Amrashree Mishra, Author at DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

Informative Piece for Civil Services Aspirants

By Amrashree Mishra November 9, 2019

To most us, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil services may mean getting into the esteemed government jobs such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), but the UPSC offers much more. Here is a piece on exploration of the 24 services which the UPSC offers and all of them give a huge canvas to an individual to serve the nation and develop their personality.

Every Civil Services aspirant is given the option to fill up their ‘choice’ services in the order of their preference and on the basis of the rank secured by them in the exam, one of the services is allotted from their preferences. To work in the field of one’s liking is definitely important for both effectiveness of work done and for the individual hence, it is important to understand the various services for which recruitment is done through the Civil Services examination.

The services can be divided into groups based on the nature of job.

Administration: The job profile revolves around revenue administration amongst other issues of importance. The IAS offers a challenging job profile and the IAS officer plays the role of the change agent in the society. Many of the aspirants only want to be an IAS officer to ensure that they contribute to the people and the society at large. The other services in this group deal with a smaller canvas and a restricted area of administration. They are present in the Group B category and generally based on the vacancy position. The members of the Group B services are inducted after about 16 years into IAS. These include the ‘DANICS’- Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service and the Pondicherry Civil Service.

Policing and Security: The services under this group are involved in security of establishments, operation and policing for the general public. The IPS is a popular choice amongst aspirants due to the power the service offers to help people and to maintain a general law and order in the society. The other services in this group also are uniformed services. The Railway Police Service (RPF) is exclusively recruited police force for guarding the railway operations and properties. The other services are Group B police services in the union territories and after a time period of 16 years they get inducted as Group A in the IPS.

Diplomacy: This service is one of great importance as it allows officers represent India abroad and also deal with all diplomatic engagements of our country. It’s a premier service and considered very elite. One gets the opportunity to travel and learn new languages and adopt to new cultures.

Audit: The Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA &AS) is very unique as the opportunity to be into the fields of both accounting and auditing. The posting takes place all over India and is considered very important. Since the officers are constitutionally endowed with independence, they audit the government income expenditure and policy. There are opportunities to be posted abroad as well.

Accounts and Finance: The Department of Posts and Telecom, Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Defence have lot of independence and extended powers and hence their accounts and finances are dealt by separate Accounts and Finance officers as indicated and they are posted all over India. The other departments and ministries are handled by Civil Accounts Department and this service posts are available mostly in Delhi. Each of the accounts and finance service is headed by their own cadre chief and are existing as a separate vertical in their respective departments. The services under this category include the Indian Post and Telecommunication Accounts & Finance Service (IP&TAFS) and the Indian Defence Accounts Service(IDAS).

Service oriented Ministries and Departments: This refers to the postal services which are delivered and administered in India and abroad by the postal service officers.

Operations and Manufacturing: The operation of the Railways in all areas is done by IRTS (Indian Railway Traffic Service) officers. This is a very challenging job as decisions are taken and executed on real time basis. The ordinance factories which were established for supporting our country’s production of defence related equipments, arms and ammunitions is managed by this service.

Support Services: The recruitment in railways is very large and the management of the huge workforce is also a great responsibility which supports the operation activities and is thus held by the IRPS (Indian Railway Personnel Service) and the defence lands and estates are managed by IDES (Indian Defence Estates Service). The Headquarters of Army, Navy and Airforce require administrative support and this is given by the AFHQCS (Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service), which is a Group B service.

Media: This service, the IIS (Indian Information Service) manages the government owned media as well as government’s expenditure in media. The publicity of Government schemes is also done by the officers of this service.

Taxation: The collection of both direct and indirect taxes is monitored and executed by these two services and they have their offices all over India. This includes the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).

Trade and Legal: These services are basically economic services focusing on trade and law. This includes the “Indian Trade Service” (ITS) and the “Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS).

Further to the above grouping based on the nature of work there is another classification based on the level of entry. There exists two classification as Group A services (19) and Group B services(5). All the above 24 services have the common examination and all the officers after completion of the period of service in the respective service can be impaneled in the Centre by the Department of Personnel and Training for holding the Director, the Joint Secretary, the Additional Secretary and Secretary posts in various Departments and Ministries of the Central Government.

Services like IAS and IPS are cadre based services and are allotted for specific states and union territories. Rest of all are based on the availability of offices of their respective service posts in the country. Hence, the civil service aspirant should fill up their preferences after understanding the nature of the services and their liking to the nature of the job profile.

Image Credits: Scopio

Abhinandan Kaul

Peer Pressure- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

By Amrashree Mishra November 9, 2019

All of us have experienced peer pressure at some point in our lives. Here’s decoding the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of peer pressure.

Right from school to college, we spend a considerable amount of time every day with our friends. Thus, it’s only natural that we pick up certain habits and thoughts which belong to them. But when we feel compelled to be just like them or adopt their lifestyle, it most definitely is peer pressure.

Peer pressure is a circumstance wherein we tend to get carried along with our peers and get influenced by their lifestyles, habits and even their thought-processes.

To identify if you are succumbing to peer pressure, ask yourself just one question – “Am I doing this because I want to do it or because everyone around me is doing it?”

Adolescence is a tricky age to be in. We get fascinated by anything and everything. We learn and unlearn every day. This is the very age when we get more influenced by our peers than by our parents. Consequently, we end up doing a lot of things to ‘fit in’ and be ‘cool’.

One of the worst things that peer pressure can lead one into is the loss of identity very early in life. One starts disregarding himself/herself for not being like others and constantly try to be one among the lot. If not found acceptable to one’s peers, a person starts dismantling parts of themselves every day and rebuilds to get validated.

Adopting the thought-processes of your peers without scrutinizing them can puncture your ability to think and reason. One might end up becoming an individual with no original ideas and thinking. It’s very close to having a mob-mentality where the actions and thoughts of people around you become your own. Thus, it’s pertinent to make sure that you don’t lose your inherent personality while engaging with your peers on a daily basis.

Adoption of habits is one of the most common forms of peer pressure that exists around us. Willingly or unwillingly, we fall into this trap of adopting the habits of our friends. Many a times, we tend to start living the lifestyles of our peers. More than half of the young people start smoking or drinking merely out of peer pressure. The phrase, “Don’t be a chicken, everyone’s doing it” is enough to compel one into doing a certain thing.

The above mentioned aspects can be attributed to negative peer pressure.

While the term peer pressure is always taken in a negative connotation, it’s not really the case. While it may lead you into making destructive and unhealthy choices in life, it can at the same time also push you towards self-betterment.

One of the best things that peer pressure can do to you is that it makes you sit back and evaluate yourself. It’s undeniable that we all have the scope to grow and learn. Constantly being around people with conflicting opinions and personalities will make you challenge the personality and thought-process you’ve been carrying hitherto then.

It also makes you look beyond yourself and accept those conflicting personalities. Selectively and carefully analyzing them will help you bring positive aspects into yourself and make you grow as a person. Having a sound group of friends who push you to do better every day is like finding a gold mine. They will help you experience positive peer pressure. Thus, be careful of the company you choose to hang out with.

The most important thing to realize while experiencing peer pressure is that it is more internal than external. Mastering our minds to comprehend right from wrongs can make you go a long run into not succumbing to negative peer pressure. Also, doing away with the rigidity of one’s personality and thinking and considering the opinions and constructive habits of those around will help you extract the positive out of your peers.

Image Credits: Scopio

Shreya Agrawal

DUB Speak

SDGs and You: How every effort counts!

By Amrashree Mishra October 30, 2019

Here’s a piece on how each of your actions matter and you at an individual level can bring up the changes for a brighter and better future by your own little deeds.

The Sustainable Development Goals have suddenly gained their required attention and have become the talk of the town.
But the question arises, what are they and how do they concern us? Are they just a matter of concern for international authorities like the United Nations which where behind its inception or can we do our part in executing them?

Understanding SDGs:
The SDGs are a set of 17 goals unanimously adopted by the member nations of the United Nations in order to make the vision come true of a world where the planet is protected and people live a life of peace and happiness in all spheres. These are also known as the ‘Global Goals’ and were created in 2015 with an aim in mind to achieve them all by 2030.

It might sound overambitious and all too daunting to aim to achieve every single one of them but here are some ways in which we can do our bit to achieve them.

SDG 02: No Hunger
Cook some food, go out and offer it to someone in need. Who knows one kind action on your part might just turn into the most wholesome and healthy meal a person gets in their entire day.

SDG 03: Good Health and Well Being
Take out time for yourself.Take a day off, read a book or just eat healthy. It’s the small actions that build strong bridges over the course of time.

SDG 04: Quality Education
If you are reading this article, consider yourself as the fortunate ones who have had access to not only education but internet and other facilities too. Take out an hour everyday or every alternate from your schedule to teach the children of the labourers working around you. One hour might be insignificant to you but it holds the might to bring changes in the life of a child.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
It’s time to bring into action the words we learnt in childhood. ‘Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.’ is the need of the hour. Smallest acts such as carrying paper or jute bags are actions which can bring amazing changes not only in one’s actions but the environment too!

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Take the public transport! Having sustainable cities is vital for our survival. Small actions which can lead to reduction in pollution emissions or walking the distance are some of the tiniest changes which maximum positive benefits!

SDG 14: Life below Water

Quit straws and plastic bottles! These are two of the things most popular amongst usage but at the same time equally harmful if not more. Explore new alternatives like paper straws and support people bringing such unique initiatives across.

These are just a few of the many Global Goals ahead of us, ones which call and demand action from each one of us. This article is here, to get you brainstorming on how you can do your bit in achieving the goals for a sustainable tomorrow.

Imagine each one of us taking these steps even if that’s just once a week. What monumental changes we can bring across!

In the words of Ban Ki Moon, “Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance.”

Get up, get going. The world awaits you!

Image Credits: United Nations Development Program

Amrashree Mishra

Uncategorized

PMO Intervention Necessary to stop high-rise construction

By Amrashree Mishra October 30, 2019

The following is an informative, enriched with facts, opinion piece on the construction of the high rise building in the University of Delhi’s North Campus and how it stands as a matter of serious concern.

The construction of 39-storey private high-rise building in an educational area such as the North Campus of the University of Delhi is completely illegal and is also a big threat to the security and integrity of the Delhi University. This also stands as a major environmental concern.

In 2001, the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi had acquired the 3 acre land of the Ministry of Defence for the construction of the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had bought the land from the Defence Ministry for INR 42.4 crore which was for public and was even acquired on public money which was subsequently sold to a private builder for INR 218 Crores. However, now the cost of land may be more than a thousand crores .

A question to address is how can the DMRC purposely sell the public land to a private builder when the land is of high concern and comes under the purview of the University’s academic area? This event raises the question on credibility of DMRC .

The credibility of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation(MMRCL) on the falling and transplantation of 2,646 trees in Aarey for the Metro 3 car shed project is already in public discourse and questions have been raised that the MMRCL is not concerned about environmental issues. If a 39-storey private building will be built then the DMRC’s credibility will be questioned by the young students and environmentalists. Therefore DMRC should intervene and the land should be returned to the appropriate authority.

However, the University had moved to High Court in 2012 but lost the case before a single-judge bench in 2015. The area does not fall under North Campus, HC had said. DU then moved against the order in HC itself after a period of three years whereas letter patents appeal (LPA) needs to be filed within 90 days after the single bench order.The two-judge bench dismissed the petition, questioning the delay on DU’s part to file an appeal. DU had claimed it didn’t have a Vice-Chancellor, thereby delaying the executive council’s meeting. The questions raised here is also as to why the University authorities filed the letter patents appeal (LPA) after a duration of 3 years? This is indicative of how the authorities of the University work on the issues of concern.

However, I personally wrote a letter to M.H.R.D ,C.M.O,Delhi and PMO on 10th October 2018 but in the reply of C.M.O, Delhi only apprised concern other offices are still silent .

This place is near the places of national heritage like Gwyer Hall ,the Vice Chancellor’s office and the Gandhi Bhawan. This place is also a public educational hub. The Vice Chancellor’s house is attached with the disputed land. There are six girls hostels near this building. The DRDO office and the Lieutenant Governor’s office are also nearby. This area is an educational area and a high-security zone. The construction of such a large private building can pose a serious threat to the privacy of the girls living in the Delhi University hostels and also to the security of this area. It also violates the three points of Clause 11 of the Delhi Master Plan 2021.

The clause 11 of the master plan stated that restrictions on tall buildings would be necessary in important areas like Lutyen’s Bungalow Zone, Civil lines and North Campus. In case of urban extension, areas for specific Urban Design projects and tall buildings should be identified.

The design must also reflect upon the needs of the pedestrians and differently-abled persons but it seems that the safety issues of differently-abled persons will be definitely under the threat after the construction of the 39-storey private building .

The long demand of North Campus to be an infrastructural close campus will be never possible if the building gets built. The idea of close campus is also elaborated in Delhi Master plan 2021.

Project falls in the silence zone as it is stationed within 100 metres distance from the University of Delhi, an educational institution and Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, a super speciality hospital for pulmonary diseases.

While granting the impugned environment clearance for the construction of the tallest building in Delhi under the proposed project, the impact that its habitation will be reflected in the levels of air and noise pollution which were blatantly ignored by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in as much as the waste disposal considerations were also not taken into account in any manner.

Ironically, in the present situation, the students cannot protest within 100 meters radius of the Administrative Block.The students cannot protest under the 100 metres radius but 39 storey private building can be built.

However, in the legal development, the Department of Forests issued permission to Young Builders Pvt. Ltd. to remove 156 trees at the construction site. The National Green Tribunal (N.G.T.) took cognizance an issued the letter North Delhi Municipal Corporation with other authority. Now the matter is in the hands of the Supreme Court through the special leave petition. But the company has already started the construction with already being two months into it now.There is no legal prohibition to stop the construction.

The students of Delhi University are under fear. They have been raising their voice through the protests but the issue is one which is a ballgame of a thousand crores, major corporates and administrative interests.

Hence instead of delaying the issue, the intervention of Prime Minister’s Office is necessary. The Vice Chancellor of University of Delhi and many other authorities have already written a the letter to P.M.O, the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.

We, the student of the University of Delhi already proposed that instead of a 39 storey private building, a hostel should constructed students coming from the marginalised class in the University.

I believe that the intervention of Prime Minister’s Office is necessary because it is the Prime Minister’s alma mater under threat.

Raja Choudhary

(Raja Choudhary is student of Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He has been the former presidential candidate of the Delhi University’s Students Union and is also the author of the novel ‘Ayodhya’.)

DU students thrashed by Bouncers

By Amrashree Mishra October 26, 2019

Four students of the University were allegedly beaten up the bouncers of a cafe in the Hudson Lane which lead to 200 students turning up in solidarity for the victims. The said victims have been discharged after due treatment; an investigation regarding the accused is still underway.

On Wednesday, 23rd October 2019, a Police Control Room (PCR) van received a call at 8.30 p.m. regarding a tussle that had broken out in a cafe at north-west Delhi’s Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Nagar. In one of the many cafes that line the streets of GTB Nagar or Hudson Lane, four Delhi University students were injured after they were hit allegedly by bouncers over the volume of music.

The ‘Housefull Cafe Lounge’ where the incident took place. Image credits: Prakash Ranjan

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West) Vijayanta Arya, made a statement on Thursday morning regarding this incident and said that no arrests have been made so far. The recent developments are that an investigation is still underway, pertaining to the incident.

The incident happened when a 24-year-old student, of the University of Delhi’s Law Faculty, Samar Singh, was celebrating his birthday with 30-35 friends at Housefull Cafe Lounge. The group had asked the staff to increase the volume of music and to change the song, to which they disagreed. An argument broke out between the two groups which turned into a physical fight. This is when the bouncers intervened. The students claimed that they were attacked by the bouncers outside the location and beaten up badly.

Ms. Arya said, in conversation with The Hindu, that the four injured students were taken to a nearby hospital where they were discharged after treatment.

Victim’s treatment underway. Image Credits: Prakash Ranjan

Victim Samar Singh had called the police and submitted a complaint at GTB Nagar police station after which a case under the Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 34 (Common intention) of the Indian Penal Code have been registered.

“Two bouncers have been identified but are absconding. Teams are working to nab them.” Ms. Arya added.

After the incident, around two-hundred students turned up at Kingsway Camp to protest and express solidarity at the incident. Images of the victims as well as messages calling for media persons in the vicinity to join the protest, were doing the rounds by the end of the night on Wednesday. In conversation with a national daily, ex-Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) President Shakti Singh alleged, “Police did not cooperate in the matter and were shielding the accused instead.” The students only left after the police assured them that proper action would be taken in the case. The GTB crossing had been occupied for more than three hours.

The police also notified that a case had also been filed against the bar owner for not carrying out verification of his employees.

Feature Image Credits: Prakash Ranjan

Bhavya Pandey

Eco Friendly Campuses: A New face of Miranda House

By Amrashree Mishra October 25, 2019

With plastic becoming a major menace, here is an insight into how the students as well as the authorities of Miranda House have taken up several steps to make their campus a plastic-free space of the University.

Plastic is one of the most ubiquitous materials in the economy but with the increasing awareness about its ill-effects and negative impact on the environment and the spreading of the news of its complete ban by the government, several colleges and institutions have started substituting plastic with other options.

Miranda House has also taken many such initiatives to discourage the usage of single-use plastic.

The first step taken by students and societies was to conduct a plastic-free Fresher’s party to welcome the freshers to a ‘Green Miranda’. Vatavaran, the environmental cell of Miranda House, along with the Department of Geography encouraged the student councils of all the departments to conduct their Department Freshers without the usage of plastic in decoration and food. As a novel and creative initiative, the ‘Green Departments’ which successfully conducted a ‘plastic-free freshers’ were provided with certificates.

Aatreyee Tamuly, a student of B.A. (Hons) History, Miranda House said, “I think Miranda has taken the ‘No Plastic Campaign’ pretty well. It was great seeing all the departments taking part in the no plastic campaign during the Department fresher’s party.”

The usage of plastic in the canteen has been decreased as they have started providing steel plates and spoons instead of plastic plates for serving food. Providing straws has been stopped completely. Nescafe has substituted plastic cutlery with wooden cutlery and plates with paper bowls.

All along, the National Service Scheme (NSS) of Miranda House has conducted various events to discourage the usage of single-use plastic. One such event was a collection drive on the campus to collect all the plastic bottles and other plastic waste. The collected items were then handed over to the plastic recycling centre.

Another major step by the National Service Scheme (NSS) was to celebrate Onella, a Social Mela with the theme of ‘No Single-Use Plastic’. Several posters were circulated with the message of avoiding plastic usage. The regular Diwali Mela (Onella) was celebrated as a Social Mela this year to encourage secularism, raise funds and to promote the social cause of avoiding plastic usage. A REPLAFT competition was organized by the society on the eve of Onella in which the students were supposed to reuse plastic to make craft items. The decorative stuff made by reused plastic was sold at Onella. A signatory campaign to discourage the usage of single-use plastic also found its way into the celebrations. Another initiative by the society was to organize a ‘Plog Run’, which was plastic picking plus jogging.

Priyanshi Singh, a final year student of Miranda House expressed her views on the initiatives. She said, “I feel that the initiatives taken by authorities and students to avoid usage of plastic are really good, but I feel more could be done to it. For instance, plastic bottles are still being sold on the campus, as plastic cold drink bottles and water bottles are being sold and used. Instead, they could only sell glass bottles or cans. Selling some packaged items like chips can also be avoided, which could also lead to a healthy lifestyle. Whatever has been done to minimize it is good, but still some more steps like substituting aerated drink bottles with cans and glass bottles should be done.”

However, the initiatives taken by societies and authorities can only be successful if one takes steps on an individual level. The words of Margaret Mead ring a true bell at this moment.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Image Credits: shiksha.com

Priya Chauhan

The IOE proposal: Discussion, Resistance and Rejection by DUTA

By Amrashree Mishra October 25, 2019

The Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA) held an emergent meeting at Tuesday, 24th October 2019 to discuss the varsity’s twin move to create an “Institute of Eminence” within it and replace its various statutory bodies like Executive Council by an all-powerful Board of Governors.

DUTA had a meeting wherein recent issues of key importance were discussed. The meeting’s main motive was to formalise the arguments against the decision and submit the same to the University Administration expressing their concerns while also highlighting the possible consequences.

The concept of the institute of eminence is taken as a pathway for better education, however, a thorough understanding of the label is required. Here is an explanation of the same.

The status of institute of eminence will take place with the formation of 9 autonomous centres and the replacement with a separate board of directors. The exercise in creating a separate list of Institutions is geared towards promoting a special economic zone for Higher Education brands that may pursue commercial aims with impunity and without any public accountability, said DUTA. The organisation was responding to the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry decision to grant ‘Institutes of Eminence’ status to 6 institutions.

Along with the University of Delhi, the government granted ‘Institutions of Eminence’ (IoEs) status to IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in the public sector, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, BITS Pilani and Jio Institute by Reliance Foundation in the private sector.

Talking about IOE, to give the institute of eminence within the University of Delhi (DU) will lead to disintegration. DUTA’s discussion was pointed towards how currently, the entire University has been awarded the status of IoE, and it is shared by all the institutions, faculty members and stakeholders jointly. But once an independent parallel structure within it is declared as IoE, it will receive the entire limelight and government patronage leading to disintegration of unity among the institutions.

The DUTA is also opposing the University Administration’s decision to do away with the current administrative or statutory bodies of the university such as the Executive Council and Academic Council with an all-powerful Board of Governors. University has decided to advance the timeline of setting up a Board of Governors in line with the New Education Policy 2019, because of the following reasons:

The new Board of Governors will not be accountable to anyone within the university. Instead, the Board of Governors will only be accountable to the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog, which is a cause for concern. In addition to this, the members of the Board of Governors will be nominated and not elected, from outside the university, which again calls for caution.

Talking about the advancement of plans to implement the Draft New Education Policy from 2020 to October 2019 itself, DUTA said, “This timeline seeks to do away with the statutory bodies like Executive Council, Academic Council, departmental councils and college staff council by the constitution of all-powerful BOGs (Board of Governors).”

DU is going to implement this BOG-ruled autonomous structure within the varsity in the garb of eminence, where this institute would receive a grant of INR 1000 crore in 10 years from the Centre directly and their matters will never undergo the critical scrutiny from the EC, AC or Finance Committee which raises a bigger motive for privatization.

“The ’eminence’ tag is being used to dismantle the university when the government money should have benefited the entire university and improved its infrastructure” DUTA said allegedly.

The question is hand is why the university administration is taking such dire steps, going against their unions to implement this.

In a conversation with Abha Dev Habib, Office bearer, DUTA, she told DU Beat, as an answer to the above question, “It’s all just a big facade for privatization, commercialisation and corporatization of education. Whether they call it graded university, new education policy or institute of eminence, it’s just privatization, where there will be fee hikes, all in the name of profit.” She also said, “There will be a serious loss of accountability and greater disintegration.”

DUTA also criticized the way some private institutions have been selected as Institutes of Eminence.

The Government had received more than 100 applications for the grant of IoE status. Under Public Sector, the following have applied for the scheme-

10 central universities
25 state universities
6 deemed to be universities
20 institutions of national importance
6 standalone institutions

As for the private sector, 9 private universities and 16 deemed to be universities have applied in the Brownfield category and 8 institutions have applied in the Greenfield category.

Existing standalone institutions which are not universities or deemed-to-be-varsities were allowed to apply under Greenfield category for Institution of Eminence status to avail greater autonomy and get a world-class reputation.

DUTA has been quite vocal in presenting their resentment against the proposal. Many staff associations along with students throughout the varsity have protested against this proposal and the new education policy.

Where colleges like Ramjas college went on a ten-day dharna, other colleges like Gargi college and Kamla Nehru college formed a human chain to show their resistance.

Staff association and students of Gargi college and Kamala Nehru College come together and form a long queue of protest against the privatization of University of Delhi with slogans like “Education is not for sale”. Video by Avni Dhawan for DU Beat

After the emergent meeting that took place on Tuesday where all the arguments were formalised, DUTA has rejected the proposal. It was rejected on the grounds that it involves a push towards privatisation of education as confessed by Mr. Prakash Javadekar while announcing it for the first time as Graded Autonomy for universities and grant of IoE status. He had confessed that these steps constitute the initiation of liberalisation in the education sector.

“It also gives the University the freedom to determine fees for domestic students subject to one meaningless rider. The rider is a principle that no one will be turned away for his/her incapacity to pay. In the absence of any guideline on how high the fees are and the means criteria to be entitled to fee waiver/scholarship. Loans binding their future would become the only effective mechanism.” said DUTA in their press release.

The DUTA Executive also took a decision to call for a Total Shutdown of the University on Friday, 25th October 2019 and a Dharna from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Executive Council meeting to protest against this move and also to demand the withdrawal of the 28th August 2019 letter asking for guest appointments to be made against all new vacancies.

Feature Image Credits: Abha Dev Habib

Chhavi Bahmba

Arts & Culture

Celebrating a Diwali Without Crackers

By Amrashree Mishra October 25, 2019

Diwali, the festival of lights, somewhere down the lane, ended up becoming the festival of crackers. As the black clouds of pollution loom over us, it’s time to look at other alternatives for spending the day with the same excitement and charm.

Diwali is one of India’s most favourite festivals. Houses are lit up, markets are bustling with sweets and Rangoli and everyone around you is prepping up their Instagram-ready outfits. Even if you might not be ready to soak in the festivity yet, the sight of lights everywhere are definitely ‘guiding you home’; instantly lifting up your mood.

The morning after Diwali, however, is a mess. After you finally wake up at noon, the sight that beholds you is of the remnants of the burnt crackers everyone paid thousands for. Ironically, while the days prior Diwali are spent cleaning the house, all of our philosophies die a sorry death when it comes to the waste accumulated through crackers.

This Diwali, save yourself and your loved ones from the sight (and the polluted air weeks after) and spend this Diwali season cracker-free! Here are a few ways in which you could spend your day:

Go creative! Make Rangolis!

This Diwali, bring out your inner artist. Think out of the box, and instead of the stencils found in the market and create your own designs. Use colours, flowers, and paints to decorate your house and impress your parents!

Exchange Meaningful Gifts!

Instead of the generic box of Soan-Papdi and dry fruits, gift your loved ones something personal. Spend this Diwali exchanging gifts that last longer than that box of laddoos. Light up your siblings’ Diwali with that handmade photo frame. Visit your relatives and leave your mark on the presents you give. Do something that leaves a mark on others and makes your heart happy!

Help the underprivileged:

Instead of spending thousands of rupees on crackers, this Diwali make a difference. DO your bit to light up the lives of people around you who might not be able to do it by themselves. Diwali is the perfect season for buying or donating winter necessities and food. You can even visit an orphanage, share your joy and even get gifts for people there. Nothing in the world would bring you more happiness than the twinkle in the other person’s eyes!

Take Care of Stray Animals:

What is fun for you might not be as fun for your pawed pals. The street animals suffer terribly by getting caught up in the web of smoke and noise of the festival. Hang up feeders for birds and leave food for the cats and dogs in your neighbourhood. Provide your canine and feline friends the warmth and love they deserve instead of bursting crackers! You can even visit shelters if you have them around you and spend the festival with ‘woofs’ instead of ‘booms’.

Catch up with friends and family

Maybe you are a student who had to stay back in their hostel because of classes and pending assignments or maybe you’re some who’s visited their hometown after ages. What better festival to catch up with friends, old and new, than Diwali? Call up your friends, plan a get-together, and spend the day basking in the stories and laughter of your friends. Strengthen the new friendships and revive the old ones.

Learn and play card games!

This is the perfect season for you to show how gifted you are in Teen Patti. Show your proficiency or learn new card games for the night to ensure a night full of chaos and laughter, and perhaps a bitter uncle or two. Moreover, who knows you might even end up winning money? Just be careful with that confidence though; you might as easily go broke too!

This Diwali, opt for less harmful alternatives and make the festival better for your loved ones (and their pets!)

Image credits: Monsoon Kitchen

Satviki Sanjay