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Increasing Seats in DU: Wandering over Possibilities

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In their recent memorandum to the Executive Council, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) put forth a demand for the increment of 10% seats in all courses. Wandering over the possibilities, if they are feasible on the ground or is this just a demand to be said on paper?

In a memorandum asking for the reopening of campus, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) included a demand to increase seats for all courses by 10%. With more and more students applying at the university every year, such a demand might look like a problem solver. But this ajooba can’t be done just like that (finger snapping). We wondered if this could really be possible, and there are various odds standing in the way of the expansion of DU.  

Year after year, the cut-offs of the University of Delhi have been soaring high. This year as well 4,38,696 students have applied for the Undergraduate courses. Last year, in 2020 this number stood at 3,53,919. In the wake of a 20% increase in applicants, this year and a significant rise in this number each year might make this prospect appear wonderful. But after taking a closer look at the plethora of problems that the University has hurled upon itself it might appear as a not-so-wonderful idea. 

As we know since last year, some colleges of the University have been struggling with a financial crisis. Lack of funds, non-payment of salaries, and problems faced by Ad-hoc teachers form the avalanche of problems that colleges have been facing lately. The introduction of new seats would put more pressure on the existing funds and infrastructure. This increment would also mean a change in the faculty and student ratio. According to a report in July, out of 1076 sanctioned posts, 846 teaching posts were lying vacant.

After the introduction of the EWS quota back in 2019, the varsity had various seats lying vacant in the category. Even in 2020, the EWS category had more vacant seats than in 2019. As reported by the Times of India, despite special drives and several cut-offs about 5.6% of seats of the EWS quota were still vacant. When DU hasn’t been able to work its way around an increment of seats within a quota, how will it be feasible for the entire university? Shouldn’t our first focus of attention be on filling all the seats in the existing seat count? About 1.5% of seats were left vacant under the OBC quota in 2020, 0.6% were vacant seats under the SC quota and even the ST seats saw the most vacancy in the year 2020.  

Already under the plethora of problems, our beloved Delhi University has also implemented the New Education Policy starting from the year 2022. No talks around extra funds for the same have begun and teacher’s resistance against it continues. Under the Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), students will have the choice of studying at the university for the fourth year as well, irrespective of what number of students who opt for it, it will lay force on the existing resources. The varsity will have to be prepared to host students for one more year. 

Professor Abha Habib, the Treasurer of DUTA said in a conversation with DU Beat, 

“It is an insignificant demand, a long and due process is followed after sanctions from various committees and UGC. Instead of putting more load on the same University, more attention should be laid on state universities. Why should students be forced to move out of their states for education, premier institutes should be established within states or the existing ones should be improved. There is no scope for expansion in various colleges.” 

Outstation students have to spend a lot on travel and stay for being in Delhi University. Costly PGs and barely cooked food are complementaries to the problems of staying outside your city or state. To understand such a plight DU Beat talked to a parent, Monika Sethi, mother of Ananya Sethi who is a second-year student. 

“ Kids from tier-1 cities get to study in their own state but people from Uttar Pradesh and other states have to send their kids outside because of the dearth of opportunities here. The situation then becomes like there are two households to be taken care of including all the travel costs.” 

Just to accommodate the growing number of students, the existing quality of education (which in itself consists of loads of unsolved problems) can’t be compromised. A lot of questions will have to be answered and a lot more issues to be resolved before the University can even think about the increment of seats. 

Read Also: Why should DU increase its number of seats?

Feature Image Source: Times Of India 

Kashish Shivani

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Arts & Culture

Dear Freshers, This is Your Reality Check on DU Societies         

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With the rosy season of auditions going on, this is an introduction for freshers to the dark side of DU Societies.  

As the audition season approaches, one could have seen the college areas buzzing with auditions. On the online campus, it’s a bit different; the society’s social media pages, which have been abandoned for long, now become the main agenda of society meetings. All of a sudden, reels are being posted, and you see clips of happy members of societies playing along, some on screens while some on the ground, and a Ritviz song playing in the background. The usual words that will be used in these videos are “family”, “creative community” and every adjective you can imagine for a bunch of happy undergrads. But are societies really this happy, or is it just the poster happiness to lure in freshers?

(Obviously, not all societies fall into this category, the main aim is to introduce freshers to the toxic side of DU societies.) A lot of societies are run by seniors who exercise control over all the functioning. At some colleges, administration or the teacher or convenor intervene, but at some, they don’t pay any heed. Some societies have also faced such extreme obstruction of administration that even their performances have been canceled, whereas the bullying by many societies goes unchecked due to no surveillance. (Societies should ideally lie between this tussle of control, where admin maintains minimum control but a required check, but hey, we are in DU!)

A hierarchy is maintained among all the members to maintain ‘discipline’. But this setup often leads to toxicity as seniors in positions of responsibility take undue advantage of their power. The societies that should act as communities housing creative talent become a powerhouse of trashy politics and toxicity, where bullying and ragging houses.

Recently, such a situation came to light during the auditions of Finance Investment Cell of Hansraj College, about which a first-year student said,

During our Finance Investment Cell interviews, the core team members made us dance against our will, I felt uncomfortable but since I wanted to get into the soc, I had to go with the flow. Later on, they were boasting about the fact that they made us do squats, dance, and sing in the interviews during our induction meeting.” 

First Years who are already ridden with anxiety get pushed underneath the wish of being in the cool circles of college and fail to report such behaviors, and the cycle of toxicity continues. Another student from a dance society shared their experience in a conversation with DU Beat.

This certain level of hierarchy restricts our freedom as an artist and as a person. The role of unions should be to represent the members of the society and to guide us, but it feels like someone has given them authority and they just want to show it off.”

Even in the online mode, several students have suffered terrible things at the hands of societies. With the second batch moving into the online campus, we need to configure our thinking accordingly. If the cultural front of the university keeps on reeking privilege and toxicity, the development of the individual would be a far-gone concept here. It’s high time proper redressal forums (talking about Cultural Secretaries) work in every college to respond to all grievances and dismantle these toxic hierarchies.

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Kashish Shivani

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Campus Central

Teacher’s Day Without Teachers

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Thinking about teacher’s day while going through the nostalgia of what the relationship with a teacher meant back in school and what it means now on screen. 

When I think of teachers, my mind doesn’t think of the last class I attended yesterday when I was listening to my mom from one ear and the other one had an earphone plugged in. My mind takes me to one or two years back when my Commerce teacher asked us how would we eat an elephant (not literally). This is how he taught us some most important lessons. You should eat an elephant slowly and steadily, which means you should study your vast syllabus slowly, you can’t swallow it all at once. 

I think of my English Teacher who lent me his books (they were hardcovers) for about six months and never really asked them back but obviously, I returned them. I think of my 12th standard class teacher who was more of my only friend in the class or maybe my Accounts teacher whose determined attitude never stops inspiring me. When I think about it, I don’t feel like I have had a teacher since I left school. 

Maybe more than just teaching, a teacher to me means all other things they do. Like how my Accounts teacher still called up on a random day to ask how I was doing. I never have an answer to the question that followed. How is College? I can rant about online teaching mode for hours but maybe I have done a lot of it already and now silence seems to be a good answer. 

I can think of my seniors telling me how college life used to be, teaching me hacks of not just internships or projects but of life as well. How Swati didi would be present at every open mic (yes online events) where I ever performed and ask for the recording if she ever missed one. How Akshat would always pat my back whenever I wrote something good and provided me with the ‘DU culture’ as much as he could.  

My seniors often tell me how some Professors would join them in protests, how the class would start from a random topic and drift away to revolutionary art or some other topic of political significance. There are a few Professors who are very active on social media. At the hours of utmost missing, I can be found on their profiles, dangling between their highlights. I have saved those posts where they mention even the minutest detail about college so that I don’t feel completely alien when I step on campus. 

I try to know as much as I can, from listening to anecdotes from seniors to watching that 2-hour long seminar whose video lies at the end of a playlist with only 25 views. When the administration made it compulsory for teachers to take classes from the college itself, I heard a Professor from another class took his laptop and walked through the entire college, to show students where they actually belong. 

During the same time, I heard a Professor took his classes from the parking area because there’s a network issue in my college (Yes I am from Gargi). I wish I could see the problems they go through just to be on the screen for 88 students who have never seen them, all they know is just an email Id and a link that arrives daily. 

The number of add-on recharges I have done many times just logging into a class and putting it on mute has pushed me away from having teachers at college. Many of us try but don’t have the ample resources, some have all they need for online classes but that is not what they want. 

So I am a college student, who doesn’t know the names of some of her Professors and haven’t seen a lot of them. Better than hearing a voice that is repeatedly cracked by network errors from both sides, I prefer downloaded lectures from a Youtube channel. I don’t know if I can say I have had teachers or not, but I am sure I haven’t felt what learning actually meant. I don’t blame any side, maybe time and circumstances can bear that pain. 

So maybe Happy Teacher’s day to YouTube, Udemy, PDFs and Google Meet. And also to those people who are my designated teachers right now, I hope we can discuss a variety of things someday in classes, whose window sees the lush lawns and red walls and no link or network error exists in between. 

Read Also: Online Classes: A Blessing in Disguise?

Featured Image Credits: Adobe Stock 

Kashish Shivani

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Campus Central

Casteist Censorship or Academic Healing?

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The Oversight Committee removed a story by Mahasweta Devi and two texts by Dalit Writers in the name of not hurting any sentiments. 15 members of the Academic Council have been dissenting still the varsity has backed its decision. Is it academic healing or casteist censorship to uphold the dogmas of some?

After a 12-hour-long meeting on Tuesday, the University’s Academic Council brought in some changes in the syllabus of the BA (Hons) English course. ‘Draupadi’, a celebrated story by Mahasweta Devi was removed without citing any academic reasons. Apart from this, two Dalit authors, Bama and Sukirtharini were arbitrarily removed and replaced with Ramabai without any academic reason being stated. 

As reported by the Indian Express, at least 15 members of the Academic Council gave a dissent note against such arbitrary removal of ‘Draupadi’ from the syllabus. “Mahasweta Devi’s story ‘Draupadi’ displays two forms of resistance–first resistance is in the form of tribal insurgencies and the second is acted out by Dopdi Mejhen, an active worker of the Naxalbari movement who is hunted down and raped in a bid to subjugate insurgent groups.”

–Dr K. Madhavarajan, Assistant Professor, NMSS Vellaichamy Nadar College

DU Beat talked to various students who have studied the highly acclaimed writer, one such student said,

“The text in itself has so much richness, it’s a shocking move. It perfectly displays the intersectionality of how women’s bodies are reduced to landscapes for political agendas. It was a text that would always stay with me.”

Mithuraj Dhusiya, a member of the Academic Council registered strong dissent in his opinion as quoted by the Indian Express. He said that it’s shocking that the Oversight Committee bypassed the statutory bodies like Faculties, Committee of Courses and Standing Committee and changed the prescribed texts. 

Debraj Mukherjee, Associate Professor, Ramjas College brought forward his voice of dissent about the removal of ‘Draupadi’ and said in his opinion to DU Beat, 

“The primary problem here is the absence of stated academic reasons for excluding certain texts. The rigour we expect from even our students, wherein they are encouraged to offer analysis over opinion, and investigation over prejudice, send absent in the offices that have led to such exclusion.” 

No academic reason was stated earlier until yesterday when the varsity put out a press release where it accepted the recommendations regarding the removal of various contents from the syllabus of B.A Hons. English for the fifth semester. 

The press release states that a careful analysis of the present syllabus shows it is diverse and inclusive already. The University also clarified that the contents of any language course should not hurt the sentiments of any individual. 

There are various questions to be asked here, whose sentiments are being hurt when Dalit writers are reclaiming their space in the literary world? Whose sentiments are being hurt when a tribal woman holds the bravado and strength to rise above the societal fears put on women? 

The society which thinks harming the modesty of a woman is the utmost terrible it can do, it is Draupadi who stands in the face of it and laughs at its nakedness with a voice that is ‘terrifying and sky splitting’. The action of standing up against Senanayak naked with her bruises is Draupadi asking what else can you do making both her abusers and the society powerless and that is when 

“ for the first time, Senanayak is afraid to stand before an unarmed target, terribly afraid.” 

According to some sources, there were objections against ‘Maniben alias Bibijan’ as it is based on the Gujarat riots and it allegedly showed Bajrang Dal and RSS in a “bad light” and as “murderers”. Even members of the Academic Council have stated prejudice and diktat of dominant Hindutva ideology behind the unacademic deletion of content as a move to suppress marginalised voices.

“Such teachers have been consistent in their opposition to the Dalit and tribal voices owing to their allegiance to the Hindutva ideology which is patently against the socially underprivileged segments.” 

-Rudrashish Chakraborty in his statement to DU Beat

Another set of questions to be asked is about the Oversight Committee. It’s not been much time since the formation of the Oversight Committee in 2019. Talking about the issue, Abha Dev Habib, the Treasurer of DUTA said that the Committee was formed, ‘when ABVP tried to vandalise the Academic Council meeting and threatened Heads of Departments of English and History and many elected Academic Council members.’

The dissent note submitted by the members of the Academic Council clearly states that it has been formed in contravention of the University Calendar. 

“The only competent to frame any syllabus for any course are the Committee of courses comprising teachers of the concerned Department.”

The next step in the procedure of syllabus revision is to get approval from statutory bodies like Faculties, The Standing Committee and the Academic Council. Such a committee is not a part of the process.   

The press release on the other hand mandates the Oversight Committee and backs its actions in the name of recommendation from the Head, Department of English. 

Whereas Rudrashish Chakraborty from the Department of English, KMC has said the press release to be ‘a blatant defence of the overreach of the Oversight Committee’. In his statement, he added,

“The claim of the press release that the Oversight Committee has followed all democratic processes is a blatant distortion of facts. Rather the Oversight Committee has undermined the democratic processes involved in the syllabus revision by issuing fiats to the English department to add/delete texts without giving any academic rationale.”

The dissent note on the other hand sheds light that no member of the concerned department was a part of the Oversight Committee. Even the heads of departments were not a part of the deliberations. How could a committee decide the required and not of a course without any expertise and competence in it? Was it merely out of choice or deliberate prejudice? 

However, apart from the official release, ‘gruesome sexual content’ has been cited as the prime reason for the removal of the story as reported by The Print. The ‘problematic content’ as pointed out is the horrendous condition and description of Draupadi after being raped. 

“I don’t know if the name and context regarding the perpetrators got lost in translation but this (Draupadi) shows the Indian military in a very poor light. We don’t want our students to hate them based on fictional stories,”

-DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said in his opinion to the Print. 

What’s ironic here is a country where there are innumerous records of rape cases met with blatant injustice, there the condition of a woman after being raped is called ‘problematic’. Moreover, will the committee expunge all such ‘problematic’ details present in every course throughout the University? 

It’s not the first time that women writers have been withheld for crossing the set boundaries of ‘modesty’. Ismat Chughtai faced a trial in 1944 for her story ‘Lihaaf’ on the grounds of portraying obscenity, where thighs and women’s ‘bad’ character were told to be the point of objection. Ismat must be smiling with pity today at us for we surely have come a long way, backwards or forward, only Ismat can tell. 

Even no other short story by Mahasweta Devi was accepted and a list of six short stories was forced upon the Department to accept. It shall be noted that these six stories again were not selected as per the process laid down. 

The matter doesn’t end here, the Oversight Committee instructed the Department to replace ‘Chandrabati Ramayana (a feminist reading)’, with Tulsidas for the DSE paper, ‘Pre-colonial Indian Literature.’ A similar curtailing of content has been recommended for another DSE paper as mentioned in the dissent note. 

“The Oversight Committee, instead of examining the rationale of the texts included in the syllabus, merely pandered to the political pressures and vested interests.”

-A collective statement from the Academic Council members

The statement further read that without any concrete evidence of any sentiments being hurt, the ignorance and prejudice against the marginal voices of the society are visible. It further added, 

“To use hurt sentiments as an excuse to delete texts is a blatant attempt to impose thought control of the dominant and privileged social groups. By suggesting that the syllabus should merely uphold the status quo and not critique or question the same, the DU press release has actually undermined the very ethos of a University.”

Such removal of valuable pieces of literature without any academic reason puts the sanctity of academic rigour in question. Acceptance of the changes when 15 members of the Academic Council have expressed dissent against it is an aggravation of various problems which raises a question on the essence of education again. 

Ayushi, a student of Literature, expressed her dissatisfaction over the arbitrary removal.

“Being a part of the DBA community, it feels like a setback in parallel to all other things we face. Literature can’t exist in a vacuum, it’s necessary to show the inequality and the domination existing on the ground. ”

Moreover changing the syllabus when it’s been five weeks since the course has been started shows severe carelessness on the part of the administration. Is academic planning just a play of whims to be altered and changed as per the moods of members of the Committee who in the first place are not even qualified members of the department?

The removal of such great portrayals of marginalised voices, deletion of texts by Dalit writers and vandalism of Women’s writing courses puts up a lot of questions on the Oversight Committee and the University that is backing it. In an attempt to censor these great texts, the Oversight Committee has brought them into the spotlight again which will contribute to their contrary goals. 

Such academic censorship and forced revision of the syllabus which upholds the existing status quo might be deliberate silencing to align it with the dominant ideology. The voice of dissent being ignored by the University shows how much we value the quality of academics. The University has a lot to answer and a Press release with ambiguous reasons isn’t enough. 

 

Read Also: Decoding the “Gender” In Censorship On Art

Photo Credits: Indian Express

Kashish Shivani

[email protected]

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DU Colleges to Start New Certificate Courses

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Adding to the existing plethora of certificate courses, a few DU colleges have started new certificate courses at lower fees on topics ranging from Food Technology to Legal Literacy.

Some DU colleges have started a few new certificate courses on topics like Food Technology, Legal Literacy and Science Writing at a lower fee. Aimed at arming the students with the required knowledge, these new certificate courses cost less fee with the hope that this would attract more students towards these courses.

The Chemistry Department of Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi has started the industry-oriented, add-on course entitled “Food Science and Technology: From Farm to Fork”. With classes to be held on Saturdays and Sundays, the course is scheduled from 14th August to 9th November.

Sri Venkateswara College is the first college to start this type of course at Delhi University. Although few colleges of the DU have been offering B.Sc. or B.Tech. courses on basic Food Science but this course is entirely different as it is mainly focussing on industry requirements and new technologies employed there.
This course and training sessions lined up to blend well with the industry needs and thus guarantee to produce learned, well-informed, and efficient Food Science & Technology professionals to suit and complement role-specific responsibilities.

In this course, the industry professionals, eminent scientists, and Food technology experts across the country and even outside the country will do interactive sessions with the students to provide up-to-date information and training required to sustain and grow in the Food industry.

Today, with the growing challenges of climate change, global warming, disappearing natural resources, and the recent pandemic, the Food Processing Industry is still recognized as a dynamic and sunrise industry. Therefore, this niche course offers a unique blend of subjects that empowers the students with professional competence and expertise not only in food processing, packaging, food engineering but also hands-on training in various Food Technologies required in the Industry. So, I feel that this course adds an advantage to your BSc degree course of basic sciences with an essence of professional and applied course tag that garnishes your CV to make a career in the industry as well as in research.

Dr. Shikha Gulati, Convenor & Course Coordinator, Food Science and Technology.

Costing at Rupees 2500, the course is open to any student studying in courses of the science stream and e-certificates would be provided to students upon completion of the course.

Food technology is a sought-after and useful course internationally. Such professionals are required in the food processing, beverages and packaged food industries and wine companies. This course on FST will provide an opportunity to the students to learn various aspects of food processing, food preservation and packaging, food analysis etc. This would also enlighten the students with vast application in industries at international level, related to packaged food, nutrition supplements, beverages, bakery, confectionery and wine etc. Students would be getting exposure of all kinds of technologies including nano technology used in the food industries. An industry visit will also be organised if situation permits.

Dr. Sanjay Batra, Head of Department of Chemistry, Sri Venkateswara College.

Daulat Ram College is starting an add-on course called ‘Legal Literacy, Awareness and Aid’. In collaboration with the Delhi Legal Services Authority, the course will be in online mode in the academic year 2021-22 and the following academic year, the diploma course will be conducted offline. The registration process started on August 10 and will continue till September 10 and the minimum eligibility criteria are senior secondary pass.

The aim is to educate learners from different disciplines and backgrounds, specifically from the non-law field, about the theoretical and practical aspects of the legal framework.

Savita Roy, Principal of Daulat Ram College.

I was on the hunt for a good add on course since the first semester. I was really happy when I came to know the chemistry dept SVC is offering one of FST. It is a field I’m very much interested in and I’m hoping for a fun and productive learning experience. The course structure and timings also look comfortable as it is on Saturdays and holidays only.

Bharath Harikumar, a student attending one of these add on courses.

A certificate course on introduction to forensic sciences is already being conducted by the Hansraj College, for which the classes are being conducted on weekends. In addition to this, the college has also started another certificate course on science writing and communication. This particular course aims to enable students with the required skills for report creation and discrete writing on topics of medicine, science and technology.

Read Also: 

Feature Image Credits: The Economic Times

Harish Neela Lingam B

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Increasing Hatred towards Students from Kerala among Freshers

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Several students from colleges in North Campus have been abusing and harassing their peers from Kerala with highly discriminatory remarks in the classes and groups. 

Note: The following article contains mentions of threats and sexual harassment. 

The First Years have come forth with their first impression on the campus which with no doubt appears to be extremely sexist, bigoted and discriminatory. Reportedly students of various colleges of North Campus have made extremely discriminatory and insensitive marks towards students from Kerala Board. 

Following is a text sent in the Fresher’s class of B.com Honours where the student can be seen accusing their peers from Kerala as ‘frauds’

The student even went further and asked the Teacher to “throw them out” of the North Campus. The comments don’t just bring forward the indecency of students but also their blatant racism. The language used here shows the ingrained biases of merit among students. SFI unit of Ramjas College has openly protested against such behaviour and asked for appropriate action to be taken against those responsible for harming the college space that is deemed to be a safe and inclusive one for all. The unit has mailed the Principal regarding this issue and urged them to take stern action as soon as possible. 

“In recent times we have been seeing an increased level of intolerance among the larger society from the standpoint of Religion, Caste, Region, Gender and Race. As a student community, we must resist these sort of narrow narratives to maintain the inclusiveness of the Campus spaces.”

-SFI Ramjas in its Press Release

The xenophobic comments didn’t end there, Freshers have been harassing others in the unofficial groups to no extent. In its investigation, DU Beat found several such remarks made on other students that are highly offensive and discriminatory. 

“In the unofficial group for Ramjas students, some people started bullying and abusing. First, they went on with verbally harassing the female students but further, they started with their bigoted remarks that Keralites are ‘black’, and started blaming us(students from Kerala) that we have stolen their college seats.”

-A First-Year student from Ramjas College 

“Then the people targeting kept on saying that Keralites should move to the South Campus, mocking us again. Blatantly saying that students from Kerala got 100% marks through unfair means occupying good colleges such as Hindu and ‘jeopardizing his friends’ seats’.

-Shabeeb Areekode, a First-Year student from Ramjas College

Expressing his concern the CPI Rajya Sabha MP, Binoy Viswam has written a letter to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu about the increasing hostility and hatred against students from Kerala and sought his intervention in the matter. 

“Such remarks bring great dishonour and discredit to the students of Kerala who have worked hard to gain admission into reputed institutions of high rank. It further stigmatises students from applying and enrolling in these institutions,”

-Binoy Viswam in his letter to the Vice President 

The entire focus shifted to students from Kerala when the ever scoring cut-offs dropped and about 2000 students from Kerala who scored a perfect 100 per cent secured their seats in North Campus colleges. Earlier Rakesh Pandey, a Professor from Kirorimal college also made some discriminatory and Islamophobic remarks against the students from Kerala where he termed it as “Marks Jihad”. 

The issue at hand is of grave concern. In such a discriminatory environment how will the students from Kerala receive equal treatment in their very own University Campus? The session for this year just began and this is the first impression that a student is receiving who hasn’t even visited the campus in offline space. This portrays the true image of the University that is considered to be among the top ones in our country and blurs the delusional sparkly image. 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Read Also: Kerala Students Sweep the Seats in the First Round of DU Admissions

Kashish Shivani

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Abvp to Hoist National Flag at 1 Lakh Places; Plans to Form Committees to Aid Implementation of NEP

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The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) issued a press release Monday. The release outlines its plans for the country’s 75th anniversary of independence, as well as its own 75th anniversary in 2022-23. Education sector related issues and the formation of committees to aid in the implementation of the NEP were also discussed.

In a press release dated 9th August 2021, student organisation Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) announced its plan to hoist the National Flag at 1,28,335 locations across the country on 15th August 2021- India’s Independence Day. They have also planned to work on internships, Tiranga marches, social media campaigns, short films on forgotten warriors, and so on.

Sidharth Yadav, the National Media Convenor of ABVP, said “We plan to engage the entire young community with the celebration. In Delhi, we are hoisting at 647 bastis. A big number of students from DU have volunteered and the experience they are getting while visiting these bastis is already heart-warming. I am sure that we will be successful in taking the celebration to the last man in the line and also develop a perspective amongst University students.”
Bharat Sharma, ABVP’s Delhi Media Convenor, added “until now, flag hoisting has largely been a government ritual. We intend on taking it to the masses.”

Furthermore, the organisation has decided to form a committee in each state. This committee would make recommendations to the governments, administrations, and universities for ensuring timely implementation of the National Education Policy.

The organisation is also celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022-23. In light of the celebration, the ABVP has decided to take on large-scale campaigns. A one-day National Executive Council meeting was held on August 1, 2021, in Bhopal via a virtual and physical medium. In this meeting, the organisation passed two resolutions and an appeal.

The first resolution referred to the problems in the education sector during the Covid-19 period. They have also demanded a solution from the Central and State Governments. The second resolution discussed the country’s current situation and called for action. The council has decided to expand the ‘Parishad Ki Paathshala’ activity nationwide. They have also decided to establish the ‘Ritumati’ campaign for women’s health and empowerment as an amplitude across the country.

Read also: ABVP Meets G. Krishnan Reddy; Talks on Increase of NSDs & Tribal Upliftment

Feature Image Credits: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad

Sandhini Goyal
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Arts & Culture

#PrideForAll Or Not?

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Three years since the decriminalisation of Section 377, and the Indian Queer community continues to be on the receiving end of prejudice and discrimination. But with compulsory heterosexuality being guzzled down everyone’s throat, and the archaic patrolling of the borders of sexuality and gender identity, are we really surprised?

TW: mention of suicide, homophobia, conversion therapy

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an Indian family deep in the trenches of society, will forever be plagued by the longstanding preoccupation of “log kya kahenge?” Miss Austen’s wordy prose aside, you would have to be an extremely lucky individual if you have somehow managed to escape this cultural obsession with propriety. It is hard to escape, impossible even for some.

And yet for others, it is an obsession that is oftentimes deadly. Last year, a queer woman from Kerala died of suicide after being forcefully subjected to conversion therapy. Two years before that, a lesbian couple died of suicide after being shunned by the world for their love. “We are leaving this world to live with each other. The world did not allow us to stay together,” is what their last words were, courtesy of a note that they left.

Social movements in India, like the feminist movement, have to a larger extent, been able to establish some legitimacy amongst the Indian public because of collective pressure on political authorities by these groups.

In comparison, the queer movement has struggled to gain the same form of legitimacy in society. A lesser number of people are willing to advocate for queer concerns or publicly identify as queer and advocate for queer activism. And in most cases, we can safely attribute this silence to the Indian social attitude towards sexuality and gender identity. This rigorous and despotic policing of the borders of “normal sexuality” means that fears of many kinds are commonplace in the lives of people under the rubric of queer. This, coupled with intersectionality, makes the lives of many queer people cramped with fear and shame, reflective of societal sentiments.

“Talk more about it!” or “Be vocal about your problems!” It is easy to ask people to advocate more outrageously about their issues when your own head isn’t on the chopping board. And when talks of queerness in the conventional Indian setup are centred around pathological and criminological perspectives- around conversion therapies and social isolation- with what right would we dare ask the queer community to self-identify?

How can we blame them, when parents value their social standing in a stunted and backward society more than their children’s happiness?

Perhaps I am merely parroting what you have already read in hundreds of articles. Or perhaps this might lead to a belated cognizance within many. But your allyship to the queer community

means nothing when it is practised only in a safe space. Your threads about queer subtext in Indian mythology are useless unless you’re willing to take them beyond your Twitterverse. This society is more brutal than what we perceive, discussing issues at large while sitting at the dinner table with people who think the same as us. What’s the use? They already know. It’s time to move past them.

Read Also: E-Newspaper – Volume 15 Issue 01 (Pride Edition)

Shreya Juyal

[email protected] 

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Scholarships Offered by DU: All That You Need To Know About

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The University of Delhi (DU) witnesses a diversified plethora of students from different parts of the country seeking admission each year; for the thirst for educational opportunities and exposure to the dimmed lights of the capital city. Apart from their cultural divergence, they also belong to different sections of the society with finance having an upper hand over all the attributes. Therefore, in order to ensure equal participation, ease out the stress of financial burden, and recognise student welfare, the administration provides scholarships to all students with adherence to certain conditions. 

Here are some scholarships granted by the University for its undergraduate students:

Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao Endowment Book-Grant:

This scholarship is provided to a student who has secured a place in any college under DU and belongs to the family of a Class IV or Class III employee of the University. They must be in the first year of their three-year undergraduate course. A sum of Rs. 100 is provided for each month for a duration of one year and is renewable if the performance of the student is satisfactory.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/21082014_UG_1.pdf

Sh. Prem Prakash Award:

The financial aid is a one-time grant called the “Sh. Prem Prakash Award” worth Rs. 3,500/ – payable at the start of the year. The awardee is chosen on the basis of merit from amidst the offsprings of Class-IV workers of the University. The awardee must be admitted into the 1st year of any college under the varsity. If no suitable candidate is found from the Class-IV families, then the students from the Class-III families will be taken into consideration. Students who are already availing the benefits of other grants from the University, from other University, private body, state or central government will not be eligible for the aforementioned award.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/Sh.%20Prem%20Prakash%20Award.pdf

The Delhi University & College Karmachari Union Book- Grant:

There will be two grants by the name of ‘Delhi University & College Karmachari Union’ (DUCKU) worth Rs. 250 per month for a period of one year. Applicants should hail from the families of the non-teaching staff of the University of Delhi (DU) and must be enrolled in the first year of the three-year undergraduate course.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/21082014_UG_8.pdf

The Delhi State Co-operative Union Grant:

The allowance is known as ‘The Delhi State Co-operative Union Stipend’ and consists of an aid of Rs. 50 per month for a period of one year. However, it can be renewed as well on the basis of the performance of the awardee. This stipend is handed over to those students who are the off-springs or dependent brothers of non-commissioned defence force personnel resident of the Union Territory of Delhi. Choices will be favoured towards the son of a Jawan who was either killed or incapacitated during action in or after 1965.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/21082014_UG_9.pdf

Pt. Man Mohan Nath Dhar Book- Grant:

The Pandit Man Mohan Dhar endowment scholarship offers a monthly stipend of Rs. 100 for a period of one year. It is awarded to deserving and needy students who are pursuing their undergraduate/postgraduate classes from the University of Delhi and whose family income doesn’t exceed the amount from which it starts attracting income tax.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/21082014_UG_11.pdf

Sardar Kartar Singh Grover Memorial Book- Grant:

The scholarship is  worth Rs.350/ – per month which will be normally viable for an academic year from 1st August of a year to 30th April of the following year (Nine Months); extendable to the following scholarly year.The Scholarship will be granted to an understudy of Computer Science courses, BCA or B.Sc. (H) who gets best grades in the First Year Annual Examination of the BCA – B.Sc. (H) course. If two students are found to have the same marks, then the awardee is decided on the basis of the rank secured in the entrance if given/ Class 12 result if the admission was merit-based.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/Sardar-Kartar-Singh-Grover-Memorial-Merit-Scholarship_new.pdf

Ganga Sant Book- Grant:

The awardee of this scholarship will be granted an amount of Rs. 175/month for a period of three years which is renewable yearly on the basis of performance of the awardee. To avail this scholarship, a student must be enrolled in BA. Hons( Sanskrit) and must be in dire need of financial assistance. If no such students are found in the above mentioned course, the scholarship will be passed to B.A. Hons( Mathematics). In case, no student is found, the scholarship will be passed to any other course, taking in regards the financial condition of the student. Students availing other scholarships or financial assistance from any other source shall not be eligible for the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/Ganga-Sant.pdf

Puran Chand Khatri Book- Grant:

This scholarship facilitates the educational journey of first year students hailing from Khatri families with an amount of Rs. 40/month for a period of one year. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit, of the class 12 examination conducted by Central Board of Secondary Examination or any other examination recognised as equivalent to the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/Puran-Chand.pdf

Delhi University Women Association Book- Grant:

Two awardees will be chosen every year for a financial aid of Rs. 100 per month for a period of three years. The continuation of the same depends on the performance of the student. Daughters of Jawans who are meritorious and in need of financial assistance are given preference. Students availing other scholarships or financial assistance from any other source shall not be eligible for the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/09092015_DUWA_Scholarship.pdf

Smt. Kesra Bai Luthra Book- Grant:

Under this scholarship, the awardee will receive an amount of ?100 a month for a period of 3 years which is renewable every year on the basis of performance of the awardee. The students pursuing B.Sc. (Hons) course in Botany or Zoology and must possess the characteristics of merit along with the need of financial assistance. If a student is availing any other scholarship, then they will.not be able to receive this scholarship. If the scholar has failed to make satisfactory progress or is found to be guilty of gross misconduct, the individual after due warning will be reported to the principal of the college, who may withdraw their scholarship.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/06092017_Keshra.pdf

Prof. J.C. Luthra & Smt. Kesra Bai Luthra Book- Grant:

The scholarship provides the opportunity with a financial aid of ?100/month for a period of 3 years which is renewable at the end of each year on the basis of the acceptable performance of the awardee. The student must pass class 12 examination or an examination equivalent to the same and preferably must not be below high to class. The student must be enrolled in BSc.(Hons) course in Botany,.Zoology, Physics or Chemistry. They must be meritorious enough and must be in need of financial assistance in order to pursue their higher studies. Once scholarship shall be awarded to the student offering the above-mentioned disciplines as the main subject in such a manner that 50% of the recipients shall be women candidates. The same criterias for ineligibility including the holding of any other scholarship from any source is applicable here as well.

Satish Batra Memorial Book- Grant:

With a financial aid of Rs.300 per month for a period of three years, the Satish Batra Scholarship is awarded to a needy student who have passed their class 12 examination and are in their first year of B.A.(Hons)/ B.A. (Pass) in Urdu from the University. The continuation of the same depends on the academic performance of the awardee.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/satish-batra.pdf

Dr. S.L. Haro & Smt. V. Hora Endowment Book- Grant:

The awardee of this scholarship will be granted an amount of Rs. 100 month for a period of three years which is renewable yearly on the basis of performance of the awardee. To avail this scholarship, a student must be enrolled in B.Sc (Hons) in Zoology course and must be in dire need of financial assistance. Students availing other scholarships or financial assistance from any other source shall not be eligible for the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/S-L-Hora.pdf

Shri Khushi Ram Book- Grant:

Three awardees with merit and in need of financial assistance will be chosen every year for a financial aid of Rs. 100 per month for a period of three years. The continuation of the same depends on the performance of the student. The awardees must be enrolled in the first year of Bachelor’s degree under the Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Science, Mathematics, Music & Art. Students availing other scholarships or financial assistance from any other source shall not be eligible for the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/08012021_UG14.pdf

Shubo Chander Aimya Banerjee Book- Grant:

This scholarship is provided to two deserving and needy students who are pursuing their undergraduate classes from the University of Delhi and whose family income doesn’t exceed the amount from which it starts attracting income tax. They must be in the first year of their three-year undergraduate course. A sum of Rs. 50 is provided for each month for a duration of one year and is renewable if the performance of the student is satisfactory. The awardees must be enrolled in the first year of Bachelor’s degree under the Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Science, Mathematics, Music & Art.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/08012021_SubodhChand18.pdf

Shri Ram Lubhaya Book- Grant:

Under this scholarship for blind individuals, the awardee will receive an amount of ?100 a month for a period of one year which is renewable every year on the basis of performance of the awardee. The student must be in the 1st year of their undergraduate course after acquiring admission to the University on merit basis. Students availing other scholarships or financial assistance from any other source shall not be eligible for the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/01092018_sh-ram-lubhaya.pdf

Shri Moti Lal Kaul Aima Memorial Book- Grant:

This financial aid for blind students is worth Rs. 150 per month for a period of three years. The awardee must be admitted into the 1st year of any college under the varsity under the courses of B.A. (Hons.)/ B. Sc. (Hons.)/ B.Com (Hons.) Students who are already availing the benefits of other grants from the University, from other University, private body, state or central government will not be eligible for the aforementioned award.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/01092018_sh-motilal_kaul.pdf

Vijender Sharmila Chopra Book- Grant:

The Vijender Sharmila Chopra scholarship offers a monthly stipend of Rs. 100 for a period of three years. It is offered to the blind student who was successful in securing the highest marks in Class 12 examinations and enrolls themselves in B. Sc./ B.Com/ B.A. Vocational Studies (Hons.) or Pass Course under DU.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/01092018_vijendra-sharmila-chopra.pdf

Postgraduate Scholarships:

Here are two of the scholarships offered by DU for its postgraduate students:

Delhi University & All India Postgraduate Scholarship:

A total number of 20 students will be awarded with the above scholarship which consists of an aid of Rs. 400 per month. The candidates must have passed their undergraduate education from a recognized Indian university with a first class. Students availing other scholarships or financial assistance from any other source shall not be eligible for the same.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/21082014_PG_1.pdf

His Holiness The Pope Scholarship: 

This scholarship was given by His Holiness The Pope during his visit to India in 1964 and is available for post-graduate students. It consists of an amount of Rs. 150 per month for the students in need of financial aid and whose parents’ income including his/her own income does not exceed the amount from which it starts attracting income tax. The scholarship is tenable for one year and can be renewed for the second year if the performance of the student is satisfactory.

Link to the PDF: http://www.du.ac.in/uploads/scholarships/21082014_PG_2.pdf

For more information, kindly visit the official DU website.

It has been ages since these scholarships were announced. With the changing times, there should have been an increase in the amount of scholarships as well.

Read Also:

Scholarships That Every Third-Year Should Apply for

Victory for the Student Community and Scholarship at DSE

DU Students Receive EY Scholarship

Featured Image Credits: Ulearning

Himasweeta Sarma

[email protected]

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All That You Need to Know about ECA Admissions at DU

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The skyrocketing cut-offs at the University of Delhi is something that the nation already knows about. It’s a very daunting task to get into the University of Delhi once the cut-offs are released. However, there is a very limited yet diverse quota for those students who excel in other Extracurricular Activities along with their academics, the Extra-Curricular Activities (ECA) quota.

Pre Covid, the ECA selections included an auditioning process and then allotment of colleges to the aspirants, but since last year, the auditions were dropped (will the auditions be there this year or not will be notified soon). As the entire admissions process was online, the students were judged on the basics of the certificates they submitted. 

ECA is one of the biggest reasons why the crowd at the University of Delhi is such a diverse one. You get students scoring very high in academics and students who have made a mark in an extracurricular field all at one place. All the artists out there have a very fair yet scrutinized chance of getting into DU. As the percentage drop for ECA students is very high, the seats are very limited for them. The allotment of colleges is a centralized procedure, i.e after the entire process, the University itself allots colleges to the aspirants with respect to their positions in the merit list and in line with their preferences.

“According to me, the only thing to keep in mind if applying for DU through ECA admissions is by checking the notification board of the Delhi University official website on a daily basis. Don’t miss a day and keep looking for the new updates. Last year the ECA admissions were a bit different than the previous years but I could easily figure out the whole process only with the help of the information available on the University website as well as the college websites. Moreover, there are many official email IDs to which you can send your queries or concerns and believe me and don’t worry they reply. So if you ask me, I would suggest not to take stress and to be updated for new instructions from the notification board.”

Mahasweta Sarma, Political Science (Hons), Miranda House, Indian classical and light (vocals) category

A complete list of ECA quotas of admissions in years 2020-2021 is available on Delhi University’s official website, along with the names of colleges and the quotas that they reserve for each activity. The University will definitely upload a fresh list this year as well.

Categories under ECA

Various ECA categories under which the student can secure admission at the University of Delhi are:

  • Creative Writing (English and Hindi)
  • Debate (English and Hindi)
  • Digital Media (Photography, Animation and Film Making)
  • Divinity
  • Fine Arts
  • Music (Indian and Western: Vocal and Light)
  • Music (Instrument: Indian and Western)
  • Theatre
  • Quiz
  • National Service Scheme
  • National Cadet Corps
  • Dance (Indian Folk and Indian Classical)
  • Yoga

The procedure of Admissions in 2020-2021

Last year the ECA admissions were primarily ruled out as due to COVID-19 protocols physical auditions were not possible so the University cancelled the ECA admissions. But later the admissions process was restored without the auditions. The following steps were supposed to be taken by a student who wanted to get the admission via ECA category.

  1. Register as for the ECA category under the DU UG Admissions portal.
  2. Select the categories you want to apply for and upload the certificates relevant to that particular category. Duly check the dates along which the certificates will be accepted.
  3. A maximum of 5 certificates was allowed to be uploaded last year under each ECA Category.
  4. After some time, the University releases a merit list with the descending order of marks that the student got against the certificates they uploaded.
  5. If there are any discrepancies with the allotment of marks, there is a window given to resolve that and then the University releases a fresh list. Kindly be very alert during this window period.
  6. Once the final merit list is out, students are given options to select their desired college, under their respective categories. A maximum of 10 colleges, in the order of preferences, were allowed last year.
  7. Then the University allots the colleges to the aspirants and then there is a window period given when the student needs to submit their fees and confirm their admission in the allotted college by the University.
  8. After that, the allotted college contacts the student to sign an undertaking, which complies the student to represent the college at various levels under the ECA category they have secured their admissions in.

Some points to keep in mind while applying under ECA by an ECA Student

  1. It is mandatory to first register and apply on the common UG Admissions portal at the University’s Website.
  2. If you want then apply under more than one ECA category, the seats for ECA students are very few, so give your best shot under maximum categories.
  3. Students usually do not fill in all of the 5 slots available for certificates. Especially, during these unprecedented circumstances, when the auditions are least likely to happen, your certificates will carry a lot of marks. Give priorities to International, National, State, District, and then School level competitions certificates.
  4. Thoroughly go through the notification that the University releases for the admissions for ECA students.
  5. The window period for rectifying your marks in the merit list is quite scrutinized, be very vigilant during that time.
  6. Select the colleges by your preferences and try filling up all the columns to be on the safer side.
  7. If auditions happen, then be well versed with the current affairs, especially for the students who want to apply under the Debate or Creative Writing Category.

Read Also

DU Brings Back ECA Admissions Without Trials

Abhivyakti Mishra 

[email protected]

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