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DSJ Students Remember Their First President

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In a road accident that occurred on 4th November 2018, Prashant Yadav, a student of Delhi School of Journalism (DSJ) lost his life. On 6th November 2018, which happens to be his 20th birthday, a public condolence meeting was organised by the students DSJ at the Faculty of Arts at 4 p.m. The students paid tribute to Prashant Yadav, who was considered the backbone of the “Stand with DSJ” movement.

In an emotional ceremony, that was joined by the contingent of students who returned from his funeral, everybody recollected Prashant’s dedication towards the movement. He was unanimously declared the first President of the Delhi School of Journalism Students’ Union.

Despite the hell he gave to the college administration, during the course of DSJ protests his teachers remembered him fondly.  Manasvini M Yogi, Office on Special Duty of DSJ tearfully said, “I am in an utter state of shock. I am unable to actually process that Prashant will no longer be there in DSJ. He was a student with a strong personality and was very caring and kind for all his friends. DSJ corridors already miss him. The loss is huge. Whenever I close my eyes, I can only see Prashant’s face. I pray for him and his family. May God give strength to everyone to bear the loss.” Professor Albert Abraham added, “We remember Prashant Yadav as one of the brightest students of DSJ. His untimely death is absolutely unbelievable. He was full of energy and enthusiasm. His innate leadership skills, charisma, and boldness were enviously matchless. He deserves to be remembered forever,”

“It was a habit to hear, “Hanji Anoushka ji, Kaisi Hain Aap” every morning. The whole college misses him already. May his soul rest in peace and may God give his family strength to cope up with such a huge loss. Prashant Yadav was our leader and will remain our leader forever,” said Anoushka, a DSJ student and DU Beat correspondent. Mohd. Ali, another student of DSJ added, “Prashant was my first friend in here and a comrade in arms during the countless struggles we undertook against the DU administration for quality education. It was an honour to get suspended with him, sit on the hunger strike with him, and smile and shout in his company. I miss him deeply.” “We had differences of opinion on certain issues which sometimes became very heated. But the mutual respect and love for each other triumphed all of it. We were not brothers by blood but definitely by heart,” Prakash Ranjan, his classmate said ruefully.

Shweta Khurana, who taught Prashant Yadav in Class 11th and 12th said, “I am still in shock. I don’t have the words to express the grief. The fact that Prashant is no more is unbelievable. He had such a charismatic personality and was a bright and lively student. I have never seen him without a smile. I attribute a major chunk of my success to Prashant. I have never met anyone in my career who gave me so much respect and love.” She also mentioned that a workshop was organised in DSJ where Prashant came all the way from North Campus to Gurgaon to pick and drop her.

“Your voice made us fearless. We believed ‘Prashant haina, dekhlega’. It seems like yesterday when you came into our lives and taught us how to protest. Rest assured brother, we made sure we celebrated your twentieth birthday at your favourite place- the Jantar Mantar of DU- Arts Fac. We now know why DSJ is so special though it is without any resources. It is students like you who made it special for every one of us. Your UPite mannerisms and witty dialogues make it impossible to forget you. This close-knit family of DSJ has lost an important member. We hope, in death, you will #StandWithDSJ,” wrote Alishan and Maknoon, Prashant’s classmates, in a heartfelt obituary that they shared with DU Beat.

“As someone who has closely followed the events in DSJ, being in contact with Prashant was inevitable. He always had something meaningful to say and something effective to do. In the past few weeks we had vehement disagreements regarding an incident that occurred over a month ago, but even in this hostility there was a sense of respect. The worse thing I heard from him was when he chided DU Beat as “DU Cheat”, and I know that no one should not be applauded simply because of basic decency, but Prashant Yadav was the kind of enemy one would be glad to have. Due to his boldness (which sometimes borderlined on intimidation and wasn’t something that many people approved of)  it was easy to put him in the bracket of a typical DU-Politician-Goon, but he never made me or other correspondents who covered DSJ feel threatened. Rather, he made DSJ an easy territory to navigate. People like him change and disrupt the world, DU and DSJ needed him. Losing Prashant Ji (he will always be Prashant Ji, not just Prashant) was unfortunate, to forget him will be a real tragedy,” said Niharika Dabral, the Associate Editor of DU Beat.

When the “Prashant Lives.” graffiti fades and the emotions ebb slowly, perhaps we will look at the circumstances of his death more objectively. It’s important to acknowledge issues like road safety and lack of emergency medical response so that we become more cautious and diligent. We have to ask why Yamuna Expressway remains accident prone and what we can do to avoid future tragedies.

Feature Image Credits: DSJ Media Group

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DUB Speak

Is Violence the Right Agency for Resistance?

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There is a life beyond survival which demands freedom and dignity. Peace at the cost of liberty is just sugarcoated slavery. However, violence should not be seen as some over the counter solution for every political problem.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” -Lord Acton

Throughout human history, there has been a constant reshaping and change in the territorial boundaries and power equations. There have been imponderable wars and conflicts followed by incalculable treaties and agreements. However, these conflicts have been almost cyclic. Wars have been characteristic of human history. Textbooks teach that all these wars resulted because of the consequences that emerged in some specific contexts but when we look at them through a broader perspective, we realize that they were fought because people wanted more; more land, more resources, and above all more influence and power. Noam Chomsky, in his own understanding, says that “It is only in folk tales, children’s stories, and the journals of intellectual opinion that power is used wisely and well to destroy evil. The real world teaches very different lessons, and it takes willful and dedicated ignorance to fail to perceive them.” But there is a critique to this anarchical line of thought. Power is not bad but absolute and unchecked power is surely problematic. Humans by nature need an authority to control them and keep them organized.

 

People which seek absolute power without any legal/moral restraint are bound to be subjugated by those who have embraced authority with self-regulation.

Power is accompanied by violence. Violence is to power what pollution is to fossil fuels. As hard as one might wish, these two cannot be separated. Violence is terrible. The ugliness of violence is what has led most of the modern day thinkers and pro-democracy forces to denounce it and reject it as a form of struggle. However, one can not name a single nation state which emerged because of a struggle that employed peaceful methods throughout its course.

Indian National Movement, which is largely termed as a peaceful struggle, couldn’t have succeeded without violence. Tactics employed by Gandhi and leaders of his ilk were designed to provoke violent responses from their opponents. The images of unarmed protesters being attacked by the imperialists were extensively used to garner support for the movement. Barack Obama, America’s first black president, was elected through a peaceful electoral process but it was only made possible by a bloody revolution that happened more than a century ago (American Civil War) and various other violent struggles that followed. Non-violent methods can aid a struggle but they can not replace an indispensable form of resistance-violence, which is derived from power. Tiananmen Square protest is a classic example of a completely non-violent movement which was crushed using tanks and guns. The protesting students had enormous public support and yet they failed. The bitter truth is that force can only be defeated by force.

 

There has been a systematic demonization of violence in contemporary writings and narratives. However, it is ironical that proponents of such narratives are the ones who have been using violence as a tool for maintaining their power and dominance. Why does America impose sanctions on every country that has any nuclear ambitions? Being the only state which has used a nuclear bomb and having one of the world’s largest nuclear stockpiles, what moral high ground does it have to stop others from developing these weapons.

 

A state which has failed to protect its citizens from its own armed forces should not expect its citizens to protest peacefully. A state which is much oppressive and bans even the slightest forms of dissent has to be dealt with in a different manner.

 

The fundamentals of a nation state rest on the premise that only the state has the legitimate right to use violence and physical force within its territory for the purpose of maintaining its authority. And what is an authority? Who decides the legitimacy of this authority if the government is not elected by the people; if it works against the interests of the people? If it blocks the means to bring about a political change through civil resistance, how are people supposed to react? According to the social contract, a citizen surrenders certain rights and freedoms in exchange for the protection of his/her remaining rights and freedoms. However, when the government exploits these sacrifices without providing any security, it becomes obsolete and at times counter-productive.

 

There is a life beyond survival which demands freedom and dignity. Peace at the cost of liberty is just sugarcoated slavery. However, violence should not be seen as some over the counter solution for every political problem. A pre-condition for the success of any movement is political awareness. Violence has to have a purpose and it has to be the last resort. And to be purposeful and positively consequential, a struggle has to be well prepared, ordered and leader led.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Sapiens

 

Maknoon Wani

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The Auburn Umbrella

Auburn Umbrella: Diwali Look Book 2018

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Here’s looking at various fashion trends that will help you up your style game instantly and let you be the Pataka that you are.

Diwali is right around the corner and everyone is frantically browsing through the various fashion trends, looking for inspiration online, and scouring the streets of Chandni Chowk for their desired outfit. There seems to be no end to this madness that engulfs people every year at this time.

Let us look at some ways that could really help you to make a style statement:

 

  1. Sarees
    This Indian attire exuberates elegance and never goes out of style. The timelessness of a saree is what makes it a personal favourite. Go through your mother’s saree collection and grab what suits you best. You could either opt for a silk one to amplify the elegance or pick up a more modern and sheer silhouette like chiffon to look chic. You can even experiment with the draping techniques. Blouses can be substituted with printed, contrasting crop tops, or if you like, go for a blouse cut that pleases you the most.

 

  1. Palazzos

It baffles me time and again how comfortable palazzo can be. Either opt for a plain Kurta or a tank top and printed, colourful palazzo or a Kurta that is rather heavy and pair it up with complementing, plain palazzo. You can add a scarf to this mix and you would be Diwali ready. A variety of these could be picked up at Delhi Haat or Sarojini, or even chains like Westside.

 

  1. Jhumkas

If there is one accessory that could complete your whole look, it would probably be Jhumkas. To add that extra flash and traditional touch to the whole attire you can pick these up on the basis of size and colour depending on your attire as a whole. Understated silver ones as opposed to a chunkier colourful one might do the trick if you are not going for something too dressy. Jhumkas can easily be bought at Lajpat Nagar, Chandni Chowk, and Sarojini.

 

  1. Juttis or Kulhapuris

It is better if you opt for flats over heels, as they would be more comfortable and always provide you with the mobility that this festival demands. Walking around in heels for hours at a stretch can be severely uncomfortable and there are a number of medical issues that sprout up due to its prolonged usage. At this point, it is better to go for Juttis or Kolhapuris that might look even chic and fashionable.

This Diwali, let’s vow to not burst patakas, but rather be one. Happy Diwali!

Feature Image Credits: Fashion Buzzer

 

Anoushka Singh

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auburn umbrella

Auburn Umbrella – How to maintain a Minimalist Wardrobe

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Due to factors like lack of space in PGs and hostels, and the chance of moving places after you graduate, it is always a good idea to have a minimalist wardrobe so that there is one thing in life that you have sorted.        

A minimalist wardrobe includes clothes that are dynamic and durable. It focuses more on quality over quantity, because you have the intention of not only having a select few clothes with you, but also keeping them for longer periods of time.

The best way to immediately determine if the quality of a clothing item is good is by looking at what the thing is made out of. “Try thinking about shopping for clothing the way you shop for food. A lot of us look at the ingredients our food is made out of, why don’t we look at the materials our clothes are made out of?” questions Ingrid Nilsin, YouTuber fashion guru.

To declutter, you first need to decide what’s important to you and what makes sense to you. Choose comfort and your personal aesthetic and get rid of the things you’re not happy with. What will remain will be a beautiful amalgamation of pieces that bring you joy which you can dress up or dress down.

You need to focus on classic items, that withstand the test of time rather than going with trends.

Some essentials for both men and women:

 

  1. Black/white crew-neck T-shirt: A T-shirt is something that almost everybody wears several times a week, and a crew-neck is both practical and stylish. Colours like black and white are the safest options because they go with just about everything, but you could play with colours like olive, brown and grey.

 

  1. Blazer: A blazer immediately makes you look put-together and creates an impression of you being serious in life. This could come in handy for you ,as students, because there are interviews, seminars, and conferences, etc. popping up every now and then. A good blazer is definitely something you should invest in.

 

  1. Denims: They don’t kid when they say, “live in Levi’s”. A good pair of jeans will support all of your clothing single-handedly. Plus the variety of cuts, shapes and styles ensures that everyone is happy with their purchase.

 

  1. Trousers: a more sophisticated alternative to jeans would be a good pair of trousers that fit well and are comfortable. Bonus points for good-sized pockets!

 

  1. Classic button-down: nothing says I am ready for the world louder than a crisp button-down shirt. These can be dressed up with heels/dress-shoes, or dressed down with sneakers, and look equally good in both cases.

 

  1. A denim/leather jacket: if you find a good jacket, run with it, and never look back! These could be life-savers for people who possess minimalistic wardrobes and will instantaneously lift up your look.

Apart from these, accessorise like a bag that you trust, a few good pairs of shoes, and a watch will do wonders to your daily look.

 

 

Feature Image credits: Invent your image

Maumil Mehraj

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Campus Central

DU Attendance Menace

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Attendance criteria have never been one of the more appealing factors for college students, and Delhi University students are no strangers to the frustration this causes.

Delhi University mandates a minimum of 67% attendance for students to be eligible to appear for their semester exams. Adding to that, DU sets aside five per cent marks that are only awarded to students according to their attendance in a particular semester.

However, recently, it has been observed that colleges like Hansraj College have mailed cautionary letters to the homes of most attendance defaulters. In copies obtained by DU Beat, it was seen these letters consisted of the incorrect letterhead and grammatical errors. This makes one question the veracity of these letters that most students feel threatened by. Additionally, these letters are addressed to parents, and not students. This also makes one question the ethics of this, considering the fact that all students are adults and are held personally liable for all their actions (pertaining to activities in college) and usually, such an action is considered an invasion of one’s privacy.

It is a well-known fact that the attendance guidelines are used to incentivise students to maintain their attendance. Despite this, large numbers of students continuously fail to fulfil even the minimum requirement. This is because of a variety of reasons.

Many students live off campus, that adds to the travel time for most students who might not find the commute ‘worth it’. Classes are usually unevenly dispersed over slots from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., sometimes with 3-4 hour gaps in between. This is mostly due to logistical issues, pertaining to paucity of lecture halls or teachers. The advertisement section of the University of Delhi (DU) website stands proof of the number of vacancies in DU currently, right in the middle of the academic year.

Another reason for the same is extracurricular activities that occur during college hours. These are extremely important to cultivate your talents, increase your skill set, add to your CV, and develop your overall personality. Most colleges offer attendance benefits but these are only taken into consideration in case if students represent the college in competitions. Some colleges like Gargi College have different attendance requirements (34%) for students involved in cultural societies, while others don’t. This lack of transparency and these arbitrary changes in policy only add to students’ frustration.

Students working for society fests are often denied attendance benefits. Atishay Jain, a second-year student at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)  said, “I spent days preparing for our CMS (Computers and Mathematics Society) Fest, and only received benefits for 1 of the actual 3 days of the Fest. I think it becomes a trade-off between managing co-curricular and managing attendance. I choose the latter.” Adding to this, it is up to the discretion of teachers whether or not they want to consider benefits. Many teachers of SRCC refuse to do so.

Mostly, it is observed that the classes don’t offer any intrinsic knowledge to students, with monotonous course material and teaching methods. Last minute lecture cancellations, without substitutes, are also a proponent of apathy and absenteeism among students. Some colleges also fail to provide students with minimum lecture hours, as a recent Delhi High Court case highlights. In Jule 2018, the Delhi High Court slammed Delhi University for detaining a large number of law students on the ground of “lack of attendance” despite the varsity’s failure to conduct the requisite number of classes for the sixth and final semester from January to May. The judgment was passed on a batch of petitions filed by final-year law students of DU challenging the arbitrary manner in which students were detained by the university this year by citing lack of attendance.

It is another well-known fact that for most colleges, this debarring isn’t stringently followed through by the authorities themselves. The administration makes attendance defaulters sign an undertaking, a promissory note guaranteeing fulfilment of the required criteria in the immediately succeeding semester.

These factors add to students’ frustration and uncertainty, with growing apprehension to mandatory attendance requirements. This also makes one question the quality of lectures and tactics (or lack thereof) employed by colleges to make their students attend classes.

 

Feature Image Credits: Hans India

 

Nikita Bhatia

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Uncategorized

The History of #MeToo in India

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In India, #MeToo captured the public imagination last month when actress Tanushree Dutta recalled her accusations of sexual harassment against actor Nana Patekar on the sets of Horn Ok Please.

Back in 2008, she had complained against him and had walked off the set as a sign of protest. Nobody paid attention to her allegations, now 10 years later she’s the face of India’s #MeToo moment.

However, to say that Tanushre Dutta, no matter how courageous her act is, started #MeToo in India would be a disservice to the legacy of less remembered and astonishing brave women who called out their perpetrators way before Twitter took cognisance of the same. Here’s a lowdown of the important moments in the history of #MeToo in India-

1. One cannot forget Bhanwari Devi while talking about #MeToo. Bhanwari Devi, a lower- caste social worker, was one of the pioneers of the Women’s Development Project of the Rajasthan Government. She use to actively work towards sensitising her fellow villagers on social issues like child marriage. In 1992, she tried to persuade an upper caste family to not marry off their one-
year old girl child. As a consequence, she was gang-raped by the men of that family. 28 years on and she still hasn’t found justice, but her inspiring struggle shaped India’s feminist movement and brought to light the institutional sexual assualt of lower caste women at the hands of upper caste men.
2. In October 2017, Raya Sarkar, a law student at University of California atDavis, posted a list on Facebook that named Indian academics who were allegedly predatory in nature. The list, based on victim accounts, was intended to warn other young women
about sexual predators present in the universities and colleges of the country.
3. Last year, blogger Sheena Dabolkar’s viral #MeToo tweet resulted in the boycott of Khodu Irani’s popular Punepub, High Spirits, by several well-known performers. Many women, who were regulars there, came out with
their stories of being sexually harassed by men inside the pub.
4. Mahima Kukreja outed Utsav Chakraborty, a comedian who has worked with houses like All India Backchod (AIB), of as a sexual harasser. This accusation prompted several other women who recalled the same experience with the alleged perpetrator. As a result, Tanmay Bhatt, AIB’s co-founder and CEO, was also removed from organisation as it was found out that he was complicit when women reached out to him with allegations against Utsav Chakraborty.

5. Closer home in the University of Delhi (DU), Astha Bamba, a student of DU, collated list of alleged perpetrators who were active and established in the Model United Nations (MUN) and debating circuit of DU.
6. Vikas Bahl, the director of Queen, has been accused of sexually harassment by a former employee of Phantom
Films. Actress Kangna Ranaut came in support of her, accusing Bahl of sexual harassment too.
7. Actor Alok Nath has also been accused of raping TV Producer Vinta Nanda who worked with him on the sets of Tara, a television show, in the 90s.
8. M.J. Akbar, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, has been accused of sexual harassment by over 16 women, many of them established journalist. He’s by far the most powerful name in the ever-growing list of sexual predators.
We are at a point when it’s becoming culturally feasible for victims to validate their feelings. There is no victim blaming, gaslighting, or judgement. Which is why we are hearing stories that are years, sometimes decades old. Some have gathered the courage to come on record while others are exercising their right to stay anonymous. Many people have raised the question of false allegations. Feminists around the world are still grappling with how to deal with the collateral damage of lies, but we must refuse to let the “fear of false allegations” override the narratives of victims. The whisper network is a public announcement
now, and we are here for it.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Print

Disha Saxena 

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Offbeat

Love and Infatuation : Understanding the Difference

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Love and infatuation, in the beginning, feel like the same emotion, which leads to many complications.

You are walking in the corridor with your friends and suddenly, your gaze falls on that cute guy standing next to the pillar with not within a group of friends, and your world trembles. As filmy as it sounds, this actually happens with many of us. Another day, you are sitting in that boring lecture while the professor is hurling out his discourse, and all of a sudden you happen to rest your eyes on that sweet girl you’ve already given your heart to as she flicks her hair and refocuses her attention to the lecture and it makes you wonder if the drop in your stomach is a symptom of love.
Whether you have just come into college or have spent here a couple of years already, it doesn’t really matter, what matters are your feelings. They may develop anytime – on the first day of college or much time after you’ve already graduated. What is important here, is to develop the capability to determine whether what you feel is love or simple infatuation. Love is a magical sensation. It works on a level that lies way beyond the physical motives. Hence, if what you feel is a physical thirst, then, my friend, I’m gonna stop you right there. It’s lust. As a feeling, to love and to be loved is one of the best feelings on this universe. The simple realisation that there is someone in this life who means more than anything else to you, and that the feeling is mutual, is enough to lift your mood, no matter how upset you are.
Infatuation, on the other hand, is a fancy term for the physical attraction that occurs at regular intervals. Thus, when
we fall for someone over a feature like their “cute smile” or that “beautiful face”, there is a fair chance it is merely
infatuation. When you’re in love, you do crave the physical presence of your beloved but it is not as intense as in the case of infatuation. There’s a saying that “If you love someone, let them go. If they return, they’re yours, if they don’t, they never were”. Infatuation, on the other hand, being the physical attraction that it is, has got little to do with feelings. Love is longer and much more comfortable, while infatuation is intense and short-lived. Thus, that rush of adrenaline when you look at your crush is most probably infatuation, for when you’re in love, you feel comfortable in the presence of your lover, and not shaky. Also, note here that infatuation makes our thought process a bit more irrational. In this perspective, “chaand-taare tod lana” (getting someone the moon and stars), sounds a bit resonating with infatuation, isn’t it? If what you’re devoting most of your thought to is your crush, it means that you’re obsessed with the person, which is a clear sign of infatuation. This stand gets further established if there’s an eruption of jealousy if you look at your crush diverting their attention to someone other than you, for true love is understanding and full of trust.
Love always grows with friendship. If you find yourself comfortable and friendly with the person you think is your “lover”, it is a sign of being in a healthy relationship. However, if your desire for the person makes you want them more and more, you’re headed to a dead end. There are chances that what you’re feeling is infatuation,
rather than love. Thus, the outcome is that there exists a very thin line of demarcation between love and infatuation, but this thin line carries the potential to make or break a relationship. If what you feel for your better-half is physical, immature, materialistic, obsessive and mistrustful in nature, then it is pretty sure that you’re merely infatuated rather than in love.
True love is a pure opposite of what one faces in infatuation. It is totally devoid of lust, immaturity, jealousy, obsession, and mistrust and offers growth, real happiness, and contentment.

Feature Image Credits: Karen Rosetzsky

Aashish Jain
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DUB Speak

Friendships in College: How to Make a Lasting Bond

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When we start college, the thought of spending three years with the same set of people doesn’t hit us at once. But, inevitably, these people become an extension of who we are.

College hands us innumerable lectures, assignments, exams and anxiety the moment we become part of the higher-education group. So much so, that in keeping up with the day’s activities, we begin to lose sight of what is important in life- association. But one highly underrated gift that college gives us would be friends, joining us in this happy-sad-journey.

It is often joked about that the people we sit with on the first day of college tend to become our best friends. Funny as it may seem, it does contain a certain amount of truth in it, if not completely veritable. This might be the reason why, despite cliched cliques, every person in a group of friends has their own unique personality, and is allowed to maintain that. Here, we learn an enormously important life skill, which is tolerance.

“In college, we meet people from diverse backgrounds, having different opinions,” says Alfisha Sabri, a first-year English honours student of Maitreyi College. “Being mature and respecting the views of others, whilst sticking to our own beliefs, is what makes strong friendship bonds that pass the test of time.” What happens here is that we, unknowingly, prepare ourselves for the wider spectrum of people we will have to interact with as we proceed further on in life. Mutual respect is something that can never be compromised on.

In friendship, there is an unsaid rule of agreeing to disagree. Even though we may not accept our friends’ point of view, doesn’t make them (or you) a bad person; rather, they are individual choices which everyone makes.

If it is friends that we want, we have to ensure that we are a friend to them in the first place. From sharing notes to being there in times of crisis, we must play our part in the friendship because only then can we expect something in return. This is similar to being a safe space for our friends, in an environment that may get extremely inhospitable at times. We should be that somebody they can rely on, so when we need a hand or a heart, they will be sitting next to us.

College is a time when we hardly have free time on our hands. There is always so much to get done in what seems like forever-diminishing-time and everyone is pushing themselves to a point of mental and physical exhaustion. As friends, we must ensure that we do spend time outside of the classrooms as well, and not let go of the tradition of ‘hanging out’. Contrary to this, we must be understanding and appreciative of our friends’ efforts to do their very best and not mope over the lack of ceremonious gatherings because they, too, run on a very tight schedule.

Having said all of this, I do believe that laughter, harmless witticisms and getting into moderate trouble seal the bond of friendship, and it is these mildly scandalous incidents that serve as amazing anecdotes years down the line!

 

Feature Image credits: Sneha Garg

Maumil Meharj

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Bazinga

Bazinga: Professors required to dress up this Halloween

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This Halloween, the University of Delhi is geared up to offer its students something unprecedented. The viability of the plan, however, has been put to question.

 

On October 28, 2018, the United Grants Commission (UGC) issued a statement, making it mandatory for all professors to dress up on Halloween. The statement specifies that all professors should come to their classes in the guise of a superhero, literary character, or cartoon.

 

A student from Dyal Singh College, on the condition of anonymity shared his excitement with us, over the last category, “I am all charged up to see how well my professors live up to their caricatures drawn on the last page of my notes!”

 

While many students are celebrating the statement, the enforcement of the order is ambiguous in the academic circles of the staff rooms of various colleges. A professor from Ramjas College wrote a letter to the authorities—in no uncertain terms— that this was “a rudely disrespectful compliance expected out of all of us (professors).”

 

In the letter, the professor goes on to say, “We should have the freedom to choose our clothes, at least! Our options are already so limited.”

 

Some might argue that the conscious choice of clothes of their professors are nightmarish enough; to begin with, that is. Put into question, the authorities issued a public statement on 29 October that claims, “This practice will heighten the sense of connectivity between the professors and their students. The idea is to instil friendship into the equation.” As innocent as the intention is, the results just might be surprising for the authorities to observe.

 

But there are others who claim something good comes from this decision too. “Seeing as how Diwali is only a week from Halloween, we could take this as a step towards being more inclusive. The students will have a lot to learn,” said Ramprasad Guru, a Festival Analyst who works as a freelance. But it is easy to say that the professors do not agree as they have unanimously agreed to protest on Thursday outside Arts Faculty in North Campus.

 

In the diametric expectations of the students and professors, the tension increases for the latter. As the students want their professors to come to their 8:30 class as Dolores Umbridge and explode into cheers and jeers immediately, and as the professors are resolute on escaping this humiliation, one significant element hangs in the balance – education.

 

College administrations are perplexed over the idea of loss of time of students due to the fiasco. The time that they could otherwise spent waiting in lines to get permissions for organising events in their respective colleges. Arguably, it is good to see that the administration department is not vexed by the decision directly. But then, it is hard to impress an innovative idea on them.

 

It remains to be seen what awaits the fate of a thousands of professors this Halloween. But whether classes are cancelled or the students actually see a Khaleesi marking the stupefied students’ attendance, it is a victory for the dedicated college goers of Delhi University.

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

Feature Image Credits: Scroll

Kartik Chauhan

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DUB Speak

31 October in DU: The Fear of College

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As exciting as college is, there are some downsides to it as well. Sometimes it is too much pressure. Or is it the case always? Let us explore this. 

31 October 2018 is a special day because it is Halloween. But the speciality of the day is in the idea that it is meant to celebrate fear and in that, it is meant to help us learn to stay strong through the moments of fear. Fear is a complex emotion, to say the least. It takes away all our initiative when it strikes. But sometimes it works in the opposite direction too. All of us would relate with the fact that we as students cannot work unless we have the fear of deadlines seeing as how many of us write our assignments on the last date of submission. So maybe fear works to create this productivity for us. But there are some fears that can never work in a positive way.  These fears feed on you. And burdened by such elements, we see ourselves plummeting to a swift doom. The aforementioned fears are the fears of seclusion, anxiety and judgement in college. All of us have felt them. In fact, we have lived them. As distressed as they make us, they also work some lessons into us. These lessons are often not registered by us.

Everyday is a mounting challenge for us when we do not recognize the importance of our beliefs. Our ideals are not necessarily always  extensive or  accurate, but these beliefs will make us  learn to hold on to ourselves. And that is what we must do, when we feel secluded. At times, we feel dejected and abandoned. But more often than not, this feeling of being lost comes of its own accord. It is in these times that we fail to recognize the companionship of our friends because we are broken by the ignorance of an indifferent acquaintance. It appears that the arbitrary opinions of a person weigh us down too much. So much so that we restrain ourselves from a social background and accept seclusion as the way of life. It happens that seclusion is inflicted by others. But in that moment, whom do you latch on to? The model fear or of hope? Answer yourself. You will probably answer in favour of the latter, and that is when you know you have won the battle with seclusion.

Dr. Jennifer Guttman, a clinical psychologist and cognitive-behaviorist in one of her videos says, “Whether it be dealing with something you are avoiding or overcoming an insecurity, facing your fears is important when it comes to getting the most out of life.”

It is natural for us to feel out of place, anxious, and even fear the judgement that surrounds us. People can hold prejudices close to themselves about you despite all your efforts to put your best foot forward. This disappointing truth sometimes takes away our incentive to work in a social construct. Forcing us to withdraw to such a state of being self-cornered, this fear can wreak great havoc in our lives. But then, it is a choice. A choice to fall prey to this deception of fear would ultimately mean the end of a lot of opportunities. So when you are facing fear next time, remember what Halloween teaches us.

Remember that fear makes the wolf look bigger than he is. Remember that “Fear makes you a prisoner, Hope sets you free.”

Feature Image Credits: Thrive Global

Kartik Chauhan

[email protected]

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