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Admissions 2015

Offline applications begin: Where and how to apply

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University of Delhi began sale and receipt of the common pre-admission OMR forms on Friday, 5th June. The forms are available at 8 designated admission centres of the University. Last date to fill the form is 15th June. A candidate is required to fill the pre-admission form only once, either online or offline. Last week, the University began accepting online forms on its website.

DU deploys an ‘optical mark recognition’ type of form for applications. The form will have circles that the candidates will have to darken entirely with a pen. Care must be taken to ensure that the necessary circles are darkened completely but no excess ink should be used on the form.

The forms are available at the following centres:

1. ARSD College
2. Gargi College
3. PGDAV College
4. Dyal Singh College
5. S.G.T.B Khalsa College*
6. Rajdhani College
7. Shyam Lal College
8. Maharaja Agrasen College

*Added to the list later by DU in place of SGGS College of Commerce.

The following subject code chart should be used while filling the form:

Subject codes

The University has specified the following guidelines for filling of the application form:

  • The form can be bought from any of the centres and can be submitted at any of the centres. A candidate is not required to visit the same centre for both the purposes.
  • There are 2 forms: one for General/OBC categories and the other for SC/ST/PwD categories. A candidate must fill the correct form.
  • Only blue or black pen is to be used to fill the form.
  • The form, after filling, should be photocopied (both sides of the form on one sheet of paper, back to back). The photocopy is to be kept by the candidate as acknowledgement.
  • It must be ensured that the formed is not folded, crumpled or mutilated. No markings should be made on the form other than those required. The marks on the margin of the form are also not to be tampered with.
  • For PwD candidates: PwD 1: Blindness/low vision; PwD 2: Hearing impairment; PwD 3: Locomotor disability and Cerebral Palsy

For more information, visit: http://du.ac.in/du/uploads/Admissions/2015/ug/27-5-2015-ug.pdf

Featured graphic designed by Naman Sehgal

Ishaan Gambhir

[email protected]

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Campus Central

Life at Delhi University: Economics Honours

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1. Everyone thinks you’re really smart and are going to get a job right out of college ( …while in reality, neither of the two might be true) Sure, Economics does enjoy a best-of-both worlds status with its combination of Humanities and technical subjects like Mathematics and Statistics, but the kind of things people from other courses believe about the subject would put your own misconceptions about it to shame. I have lost count of the number of times I have been told “Oh man, you Eco people are so smart.” Try getting into a discussion about the difficulty of finding jobs or internships and you usually get a vague “But Economics has a lot of scope for jobs.” It doesn’t matter if you’re barely scraping by in your classes or don’t even want to pursue a career in Economics (or a branch of Economics considered ’employable’), being an economics student will doom you to silent participation in discussions related to jobs and relative smartness with students from other courses, no matter how irrational their beliefs about the course may be.

2. Coming to terms with the not-always-so-great scores

Having scored ridiculously well in class 12 and the consequent adulation on having done that and getting into Economics at DU can condition anyone into believing that they belong to the smarter lot on this planet (not to say that they actually don’t because how do you define smartness anyway?) It can be pretty hard to come to terms with the fact that you will not always score as well as what you were used to. This can, of course, be due to a number of factors which include developing more interests and hobbies and having more of a life in college than you did in class 12. Just as you start telling yourself the whole “Oh, but no one scores that well in college,” some of your classmates might start popping up scores over 95%, which will leave you feeling a little anxious and listless. The thing that no one tells you is that it’s okay. It’s okay to have your scores drop a little (or more). The kind of teaching and evaluation you were used to in school is different from that of a university and it affects not only the way your papers are marked but also your motivation to study (remember when not studying had consequences in terms of your favourite teacher giving you concerned looks and maybe even a lecture-cum-pep talk?) College is about finding time for things other than academics as well. If you develop a passion for photography or debating or social issues like feminism and dedicate time to them, you’re really not worse off for it, no matter what your scores or elders may tell you.

3 Dealing with a tougher and more technical subject:

Economics includes subjects with just theory and others which are purely technical. Unlike other subjects, just a general idea of a concept or derivations to get a formula aren’t enough. For a level of understanding adequate enough to be able to score really well and to build future concepts on requires quite a bit of effort and the ability to go through the same concept with little tweaks (case in point, who can forget the the effects of various policy measure in the IS-LM which affected the money and goods market equilibria?) This makes Economics an even tougher subject to study after missing classes due to a festival or other society obligations.There have been cases of students who were forced to drop out of their chosen societies and clubs because they were unable to cope academically. However, there have also been people who have done well both academically and for their societies. It’s a matter of finding a routine which may not be perfect but works for you. Communicating with teachers about some extra help during tutorials or free periods works well. Having friends who are more regular and also free with sharing notes and knowledge never hurts either.  

4. Attending Seminars and Career Counselling Sessions urging you towards MBA

You look forward to seminars and career counselling cessions as a way of broadening your horizons about the available options after graduation. Some of these are excellent and do achieve what they were meant to do, but others come across as having a (not so) hidden agenda to herd as many students as possible to business schools. Hearing about the many merits of MBA over other non-specified options gets tiresome after a point of time and you start to wonder why you even bother to attend any sessions at all. The one-sided view of doing MBA also leaves you with a lack of knowledge about other things you can pursue. Forget about inter-disciplinary courses or things like Journalism, after a point you’d probably be refreshed to hear about pursuing Masters and getting into academia.  

5. Testing your love for Economics

Let’s be honest, not everyone took up economics because they were genuinely interested in the subject. Being able to clear the cut-off for the course and it being one of the most prestigious ones available were probably reasons enough for many to opt for it. If you were one of those who took it up based on interest, you’ll probably find your love for it being tested from time to time. The reason could be anything from not enough time dedicated to understanding concepts or inadequate teaching or the rigorous but at-times boring textbooks which also leave you with little time to explore other interesting sources to study from. If you took up Economics for the heck of it, there might be moments of you cursing yourself for not opting for an easier subject. The only way out is to keep going and give the subject, and yourself, a chance every time you feel like it’s gone over your head. At the end of three years, a lot of people who came with a torch for Economics might end up leaving with other passions they’ll want to pursue and people who didn’t care very much about the subject might end up developing a strong taste for it. The subject will test you in ways examinations won’t- it’s always easier to score than it is to get a crystal-clear understanding of concepts- but your new-found understanding of the functioning of this world will be worth it.   Shubham Kaushik [email protected]]]>

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Admissions 2015

Dates and guidelines for admission to NCWEB in 2015

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The NCWEB is well established institution under Delhi University which seeks to provide education to women with special coaching but without attending regular classes. It was started in 1944 and due to its increasing popularity and logistical issues, it has established centers in colleges like Bharati College, Janki Devi Memorial College, Jesus & Mary College, Kalindi College, Lakshmi Bai College,Mata Sundri College, Maitreyi College, PGDAV College, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Hans Raj College, Maharaja Agrasen College and Vivekananda College. It only conducts weekend classes – on the remaining days of the week, students are free to pursue an occupation or another educational course.

Like SOL, NCWEB follows the annual examination system. It teaches the following two courses:

  • BA Programme (English, Hindi, Punjabi, History, Political Science, Sanskrit, Economics, Mathematics, OMSP-Office Management & Secretarial Practice)
  • B.Com.

The Non Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCWEB) has declared its guidelines,  important information along with dates for admissions to undergraduate courses.

  • The forms will be sold from 8th June to 24th June at 4 centres, namely Kalindi College, Maharaja Agarsen College, PGDAV College and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College.
  • Admission to the NCWEB centers will be decided on the basis of cutoffs.
  • The percentage for B.A. Program will be decided on the basis of 10+2 board results by taking the best of four subjects which should have one language and three best subjects which can include maximum one vocational subject.
  • While for B.Com. the criteria is one language, Business Studies, Accountancy and one more best subject which could be a vocational subject as well. Students from streams other than Commerce will be considered with a deduction of 5% marks in best of four percentage.
  • The first cutoff list will be out on 8Th July and the last on 21st July.

The OMR form needs to be filled with attention. Only black/blue point ink is to be used. No photocopies are to be attached with the form. After filling the form, its photocopy must be stamped and kept as an acknowledgement. Make sure that the boxes in the form are properly filled, otherwise you stand a chance of getting your form rejected.
For more information, check: http://ncweb.du.ac.in/ncweb/sites/default/files/UG%20Information%20Pamphlet%202015-16.pdf
http://ncweb.du.ac.in/ncweb/sites/default/files/UG%20Notice.pdf

Image credits: NCWEB website

Ishita Sharma

[email protected]

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Admissions 2015

Survival Recipe for an Outstation Student

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Now that the Board exams are done, have you already started day-dreaming about your dream college in India’s top university? At the same time, are you apprehensive about moving to a new city altogether? Here’s a little something for all would-be outstation students wishing to be a part of the University of Delhi in the upcoming academic year- a survival recipe exclusively for outstation students, by an outstation student.

 (Author’s note: ‘survival’ is just used for a dramatic effect; you’ll sail through college here!)

All about Delhi

First things first- Delhi is NOT the rape capital of India. It’s as safe and as unsafe as any other city in the country. There are people on the road that will help you; there are shopkeepers and auto-waalas who won’t rob you of your money, so clear your head of all these clichés about Delhi.

 The plus points? Easy access to all landmarks across the vast city via the city’s lifeline- the Delhi Metro. Delhi-ites swear by the efficiency of Delhi’s metro system. Other than this, exceptional food joints with as much variety as you wish to have on your plate along with being a shopper’s paradise, an art-lover’s heaven and an observer’s utopia., just when you start thinking you’ve got to know it all, the city throws something majestic at you to ponder upon!

Essentials for an outstation kid

Find good accommodation

Finding good accommodation is one of the most essential aspects you need to focus on once you get into the college of your choice. Many colleges across DU don’t have adequate hostel seats and hence alternative accommodations such as flats and PG (Paying Guest) accommodations are popular. Confused about what to choose? Here’s something to make your life a little easier-

Hostel– While many colleges have inadequate hostel seats, it’s still considered the first choice for most outstation students. The safety of the accommodation and lesser rent in comparison to flats and PGs are the main benefits hostels have to offer.

With this, hostels do come with certain guidelines and regulations to comply with. These maybe in the form of curfew deadlines and leave regulations. Food is also an issue in certain cases since all of us spoiled, in-love-with-home-made-food kids might find it a little difficult to adjust to the hostel mess’ food. It is a myth though that hostels are all about regulations. The mid-night parties, studying and staying together, sharing food (the list goes on till where your wishes can take you) will bring you a lifetime of friendships and irreplaceable memories.

PG Accommodation– One of the fastest growing businesses in Delhi (it’s not IT!) is of the Paying Guest Accommodations. You will have hundreds of PGs to choose from as per your own preferences. PGs in Delhi come with both rigid and flexible curfew deadlines. The food issue one might face in hostels is a rarity in cases of PGs given that you have the option of demanding the food of your own choice.

However, higher rent, difficulty in adjustment with fellow PG-mates (yes, that’s a term!), curfew deadline issues and safety concerns at times are a few negatives tagging along.

Flats –  As rosy as the thought of owning your own flat may sound, it’s a mammoth task. Unless you’re willing to bargain with the subzi-waalas and relying on the wishes of a maid to turn up and get you some food, flats is not a good idea.

But, you surely cannot ignore the benefits of having a house party or calling your friends over whenever you wish to. Your parents will certainly have a lesser control over your activities since there’s no deadline issue and they’re often cheaper than PG accommodations.

The only advice is to think thoroughly before choosing your accommodation and consider all pros, cons and worst case scenarios for all options. Ultimately, your comfort (and survival!) overrules all other factors.

Wish you could be home…

Homesickness is something every outstation kid feels at some point of time. We understand how close you are to home but always think of the time you were earnestly waiting to get out of your home and explore. Well, the independence a new city gives you is your perfect chance to live your dreams. While doing all your work yourself might seem to be a burden initially, it’ll eventually become something you’ll be thankful for and proud of.

There are ways to get over the feeling of homesickness, of course! Take an early morning walk, go on a shopping spree, explore historical places in and around the city with your new found friends- the more you try to get your mind off the thought of home, the more at-home you’ll feel!

Adjustment issues often crop up when you come across unfamiliar people. The key is to see this unfamiliarity as a part and parcel of growing up and becoming your own person. It’s also important to understand that every kid in your hostel/PG is in the same boat as you are, and is facing similar issues.

The best part about Delhi is the fact that you will never run out of ‘things to do’. With its historical and cultural importance, the city in itself has a lot to offer. You might feel a little lost initially but embrace the change with open arms. Within no time, you’d be a part of this cross-cultural hub making a mark of your own. (Too much philosophy? Well, you’re getting the first hand experience of an outstation kid!)

Feature Image Credits: thedisneyden.com

Arushi Pathak
[email protected]

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Campus Central

Smriti Irani visits Hindu College, hostel fee for PWD students waived

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IMG_20150602_112246961 The issue has its origin in the fact that the Governing Body of Hindu College has not reimbursed the amount of the fee waived in the last three years. As per an advisory of the University, the Governing Body must meet this expenditure through funds available to the college. Currently, the amount outstanding under this head is Rs. 7,19,313. The HRD minister spent only 20 minutes in the college, during which the administration announced a complete hostel fee waiver and 50 percent reduction in the mess fee for disabled students. The minister arrived at 11 AM and left the college premises by 11:20 AM. She also met the college officiating principal Anju Srivastava, hostel warden Poonam Sethi and Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) president Nandita Narain. The warden claimed that the governing body didn’t allow the implementation of the scheme in the first place. DUTA president Nandita Narain made a representation to Irani on the issue of  victimisation of teachers, teachers’ pension scheme and  the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). Irani also personally met the teachers who have been on protest for 42 days against their penalisation by the college for writing a letter to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to complain about alleged irregularities in the functioning of the college and certain construction work in the college campus. Irani assured that she will mark the representation regarding Hindu College to the governing body and seek its response. She also said that the DUTA and other teacher associations will be invited before the review committee and that a meeting will be called to discuss controversial Choice Based Credit System. Last week, DU’s Executive Council passed CBCS without discussion.   Image credits: DUTA Sidharth Yadav [email protected]]]>

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Admissions 2015

Courses less known: Language and vocational courses

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One of the great reasons why Delhi University is way ahead than other universities in India is the advancement in its courses. There are courses beyond the realm of conventional and mainstream subjects like Economics and Commerce, etc. These include language and vocational courses. The language courses have been embraced as a part of academics in many colleges. For vocational courses, Delhi University took a bigger step and established an institution called College of Vocational Studies. These courses are of three years and one graduates with the complete knowledge of the subject, both theoretically and practically.

Following is a list of all the language and vocational courses in Delhi University.

Language Courses

1. B.A. (Honours), M.A., M. Phil, PhD

There are a number of languages that you can get a degree in from the above options. These include French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Japanese and the Chinese language.
For taking up any of these as your major, you need to clear an entrance test. For some of the languages, you also be interviewed.

The languages are divided into different departments and the contact numbers and office addresses can be found in the following links.

For Russian and Bulgarian, you need to contact the Department of Slavonic and Finno-Ugrian Studies.
http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?page=slavonic-finno-ugrian-studies

For French, Spanish, German and Italian, you should contact Department of Germanic and Romance Studies.
http://grs.du.ac.in/index.html

For Japanese and Chinese, Delhi University has the Department of East Asian Studies.
http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?page=east-asian-studies

2. Diploma/Advanced Diploma

Delhi University offers a Diploma degree in German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Romanian, Swahili, Pali, Tibetan, Modern Arabic and some European languages. In the case of some languages, you need to have passed a Certificate course for Diploma. For advanced diploma, a Diploma in the same language is mandatory. The admission process of these courses starts after the regular admissions and classes start from August.

The links for the departments of these languages are as follows:-

Department of Germanic and Romanian Studies- French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
http://grs.du.ac.in/index.html

Department of Slavonic & Finno-Ugrian Studies- European Languages

http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?page=slavonic-finno-ugrian-studies
Department of African studies- Swahili
http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?page=african-studies

Department of Buddhist studies- Pali and Tibetan
For more details: http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?page=buddhist-studies

Department of Arabic- Modern Arabic
For more details: http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?page=arabic

3. Certificate Courses

DU also offers certificate courses for those who wish to learn a language beyond their main subjects. People can apply to any of these courses right after class 12th. Graduates and post-graduates can also apply and the course lasts for an entire year. Several colleges in Delhi University offer these courses, some of which include Kamla Nehru College, Daulat Ram College, CVS, etc. The admission process of these courses starts after the regular admissions and classes start from August. You can study these languages even while studying another regular course at DU!

 

Vocational Courses

College of Vocational Studies offers around seven different vocational courses. Under each of these, you are provided with all the theoretical knowledge accompanied by industrial visits. You get rigorous training in the course you pursue and get a job easily right after graduating. The cutoffs for these courses range between 70-85%.

These are some of the courses that this college provides.

  • Tourism
  • Office Management and Secretarial Practice
  • Management and Marketing of Insurance
  • Small and Medium Enterprise
  • Materials Management
  • Human Resourse Management
  • Marketing Management and Retail Business

The vocational courses do not have any entrance tests and students are admitted solely on the basis of 12th Boards percentage.
If you have time on your hands and wish to do something different, then these courses offer immense opportunities. People who wish to become an entrepreneur and start a business of their own or wish to become a proficient in a certain language should definitely enroll for any of these courses.

 

Image source http://traitdunion-online.eu

Sudisha Misra
[email protected]

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Admissions 2014

A complete guide to ECA admissions in Delhi University

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In an attempt to have holistic admission process, Delhi University allows 5% quota in admissions through ECA or Extra-curricular activities. Students can take admission based on their skills in dance, music, art, photography, debating and various other activities. Yet, a students academic percentage is still of extreme importance for admission through this category. Not uniform for the entire University ECA admissions can be confusing, if not tiring. We bring you the breakdown of the process.

The forms:

Forms for ECA trials are released independent of the University by every college. As of now a number of colleges have already released their ECA forms which will be available to candidates on request.  Akriti Gupta, President of the western dance society at Miranda college advices students to keep a track of the colleges website and the notice board in college as they are the only way to learn about the forms release date. A student can apply for one or multiple ECA’s in the form.

The certificates:

Students applying through ECA are required to submit the photocopies of their certificates and portfolios’ at the time of application. This may differ from college to college. In Lady Shri Ram College, a student’s application, certificates/portfolios are the first criteria to be shortlisted, while for some colleges portfolio is a formality and performance during trials matters the most.

A student’s percentage also matters for admission through ECA. Relaxation ranging between 5%- 15% is given to candidates after the release of the first cut off. Apart from filling up the forms, colleges also expect digital versions of students performing their art. Says Abhilash Sinha, President of Western Music Society at LSR, “LSR usually requires a CD of your performance like a video of your music/dance performance or a portfolio for art/ photography; it is all specified in the ECA form.”

The certificates of the past three years matter the most for ECA admission. Guneet Singh, President of Ankur, theatre society of SGTB Khalsa considers certificates an important aspect of decision making. He says “If a student wants to be called back for trials, then certificates are very important.” Akriti also suggests that aspirants include a Letter of Recommendation, if possible.

The Audition:

Auditions also vary between colleges. While in some Presidents of various societies conduct the trials, in others it is only the teachers and sometimes the Principal present.  Do expect presence of experts from various fields during the auditions. Trials can range from one round to three or more rounds depending upon the college and the number of applicants.

In the first round of trial, a student is usually given ten minutes to present their art. For music Abhilasha says it can go beyond “just singing”. A student can display their range, tenor or type of voice. Auditions for theatre are usually more than two rounds. Says Guneet, “Auditions for theatre can include anything from using a prop to create a scene or enacting a given situation, we are basically looking for how candidates react to spontaneity and improvisation.”

For debating auditions, candidates are usually given a topic and 5-7 minutes to prepare for it. Debating in Delhi University is a slight shift from the debating in high school.  Colleges usually account for good argumentation, reasoning skills and clarity in speech.  Auditions may include turn coat debates or extempo speeches, all upon the discretion of the college. Rounds can range from one to three or more. Ramjas College is known to have three rounds of trials.

The Competition:

Competition for admission through ECA is as cut throat as SRCC’s cut offs. In 2013, LSR College received around 600 applications last year of which 35 were shortlisted and 7 were actually given admission. The western dance society of Miranda College received some 35-40 applications for western dance of which 2 were selected.  2-3 students per course are taken in through ECA.

The Binding contract:

According to Delhi University rules, the ECA contract is binding which means a student has to be a part and perform with the society they are chosen, for the entirety of four years. Failure to do so will probably lead to expulsion from the college.

NOTE: ECA trials for many colleges can sometimes be on the same day. If faced with such a situation, students will either have to request the college for a different slot or if worse comes to worse choose between the colleges. ECA trials are usually a lengthy process so go stacked with food, water, sleeping bag maybe.

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