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Breaking barriers and setting standards – JMC MUN 2017

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After two scintillating days, it is finally time to call curtains for the JMC MUN Conference of 2017. This conference saw the most agile of minds and most hardworking of teams unite to produce an event to remember; and this brief was not only met, but far exceeded in terms of both expectation and overall satisfaction.

 

The first day began on a high note, with the honorable Justice Markandey Katju, ex Chief Justice of India delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony. The audience was captivated by his signature wit, and delegates were roused to action upon hearing his inspirational words of wisdom. This was followed by an opening speech by Ms. Alimah Rehan, Secretary General of JMC MUN 2017, a bright and dedicated young lady whose passion for the MUN touched every person in attendance. And finally, with the resounding sound of the gavel, the conference was officially declared open.

 


 And so began the action. The excited delegates were raring to go, and launched straight into intensive debate as soon as their committees were in session. Allegations flew, speeches were made, and an atmosphere of somber intensity and focus was created as the committee’s deliberated on how best to solve their respective agendas. These tense sessions were interspersed with breaks, wherein the delegates could unwind to socialize, lobby and network in the company of their fellow delegates, and of course the delicious feast of food laid before them! The organizing committee ensured that the food was a delectable delight, and a well deserved treat for the exhausted delegates.

The second day was about solutions and resolutions, and finally a bittersweet conclusion. While only a select few could take home awards, each and every participant undoubtedly took home a lifetime of memories and an enriching experience. The Secretary General’s closing address summed up perfectly the emotional journey that is setting up a conference, and left everyone feeling nostalgic with her meaningful words.

 

We here at JMC make it our mission to break barriers and set new standards, and remain committed to doing just that. The only cliche we can deign to conform to is “bigger and better”,

Because that’s exactly what we promise we are going to do for the next edition of the MUN. For those of you who joined our family this year, we thank you and hope you had a wonderful experience, because we certainly did in setting all this up for you. We’d also like to thank our esteemed sponsors and guests for adding value to this important event. There is not a single thing we’d do differently.

 

JMC Model United Nations Society.

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Arts & Culture

Know the Man Behind Dangal’s Success – NiteshTiwari

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After the huge success of Dangal, both popularly loved and critically acclaimed – it is time to know the creative minds behind this heart-warming project. We present the life and career of Nitesh Tiwari, the talented director of Dangal and Chillar Party.

Interestingly, Tiwari was a software engineer before turning to the world of advertising and his newest venture; film-making has definitely taken Indian cinema by storm. In another lifetime, he was a creative director in ad agency Leo Burnett, and was highly respected as a writer.

Right from his time at IIT Bombay, Tiwari had been active on the drama front which ensured he loved every moment of his 16 year old career as a creative professional. Heralded as the “lucky” one, Tiwari first sampled the world of advertising whilst working on a project for R K Swamy BBDO when he was pursuing B Tech at IIT Bombay. The project ended, but his journey had just begun. “What I saw in the ad agency, I really loved. The atmosphere was informal, people were playing pranks. They were having a blast and were paid for it,” he says.

As a trained Hindi writer, Tiwari began with four creative directors at the agency. Being trained by four specialists in different styles, he quickly got his first brief to write a television commercial for Captain Cook Atta.

Over years, he has worked with a range of clients- Tide, Heinz Foods, Sony Entertainment Television, Reliance Mobile, McDonald’s, Perfetti Van Melle, Bajaj Electricals, Axe Deodorants, Castrol, Amul, CeatTyres, as the man who probably created their trademark and user pool in India. Today, he has successfully directed three films- Chillar Party, Bhoothnath Returns and his recent project ,Dangal bagged the filmfare.

We can’t wait to see what other tricks this director has up his sleeves!

Feature Image Credits: fatimasanashaikh/instagram.com

Anahita Sahu

[email protected]

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Daulat Ram College

A Daulat Ram College Student sexually assaulted by bank employee

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On January 18, 2017, at the onset of a new semester, a first year student of Daulat Ram College was sexually assaulted by an employee of the Indian Overseas Bank that is inside the college. The incident came to light after the victim decided to share it with an ABVP activist in her college. “She came to me to ask whether she could leave the college. She was shivering. When I asked her why she wanted to leave, she broke down and told me that the man had unzipped her jacket and touched her inappropriately,” said Priya Sharma, the activist with whom the incident was first shared.

The 52 year old accused, Devinder Kumar, had apparently helped out the victim when she needed funds for her mother’s treatment. She lost her father a few years back and stays with her mother and an uncle in the Moti Nagar area. The accused also offered her a ride to college, claiming to live in the same area, which she accepted. The victim said he had made her uncomfortable prior to the incident as well, touching her under the pretense of changing gears while driving, but she put it down as an accident and chose to ignore it. She was traumatised when it happened again on their commute to college. Before she shared her plight with Priya Sharma, she had decided to not report it and instead drop out of college. The college authorities were made aware of the case after a few other college students wrote a letter to the Principal, who then reported it to the police. The Prinicipal of Daulat Ram College, Savita Rai, said that the incident took place around 11:45 a.m., and even though it didn’t take place inside the college, it was reported to the police as soon as it was brought to their notice.

An FIR was lodged at the Maurice Nagar Police Station, where the accused confessed to the crime and was charged under section 354 for molestation, which is a non-bailable offence. Reportedly, the court was supposed to proceed with the hearing for the case from January 19 onwards. The victim is currently undergoing counseling.

Feature Image: wired.com

Radhika Boruah

[email protected]

 

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Admissions 2017

Admission process at Delhi University likely to start early this year

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In continuation with its commitment to thunder bolts from the blue, Admission Committee, Delhi University recently came up with the proposal that will likely make admission process for the next academic season start by March instead of May/June this year. This news comes in succession to the plans of the university to introduce entrance tests for admissions to various Bachelors courses.

Although the decision has not been officially confirmed as yet and no dates have been released, but if sources are to be believed, the registration process shall start by the end of March, and the marks shall have to be updated as and when the results come out.

A professor from the South Campus of Delhi University shared his views with DU Beat about the same. He said, “In the light of recent announcements, this can be seen as one of those better after-plans. These two and a half months time would be crucial and sufficient for the preparations”

This amendment can be a response to the unnecessary conundrum in the admission process last year. The early registration process will give about two and a half months to students instead of the three weeks time which was given earlier. Though the entire online registration process shall most certainly remain the same as previous year, the extended period of registration will likely curb lawlessness and confusion to a significant extent.

Being still in the amorphous stage, It is still some time before this reform is implemented. “It will have to be approved by the academic council and executive council to be implemented,” Hindustan Times yesterday quoted an official as saying.  “If the policy gets the sustainable nods, this might prove a notable leap towards increasing the ease and efficiency of the admission process” according to an administrative staff member of a Delhi University college.

For more latest informations about the Delhi University admissions, stay tuned with DU Beat!

Photo Credits- Du Beat

Nikhil Kumar

 

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Campus Central

Why online news portals pack a good punch

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Today’s tech-savvy world has allowed everything to go digital –right from food to sports to music and even the radio. It is only fitting that we find an alternative to the newspaper our father enjoys every morning with his cup of tea. We present to you a list of digital news apps for the courageous and honourable folks who admit they don’t read the average newspaper afterall!

Inshorts: We’ve all heard of this very popular news app that delivers news in short (quite literally). With crisp and accurate data accompanied by pointers explaining certain terms (yes, they do love us students), this funky app in signature red is a must read.

 

Google News: Yes and they publish news too (remember that old Tata Steel ad-after a wide range of activities, it read “we make steel too”). Let’s face it, nothing Google does is ever average and this is no exception. With a personalized newsfeed covering all possible areas of your interest, this app is perfect for those sloppy Joes.

 

Way2News : This app provides an exceptional reader experience , allowing you to skip the fluff and access the data. Let’s not forget, it operates in 9 Indian languages and has the most adorable monkey as its mascot. Yes, this is definitely worth your phone space.

We sincerely hope that all those who garner secret hatred for that badly formatted, black and white, advertisement ruled TOI will find solace in this article!

Featured image credits: inshorts

Anahita Sahu

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

The current Samajwadi Party fiasco: The falling dynastic Politics

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samajwadi party

The current crisis in the Yadav clan in Uttar Pradesh possesses bigger questions and threats than a mere feud over the symbols. How do we place these political developments on the broader time frame of the illogical dynastic politics in India?

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the New Year, the aisles of the great Indian political arena have been jam packed with deliberate rumpus in the top leadership of the Samajwadi Party. The approaching election dates further intensify this tussle as random horns are seen locked every other day. The entire controversy which ignited on 14th  September last year when Mulayam Singh Yadav appointed his brother Shivpal Yadav as UP SP chief, replacing  Akhilesh Yadav to which the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister responded by ousting his uncle of three prime portfolios;  has roped in all the major stakeholders of the party. Opposition drools over the entire family drama with timely crocodile tears here and there.  Fittingly, the media houses are leaving no stone unturned to be the first ear to any development at 19, Vikramaditya Marg, Lucknow.

Unfortunately, a myopic picture which the entire crisis depicts is one of the objectification of something as theoretic and communal as a political party. Only time will tell how the general mass of UP respond to this bickering of the father and son over what seems to be something as mundane and personal as family business, further degrading not only the sanctity of the already blasphemous Indian politics but also the reliability of the government.

The inevitable question here is what makes these dynastic rulers take for granted a political party, and hence the social ideology on which it stands or the general mass which supports it? What gives certain families the liberty to defame the reputation of a party which is earned over time through blood, sweat, toil and tears of countless supporters?

The answer lies in the patriarchal hierarchical setup of the Indian culture which the nation has been witnessing ad infinitum. We have ended up being a nation of people who feel that leadership, and hence its charisma,  is a trait which is passed through generations, and hence there is no questioning of the leadership skill of a prodigal progeny of a veteran father however badly they fare or what new lows they lead the party, or the nation, to.

Mr. Nehru, the trendsetter, capitalized on this ardent desire of ours for a monarchical system and taught the nation that nepotism was all right and it was only fair to later reward your siblings, cousins and children with plum posts if you happened to be in power. This formula later worked so well by 1991 that when an utterly inexperienced, disaster orator Sonia Gandhi offered the Prime Minister-ship, no-one batted an eyelid. So dismal is the situation that now when Congress seems to be getting reduced to nothing, the alternative to the appalling leader in Rahul Gandhi is thought to be his sister.

Inder Malhotra, the former editor of The Times of India, in his book ‘Dynasties of India and Beyond’, poignantly  reasons this form of feudalism exercised by these political stakeholders when he writes “the vocal minority’s denunciation of dynasties-particularly loud in India and primarily directed against the Nehru-Gandhis-is indeed out of sync with the basic reflex of the silent majority… To the bulk of the subcontinent’s population, there seems nothing objectionable in political power passing from parent to progeny”.

This resentment of a minority is something which is fatal for a democracy. Keeping in view the changing tides of the mood of the masses in India and globally, a general consensus among the political parties needs to be made to stop taking people for granted and rise above the family lines to salvage their political party in particular and the national politics in general. We do not want to see the rise of our own version of Donald Trump.

 

References-

Dynasties of India and Beyond, Inder Malhotra, Harper Collins, 2004

Sunil Rajguru, Dynastic politics in India.

Image credits: TheIndianExpress.com

Nikhil Kumar
[email protected]

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Admissions 2017

DU may conduct entrance exam for B.Com from 2017 onwards

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DU

An entrance exam for B.Com is in the offing from the upcoming academic session, in order to give students a fair chance to prove their mettle.

It has been speculated that Delhi University is likely to conduct an entrance exam for admission into B.Com courses beginning from the admission process in 2017. Currently, Delhi University conducts entrance examinations solely for professional and post graduate courses; admissions to undergraduate programmes take place on the basis of 12th standard board examination results. The most well known course under DU which does have an entrance examination procedure for the undergraduate course is the Bachelors of Management Studies.

Dr. Manoj Khanna, the convener of the Delhi University admissions committee said, “We are planning to conduct entrance exams for admission to B.Com (Honours) and BA (Programme) for the upcoming academic session. We are ready for this in terms of infrastructure and preparedness. But this needs to be accepted by all statutory bodies.” Dr. Khanna also spoke about forming a tie up with the CBSE board in this regard. He also said that the foundation of this procedure will begin with the Commerce courses, but the committee is also exploring the possibility of this move in the case of other subjects. Dr. Khanna stated, “We are exploring all possibilities. We are taking all stakeholders, including college principals, faculty and students, in confidence and consulting them. If we succeed in organising this competition for the commerce stream, one-third of the student population will be catered to.”

The rationale behind implementing an entrance examination is that many deserving students do not get admission in several reputed courses and colleges due to low scores in board examinations. Through entrance tests all students will be given a fair chance to prove their mettle. Dr. Manoj Khanna also added that the admission committee is discussing the possibility of conducting an entrance test for Science and Humanities courses too. Furthermore, the University is also assessing how to strengthen infrastructure for online admissions and preparation of entrance tests, with a focus towards evolving a “student friendly” admission system.

Image credits: DU Admissions

Joyee Bhattacharya

([email protected])

 

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DUB Speak

Nadaan, a youth-led initiative to spread awareness, love and care among underprivileged children

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Nadaan is a youth led initiative that strives to form a liberal society which is socially, economically and politically aware. Started by four Delhi University students, the aim of Nadaan is to create prudent individuals with regard to prevailing circumstances, so as to enable them to build their own perspective about it and express their opinions. It focuses on the underprivileged section of the society. They plan to target common issues which people face in their day to day lives and to add quality to the lives of the “unaware” (Nadaan) by making them aware of the social, economical and political affairs of the nation.

The organisation was started in September 2016 with an objective to mobilize the youth, one of the strongest mediums of change to make well informed decisions, thus contributing significantly to a progressive India. The organization conducts open discussions as to make children aware about the events taking place outside the confines of their homes. Their motive is to make people self reliant by enabling them to form an unbiased view about life and the world.

Presently, the organization has given a chance to the youth from all around Delhi, to make an influential change with the help of their keen observation and their orating skills. Interns working under Nadaan’s winter internship program are helping kids by conducting interactive discussions with them on topics like stereotypes, gender inequality, emotions ka funda, child and adult abuse etc. The organisation has also taken up the initiative to establish libraries in the orphanages to impart the culture of reading within kids to enable them to seek knowledge from the books and inculcate this habit as a part of their daily routines.

The founders of this initiative- two 3rd year Political Science students from Gargi College, Mansi Malhotra and Himani Sharma, a History graduate from Gargi College, Navya Varshney and a 3rd year commerce student Rumaani Udgata from Kamala Nehru College, believe in approaching the target group differently by focusing on the practical aspects of the theoretical knowledge imparted by the usual educational sources.

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DUB News

Elections: A Secular Exercise?

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In a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court, the judicial body has passed governance wherein no political party can conjure votes on the foundation of religion, caste and creed.

The verdict by the apex court was announced as a result of deliberations by a seven-member bench and was a follow-up to a petition filed in 1996. Seeking to retain the secular ethos of the Constitution, it takes into account the vague nature of Section 123 (3) of the Representation of the People Act (1951) which states that appeals made by candidates on the grounds of religion, race, caste, community, or language would be banned. The ruling is sought to shed clarity on the wordings, so as the conclusion to be a wholesome ban on the use of religion in campaigning practices. This shall have rippling effects on the forthcoming state elections coined to take place in UP, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Manipur; three out of five states where caste politics is a major factor in soliciting alliances and votes.

In its functional representation, a wall is being endeavored to be built between state and religion. The Constitution ascribes India as a secular country, and this move pushes the foundational strength of that claim. It can be understood that by the rule of extension, elections should also be viewed as a secular practice. Thus, the aim was to embellish the secular character of India; a country which is characterised by its confluence of diverse backgrounds.

This judicial activism aiming to fill the gap between one of the laws can be deemed promising, yet is a long throw from being effectively implemented to becoming successful. Firstly, there is the argument of Free Speech according to which discussions on religion and caste are constitutionally protected and cannot be restricted. Thus, any party genuinely working towards the escalation of minority classes will find itself in a predicament. Secondly, the law has existed before, and only a certain aspect of it has been modified. However, its working remains inadequate since Independence. Thirdly, the implementation is a major hindrance which needs to be entangled. Appealing for votes by pulling the banned strings is not done in the open, and is subtle in approaching voters which may prove to be hard to monitor. Fourthly, this controversial move can prove to be an advantage for BJP as it lobbies for Hindus and Hindutva particularly, which the Supreme Court in 1995 ruled as ‘a way of life’ and not a religion, and thus handing them a rabbit’s escape.

The apex court’s ruling is plausible for national reasons but unfortunately is also rigged with loopholes which might result in it being one of the forgotten laws of the land.

Image Credits: International Business Times

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

New Year’s: Of Start overs and Carry Forwards

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Each year brings forward the approach of a ‘new you’ to be adopted post-January 1st. To accept and advance with memories or to forget, that is the question.

Facebook status updates, WhatsApp’s standardised greeting messages; all recite similar rhymes of New Year wishes. A pang of guilt lingers concerning our vernacular during the twelfth month of every year, for we’ve all been there and done that. As the human instinct goes, we are bound to critique and comment on what the year gone by was, what it wasn’t, and what it should have been. The clichéd practice presents itself with some repetitive terms; from the conventional usage of ‘new slate’, ‘new beginnings’ to the customary resolutions seeking. Our life plans begin to synchronise with do-overs as a new year sets it, an idea I address with convoluted emotions. While it conveniently provides an excuse to commit to new things to be done in the New Year, one can’t overlook the fact that things done and said don’t always stay in the past. So how does one hinge and direct the mind-set towards the ‘right’ path to follow as the sun sets to rise on January 1st? Should you stick to the road of the past or the one with a clean and gleamed beginning?

Regardless of where our personal journeys have sojourned this year, internet critics and the majority has declared 2016 to be a Black and White failure. Politically, economically, and socially, the turbulence has taken a toll on lives and minds. Amidst this uncertainty, the question rises- what do you forget and what do you take along? It’s a practice I borrowed from the Gilmore Girls Revival episodes, one which oddly works from clothes to mind placating situations. If a particular life event, memory, people or work gives you happiness (all shades of it), keep them in your life and carry forward them to the next year. If they’ve managed to extract varied degrees of contentment from you this year, they must be worth keeping with you in 2017. Love them, treasure them; for they shall be instrumental in helping you clean your slate for another year.

The other side of this pervasive process is to discard things or people who radiate any energy which disagrees with you. One might say it’s easier said than done. That it is. However, longevity reminder: life’s short, life’s unpredictable, life’s a shit show. All the veils of pretense and niceties have to fade away sooner or later, so make it sooner. Do away with things of the past which might invite despondence of any kind. Starting over is not synonymous to resetting who you were or giving it a retry; rather they are about acceptance and courage. Accepting what went, and having the courage to move far and past from that. As overrated and cliched start overs might sound, in some aspects they do curiously possess a flaming power.

Formulae and pravachans are never tailor-made, so bend the strings of your mind and mull over how you want to steer the wheel this year. The golden rule 101 proffers that personal growth should mark the success scale as the spindle of time passes us by. So before we begin to fill 2017 in the year columns and blanks, spare some moments to retrospect and introspect on the good, the bad, and the ugly. Achievements, failures, emotional blows; all should be accounted for and accepted as you get ready for another ride spanning 365 days. For New Year is merely an umbrella term for how we choose to live after December 31st; carrying forward memories, starting over mentally, and believing in who we are. Happy New Year!

Image Credits: Subbus Kitchen

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

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