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DUSU ‘authorises’ private PG in North Campus, University Officials cry foul

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In a bizarre and never before witnessed move, the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has issued a letter which reads: “DUSU hereby authorises Nanu Girls PG to promote their respective PG accommodation within the north campus. They are allowed to distribute pamphlets.” Furthermore, its letterhead bears the logo of the University of Delhi (DU). Meanwhile, Priyanka Chhawri, the office-bearer who issued the letter on behalf of DUSU, defended her stance as a well-intended measure to reach out to outstation students. However, the move seems not to have gone down too well with the University officials.

“No one can do such a thing. How can a university recommend a private accommodation? We will look into the matter,” commented a senior official in the proctor’s office, as reported by The Indian Express. The officials seem to have been unaware of the decision. Meanwhile, Chhawri is adamant in denying the allegations that her personal “stakes” are involved in any way, seeing as the letter promotes Nanu PG specifically. “If other PGs approach me, I will look into it,” she says. She maintains that this is her way of “helping” the hapless parents and students sending her repeated queries, asking her for details regarding “good” and “affordable” paying guest accommodations in the vicinity of north campus.  Meanwhile, other DUSU office bearers have denied having any knowledge of the same.

With the admission process already delayed and a row being created over the availability of seats in some colleges, this fiasco comes across as yet another obstruction in the way of the not-so-smooth sailing admission season. For many of the unsure, unfamiliar outstation students, life in DU is still an uncharted territory. It is a race to the finish line involving both parents and students, which does not end merely at getting admission into a college. With few hostel seats available, feasible accommodation remains a major source of worry and hassle for many. In these times, a callous move coming especially from a body of responsibility such as DUSU, comprising of representatives elected by and for the students, reflects poorly on the student organisation’s management of the admission season. If anything, it seems to add to the chaos and has the potential to leave the university officials red-faced.

UPDATE

Delhi University Student Union(DUSU) has come out with an official statement saying that the Union is against the system of private accommodation in the University. It further stated that DUSU is committed to fighting for an increase of University Hostels seats and aims to provide University accommodation to as many students as possible.

Copy of the permission of the letter
Copy of the permission of the letter

With inputs from The Indian Express.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Srivedant Kar for DU Beat

 

Deepannita Misra

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Admissions 2017

More than 50% seats occupied as second list closes, Khalsa College yet to fill 50 seats

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As of Tuesday, more than 50% seats have been occupied at the University of Delhi. However, as per the general trend was seen on the last day, seats are still available in various colleges and there are still around 28,000 seats up for grabs in DU colleges under the next cutoff lists.

The top colleges fill most of their seats.

Hindu College has ‘over-admitted students’, by admitting more than 870 students already done so far for its 752 seats. “This is not unusual because we have supernumerary admissions… In science courses, we see withdrawals when students want to join the engineering council or medical council,” said Anita Vishan, convenor of the admission committee. In the third list, Hindu College is likely to close admissions for honours courses in Economics, BCom, Political Science, History, and Sanskrit.

While SRCC has closed admissions for the general category in both B.Com (Hons) and Economics, in Miranda House, according to Principal Pratibha Jolly, BA Programme will be open but some courses like Sociology will be closed.

Lady Sri Ram College for Women will have admissions open in just four courses for the general category. “We will keep Psychology, English, Journalism and Political Science; all other courses are closed for general category. We are not going to drop our percentage by more than 0.25 percent,” said LSR principal Suman Sharma.

Seats still available

SGTB Khalsa College is yet to fill most of its seats. Earlier, in an unexpected manner, the college had set the highest cut-offs for most subjects in the first list. However, after having zero admissions in general category seats on the basis of the first cut-off, there was a significant drop its cut-off percentage in the second list.  According to sources, the total number of admissions has not crossed 50, and even among the 50—odd admissions, most are from the minority community as the college reserves seats for Sikhs. “Most admissions are expected to take place after the third cut-off is released. Percentages will drop further from the second list,” said Nachiketa Singh, a faculty member.

While in Sri Venkateswara College over 1,000 seats are still unoccupied, at College of Vocational Studies, Principal Inderjeet Dagar specified that 483 students have been admitted for 740 seats available.

At Hans Raj College, admission convener Rajmohini Sagar said in arts and commerce 526 seats are left, and for science, there is a vacancy of 212. Daulat Ram College and Kirori Mal College have also filled up 755 out of 1,100 and 655 out of 1,348 seats, respectively.

The third list for admissions will be released on July 7 where the cut-offs are likely to dip even further.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times and The Indian Express.)

Feature Image Credits: www.thehindubusinessline.com

 

Niharika Dabral

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Uncategorized

Complaints of Cheating Emerge in PG Entrance Examinations; Students Caught Cheating in Political Science and LLB Entrance Exams

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After weeks of frantically checking the University of Delhi’s website for acquiring information about the postgraduate examinations, the entrance cycle officially began from July 1st. However, within three days of the commencement, reports of cheating across various examination centres in courses like M.A. (Political Science) and LLB have scarred the admission phase.

Both the fields conducted their entrances on July 3rd in 29 examination centres spread across India; 24 of them located within the capital. Cases of cheating through mobile phones and impersonations have surfaced through Sunday and Monday at Hindu College, Kirori Mal College, Hansraj College, and Faculty of Law, amongst other centres. Hindustan Times quoted an official from the exam department who shed light on these occurrences. “There were 24 centres in Delhi where the LLB exam was held. There was an incident of impersonation and at least eight incidents of applicants trying to take in their mobile phones to the exam halls. We have complained about this to the police,” he said.

Cases of sneaking in the mobile phones were tracked at Hansraj College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, and Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College. In typical Bollywood fashion, a student was caught testing the ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S’ tactic in action. The candidate, who was appearing for LLB, was caught cheating at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College on Sunday. The 21 year-old was caught using WhatsApp during the entrance and when probed by the invigilator, tried to run away, to no avail.

The police officer who came in for the inquiry told IANS that the candidate (Naveen) claimed his fascination with the Bollywood movie and sought to pass the exam using this. “Singh and the college management later informed the police and a mobile phone and earphones were recovered from him. It was found that Naveen was cheating with the help of a person named Nirmal Bhaiya. Through ‘WhatsApp’, he was asking him about the answers,” the officer added.

Issues of impersonation and forgery have also cropped up in the varsity. Prem Kumar, a student appearing for the LLB entrance, was arrested for impersonation while cases have also been filed for forgery complaints. A letter which accounted for one such incident was written by an LLB applicant, Anjul Jain, to the officer on special duty, which delineated on the cheating tactic used by one of the students. “An aspirant whom I had known from my coaching class came to the hall with two cellphones. When we were asked to submit our phones before the exam, I saw him giving just one phone. He later went to the loo, and came back with the answer keys that were sent to him through an SMS,” she alleges in her letter, later accepted by the officer.

Complaint about invigilator-assisted cheating was also reported at Hindu College in the Political Science entrance where Krishna Kanhaiya alleged that the invigilator allowed the candidate to click pictures of the question paper ten-minutes before the exam. “The invigilator, instea of questioning the boy, asked him to click the photos and leave quickly before he gets caught,” he wrote in his letter to the examination controller.

Allegations of proxy attendance were also noted in the LLB exam in Kirori Mal College, however, the Acting Principal ensured that no cheating took place. The Principal of Hindu College, Anju Srivastava, said a report would be submitted to DU after the necessary investigation. Vinay Gupta, the varsity’s Dean of Examination, confirmed that the flying squads caught students using mobile phones for cheating in at least eight colleges.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

 

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

 

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Admissions 2017

The Great College Debate: College Vs Course & North Campus Vs South Campus

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The long and tiring admission process in Delhi University which dominates the imagination of aspirants since the beginning of March means taking multiple important decisions. With the onset of this season comes the dreadful pressure of making life-changing choices. While we certainly can’t dictate what you ought to do, we can list some pros and cons to help you make a worthy decision.

 COLLEGE VS COURSE

The juncture where most students get stuck is the great debate of college vs course. On one hand, you have your dream college and on the other, you have your favourite course. It is a tough call to make but there isn’t any one answer that is right for everyone.

The faculty members of Delhi University are good at their jobs all over and great professors aren’t just restricted to a few colleges. So the difference in the ranking of colleges is usually a result of other factors and not solely because of a lack of the quality of the faculty. However, it is a fact that a high-ranking college does make a positive difference to your CV. Therefore, for those who feel this factor to be essential in their chosen field can choose course over college. On the other hand, if one aims to pursue research and higher studies in one particular subject then choosing course over college might just be the right decision. As a Department of English professor says, “Before choosing a stream, the student should understand that a college tags for three years while the discipline tags throughout the career.”

The choice of college or course also depends on the career path one has chosen. If your career is leaning towards co-curriculars, it makes sense to choose a college that has the best society or team for your chosen field. At the end of the day, what matters is if you are getting the most out of your choice.

(Anagha Rakta)

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 NORTH CAMPUS VS SOUTH CAMPUS

The north campus of the University is the natural first choice of all Delhi University aspirants thanks to its sprawling Lutyens-esque buildings and its rich alumni. But with the perennial growing standards of and around the colleges outside the University enclave, are north campus colleges really worth blind-shots?
A majority of students and professors around the University deny the supremacy of the north campus colleges and believe that the chosen course is what really matters. A University professor from the Department of English opines, “The faculty across the University are evenly qualified. Hence, there is no scope of relatively mediocre teaching standards in any college of the University. The professors across the University would unanimously agree that the preferred course should not be compromised at the cost of campus, or college, for that matter.” In this light, the varsity also allows the student to switch colleges in the second and third years on the basis of the marks scored throughout the year.

For non-educational aspects, both the campuses have a culture entirely unique to themselves, without either being inferior. Satya Niketan in the south and Hudson Lane in the north, along with other marvelous hangout zones around almost every DU college, ensure a brilliant time for every student of the University.

Both campuses have their own special charms and unique factors and it is impossible to say which one is superior. Whatever side of the city you choose, your campus will give you immense opportunities to make the most of your college life.

(Nikhil Kumar Thakur)

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Dyal Singh College

Dyal Singh College Scrimmages Over Evening College’s Conversion

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The tussle to acquire the status of a day college has escalated within the premises of Dyal Singh College, where the morning and evening colleges have found a bone of contention to dispute upon. The agreement which was proposed and accepted concerning the conversion by the Principal of the morning college, I. S. Bakshi, is being questioned upon its validity. Ahead of the Executive Council meeting scheduled to meet today, the Principal refuted the concurrence of any such document and requested the council to not deliberate on this matter.

On January 24th, the Principals of the morning and evening colleges allegedly signed an agreement which was later sent to the Academic Council. This agreement is being contested as being fraudulent, according to a resolution passed in a staff council meeting which aimed to “prevent the bifurcation of the colleges into two morning colleges on the same premises”. Bakshi claims to have never seen this document. However, the document, as acquired by The Times of India, reflects the signatures of both the Principals.

The resolution also adds that, “The Principal of the day college has categorically denied of having signed any such document. This is a serious…attempt to fraudulently mislead the AC.” Citing this, the council requested the Vice Chancellor to look into the matter and conduct an enquiry into the alleged forgery on the document.

In response to this, the evening college implores its morning counterpart to initiate an official inquiry if the documents are fraudulent and have no credibility. The official spokesperson of the evening college, Bhawana Pandey, comments, “It is appalling that the Principal is implying that his signature was forged. If so, we request them to approach police.”

The Academic Council gave a thumbs-up to the transition of the evening college to a morning college in principle. A five-member committee is yet to contour out the nitty-gritties of the split and share a report on the same.

 

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Saumya Kalia
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News

18 crore ‘unclaimed’ library security refund lying with School of Open Learning

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We all give our library security fund almost casually and most of us forget to claim it back at the end of the year. Thanks to this habit, at the School of Open Learning an amount of over Rs 18 crore has been found sitting in the varsity coffers.

An RTI application filed by Faculty of Law student Mohit K. Gupta revealed that SOL has a total unclaimed amount of Rs 18.25 crore as a result of the library security deposits made from 1997 to March 2017.

SOL Director C.S. Dubey asserted that the institution is now planning to use this money, accumulated over the last 20 years, to upgrade the library facilities. He added, “It is the student’s responsibility to claim the security refund back as a mechanism of any university.”

The finance branch of the University of Delhi has claimed that the lapsed security deposits are currently credited to the Vice-Chancellor’s Students Funds Account, which has allegedly been suspected of keeping funds of approximately Rs 1 crore.

The library security amount for undergraduate students from the year 1997 to 2000 was Rs 50 while for postgraduate students it was Rs 100. The amount was then increased to Rs 100 for UG students and Rs 150 for the PG students from the years 2000 to 2003.

As of now, the SOL charges Rs 200 from undergraduate students and Rs 500 from postgraduate students as the library security amount, which can be claimed once the course is over.

The buildup of funds via unacknowledged security deposits must be a story of various university libraries. Ideally, investments should be made out of such funds in the interests of the students.

 

Feature Image Credits: School of Open Learning

Niharika Dabral
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News

Entrepreneurship Workshop by the University of Delhi for Budding Entrepreneurs

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The Centre for Science Education and Communication, University of Delhi, is organising a short-term workshop on entrepreneurship for current Delhi University students from 10th to 14th July, 2017.

The workshop aims at polishing the skills of those who have entrepreneurship talents like business organisation, investment, and risk taking. The aim is to develop the analytical abilities and strategic competencies in those who wish to get into this field and have ideas of investment and entrepreneurship. Through the development of practical skills like identification of potential opportunities and markets or creating a business plan, the workshop would aim at equipping the aspirants to tap the best opportunities and earn maximum financial and business gains.

An overview of the course is available here.

The interested students were required to send their applications with their CV and Statement of Purpose along with their entrepreneurship idea to the department. The selected candidates shall be informed on 5th July, 2017.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Daily Mail

Priyal Mahtta
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Admissions 2017

Students complain of several lapses in procedures before the entrance exams

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Thousands of students appeared for the entrance of some of the undergraduate courses which were conducted the University of Delhi. However, some faced various difficulties at various stages of the application process. Students faced various problems related to application fee payment which did not reflect in the portal, furthermore trouble loading the admit cards and missing dates of the entrance exam were among other challenges. Hence,  many applicants were seen at the undergraduate admissions help desk and at the grievance cell on Saturday, complaining that they have been facing difficulties with the procedures.

One of the aspirants Tanya Malik, a B.El.Ed applicant who had paid her application fees for the entrance based courses said she was unsure if she would be able to take the test. Talking to national daily she said,  “I have been trying to contact the university for more than three days now. I have emailed them, and even tried calling. They usually tell you to wait for a reply to the email when you call them, but my entrance test is on Sunday and I can’t view or download my admit card.”  “All issues related to admit cards have been resolved,” said Ashutosh Bhardwaj, OSD admissions at DU after the grievances were filed in the cell.

“All issues related to admit cards have been resolved,” said Ashutosh Bhardwaj, OSD admissions at DU after the grievances were filed in the cell.

Several students also complained that ‘complete’ information is not available anywhere. Students who applied for the entrance exam of B.A. (H) Music need to visit the Music department’s website to view the schedule of entrance exams because the dates were missing in the exam portal. Delhi University is going to conduct a practical admission test at the Department of Music for B.A. (H) Music applicants which will be held on July 4 and 5.

 

Radhika Boruah
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Admissions 2017

The Great College Debate: ECA & Sports Quota Vs. General Admission

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All the colleges under the University of Delhi have at least 5% seats reserved for students who wish to take admission through the extracurricular activities (ECA) and sports quota. The ECA quota in DU includes eleven categories of activities: dance, vocal, instrumental, theatre, creative writing, debating, fine arts, digital media, quiz, NCC, and NSS. The applicants are judged by an ECA admission committee constituting at least two experts. Under the DU sports quota, candidates can secure admission at Delhi University colleges in two ways – direct admission without sports trials or admission with sports trials. All candidates who have represented India in any international sports competitions like the Olympic Games, World Cup, etc. are eligible to secure admission at DU without undergoing the sports trials. The benefit of the ECA and sports quota is that it aids you with gauging chances of getting enrolled in top colleges even if you have a percentage lower than the cut-off. If you are passionate about any ECA field or sports, it is guaranteed that it will be nurtured at the college level after you join the respective societies. There is direct entry into the society, without any auditions, if you get through the respective ECA quota.

On the downside though, students have to miss their classes and go for long practices during inter-college fests and sports meets. While attendance for the missed classes is provided by the college for the quota students, important work is missed out on, which may impact the understanding of the subject.

For general admissions, students have to follow the cut-off lists and take admissions wherever their percentage equals the cut-off percentage. This goes on from the first to the last cut-off list and students withdraw from one college to another, or swap courses. The general admission requires higher percentage vis à vis ECA and sports quota as there is no rebate on the marks obtained. Getting admission through the general category gives one the option to choose any society or team or to even not get involved in co-curriculars, whereas getting admission through ECA or sports requires determination and dedication towards the chosen field. Each side has its pros and cons but both admission processes require substantial patience.

 

Feature Image Credits: Alex Arthur for DU Beat

Radhika Boruah
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Admissions 2017

The Great College Debate: Girls College Vs. Co-Ed College

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Let’s attempt to comprehend this age-old debate of co-ed college versus girls’ college.

Some of best colleges in the University of Delhi are all-girls colleges. These colleges not only have the best faculty, infrastructure, and societies but also harbour the charm of sisterhood that is established on the strong foundation of feminism. When you are in a girls’ college, chances are you won’t have to worry about the daily struggle of putting together an outfit. Dress up or not, in an all-girls’ college you don’t really feel any less or more because of either. There is a larger sense of freedom where one can live without a bra. In co-ed colleges, however, the inevitable pressure of being judged by the opposite sex looms large.

In a university space, one thrives by learning from discussions that take place in canteens as well as in classrooms. Being in a co-ed setup means getting varied perspectives on all socio-political issues which eventually enriches one’s understanding. However, some topics may spark discomfort for students who come from conservative backgrounds and are not comfortable in discussing certain topics in front of the opposite sex. Chitra Dabral, a student of Lady Irwin College, says, “In an all girls’ class when we are taught about “taboos” such as sex, there’s nothing I feel shy about asking. Besides, my teachers also respond candidly. I wouldn’t have felt such ease with male peers.”

Being part of a co-ed college means interaction between the two sexes which resolves social awkwardness, something that many believe students from girls colleges suffer from. Nayla Kaur, a student at Mata Sundri College, resonates that, “Some of my classmates feel inhibited in male company.” Ishita Sharma from Indraprastha College for Women disagrees. She says, matter-of-factly, “Dealing with boys depends on your personality. So according to me these two things – being in an all girls’ college and being awkward with boys – are not interconnected.”

In our society when gender roles are still starkly segregated, being in an all-girls’ college means one will have to handle all situations, right from designing rangolis to moving heavy desks.

Finally, dating is one aspect where co-ed colleges are believed to score over all-girls’ institutions. If you are straight, then chances of meeting your soulmate are higher in co-ed colleges. However, as one can observe, a significant chunk of the population at girls’ colleges also date, because the fluid movement (thanks to fests, events, and multiple competitions) in DU amongst students fuels dating across colleges.

As we can establish, there are pros and cons on both sides.  At the end, whichever college you choose to go to, your life will certainly be adventurous because Delhi University is the place to be.

Feature Image credits: www.mirandahouse.ac.in

Niharika Dabral

[email protected]

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