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Journey from Cash to Cashless

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Demonetisation in our economy has given us the ride Prime Minister Modi wanted to provide, a time when we are running cashless, so as to drive out the black money from the country and fulfill the PM’s dream of making India a cashless society.

from-cash-to-cashless-society
With a sharp increase in the number of digital options, it is quite possible to manage most of the day’s expenses without too much of hard cash. You can pay for a taxi by using a mobile wallet. Those travelling by metro, bus or train, can use smart cards to pay for the service. Lunch in the college canteen can be bought using coupons. Although the occasional shopping from fruit vendors and roadside tea stalls calls for cash in hand, it isn’t a major amount. So, the government order banning currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 should not really scare anyone, right? No. Cash is still king for a large number of Indians simply because it is widely accepted and very convenient.

The challenge in going cashless is that there is no other close alternative to cash. Thus, digital payments account for only 10 percent of the transactions whereas cash payment makes up the other 90 percent. But the number of banks providing card payment option has increased from barely 60 in 2011 to more than 700 today. The card base- both credit and debit card- has also crossed 750 million. In a more speculative manner, the government is trying to drive the force to move into cashless transactions but are quietly ignorant about the spending habits of the people. The penetration of acceptance infrastructure is currently at dismal 1.3 million point-of-sales terminals. As long as the acceptance infrastructure in India does not match the pace of growth of cards and other cashless modes, customers will use cash, says an economic advisor. For a vast country like India, having only 2.3 lakh ATMs and 14 lakh POS terminals is too low. For ATM transactions, while the acquiring banks would like the ‘interchange income’ to go up, the issuers are not interested. Even White Label ATM (WLA) providers have stopped expanding the ATM network under the fear that the acquiring fee would be under stress if it is revised downward. For POS transactions, it is primarily an issuer market and profitability of the acquiring business is under threat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi admitted that he understands making the transition to cashless economy is difficult and hence he urges people to move to less cash society. However, the whole exercise of moving from cash-driven economy to cashless economy has somehow been mixed with demonetisation which was apparently done to suck out liquidity from the system to dig out black money. It is a mammoth task to achieve even one of the two. Aiming for both in one move is risky and to some extent reckless. If the move was aimed at turning India into a cashless economy, then the ideal thing to do was to make people adopt e-payments as a change of habit and not as a last ditch option in a cashless crisis situation. Though services like internet banking, online transactions, initiation of mobile wallets like Freecharge and PayTm have been promoted and encouraged nation-wide, in rural areas, farmers and poor people are still struggling to get their hands on their own money. They are selling their produce in the markets at throwaway prices because buyers don’t have cash to pay them. Mobile ATMs and Micro ATMs have been a rare sight and normal ATMs usually stay shut at least a couple of days every week now. So the change in habit seems to be forced rather than incentivised and simplified for convenience. Also, it remains limited to urban areas. Rural population is left in worse off conditions. So it has left people wondering which way is right!

Radhika Boruah
[email protected]

Image source: Google.com

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5 Controversies of 2016 which every DU student should know

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So here we are, having survived 2016, with all the swag and luster, at Delhi University. This year shall be remembered in the academic vicinity for various reasons. As for the freshers and rest alike, whether you were basking in the carelessness of the post-war (pun intended) vacation or were getting yourselves squeezed in the queue for hours together in the ruthless Northern summer after overnight brainstorming to dismantle the enigma of the Delhi University cut offs, detrimental things were going on around you.
If you failed to pay heed to these developments, we come up with 5 controversies which made the year.

1. Something which took freshers by surprise was the boycott of the admission process by the faculty. Later, we learnt of the boycott of the evaluation process itself. This was all in response of the University Grants Commission (UGC) gazette notification, which intended to raise the working hours. Since we ended up being taught, the crisis must have been resolved.

2. The Delhi University election sent shock waves throughout September. The guidelines against the usage of paper pamphlets fell to the deaf ears of the young candidates as is the pollution in Diwali to Delhi-ites. Three out of four posts, including that of president, were bagged by ABVP, RSS’s student outfit, amidst cries of foul play by NSUI. The 4th October pictures of Amit Tanwar, the president, posing with guns in the varsity campus deepened the charges of hooliganism and criminalisation of DU politics, reducing our expectations from our leaders which had already been weakened by all the freebies.

3. The ceiling collapse on 30th August at Daulat Ram College was the frightful realisation of long time fears of all the 63 DU colleges. This incident brought into national focus the hollow claims about the infrastructure and raised many questions. Students came out on the streets asking for more washrooms, basic sanitation facilities and better heed to grievances from immediate effect.

4. 2016, to an extent, saw the Pinjra Tod movement, an initiative which grew out of a Facebook page in August, 2015 to champion the causes of women in hostels and PG, yield results. In response to the countless protest marches, curfews have been slackened, leading to the removal of guardian’s permission for leave, among many other feats. But as Sabika Naqvi rightly maintains, there is a long long way to go.

5. On 8th November, DU professor Nandini Sundar was booked on the alleged charges of murder of a tribal man Shamnath Baghel in Sukma district of Chattisgarh. She called the allegations ‘absurd’ and fittingly no new development seems on the plate.Interstingly, this is not her maiden face off with Bastar Inspector General Kalluri. Nandini Sundar had been the whistle-blower in the alleged atrocities at the hands of security forces. Earlier this year, her trip to Bastar under the alias of Richa Keshav had already flaked controversies.

Nikhil Kumar
[email protected]

Image credits: www.123rf.com

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Winter Pet Care

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The December chill of Delhi bring with them a unique charm of their own.It marks the end of sweaty, humid days that drain our energy levels, making us irate and whiny. The campus of our college which we found suffocating, now seems beautiful under the bright golden sunlight, just warm enough to make that place seem welcoming. The time for wandering and exploring different corners of the city has finally come. And what is better than enjoying a piping hot cup coffee in a cozy blanket at night with your favorite book or a movie!

For dog parents as well, it’s time to take your furry mate out from the air-conditioned room and play fetch in the open. But with the chill in the air increasing as we near the end of the year, it is necessary to take special care of your four-legged friend before enjoying the season. Here are some winter pet care tips:

1.Get them a warm coat
You might think that the natural fur of your dog is warm enough for Delhi winters which, however, this is not the case. It is necessary to get your dog a nice warm coat and more importantly, of the right size. You can also use your old sweaters, get them altered according to your dog’s size and you’re good to go!

2.Cozy Bedding
If your dog doesn’t share your bed and sleeps separately (which rarely is the case), make sure that he has a warm and a cozy bed which could be easily made using an old mattress and a blanket. Make sure your dog doesn’t sleep on the bare floor.

3.Moisturize
The harshness of the weather can cause dryness to your dogs skin making him feel itchy and irritable. Help prevent dry, flaky skin by adding a skin and coat supplement to his food. Coconut and fish oils are easy foods that can help keep your pet’s skin and coat healthy. If you find your pet’s paws, ears or tail are dry or cracking, you can also apply coconut oil topically as needed.

4.Do not overfeed
Dogs have a tendency to eat more during winters because of which they tend to put on weight. While it’s okay to shower him/her with some extra love, make sure your dog doesn’t get too stuffed so as to prevent other related problems.

5.Consult your veterinarian
If you see any signs of persistent cough/wheezing in your dog, make sure to pay a visit to your veterinarian before the situation aggravates.

While we all would surely do whatever is required to take care of our beloved furry babies, let us also make some time to care for the often ignored and overlooked dogs in our streets and colonies. If making them wear old racks made into dresses seems way to complicated, at least make sure they get enough food to generate the required amount of body heat. Also, do not forget to make sure that there is no dog or other animal beneath your car, taking shelter from the freezing night winds before driving off. Let’s share the warmth and care and make the Delhi winters more of a charm than curse.

Aditya Narang
[email protected]

Image Credits: www.petrecognition.com

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This Winter, Binge Read!

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One thing you can’t help adoring about Winters is the saturation it brings with itself. The sheer retardation of the pace of life, the relaxation, the postponement of activity which is at the very heart of winter is simply splendid.

As you all might be marvelling the sway of winter and how come you are spending hours together rejoicing the intimate embrace of your quilt, here we are with an idea which shall further add fire to this intimacy and what’s best, shall screen you from mamma’s frowns and rebukes.

Now we all have been binge watching all through the semester and there is hardly any territory left to be conquered. It’s all cliché now.

So let’s introduce you to ‘binge-reading’, and along with it to all those heart-throbbers, mind-bogglers, nerve-throttlers and nail-biting stories which all these sequential novels have got to tell. Rest assured,  they won’t let you get off the bed, ensuring those long hours of ménage à trois.

1. Clifton Chronicles. (Jeffrey Archer)

This one is an absolute page-turner. Dive into the lives of Cliftons and Barringtons as you sympathise with Jessica, Seb and of course Harry, and his peculiar love story.

2. The Lord Of The Rings. (J.R.R. Tolekin)

Been here, seen it? But the book is a class ahead. It’s a sheer fest for the novices and ‘movie-ces’ alike, dive into the mesmerising tale of men, elves and dwarves in these power-packed, thrilling installments.

3. The adventure of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)

The story of the classic consulting detective and the modern high functioning sociopath, it needs no description. Hit amazon and begin with ‘A Study In Scarlet’. Doyle will guide you through the rest.

4. The Dark Tower Series (Stephen King)

The mangum opus from the King of storytellers, Dark tower is thrill, horror and fantasy at its darkest. Accompany Ronald Deschain as he sets on his quest to find the dark towers amid insurmountable odds in this eight book marathon.

5. Harry Potter series (J. K. Rowling)

There you have it, finally! If you still have a feeling that binge-reading is not your forté, start with this immortal, magical tale of Harry, Ron and Hermione and, of course, Lord Voldemort.

Nikhil Kumar

[email protected]

Image Credits: chachic.files.wordpress.com

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How to stay confident and hopeful in the exam preparation frenzy

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All our existential crisis falls upon us during exams, we tend to procrastinate more than we should and after that, we tend to over burden ourselves. The key to sail through the exam period smoothly is to not overwhelm yourself with too many tactics. Here we bring to you 3 simple ways to deal with exam tension!

Pick your Poison –

No, it does not mean what you think it means. However, the fact is that our body must be replenished with fluids at regular intervals. Drinking water is a necessity which goes without saying, but everyone has one other liquid substance they survive on, especially during exams. My personal favourite has always been Bournvita, and many others swear by coffee, hot chocolate or chai. Avoiding cold drinks and carbonated beverages is always a wise idea, but in case you do crave a Fanta now and then, mix it up with something healthier and tastier, like mix fruit juices, milkshakes or smoothies. If you dose up on coffee heavily, do remember that an overdose of caffeine in our body is also not the best option in terms of health. Stay healthy and hydrated!

Get to work; put that phone down for a bit! –

Flipping through our phones during study hours as a break is not much of an issue, however there is an issue with us calling up our friends to get a quick update on ‘Kitna karliya?’ ‘Kaunse chapters nahi kare?’ ‘Yaar, I’m toh pakka se getting a back this time!’ Honestly, this is the worst way to ruin your confidence when you prepare for exams. Stop caring about what others are doing. Once you focus on yourself and prepare according to your abilities, aceing the exams will be a much easier task for you.

Breathe and have faith in yourself –

You might be studying six, four or even two hours a day. But, you should always have faith in your capabilities. Try to manage your time by making your daily routine a mix of serious studying and short breaks. You must also learn how to put the books down for a while, go to the balcony with a cup of chai and breathe the fresh air.Don’t compare yourself with other students in your class; they have a different skill set than you do, cultivate yours instead of eyeing theirs! Don’t look at your enormous syllabus and lose hope on your capabilities, choose what you want to do and work on it. Don’t let your thoughts overwhelm you; let them empower you to do your best.

Keep your chin up, drink water, study well and ace this semester!

 

Joyee Bhattacharya

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Homecoming to coziness in December!

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Of course the much happening life in DU can be blanked out when the day arrives with tickets scheduled to depart you from Delhi to your lovely hometown. From the assignments to the scores, from afternoon till dawn when all you could think of is textbooks and PDFs, it is ecstatic just to count the days left to go home. Lazy winter of Delhi, the thick quilt and an ever ready mood to go into hibernation during exams make you wonder with twinkling eyes, “Ah! Home it is, just another 20 days.” And as a matter of fact, somehow this boosts you up and you want to study to make the days pass, just to be at home after 20 days. Some question my hilariously loving idea for homecoming. All I do is talk about is the bi-annual meet with family and friends back in my hometown. The month of December is full of exciting events, to start with Christmas, family picnics, and then New Year’s Eve. Lots of home-made delicacies to relish, warm and cozy room with a fire place, playing songs and dancing to their beat are a few activities that make me grow fonder of the idea of homecoming.

The day when exams are over is like a deep sigh with mixed emotions. The next few days are when you say you are high on life. And the day of departure fills you with wild excitement that even the chilliest and most frozen air in Delhi cannot freeze. The best part is when you revisit your school and find children doing the same things you used to do. Undoubtedly, nostalgia hits hard when you see the same old cardigan, warm breath in the chilly air and the school bag that has the books you used to study. Homecoming has its perk when you reunite with the classmates you used to sit and crack jokes with, play games in the school playground and fight over food in the school canteen. Another thing to look forward to is a lot of winter shopping. Bottoms and overcoats, socks and boots are a few to name. And out there in the fog when you decide to play football or badminton with the kids in your neighbourhood, there is a delightful trail of memories that follow you to Delhi, and that you can do is cherish them here and wait for the next semester break.

The most beautiful day of homecoming would be a day only with your family, hearing tales of mom, dad and siblings and then you share your stories of life in Delhi. Also exciting are the dinner invitations to relatives’ places just because you are back in town and their loving gesture with heaps of at least ten different food items on the dining table. Hail home-made food! New Year’s Eve is way more special as always because of Mom’s refined taste and her magic sprinkled over the food for the last time in the last day of the year. Dad is a wizard, illuminating the entire hall with his magic. At the count of 5-4-3-2-1, another year begins and you realise that you have to leave home again, for another five months. The last day is very well spent when Mom packs all the snacks she has prepared and you take a resolution to feel lesser homesick than earlier.

Good wishes to all for the exam, and hostellers, do start counting days left to go home! December has a lot in store for you back in town! Happy homecoming!

Radhika Boruah
[email protected]

Image Credits:www.google.com

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Post-exam fun: What now?

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‘Post-exam Plan’ is currently the most fascinating thought swirling in the minds of almost everyone studying for the next exam that they are completely unprepared for. Why wouldn’t it be, when all that has been done for the past couple of weeks is nothing but distancing ourselves from our favorite telly shows, books and impromptu hangout plans?

Adding to the impatience, here are some ‘Post-exam Plan’ ideas; so that your Winter Break isn’t just spent sleeping for ten hours a day (that wouldn’t hurt,though!):

1. Go on a Solo Trip
The best part about going on a solo trip is that it is far more fun than it sounds. Or even if it doesn’t sound all that fun to some, try and ditch your friends or family for once and head out of home with absolutely no shopping/eating/partying plans. Carry some cash, an internet enabled phone, a power bank and the drive to explore. Hit the road that goes to a part of the city you’ve heard a lot about, but haven’t ever visited; or the famous lake/monument you’ve been wanting to visit for the longest time, and spend some amazing moments of solitutde with yourself and your city!

2. Be a Part of a Marathon or Cyclothon
Now that you don’t need to pull off an all-nighter every other day, try waking up a little early and put on your sports shoes for a healthy jogging/cycling outing! Call up your friends, ask them to call theirs and make a big squad so that you can have fun and give a healthy start to the day while running/ cycling for a social cause!

3. Arrange a Bonfire Party!
Lazying around all day is pretty much what we’re going to do this Winter Break, so why not leave the covers behind and arrange some good music and food for a bonfire party with friends or family,and what better an occasion than the eve after the last exam to spend some time playing music and games around a bonfire!
(And trust me, it’d be better than the usual ‘Post=exam party’!)

4. Connect with the real world!
Our generation can’t thank its phones and laptops enough for helping it pass time so well, especially during holidays. But it’s time that we explore fun in the real world beyond those screens that are capable of keeping us glued to them for hours.

These were some possible ideas for the never materialized ‘Post-exam Plan’. But hey! Do not forget to study well for the next exam while fantasizing about the post exam fun!
Good Luck!

Priyal Mahtta
[email protected]

Image Credits: i.dailymail.co.uk

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Events

“Blood and Flowers”: IP College organises a Talk by Graphic Novelist Amruta Patil

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IP college

The English Literary Society of IP College organised a talk with Graphic Novelist Amruta Patil on November 4th, 2016. The event titled, “Blood and Flowers” was themed after her latest Graphic Novel, Sauptik: Blood and Flowers. The conversation was chaired by Dr. Neetu Das, a poet, caricaturist and an associate professor at the college. The event was attended by students and faculty members from across the University.

Released on the 3rd, Sauptik: Blood and Flowers is Patil’s third Graphic Novel. This book is second in line based on the Mahabharta  after Adi Parva: Churning the Ocean (2012). Her work also includes Kari, her first Graphic Novel, released in 2008. Patil is also a freelance painter and writer.

While in conversation, Amruta told the audience about the themes and inspirations for her graphic novels. Majorly based on ecology and mythological iconography, the greatest inspirations of her work, her last two novels explore and question the existing iconography and attempt to present a completely different view of the epic characters. Kari, which in her word is the novel closest to her, is based on an urban queer tale, exploring feminine friendships and lost love. One of the most significant features, is the representation of characters. They do not conform to stereotyped gender perceptions. Patil also talked about her experiences of working on a Graphic Novel in India, her journey of learning to paint and the distinctive features of the font used by her in the Graphic Novels.

 

Post discussion, the speaker engaged with the Chair and the audience during the Q & A session. The audience further discussed with her the background of the novels, symbolism used, her journey as a graphic novelist and much more. Drawing towards the end, the members of the Literary Society of IP College expressed their gratitude and congratulated her on the recent release of her third graphic novel.

 

Priyal Mahtta

[email protected]

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Entrepreneurship cell of SGND Khalsa college launches incubation centre.

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Udyamita – The Entrepreneurship Cell, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College recently launched its incubation centre on the 9th of November, 2016. The incubation centre aims to provide a conducive environment to Delhi University start-ups by providing mentorship, networking opportunities and co working space.

The centre has been supported by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry & Lead Angels. The event marked the presence of over 100 students, faculty members of the commerce department and guest speakers: Dr. Jitender Singh, Senior Secretary, CSR, Education and Skill Development, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kanishk Kumar, Senior Associate Director-Enterprise Sales, Flock, Ms. Sera Arora, Manager, North India Operations, Lead Angels and Mr. Gitanjali Khanna, founder and COO,Fastudent.

The event commenced with the felicitation ceremony of the guests by Dr. Manmohan Kaur, Principal, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa. She shared her words of wisdom and welcomed the guests, faculty members and the students. It was followed presentation by Team HATAOO which is an app based platform created by the students of the college to contact vehicle owner to deal with parking issues.

The speaker sessions included Dr. Jitender Singh’s talk on ‘Viability of a Startup’ which highlighted the issues faced by start-ups. Mr. Kanishk Kumar shared his views on ‘Technology, Opportunity and Entrepreneurship’ through which he discussed the prospects of adding value using technology and innovation. Ms. Sera Arora had an interactive session with the students and the faculty members through which she imparted valuable information regarding pitching investors and stages of investment. Ms. Gitanjali Khanna talked about the opportunities for an education sector start-ups. At last the convenor of the society, Dr. G.S. Sood concluded the event with a vote of thanks which was followed by a ceremony to inaugurate the incubation centre.

By the members of Udyamita

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Arts & Culture

5th annual Dance for Kindness unites thousands at Connaught Place

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14th November, 2016: Life Vest Inside, in association with Those In Need and Karma Foundation, organized Dance for Kindness, a Worldwide Freeze Mob/Flash Mob event, at Connaught Place. The purpose of the event was to connect everyone – group or individual – across  the globe unite under the banner of kindness and join together to perform to the same song, same dance, all happening on the same day.

This year Dance of Kindness happened in two locations – in Delhi, Raahgiri, Connaught Place and at Queen Mary’s, Rohini. Around 200 dancers at Connaught Place and more than 350 students along with parents and teacher took participation in #DFK2016. The volunteers created the longest KINDNESS CHAIN and afterwards distributed 700 ‘Act of Kindness’ tokens to general audience requesting them to perform one act of kindness specified on card & pass the card on.

 

 

People came from far and beyond from, some from Haridwar, and also students from Kilkari Rainbow NGO to dance along with other people.

This year, thousands of dancers and volunteers danced to spread the message of world peace, love, and hope and world unity as a ray of hope with their dance.“We are planning to add more people to our kindness chain next year and create a nuclear effect of kindness’’ said Abhishek Saini, Group Leader New, India.

Life Vest Inside is an internationally present grass-root non-profit-organisation based out of New York City whose mission is to inspire, empower and educate people of all backgrounds to lead a life of kindness. Dance for Kindness serves as Life Vest Inside’s Annual Fundraiser as well as a means of building awareness of World Kindness Day.

Year 2016 marks LVI’s 5th Worldwide Freeze Mob/Flash Mob event that will happen in over 50 countries and 250 cities. The purpose of World Kindness Day is to look beyond ourselves, beyond the boundaries of our country, beyond our culture, our race, our religion; and realize we are citizens of the world.

As an added bonus, here is TED talk on kindness by Orly Wahba: TED talk on kindness

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