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Sindoor Khela: Is it a Victory for All?

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Every year as the five days of celebration, food and pandal hopping come to an end with Sindoor Khela on Vijaya Dashami, when will it be the right time for us so to decode whether it is truly a Shubho Vijaya? 

Sindoor (vermillion) Khela or the playing with Sindoor takes place before Visarjan of the idols of Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, and Ganesha exclusively by married women. Sindoor or vermillion is regarded as a symbol of a blessed marriage, considered patriarchal by many, Bollywood has reinforced and emphasised the sanctity of the same. From suhagan to sindoor, women have been forced to ascertain their status as a product of ownership of their husbands. A common bond of marriage is shared amongst women, only cis-women in heterosexual married relationships. Yet, each year, Bengali women drape sarees and celebrate a norm excluding a huge part of the society! 

The idol of Goddess Durga is smeared with vermillion with the significance of her marriage with Lord Shiva, however, such a ritual emphasises on the institution of marriage more than the individualism of the woman. Such a ritual celebrates her existence in association with her husband, thus, excluding unmarried, widowed, divorced, homosexual, transgenders, single mothers, separated and non-cis gendered women. It gives supreme status to her suhagaan diminishing THE Devi’s powers! The above-mentioned groups remain at the fringes of social acceptance and remain ostracised due to their relationship bereft a man. 

Barring the women who choose not to be associated with a man, an entire community is left behind- who are never invited to the sindoor khela. Heterosexual couples or lesbians, simply put, need no man. So, why is this united by gender and divided by traditions at play? Such traditions reek of indifference and sheer heteronormativity and unsympathy towards an entire living-breathing-existing community! The entire idea of unifying women under Sindoor Khela stands on the very ground of heterosexuality thus, ostracising an entire community simply for not identifying themselves with a masculine figure. 

The concept of married women only is largely a question on what defines a marriage. With changing definitions of companionship, do couples in other forms of courtship not consider their relationship as pious as of those made sacred by the holy fire? This tradition also questions the sanctity of an ideal relationship between a man and a woman only acceptable after marriage. Where do the divorcees, separated, widowed and single mothers stand? Moreover, the definition of a ‘woman’ per se, is problematic in itself. Gender is fluid. Ascertaining a set norm of cis women invalidates the experiences of non-binary and trans folks. 

In a country which labels widowhood as the end of the world and creates havoc over the release of a movie like Water by Deepa Mehta portraying the status of widowed woman in Varanasi, marriage stands as a hovering social norm of acceptance for us! From adorning white garments to living a life of isolation, the agency of women is considered diminished after her husband’s death. 

Prostitutes who fall in the conventional definition are all the more isolated in Durga Puja. The idea of sex work is still unacceptable and talked about in hushed tones. Sonagachi or Asia’s largest red-light district stands at the threshold of conventional morality. Ironically, an age-old Hindu tradition states, the making of Durga’s idol requires ‘punya mati’ or dust from the doorsteps of the sex-workers. 

The barriers imposed on women have been continuing for centuries, without raising a single eyebrow. Times of India launched a campaign #NoConditionsApply in order to incorporate a broader audience of women and make it inclusive. The aim of breaking down the tradition of the division was solely to incorporate diversity, by making it a celebration for one and all. 

Click on the link below to witness a visual experience of the celebration:

https://youtu.be/djRqkR5rvyU 

A festival that celebrates the universality and omnipotence of women, excludes women deemed inferior by society. A festival that reminds us of the power of womanhood, excludes everyone but the privileged. A festival that worships a woman, excludes women. 

Feature Image Credits: The Indian Express

Anandi Sen

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Films and Trigger Warning in the Aftermath of Joker

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A look at the argument that cinema should have trigger warnings after the backlash faced by Todd Phillip’s “Joker”, starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Joker hit Indian movie theatres on October 2nd, to a lot of hype and excitement. The movie has been produced by Warner Brothers and Village Roadshow Pictures. Based on the famous character Joker from the DC Universe, the movie portrayed a very human depiction of his origin story; a major detour from most other comic book movies, due to its overall dark and grisly theme. The movie focuses on themes of loneliness, social isolation, mental illness, and suicidal urges.

The movie is a work of art which can put you through a myriad of emotions, but is it for everyone to watch? There have been concerns over how people would react to the movie because of the themes portrayed in it, with a national theatre chain in the USA going as far as banning face paint, costumes, and masks in all screenings of the films due to fears of violence. People also walked out of theatre because of the intensity of the film, and called for the need of a trigger warning at the beginning of the film about the themes portrayed.

In today’s day and age, it is important to realise how important mental health is. While not taking away from the artistic brilliance of “Joker”, it is important for film makers and artists to realise that certain topics and images can trigger people in a very negative way. Therefore, a warning beforehand is necessary so that those who do not wish to be subjected to things which might affect them negatively, are protected. We are finally living in a day and age where many people have been brave enough to open up about their issues, and where the importance of mental health is finally being realised. This should be translated into our media and entertainment too. While films depicting these issues should not be stopped because they are important, a trigger warning is necessary in various ways. 

Prachi Johri, a second year student from Indraprashtha College for Women says “In my opinion, I believe that “Joker” should have a trigger warning in it, because it’s firstly based on mental illness, and can be triggering for a lot of people. So a warning will make sure that people with such problems or triggers will not watch the movie, or bring someone whom they trust with them as a support if anything happens. Secondly, the movie is straight up validating murder and a chaotic movement.” 

“Taxi Driver”, an amazing and hard hitting film was released in 1976. Starring Robert De Niro, who also stars in “Joker”,  the movie was made around many of the same themes as “Joker”, however it did not have a trigger warning at the beginning. The very fact that this incredibly important conversation has come into play now just shows how society has opened its eyes towards the issue of mental well-being, and the important role it plays in our lives.

Prabhanu Kumar Das

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Sabyasachi Mukherjee: An Idea of The Sabhya Naari

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As another bride walks down the mandap, adorning a Sabyasachi Bridal Wear, somewhere out there, the founder Sabyasachi Mukherjee, makes another sexist comment. With a history of subsequent problematic comments, we now know his definition of a Sabhya naari. 

Popularly known as the man who revolutionised Indian bridal couture, Sabyasachi’s distinctive style is a blend of Indian traditional dressing on the modern-day woman. With several accolades to his name, “Sabyasachi-bride” is the new societal superiority norm. With that amount of influence over the global and Indian wedding market, he’s bound to have a heavy audience following and social media presence. 

The official Instagram handle of Sabyasachi showcases his creation on models (read: superficial women) and some of his personal thoughts, occasionally. Quite recently, he garnered major flak due to his statement on overdressed women, caked with makeup and the deep void in them. Implying a highly problematic notion that, ‘overdressed’ women use dressing up as a coping mechanism to cure their ‘wounds’. A woman requires no reason, per se, to dress up. Even though he provided an apology, the Instagram army wasn’t ready to accept his explanation. Well, how does it even matter if a woman is overdressed, underdressed or naked? 

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Nandini Sukhija, a student of Mumbai University, says “I find it bizarre for a designer to judge women who like to dress up. Whether or not to accessorise is a personal choice and not a reflection of one’s struggles. I was never in favour of idealising the standards of beauty like designers often practice. His sexist remarks only further deter me from even considering designers like him when it comes to making purchases.”

On International Women’s Day, a post celebrating “self-confidence” was uploaded with courtesy to a plus-size model in his lehenga, glowing in her dark skin with a plunging neckline; so much for “inclusivity” and brand promotion. Sabyasachi is infamous for his models portraying the fair, lean and thin women- the conventional definition of the Indian beauty. Using a woman who doesn’t fit into the sphere of the “ideal woman” is always celebrated, but not in the context of promoting self-confidence; it just implies that someone who doesn’t look like what society expects them to, is burdened, resulting in having a staggeringly low-confidence. 

image (1)

 

 

Devashree Vaidya, a student of Psychology, states, “I think of him as a man who reeks of disguised misogyny, coupled with an intense amount of saviour complex. I believe he’s a person who believes it’s his duty to enlighten people about their own feelings and desires.” 

His blatant sexism exists beyond the social media world. At the Harvard India Conference in 2018, the designer said, “I think, if you tell me that you do not know how to wear a saree, I would say shame on you. It’s a part of your culture, you need to stand up for it.” Savarna cis-men have long been dictating cultural norms and traditions on women. Even though he had issued an apology for saying “shame” in his statement, but as they say, Freudian slip never lies. A time when women’s clothing and choices are still dictated by unasked opinions; no bonus points for guessing which era we live in.

Sabyasachi deals exclusively with women’s clothing and as a designer of his stature, he must keep up with fourth-wave feminism. His series of sexist comments is a deeply conditioned mindset regarding what an ideal, docile Indian woman aka Sabhya Naari should reflect. Time and again he has provided apologies for his mishaps, but how much is too much? How long will we tolerate and continue growing up his sales whilst writing articles against him? 

Feature Image Credits: NDTV

Image Credits: Sabhyasachi’s Instagram

 

Anandi Sen

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Bazinga: Free Metro Rides for Women now in Action

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The Delhi Cabinet finally passed the bill approving free travel for women in the Delhi Metro leading to multiple debates and discussions.

After about five months since the introduction of the Bill by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government on 11th October, the Delhi Cabinet approved free travel for women in the metro in the national capital. This scheme, announced by Chief Minister Arvend Keijriwal on 3rd June, will be effective from 27th October 2019, the auspicious day of Diwali.

The cabinet approved a grant of INR 980 crore to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to implement the scheme. The cabinet also provided a grant of INR 7 crore to add 380 more feeder buses to the existing number of 194.

In certain studies, it is noted that in the Delhi Metro, women passengers account for almost 25-30 per cent. The average farebox revenue per rider was noted as INR 28, according to the annual report of the DMRC for the year 2018-19. This amounts to almost one-third of DMRC’s total revenue.

“I travel every day from Ghaziabad to South Campus via the metro, which amounts to roughly INR140 per day. A huge amount is spent by my parents every month on my travel expenses. They have been resentful towards the idea of sending my younger sister to a college far from home. This new scheme by the government has given my sister a new hope,” says Rasmila, a student at Jesus and Mary College.

The new scheme also provides a safer mode of transportation to women. “As of now, only 30 per cent of Metro commuters are women. The fare hike last year hit women the worst, forcing them to shift to more unsafe modes of transport like private buses, ride-sharing, or even walking. This move will help them return to the Metro’s safety,” says AAP’s Ashiti on her Twitter account.

However, despite all the support gained by a larger public, the scheme has also received a whole lot of criticism suggesting issues like overcrowding, or a probable drop in the quality of services due to erosion of DMRC funds. Some argue that the money that the Government wants to spend on free metro and bus travel should have been used to improve security infrastructure and uplift women safety in the city.

The idea of free public transport has been experimented across many cities around the globe in the USA and Europe like Germany, Belgium and France. The initiative was taken either for the entire population or for a few sections such as students or senior citizens. The reaction and impact on the use of private cars and increased use of public transport have been mixed.

There is huge anticipation regarding the final execution of this ground-breaking scheme. The effectiveness of the same can only be interpreted for now.

 

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

 

Feature Image Credits: Hitesh Kalra for DU Beat

 

Aditi Gutgutia

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The Problem of Being a Draupadi

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The story of Draupadi ended years ago, or did it? Here is an insight into the inner turmoil faced by her. The story of Draupadi, to Draupadis.

One of the contemporary, and not very appealing facts is that we can still relate to Draupadi, a woman who was ‘ahead of her times’ centuries ago is still considered the same, and mind you, it is 2019, you can do the math.

There is not just a single Draupadi, but several Draupadis, right where you are sitting, if you hover your eyes around the room.

An introductory lecture on Draupadi is a hard nut to crack but one can furnish in a nut-shell. Draupadi, the daughter of King Drupad, born out of fire, the courtroom is an account everyone knows.

In Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s “The Palace of Illusions”, turn pages to the marriage of Draupadi which draws light on the created illusion of swayamvar. What if one tells you that Banerjee waves a creation which lets you know that the swayamvar was not a swayamvar but a marriage of convenience? The forbidden fruit of right to choice is what most of us don’t savour.

The marriage of Draupadi to all the Pandavas is another source of wrinkles on one’s forehead. Kunti – a woman, mother of Draupadi’s husbands, making a turbulent decision which alters her life henceforth. In epics, daily soaps, secret domestic tales it is very common?

The infamous vastraharan (de-clothing) of Draupadi is a question on inner conscience. Dragged to a court while menstruating, barred of her clothes- such was the plight of Draupadi. All done for a cause that doesn’t even qualify to be a cause- the game of dice, the inflaming addiction, the addiction of power. And a quick update- these so-called causes source upon many Draupadis, the worst part- future seems to be as monotonous as the past and the present.

While one may defend- “well someone’s (you know the name) superior powers did save her from the plight. But here is an eye-opener- the ‘someone’ was absent from the picture, Draupadi’s self- strength led to the incessant, never-ending cloth. Many Draupadis fight, fight for themselves, yet lie in the shackles of silence.

Here is a situation – a woman deprived of her fundamental rights, outraged in a room full of ‘honourable entities’, with no help from all the four sides of the walls, stands alone – isn’t this a contemporary fact? This episode exists, repeats and continues.

Draupadi was always a pawn in a game of chess- born for the cause of revenge, married for the sake of political alliance and finally reduced into a stake at the game of dice.

Irawati Karve through her work- “Yuganta” gives us an insight into the inner psychology of Draupadi through incidents. After the game of dice, when Dhritrashtra intervened as the indecency had gone too far and feared terrible consequences, grants Draupadi three wishes wherein she saves the Pandavas of the impending doom. “… but Draupadi has re-established peace. Like a boat, she has saved the Pandavas when they were about to drown in a sea of disgrace. The taunt that they had been saved by a woman infuriated Bhima.”

How many times has the society stitched the lips of women, tied their hands and reduced them to speechlessness? Draupadi’s power affected egos, Draupadis still exist, their power affects ego.

Draupadi was unapologetically herself. Karve tells us more about Draupadi when her brother visits her in the forest (during the period of exile) she says, “I have neither husbands, nor a brother, nor a father. If I had, do you think they would have stood for my being insulted like this?”

In the 21st Century sitting in our living rooms, it is a shame that we can relate to the problems of Draupadi, it is time to address these problems and not relate to these.

Feature Image Credits: Focuz Studios

Priyanshi Banerjee

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Students of Hindu College Protest Against New Hostel Criteria

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Hostel dwellers of Hindu College protested in front of the Principal’s office against the new stricter criteria of attendance and GPA to be maintained to retain hostel accommodation in the second and third year by residents.

Recently, the newly-elected Students’ Union of Hindu College, led the protest against the hostel administration, as allegedly the college administration was threatening them by making calls to their families, and disciplinary action in terms of electricity cuts was imposed on the students.

The Union claims this was a protest to demand their rights. It was also said that these stricter rules were just to discourage the students to avail hostel facilities. The students also believe that the increase in fees of hostel facilities is just to pave way for privatisation of hostel in the coming years.

Delhi University (DU) Hostel for outstation students, who cannot afford the expensive PG life that Delhi has to offer, works as a suitable alternative. However, one must question the relevance of this protest.

Two years ago, the College Hostel administration had decided that only those who get above 6.0 CGPA in the Arts stream and 6.5 in the Science stream and who have above 67 per cent attendance will be able to retain their hostel accommodation.

Last year the it had been increased from 6 to 6.5 for the Arts stream and from 6.5 to 7.0 for science stream and the attendance criteria had also been increased to 75 per cent.

Many students were affected by this criterion, as it was stricter and student weren’t made aware of this earlier. However, no immediate protest took place.

There are few arguments that show this protest as a political move than a liberal one.

A Hindu College student who lives in the boys’ hostel, under conditions of anonymity told DU Beat, “The protest is not for the rights of the students. As the students of this year were well aware of the new rules as mentioned in our undertaking. The GPA and attendance criteria were mentioned.”

The Statement of undertaking is a legal binding document that is made signed by each hostel dweller. It is done so to make the students accountable for the conditions they have agreed on to avail hostel facilities.

As all the students had signed the undertaking in their complete senses, without any use of force, their right to protest against the rules is invalid legally.

Other than this, what is more astounding is the fact that when these rules were first implemented a year back, no protest or resistance took place, neither by the hostel dwellers nor the student union. The sudden need for protest raises questions of the intention of the protest.

Whether the protest was necessary or not, one must not forget that the hostel facility is the only way many outstation students can afford to study in DU.

For the update on the protest that took place, another student in anonymity told DU Beat, “There was only one protest by the newly elected Students’ Union and the other inmates. It was just really a one-evening-thing, and was resolved (called off) when they finally discussed the issue with the Principal.”

 

 

Feature Image Credits:  Yaksh Handa for DU beat

 

Chhavi Bahmba 

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Millenials and Motors: A Fresh Angle to India’s Auto Slump

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The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman, recently attributed the major slow-down of India’s automobile sector to the “millennial mindset”. Here is looking into the same, and beyond.

The Union Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman, stirred a wasp’s nest recently, when she commented that the Indian millennials’ preference for app-based cab provider services such as Ola and Uber, is one of the leading reasons behind the ongoing grand fall of the Indian’s automobile sector. According to Sitharaman, who is an alumna of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Economics, there has been a change in the mindset of millennials who now prefer cab aggregator services for their daily commute, instead of committing to paying monthly instalments for a car. She also cited metro as a reason for why young urban consumers are buying fewer cars.
Sitharaman’s analysis comes at a time when India’s auto industry is facing the worst setback in its history. In August this year, when sales fell by 41 percent, we had the tenth consecutive negative month for domestic passenger car sales in India. The broader industry scenario also reflects on the reality of the automobile industry with car companies putting brakes on investment, dealerships shutting down in large numbers, and lakhs of jobs already gone Maruti, India’s largest automobile producer, has reported its seventh consecutive month of contraction in the demand for cars. In conversation with the Economics Times (ET), Maruti Chairman, R.C. Bhargava, said that the situation could get even worse, since he sees more workers in the automobile sector getting fired in the near future. The automobile production industry gives employment to around 7.6 million people in India. However recently, due to fall in the demand (and hence, the sale) of cars and other vehicles, the production of automobiles has left 20 to 30 percent people of this number, unemployed.
Going by the numbers, this auto slowdown is mere a reflection of our country’s overall economic woes than anything else. Consumption, the main component of the economy, is falling; the growth rate of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has fallen to a six-year low; and unemployment is pegged at a 45-year high.
Sales of buses and trucks also saw a precipitous 39 percent fall last month, compounding the auto industry’s trials. According to Bloomberg, it actually is a pointer to the general fall in demand in the Indian economy — something that extends way beyond the country’s millennials and their buying behaviours.
According to ET, millennial consumers are deferring buying decisions in view of the uncertainty of India’s economic indicators. Other factors down the line that have contributed to the auto slump include
the sluggish urban income growth that has ploughed the demand for cars, “haze” car norms that are confusing buyers, the shadow-banking crisis has made loans scarce,thegovernment’spushfore-vehicles in the country, and the rising fuel prices. Moreover, a drop in private investment and banking crisis has led to a weakened consumer demand.
On the other hand, millennials today are hyper-aware of their impact on the planet, and are consciously buying less. They are also waiting for eco-friendly options to emerge in the market. Abhinandan Kaul, a first-year student of St. Stephen’s College agrees, “Our generation is well-read and conscious about the decisions they make as global citizens, so making efforts towards green-living is a priority for many.”
According to some analysts, millennials are saving up for efficient electric alternative vehicles and waiting for cars that will comply with the new pollution standards (Bharat Standard-BSVI-whicharetobeemployed from April 2020 onwards).
Tanmay, a law student, affirms, “People our age use cabs for commuting, but there are many other lynchpin factors affecting this sector.” The reasons for the auto-industry’s plunging sales are varied, and millennials’ aversion to owning cars may have only had a brief impact, if at all, on car sales numbers. This impact, however, cannot be extended beyond the country’s urban centres, where cab service apps enjoy wider user bases.

 

Feature Image Credits: Namrata Randhawa for DU Beat

 

Bhavya Pandey

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DU Employees Suffer As the Delhi Government Fails to Pay Salaries

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Over 2,700 teaching and non-teaching staff of 12 Delhi University (DU) colleges did not get salaries for the last two months as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government continues to withhold release of funds over non-formation of Governing Bodies (GB).

Out of the 28 DU colleges, 16 get only 5% of their funds from the Delhi Government while 12 receive 100% funding.

The GBs, comprising members nominated by the university and the Delhi Government, take all decisions for the smooth functioning of a college, including the appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff.

Some Principals of various colleges across DU wondered why the GB term could not be extended. “In the past, the term has been extended for almost six months. It can also be done now until the process of formation of the Governing Body is completed,” said a Principal whose college receives 100% funding. “The government should understand that we have to pay salary to the staff and their arrears.”

Dhananjoy Shaw, Principal of Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences (IGIPESS), said the fund crunch has affected student activities as well. “We haven’t been able to pay salaries to our staff for two months. Since some student activities had been planned before, we are executing them at the lowest possible cost,” he said, adding that managing day-to-day expenses will be difficult from October.

A contrary argument came to the fore when an official in the Delhi Government said that DU is insisting on not forming GBs in these colleges. “It is clear that there is an attempt to shield colleges from accountability and intent to continue corruption,” the official said.

“I am able to manage our daily expenditure somehow as this is not my only income source. But there are many employees whose day-to-day expenditures depend completely on their salary. Due to the ego clashes between the Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, and the AAP Government, it is the employee who is suffering.” another DU official grieves. 

In a protest organised by Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), outside Vidhan Sabha on Friday, staff members said that “uncertainty in getting salaries has led to crisis” in these 12 colleges. “The worst-hit are the teaching and non-teaching staff working on ad hoc or contract basis,” DUTA said in a statement.

Delhi University College Karamchari Union (DUCKU) plan to sit on strike on 1st and 3rd October. 

The Vice-Chancellor and Arvind Kejriwal did not respond to requests for comment.

 

Feature Image Credits: DNA India

 

Bhagyashree Chatterjee 

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Faculty of Law Cancels Mid-Semester Break

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The Faculty of Law recently suspended the mid-semester break for its students due to the delay in commencement of the session creating outrage among the students. Read on to find out more.

The Faculty of Law, University of Delhi (DU) was established in the year 1924. The department operates through three centres within its campus, namely, Campus Law Centre, Law Centre-I and Law Centre-II and has about 7000 students at present including LL.B., LL.M., and PhD students

On 24th September 2019, the Law Faculty published a notice stating that due to the delay in commencement of classes of LL.B., the Mid Semester break stands cancelled. Further, it also said that the teaching session of the Faculty of Law will continue up to 30th  November 2019, reducing the number of preparation leaves provided to students for semester examinations.

According to sources, the department called off the Mid-Sem break last year as well. This is a sensitive time to terminate the seven days break provided to students as many of them have made non-refundable reservations for going back home but are stuck now as they cannot skip classes.

Amarjeet Kumar Singh, a student of the Faculty of Law said, “This information is true. And I would like to say about this that it is like a punishment to the students for which they have done nothing wrong. But in reality, the department is solely responsible for the delay. Even last year the mid-term break got cancelled/suspended for the same reason”

Kartik Saini, another student of the Faculty of Law said, “This has become a regular practice now. Last year, the same happened & I think it is followed every year. As with other colleges and institutes (Master’s Course) of DU, the session should start by 20th July.  As per the official notice, our classes started on 10th August but in reality, they actually started on 26th August causing a delay in other things. Not only the students & teachers get affected with this but it also leads to violation of BCI (Bar Council of India) norms which have decided the minimum number of classes for each semester. In fact, the Law Faculty is the place where unlawful practice prevails & rules are not followed. Administration condition is pathetic.”

 

Feature Image Credits: The Law Faculty, Delhi University

 

Avni Dhawan

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Pretentious DU Review

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Delhi University (DU) seems to be the dream of almost every kid, cramming up all possible books to fetch a seat, performing all sorts of rituals for the sake of one’s dream college. The competition goes on and on. But is the DU craze justified?

 

  • North Campus Elitism

The ‘colony’ of colleges is a peculiar attribute of DU, thanks to Rang-De-Basanti, maybe that is why the north campus hype prances in its (hyped) glory? The overemphasis of the north campus, somewhere down the line, suggests the underlying elitism. While if one cares to hover their eyes over the map of Delhi, other colleges like Lady Shri Ram, Sri Venkateshwara College, Gargi College, etc. also exist. And do we even need to acquaint you with the ‘North Campus vs. South Campus’ tussle? You know the story from numerous YouTube videos. We get it North Campus, you have Virgin Tree in Hindu College and Kamla Nagar’s momos but that’s all there is.

  •  Study Culture

The infamous study culture of DU is not a secret. Many condemn that DU has only been successful in imparting degrees, but has failed when it comes to imparting knowledge. “A student from Calcutta University will take tuitions, will study for umpteen number of hours, while a DU student will pick up their books a week before the examinations. And at the end of the day, score more than us.” says, a pass out from Calcutta University who wished to be anonymous. The prominent DU degree is just a facade, while colleges like NLU and IITs provide high placements to their toppers, DU provides just boasting rights as placements at DU does not exist, well except for SRCC.

  • Infrastructure

Panting fans, ceilings which give a ‘near-to-death’ experience (we’re pointing at you Daulat Ram College), roads which remain under construction even after you clear all your backs and a master’s degree, washrooms (we’ll leave it to your imagination), aren’t these a class apart? (Note the heavy sarcasm). The infrastructure of DU is a different story altogether, a story which is poles apart from the preconceived image of DU. A DU aspirant with ambition in eyes is often met with broken benches, more broken than their hopes.

  •  Classes and Timetables

The classes have a scenario worth noticing! Classes are packed with over 100 students, which look more like a poultry farm than a classroom. Maybe it is our time to shout – “DU, is this a fish market?” The given timetable and the actual timetable never lie parallel, the once jam-packed timetable, at the end of the day, is nothing but a series of lectures which were cancelled because Monica ma’am went for vacation and college forgot to hire a guest teacher. You can also witness the deadly shift of classes, the 11:30 a.m. class can become a 3:15 p.m. class keeping you in college that longer.

  •  Societies (oh, the drama!)

The society hype stands above all other self-acclaimed accolades of DU. The incessant number of forms filled, rounds of interviews and the introductory workshops. Maybe getting into an MNC is easier! Questions like, “Will you be able to sacrifice food, classes, attendance, relationships?” give you a major existential crisis. Sadly sometimes, students dedicate their entire college life for getting into a society, not because they actually want to be in it, but because they want to be a part of the hype. I guess you know which societies we’re thinking about!

 

  • The Election Season

If you felt that Delhi has an aggressive winter season, you never visited DU in the election season. Elections lean more towards littering, unnecessary Bharat Mata Ki Jai chants, brochure distribution and more cancelled classes than the actual purpose of elections, voting and student empowerment. Remember the “koi bhi dikkat ho toh bhai ko batana” (if you face any problem, let your brother know about it) you got from some seniors? It was for this day!

It’s time that DU pulls up its socks. The actual-DU and the glorified-DU are two different worlds! As different as the world we live in and Neverland. Like the cut-offs, even the DU standards should have inflated.

 

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

 

Priyanshi Banerjee

[email protected]

 Chhavi Bahmba

[email protected]

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