better understanding of environmental issues at the local, regional and global level”, as told to ET by Prof. M.K. Pandit from the Department of  Environmental Science.

According to University officials, directives for a six-month mandatory environmental science course were issued by the UGC in 2004, however, its implementation was delayed due to issues of curriculum development and upgradation of infrastructure.

Feature Image Credits: www.genee-india.com

Ishani Rajkhowa [email protected]

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Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College

Orizzonte’14: Giving school students a glimpse of college life

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Orizzonte 2014 was the third edition of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College’s annual management fest held for school students. The main idea behind it is to give school students a glimpse of college life, and what it’s like to study in the Department of Management Studies in DDUC. A break from the usual competitions class XI and XII students are used to, the challenges under Orizzonte were designed to give them a taste of what lies in store for them in college.

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The day kicked off with an inauguration ceremony on 10th October at the college grounds. After short speeches from the guests, teachers and Dr. SK Garg, the college’s principal, the students made their way to the various events lined up for the day. The five events were Out of the Box, Stalking the Stock, Vivencia, The Couch Potato Quiz and Eureka.
Out of these, while Out of the Box (Ad-Mad) and Stalking the Stock (Mock Stock) were conventional competitions, the rounds had enough spins and twists to keep the students intrigued. In the end, Bal Bharati Public School and St. Columba’s School emerged victorious in the respective competitions. The Couch Potato Quiz was an entertainment quiz which proved to be a refreshing change from the serious quizzes school students are used to, since the event tested their knowledge of sitcoms and drama TV series like Sherlock, Suits and How I Met Your Mother, along with that of the popular book series Harry Potter.  The team from Seth Anandram Jaipuria School took away the first prize for the event.

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Vivencia, designed to test the students’ decision making abilities and spontaneity had rounds covering Marketing, PR and media statements, trading and even an auction. The teams from SS Mota Singh School stood out during Vivencia, after bagging two of the top three positions at the end of all three rounds. Eureka, the entrepreneurial challenge had students answering guesstimation questions, crafting elevator pitches for business ideas and finally proposing a three point marketing strategy for the same. The boys from St. Columba’s School walked away with the first prize for this event too. Apart from these, an online competition called Orizzonte Online was also conducted prior to the event.

The entire contingent from St. Columba’s School proved their mettle in all five events, bagging the top prizes in mostly all competitions. It was no surprise then, that they were adjudged the Overall Winners of Orizzonte’14. “Orizzonte is an attempt to give school students a platform to showcase their creativity, decision making skills and analytical thinking. Through the work of the Organising Committee and the enthusiasm shown by the students, we were successful in our efforts”, said Soumya Gupta a third year student from the department and President of Orizzonte’14.

Image credits: Jatin Walia

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DUB Speak

Beyond the cliché: English Honours

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According to popular belief, majoring in English leads you towards an M. A. and Ph.D. in English, after which the staple job is of a career in academics, publishing or performing Arts. English Honours is a rigorous course where you are made to cover texts belonging to various periods of literature and their social and historical backgrounds. For most English students who have completed their graduation, it’s hard to relate to avenues that do not involve literature directly. Students of English should be open to a wave of other career options as the course comprises not only of literature related texts but also texts related to political, social and economic opinions.

 

Search Engine Marketing

This is a growing industry which is suitable for many English majors. This job requires you to use digital media to market products through online advertising and search engine optimization for companies. You don’t need to be a programmer, all you need is a strong analytical ability and creativity in you.

 

Digital Copywriter

If you’re intelligent, funny and have a way with words then you could opt for digital copy writing. One can do a masters or diploma in creative writing before applying. Creative social media, blog posts, e-books, web promotional ideas and banner advertisement are some of the things you would be working on.

 

Journalism

It’s a myth that you need to take a journalism and broadcasting course to get a job as a news reporter or journalist. This industry values people with good writing skills and who are able to analyze and produce quality work. They also expect you to have a strong researching ability. One can do a post-graduation or diploma course in journalism.

 

Public Relation

Another option after graduating in English is to work in a public relation firm. One needs to write news releases, newsletters and find content to send out to social media companies and writing web copies and brochures. Later on you can get into the strategic side of things where the aim is to help companies shape the public’s perception through media. The government also hires PR writers to work in house in order to keep the public informed about the various governmental activities. A course in Mass Communication or Media and Communication will be a boost to one’s career.

 

Social Media Manager

As an English major if you have strong communication skills then this job may excite you. Sports teams, brands, government and companies need people to take care of their social media programs and find ways to engage the public and fans.

 

Brand Manager 

This job involves taking care of the development and promotion of their brands and products. People with a good grasp of the English language and good communication skills are suited well for this job. One has to have an understanding of marketing; an MBA in marketing will definitely help.

 

Job Sector

Even though a large number of people get into the creative and publishing business after doing English, it can’t be stated as a norm. An English graduate can very well manage a marketing job or get into the corporate sector. Your degree should not hold you back from the vast career choices that are out there for you.

 

 

Meghna Mitra

[email protected]

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Bazinga

Bazinga: Fee refund for outstation students attending first day post mid sem break

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Losing the fight against lack of attendance right after summer and mid-sem breaks, the DU administration is preparing to leave no stone unturned this year. In the same spirit, it has announced that outstation students of DU who attend their classes on the first day of college right after mid-semester break will be given fee refund equal to 20% of their annual fees in the form of cash.

The move has met with a lot of cheer. Bus and train tickets are selling out quicker than Thursday movie tickets, resulting in a slight boom in the transport industry – a BJP MP took no time to term the boom as ‘Achhe Din’.

Some students, however, are not content with the fees waiver and are waiting for more incentives like attendance and internal assessment marks. Delhi students are also preparing to launch a protest soon. “It’s suddenly a good thing to be in a college that charges high fees!” yelled a student sitting atop a DTC bus already ordering things off e-commerce sites.

Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost believable fake news!

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Shri Ram College of Commerce

St. Stephen’s emerge victorious at SRCC Gambit 2014

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The SRCC Debating Society recently hosted its annual Fresher’s Parliamentary Debate – Gambit right before the University’s Mid Semester Break. The tournament played host to 32 of the best fresher teams from across the country.

The debate comprised 5 preliminary rounds followed by post break rounds. The top 8 teams made it to the next round of the competition. Apart from the teams that came to debate, the tournament also featured some of the most illustrious adjudicators from the circuit. The debate followed the 3 on 3 Asian Parliamentary Debating format. The preliminary rounds exposed teams to a variety of themes such as sports, law and even a hypothetical round.

The final was a closely contested debate between St. Stephen’s College and Ramjas College on the motion – “This house believes that fertility treatments have done more good than harm to the feminist movement.”Stephen’s emerged victorious on a 4-1 split in the finals. The competition for the adjudication prizes reached a new high with Shaurya Upadhyay winning the 1st prize with a perfect score of 5. The second best adjudication prize saw a 4-way tie between Arshia Ticku (Hansraj) , Piyush Bhutani (Venky) , Jagat Sohail (DSE) and John Biju (St. Stephen’s College. The finals debate at Gambit is hopefully a sign of things to come in the circuit.

 

 

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DUB Speak

End the cycle of violence on this International Day of the Girl Child

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It was a conflicting emotion that we all went through when UN announced its theme of International Day of the Girl Child for 2014, Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence. The International Day of the Girl Child was recognized in 2011 and now in 2014 we still are at war to end this cycle of violence against women and girls. The good part is that we have recognized it and adapted it to some extent and are working towards a significant change.

It is not an easy life for a girl in Delhi, India or anywhere in the world. Being paranoid and at alert at all times has become an almost natural state of our being which definitely indicates to the stressed state of mind we live in. To change this lifestyle, to not be so afraid at all times, to be able to express oneself without being overwhelmed by the pointed fingers requires a tremendous amount of hard work but just a simple change in the mindset and acceptance.

The issue can never be solved in the offensive. Increase in severity of punishments, being covered at all times are short battle won but the war can only won victoriously when we focus on the adolescent. The minds which have yet to be hardened by society’s ideology, these minds can be protected and made aware of their rights, become activist, be the beginning of a generation which does not need a day to protect its girls.

At a student’s level our contribution can go beyond the customary likes and posts on the social media. It needs effort, may take time out of our social life but in the end it is worth it. I have mentioned below a few organizations that you can approach if you are really interested in contributing towards the empowerment of adolescent. If you do take it up, I promise you will not only help in their empowerment, you will definitely come out as a stronger person.

Know Your Body, Know Your Rights: The YP Foundation

‘Know Your Body, Know Your Rights’ (KYBKYR) is a youth-led and -run national policy and peer education programme, founded in 2002 by The YP Foundation, that empowers young people to address their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The key focus of the KYBKYR programme is to build young people’s technical capacities to access unbiased, evidence-based information on gender, sexuality, health and rights, enabling them to negotiate cultural and political barriers faced at both community and policy levels.

For more information, click here for their website
For the Facebook page: KYBKYR

Jagori

Jagori means “Awaken, women”. Their objective is to have awareness building on violence, health, education, development, and other issues critical for women´s individual and collective empowerment.  They also disseminate information and knowledge on feminist concerns to meet the needs of women´s groups, NGOs, and development organizations and advocate on women´s rights and gender equality.

For more information, click here for their website

Because I am a Girl: Plan International

Through the Because I am a Girl campaign, Plan‘s projects attempt to address the barriers to girls completing a quality education of at least 9 years, as well as equip them with the assets they need to safe guard their future, promote gender equality and improve their lives. The campaign aims to reach 4 million girls directly – improving their lives with access to school, skills, livelihoods and protection. You can sponsor a girl child and also make a donation.

For more information, click here for their website

Bachpan Bachao Andolan:
Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) symbolizes India’s largest grassroots movement for the protection of children, ensuring their quality education. By 2013, BBA had rescued more than 82 800 victims of trafficking, slavery and child labour and has helped them re-establish trust in society and find promising futures for themselves.

For more information, click here for their website

 

Feature image: http://becauseiamagirl.ca

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Interviews

Strength and ability to be vocal marks a good student union: KNC College President

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Ms. Kamya Kiran, the College President 2014-15 of Kamala Nehru College, believes hard work will solely do justice to her responsibilities. She wishes to be a force to reckon with and plans to begin from working on little problems. DU Beat brings to you an interview with Ms. Kamya Kiran.

Could you give us a rough idea of your agenda in election campaign?

My only agenda during this year’s election campaign is to help the student body of KNC in as many ways as possible. I spent time with the students and plan to work on issues they mentioned.

How do you plan to go about executing your agenda and launching Kamala Nehru College as a brand in itself?

KNC is an established and renowned college. The only thing which prevents the college from being a brand in itself is the tiny wrinkles it has which need to be smoothed out.

College President often means skipping classes, doing all the work and being specifically responsible. Do you think it’s a big sacrifice in terms of academics?

I do not feel the position asks for a big sacrifice academically. I’m an ECA student and missing classes is nothing extraordinary for me. The trick is to work hard on one’s own and keep up with the rest of the classes.

In this academic year, what is the one thing that you’re determined to focus your attention on?

As the president, I’m currently focusing on figuring out ways to fulfill my promise to the student body about solving their problems as well as pushing new, innovative projects which will benefit the student body greatly.

Lastly, how important do you think it is for KNC to have a student union that walks the talk?

I think it is very important for every college to have a student union which walks the talk. For me, the strength and ability to be vocal and to push actively for the requirements of the student body is what marks a good student union. I believe these traits define any student body and not just KNC’s.

Arushi Pathak

[email protected]

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News

Political Science students at SOL express inefficiency of teaching in a letter to the Executive Director

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In a letter and memorandum submitted to the Executive Director of the School of Open Learning on October 7, 2014, the postgraduate students of Political Science expressed their grievances regarding the teaching structure of the faculty and management. While bringing to light their problems with the faculty, they also mentioned how the lack of course material and library access were posing difficulties for them.

Through the letter, the political science students, DU SOL Students’ Union and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan demanded that they be provided with the course material immediately as they will be sitting for their exams this November. The letter states that without the course material, they cannot be expected to take exams in a month’s time. Also, they described how inefficient the teachers were, most of them inexperienced with the postgraduate teaching levels, and asked for the Faculty of Political Science or that of SOL to teach them, since the course if designed by them. Moreover, in comparison to regular university students who attend 90 lectures in a semester, SOL students only get 15, on the weekends, and yet they are expected to compete at the same levels.

They also brought to notice the issue of the SOL library, which is closed on Saturday and Sunday, the only days when SOL holds classes for them. They question as to how they are supposed to borrow course books, which are usually unavailable or in a grim condition, when the library is not open. Also, since SOL follows the annual pattern rather than the semester system, the students thus have no internal assessment and have to sit for a whole 100 marks paper, a contradiction to the 75+25 pattern of regular university students.

The letter demanded that the course material be provided immediately, and the teaching staff be improved. Also, there should be two days of classes every week and their answer scripts be checked by SOL or the department of Political Science, and requested that their results be declared in time, so that they are eligible to apply somewhere else. They requested that till the time SOL library is being renovated, they be issued library cards for the Central Library, and the new and renovated library must have multiple copies of syllabi-suggested books, in proper condition. Lastly, they requested that their grievances be addressed as soon as possible, and some amount of parity be brought between them and the regular university students, as it is they who require the support of SOL the most.

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Features

LSR introduces Queerosity, a society to understand and explore sexuality

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Lady Shri Ram College has come out with a new society called Queerosity, which will look into the various facets of understanding and exploring sexuality. It aims to address the rigidity in the mind of the people against lesbians, transgenders and gays. The society aims to bring in different questions in its discussion forum and sensitize through  movies and discussions. The main reason for the birth of this society is to question the norm and to simply point out the fact that it’s not ‘cool’ to accept queer. ‘I am cool with accepting that you are a queer but I am straight, so don’t hit on me’- This is one of the ideas which Queerosity wants to impede. The society wants to stop the segregation of these people as one community and enlighten the regressive mindsets.

 

Even though the society hasn’t yet become an official, it has still started work at its end. A movie screening on ‘Are We so Different?’ a 30 minute film, directed by Lok Prakash and Anurupa Prakash, an eye opener about the gays in Bangladesh, was screened in the college auditorium.  The society also had a presentation at Delhi College of Arts & Commerce for the same.

 

A rather unique way of awakening curiosity among people in the college campus is through small cue cards put around the college campus which have different questions like, ‘Why was Harry Potter banned in various school libraries?’ Evoking a sense of curiosity, the cards answer the question, the reason being because Dumbeldore was portrayed as a gay character.

 

The future plans of the society is to collaborate with various other societies in the college like Interface and DramSoc. It wants to reach out to the people who don’t have the environment to talk about such issues. Snigdha, a core team committee member of Queerosity, said,” What we want to basically do is inculcate the feeling of openness and educate them. The basic aim of the society remains to give everyone the space to question issues.”

 

 

Ishita Sharma

[email protected]

 

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