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DUSU Elections 2017

Throwback 2015: The rise and fall of CYSS, the student wing of AAP

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What was once termed as a force to reckon with, is now merely a shadow of its past. Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) contested in the 2015 Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections but did not win. CYSS was the star debutante in the 2015 elections and was perceived at the time a strong opposition to the hegemony established by NSUI and ABVP in previous DUSU elections.
Students who were disappointed with the political climate then considered CYSS as a strong third alternative to clean up the murky politics. Despite huge hoardings of Arvind Kejriwal greeting students and asking for votes, CYSS did not win any seat and scored 16% of the total vote share. Barring a candle-light march to protest against ABVP’s hooliganism in the Ramjas row, it has been relatively absent from the DU political scene in 2017.

While it’s a speculative ‘fact’ that parent party’s win directly correlates to the chances of its student wing winning; why did CYSS lose in 2015, when AAP government raked a record 67 out of 70 seats in the Delhi legislative assembly elections? The agendas of CYSS are largely similar in ideology to AAP’s, which pertain to everyday issues of a student and plan to ensure a corruption-free university.

Anmol Panwar, the CYSS spokesperson and Vice-President, in conversation with DU Beat, said, “We boycotted elections last year because we don’t support the current muscle and money power politics in DUSU. Once DUSU candidates are declared, countless pamphlets are thrown in contravention to the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations (LCR). University authorities are aware, complaints are filed, but no action is taken against the perpetrators. Because of this, independent candidates with great ideas lose out to the bigger parties. If the situation changes, we could contest this year too.”
Leading up to the 2015 elections, CYSS was involved in multiple controversies. In 2015, CYSS faced backlash for putting up ‘fake’ posters of opinion polls that it would win 45% of the total votes; the veracity of which could not be verified. Similarly, opposition parties alleged that more than 50 hoardings had been put up across the capital, which was in violation to LCR which states that candidates cannot spend more than INR 5000 in campaigning. In September the same year, a concert, ‘DU Rocks’ was organised which had celebrities like Jasleen Royal, Vishal Dadlani(AAP supporter) and Arvind Kejriwal himself addressing the gathering.

The LCR clearly calls for disassociation of student elections and student representation from political parties. These allegations, amid dwindling support and lack of trust for AAP government in Delhi back then moulded into a sticky situation for CYSS. There’s always a chance the party may make a comeback, the same depending on their ability to garner support through the LCR guidelines it accuses others of not following.

Image Credits: pumirror.in

 

Vijeata Balani

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Fandom

A Two Year Long Winter?

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The Game of Thrones season 7 finale has left us intrigued and wanting for more. The wait for season 8 seems too long as the show, most probably, is not going to return before 2019. However many theories and speculations have been floating around about the fate of the characters. The finale has raised many questions which have been left unanswered. While the winter seems to be two years long, I, have tried to deconstruct some of the most popular theories. Hopefully, they will provide you with a warmth while you bide your time.

1) The mysterious look of Tyrion Lannister
George R. Martin sent a three-page letter to Harper Collins in 1993 in which he outlined his plans for the series. The letter hinted about a romantic interest between Tyrion and Arya which would result in a rivalry between the former and Jon Snow. This letter recently surfaced on the internet and has left the fans speculating whether Tyrion instead of being in love with Arya is in love with Daenerys. If yes, this would lead to conflict between Tyrion and Jon Snow.
Another theory suggests that maybe Tyrion has betrayed Danny and has formed a secret alliance with his sister because the audience was not made privy to the entire conversation that took place between Cersei and him. We are well aware of Tyrion’s love for his sister’s children and as Cersei is pregnant, this theory certainly seems plausible.
Are any of these theories reasonable or is Tyrion just concerned about what will happen if two most powerful people come together? It is true that the power dynamics are going to change in future and, thus, his concern over their relationship seems genuine. However, these questions are going to be left unanswered at least for now.

2) Is Bran Stark the Night King?
Many Game of Thrones fans are convinced that Bran Stark is the Night King. According to this theory, Bran continuously travelled to the past to warn the mankind about White Walkers. In one of this attempt, he ends up getting stuck inside the Night King.
After many failed attempts, Bran went way back into the past to inhabit the body of the First Man who was turned into a White Walker by the Children of the Forest. But Bran was continuously warned by Three Eyed Raven that if he remained in past for too long he might get trapped there. Thus, Bran is stuck inside Night King. Many people have tried to find proof to support this claim. However, if this is true one can only wonder why the show has sidelined such an important claim as he does not get enough screen space.

3) Is Daenerys going to die?
George R. Martin has said that the ending of the show is going to be bittersweet. Almost everyone is sure that Daenerys is going to capture the throne. Her immense strength and the power of dragons make it seem that the alternative is impossible. But if nothing else Game of Thrones is notorious to kill its popular and main characters. No sooner the audience gets attached to a character that he or she gets killed. Moreover, the uni-dimensional arc that Daenerys’s story follows puts her at grave risk. However one can only speculate.

Image credits: HBO

Anukriti Mishra
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ABVP Organises Press Conference on the performance of outgoing DUSU Panel

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Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad(ABVP), the student wing of RSS organised a press conference on 2nd September to discuss the work accomplished by ABVP-led DUSU last year. The panel consisted of Amit Tanwar, Priyanka Chhawri, and Ankit Singh Sangwan, the three outgoing DUSU office-bearers along with Monica Choudhary, ABVP’s National Secretary, Bharat Kumar, the State Secretary of ABVP and Saket Bahuguna, their National Media Convener.

During the conference, multiple achievements by ABVP in the past years were brought into notice and the rolling issue of discriminatory girls’ hostel rules was discussed. They further went on to talk about their role in a fight for printed mark sheets and hunger strikes held to promote students who had failed their last year of college. The outgoing Vice-President, Priyanka Chhawri spoke in length of the initiatives taken by DUSU in the past year, which included the DU paralympic sporting events and a university wide marathon being organised in North Campus along with cultural events and intellectual seminars under their hood.
Saket Bahuguna, ABVP’s National media convener touched upon subjects like DUSU’s controversial budget and the prevalence of violence across DU. Amid accusations, lies and slander, ABVP alleged opposition parties of putting forth “off-beat agendas to misdirect attention” and the university administration that had failed to competently handle the issue of permanent appointments in the staff. After a one-sided discourse on DUSU’s activities, questions were raised about ABVP’s involvement in the Ramjas issue and their stance on the thousands of posters defacing college walls throughout the campus. On this issue, Saket said, “It is practically impossible to cover all colleges that vote in DUSU in a span of 2 days. Even if we go by the cheapest means of transportation, we cannot cover all cost under 5000 rupees. Demands for a wall of democracy in every college has been placed in front of DU authorities, but no improvement has been observed.”
The conference concluded after the question-answer round and a hopeful parting note for DUSU elections 2017.
The party released its manifesto today.

Image credits: DU Beat archives

Vijeata Balani

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Campus Central

Say No to Drugs: Faye D’Souza at IPCW

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As a step towards spreading awareness about abusive drug consumption by students, Mirror Now, a National News television channel hosted a debate at Indraprastha College for Women, to have a one-on-one conversation with the students.

 

Ms. Faye D’Souza, the Executive Editor at Mirror News, along with five panelists, hosted a debate in the campus of Indraprastha College for Women on Thursday, August 31, 2017, in the college’s auditorium. The panel included a practicing advocate and member of the Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha, a pediatrician with significant contribution in the field, the DCP of Delhi police, a script writer hailing from the Bollywood industry, and a student of the college.

With the aim of initiating a dialogue between the general consumers of drugs and those opposing the consumption, D’Souza started by discussing its easy accessibility around educational institutes by taking the Hyderabad drug bust case as an example. Inviting opinions from one of the panelists, Nandini Suri, who is also a student of the college, the panelists discussed about the urgent need of enabling a communication about the issue at a national level, between the country’s leaders and the general masses. One of the panelists who is a practicing advocate at the Supreme Court and a member of the Bhartiya Yuva Janata Morcha, the student wing of Bharatiya Janata Part (BJP), talked about the provisions in the Indian Constitution that prevent the illegal circulation and consumption of drugs, which widened the debate’s horizon to the connection between drug consumption and the law’s role in curbing it.

Further opening the debate to the audience which primarily comprised of students from the college, various concerns and angles about the issue came to the fore. The primary issue discussed was the vulnerability of an average teenager, and the corruptibility of the Police Force which has enabled a manifold increase in such rackets across the country. The debate included the aftermaths of abusive drug consumption, however casual or occasional it may be. One of the panelists, the DCP of Delhi Police added, how even casual or occasional consumption of drugs facilitates other rackets including human trafficking etc. The students also raised questions about the validation provided to drugs’ or alcohol consumption, majorly by Bollywood and/or the entertainment industry, and its subsequent influence on teenagers.

 

Faye D’Souza, in her concluding note, welcomed solutions to fight the problem, where one of the panelists put forward “flipping the peer pressure” as one of the solutions that might prevent many teenagers from being consumed by this culture of abuse.

With the debate, Mirror Now took their responsible step towards preventing an entire generation which is at stake.

 

Feature Image Credits: Priyal Mahtta for DU Beat

 

Priyal Mahtta

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Remnants from School: Teachers’ Day Celebrations

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Those annual celebrations for teachers which brimmed with alacrity and joy are still safely tucked away in our memory buckets. Here’s a trip down the lane of fond recollections!

As another year of college begins and verges on mid-semester culmination, the month of September hinges itself to the bountiful school memories. The grand affair and the invigorating bustle which circumvented the Teachers’ Day celebrations were the little fragments of joy the month offered. While the festivities may vary across colleges and departments, the momentum of the ‘then’ and the ‘now’ is strikingly apparent.

People say a lot of things about leaving school. Theories about lifelong school friends and nostalgic visitations always surface, but the one aspect that holds unparalleled importance is the warmth of the teachers who have been an integral part of the past few years. Their constant encouragement and belief in our abilities makes them all the more amazing.

As if to pay tribute to this unwavering support, the celebration which followed Teachers’ Day was an amalgamation of efforts and gratitude. The fact that the day was not to be spent studying and instead invested to laud the harbingers of education added to this spirited enthusiasm. Glimpses of getting gifts or cakes or cards for the teachers often visit us during these sweet remembrances. While some students took the official mantle, and handled the preparations for the event, the others managed to bring smiles in their own little ways.

Dressing up as our favourite teachers and performing the waltz of teaching was the tradition we all cherished and practiced without fail. The role reversal which took place allowed the amusement to evolve into respect and gratitude for each other as well. The wonderful portrayal of teachers was often coupled with an array of cultural acts. Weeks of preparation into producing that final show to express love and appreciation managed to accumulate the major chunk of memories. Friendships evolved, talents discovered, and team spirit redefined were the resplendent products of this period of groundwork.

Beyond the storm of activity that dawns the school on this day, an underlying vibe of inspiration and respect ran wide across every sector of the school. The day seemed to accentuate the perseverance of our dear gurus, and allowed our hearts to purely adulate and revere the sincere efforts every teacher brings with him or her. The need to say ‘thank you’ peaked, for the reasons were so many and the times said were unfortunately few. Thank you, for being there for us at every step of the way, as witnesses to our growth. Thank you for loving us regardless of our flaws. Thank you for all the warmth and wisdom you’ve shared with us throughout the years. Thank you for portraying so many roles at once with perfection. Thank you for always being wonderful; because of you, we like the people we are today.

Here’s wishing all the wonderful teachers a very happy Teachers’ Day!

 

Feature Image Credits: Jagran

 

Saumya Kalia

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Internal Assessments: The Underappreciated Semester Saviours

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They say conditioning takes time to wear off, especially so when it has been for as long as fourteen years. But this hardly ever holds true when faced with collegiate novelty immediately after a decade and a half of stylised educational habituation in school. It takes a couple of months or a year, in worst cases, for a student to calibrate himself to the newness and surprisingly, the adaptation in most cases is flawless.

Once through the strait-laced academic architecture of a school, the relatively amenable ambiance of a college is easy to conform to. However, in the midst of this seemingly opportune transition, it is likely for a student to be led astray, in the face of fast pacing, unprecedented freedom.

One characteristic trait common to both college and school is the dreaded tests, known as internals in the former and formative assessment in the latter. While both cater to the same purpose on different levels, their psychic interpretation is somewhat different. In school, the fear of failing in one was remarkably upsetting and brought with itself shame and disappointment but on the contrary, performing miserably in a college test garners close to no remorse from the student because the programming is such that it ceases to attach due to relevance to score cards at the bachelors level.

It is not entirely wrong to suggest that marks are, in fact, not an accurate representation of an individual’s potential and knowledge is not the freehold of institutional grading methods, but insinuating a complete detachment from the same and nurturing an indifferent attitude towards internals cannot be a strait-jacket solution to everything that we feel is wrong with our education system.

It takes a lot more than a few bad remarks by the professor for a college student to realise the importance of internal examination, and it is usually much later in the semester that they realise their folly.

Back during the time when their minds are muddled in the murky waters of a couple hundred assignments and society commitments, the added responsibility of studying for an internal naturally weighs them down. But as college students, almost standing on the threshold of this unrelenting world, it is absolutely necessary to be able to know how to effectively manage the available resources and put them to their best possible use.

Internals help in fulfilling the requisites of the final examination by providing the students with an established reason to familiarise themselves with a part of the entire text for the purpose of instilling in them the habit of routine study. Equipping them with the needful well in advance helps in progressively building a sound ground for preparation during the semester-end exams.

The announcement of a formal test never ceases to entrench a certain degree of anticipation in an individual and if this likely expectation is provided with a sound breeding ground consisting of the willing attitude of a student and his undying effort, it will ensure steady gains in the future. However, if this is not put to regular practice, it will only result in repeated failure.

A paper specific internal helps in inculcating a sense of completion with regards to particular topic(s) and imparts confidence. Also, a well-practiced portion of the study material stays with the student for a relatively long period of time and rids him of unwarranted anxiety a week prior to the final examination.

Nobody wants a four-month heavy academic baggage to hang like an albatross around one’s neck and to ensure that it does not, it is imperative to provide for ample time and effort to internal tests and assignments.

 

Image Credits: DNA India

 

Lakshita Arora

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Interviews

In Conversation with: Rajib Ray, DUTA President 2017

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With the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) winning the recently held Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) elections four times in a row, we got an opportunity to have a tête-à-tête with the winning Presidential Candidate Rajib Ray from the Department of Philosophy in Kirori Mal College. Raising legit demands of ad-hoc teacher regularisation, the greater pay scale for the teachers under the 7th pay commission and putting up a tough fight against privatisation of education, DUTA is vital for the functioning of the University of Delhi which comes under the top central universities of India.

Here are the excerpts:

In your manifesto, the major demands raised by the DTF this year involved the resolution of anomalies of the last pay scale, promotion of teachers, and due placement and payment to ad- hoc teachers in DU. How does your Front after coming to power hope to achieve this and through what means?

Ours is not a party, but a Front and the moment you associate the notion of ‘power’ to a union, my conception of an ‘association’ is completely different. So, firstly, I would like to mention that it’s a historic win for any group to have won four consecutive times in a row. All the issues that are happening since a long time and the future is yet to be achieved. Last year the government came up with a Third Amendment which was to reduce the number of teachers at the departments and we led a huge movement in the summer forcing the government to roll back the amendment. The authorities then came up with the Fourth Amendment to which we are still against, but it is definitely better than the previous one.

As far as the appointments are concerned, under the monitoring of the Delhi High Court after our immense efforts concerning the Law Faculty Case, the appointment procedure in the departments have already started and I hope, that without any delay, further processes of appointments shall commence in the various colleges. The recent speech made by our Hon’ Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, on the new education policy with respect to promotions of teachers, ‘hire and fire’, etc. and seeing the trend of autonomy being given to colleges, it is very disappointing not only for the students but also very bad for the morale of teachers as DU treads upon the path of self-financing courses and reduced public spending.

What major problems can autonomy and steps leading to privatisation have on students’ lives in DU?

Firstly, the pattern of making colleges autonomous in DU is not a new one, but what we need to realise is the brazen manner in which it is being done. The moment the motion for autonomous colleges passes, the college has to get 30 percent of resources on its own. The question is ‘from where’. The colleges will get it from increasing the fees of students despite opening up of new courses and will have to pay the salary of the faculty through the self- financing courses that can lead to lesser salaries of employees. This method is not only lopsided but will also affect the teachers’ morale. The way to get out of this is to sensitise students and teachers in the public realm about the ill effects of autonomy and privatisation, and can vouch for a huge political pressure on the government. This is similar to the way it happened in the case of FYUP roll back with the help of media. So, the solution is to make it a matter of public debate.

Do you believe that the intense regularisation of higher education by multiple regulators like University Grants Commission (UGC), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), etc. can help central, deemed, and state universities to improve their performances as we have already seen, that lesser regulation in the case of IITs/IIMs has made them enter the top 200 rankings of the world?

First of all, these rankings that you mention are very subjective and there is the whole nexus of foreign universities that are embedded in these rankings. Also, who decides the world rankings is a matter of debate and on what grounds?  The most important help all sorts of universities need is funding and no such cuts in funding should ever happen. Also, the NAAC rankings are there only to judge the criterion of funding to be provided. Public funded institutions must serve the students well and the recent demographic changes in DU students for the past decade show that students from the lower strata are also coming to DU and for them, funding by such regulators is very important. And with a recent Supreme Court ruling, all regulations are mandatory but what’s happening now is changes are occurring in the university without consulting the ‘LAW Book’. So, arbitrary regulation should be controlled. Also, the case for recently opened Delhi School of Journalism, be it self-financing or not, will depend more on the type of courses it plans to offer and the fee structure for the students as well as the availability of permanent faculty and not visiting lecturers.

How do you plan to revoke the problems caused by Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) and evil effects of the semester system which now seem to be very much institutionalised in the system?

The major problem is there is no choice being offered to students under CBCS, in terms of courses and subjects due to the unavailability of faculty, lack of infrastructure, and lack of payments to be made to teachers. So, we need more faculty and need to build a number of colleges, which is a long way to travel.

What could be done to improve the student-teacher ratio in DU?

At present in DU, it is 1/50 and we want to improve it further. But, normally in such discussions, our main focus is primarily on the regular students and we tend to ignore or isolate the students of School of Open Learning where the ratio is almost twice. So, immediate steps should be taken by the management for its betterment and what is needed is more number of colleges and placement and promotion of teachers. Also for the promotion of teachers, we need to revise the criteria upon which the teachers are judged; for example, if you are asked  in an interview in 2013 to do something since 2008, it’s a bit unfair as you were not made aware of such guidelines in 2008 and thus on such basis, you are rejected in 2013 interview. That is what is happening to our teachers at DU.

What message do you want to give to students for the upcoming DUSU elections being the DUTA President? Also, are you able to draw any parallels between DUSU and DUTA?

Regardless of my affiliations, I won’t promote any particular student wing here, but what I want is a free and fair election which is the true essence of a democracy. I am appalled at the increasing use of muscle and money power in DUSU elections.

As far as DUTA is concerned, there is not much use of muscle and money power the way it happens in DUSU. Only various student and teacher groups are involved in our elections. Also, there is a huge interference of the state machinery in the conduct of DUSU which is not the case in DUTA.

Finally, what will be your immediate plan of action after coming to power?

We will start our public sensitising programmes in order to make the students and teachers aware of the bad effects of privatisation of education and approach all levels including MHRD, state, and administration of DU. Our plan is to not bend under pressure of any Vice Chancellor or the authorities. We want to make our universities free and restore their ability to question and debate as well as protect it from all outside forces.

Image Credits: The Hindu

 

Oorja Tapan

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A teen crisis: Drinking away the Golden Age

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Drinking alcohol is a tempting feeling for any teen. But the ill-effects of alcohol are devastating. What starts out as a pleasure-seeking activity soon turns into a self-made trap.

All of us remember the first time we cringed after taking the first sip of bitter, pungent alcohol, and told ourselves, “I finally did it!” What an achievement that felt like. Most of us have a fond memory of the first time we drank alcohol. But slowly and steadily, it becomes more of a habit rather than a “once in a blue moon” thing. And as we grow older, our concepts of partying become associated with alcohol. The intensity of our joy depends more on the amount of alcohol consumed.

Slowly yet steadily, it seeps from our blood veins to our lifestyle, becoming an integral part of the teenage experience. And yet, it ends up disintegrating teen lives. As per a report by DNA India, the World Health Organization estimates that while 30 percent of boys under the age of 15 consume alcohol in India, 31 percent of under-aged girls consume it too. Although the number has decreased in comparison to the past, these numbers are still evidence that alcohol is being consumed by age groups far from eligible.

According to a survey done by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, around 5000 teens under the age of 21 die every year. The vulnerability of teens makes them fall prey to the tempting sensation post-alcohol consumption. It is seen as a thrill-seeking activity, and the impulsive instinct of a teen interprets this as a challenge to gulp down as much as he can. Moreover, those who see drinking as a pleasurable experience are more likely to become alcoholics than those who don’t.

The complexity of this issue is increased by the irregularity of laws regarding alcohol consumption. In India, the minimum age criterion to drink ranges from 18-25, varying in different states. In some states, one can buy alcohol at the age of 18 but can consume it only after the age of 25. It is important to understand that teenage is a budding stage and teens are much more likely to be addicted to things that pose harm, but give the illusion of inducing joy. And this highlights the necessity of regulating laws with uniformity so that the safety and healthy upbringing of the teenagers is ensured.

Alcoholism, just like any other substance abuse, ruptures growth in a person and isolates one from his or her friends and family. Finding joy or solace in something that harms one mentally and physically is dangerous. Its effects on one’s life are no less than catastrophic. The delusion of seeking immense pleasure in an activity which is essentially self-damning makes matters far worse. Regardless of the age and mentality, teenagers are also themselves to blame for drinking in most instances, and thus, it is their responsibility to either find prevention or cure, failing which, they might end up in a trap they built for themselves all on their own.

 

Karan Singhania

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Image Credits: healthyandmodern.com

 

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In conversation with Priyanka Chhawri and Mohit Garid

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We talked to the two student leaders about their experiences of being Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) leaders, allegations of financial discrepancy, the gender bias in DUSU politics, and much more.

 

Priyanka Chhawri, Vice President of DUSU (2016)
Priyanka Chhawri, ABVP member and Vice President of DUSU (2016)

Correspondent: How has your past experience in DUSU been?

Priyanka: DUSU has been a big platform for me. I have been an ABVP activist since 2011 and to be an activist, a student leader, and an activist again, has been an amazing journey.

Correspondent: Mohit Garid, this years’ Joint Secretary, is a member of NSUI. How did all of you put your ideological differences aside to work as a team?

Priyanka: On a personal level, all of us had a good tuning with Mohit. In fact, we invited him for the first event we organized as a union, a celebration of Ambedkar Jayanti, for which he turned up as well. However, after that I’m not sure what happened. We organized multiple events after that and approached him as well, but we didn’t receive any proper, satisfying answer from him. It was reported that he was rebuked from his organization for attending the Ambedkar Jayanti event alongside us. But he and NSUI need to understand that when in DUSU, we work together. It is for the welfare of the students of Delhi University and not for ABVP or NSUI. He spent five lakhs, I don’t know where, since he conducted no events after this. The President has issued him a five-lakh budget but we didn’t see any programmes organized in the name of Mohit Garid.

Correspondent: For a long time, women in DUSU have been relegated to the position of Joint Secretary or General Secretary, with you (Vice President) being an exception. Are women being treated like tokens in DUSU politics?

Priyanka: It’s a presumption that women are treated like tokens in DUSU politics. In fact, ABVP has a large number of female candidates who are a part of it. Regarding who is offered what position, I would say it is a matter of capabilities and leadership skills. ABVP has women on all important posts, be it the National Secretary or in the Zonal Working Committee. Women have been given an important post and they have just as big a contribution in decision-making, as men do. I don’t think there is any such bias in ABVP.

Correspondent: Mohit, it was recently alleged that a sum total of five lakh rupees had been provided to you, for which no explanation was given, since you organized no major events. What would you say to that?

Mohit Garid, NSUI member and Joint Secretary of DUSU (2016)
Mohit Garid, NSUI member and Joint Secretary of DUSU (2016)

Mohit: The bills that had been passed on my behalf were worth two lakhs, not five lakhs, as is being claimed. By the time I was supposed to submit the remaining bills, our treasurer had resigned. The allegations that I organized no events are false, since I organized events for sports, specifically kickboxing, volleyball, cricket and football, and a hockey event in Shyam Lal College.  I am deeply passionate about sports and I helped organize events for sports even when I was not in DUSU.

Correspondent: While ABVP stands on the far-right, AISA is on the far-left. NSUI and its ideologies are ambiguous to a lot of students. Do you think that makes it difficult for students to identify with it?

Mohit: We don’t believe in curtailing what people want to say. Unlike some political parties, we are not an organization that believes in classifying people on the basis of who is a nationalist and who is not. We don’t try to certify and label people. Our concern is to work for students.

Correspondent: To what would you credit your unexpected victory, in which you were able to break ABVP’s winning streak from the past two consecutive years?

Mohit: I worked relentlessly for three to four years. My teams in various colleges helped me immensely, helped students with their problems, and engaged with them on a personal level. It is with the support of that team of mine that I was able to win this seat.

Certain parts of the interview have been edited and translated for clarity.

Image credits: Hindustan Times and Youtube

Kinjal Pandey

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Bazinga: DU Partners with Ola for free cab services on Election Day

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With low voter turnouts plaguing the student politics of the University of Delhi, the varsity has collaborated with Ola Cabs in an attempt to get more students to participate in elections.

The voter turnout in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election has seen a declining trend in recent years. This is due to a number of factors such as the dissociation of students from party politics and the chaos that ensues on the day of the election. In an effort to combat this, the University has entered into a formal partnership with Ola Cabs for the 12th of September and will provide free “Ola share” cab services for anyone who comes to vote on the day.

Many students claim that they do not turn up to vote for DUSU elections because of the ruckus and traffic on campus. Most second and third-year students conveniently consider it a holiday and make no effort to participate in the decision-making process of the University. Aditya Rawat, a third-year student of Ramjas College, states, “My college is in North Campus whereas I live in Dwarka. Commuting every day for classes is difficult enough as it is, and to do that on a day when the roads right outside the Vishwavidyalaya metro station are filled with pamphlets and big cars is an unnecessary pain that I can easily avoid by skipping college on election day.” Rawat has not voted in his last two years in the varsity. When asked if a free cab service from his home to his college would incentivise him to cast his vote, he said, “Definitely. With the convenience that the cab offers, I’d be a fool not to take advantage of it.”

The University of Delhi, urged on by the leftist parties in DU politics, decided to take this step to make matters easier for students who had legitimate problems in accessing their colleges on the election day. The left-wing parties stated that they lack the money and muscle power of other parties which incentivise students to vote for them, by offering drop-off services from their homes to their colleges. To counterbalance this and to ensure that students who genuinely want to vote are able to do so, the University and Ola have come up with an election day scheme. Students can use the code “DUSU100” to get a free shared ride from their home to their college. The scheme is only valid for those who poll in the morning slot, which is 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The service will be available in select areas across the capital. Students living in NCR will not be able to access the scheme.

In a first, DU authorities have come up with such a collaboration with the primary aim of aiding the student community. The success of this venture can only be evaluated when this year’s turnout is examined.

Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted!

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Vineeta Rana
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