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Admissions 2017

Technical Glitches Continue to Assail DU Applicants

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The fourth leg of undergraduate admissions at the University of Delhi was declared open by the uploading of the Fourth cut-off list on the DU website, and the portals of the varsity are once again bustling with hopeful candidates. However, a dampening trend witnessed over the last few cut-offs resumes to action as the technical snags experienced by candidates is continuing to hamper their admissions process.

The minor dip in percentages has set in motion the withdrawal and shifting process, eyed by several students. The first rung of the admissions procedure involves obtaining an acknowledgment slip from the UG portal; a task many students were unable to complete due to the non-compliance of the online system. “I have been waiting since the morning for the online portal to start working so that my admission slip can be generated. I even tried logging in from a cyber café, but the server was down,” The Hindu quoted Ananya, a Daulat Ram College aspirant.

Another grievance was brought to the table by Manpreet Kaur, who after several attempts was able to secure admission at Khalsa. She said, “As the server was down in the morning, the admission slip was not being generated. However, I managed to get it later on.”

As the wheel of cut-off lists keeps spinning, the input and output of applications is also running strong. Daulat Ram College saw 35 new applicants with a few withdrawal, Hindu College witnessed 50 admissions against 7 cancellations, Sri Venkateswara College noted 80 fresh applicants with 24 cancellations, and Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College saw 30 admissions against 80 withdrawals.

Being the official second last phase of undergraduate admissions, admissions for various courses in colleges had been declared closed. With 16,000 seats on offer in totality by the varsity, Hindu College has closed admissions for 15 out of 17 courses, Kirori Mal College has only 7 programmes up for grabs, and Motilal Nehru College (Evening) has ceased admissions in 6 courses. In Miranda House, admissions are only open for B.A. (Hons.) English, Sociology, B.A. (Programmne), and B.Sc. (Hons.) Botany. Sri Venkateswara College has closed admissions for eight out of a total of 20 courses.

The highest cut-off was announced by Lady Shri Ram College for B.A. (Hons.) Psychology, capped at 97.75%. Admissions under the fourth cut-off list are scheduled to be continued till Saturday, July 15th. The next list will be announced in the evening of June 17th, with admissions taking place over July 18th and 19th, 2017.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

 

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Cluster Innovation Centre

This DU Startup aims to be the ‘Amazon’ for Socially Conscious Products

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Stories and tales of ‘how hard work will change one’s future and fate’ seemed not be working for the members of a deaf and mute community in Delhi. Their dedication and willingness to fight the society by earning their own bread was all visible in their beautiful handicrafts, paintings, gift items and other items but the filled cupboards told another story of lost hope. Their hard work and products which were supposed to change their lives couldn’t reach the market.

“It was just another appalling sight of the plight that any college student who takes up a project on social welfare will surely encounter”, says Saurabh Patel one of the co-founders of Lithics.in. “The condition was such that even one of the heads of the NGO, which worked for these communities had to cut down on staff and take up a part time job to generate money for the organisations”, he says as he recalls the past times.

Taking lessons from one of their college projects at Cluster Innovation Centre and doing some further research, these students realised that the situation was not much different for other NGOs in the country. After days of pondering over the problem of market access to these communities, they came up with an idea of a creating a social enterprise that could help these marginalised communities sell their products at a full price to its customers. Aiming to end this plight, three students Desh Deepak Dwivedi, Saurabh Patel and Kirti Krishan started Lithics.in in order to provide an online marketplace for helping various NGOs and Co-Operative of weaker sections of the society like organisations of differently abled people, jail inmates, marginalised women from rural areas, local artisans, and war widows among many. Currently being housed in the Technology Business Incubator of Cluster Innovation Centre of the University of Delhi (DU).

Today more than thirty small and big organisations sell their products through their web portal. Ms.Sujata Kumari, the founder of Agrima Foundation who earlier had to cut down on the staff as she was unable to sell her products now has recruited several new of them. “Now I am busy packing products for the orders that I receive from as far as Darbhanga in Bihar to Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. Now I know that I am receiving my due recognition”, says Sujata.

Within six months Lithics has gone forward to win several accolades. From winning the Pollination Project Grant, receiving special appreciation at DBS-NUS Social Venture Challenge Asia 2016 and was selected for entrepreneurship training at DO School Brazil. One of the co-founders got selected for Younus and Youth Fellowship program.

“We are planning to expand our reach of NGOs outside Delhi. Currently, we are eyeing towards Mumbai and Bangalore”, says Kirti Krishan who is one of the co-founders.

On being asked about what motivates them to work day in and day out, Desh Deepak says “Many people come across pain of marginalised people and go back by just showing sympathy. We wanted to do something more than that, so we empowered them. Their happiness is our sole currency.”

 

*Special Note

The start-up has made it to the final rounds the International Entrepreneurship for Good Program 2017, Brazil. You can make them win this competition by voting for them by clicking on the link given below.

https://thedoschool.org/ventures/lithics/

(You would need to enter your email and confirm the same on the mail that you receive in your mailbox)

*You can buy any of their products here to support weaker communities to earn a living.

 

Feature Image credits: Lithics.in fb page

 

Srivedant Kar

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News

Delhi High Court calls Indian education system “dehumanised” and “a machine” in Sushant Rohilla’s alleged suicide case

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On 11th July 2017, a Delhi High Court bench comprising Justices Siddharth Mridul and Najmi Waziri made an acute oral observation on the failure of the Indian education system as a whole, while hearing the Supreme Court plea initiated in September 2016, regarding Sushant Rohilla’s alleged suicide. On the matter, which was transferred to the Delhi HC in March 2017, the bench made a scathing remark: “It (the education system) is completely dehumanised. It is a machine. The human element has been completely taken out. The contact between teacher and student is perfunctory… We seem to be mass producing clones… You must conform at all costs, else retribution is swift.”

The bench also remarked directly upon Amity Law University’s “element of callousness” in handling the sensitive issue, as Rohilla was a third-year student there, barred from sitting in the semester examinations due to low attendance. “The student reached out to you. He cried out for help. But did you respond?” the court asked of the varsity, which continued to defend its attendance norms as a basic system of checks and balances meant to establish discipline. This system, however, is not above offering assistance to its students and accommodating improvements where necessary, Amity also claimed. The varsity is affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), which was given the  last chance to file an affidavit recording its stance on the subject.

Sushant Rohilla’s classmates took to social media with a fervour post his death, alleging his harassment and charging the teachers with apathy and negligence. So far, the outrage fuelled online has caused two of the professors to resign. Most significantly, it was a letter written by Raghav Sharma, another final year student of Amity and a close friend of Rohilla, to the then CJI TS Thakur, which caused this PIL to be instituted in court. In the letter, Sharma puts the blame squarely upon the shoulders of the Amity authorities, citing reasons including medical issues which first prevented Rohilla from attending the classes, leading to his lack of attendance, then a severe depression at being barred from the exams, and all of it culminating in a suicide by hanging, at his own house on 10th August 2016.

The court appointed amicus curiae has intervened after examining a “shocking” status report filed by the Delhi Police, which not only did not consider the examination of any person necessary with regard to the complaint but also insinuated that the suicide note may not have been written by Rohilla himself. Unconvinced, the court has asked for a transfer of the “compromised” investigation, to be monitored by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Delhi). The DCP must now file a detailed probe report before the next hearing on 8th August 2017.

So far, all the elements in the case seem to be working against Amity and the varsity’s officials involved. But most importantly, the court’s statement takes into account what the current education system and inhumane red-tapism tend to leave out—the worth of a student’s life. It is an essential point raised, and one which directly concerns all students pursuing or hoping to pursue a higher education in the country. Minimum attendance as a pre-requisite for marks and entry to exam halls has been a matter of much discontent and protests in the last few years in the University of Delhi (DU) too, with ECA and Sports quota students especially crying foul. Those against the mandate argue about the injustice of having to sit in class, even when unable to, for reasons ranging from serious health issues to a simple lack of interest in certain lectures. University students, after all, are responsible adults in the making. Why must they be robbed of the autonomy to choose and to make the simple decision of which classes to attend, and which to skip out? Only time will tell what the verdict on Rohilla’s case shall be, yet the court has made a vital statement in the initial hearing itself, giving hopes to the entire student community.

Image credits: Hindustan Times

 

Deepannita Misra

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News

Three try to get into DU with fake mark sheets

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Every year, almost without fail, at least one of the numerous colleges under the University of Delhi find fake certificates being submitted during the admission season. Caste certificates, mark sheets and even the Sports and Extra Curricular Activities certificates, trials for which begin in a few days, are all subject to thorough checking to filter the forged ones. If certificates are found fake, it leads to police complaints and dismissals in the middle of the academic year.

Recently, three students had come to a college with marksheets and documents issued by the ‘Board of Higher Secondary Education (Delhi)’. All three of them had filled up the forms and were in the process of getting their documents verified. Cases of fake admission surfaced at Delhi University’s Sri Aurobindo College (Evening) on Monday, following which the matter was reported to police.  It was during the final verification process that the machine showed that the documents were not genuine. Apparently, there is no such board and as the officials were trying to verify their claim, two of the aspirants ran away. The third one also ran away, leaving behind the documents, a member of the college’s admission grievance committee reported. Delhi does not have its own board; however, the ‘Board of Higher Secondary Education (Delhi)’, on its website, claims to be an autonomous organisation under the Government of India.

The Dean Students’ Welfare office has also often warned students against touts during the admission days.  A tout, according to past experience, is usually well-groomed and does not look shady. He or she will probably approach the student, offering to fill up their forms and asking to look at their certificates. Name dropping will be rampant and sometimes a tout will even go to the extent of talking to some authority milling around. He may be just making enquiries but a student from a distance can be fooled into believing that the authority is personally known to the tout. A student’s details can be copied to build up another student profile. Therefore, the basic rule to follow is to not give anyone your documents, or believe anyone who says they can give you a seat, because the admission process is too transparent and such things are not possible anymore, the authorities say.

 

Image credits: The Asian Age

 

Radhika Boruah

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Admissions 2017

CBSE revaluation process to hinder ongoing DU admissions

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The Delhi high court on Tuesday said the ongoing Delhi University (DU)  admissions could be impacted by the re-evaluation of Class XII examination answer sheets submitted to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).  Last week, the court had lifted all conditions imposed by the CBSE on students seeking to re-evaluate their Class XII answer sheets. The verdict came on a plea filed by an advocate who was representing four students against the board’s notification limiting the scrutiny of marks to just 12 subjects. Nearly 11 lakh students appeared for the Class 12 exams conducted by the CBSE this year, of which 2.47% applied for re-evaluation.

A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar declared that the merit position of students could change substantially on the basis of marks obtained after re-evaluation. Therefore, as a matter of abundant caution, colleges and admission-seeking students need to be kept informed about the pendency of the writ petition as well as the fact that the process of re-evaluation of marks by the CBSE on the request of some students is underway. It ordered that it’s the “responsibility of the University of Delhi to make public as well as inform all the colleges regarding this position and to put the students, to notice about the order passed today”. Hence, the college principals and students have been mindful of the stipulations, and clarifications that have been issued in this regard by the admission committee.

However, Delhi University officials said this need not worry students who have already secured college seats. The officials declared that once a student’s admission is approved and they pay the admission fees, it will not be cancelled even if their marks get reduced after re-evaluation. Admissions will be cancelled only if the student provides the university with fabricated certificates and such. Also, there are provisions in the University admission guidelines to accommodate students whose grades have increased after re-evaluation: the guidelines clearly state that a student who qualifies under a cut-off list but fails to take admission may do so on the last day of admissions under subsequent cut-off lists, subject to the availability of seats. In view of the above, it is directed that the admissions effected pursuant to CBSE examination conducted in March/April 2017 shall be subject to the final outcome of the present writ petition.

Feature Image credits: Indian Express

Radhika Boruah

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Admissions 2017

Deduction of 2.5% for languages like Nepali, Odia, Tamil and others in the best of four puts applicants on back foot

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An undergraduate admissions guideline has once again been the source of confusion, disappointment, and despair amongst the aspiring students. The varsity is putting into effect a deduction of 2.5% for the inclusion of languages such as Nepali, Tamil, Malayalam, Odia, Kannada, and Marathi in the Best of Four percentage, as they are not counted as academic subjects.

A DU aspirant came to secure her seat in the University for Honours in Geography from Darjeeling and was able to successfully get her documents verified. She was told to check the online portal and pay the fees after 4 pm. However, she soon received a call from the college officials that she is not eligible for admission as the inclusion of Nepali in her Best of Four would attract a deduction of 10 marks; thus, leading her to wait for the fourth cut-off list.

Despite being listed in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution, an official explained that these regional languages are not counted under the Modern Indian Languages (MIL) list of the varsity. Thus, their inclusion would lead to a deduction of marks from the percentage.

The language imposition is also echoed in state boards, wherein students often opt for their native language as an elective subject. The Indian Express quoted a student from the Kerala Board who had to modify the permutations of his subjects in order to successfully secure admission in Hindi College in the second list. He said, “I scored above 90 in Malayalam but still faced a deduction. So I added English, History, Political Science and Economics instead.”

The varsity, however, rationalises this deduction policy as a lack of departments concerning the aforementioned languages. “The course admission committee of each department decides eligibility criteria on what can be included in the ‘best of four’. That is approved by the admission standing committee. I have nothing to do with this,” says Ashutosh Bhardwaj, OSD Admissions.

However, the need to update the MIL list has been recognised by the varsity’s faculty which is necessary to conform to the ‘central’ aspect of the University, and cater to the plethora of students who come from several backgrounds. “To maintain the central character of the university, DU can make these changes. Banaras Hindu University, also a central university, includes Nepali and has several other language departments,” said Saroj Giri, a political science teacher at DU.

Previously, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also written to the University to allow the inclusion of Home Science, Legal Studies, and Informatics Practice in the best of four without any disadvantage. Sanam Khanna, an English lectures Kamala Nehru College, urges the boards to write to the varsity. She says, “The university just has to get an amendment in the executive council and say that languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution also need to be included in the university admission process. If not this, the state boards, CBSE and others should write to the university.”

The matter was further discussed in the executive council meeting of the varsity, which took place on July 3rd. Rakesh Jha, a member of the Council, remarked, “During zero hour, I had said it is important to allow students to include modern Indian languages in the ‘best of four’. Not allowing this will discourage students from opting for these languages during their Plus Two.”

Every academic year, the University of Delhi undertakes most applicants for sixty programmes through a merit-based mechanism. The admissions are conducted on the basis of the best of four percentage secured in the Class XII Board examinations. The criteria for calculating the Best of Four percentage varies across courses; the similarity being regarding the inclusion of one language in the said percentage. The permitted languages which can be included in the BoF are: Hindi, English, Persian, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Urdu, Bengali, and Arabic.

 

With inputs from The Indian Express

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

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Admissions 2017

LIVE: DU Colleges Begin Releasing Fourth Cut-Off Lists; Seats full in many courses

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After a tumultuous admission process in the first three windows of admission, the varsity is all set to announce the fourth cut-off list by midnight on its website. With 15,000 seats yet to be occupied, the fourth leg of admissions cycle has officially commenced from today evening, with individual colleges have begun releasing the list for the fourth cycle of admissions.

While most of the colleges have closed admissions for popular courses, students still have a chance to secure seats in select streams.

Currently, several colleges have already released their cut-offs, which can be accessed by clicking on the relevant Institute:

1. Shri Ram College of Commerce

2. Vivekanand College

3. Shivaji College

4. Maharaja Agrasen College

5. Zakir Husain Delhi College

6. Daulat Ram College

7. Kirori Mal College

8. Gargi College

The admissions to the fourth cut-off list will be conducted between July 13th and 15th at the respective colleges. For a rundown of the admission process and a list of the documents to be carried, you can read the full report here. If you wish to cancel your admission in the current college to make you eligible for admission in the fourth cut-off, read our report on the withdrawal procedure here.

Stay tuned to our page, for the list will be updated as and when the colleges announce their cut-offs.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: University of Delhi

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected] 

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News

#MyHostelMyRight: NSUI raises voice against hostel conditions with Chatrawas Adhikar Padyatra

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Standing up for the students of India who are living in bad hostel conditions, NSUI managed to gather over 5000 people on Day 1 of their Padyatra from Tandur to Shadnagar in Telengana.

The National Student Union of India (NSUI) has started a 7-day campaign called ‘My Hostel My Right’ in Telegana to fight for basic living conditions for students, their Right to Accommodation, hostels for all and proper security to the youth. This protest started today morning and will continue till 18th July 2017 and will cover a distance of about 100 kms from Tandur to Shadnagar on foot to raise their voice against the issue.

Source: @Fairoz_JK on Twitter
Source: @Fairoz_JK on Twitter

The protest is in response to the pathetic conditions of SC, ST hostels that lack proper medical facilities, that don’t have any basic sanitary conditions and have 20-30 people living in a space meant for 3-4 people.

Fairoz Khan, the President of NSUI, travelled to Telengana to lead this protest. “It is not just about Telengana. Here, we have started it but it is about the whole India. We are just raising our voice for the future of the country is studying here and you cannot ignore the young community.” He told DU Beat in a statement. “After this, we will also fight for the hostels in Delhi University because it is pan-India movement.”

The campaign aims to make sure that the students of India are met with basic living conditions, proper security and other facilities in their accommodation and make sure that patriarchal rules like different curfew timings and higher prices for girls’ hostels are removed. “We don’t want another Rohith Vemula,” Fairoz Khan said.

The hashtag #MyHostelMyRight was trending second on top Indian trends on the morning of July 11th, and many public figures like Radhika Khera, Hasiba Amin among others were tweeting about the same.

Image credits: @Fairoz_JK on Twitter

Anagha Rakta
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Admissions 2017

Seats slashed for General Category students in Faculty of Law

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Students of the general category are now facing a tough competition ahead. Unlike previous years, the total number of 2,310 seats this year is inclusive of the supernumerary categories, which were reserved for:

  • Students with physical disabilities,
  • Children of war widows
  • Foreign nationals

This has been announced through a notification issued by the university on July 7. Hence, there will be only be 1,033 seats for general category students this year.

Previously, there were 2,310 seats in place which were meant for students in the unreserved category as well as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The 310 supernumerary were separated from this. The new notification was announced days after the tussle between the Bar Council of India (BCI) and the Delhi University Law Faculty. The judgement then stated that the varsity must admit 2,310 students this academic session as opposed to BCI’s order of admitting only 1,440 students.

Earlier this year, the BCI stated the university cannot admit more than 1,440 students and that the university must comply with the Legal Education Rules, 2008, and place a limit on the number of students. The case then reached the Delhi High Court, wherein the university was allowed to admit 2,310 students for the LLB programme.

Hence, this year, the general category will have 1,033 seats as compared to 1,167 till last year. Now due to the reduction of seats for unreserved category, those in the reserved category will also face a slash number of seats reserved. The break up has been decided upon as:

  • OBC: reduction of seats from 623 to 552
  • SCs: reduction of seats from 347 to 307
  • STs: reduction of seats from 173 to 153

No details have yet been revealed on how the seats will be divided between the three centres: the Campus Law Centre, Law Centre-I and Law Centre-II.

 

Picture Credits: DUadmissions.com

Joyee Bhattacharya

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Admissions 2017

Delayed Results At SOL Puts the Lives of 4 Lakh Students At Stake

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Almost 4 lakh final year students enrolled in the School of Open Learning (SOL) stand at a loss of losing a year of studies, as the University of Delhi has not released their results yet. The varsity has already begun to declare results of final year students admitted in regular colleges.

Admissions to most post-graduate courses, including those in DU, are already underway leaving SOL students at a huge disadvantage. According to the Hindu, SOL officials have said that the results are likely to be declared in October. This leaves the students with a prospect of having to drop a year of studies.

In a statement to the Hindu, Ravinder Kumar, a student of B.A. (Programme) at SOL said, “Admissions to most universities will close in September. However, our results will not be declared before October. This means that I will have to waste one year.”

Many such students have accused the University of negligence towards SOL students, and of deliberately delaying their results.  Students of SOL see this treatment as an act of blatant differentiation from regular colleges.

Moreover, students from SOL have been trying to get their concerns heard for many years. SOL student, Harsh Gautam says to the Hindu, We have been requesting the university for the last four years to resolve the matter. We have even submitted memorandums and met the Vice-Chancellor. However, nothing has been done to rectify the issue.”

Officials blame a large number of students for the delay in results. However, students believe that it is not a valid reason for them to miss out on a year of academics.

With inputs from The Hindu

Swareena Gurung
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