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Arts & Culture

Beyond the Numbers: Understanding and Evaluating the Credibility of NIRF Rankings

By DU Beat June 23, 2023

Recently, headlines of the NIRF ranking started circulating in print and social media, sparking a discussion over the credibility of this ranking framework. Some of the most well-known allegations levelled against the legitimacy of this evaluating mechanism include data manipulation, corruption, and a lack of transparency. But are concerns like data manipulation and transparency the sole reasons, or are there flaws in the ranking framework’s entire methodology?

National Institutional Ranking Framework(NIRF) is a national-level government institution ranking system that was approved by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and launched on 29th September 2015. This ranking outlines a methodology drawn from overall recommendations and a broad understanding arrived at by a core committee set up by MHRD. For the last 7 years, Miranda House has been ranked as the best college in India. Almost every year, at least 5 colleges of the University of Delhi appear in the top 10 of the NIRF ranking.

The most heated discussion in student groups on the credibility of the NIRF ranking starts when a south campus college emerges in the top 10. With little focus on the ceilings of their college rooms, which frequently visit the classroom floor, which helped the college obtain 10th position last year and 9th this year.

-A student of Kirori Mal College

NIRF PARAMETERS EXPLAINED VIA FLOW CHART Image Credits: Quora

The NIRF ranking primarily ranks institutions based on five major parameters. Each parameter shares a separate weightage. The most alarming aspect of these metrics is that academic achievement of a college is given 80% weightage, which includes Teaching, Learning & Resources, Research & Professional practice, and Graduation outcome, while Inclusivity and Public Perception are given 10% weightage, each. When you look closely at the sub-parameters of each parameter, you will notice that the majority of the criteria that should be regarded as crucial for any public institute are either absent or there for the sake of being included there.

Investment in education has declined significantly in recent years. This reduces the budget that a college is granted each year, forcing institutions to seek alternative funding sources. Utilization of even granted funds is challenging for a government institute, forcing educational institutions to raise funding from private corporations to continue providing students with basic amenities and to preserve their reputation and status. So, if you look very carefully at everything, you will see a close connection between every little thing. NIRF is nothing more than a key to the systematic privatization of public institutions.

-Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor, Department of English, Kirori Mal College

In terms of data fabrication, one subparameter of Teaching, Learning, and Resources (TLR) is one of the most disputed. The student strength subparameter in the year 2022 ranking is what drew attention to this problem.

Amid the admission of the fresh batch after the cancellation of class 12th boards in 2021, headlines and reports of over-admission in DU began to circulate. Hindu College was one of the most hit, with 146 students admitted to B.A. (H) Political Science, a subject with a sanctioned capacity of 49 seats. Even with such a large admission intake, Hindu College maintained the same score in the student strength metric, which is computed based on the number of students accepted to the sanctioned allowed intake. Similar trends can be observed in SRCC, Miranda House, IP College, and many other DU colleges.

(Score out of 20)	2023	2022	2021	2020
Miranda House	18	18	16	16
SRCC	14	12	12	12
Hindu College	16	16	16	16
IP	14.53	14.60	12.59	12.73

Many argued that the score stayed constant since there was little variation in overall strength. However, it is more concerning that the score was balanced by over-admissions in a few courses and under-admissions in others. Such cases concern the quality of education of such institutions. Not just over-admission, but also under-admission, has an impact on the quality and choice of subjects, particularly for Honors degree students, who are obliged to study what is given or subjects towards the bottom of their preference triangle, as their options for DSE decline with low student strength.

Almost all DU institutions are equally inundated, yet the finger is pointed at the legitimacy of the ranking when a south campus college enters the top 10.

I remember opening my class’s unofficial group, which was flooded with 120+ messages. My classmates were discussing how ARSD could be in the top ten when north campus colleges like SRCC and Stephan’s are ranked 11 and 14, respectively. They don’t care about their institution’s rating, which isn’t even in the top 50, but they doubt the ranking of another college just because it isn’t on the north campus?

-A student of Ramjas College

The divide between the North and South campuses of Delhi University (DU) is largely rooted in the University’s historical development and the initial establishment of its colleges. North campus, being one of DU’s oldest, has an extended history and is home to some of the most prominent and known colleges. This historical advantage has contributed to the idea that North campus institutions perform better or have a higher standing than South campus colleges.

The presence of notable alumni from North campus universities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Naveen Patnaik, Manoj Bajpayee, Nimrat Kaur, Amitav Ghosh, and many more build up the belief that these colleges are more prominent. These graduates have achieved significant success in a variety of disciplines, including acting, politics, and writing, adding to the North campus institutions’ history and reputation. The establishment of DU’s South campus, on the other hand, is relatively newer than that of the North campus. South campus colleges emerged and developed in response to Delhi’s expanding demand for higher education and the necessity for new academic institutions. As a result, the South campus lacks the long-established history and the same roster of famous alumni that the North campus possesses”

-Piyush Tiwari, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College(Morning)

To some extent, the idea that South campus colleges are questioned or seen as inferior is probably related to this lack of historical significance and a smaller number of noteworthy alumni. It is crucial to highlight, however, that this notion does not always represent the quality of education or the potential for success of students attending South campus universities. Academic standards, staff expertise, and learning and growth opportunities might differ amongst institutions on both the North and South campuses. ARSD has one of the top science faculties at DU, as well as better infrastructure than north campus colleges such as Kirori Mal, Hansraj, and Ramjas.

“It is ironic that institutions are obsessing so anxiously about their ranks when they themselves advise students not to worry about marks and the rat(e) race and focus instead on learning”

-Prof Anurag Mehra, Head of Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay in an article in NDTV

Prof Mehra in his article, “The Far From Magnificent Obsession with Ranks at IITs,” mainly addresses the ranking structure in the context of IITs, but he also critiques the methodology’s two fundamental parameters, “Research and Professional Practice” and “Graduation Outcome.” Professor Mehra writes:

“Having more teachers does not necessarily mean that teaching is better, or that the teachers are good. Having a larger fraction of students graduating does not imply that their degree is truly worth something. It can also imply that the university has set very low standards to pass students. Publishing more papers does not tell us much about the quality of research. In fact, the correlation can sometimes be inverse. Too many publications may suggest a lot of incremental work, while fewer papers may signal that these have something significant to say. A very impactful paper will have many citations but a large number of citations does not imply that a paper is great. This is because research communities have a spread across quality and we often have a situation where a large amount of mediocre, incremental research simply cites similar research. In metrics-based calculations, an institution that publishes a large number of low-quality papers will almost always win against one that publishes a few high-quality papers.

The focus of NIRF parameters on quantity rather than quality is one of the most alarming shortcomings and the strongest point that strengthens the foundation of questioning the legitimacy of this ranking framework system.

The vast majority of articles criticizing the reliability of NIRF focus on these three metrics, with some also focussing on the “Peer Perception” criterion. There is little to no discussion of NIRF’s worst-framed parameter, “Outreach and Inclusivity.” One of the reasons that even critics of this ranking fail to address the Outreach and Inclusivity parameter is a lack of awareness in their age group. The most vocal critics of NIRF are senior professors who have little to no knowledge of queer issues, women’s issues, or racism experienced by northeast and south students. The same is true for those who developed the ranking system.

The issue is that people who design these parameters are individuals who have been conditioned to sound inclusive.

-Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor, Department of English, Kirori Mal College

The Outreach and Inclusivity parameter, which receives only 10% of the weightage, is divided into four sub-parameters: the percentage of students from other states/countries, the percentage of women, the percentage of economically and socially challenged students, and facilities for Physically Challenged Students.

It is evident that a women’s colleges will receive full marks in the percentage of women subparameter even if the institution fails to offer a secure environment for them, even in an all women’s college. Whether it’s the Diwali Mela last year in Miranda or the Reveri Fest night in Gargi in 2020. Even after many complaints and CCTV recordings, they still fail to provide justice to the women of these colleges.

-A student of Gargi College

The fact that there are no parameters or subparameters related to campus safety and sexual harassment laws reflects the government’s and institutions’ incompetence. Even after multiple instances of men scaling the walls of DU colleges, the administration has consistently failed to provide justice and safety, and if students at India’s top colleges are not safe from such harassment from both outsiders and college administration, one can only speculate what students at the lowest-ranked colleges can expect.

The fight for DU’s queer students is far away from over. There are queer collectives at a lot of DU’s colleges, but all except one are unofficial and are not recognized by the college. Homophobia and transphobia are quite frequent on campus, and the college administration’s failure to address the issue leaves queer students with little choice but to seek refuge in these spaces for their safety. Miranda House is the only college in Delhi University with an official Queer Collective.

I’d say Miranda House’s QC is one of the most inactive in the entire DU circuit. Other colleges’ unofficial QCs are more active. It seems that involving the administration makes it harder to get stuff done. However, during the NAAC visit, it is depicted in such a way that the administration is doing all possible to help this community through this society.

-A student of Miranda House

Not only that, but the DU college administration exploits this one sub-parameter as a subject to get marks without having to study. Even though the colleges fail to provide basic amenities, the majority of DU’s colleges in the top 50 have a score of 20 out of 20 in facilities for Physically Challenged Students.

Our college’s science block does not have a lift and a ramp to access the science block from the main block. Just days before the NAAC visit, the Centre for Disability, Research, and Training was allotted a room, which can be found at the other end of the college near the hostel. Most PwD students find it challenging to gain access to that room on their own.

-Aarish Gazi, Kirori Mal College

One of the most shocking revelations can be seen in the Economic and Socially Backward Students category, which is calculated on the number of UG students who receive a complete tuition fee waiver. Most DU colleges have a score of less than 3 out of 20, and their scores have fallen after the implementation of CUET. This raises questions about the diversity of students from various economic and social backgrounds at public universities such as DU.

One of the most difficult issues in ranking systems is the addition of subjective criteria such as “perception” or reputation, which is also a NIRF ranking parameter. While it attempts to include qualitative factors, perception may also be impacted or controlled. Institutions might intentionally choose survey participants or engage in other practices to artificially boost their reputation. This might lead to a distorted perception that does not correspond to the institution’s true quality or originality.

The most important question that arises is: Who is the target audience of these frameworks? Is the government listening to them in coming up with solutions that can bring most (if not all) higher education institutions on the same page? Undoubtedly, it is a matter of celebration for the institutions leading the ranks, but the precarity of the scenario that this NIRF presents also needs immediate consideration and effective action.

-Kaibalyapati Mishra, Junior Research Fellow, Centre for Economic Studies & Policy, Institute for Social & Economic Change, Bangalore, and Krishna Raj, professor of economics, Centre for Economic Studies & Policy, Institute for Social & Economic Change, Bangalore in an article in DownToEarth

In conclusion, rankings often focus on the overall institutional level, which may not represent variations in performance between individual departments, programs, or disciplines within an institution. University systems are complicated, with several departments and programs, each with its own set of strengths and areas of specialization. These accomplishments may be underrepresented in the overall institutional ranking. Institutional rankings frequently prioritize quantitative measures such as research output, faculty-to-student ratios, or funding, which can create an environment that encourages institutions to prioritize these metrics over broader educational goals such as fostering critical thinking, creativity, and personal development. This discrepancy can result in a gap between the ideals that institutions proclaim and the measures that they prioritize.

However, it is worth noting that rankings might be useful in offering an overall assessment of institutional quality and repute. They can help prospective students, researchers, and employers collect preliminary information and make well-informed judgments. Rankings may also serve as a benchmark for colleges to evaluate their performance and identify areas for improvement. Along with their pursuit of rankings, colleges should prioritize a student-centered approach that supports genuine learning, personal growth, and the development of critical skills. By doing so, they could deliver a more balanced and meaningful educational experience for their students.

Featured Image Credits: Devansh Arya for DU Beat

Dhruv Bhati

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Aryabhatta College

A Delhi University Student Stabbed to Death outside of Aryabhatta College

By DU Beat June 20, 2023

A 19-year-old student from the University of Delhi was allegedly stabbed to death outside of Aryabhatta College.

On Sunday, in front of Aryabhatta College in South Campus, a 19-year-old Delhi University student, named Nikhil Chauhan, was allegedly stabbed to death. A week ago, one of the accused had allegedly harassed a woman friend of the victim, to which he had objected, said a senior police officer in conversation with The Hindu.

On Sunday, around 12:30 pm, the key accused and three of his accomplices met with Nikhil outside the College and stabbed him in the chest, the police stated. He was later rushed to the Charak Palika Hospital, where he was declared dead. CCTV footage has surfaced online, which, captured near the college, purportedly showed the accused escaping on scooters and a bike.

While talking to The Hindu, Nikhil’s father had this to say

We deserve justice, this is not what we send our children to school for.” He further stated, “I received a call at 12 p.m. that Nikhil has been injured, I rushed to the hospital, but by the time I reached, he passed away.”

The victim, who has been survived by his two brothers and parents who live in West Delhi’s Paschim Vihar, worked as a part-time model. His parents have said that he loved modelling and acting, taking part in many competitions in the city.

My son was also into modelling. He told me that he also wants to study political science to have vast knowledge about our country. He had a bright future. We don’t know what to do now,”

– said Mr Chauhan.

A case under IPC 302(murder) has been registered and an investigation is ongoing to apprehend the accused-who have been identified, the police have said.

“It is very unfortunate and sad that a young life has been lost and that also just outside the college where students come to learn and make career.” said a Delhi University spokesperson in a statement to The Hindu.

Feature Image Source: DU Beat Archives

Vanshika Ahuja

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Around the Campus

DU Offers Scholarships, Laptops for New B. Tech Courses

By DU Beat June 17, 2023

DU has launched three new B. Tech courses under the Faculty of Technology from the upcoming academic session, 2023-24, added with several benefits and incentives from supernumerary seats for single girl child to reimbursements upon purchasing laptops.

The University of Delhi besides introducing three B. Tech courses- namely, B. Tech Computer Science and Engineering, B. Tech Electronics and Communication Engineering, and B. Tech Electrical Engineering- is also offering several incentives along with the programmes. Supernumerary seats for single girl child, scholarships for underprivileged students, and laptops for all are some of those incentives, as underlined by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, the Vice-Chancellor also mentioned that the new academic session shall begin on August 16. Expanding more upon the B. Tech programmes, he went on to add that 360 students would be admitted to the engineering curriculum, with 120 seats in each course while a seat in each of these three programmes will be given to a single girl child in the form of a supernumerary seat. Moreover, every student enrolled in B. Tech will be reimbursed up to Rs. 50,000 on the purchase of a laptop.

He said that the University will also introduce a Financial Support Scheme (FSS) to extend the benefits of equity and access to quality education to economically weaker students seeking admission to BTech programmes. Under this, candidates whose parents’ income is Rs. 4 lakh or less will be given a 90 percent fee waiver at the time of admission while candidates whose parents’ income is more than Rs. 4 lahks and less than Rs. 8 lahks will get a 50 percent fee waiver at the time of admission. The University has also included a supernumerary quota for orphan students this year.

The B. Tech programmes would be designed in such a manner that there would be a minimum of 50 percent weightage given to the major subject area of study with a maximum of 65 percent weightage. The remaining weightage would be to the minor subject areas of study, the Vice-Chancellor added.

Not only that, students will have several exit options with the National Education Policy. Students who will have completed one year of study with requisite credits will be awarded a certificate, those with two years and requisite credits would be provided with a diploma, those with three years and requisite credits will be granted an advanced diploma while those completing all four years of study along with a proper number of credits will get a B. Tech degree.

Lastly, the Vice-Chancellor mentioned that the Faculty of Technology will be situated on the North Campus of DU for logistic support and proximity to other departments. Besides the B. Tech courses, the university will also be launching a five-year LLB programme along with ITEP courses from the upcoming academic year.

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Priyanka Mukherjee

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Arts & Culture

Student Unions and the Queer Community: Authentic Representation or Queer Baiting?

By DU Beat June 16, 2023

“Parade of Power, Pride and Resistance- March for Progressive and Inclusive Campuses” read the poster of the pride parade organised by Students’ Federation of India (SFI). However, the march was met with strong opposition from members of the queer community, who accused SFI of queer baiting and alleged that the parade was nothing more than tokenism.

On June 1, 2023, the North Campus of Delhi University was engulfed in the colours of the pride flag. Hundreds of marching feet echoed across campus as the Student Federation of India (SFI) organised a pride parade to celebrate and support the LGBTQIAP+ community. Horizontal reservations for transgender students, GSCASH implementation, gender-neutral washrooms, queer-inclusive mental health cells, and anti-ragging cells were among some of the top demands of this year’s pride parade.

However, the parade drew strong criticism not only from queerphobes but also from members of the community who accused SFI of queer baiting. Many queer student activists and members of queer collectives and gender cells across Delhi alleged that the pride march is nothing more than SFI’s tokenistic attitude. The SFI’s ignorance or inaction on queer matters throughout the year created a solid foundation for these allegations. Many queer activists and students chose not to participate in the parade. This caused a heated debate within the community.

If not SFI then who? The majority of student unions have historically neglected queer issues, and this continues to be the case today. Whether it is NSUI, ABVP, or AISA. SFI is the only student organisation that talks about queer rights and organises pride parades on campus that are attended by hundreds of people and stands out for queer rights. It’s still better than doing nothing even if they are only doing it for political reasons.

-Prakhar Gangwar (He/They)

Some people in the community, however, believe that building a new room is better than making concessions or attempting to fit into a certain space.

Most political parties or student unions don’t care about queer issues. They talk about rights when doing so serves their political objectives. Abolishing such places sends a loud and clear message that queer lives are not a commodity to be exchanged for votes. Resisting tokenistic behaviours will likely lead to a successful organisation that cares about queer rights.

-Astha Bansal (She/Her)

But in a country like India, where everything revolves around politics, Is this really a good option?

You can’t abolish such spaces. Majority of the country is still unaware about the queer community. It is only cities like Delhi, Mumbai or other metropolitan cities which give you freedom and a chance to organise and attend queer events like pride parades where you get to meet people from the community and freely express yourself.

-Pravishti (She/ Her)

The conversation on whether the pride parade was just a bait or not became pertinent after a few people who attended the parade posted about their experiences on social media.

It appeared to be an SFI political rally. The number of SFI flags heavily outnumbered the number of pride flags.

-Anonymous (She/They)

It was not an apolitical pride parade. A political party organised a political pride parade. So, of course, we’ll have our flags. I identify as queer. I would not have stayed here if SFI uses pride parade as a queerbaiting tool. As a queer student, I say that SFI supports us, and I say this as the president of Indradhanush: The queer affirmative of ZHDC (Morning), not as a representative of SFI. If SFI stops to be the support system, the QC won’t last a single day.

-Arnab Adhikari (He/Him), SFI Member & President of Indradhanush

According to Arnab, the absence of effective social media management has resulted in this debate.

We aren’t handling social media properly. We don’t talk much about the work we do on social media. We all realised that we must communicate, we must post more to avoid such misunderstandings.

-Arnab Adhikari (He/Him)

Pride month always brings discussions around queer baiting into the limelight. Pride month, when it comes to queerbaiting gets reduced to nothing more than a celebration of the unfair privilege enjoyed by the dominant segment of the queer community. The privileged section of the community, largely cis-gay men who dominate most queer spaces, is at the top, while the transgender community is at the bottom. To fully understand this, we must first acknowledge that hierarchy and dominance are inevitable, and, consequently, this cycle of dominance also exists within the queer community. Cis-gay men dominate most queer spaces, tokenistic behaviour by political parties or corporations has little influence on them, and they continue to feed corporate tokenism and empty politics and benefit from it at the same time.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram Page- DU Beat and SFI Delhi

Dhruv Bhati

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Campus Central

The Good Ol’ Days: Nostalgia of Summer Vacations

By DU Beat June 16, 2023

The scorching heat of May-June, sipping on countless glasses of Glucon-D one after another, monsoon rains to soothe our sweaty bodies; I miss summer vacations.

Nostalgia is like an unforeseen wave on the vast and uncharted seashore of blurred memories; washing down our immortal soul with the bitter-sweet syrup of the past. A frequent visitor in most minds, the nostalgia of school days unconsciously forms a subtle curve on our lips; an uninvited smile at times and a known frown on some days.

After a tiring day of online classes while you sip into a glass of lemonade, scrolling through your Instagram feed to move your eyes up from the screen only to complain about the extra sourness of the drink, your eyes fall on the calendar. Apart from realising that fact that time flies away and disappears into stardust, you notice the month: June. Your mind spontaneously retraces itself to the fogged memories of summer vacations; no studies, endless rounds of hide-seek from dawn to dusk, stealing mangoes from the neighbour’s backyard and what not.

The last working day of school before the commencement of the vacation held a different vibe to it. The sadness of being parted away from your school friends for one and a half months was muffled by the joys of relaxation from academics. You restlessly tap your feet with alarmed ears to hear the ringing of the final bell. Once the hands of the clock align themselves with the chutti time, an uproar is followed with the same. The silent corridors become a witness to the thunderstorm of students storming out of their classrooms, the whispers of gossip and rumours amidst the commotion and the lively chaos for one last time before it delves into a state of hibernation.

You bid farewell to your friends for the short long duration of the summer vacation, get up on the bus and sit on the last seat. While you slide the rusted window with all your strength to allow some air to soothe down your sweaty forehead, you take one last glance at the school. An eerie silence forms around those once animated lifeless walls of the palace-like building. You carefully store the aesthetic scenery in your mind under the album of ‘school life’ to cherish when you reunite with your lost, unforgettable friends from school.

Looking back, summer breaks for me were nothing less than a patchwork of metaphors- amber coloured evenings laced with the sound of laughter, too many hands in one single basket of mangoes, my grandmother and her lullabies, wishes whispered upon dandelion fluffs, the sea and the sunshine. everyday blessed me with a new story of its own and i count each of these stories as my most treasured memories,

–cherishes Bidisha P. Kashyap from Guwahati, Assam.

These days of leisure which were supposed to spin off by laziness playing the role of protagonist goes on to start with your mother switching off the Air-Conditioner (AC) or fan and waking you up vigorously. Once awake, there’s no scope that any of your family members would find you in the house anymore. You hurriedly brush your teeth, push down a slice of bread into your mouth and boom! You directly run down to the ground floor to catch up with the buddies from the same housing society or nearby areas and decide on the games to play the whole day till the sun sucks all of the Glucon-D in your body.

On some days, you lazily lie on your bed while your mind goes on a stroll with Shikari Shambu within the colorful, twisted lanes of Tinkle comics; a golden era of innate happiness without the aid of social media and mobile phones. The cravings for a dozen sweet-sour mangoes take birth within you; a desire that a single mango handed down by your mother cannot satisfy. The longing for a frizzy Kala-Khatai would grow with the passing of each minute, eagerly waiting for the seller to set up his stall in the afternoon. You decide on your choice of flavour before going up to the seller only to reconsider your decision when you see those vibrant colours gleaming in front of your eyes. After fighting battles with your own self on the choice of flavour, you decide on one and you see the seller doing his magic. You suck into the colourful ice and the soothing water snakes down your throat to calm down the heat burning inside you.

Sometimes there is a desperate desire to go back in time and wait in anticipation till the bell rings on the last day of school before summer break. The memories of enjoying summer break in our grandparent’s village,playing in the rain,eating mangoes on the porch and kicking aside studies to live a peaceful life hit you hard now as you watch them from a distance

–states Mridusmita Barman.

The vacation would remain incomplete without a trip to your grandparents’ abode in which the walls speak of love and objects resonate memories of the past. You listen to their stories; some vibrate with patriotism, some with the innocence of your parent’s childhood narrations. You move away from the hustle and bustle of the city life to embrace the quietness of the abode, romanticising the peace and trying to pack a bottle of it when you return back to the city lights that cast a fainter light than the fireflies that you chased down in your grandpa’s kitchen garden.

Amidst the warmth of the summer fairies and the evenings dyed in raspberry shades, you suddenly realise the never-ending summer vacations are about to get over. You turn your eyes towards your study table to see a pile of assignments stacked at one corner; to cry and crib about spending the holidays in a more productive manner.

Unfortunately, all of these memories now feel like an utopian dream; washed away like the dust resting on the old photograph frames by the monsoon rains of time.

Read Also: “Delhi Rains: Evenings of Nostalgia and Love”

Featured Image Credits: Sukriti Singh for DU Beat.

Himasweeta Sarma

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Innovation Projects

DU Launches CSAS Portal for UG Admissions 2023-24

By DU Beat June 16, 2023

The University of Delhi announced the launch of its Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) portal for undergraduate admissions for the academic session of 2023-2024. Along with the launch of the portal, announcements regarding the launch of new B.Tech. courses, the Financial Support Scheme, etc. were also made.

On Wednesday, June 14, 2023, the Delhi University admissions season commenced for undergraduate courses. During a press conference on Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yogesh Singh, launched the CSAS portal for UG admissions for the session 2023-2024. The School of Open Learning (SOL) and Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCWEB) admissions portals were launched as well.

The next session for the upcoming batch will begin on August 16. Students who want to apply to Delhi University’s regular programmes must login to the portal with their CUET application number and upload the necessary documents, which include their high school marksheet (12th and 10th grade), valid government ID, and caste certificate or PwD/EWS/CW/KM/Minority certificate, as applicable. Following the release of the CUET results, the next round of admissions will begin. Students will be asked to mention their preferred colleges and courses. Following this, their scores will be used to determine which college and course they will be assigned to.

The candidate must “accept” the seat before the deadline for that round of allocation after a seat has been allocated, according to DU authorities; inactivity or inaction would be considered non-acceptance. Following the completion of each allocation cycle, DU will publish information regarding vacant seats in each course across all colleges. After being accepted, candidates can choose to either upgrade or freeze their allotted seat.

SOL and NCWEB’s admissions procedures, however, differ. Class 12th results are required for admission to UG programmes at SOL and NCWEB. Candidates interested in enrolling in these programmes must first register on the CSAS site before uploading their necessary documents. The forms for the same are available on the websites of these institutes.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh also announced the launch of three new B.Tech. programmes: computer science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering, and electrical engineering, along with the launch of the UG admissions portal.

DU is also introducing a financial support scheme (FSS) to extend the benefits of equity and access to quality education to students from economically weaker sections (EWS) for the B.Tech. programmes.

– Prof. Yogesh Singh, DU Vice Chancellor

A B.Tech. student at DU can get a reimbursement of 50,000 for new laptops, he added. Additionally, he mentioned including a new quota for orphan students. The Vice Chancellor further stated,

Candidates whose parents’ income is ₹4 lakh or less will be given a 90% fee waiver and between ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh will be given a 50% waiver. The university has also included a supernumerary quota for orphan students this year and all DU affiliated colleges will admit two candidates (one male and one female) under this quota at both UG and postgraduate (PG) levels.

In the final week of June, the portal for postgraduate (PG) course admissions will go live. The registration process for PG admissions will also be on similar grounds.

Featured Image Credits: Careers 360

Dhruv Bhati
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DU Admissions

DU Law Aspirants Complain CUET Paper was Dominated by Maths

By DU Beat June 14, 2023

DU LLB aspirants complained that most of the CUET paper had mathematics-based questions, while questions based on legal studies hardly featured in the test.

Many applicants for the three-year LLB programme have complained that the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) test featured more questions about mathematics than their chosen field. The same has been true this year for a number of other programmes, including African studies and library sciences.

Several aspirants claimed that 75% of the paper had mathematics based questions, while featuring hardly any questions on legal studies. It had been reported that a separate paper had not been assigned for LLB aspirants and that they would have to give a general paper. Many students complained that they were being asked about terms like “dot matrix printer”.

“There were around 12 questions that covered general knowledge and legal aspects. Around 20 were related to English, which law aspirants can attempt. Beyond that, everything was high-level mathematics. As a law aspirant, I don think this will help us in any way.” said Muskan Jain, a graduated from Dyal Singh College, in conversation with the Times of India.

With several questions being beyond their purview in the entrance test conducted on June 8, many students say that they have given up hope of getting into Delhi University and will now have to fall back on private universities. Expressing her disappointment, Jain further added,

“I had taken a gap year, and I cannot afford to miss another year. I will probably have to give up on my plans for DU. This is really disappointing.”

Another aspirant, Lisa Kukreja, who graduated with a BA (H) in English from Sri Venkateswara College told TOI,

“The question paper was filled with mathematics-based questions and that too on the lines of what one would expect for RBI entrance or UPSC. DU has obviously been my first preference as it is a leading central university. But with the current status of the exam, I will have to look for a private university.”

Topics like Language Comprehension, General Knowledge and Awareness, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, and Computer Basics were to be covered in the question paper in accordance with the CUET 2023 LLB Syllabus. However, candidates for this programme claimed the otherwise.

Image Source: The Hindu

Vanshika Ahuja

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Features

Of Indoctrination and Liberalism: A History of Homophobia in Education

By DU Beat June 13, 2023

The recent Parental Rights in Education bill passed in Florida, USA is just the latest in a long line of
homophobic legislation and policies in and around schools and education. This piece attempts to
trace the history of international and local legislation surrounding LGBTQ+ issues in educational
institutions.

Educational institutions are regarded as the bedrock for development and windows to the world for
young, impressionable students. Educators are trusted by parents and tasked with the enormous
responsibility of guiding, instructing, and leading bright minds of the future. So, who decides what a
child should be taught to equip them with the necessary cognitive, social, and emotional intelligence
to thrive in society – the parents, the teachers, or the government?
With increasing open discourse on historically ‘inappropriate’ themes, particularly LGBTQ+ issues, it
is only natural for such discussions to make their way to classroom settings. However, this liberal
and unorthodox approach to learning has caused widespread alarm among parents and legislatures
internationally. Parents have expressed disapproval and even hostility towards educators trying to
make inclusive learning spaces, saying it goes against their ‘personal beliefs’. Right-leaning,
conservative legislators have weaponized this vitriol to push their own agendas in school
curriculums, severely limiting the scope for necessary discussions to take place.

International Scenario
Recently, in Florida, USA, Governor Ron DeSantis expanded the scope of the Parental Rights in
Education bill which essentially bans lessons in sexual orientation and gender identity up to grade
12. Topics such as these which were part of courses on reproductive health have been made
optional for students. Critics have called this the ‘Don’t Say Gay Bill’ which aims to limit or outright
prohibit open conversations on LGBTQ+ positive issues.
At least 15 other states in the United States are considering bills in the current legislative session
that target Queer Clubs in schools, faculty’s and students’ use of gender pronouns, gender-neutral
washrooms, trans students in sports or restrict curriculum, instruction, and library books that
feature queer themes. Educators are being forced to adhere to students’ genders assigned at birth,
not openly discuss matters of sexual orientation, and cannot state their personal attributes or beliefs
on a host of issues including race, religion, and sexuality.
In 2014, in Birmingham, UK, an assistant head teacher designed the ‘No Outsiders’ programme
which sought to educate children about protected attributes under the Equality Act such as sexual
orientation and religion through age-appropriate literature. Storybooks were to be used to introduce
students to ideas of diversity and equality. However, the programme was halted in many schools as
there were widespread protests by parents stating that it goes against their religious beliefs and not
to ‘pollute’ their children.

Dire Consequences
These homophobic legislations or protests often stem from parental fear that educators are
‘indoctrinating’ students in liberal ideas or social justice. There are concerns about teaching ‘sexually explicit’ topics to young children and often homosexuality falls under this umbrella. There exists a
belief that openly homosexual teachers, social workers, and counsellors can encourage sexual
deviation in children. Ideas of ‘perversion’, ‘promotion’, and ‘exploitation’ of children’s innocence
have been widely used in homophobic contexts.
However, this refusal to acknowledge the diversity within communities from the grass-root level can
have detrimental effects on budding learners. Ignoring gender dysmorphia and questioning sexuality
can prove to be psychologically harmful. It serves to boost a sense of internalised homophobia and
isolation among queer students. Furthermore, children with LGBTQ family members, friends, or
children who do not know any LGBTQ people within their near circle are fed the idea that it is
inappropriate to even acknowledge homosexuality.

Closer Look
Moving on to a more microscopic view of the sentiments on queer issues within Delhi University, the
varsity has often been hailed for its progressive student body. Recently SFI organised a Pride Parade
in North Campus which saw active participation from members of the queer community and allies.
However, there are very few colleges in the university with a formally recognised Queer Collective.
There is often hesitance or hostility from the admin to legitimize such collectives despite there being
demand from the student body. Reasons such as ‘this is a minority religion / women-only institute’
or roadblocks such as ‘get permission from your parents’ are presented.
Gender studies within the curriculum are often limited to women’s struggles and refuse to
acknowledge a wider spectrum of gender identities. Despite UGC guidelines preventing
discrimination on the basis of sexuality, there exists a glaring chasm where LGBTQ+ discussions
should take place.

Education is an essential element in combatting homophobia. Therefore, healthy discourse on topics
such as sexual orientation, gender, and sex and its nuances goes a long way in educating the youth
and eliminating bias that has been handed down over generations.

Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Read Also: The Need for Queer Collectives in Colleges

Bhavya Nayak
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DUB Speak

Time-Out or Burn-Out: Considering a Gap Year

By DU Beat May 31, 2023

The term “gap year” has always connoted something bittersweet in the context of Indian schooling. It’s perfectly understandable to be paralysed by uncertainty and to feel hurt when you watch your peers enjoying college life. However, taking a gap year can also be thought of as “life-changing” in a good sense.

So, the crucial query becomes: Are they actually worthwhile?

The fifteen years of schooling are nonstop, from the daily coaching sessions to the long hours spent studying for college admission tests. Every student has been accompanied by weekly in-class assessments, assignments, home assignments, summer projects, and presentations since the young third grade. We are unaware of the burnout boiling behind all of this work, extracurricular activities, submissions, and deadlines. With the impending idea of the “right degree and the right college,” high school students face more difficult hurdles as they compete for the “perfect” score on entrance examinations, hunting for the “perfect” private coaching facility. The coaching centre then adds to the already enormous mountain of homework, exams, projects, and improbable demands.

Faced with the rapid pace of growing up and the steadily building burnout, most students lose touch with themselves and fall into the never-ending cycle of living up to other people’s expectations. Even professionals in their thirties and forties, such as doctors, lawyers, academics, businesspeople, and others, frequently exhibit the appearance of being disoriented ex-cons of some perplexing lifelong boot-camp. Some even claim that they chose their profession out of obligation to others or that they just happened to drift into it without stopping to consider if they truly enjoyed their employment. They frequently claim to have completely lost their youth because they never lived in the moment and were constantly focused on some vague future objective.

Hence, the question arises: is a gap year a solution to all of these problems?

Most likely, yeah. In order to ponder, “recreate” themselves without the constant pressure to succeed as an influence, and build up strength for the upcoming college years, students need plenty of free time. Long lectures, demanding curricula, deadlines, presentations, research papers, resumes, internships, and a seemingly never-ending struggle to achieve a balance between academics and career define a new period of our educational endeavours in college (not to mention cramping in campus societies as well). A gap year gives a student this important amount of time to dedicate to themselves and carefully plan their future studies.

However, it is crucial to ask: how can one make a gap year useful?

Students have plenty of opportunities during a gap year to work, study, and travel. While most students lack the resources to travel or engage in such exotic pursuits, spending more time reading, keeping up with old friends, participating in small-scale internships, and developing new interests can also be beneficial. However, for both students and their parents, taking time off can be a terrifying concept. Students frequently wish to follow their companions down old and secure roads. Parents are concerned that their children will get distracted from college and may never join. Both worry that taking a break could cause pupils to “fall behind” or permanently lose their study skills. Yet, the advantages of a gap year typically outweigh the hazards, so there is rarely a need for concern. Many students believe that their gap years were a “life-altering” experience whose entire value will never be known and which will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Many students arrive at college with fresh ideas for their academic goals, extracurricular interests, the intangibles they intended to acquire there, and the career options they saw during their gap year.

Is then a year-long breather worth it after all?

Although the emphasis here has been on measures to reduce stress for today’s high-achieving generation, it is important to emphasise that the majority of kids are really prospering under pressure. The foundation of extraordinary accomplishments is never imitating the successes of others. More often than not, well-intentioned but mistaken parents strive to shape their kids into the kind of success they value, and since kids are so easily moulded, they readily accept the programme before they are old enough to make such decisions for themselves. The paradox is that the only way to truly succeed is to fully express who you are, to be successful in what you do, and to do it on your terms. Thus, the demands put on many kids unintentionally delay their ability to discover who they are and flourish on their own terms. We should all be able to admire Amartya Sen’s accomplishments in economics while also making our own, more modest strides in our respective disciplines and methods. Redefining success as the accomplishment of the student’s own goals, including those that are yet to be found, benefits both parents and kids. Burn-out is an inevitable result of trying to live up to alien goals. Time-out can promote discovery of one’s own passions.

Growing up today is a vastly different experience. While some families and students are suffering as a result of the hectic pace, others are coping but are not as happy with their life as they would like to be. Even the “happy warriors” of today’s ultra-competitive landscape, who are doing very well, run the risk of becoming less human as they struggle to meet what may be growingly unattainable demands.

The unfortunate truth still is that the world has traditionally characterised success as being characterised by high test scores, medal winners, and exam top scorers. However, it is always important to remember that graduation is not a race and life doesn’t always have to be competitive.

It’s okay to occasionally stand back, take a deep breath, look around, and live a little, just for you and your tiny being.

Trust me, it all ends up well 🙂

Featured Image Credits: Fegans (Google Images)

Priyanka Mukherjee

[email protected]

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Campus Central

University Mulling Relief Measures Over Out-of-the-Syllabus Questions in BA Exam

By DU Beat May 31, 2023

Several students of Delhi University’s BA (programme) Economics have claimed that most of the questions in the research methodology paper were out of the syllabus, causing the university administration to consider providing relief measures to the concerned same.

The research methodology paper for semester four of BA (Programme) Economics was conducted on May 16, during which several students had raised concerns about nearly all questions being out of the syllabus. The students claimed that they managed to attempt just two or three questions out of eight. Moreover, the question paper given to the students of semester four mentioned second semester. Following such concerns raised by the students, the university was considering that the answer papers be evaluated based on three questions with each being allotted 25 marks.

With the examinations of graduate and postgraduate courses currently underway, similar issues have been reported in other courses as well.

The research methodology paper consisted of eight questions of 15 marks each out of which only five questions needed to be attempted. However, what came as a shock to most students was that only two questions were from the syllabus, one was partially related to the syllabus while the rest were alien to them. On raising the matter with the invigilator, the issue was conveyed to the university officials who responded that the question paper was fine. However, the discontent among the students led them to submit a representation to the Head of Economics and based on these representations, a meeting was called and it was decided only three questions will be evaluated, as alleged by the faculty members.

The examination branch of Delhi University mentioned that it received several representations in this matter and those were forwarded to the Economics department. On May 24, a meeting of the research methodology question paper setters with all the teachers and moderators concerned was held by the Department of Economics to look into the issue.

The minutes of the meeting confirm that since most students were unable to attempt more than three questions out of eight, they will be evaluated based on three questions and each will be allotted 25 marks. For those who have attempted more than three questions, the best three questions will be considered, the minutes further clarified.

Reacting to such developments, Academic Council member Naveen Gaur claimed that similar issues have been reported in the question papers of other courses as well which reflects poorly upon the DU Examination system. Students have reported that the questions of second-year political science examination were out of the syllabus and an EWS exam for Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCEWB) students too had questions outside the syllabus.

Naveen Gaur emphasises that the ‘collapsing’ DU Examination system is because of the ‘barrage of so-called reforms’ including the ‘semester-system’ that has been imposed on Delhi University. He alleges that the system is ‘incapable of such large-scale changes’, with ‘six major changes in the last fourteen years’ and the examination system has to take the ‘maximum burden’ of these changes.

Gaur even goes on to add, ‘Similar things are happening in many papers and sadly as a community, we have stopped getting outraged by such things. This is also indicative of our degradation.’

Nevertheless, our best hopes rely on positive relief measures coming underway and students not being haunted by alien questions in the upcoming sessions as well.

Featured Image Credits: DU Updates (Google Images)

Priyanka Mukherjee

[email protected]

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