3Ds of hostel life: Discipline, Duty, Devotion.
Hostel life isn’t just about the midnight Maggi and coffee. Life, there, is almost a parallel culture, an experience that takes you out of your comfort zone and exposes you to several experiences. It is a very memorable period in one’s life, but due to lack of knowledge or a casual attitude or just irresponsible behaviour, you may have problems of adjusting to the hostel environment, thus affecting your overall development. So watch your steps and hold yourself up carefully.
Here are a few things you should not do when you are in a hostel:
[caption id="attachment_51067" align="alignnone" width="300"] Hostel life can be tough, but it’s fun too![/caption]
First precaution: Don’t keep your money within easy reach!
There will be a lot of people visiting you, and you can’t point at a single person after a theft, should it take place. Better take precautions on this matter.
Take care of your belongings
You aren’t at home anymore and you can’t let things like cell phones and laptops just lie around. In the same spirit, respect others’ belongings too.
Do not use others’ things
Sharing may be a show of love, but it is also a show of bad manners. People have different needs. Are you sure you want to use their things, or allow them to use yours?
Do not play loud music
Well, students have to maintain a regular study routine- you better consult others before playing loud music.
Do not always speak your mind!
Just in case, remember that freedom of speech is not to be exercised anywhere and everywhere.
Try not to break the rules of your hostel
Curfew time, hygiene and etiquettes are a few decrees of a disciplined hostel that must be upheld at any cost.
Don’t be the late-night rustler
A rustling sound breaks the silence that finally descended in your room, right when you leaped off the bed and started performing a series of tasks, that too at the ungodly hour of 4 in the morning.
[caption id="attachment_51068" align="alignnone" width="300"] Keep your room neat[/caption]
Don’t lounge with laundry
Hanging newly-washed laundry around the room, looping clothes around bedposts and stringing socks over the windowsill: enough!
Do not keep the garbage in the room
Hostel rooms are usually tiny. In such an enclosed space, pages and packets littered around are a nuisance.
Don’t keep weeping when you are homesick!
Keep in touch with your parents and try to adjust to the new place. A cry-baby does not give good vibes.
The hostel is where you are adulting, so enjoy the stay and be responsible!
Image credits: DU Beat, and Backpack and Bunkbeds
Radhika Boruah[email protected]
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Cracking the UPSC examinations is the real deal for hundreds of students. Who wouldn’t want to have a job that is secure, prestigious and gives you ample power. But at what cost does it come?
The Indian Administrative Services is considered to be one of the most prestigious career options in our country. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India’s central recruiting agency responsible for all the appointments to the All India Services. Students crave to crack the UPSC examinations and make it through, in order to become an elite jobholder of the government sector. Regardless of the rigorous studying and piling pressure, students give their all just to make it among the few hundreds who successfully crack the examinations. Apart from job security, who wouldn’t want to have all the power and authority of regulating the daily affairs of the government, along with the many incentives? But wait, it isn’t exactly a smooth-sailing as it seems.
India is home to quality education and has produced excellent professionals in various fields. And when it comes to competitive environments, UPSC exams are no different. As of 2016, around 11.37 lakh students applied for the IAS prelims test. More than 500,000 students appeared for the examinations, out of which, only 15,445 managed to make it through to the Mains. These numbers speak tell us what the scenario is. But is it, in fact, okay that so many students give these examinations though only a few hundred get to successfully complete it? It is argued in favour of for being a lucrative career, thus being worth all the effort. But 11 lakh students getting through annually, and the famous coaching institutes charging huge fees to rope in as many students as they can, is a bleak scenario. The students need to be present in these institutes an hour before their coaching time so that they get the front seat. A single batch of students consists of more than 300 students, at the very least.
Is it truly fine that thousands of students queue up every day in front of these institutes, study rigorously for hours, and get back home to complete assignments and keep up to date with the current affairs? All these things take time and manpower. Just imagine how mentally and physically draining it is for the students. Is any career option above one’s health?
Health is neglected and hardly considered to be an important factor nowadays. No matter what people say, it is evident in the way they are rushing into the best institutes and exhausting themselves, day in day out, trying to crack these examinations.
It is concerning that the way these preparations take place and the number of students who are a part of this process is seriously going out of proportion. Parental pressure may be one reason why so many students are preparing for these. Any parent would want their child’s future to be secure, and what better than a prestigious government job. Another reason may be the lack of scope in vocational fields in India. Career options relating to fields other than Management and Science are hardly considered, and even if they are, to reach the level where one’s future can be secure seems difficult, acting as a demoralizing factor. And if none of these reasons play a part, the lack of courage among students to pursue something else in such a compact environment restricts them from even considering any other option.
We might need to reconsider our choices and look into other options. Not everyone is capable of everything. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and maybe, one should prepare accordingly. If nothing else, it can help minimize a lot of chaos.
Yes, a government job is secure. Yes, there are endless benefits of a government job. Yes, the power associated with such jobs is incomparable. Yes, the prestige one achieves with such jobs cannot be questioned. But at what cost?
Do societies really make your grades hit rock bottom, or is it time to turn the finger towards yourself? Often, the will to get the best of both worlds is all you need.
Usually academic fulfillment is the primary motive of school, while holistic development is that of a college. For the purpose of grooming an individual on an all-round basis, colleges across the university harbor a wide array of cultural and non-cultural societies open for participation to all students, irrespective of course and credentials. The selection procedure entails a rather long drawn-out audition cycle that is necessary for evaluating the credibility of a potential entrant.
Both cultural and non-cultural societies engage in a lot of work that essentially requires a high degree of commitment. Being a part of a college society demands undivided attention, free from external influence of any kind. A likely situation may arise prior to and during the annual festival season. The cream societies of the university are under pressure to maintain their legacy, and the budding societies face dire stress of making it to the top. In the face of these difficult circumstances, students usually find themselves in a fix. It gets utterly impossible to be able to keep a stable record of lectures and remain wary of the repercussions. But then again, that is precisely how student-run organisations, societies and clubs function. They base their working on the acquired, sometimes innate, ability of their members to multitask well. The least that can be expected from an undergraduate student, willfully a part of some society, is efficient management.
As is very rightly said, with great power comes great responsibility. It is time that students start understanding the severity of the same. Whilst being a part of a college society is an accomplishment in itself, maintaining a decent grade point average stands at equal footing. A society, no doubt, requires its members to sometimes miss lectures and it may, in worst cases, result in loss of both attendance and conceptual knowledge. But that should not make room for ready acceptance of ill fate. In scenarios like these, wisdom lies in putting in an extra effort to make up for all the lost time, by personally requesting teachers in-charge to take tutorials in their free time. This will ensure steady growth, both academically and professionally, and will also leave a positive impression on the teacher.
The ingrained blueprint of school days takes less than a month to wear off in the face of collegiate novelty. It is, in fact, true that college students study most of the text on their own and need little help with the rest. The days of incessant pampering and spoon-feeding have long gone, and it is imperative to let that fact sink in. It is not as difficult, as it is laborious, to make notes on one’s own and clarify doubts. There is no better way of keeping track than to take notes on a routine basis and reach out to the professors in case a doubt arises.
College societies are a professional arena and follow precise modus operandi, in accordance with which practice timings are determined. Their functioning is such that it leaves ample room for attending certain lectures. Also, considering the final score sheet carries a weightage of 5% attendance in each paper, colleges provide to their society members a compensation bill which helps settle the attendance score card for all the classes missed. A benefit of this kind is like ambrosia for ECA students and should not, in any way, make allowance for excuses regarding a dilapidated academic score.
The societies are as much a part of the educational institution as any scholarly establishment is, and consequently, bound to follow the university calendar, which stands witness to the various events and examinations throughout the year. And the societies do suspend work for almost a month and a half before semester-end examinations. The preparatory leave is also bountiful and makes for a wholesome study environment.
The benefits that a person reaps from working actively for a society prove fruitful in the long run. But it should also be kept in mind that it is not so at the cost of academic forfeiture. There are people who manage their score, their professional pledge, and work simultaneously with ease and meticulousness. It is only intention that helps these students function tirelessly.
So the next time you find yourself brainstorming on an idea to use ‘commitments’ as an excuse for not scoring well, remember that good management, coupled with a strong intent to fare well in exams, can make all the difference in the world!
JMC’s Department of Mathematics conducts a three-day long workshop on Game Theory.
From 10th to 12th August 2017, the Mathematics department of Jesus and Mary College (JMC), University of Delhi (DU), hosted a Science Academies Lecture workshop for undergraduates in Mathematics. The workshop was conducted in collaboration with three science academies, namely, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Science Academy and The National Academy of Sciences. These academies jointly conduct such programmes as a part of their year-long activities. This time, the topic for the three-day long workshop was ‘Game theory and Graph theory’.
In the period of three days, the workshop saw great participation from students all across DU. The workshop was inaugurated by the college principal and faculty members of the Maths and Economics departments, all lighting the lamp of knowledge.
Soon, Professor Arunava Sen from the Indian Statistical Institute was invited to the dais to deliver a lecture on ‘Introduction to game theory and design mechanism’. He spoke at length and used relevant, famous case studies of the prisoner’s dilemma and the Nash equilibrium to aid learning. The following days saw an equally interesting line-up of lectures delivered by the likes of Professor R. Bapat from the Indian Institute of Statistics, and S. Sivaramakrishnan, a professor at IIT Bombay, on subjects like linear algebra and graph theory, among others. The workshop also saw real-life problems related to college admissions solved, and other cases like the issue of bankruptcy being discussed.
Christina Vasanth, a part of the student organising team for the workshop, said, “People from a lot of colleges came just to attend this workshop. I found it extremely beneficial as during routine days, we don’t get to learn from the best professors in India. Even the teachers sat down and took notes of what the professors were saying. I wish a lot more workshops of this kind are conducted.” The workshop concluded after a feedback form was filled by the students, and a vote of thanks delivered to all the professors who took out time to deliver those lectures.
“Who cares about sexual orientation at the University of Delhi (DU)?” Clearly, not as many people as there ought to be, as the students of the LGBTQ community narrate their own perspectives.
Seconds to go before class and I am extremely bothered by the news notifications screaming from the lock screen, becoming harder and harder to ignore by the minute. So bothered, in fact, that I stop staring at them and slam my phone screen-side down on the bench. It makes a tremendous noise but (thankfully) no cracks on the tempered glass. Questioning glances pour in from all directions. Someone is just about to articulate his question when the door creaks open. The professor walks in, embodying an air of seriousness, as classes begin on a disturbingly ordinary note. Life resumes, but the headline on my phone still says, “Trump bans transgenders from U.S. military.” Little do most students realise, or care to acknowledge, that the international imbroglio strikes much closer home.
Trump’s U-turn: bans transgenders from U.S. Military
Earlier this year, Kamla Nehru College’s (KNC) English department organised LitLuminous, its annual literary fest, around the theme “LGBTQ: Literatures Going Beyond The Quotidian”. It turned out to be something of a novelty, what with the outpouring of appreciation and participation from students across the university. An excellent panel of speakers, including Rajorshi Das, Vikramaditya Sahai, Amalina Dave and Divya Dureja, sought to enlighten those present. DU’s LGBTQ student community must have rejoiced. Many students actually left the building realising how important and reassuring it is to have acceptance, no matter what their sexual orientation. I certainly gained a lot of insight from the discussions held in that dimly lit theatre. And if someone wanted to, I believe they could have smashed right out of the proverbial ‘closet’ that afternoon, so to speak. Most of the students and laymen that I have come across, also think of the University of Delhi as a safe haven for diverse communities.
“But for a second, also look at how this event turned out to be ‘one of a kind’. I mean, why? If the university was openly receptive, wouldn’t there be more effort? Moreover, the subject is still considered taboo. Hence, you get that kind of overwhelming response. With KNC’s event, there was curiosity. People wanted to ‘know’ about the LGBTQ persons… But at the same time, they considered the event to be ‘bold’. We need to normalise the notion that LGBTQ people exist in DU and all across the country,” a semi-irate closet lesbian, who would like to remain anonymous, texts me her response. Clearly, my complacency will be short-lived. Maybe people do not understand or accept the ground reality yet, not daring to go beyond the notion that members of the LGBTQ community have quirky sartorial choices and an outspoken attitude regarding sexual orientations.
Shubham Kaushik, a recent graduate from Miranda House and yet to open up about her orientation to her parents, agreed to shed some light on the issue. While she can see the baby steps heading in the right direction, she laments that this is, at the end of the day, “a country which criminalizes homosexuality.” She points out that there may not be active discrimination in DU, but neither is there an open acceptance. “Disapproval hurts,” she says, recalling that several of her acquaintances have faced harsh criticism as students in DU. In a heartfelt audio note (recorded very kindly, despite a horrid cold threatening to sabotage her voice), she concludes with suggesting that while a ‘pride parade’ may not be the solution, DU’s colleges could certainly do with a set of concrete guidelines on the administrative level, addressing the grievances of students bunched together dismissively in the ‘Other’ category. And it all makes sense. If there can be a ‘Women’s Development Cell’ (WDC) for every college, why not a special cell for the LGBTQ community? It makes me wonder if we, as a collective, are afraid to acknowledge that they are a minority too, in terms of equality.
Riya Sharma’s story, a transgender student from SOL, was widely covered
The Hindustan Times reported that not a single student enrolled in the university under the ‘Other’ category recently provided for in the admission forms, in 2015-16. Clearly, this ‘Other’-ing and singling out of individuals cannot be the solution. This was also the national daily which reported that DU’s student elections do not tend to focus on this segment of the population at all as if the LGBTQ students did not exist. There are no sensitization drives in the campus. When last year a transgender student, Riya Sharma, narrated her tale of campus discrimination, it began to be widely covered by various news portals. “Even the teachers laughed,” she had said, and it quickly became the headline. I could not help but notice that she said this as a student of the School of Open Learning (SOL), where classes are, in any case, held just once a week. What would give a Riya Sharma the confidence to attend any regular DU college, coming to class for five, sometimes even six days in a week?
I suggested that the LGBTQ students could come out to help themselves, organising fests and events in a fashion similar to other minorities in DU, like say, the North-East fests. Vineeta Rana, an LGBTQ member, and a third-year student herself, concurred. She voted in favour of a Queer Pride Parade in DU, not unlike the one organised by IIT Delhi in the North Campus last October, only much larger in scale and more widely publicised. “The Delhi Pride Parade is held in November/December, and I have exams then, so it is difficult to attend,” she says, while opposing the fact that LGBTQ students are discriminated against in DU. On the other hand, I could not be so sure.
IIT Delhi organised an LGBT Pride Parade in North Campus in 2016.
After having spoken to a number of students, some agreeing to the fact that DU is their safe haven (unlike the outside world) and others not, one thing emerges clearly. Whether or not they would like to openly scream out the truth about their sexuality from the rooftops, all of them are aware of their identity as a minority, owing to the covert discrimination in the eyes of the onlookers. ‘It’s all in the mind,’ as the proverb goes. And the only way to change minds is via active sensitization, something a mere notification on my phone screen cannot achieve.
With the election season gearing up, student organisations in the University of Delhi are outlining their campaign blueprints for the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) Elections 2017-18. With the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) having swept the DUSU polls for three consecutive years, the Indian National Congress party has decided to intervene in the micromanagement of its students’ wing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) action plans so as to convert this year into a victory.
Last year, NSUI made a comeback by Mohit Garid winning the joint secretary’s seat but lost the other three seats of President, Vice- President and Secretary to Amit Tanwar, Priyanka and Ankit Singh Sangwan respectively who owe their candidature to the BJP-RSS wing , ABVP. After the game changing elections of Rajya Sabha three days ago to secure a hard-won seat for Ahmed Patel, Congress party has sent teams of leaders to interact with students of North, South and off campus colleges of Delhi University(DU) so as to ascertain the problems and issues of the student community. So far, the party had left the DUSU elections to be managed by NSUI’s student leaders only but as a part of its mega offensive strategy of ‘take back du’ , it has delegated senior leaders like Ajay Maken, Mukul Wasnik and Oscar Fernandes to handle the elections.
The campaign is going to be high on social media and with a Senior Congress leader remarking that ‘For us, every victory counts’ and hiring of a professional agency to exercise the creatives, Congress and NSUI have pulled up their socks for 2017. And it is yet to be seen with the opportunist tendencies being so largely visible in BJP-RSS, when will the three times winner ABVP trains its guns.
Before the eminent Hindu College reopened its women’s hostel to the incoming students, with the reduction in the fees and the elimination of incongruous rules that required the abiders to not stray out of their rooms after 11pm, wear “decent” attire and go on only one permissible night out in a month, along with the extension of the 8:30pm curfew, the college faced a number of controversies regarding the discriminatory fee issue. This concern was tackled by ‘Pinjra Tod’, a feminist student collective that works towards the elimination of curfews and a better lifestyle for women in the educational sphere and various other state bodies. In the face of this opposition, the fees went down by 30,000, but the women still pay double of what is paid by the men; where the men pay 50,000 and the women 90,000 and the curfew though extended still remains.
A similar case was observed in St. Stephen’s College last year where the authorities locked up the men in their blocks too as a justification for locking the women up in their blocks by 10:00 pm. Paying Guests function on a similar note where women residents are usually over charged and expected to stick to a fixed curfew, accompanied by the daily quota of moral policing. This makes it an imperative motion for us to acknowledge this menacing concern regarding the discriminatory curfew where the girls in most hostels are expected to get back by 8:30 but boys can show up much later or not at all. These inequitable curfews are justified by the authorities as cautionary devices, implying that locking up women would mean that they are secure. However, this aspect of safeguarding women by caging them within bolted doors could be seen otherwise.
It is important to note that the discriminatory curfews violate regulations set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC), that coordinates and maintains the standards of collegiate education and occupies the position of law, notified by a state gazette. The regulations put forward by the UGC speak of safety as being no excuse for restricting the mobility of female students. The University of Delhi has given recognition and circulated notices to colleges for the election of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC following protests related to the suicide of a female Dalit student of the School of Open Learning(SOL) in 2016. However, this notice has only been partially admitted and no actions have been made to expel the restricted mobility of female students. The students have in no way asked for this restriction to be imposed on men alike; however, this prejudiced curfew has been acknowledged and neutralised by locking up the men as well.
The issue of biased curfews can be interpreted in various ways. The heads might rationalise it as a way of protecting women. When questioned, they often reply with “they signed up for it, so why complain?” or “the parents want it that way,” blatantly representing the ingrained patriarchal notions among people and the casual acceptance of overt sexism in public spheres. It may also be seen as a more passive-aggressive form of victim shaming that out rightly suggests that whatever comes upon a woman is due to her own risque nature so it’s best to lock her up. Women have been suffering from dysphoria and disapproval for the sole reason that they are gendered as females. Gender discrimination has stunted their potential.
The perception of women by society as archetypal temptresses is seen as a threat to the patriarchal order. Therefore, an effort is made to control the female sexuality by caging them behind locked doors.
The battle against this prejudice remains as various groups fight for it. As our fight for equality persists, it is important to realise that we are entitled to our freedom no matter whom we offend with it. Our oppression cannot be trivialised and the acceptance of the possessive and controlling behavior of our detainers cannot be normalised.
Getting into one’s dream college may not always turn out be a reality, but Delhi University gives the aspirants a second chance to migrate to the college of their choice.
The migration procedure in University of Delhi allows students to migrate from one college to another of their choice. It is a boon for those who aimed to get into top colleges but couldn’t due to the high cut-offs. However, it is to be noted that according to University of Delhi, ‘Migration is not a right; it is only a permissive facility and not an obligatory one. It all depends upon both incoming and outgoing Colleges concerned; therefore, the policy of Reservation in Migration for both Inter-College & Inter-University is not applicable.’
The University of Delhi also allows Inter- University migration only on the grounds that the parents or guardian of the student is living in Delhi or has migrated to Delhi. It is applicable for B.A Programme and B.Com Programme students in their third semester. Inter college migration is provided by the University in B.A, B.Com, B.A (Hons), B.Com (Hons) and B.Sc. (Hons) in the 3rd semester.
There are some general rules and conditions for the process which are as follows:-
Students cannot migrate from a regular college to School of Open Learning(SOL) or Non Collegiate Women’s Education Board(NCWEB)
Students cannot migrate to another college in a different course.
Students cannot migrate in the fifth semester or third year.
Students cannot migrate at the Post-Graduate level.
Only students who have passed both the semesters of first year of degree course under semester mode are eligible. Migration can be sought during the office hours till August 31 (tentatively). There documents that are required are:-
No Objection Certificate from the Head of the College where the student is studying as well as where he/she wants to migrate.
A leaving certificate from the Head of the concerned college.
In a tragic turn of events, a 19 year old student from University of Delhi allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in North Delhi’s Burari, as the police said on Wednesday.
The student, Hijam Bharat Singh, a second year student of Satyawati College hailing from Manipur, was found hanging in his flat by two of his relatives on Tuesday.
DCP Jatin Narwal said the deceased was staying with two of his relatives Rohin and Gautam, at a rented accommodation in Sant Nagar. He allegedly hanged himself, when they were out, leaving behind no suicide note at the spot.
“The incident came to light when they returned to their flat around 9.30 pm and Singh did not open the door. They peeped in through a window and saw his body hanging from a ceiling fan,” an officer told the Indian Express.
“The crime forensic team of north district was also called to lift fingerprints from the spot. The body has been preserved at the mortuary for the post-mortem and police have initiated an inquest proceeding into the matter under Section 174 of CrPC,” the officer added in his quote to the Indian Express.
Police said they are scanning his cellphone to ascertain the reason for the alleged suicide.
Looking beyond the plethora of cafes and restaurants which are tucked away in the sprawling streets of on-campus and off-campus colleges, peruse through the price-friendly places to visit for your own happy meal!
Of all the places that make the University of Delhi illuminating with energy and fascination, some of the most special ones are the comfort paradises of college canteens. These food havens end up becoming some of our favourite places to visit around campus. Explore our list of where to go when your stomach hurls for a delightful meal, without burning some appetising holes in your pocket!
Anna’s Canteen
This homely little nook located in PG Men’s hostel serves the best dosas in North Campus. This canteen is run by a man fondly called Anna, and you can get the best South Indian food, Lemon rice and fruit beer in this magical place. Bonus points for all the cats roaming around that you also get to pet!
Pandit Jee ki canteen/ Gwyer Hall Canteen
This place has been around for a long time. Legend has it that journalist Vinod Dua and politician Arun Jaitley frequented this place as students. This place is as known for its legacy as much as it is known for its sweet samosas and scrumptious Maggi.
Delhi School of Economics Canteen
D-school is not only home to its amazing canteen, but also to the legendary JP Tea stall. The mutton dosas and cutlets served in the canteen do not have a match. JP tea stall also offers amazing iced-tea, masala cokes, and chai at ridiculously low prices; making it one of the most popular places in north campus.
Delhi University Teachers’ Association Canteen
A palatable gem tucked away near the gate number 4 of the Conference Center, University Enclave is DUTA’s sprawling canteen. The food joint is said to offer a delicious variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at extremely reasonable prices. The Nescafé cafe is a visitor’s favourite in this bustling canteen in North Campus!
Mansarovar Hostel Canteen
For the habitants of North Campus, the entrance through Vishwavidyalaya metro station leads the way to the famous Mansoravar Hostel, and its bustling canteen. The place also has a photocopy shop within the premises; thus, students can be found sipping on a bottle of Coke or munching on snacks while their academic needs are met. Go and visit to try their delicious fried rice and chole bha?ure to warm your mouth!
NSD Canteen
The wonderland for theatre enthusiasts is also the abode for some delectable food. The canteen also boasts of a time when Shah Rukh Khan’s father ran the place with zest! The centre also takes care of three campus cats; feeding them and sheltering them. Visit the cozy canteen to delight on affordable samosas, paranthas, and other savoury pleasures!
VKRV Rao Hostel Canteen
The famous hostel canteen is a favourable place to satiate all hunger pangs, with its lip-smacking stuffed paranthas, Maggi, and steaming hot chai. The bustling food joint keeps its lights open till 1 in the night; allowing a plethora of hostellers and nearby residents to crash in for food at those wee hours for a satisfying meal!
Hostel life can be tough, but it’s fun too![/caption]
Keep your room neat[/caption]
