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Academicians Ask Delhi University To Revoke BBC Film Punishment.

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More than 50 academics from DU, JNU, and other institutions have written to the Delhi University VC, requesting the removal of the punishments meted out to students who were allegedly involved in the screening of the Narendra Modi BBC documentary.

On Thursday, April 6 2023, 59 academics, on behalf of the India Academic Freedom
Network, wrote to the University of Delhi, advocating for the revocation of the punishment
imposed on students for screening the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and his alleged involvement in the Gujarat riots. The letter addressed to Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Yogesh Singh, stated that the failure to obtain approval for its screening is “not a serious enough offence” to prevent students from taking examinations.

“We need not tell you that the university is supposed to be a space where students and teachers feel free to get information from any source, decide for themselves and express themselves freely. They are adults and can make decisions for themselves. We, teachers and administrators are not here to police their thoughts or censor their sources of information.” The letter stated.

The documentary, India: The Modi Question, critically explores then Chief Minister Modi’s involvement in the Muslim genocides in Gujarat in 2002. It was screened on-campus by several student groups on 27th January,2023.  The following day, Delhi Police detained 24 students from Delhi University’s Arts Faculty and a disciplinary committee barred 2 PhD students namely Lokesh Chugh and Ravinder Singh from all academic activities, including exams for one year, for allegedly
planning to exhibit the documentary.

In the memorandum issued on March 10, the DU registrar claimed that the BBC documentary is ‘banned’ and requested 6 other students to submit written apologies to the administration for screening the film without permission. The professors response, however, questioned the disciplinary actions’ justifications, arguing that they were out of proportion to the alleged violation.  “The memorandum regarding the punishment, as published in the media, states that they had violated the ban on screening of the said documentary by the government of India,” the letter stated. “We want to bring to your notice that it is known to all that the documentary was never banned and is still not banned by the government.”

The letter then specified that the documentary was “only a critical examination of the present regime in the context of the situation of Muslims.” It was signed by Satish Deshpandeand Nandini Sundar from the Department of Sociology, Ashwini Kumar from DUTA and Sucharita Sen and Avinash Kumar from Jawaharlal Nehru University, among others.

“The only condition we all must follow while exercising this right is that it should not promote hatred and violence. How could it’s screening by some students become a threat to order on the campus, is beyond our understanding.” they added. The signatories stressed the significance of creating a secure environment on campus for students to practice critical thinking. “It is not the job of the university to defend the government or disallow thoughts critical to it. We hope that our concern would be heard and the said punishment order would be withdrawn.”, the letter concluded.

Image Credits: TFI Post

Read Also: Students Detained by Delhi Police after NREGA Discussions

Manvi Goel
[email protected]

 

 

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Campus Central

LSR Invites Controversial Politician Anurag Thakur as Guest, Students Raise Objection

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The student body of Lady Shri Ram College for Women has expressed dissent over the decision of the college authorities to host the controversial BJP minister for its annual sports meet.

The Department of Physical Education, Lady Shri Ram College along with the National Sports Organisation (NSO) LSR organised its annual sports meet – the Dr. Bharat Ram Sports meet – from 20th to 22nd March 2023. Mr. Anurag Singh Thakur, the current Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports was welcomed as the chief guest for the inaugural ceremony on 20th March 2023. This move undertaken by the college authorities has not gone down well with the student body. The guest has been infamous for his controversial remarks amidst the anti Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in Delhi in 2020. The student body is seeking clarification on why, after having claimed ‘apoliticism’ as a core principle, a right-wing politician was invited to campus by the college administration.

“It is supposed to be the responsibility of the department and its union to conduct thorough background checks on whoever is invited within college, which was apparently overlooked and disregarded this time.” – an anonymous final year student at LSR

Students are outraged at the ignorance of the college on separating the sportsperson from the politician for certain personal agendas. Questions are also being raised about the lack of transparency in the decision process and the obscurity of the invitation. 

“Being an NSO student, I expect to have known about the decision prior to the rest of the student body. However, it is highly disappointing how we were just informed rather than being involved in the process.” – an anonymous NSO student, currently in their second year.

A General Body Meeting with the students, the unions and the staff advisors was called at 9 AM on Thursday, 23rd March to address the issue and seek further explanation. According to sources, staff advisors did not show up for the meeting and the dialogue proceeded solely between the NSO Union and the student body. 

“Whatever has happened in the past cannot be undone. All we demand is an official letter of regret by the administration holding the college and its authorities accountable.” – attendees of the meeting.

Criticism has also been raised by certain students about how there is varying liberty across the departments within college when it comes to inviting guests and personalities .

“We have been trying since a long time to have certain poets and authors on campus but the restrictions that are imposed on us make the entire process unworkable.” – a second year student from the English department of LSR.

Organisations such as the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) LSR have been particularly critical of the college administration following this situation.

Read also: LSR’s Department of English Calls for GBM in Light of Political Scenario

Feature image credits: India Today

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Campus Central

Foreign Ties: a Conversation with an Exchange Student in DU

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Did you know that the University of Delhi offers a Student Exchange Program? DU Beat recently got in touch with Dominik, an exchange program student from Austria who’s currently enrolled in Hindu College, University of Delhi. Read on to find out all about this program from a candid conversation with Dominik and his journey so far.

Applying to Attend Delhi University

A history student from the University of Vienna, Dominik is currently enrolled in Hindu College as an exchange program student. Talking about his experiences while applying for the program, he says, 

“It was a long process. It took me six months to get everything through. It could have taken even longer if I hadn’t begun on time.” – Dominik

The University of Delhi is in a partnership with the University of Vienna under which students and professors from the two universities are given the opportunity of an exchange program, post a rigorous selection process. In stark contrast with Delhi University’s generally ignorant and secretive nature surrounding the student exchange program, Dominik talks about his home university’s efforts in helping him contact a previously unresponsive DU.

“Getting in touch with the University was the hardest part. My home university professors would constantly email on behalf of me and helped me get in touch with Delhi University. This followed extensive research on available courses and colleges.” – Dominik

A mandatory prerequisite for the program is a language proficiency test. For Dominik, he was required to submit his English language proficiency test scores. The next crucial stage involves several rounds of interview sessions with professors and exchange program officers, who evaluate the student’s overall suitability for the program. The important documents which are essential to be kept handy are a motivation letter, CV, cover letter and academic transcripts. 

“It’s so hard to get anything done, get a signature or a stamp. They send you back and ask you to come back later, and there’s no actual reason for it.” – Dominik

University Culture

The conversation further delved into life at university and the cultural aspects of it. Dominik shares,

“One thing that’s great about the university culture here is that you are really close to your professors. They know your name, they really help you out, you have their phone number. This is something which is unimaginable in Austria.”  – Dominik

He further emphasised on the attendance system in Austrian universities, saying, 

“One thing that’s really different in Austria is that we don’t have an attendance policy, you have a choice whether to attend classes, so there’s a lot of freedom and time to pursue other things that way.” – Dominik

Academic Contrasts

The selection of your course is a crucial step involved and conducting extensive background research before applying is a good idea. Dominik shares his personal experience of going through hundreds of answers posted on websites which eventually helped him make the choices. Availability of a certain course or paper also plays an important role, since unlike Austrian universities, Delhi University has a pre-structured curriculum. Discussing academics, Dominik adds,

“In Austria, you can choose amongst various different courses and you have the option to decide which course to study in which semester. In the framework of sixteen credits, you can build your own course so to say and try out what suits you best.”  – Dominik

Speaking of his experience of studying history in Delhi University, he comments,

“You can learn about colonial history from the victim’s side, and not from the oppressor’s side. You can feel the emotions still attached to this history, so it’s really interesting to learn from this perspective, and break free from the Eurocentric point of view of history.” – Dominik

Words of Advice

“Don’t give up. It’s a long process but it’s so worth it. There’ll be bureaucratic hurdles; all this hard work and problems will be forgotten and you’ll only have nice memories then.” – Dominik

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Sigy Ghosh

[email protected]

Read Also: DUSU Establishes DU’s First Foreign Students’ Cell

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Campus Central

PGDAV Evening Students Fined and Suspended for Organising a Peaceful Protest

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PGDAV Evening Students Fined and Suspended for Organising a Peaceful Protest

PGDAV Evening  students  found themselves suspended indefinitely after organising a peaceful protest in their college premises. The college has also imposed a fine of Rs. 1000 on the  students.

In a recent commotion about their annual cultural fest, Pravaah, to be held on 21and 22 March 2023, PGDAV Evening College relayed an indefinite suspension and a fine of Rs. 1000 on four of its students—Aman Tonger, Yash Baisoya, Tushar Dayma, and the fourth, who wishes to remain anonymous—as a consequence of a peaceful protest organised by them on 13 February 2023. According to the aggrieved students, the protest was conducted to request the college authorities permit a DJ on the college premises during their annual fest- Pravaah, but the college disagreed.

Application by the students
Image credits: Student of PGDAV Evening College

Aman Tonger, a 3rd year B.A. Program student at PGDAV (Evening), who led the protest, said in conversation with DU Beat, “We wanted a DJ at our fest, and even after submitting an application to the principal, we received no response. So, we decided to organise a small, peaceful protest to express our dissatisfaction with the same. We didn’t misbehave with any teacher or student or cause any damage to college property; it was a purely peaceful protest”. The students were soon approached by the principal and their administration and were asked to write an application with all their names, contact details, and signatures. According to Aman, the principal said, “naam likhdo, tumhaare saare kaam ho jaaenge.”

Notice of payment of fine
Image Credits: Student of PGDAV Evening College

Adding on to this, another student who found themselves suspended after this protest stated, “A few days after the protest, all four of us who signed our names on the application received an email from the college informing that we are required to be present before the Disciplinary Committee on 23 February 2023 at 4:30 PM.” The very same day, after their hearing in front of the discipline committee headed by the convenor, Dr. Hari Pratap, and the principal, Prof. R.K. Gupta, these four students received another e-mail officiating their suspension, that too, in an indefinite capacity. Alongside the suspension, the students were also liable for a fine of Rs. 1000 and were required to deposit it before 28 February 2023.

Notice to appear before disciplinary committee
Image Credits: Student of PGDAV Evening College

It has been more than a week since the notification of suspension was sent out; however, the issue remains unresolved. “They kept calling me every day until I deposited the fine. The moment I did it, they stopped calling or emailing about anything. We still have no word about what happens next,” one of the students, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated.

I had an exam during the period of my suspension, and after my exam, I needed to submit an application at the principal’s office. One of the guards helped me to the office with the application despite knowing full well it could jeopardize his job. I got to learn later, he got suspended for a week as a repercussion of letting me inside the college premises.

–Student of PGDAV Evening College

DU Beat has tried contacting the college administration multiple times, but there has been no response or comment from their end, so far.

 

Vidushi Sinha

[email protected]

Featured Image Credits: Student of PGDAV Evening College

 

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Arts & Culture

A Step Forward but What Next: Same-Sex Marriages in India?

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The possibility of a Gay Judge being appointed to the Delhi High Court is definitely a step forward but what does this mean in the larger context of legalization of civil union of same-sex marriages?

Saurabh Kirpal is still slated to be the first openly gay judge of the Delhi High Court. In a more perfect world, only his qualifications to be a judge would matter and be of any consequence to the nomination board making the decision and the larger body of jurisprudence Kirpal would be serving upon his nomination. His identity as a cis-gendered gay man should be incidental, something to be neither extraneously celebrated nor held against him. Yet it’s hard to deny the suspicion that his nomination, pending 2017, fell victim to his sexuality. It was deferred every year. The government denied the red flags had anything to do with his sexual orientation, and argued that the nomination was denied purely on grounds of security concerns which rose out of the Swiss nationality of Kirpa’s partner Nicolas Germain Bachmann. The concern, which is deeply ironic, also points out two major fallacies in the stance taken by the government.

The concern of a foreign national spouse has never been a cause of concern in the case of Dr. S. Jaishankar whose wife Kyoto Jaishankar is of Japanese nationality. Furthermore the acknowledgement of a national threat being posed by Kirpal’s partner is an inadvertent admission of the existence of a same-sex couples in the higher political echelons of the Indian bureaucracy – something that the government has otherwise been blind to in general as far as the larger public is concerned. It points out the hypocrisy of the stance which acknowledgement same-sex partnership only on grounds of security concerns but denied the possibility of the same when citizens use its existence as a legitimate ground to demand recognition of civil unions between same-sex partners.

In the month of October the Union has told the Court its stance on same-sex marriages by saying that it went against the foundational objective of marital unions – reproduction, which could only be possible if there was a marriage between a biological man and a woman. In the end of November, the same-sex marriage hearings came up before the Delhi High Court yet again and was dimsissed by the court. The petition seeking to legalise the civil union of same-sex partners had sought the same under the Hindu Marriage act, Special Marriage Act and the Foreign Marriage Act. The court argued saying that the same could not be granted under the Hindu marriage Act since same-sex partnership went against the precincts of Hinduism and a secualr state intervention in the issue of religion in a Hindu-majority population state would only be detrimental.

Some observers say India is lucky that it already has a Special Marriages Act that can be used to bypass issues of religion and could be a way to allow same-sex civil marriage. But the government has already made clear that just because homosexual sex was decriminalised it did not mean homosexuality and its anciliiary institutions were being legitimised, thereby keeping recognition of same-sex marraige off the table as far as the Centre was concerned. This brings to light a larger debate concerning the existence of freedoms for citizens without the right to act upon it. Currently owing to the historic decriminalisation of Section 377, homosexuality can no longer be punished by law. However the carrying out of any form of love, if desirous to be resultant in marriage, will not be recognised by the State on grounds of it harming the social fabric of the community at large. Furthermore, the non-existence of acknowledgement of civil unions denies same-sex partners rights to tools of public assistance such as insurance and property rights as well.

But as the case of Kirpal proves, these lines are trickier to navigate than we ever imagine. It was inevitable that the ball would not stop rolling at decriminalisation just because the government drew a line in the sand. Gay people cannot come out of the shadows yet leave their relationships in the closet. One could debate about whether marriage should be the top priority for the movement and whether the whole idea of trying benefits to marriage is outdated but it’s only natural that LGBTQ popeople would want the same rights as everyone else. In fact various trans-rights have criticised the decision to legalise marriage in an atmosphere where the discriminatory Trans Bill still holds sway over the populace as emblematic of the mainstream ueer movements repeated erasure of gender minorities and trans bodies in favour of cis-gendered, upper-class queer folks. Their primary critique being directed at the lawyer duo Arundhati Katju and her partner who have in many ways become the face of the liberation movement at large. While their advocacy intentions are never questioned their prominence as the face of the movement is repeatedly brought to question as they embody the centralisation of cis-gender upper class domination of queer discourses.

Currently the debate around marriage in India is wrapped around symbols and rituals. Does Dabur get to give a lesbian twist to Karva Chauth in an advertisement for skin bleaching products which have been at the receiving end of criticism for more than a year now following moves by brands like Fair and Lovely in changing well established marketing strategies? Can fashion designer Sabyasachi pair a mangalsutra, an ornament that is situated in a historicity of patriarchy and misogyny, with low necklines and suggestive intimacy following being heavily criticised for selling Indian artisanship to western corporate setups? What truly are the politics of a brand like Tanishq showing a Muslim family organising a traditional Hindu baby shower for their Hindu daughter-in-law in a country where the marketing head of the same company, which stands as one of the most reputed in its field, gets death threats on grounds of promoting love-jihaad?

The debate around such questions and scenarios can only be contemplated if one realises that the construction of marriage as a social document is not reductive to mere symbols – objective and metaphorical. Marriage is not only about bindis, mangalsutras and Karva Chauth but more about social acceptance and respectability and accessibility to public resources. Although gay weddings are the rage of the hour as clearly proven by the Telengana marriage reception, basic rights are still denied to same-sex partners. An event of heartbreaking magnitude can be traced back to the pandemic when an NRI married to an American same-sex partner was denied entry into India, although the same rule was relaxed for heterosexual couples of the same order.

As Sandip Ray puts succinctly in a Times Of India editorial with regard to the same,

In the end progress is about these boring things. The first openly gay judge on the Delhi High Court makes for a good news story and will be a point of inspiration for many. It is something to be welcomed but what LGBTQ Indians ultimately need are those joint bank accounts, the health insurance plans, joint custody of children and hospital visitation rights. Just like every other couple.”

 

Read Also
Section 377 – Has anything changed?
A Post-377 World: Is this really Freedom?

 

Anwesh Banerjee

[email protected]

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#DUB Review: The War Diary of Asha-san: From Tokyo to Netaji’s Indian National Army

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The War Diary of Asha-san provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of a young girl who was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for India’s independence. It is a moving account of the great endeavours undertaken by India’s brave patriots in order to win freedom from British rule.

Lt. Bharati ‘Asha’ Sahay Choudhry was born in Japan in 1928 to Anand Mohan Sahay and Sati Sen. Both her parents were completely committed to the ideal of Indian independence. They believed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was the leader who could win India’s freedom, and became some of his most ardent supporters and closest confidantes. Growing up in such a household where her parents considered the struggle for independence to be more important than everything else, Lt. Bharati (or Asha-san) was imbibed with the ideals of patriotism and sacrifice for her nation from a very young age.

Asha began to write this diary in June 1943, when she was 15 years old and World War II was in full swing. It begins with an account of her meeting Netaji for the first time, and requesting to fight in the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army. Just a teenager, Asha-san was already ready to take up arms and do her part for the liberation of India. As readers, we are provided with a view into a very unique situation of cross-cultural transmission. Asha-san’s love for Japan is evident in her writing. We get a glimpse of life in wartime Japan and a firsthand account of the alliance between Netaji’s Azad Hind Government and Japan, which is still not widely discussed in most accounts of India’s freedom struggle. With Asha-san’s father being one of Netaji’s closest companions, we also see the extent of the impact Netaji had on the general population of east and south-east Asia, and how he served as an inspiration for countless Indians.

For their thousand questions of ‘Why?’ we had one answer: `For freedom.’

In 1945, Asha-san left her home at the age of 17 to enlist in the Rani of Jhansi regiment. The diary details her journey through south-east Asia and the guerilla training she underwent as part of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. The reader is presented with Asha-san’s single minded focus on the liberation of India at every turn. The extent of her patriotism is incredible, especially considering that she had never set foot in India at the time. It is impossible to not be moved while reading about the great sacrifices made by the soldiers of the Indian National Army. Even after the Japanese surrender and Netaji’s untimely death, the men and women of the INA were undeterred and wished to carry on their struggle for independence. Asha-san’s bravery shines through her words.

It is like looking into the fluttering pages of history- as though each wave carries with it a story of a historical marvel or a disaster. How many ferries, boats and ships must have sunk in this bay? How many lovers of India, how many invaders must be spending sleepless nights under this sea?

The diary also provides us with an intimate glimpse into the highest echelons of the Indian freedom fighters. Through her parents, Asha-san was introduced to people like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sarojini Naidu, to name just a few. Aptly, the diary ends in August 1947, when India finally gained independence from the British, and the lifelong vision of all these brave freedom fighters was realised. This is the story of a young girl who had already dedicated her life to her country at the age of 15, and it serves as an important reminder of the ideals and values we must continue to strive for as India completes 75 years of her independence. The book is incredibly engaging as a whole, and a must-read for people who are interested in India’s freedom struggle.

Read Also: Indian Universities and Activism: Fifty-Shades of Azadi

Urmi Maitra [email protected]

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Auburn Umbrella – Styling Footwear For The Cold

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Picking the perfect footwear for the chilly season can be a hassle – especially when trying to keep both fashion and comfort in check. Read on to find some helpful knacks for choosing this important wardrobe essential.

The onset of a winter is almost flirtatious in its nature – it sets in with a little sway, wraps itself around your head, waltzes with the sky till has you completely in its hold: crisp, catchy, cold. And so is the season fashion, adorned in warm, cosy hues and the blessings of Mariah Carey.

Since the longest time, fashion for the feet has been getting all the gaze, and for good reason: it can ramp any outfit up to a better level. Winter footwear is significant in more ways than one, for its important that one keeps their feet snug and comfortable in the changing weather. Here are the must-have footwear fashion favourites for the cold:

  1. BOOTS, BOOTS, AND BOOTS

We believe the universe solely created winter time so that everyone could flaunt this ultimate fashion essential. Boots come in all shapes and sizes, suited to one’s needs. They are a solid shield against the brittle weather, and also provide an ultra-chic look to any outfit that you’re wearing. You can opt for chunky ankle-length boots for a staple daily wear. If you want go down the glitterati road, knee-high boots are the power shoes that you need. Pair them with skirts, dresses, or jeans to turn on the glam.

Spotted: Hailey Bieber and Olivia Rodrigo championing boots in their own styles.

Olivia Rodrigo
Hailey Bieber
  • GOOD OL’ SNEAKERS

A good pair of sneakers can quickly become a heaven in disguise when searching for your daily footwear. They last the year round, and can be paired with almost all outfits. For winters, you can style them with cool, patterned socks, stockings and tights, or just by themselves. Remember to buy a size that fits you well, and a sole that doesn’t hurt with regular wear. For a more fashion-forward look, you could try buying a pair in colours that pop (or are conventionally summer!).

Spotted: Bella Hadid and Timothee Chalamet sporting sneakers – both casual and glam.

Bella Hadid
Timothee Chalamet
  • FUZZY SLIPPERS

While there is a host of options to choose from when it comes to footwear that you wear outside, what are the choices when its cold at home and you want your toes to be just as snug and warm? The answer is fuzzy slippers. Supremely comfortable and hugging, they keep your feet warm even when it’s freezing outside. These come in the cutest of patterns, so you can choose one that suits your personality best. You can opt for open-toe or full cover options, according to preference.

Spotted: Fuzzy Slippers in various styles.

Feature Image Credits: Evening Standard

Read Also:

Auburn Umbrella: Fashion in Online College

Molina Singh

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Auburn- How to Make Your Winter Wardrobe More Colourful

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Why does winter have to be the season of beige, grey and early sunrises? Here are a few easy ways to incorporate colour in your winter fits that could potentially banish seasonal depression.

Are you tired of wearing the same monotonous coats, jackets and hoodies that look as lifeless as the weather right now? Incorporating colour in your wardrobe can be a serious mood booster, and help make dressing up 10 times more fun. We’ve compiled a few ways to incorporate spring colours in your winter clothes, to help carry over some of that liveliness to this season too!

  • Colourful pants

One criminally underrated way to spice up your outfits is by investing in colourful pants. Ditch the usual blue and black denim for bottomless in bright, bold colours. Not only will this allow you to rewear outfits in your closet in a new way, but it will also add some serious Pinterest energy to your entire fit.

  • Colourful Outerwear- Neutral sweaters and black jackets are classics, but in additional to these- colourful Outerwear like blazers, sweaters and sweater vests in bright colours like purple, pink, green- these are statements pieces that can be paired with other pieces in your wardrobe, thus making them versatile.
  • Bags- If incorporating colour in your clothes is too intimidating, try introducing it through accessories! Bags in bright colours are a super easy way to introduce a fun pop of colour in your outfit and make it look more vibrant.
  • Funky Sweaters- Easily the best way to brighten up your look, brightly coloured, printed sweaters are your best friends this winter. Available across thrift stores, Urbanic and other online stores- they’re a super cute way to jazz up your outfit!

We hope these tips on how to incorporate colour in your winter wardrobe help you cheer up this season! Life is way too short to wear neutrals all the time, experimenting with colour could be the perfect way to build a versatile closet!

 

Read Also- Auburn Umbrella: Wardrobe Essentials for Delhi Winters

 

Featured Image Credits: Celestial Youth on tumblr

 

Chiransha Prasad

[email protected]

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The 3 P’s of DU Life: Pyaar, Padhai, and Politics

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The three P’s of Student Life of DU- Pyaar, Padhai, and Politics are quite diverse topics on their
own. DU isn’t solely about studies, romance, or political life. It is a synthesis of all of them based on personal preferences.

I was reminded by one of my professors that student life is about the three Ps: Pyaar, Padhai, and Politics, with each student finding their own specific niche. The relationship between DU and its students has even more P’s – Parampara, Pratishtha alongside the former three, but what blends the students’ relationship with the varsity is Pain. Pyaar, Padhai, and Politics are three unique aspects of the life of a DU student. These are three chariots leading the students into their own but different pathways.

The academic life of a DU student is two-fold. Thousands and thousands migrate from their cities and states for receiving their degrees from the most prestigious colleges in the country, but only after coming here do they realize that the external perception of the varsity being only about studies is perturbed by the dawn that majority of the students here lose their academic concerns after the 1 st semester. Students come all dressed up, tidy and neat with books equivalent to the weight of a schoolbag, making it into libraries after regular classes in the freshman year. Then there are also the students who’ve enrolled themselves into a bunch of societies exude all strengths of their bodies and minds, but still turn up to class. Another section straightaway starts going places, exploring the newfound freedom barely showing up to their professors. Slowly as the years pass, classrooms get more empty, and similar to how folks shed their tidy clothes to fit into comfy Pajamas, the Society kids lose their balls of energy to attend classes after hectic running around, practicing, etc tasks. Even the studious UPSC aspirants start skipping college to attend coaching and self-study. Honestly, their stance makes sense as well. Once I eavesdropped on a conversation between two guys in my PG. One was saying, “You know, the real experience of college life comes from having new experiences, not from the routine existence of waking up at 8 in the morning to coming back at 4ish.”

As for examinations, ( most) DU Students don’t study every day but only before the exams. And the outcomes are not that bad, some even went on to be Gold Medalists in the past. It doesn’t mean people don’t study at all. Academics is what generally isn’t preferred much here. People strive to finish analyzing what topic they’re interested in.

“Pyaar” is another aspect that often lingers in discussions about college life. Especially at DU having places like “Lovers Spot” nurtures the cocooned new romantics inside students. The cycle of breaking free from strict authority at home, fuelled by unrealistic expectations from movies, especially Bollywood, creates musings for the new romantics. Also, college is the closest equivalent to the perfect American high school dream for Indian students. Many do find love here, many break up, and some even make it beyond the boundaries of graduation. Most importantly, it is more of a realization that the perfect fairytale love story is next to uncommon in real life and that relationships do require effort, work, space, and understanding (The Katy Perry Way).

When I was a little girl I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales, you meet Prince Charming and he’s everything you ever wanted. In fairy tales, the bad guy is very easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Then you grow up and you realize that Prince Charming is not as easy to find as you thought. You realize the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he’s not easy to spot; he’s really funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has perfect hair.

Taylor Swift

 

During my first month in Delhi, an acquaintance of mine said, “Being in a relationship helps fill the void of loneliness and mechanical busyness of life here.” Everyone has a different perspective on love. Clearly, if it’s positive for you, then go for it. But immature relationships often culminate into a lot of hurts when combated.

College politics of DU is a topic of interest, fear, hesitation, and passion for many. The first place
where students get the opportunity to explore their political self to those who come solely for political purposes, assuming positions of power and battling ideologies. Staging protests and raising concerns, is regarded as a vital stage of vigilance by them. There are again people who have ideologies and views on national concerns but do not like to muddle in violent politics for the same. Protesting against unjust and unfair steps taken by the administration, and violence faced by students, this is an essential cry for justice, but not everyone is motivated by the love of justice. Some use these topics as matters of splattering mud over others and clout chasing.

The politics of DU is messy, complicated with unknown motivations and often takes over the education and academics of DU. The threat to being neutral is a lingering question that is quite
debatable. Often, peaceful protests turn into rigorous ones. Even a small infiltration leads to a huge mess—the involvement of cops, media, etc. But for a good cause, it exposes the faulty administration oftentimes. And then there is election politics wherein candidates go to unmeasured lengths to appear as a whitewashed version of the perfect one. The unfiltered side is often motivated by the lust for power, a really positive element turned negative.

The three aspects of student life at DU aren’t completely negative or positive and one isn’t superior to the other. There is a fourth P that lingers around all the former P’s. That is – Pain. The pain of attending classes and juggling societies, the pain of cramming before exams, of assignment
heartbreak pain, the pain of political failure, etc. Student life is about extracting the best lessons out of these.

 

Read Also :Romanticising Short Term Romance and Friendships

Featured Image Credits: Medium

 

Hritwik Pratim Kalyan

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Deconstructing the “Fleabag Era”

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In recent years, the trend of mental illness being an aesthetic has seen a hike. Is this really a
harmless aesthetic, or does the “Fleabag Era” have deeper connotations?

If you use social media, chances are you’ve heard the phrase “In my Fleabag era”. The phrase is
based on the popular show Fleabag, which is centred around a female protagonist who
chaotically blunders her way through life. In the years since Fleabag was released, such chaotic
and self-destructive behaviour has become an aesthetic on social media. The question is, why?

People liked Fleabag because they felt that it was an accurate depiction of the messy realities of
life and mental health issues. However, relatability has given way to something else in recent
months, it has become cool and quirky to have a mental illness. While this in itself is not
something new, the aestheticisation of mental illness is definitely something that has not been seen before.

There is nothing inherently wrong when someone who is suffering from a mental illness turns
their experience into an aesthetic; often, doing this makes the experience more bearable for them.
The problem begins when this ‘aesthetic’ becomes trendy, which leads to the romanticisation of
mental illness by those who do not necessarily suffer from it. Such people often end up inducing
traits of different mental illnesses simply because they wish to be part of the trend.

Another problem with this trend is that it often discourages those who are suffering from mental
health issues from seeking help. They find a sense of community with others who suffer from
similar issues, and they often believe that seeking help would mean that they would no longer
remain part of said community.

The reality of life itself is that it is messy and chaotic, and it is much more so for those who
suffer from mental health issues. These issues are serious and people require professional help to
get better. The large-scale aestheticising of mental illness leads to the widening of the problem.
Being sad all the time is not “sad girl core.” It is often a sign that help is required.

 

Read Also: Questioning Mental Health – The Flawed Society

 

Featured Image Credits: Dazed

 

Urmi Maitra

 

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