There is a stigma surrounding the B.A Programme degree offered by the University of Delhi, considered to be less valuable and employable when compared to Liberal Arts. This conception is nothing but the result of the flawed mindsets of the people.

The education system in India has, since its inception, been a work in progress. Universities across India keep changing their undergraduate degree structures every few years to inculcate “holistic development” of their students. However, when it comes to the choices realted to higher education in our country, they have always been rigid, calculated and fragmented. The choice to pursue a Bachelor’s degree by a student has always followed a set bandwagon of continuing along the path of the stream you chose in class 11^th. The idea of a student with a medical background during school, pursuing Biology alongside Literature or Political Science at the undergraduate level is considered to be odd and absurd. A sort of prejudice for pursuing a bachelor’s degree in either Science, Commerce or the Arts has been prevalent in the country, and multi-disciplinary degree are considered to be a lost concept, as it they are deemed unconventional.

However, with the coming up of liberal arts, the multi-disciplinary approach to higher education has gained traction. Liberal Arts courses facilitated by new private universities follow a different system of education, similar to the American system. The liberal approach gives students the opportunity to choose any two subjects, without the constraint of limiting themselves to the three traditional streams of study: Science, Commerce and Arts. On the other hand, courses like B.A Programme already exist, offering us the same liberties and benefits in the University of Delhi (DU). They not as popular as a Liberal Arts degree because of the stigma surrounding a B.A. Programme course, deeming the degree less valuable and not of the same status as a B.A . Honours degree.

The course structures of both tend to be similar, with the major difference being the system of implementation being carried out. Private universities enjoy a little more liberty than Delhi University, which is currently following the Choice Based Credit System at the undergraduate level. Both courses allow the students to pick two discipline subjects to pursue with an addition of two foundation subjects to add on. The other major difference comes out to be that liberal arts gives you the freedom to change your discipline subjects every year (although, to obtain a degree in a particular subject, the specific discipline subject needs to be continued for more than a year), however B.A Programme gives you several combinations of discipline subjects at the time of admission that cannot be changed throughout the course of your bachelor’s degree.

Even though the two courses are extremely similar in nature, liberal arts is still more accepted and respected in our society, despite the fact that B.A Programme has been around for a longer time. There is a stigma surrounding the B.A Programme degree offered by Delhi University. It is considered to be less valuable and less employable when compared to Liberal Arts. This conception is nothing but the result of the mindset of the people. Wiith the growth in popularity of the arts stream, there is a significant rise in the awareness among the public, this growth will hopefully lead to the end of the negative stigma surrounding the coveted B.A (P) course at the undergraduate level.

Bhavya Banerjee

[email protected]

Image credits: DU Beat

The new Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma starrer seems to fall flat, despite boasting of Imitiaz Ali’s directing skills.

The audience is introduced to Harry as a tour guide in Amsterdam who drowns his loneliness in alcohol and casual sex. The character’s loneliness is depicted from different angles, with Khan traversing in a bus, drinking alone in a pub, and looking at a reflection of his self in the mirror with a song playing in the background. Enter Sejal (Anushka Sharma) outside an airport, forcing Harry to help find her lost engagement ring, which he is reluctant to do.

Ultimately he gives in, but later confesses to being a womaniser. It is quite clear that Harry is the one in control of everything from the start, and Sejal is just trying to enjoy her new-found freedom (being from a conservative Gujarati family and travelling Europe with a guy) by running into random, shady pubs And yet, she also emphasised that she is not one of ‘those’ women who leave their fiancés and run away with a ‘tour guide’. One thus begins to question Sejal’s statements when she tries to seduce Harry by pretending to run into him at a bar, with the sequence ending awkwardly in the two waking up next to each other next morning, when they start pouring their heart out about singing and the Radha song comes on.

The two characters are shown frolicking around Europe for a ring which quite easily could have been remade, given Sejal’s family business of diamonds and the amount she is paying Harry on a daily basis. That ring is ultimately found in Sejal’s. Moreover, Khan’s age is explicitly evident and the age gap between the lovers quite prominent. There isn’t a concrete story line as would be expected from Imitaz Ali. All one sees is the panoramic views of Prague, Budapest and Amsterdam in the background with flashbacks of Punjab in black and white, none of which render the audience with Harry’s past. Seeking a man’s validation on a woman’s body is a theme regressive and difficult to digest, coming from these actors. And Harry’s sudden ramblings in Punjabi in front of the tourists is just outright rude.

“Jab Harry met Sejal is the weakest film of Imitaz Ali,” as Anupama Chopra said, and indeed it demeans the filmmaker’s calibre and imagination (if any of it is left). The film is all sugar-coated and far from reality. It gets boring at certain intervals and one waits for this ordeal to be over. If you haven’t watched this film, giving it a miss won’t do any harm unless all you plan to watch are some European cities.

Prachi Mehra

[email protected]

Image credits: Saavn

In the era of Game of Thrones, Suits, Sherlock, Friends and other such sitcoms from the West and Permanent Roommates, Tripling, Pitchers, Little things, Girl in the city, The Trip, AIB Podcast, Shut up ya Kunal, A Man’s World and other such web series and shows from India, I know we have a lot of things on YouTube and Netflix to hop on a couch with our laptops and a packet of chips. The University of Delhi (DU) offers a good old number of courses in Economics, History, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science etc. And since we have become a part of DU, I think we should expand our viewing and use the web culture to its fullest. Here’s a list of series and documentaries that you need to watch right away!

1. For the lovers of Literature and all you sensitive beings

Epic Channel came up with a wonderful show, Stories by Rabindranath Tagore, featuring some of the Nobel laureate’s classic works like Chokherbali and Charulata in an episodic format on TV. Netflix has bought this show created by acclaimed director Anurag Basu, and it can be viewed on Youtube as well. If you are interested in short films, watch those created by Terribly Tiny Tales, the world’s most celebrated micro-fiction platform, as they call it. You will fall in love with their Aamad, Elayichi, Rear View, Dry Day, The Last Day and Cuddly Bunny amongst all the other stories filled with the tiny estranged emotions of our daily lives. I hope all of us have watched the Malgudi Days and I sincerely suggest you to go for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries based on the classic Pride and Prejudice.

2. For all the thinkers and postulators

Watch Zeitgeist (film series), made up of 3 documentaries directed by Peter Joseph, where it tries to draw conspiracy theories about religion—Jesus myth hypothesis, 9/11 attacks where it asserts that the American government had advanced knowledge on the terror attack, and the third part calling for the Federal Reserve Bank to be controlled by a small group of bankers who collude to create global disasters, all in order to benefit themselves. Also watch CONSUMING KIDS- The Commercialization of Childhood, which portrays the harmful effects of fast food, violent video games and crass materialism being sold to American children by ruthless marketers, and sheds light on the ethics required to preserve the innocence and sensitivity of children. The War of The Worlds (TV series) postulates extraterrestrials invading our planet and War On Our World (documentary) examines imperialist tendencies and war. A must watch for all the theorists out in DU!

3. My dear future bankers and economists, better watch these!

OVERDOSE: The Next Financial Crisis is a top notch 47-minute documentary on whether the governments can save the banks or the banks can save the governments, based on recession and economic crises happening all around the world, with stock markets crumbling down and how it unravels into a time of payback for all the years of partying during a boom.  In the entire world’s quest for oil and the rise of renewable energy, watch another documentary, Fuel, for its the optimistic take on world’s problems and the solutions to unemployment and depletion of natural resources. Also go for the UK based 97% Owned, a well-researched take on money and the financial markets of the world.

4. For the sake of politics

In order to understand the creation of a whole, united India, watch the episodes created by ABP News—Pradhanmantri. Shekhar Kapur is the anchor of this docu-drama, and it is an interesting take on the politics of India since 1947. Go for similar shows like Ramrajya, Samvidhan and Bharat-Ek Khoj. You will get all the much needed political insights on the Constitution of India and the ‘Discovery of India’.

5. Military, war and International relations

I am sure you’ll remember Shahrukh Khan’s debut serial Fauji, based on the life of an Indian Army commando. Definitely watch it to get inspired. It was first aired on DD National and went on to become a huge success. In a similar fashion, go ahead with Sea Hawks, starring Milind Soman and others and  Aarohan, starring Pallavi Joshi, in order to get an idea of life in the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, respectively.

Nowadays, international conflict and international law are the hot favourites of students and if you loved movies like 300, Clash of the Titans, Troy and others, and want to get to know about the Cold War, the World Wars, Nazi Germany etc., do watch Cold War (TV mini-series) first broadcasted on CNN, Band of Brothers, Science and Swastika, and Iran (Is Not The Problem.)

And that’s a wrap! If you have watched other videos, vlogs or short films, do suggest them in the comments section.

Oorja Tapan

[email protected]

Image credits:

1. Youtube
2. Wikipedia
3. Indianetzone
4. Amazon

Five departments, namely Chemistry, Geology, Zoology, Sociology and History, have been awarded the status of the Centres of Advanced Studies. These Centres have carved a niche for themselves as centres of excellence in teaching and research, in their respective fields. 

Established in the year 1922, the University of Delhi has made its way to become the premiere institute of the country. It is known for its high standards in teaching and research, and attracts eminent scholars to its faculty.  Ever since its inception, a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research has made DU a role-model and path-setter for other universities. Its rich academic tradition has always attracted the most talented students who later on made important contributions to the society.

The university had a humble beginning with just 3 colleges, 2 faculties and about 750 students. At present however, there are 16 faculties, 86 academic departments, 77 colleges and 5 other recognised institutes spread all over the city, with 132435 regular students and 261169 students in the non-formal education programme.

It has come a long way since its inception, scaling new heights in research and teaching, leading to the University Grants Commission (UGC) awarding five of its departments the title of Centre of Advanced Studies. These departments are: Chemistry, Geology, Zoology, Sociology and History. The programme is intended to encourage the pursuit of excellence and teamwork in advanced teaching and research to accelerate the realization of international standards. The maximum limit of financial assistance for a period of five years is rupees 150 lakhs for Sciences and rupees 100 lakhs for the Humanities and Social sciences.

Department of Chemistry:

It was started in the year 1922. In June 1949, Professor TR Seshadri took over as head of the department and owing to his untiring effort, the research activities gradually increased. The department attained a formidable reputation in the international scene as one of the finest schools of chemistry. In 1965, the department of chemistry was recognized as a Centre of Advanced Study of Chemistry.

Department of Geology:

The Department of Geology in DU was introduced in 1966, and was inaugurated by Dr. C.D. Deshmukh, the Vice Chancellor of the university. Dr. A.G. Jhingran, after his retreat as Director General, Geological Survey of India, was offered the charge of founding this Department. The department has since then acquired distinction in teaching and research as well as for dissemination of geological knowledge, both at the national and international level. It is housed in two buildings adjacent to each other. The main three-storey building of the department houses the laboratories, classrooms, museum, auditorium and office of the Geology Department.

It was first recognised as a Centre of Advanced Study (CAS) 15 years back, and since then, has received the distinction 3 times in a row.

Department of Zoology:

The Department of Zoology is a constituent entity of the Faculty of Science, University of Delhi. Since its inception in 1947, it has been the foremost centre for learning in all aspects of Animal Sciences in India. Despite being one of the youngest departments, it was selected as the maiden CAS in Zoology by the UGC, in recognition for its outstanding research profile in 1963. It continues to hold the honour till date. Many extra mural funding grants were won by its faculties from different agencies like the WHO, Ford Foundation, USDA, USAID, CSIR, ICAR, DBT etc. Thus, it enhanced the research infrastructure and maintained its eminent position in the area of Animal Sciences.

Department of Sociology:

The Department of Sociology was established by the University of Delhi in 1959 as a constituent of the Delhi School of Economics. In 1968, the Department was recognised as a CAS in Sociology by the UGC. The Department has a coordinated programme of teaching and research covering a variety of fields, including some developed for the first time in the country. Studies have been published or prepared on community power structures, local-level politics, trade unions, co-operatives, textual and contextual studies of Hinduism, religious symbolism, family and kinship, and social and religious movements.

Department of History:

The department of history is a constituent of the Social Sciences faculty. The UGC has awarded the CAS status to the Department of History too.

Sandeep Samal

[email protected]

Image credits:

Department of Geology website

Department of Zoology website

It was amidst a lot of apprehensions that the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) was introduced by the University of Delhi in 2016. This was an attempt on the University’s part to introduce a uniform grading system which would open doors for student mobility into institutions not only within the country but across the globe. It aims at having a student centric approach by facilitating flexibility in courses. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), the objective of CBCS was to provide a “cafeteria approach” to education where students have the freedom to customise their own course.

The UGC  introduced CBCS so that students could adopt skills by choosing different courses to enhance their employability. The UGC considers CBCS to be a  measure “to bring equity, efficiency, and excellence in higher education.”

The credit based system has been established on an idea of interdisciplinary studies and flexibility. It allows students to take up papers outside of their specialisations in the form of the General Elective courses offered. CBCS offers three kinds of courses: core, elective and foundation. The core course may be different every semester and is studied by the students as an absolute requirement to complete a programme in a said discipline of study. The elective course can be chosen from a pool of papers. It enables the students to seek knowledge that is different from their principal course. Foundational courses, which are Environmental Studies and Communication Skills, are mandatory for all disciplines as they are based inter-disciplinary content that leads to knowledge enhancement.

The grading system is considered to be better than the conventional marking structure. It is a uniform grading system that comprises relative marking, which means that scoring is dependent upon performance in relation to that of other students rather than individual accomplishment. The system has widely been criticised for its scoring procedure as students noticed a downfall in their grades in the pilot year of implementation. The arrangement of the system is such that relative grading is based on the distribution of marks obtained by all students of a course. The grades are then awarded on the basis of a percentile. The exact percentage of the student is very difficult to determine due to this assessment procedure. The university has provided no guidelines to judge the same. The results of the students are presented in the form of a Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA) after the semester exams and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) after every academic year. Both GPAs are a measure of the performance of work carried out by a student.

Overall,  students have a mixed opinion about this system.  According to Snehil Singh of Shaheed Bhagat Singh(M), “  It provides a constructive and comprehensive outlook and optimises the efficiency of pedagogy”.  Sanjana from Ramjas College holds the view that the CBCS is not all about choice and not all about earning credits. According to her it just partially apes the format of American universities without bringing any substantial change.  Lastly, Nimish Nanda from Deshbandhu college says, “CBCS could have been a better system if the things which are on paper, existed in reality. The University offers so many additional Skill Enhancement Courses but the colleges provide only 2 or 3 options to choose from due to lack of infrastructure”.

-Anukriti Mishra

[email protected]

-Bhavya Banerjee

[email protected]