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Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Study Circle announces its monthly magazine

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Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Study Circle (BSASC)- Delhi Chapter recently announced the launch of a monthly magazine. The magazine is mooted as an endeavour by the organisation to create a wider platform for debates and discussions relating to various social and political issues concerning the student community. In this regard, Kawalpreet Kaur, head of AISA’s Delhi University unit and a member of the study circle, made the announcements about the magazine through her social media posts on Friday. She focused in detail on the scope of the magazine and the nature of the literary pieces it aims to publish. “The aim of the magazine will be to understand issues related to students in Delhi; topics can range from accommodation, politics, language, gender, caste, race, capitalism, marginalisation, oppression, patriarchy, love, sexuality, university and other such concerns to poetry and prose”, read her facebook feed.

Fayaz Alee, a member of the BSASC’s magazine committee, in a conversation with our correspondent, mentioned the practicality of a monthly publication and how they plan to progress with the concept. “The idea of the magazine is to engage students to write on social and political issues and the magazine will provide such a platform. Despite social media’s presence, a major chunk of students are devoid of such format, and there is a consciousness that they are thinking and understanding the inequalities and all such political affairs that surround them, so a magazine will be a much better medium to approach to such section. That is why we are planning to circulate it amongst DU and other university students and encourage them to share their writings. We will also be posting the articles on a blog which will share the magazine’s news and its content(sic)”, he said.

All the students of the university can contribute to the magazine. Articles both in Hindi and English can be submitted at [email protected] by 5th of October, to be featured in the first published edition. The process of subscription and other details will be released in due time.

Image Credits- BSASC facebook page
Nikhil Kumar
[email protected]

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Admissions 2017

Associate Professor Alleges Fraudulent Admission Procedure by Urdu Department

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As reported by a leading daily, an associate professor at the University of Delhi has filed a written complaint to the Vice-chancellor alleging discrepancies in the admission procedure for PhD candidates in the Urdu Department.

Khalid Alvi who is an associate professor at Zakir Hussain College(Morning), and a renowned Urdu poet and critic, has cited irregularities in the admission procedure with respect to disregard of a meritorious female student whose name was not included in the final list of candidates selected for Ph.D course in Urdu, under the Department of Urdu, Delhi University. Adding on, he also pointed out that his signature was removed from this final list. Regarding the same, he has sent an email and a follow-up letter to the Vice-Chancellor requesting urgent address and seeking permission to file a FIR on the matter.

Speaking to Indian express, he claimed that one of the faculty members taking interviews of shortlisted candidates pressurised the girl to apply for the M.Phil. course over a PhD Agreeing to the professor’s claim, the girl told Indian Express, “When I refused the professor’s offer of taking admission in M.Phil., he told me he would hit me with hard questions during the interview. I was asked questions as if I had applied for a faculty member’s position.”

When DU Beat approached Dr Ibne Kanwal, Alvi’s colleague and Head of Department Research Committee(DRC), he dismissed these claims and said, “It’s not necessary that every gold medallist can perform well in interviews. She performed poorly, and Dr Khalid Alvi himself arrived late. He also left early, and hence his signature was not present in the final list, whereas the rest of the committee have theirs.” The entrance exam for admission into the course was conducted on 5th July and interviews for shortlisted candidates held on 30th August. The final list of selected candidates for PhD in Urdu was released on the DU website on 5th September and the admission procedure for the same was on until 15th September.

Feature Image Credits: India.com

Vijeata Balani
[email protected]

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Reviews

NEWTON: From Tribal India to the Oscars

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As someone who is keenly interested in politics, a dark comedy about elections against the backdrop of the conflict-ridden jungles of Dandakaranya is an absolute must-watch. So naturally, I watched Newton – and I wasn’t disappointed. Newton Kumar, an upright and honest government clerk is sent on election duty to the Naxal-affected and conflict-ridden jungles of Dandakaranya in Chhattisgarh, India. In between the insouciance of the security forces and the fear of attacks by Naxalites, he struggles to conduct free and fair polling for 76 indifferent tribal citizens. Director Amit V. Masurkar and co-scriptwriter Mayank Tewari have crafted excellent characters and written remarkable dialogues that are delivered flawlessly by the talented cast. My favourite was, “Imandari se dil halka hona chahiye” (honesty should make the heart lighter). Newton is stubborn but also vulnerable, and the kind of guy who can easily be beaten up. Despite his impractical and idealistically naïve antics, you’ll find yourself rooting for him. Aatma Singh, played by Pankaj Tripathi, is a practical and experienced Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commander. Anjali Patil does justice to the character of Malko, a local block-level officer who brings the Adivasi, slightly pro-Naxal perspective, into the story. Loknath, Newton’s colleague played by Raghubir Yadav, is a delightful character who accurately embodies the aloofness and concerns of a middle-class government employee. The film does not have a storyline per se, and for a while, it tends to get slow in the middle. Throughout the movie, several sensitive issues are touched upon such as the practice of strategic hamletting in which villages are deliberately burnt by the armed forces so that villagers can then be moved to makeshift accommodation near army camps, the ill-treatment of tribals by the military, fake surrenders, the lack of supplies for the CRPF, and the “election tourism” orchestrated by the government for journalists.  All these details and nuances are taken from various books such as Hello Bastar by Rahul Pandita and Nandini Sundar’s book Subalterns and Sovereigns. The scene where Loknath suggests that to curb the insurgency, the government should introduce televisions in tribal homes because televisions will instigate greed and greed will extinguish the rebellion is directly picked from Arundhati Roy’s essay Walking with The Comrades. Swapnil Sonawane’s cinematography gauges the aesthetics from each location and shapes each shot perfectly. Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor’s music must be credited with adding poignancy in a heartbreaking segment where clueless tribals are forced to participate in polling for the sake of cameras. There are no dialogues in that segment, but the haunting music accompanies the crass pretence of democracy. While I laud Newton for highlighting an extremely important subject, I cannot help but discount Amit V. Masurkar for, what I feel is, playing safe. The film hesitates from taking sides and, under the guise of humour and neutrality, dilutes the complex issue of Naxal insurgency into a simplistic, unoriginal take on the state versus the Maoists. Newton could have been the finest political satire we have seen only if the director had chosen to be more overt and brave. Nevertheless, the movie still deserves to represent India at the Academy Awards and I hope it inspires more people to watch it.   Feature Image Credits: Eros Now Niharika Dabral [email protected]]]>

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Uncategorized

The Shadows Of Gandhi

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Though for some Indians, Mahatma was an embodiment of utopianism and idealism whose methods of resistance yielded results slowly and with a lot of suffering, despite all the delay he was a portrayal of tolerance and endurance which stand very much relevant in the contemporary times.

In one of my classroom discussions, one of my classmates commented coldly, “Gandhi is only an image in India today” and this was seconded by many of my other friends. One of my friends asked me about why I had been romanticising about Gandhian philosophy when his utopian ideals of non-violence and Satyagraha are far away from the jarring reality of the everyday life of Indians. This may be true, I thought. But the impact of his philosophy on many iconic leaders of the 20th century like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. etc. express the apocalyptic mode of political thinking that can be invoked as a Gandhian moment.

Gandhi became a part of the moral conscience of humanity and his universal message could be measured by his profound impact on all forms of dissent against unjust regimes. A genuine appreciation of Gandhi’s relevance can only be made against his civic philosophy of dissent. The Gandhian audacity of asking questions on modernity and Western hegemony expresses his critical thinking and this is what is lacking in our today’s generation. Such an attitude of mind exemplifies the Socratic aspect which is absent in many political leaders of today- courage. All political leaders are reduced to only being politicians and India still awaits another iconic leader in the true self who will lead all of us to freedom from orthodoxy, poverty, and disdain.

Gandhi always held that Satyagraha implied the willingness to accept not only suffering but also death for the sake of a true cause. When confronted by mobs or political authority, Gandhi had no fear of the state or a tyrannical crowd. For Gandhi, the process of dialogue and endless questioning is considered as the most productive and dissenting thinking in the public space. This is where Gandhi’s conception of democracy becomes relevant and important to us as students of University- be it BHU, JNU or DU. Democracy just cannot function with no sense of ethics and morality. An individual needs to fulfill one’s civic duty of participating in a community and as an end to attain political and moral resistance to all forms of tyranny. Let the shadows of Gandhi continue to teach us what is ‘self-realisation’, ‘protest’ and resistance because this may not be made a part of pragmatic public policy but can duly serve as an ethical force for citizens to stand up for the principles they represent.

Image Credits– The Huffington Post India

 

Oorja Tapan

[email protected]

 

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DUB Speak

Why The Anti-Dissent Law Should Never Be Implemented In Gujarat

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The government of Gujarat has been no stranger to controversy. They recently came under heat again when they indicated that they are trying to re-invite the anti-dissent law within the state assembly, despite their previous years of failed attempts.

The role of the judiciary is to hold the government accountable, make sure it is functioning in accordance with the constitution and to interpret the constitution which allows it to limit the powers of some branches of the government. The judiciary is considered to be an independent body. These positive connotations invoke a sense of security and ensure the implementation of rights amongst the citizens of a country. The supreme court protects the fundamental rights of the people. The anti dissent law that the state of Gujarat has been trying to bring about since early 2000’s goes against just that.

If we look at the current political scenario in India, we have two very starkly different ideologies prevalent in terms of electoral representation. The situation in Gujarat, however, has always been quite different than the wider national interest.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has retained control over Gujarat since 2001, under the leadership of Narendra Modi as Chief Minister. In 2002 the state legislative assembly tried to introduce an anti-dissent law, which to provide context, proposes to allow the police to arrest anybody on mere suspicion, who they seem to be a threat to the state’s internal security. However, it was rejected by the then President, APJ Abdul Kalam. It was again passed in the state assembly when Pratibha Patil held office. Both the presidents rejected the bill as they felt it was unconstitutional and violated basic human rights.

Every citizen in India has the right to representation before a court of law of h/she has been accused of a crime. The anti dissent law gives the state full discretion to arrest anybody on suspicion without trial. The only time when mass arrests have taken place in democratic India on ‘suspicion’ without legal backing have been during the emergency period in 1975. If this law becomes legitimate, it will only facilitate exploitation of the citizens by the state.

The Gujarat government has time and again given a very vague reasoning for bringing about such a draconian law, saying that this is increased efficiency in the state’s internal security. The law also proposes to grant immunity from prosecution to the police and the administration for doing so. This move by the government of Gujarat has been widely criticised by human rights activists, saying that they fail to understand why this extra step needs to be taken when laws and provisions like Preventive Detention already exist and have been successfully implemented in India.

 

Feature Image Credits: NDTV

 

Bhavya Banerjee

[email protected]

 

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DUB Speak

In the Age of Phone-Fare

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In this fast pacing age of timeless technology, it is almost inevitable to entirely disassociate oneself from gadgetry and ingenious devices. Our acquired (or maybe, innate) dependency on the same is what has led us to become slaves to our own creation. While it would be absolutely bizarre to say that we can do without it, it does make sense to insinuate a counterbalanced usage. A mobile phone is one contraption that we are tied to endlessly, owing to the virtual reality that we are all a part of today. Be it informal communication via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger or formal interaction through e-mails, the virtual world has us hooked in more ways than just one.

WhatsApp, the supposed mother of all evils, stems from a very ingenious idea, ideally introduced to facilitate cross-platform instant messaging between two parties or more, in the shortest possible time and without any additional tariffs as against the ones incurred on carrier-billed text messaging. It is immensely useful and rightfully serves the purpose for which it had been materialised in the first place. However, with over 1.3 billion active users, WhatsApp yields as many media junkies as does cocaine. Instagram, the abode of wanderlust and a platform for artsy dispositions, ranks first in the list of the most detrimental applications for the youth, closely followed by Snapchat on number two, according to a new report by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK.

In a society, driven by those who monopolise the economy through media, it would not be particularly wrong to suggest that a mobile phone serves as the catalyst in reworking a downward spiral. Smartphones, as we are all equipped with, come with its myriad features, aimed at generating revenue through its applications. This especially holds true in today’s time and age where everything is digitalised — from grocery lists, e-retail orders, web articles, PDF formats of scholarly books to online newspapers, e-fitness routines and basic utilitarian applications. Whilst the increasing fundamentalism of the digital age can also be viewed under the fancy radar of tantalisation, it is far more important to trace down its ill implications. Apart from being specifically harmful to the visual faculties of an individual, it also visibly demonstrates a negative impact on the mental well-being of people.

FOMO -the Fear Of Missing Out, is a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent”. This social anxiety is characterised by “a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing”. It is a legitimate phenomenon that urges people to frequently check their news feed on their social media handles and instills a sense of perpetual apprehension in addicts. It looms large over their insecurities and distorted identities and uses it as an assemblage to emasculate thinking minds. The need to check one’s phone regularly within short time intervals, regardless of any profound agenda and falling prey to false intuitions about activity on the same, are certain influences that a gadget as enslaving as a mobile phone can have on its customer.

Dr. Sally Andrews, a psychologist at Nottingham Trent University, told The Huffington Post that young adults use their smart phones twice as many times as they think they do which implies that its usage transcends the realm of consciousness and is a habitual pursuit of an average individual. Once imprisoned into this insurmountable lair of validation, it gets utterly difficult to break free from it. It will eventually start hindering an individual’s personality as well as professional life. As they say, old habits die hard, it is important to not let this tech-madness garner uncensored proclivity.

With both its pros and cons outweighing each other, it is the responsibility of its able users to tell right from wrong. As we are moving towards a progressively digital epoch, it is our duty to use the resources available at our disposal, fittingly.

Image Credits:  LinkedIn

 

Lakshita Arora

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Campus Central

Hansraj College Launches Cognizance, a New Society to Put Theory Into Practice

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Hansraj College, on 28th September, launched its very own chapter of ‘Cognizance’, a consultancy and knowledge-based society with branches in several colleges across the country. Cognizance Hansraj, established under the Placement Cell of the college, aims to provide an exposure into consultancy at a basic level by collaborating with industry experts for live-projects, knowledge building sessions, and the much-needed research acumen that a lot of students yearn for and aim to acquire during their college life. Owing to the severe lack of practical application of theoretical concepts in the Indian education system, a majority of students face extreme difficulty and pressure while applying for jobs as well as clearing entrance exams for higher education. This is where this society steps in and provides first-hand practical knowledge by ‘Putting Theory into Practice’, its ultimate motto.

Having just set out to explore the consultancy world, the society plans to invite various faculty members to come and work with them, thus providing the members an opportunity to indulge into highly interactive and informative sessions with various professors. Also, instead of normal update meetings, the society will keep rigorous brainstorming sessions wherein various plans of action brought in by different members of the society shall be discussed and the ones suited best for the current projects shall then be chosen and implemented. As more and more event organisation and management based societies come into being, Cognizance Hans Raj works upon the overall development and skill enhancement of its members, thereby making them more competent in solving real life problems.

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DUB Speak

Easy Investment Plans for Students

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Save smart and save early with the right investment plan, to make your future beyond college secure, and worth looking forward to.

 

They say “time is money” and indeed, it is so for us college students. This is our  time to gain knowledge beyond the courses that we are enrolled in, which will in turn prepare us for the big challenges of the ‘real’ world. One of those challenges is in the financial sphere and entails savings. Trying to save small increase wealth will go a long way in our lives as adults, which has only just begun. Here are some ways how you can go about it:

  1. Start off by opening your own savings account. The procedure isn’t long and it gives you a sense of freedom. Even from the pocket money which you receive, try putting aside some meagre amount into the account. Think of it as an emergency fund, put it aside in the beginning of the month and if you feel broke by the end of month, you may use some of it. Savings accounts give you interest on your money, but the return doesn’t feel like it’s too much, until the amount you add to the account increases over time.
  2. An easier way to earn some cash is to sell your old stuff, like clothes, used electronic items, books etc. This money can either be invested or used later.
  3. For the courageous ones amongst you, investing in mutual funds is a great way to increase wealth, and it can be encashed whenever the investor wants. Monthly SIPs (Systematic Investment Plan) is the best way to invest in mutual funds, which are safer than investing in shares and debentures. There are numerous companies out there which invest your money in safe projects and from which you earn interest later.
  4. For those adventurous investors who don’t mind taking risks because you learn from your mistakes, equity funds are the answer. Before you begin investing, you require a Demat account, which can be opened with the help of any broker. Equity funds or shares require a lot of research about the company, its projects and so on, but the return on equity funds is generally more than mutual funds.

So start investing early and have a good back-up plan for some emergency or just in case you need cash for some fun (Say, how about a spontaneous excursion or your dream of travelling alone?).

 

Feature Image Credits: allbusiness.com

Prachi Mehra

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Of Language, Commas, and Paradoxes

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 The english language is full of paradoxes and divisive nuances. Something as small as a comma can cost a company millions, and yet, the same may not even be recognised by the consumers. We look into possible causes behind this.

 

“Eats, shoots and leaves.”

“Eats shoots and leaves.”

What differs in the sentences above is not just a comma but also the same words taking on an entirely different paradigm in meaning. Anyone who feels that punctuation is only for grammar nerds is under serious misconceptions, as can be reiterated through the infamous “Let’s eat Grandma” example. Punctuation doesn’t pertain only to grammar enthusiasts; it’s a necessity that demands seriousness to save money and embarrassment. When language was primarily spoken, pauses during speech indicated what the comma signifies in written pieces. Most grammar rules are acknowledged worldwide, sparing one which has been a bone of contention between several linguists: the Oxford comma.

The Oxford or serial comma, is the additional comma that follows after ‘and’ as well as ‘or’ in a list of more than 3 items. Many style guides abhor the use of this punctuation mark: The Economist, The New York Times, and AP (the style guide most newspapers follow). However, others like the Chicago Style Manual recognise its importance. In recent years, the Oxford comma has formed a niché for itself in popular culture and has increasingly found usage in modern day writings. Although it’s considered stylistic and unnecessary by many, the tiny mark carries immense significance in removing ambiguity and establishing fact. Supporters of the serial comma demand it to be made mandatory, especially after a court ruling that penalised the lawmakers who overlooked its applicability. In a hotly debated case from March 2017, a court in Maine, USA, charged a dairy to pay $10 million to five truck drivers. The sentence that resulted in this controversial ruling was:

“The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of:

  1. Agricultural produce
  2. Meat and fish items
  3. Perishable foods”

The questions that arise from this statement are multiple, including whether or not packing for shipment was distinct from distribution, and if it was indeed overtime pay exempt. Addressing these questions, the judge ruled in favour of the truck drivers, and maintained that without the comma the distinction was not clear. The dairy had to pay an estimated amount of $10 million to the five truck drivers, as they were included in the overtime pay as per the judge’s ruling.

Similar errors have surfaced because of the absence of an oxford comma. But there have also been instances where the Oxford comma doesn’t exactly help in removing ambiguity. The article headline, “Encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector”, has successfully put Nelson Mandela’s reputation at stake. But an Oxford comma may not have solved it either. It’s best if such sentences are rephrased and reordered to avoid miscommunication and unnecessary inconvenience to the reader.

The English language is full of nuances and dichotomies. With the supporters for the comma growing, it’s advisable to recognise it despite its apparent downside. At least this way, next time, a lawmaker would not be held responsible for costing his company millions of dollars for vehemently refusing to add a comma where it was required.

 

Feature Image Credits: CNN

 

Vijeata Balani

[email protected]

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DUB News

Students Detained For Protesting At Jantar Mantar

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The Delhi Police on Thursday detained nine students of the Banaras Hindu University, including a woman, who were on their way from Jantar Mantar to the Prime Minister’s official house to submit a memorandum at the Pancharipuri Police Station. However, no charges were being slapped against them. The students are members of the recently constituted Joint Action Committee (JAC) at BHU, who sought to make an appointment with the PM.

“When we could not get the appointment we decided to submit the memorandum to his Secretary. We were at Race Course when police detained us. We were simply walking at Race Course Road and there was no protest. We kept on asking them about the ground over which we were arrested, however, police did not say anything. I was made to sit in a bus even as there was no female constable with them at the time of the detention” said Mineshi Mishra, a BHU student. The students also complained that the police threatened them.

Senior Delhi police officers revealed the students had been protesting for the last three days. “When they tried to march towards the PM’s residence eight boys were detained and later let off and another girl, who was along with them, was released then and there as it was getting dark. We have not told any students to return to Banaras,” said BK Singh, DCP, New Delhi, as reported by DNA India.

Image Credits– DNA India

 

Ankita Dhar Karmakar
[email protected]

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