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North Campus Harassment Incident Reignites Women’s Safety Concerns

By DU Beat August 26, 2026

Two DU students were allegedly harassed while travelling from Patel Chowk to Malka Ganj, prompting fresh concerns among women students over safety during late-night commutes.

Two Delhi University students were allegedly harassed while travelling to North Campus on this Monday night, bringing renewed attention to concerns over women’s safety in areas frequently used by students living in colleges, metro stations and PG accommodations.

At around 9 PM, the two female students boarded an e-rickshaw from Patel Chowk to their PG accommodation in North Campus. According to their police complaint, two men on a motorcycle began following them and allegedly passed inappropriate comments. The men also called their friends, which led to four to five additional motorcycles stalking their e-rickshaw as it headed towards Malka Ganj. The alleged harassment continued during the whole journey.

The incident has left other students, particularly those living in PGs, uneasy about travelling alone after dark. “Incidents like these create anxiety among students as well as their families living away from Delhi,” said Kritika, a second-year student of Daulat Ram College.

“It makes you think twice about travelling alone, especially at night,” said Sanya Mitra, a first-year student of Kirori Mal College. She said the stretch is familiar to female students and that being followed across it raises questions about their safety and could make students reconsider going out after dark.

The incident comes amid increased attention to security ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections. DUSU president Aryan Maan said action had been initiated against the accused after the incident was brought to their notice. He said the accused were students from other colleges and not DU students, while emphasising that their presence on campus during the election season was a concern.

While the immediate incident has reportedly led to action, the concerns raised by students point to a larger question of safety beyond the college gates.

Image Source: Civil Society Magazine

Aarushi Chaubey
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Student Organisations Launch Rival Manifesto Campaigns Ahead of DUSU Polls

By DU Beat August 25, 2026

ABVP and NSUI have launched rival outreach campaigns ahead of Delhi University Student Union’s September 17 elections, aimed at collecting student suggestions to shape their poll manifestos.

With the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections scheduled for September 17, student organisations have intensified campus outreach, launching manifesto campaigns on Monday, built around student participation.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has rolled out its “My DU, My Manifesto” campaign, inviting students across the University of Delhi to share their concerns, expectations and suggestions, which the organisation said will be incorporated into its manifesto for the polls. Under the initiative, students can share their views through a QR code as well as with ABVP volunteers conducting the campaign across various DU colleges.

ABVP Delhi State Secretary Sarthak Sharma, in conversation with The Hans, said the campaign was aimed at moving beyond closed-door manifesto drafting:

“Our manifesto should not be a document decided by a select few. Through ‘My DU, My Manifesto’, we seek to reach out to every student and understand what they consider to be the most pressing issue at the University of Delhi and what changes they wish to see in their university.”

The organisation said it would study the suggestions received from students and seek to translate them into practical and student-centric policy proposals.

Separately, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) pushed forward its own initiative, “My Campus, My Manifesto,” claiming to have collected close to 6,000 suggestions from students within a week. NSUI said its teams have been visiting colleges across DU, gathering feedback through suggestion boxes and face-to-face interactions, in an effort to ground its manifesto in grassroots concerns rather than a top-down approach.

NSUI media in-charge Ravi Pandey told The New Indian Express that the volume of responses reflected student demand to be heard.

“Nearly 6,000 suggestions in just one week show that students want their voices to be heard,” he said, adding, “We will analyse every suggestion and ensure that the manifesto reflects the real concerns and aspirations of students. The manifesto will not be written for students, but by students.”

The campaign comes ahead of the DUSU elections, which are expected to see participation from various student organisations across the university, with both ABVP and NSUI positioning their manifestos as student-driven exercises ahead of the September 17 polls.

Image Source: DU Beat

Image Caption: Delhi University’s Wall of Democracy

Also Read: IIT Delhi Records Eighth Student Death In 30 Months; Sparks Fresh Round Of Protests Over Institutional Accountability

Sheetal Mishra
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DUB News

IIT Delhi Records Eighth Student Death In 30 Months; Sparks Fresh Round Of Protests Over Institutional Accountability

By DU Beat August 24, 2026

After MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar’s death on August 22, students and JNUSU members gathered in protest, reigniting demands for mental health reform and administrative accountability at IIT Delhi—the institute’s eighth on-campus student death since 2023.

IIT Delhi’s campus was thrown into mourning and unrest this week after Rishikesh Kumar, a second-year MSc Physics student, died on the morning of August 22 following a fall from the sixth floor of the Lecture Hall Complex. His death is the eighth student fatality recorded at IIT Delhi over the last 30 months, according to a tally now circulating widely among students and alumni on social media.

According to police accounts, Kumar entered the campus through the main gate around 8 am and made his way to the Lecture Hall Complex, from where he is believed to have allegedly jumped. He was rushed to the campus hospital, where he was declared dead. A resident of Bihar and of Shivalik Hostel, Kumar had reportedly received treatment at a private mental health facility and was, at the time of his death, living off-campus with his mother. The Kishangarh Police Station has opened an investigation, with forensic teams examining the scene.

By the following day, students had begun gathering on campus, and the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) organised a solidarity protest demanding a formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Kumar’s death. Protesters raised pointed questions about what had pushed a student to this point and called out what they described as institutional negligence and a lack of administrative accountability.

Past instances of student suicides over the years at IIT Delhi have led to accusations of neglect by the family members of victims, leading to open houses, surveys, and promises of reform, including a 12-member committee headed by former NIMHANS dean Professor Santosh Kumar Chaturvedi. That committee’s August 2024 report flagged a culture of toxic academic competition, post-coaching burnout, caste and gender bias, and inadequate, insufficiently sensitive counselling services as recurring institutional stressors. Recommendations included mandatory first-year counselling, a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy, and a reduced first-semester academic load.

Students at this week’s gathering suggested many of these promises have yielded only incremental change. For instance, there has been a reduction in the number of daily exams, and it is one of the few concrete outcomes of years of advocacy, but unfortunately the underlying issues that affect student distress remain mostly unaddressed. IIT Delhi has, in past cases, instituted a protocol to file an FIR after every campus death and extended sympathies to grieving families but has faced continued criticism for not implementing more systemic changes.

The institute has not yet issued a detailed public response specific to Kumar’s death at the time of this report.

Image Source: ETV Bharat

Aamna Rehman

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Over 13,000 Seats Still Vacant Across Delhi University

By DU Beat August 23, 2026

Over 13,000 seats remain vacant across 1,160 Delhi University programmes for the 2026-27 Spot Round, including for top colleges like Hindu, Hansraj, and SRCC. Find category breakdowns, college vacancies, and admission details.

After multiple rounds of a month-long admission process, over 13,000 seats still remain vacant across Delhi University. Vacancies are seen even in some of Delhi University’s most prominent colleges, including Hindu College, Hansraj College, and SRCC. The vacancies span 1,160 college-programme combinations and include several courses where dozens of seats remain unfilled.

As reported by the DU Admission Branch, the latest vacancy list shows that over 13,000 seats are available for the 2026-27 Spot Round. The data further reveals the breakdown of the category that currently holds the maximum number of vacant seats as the Other Backward Classes-Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) category at 4,133, followed by Scheduled Tribes (ST) with 2,476, unreserved with 2,113, Scheduled Caste (SC) with 2,038, and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) with 1,791 seats. There are also 566 Sikh and 316 Christian category seats vacant.

This year, the number of vacancies remains remarkable, as seats remained vacant not only in colleges or programmes that traditionally see lower demand, but also in some of the university’s renowned colleges.

For example, Hindu College still has 29 undergraduate seats vacant across 11 listed programmes, including Economics, B.Com (Hons.), Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology and Philosophy. Hansraj College has shown a greater vacancy with 79 vacant seats spread across 19 programmes, including Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany and Electronics. On the other hand, SRCC has only two seats left in Economics, one unreserved, and two seats in B.Com. (Hons.), one each in OBC-NCL and SC.

Some other notable colleges with vacant seats include Kirori Mal College, Gargi College, Daulat Ram College, Indraprastha College for Women and Dyal Singh College, among others.

As far as courses are concerned, home science and B.Com courses have a high number of seats still available for admission. Swami Shardhanand College has the highest single programme-level vacancy in the list, with 145 seats vacant in B.Com. This includes 66 OBC-NCL, 34 SC, 34 ST and 11 EWS seats. At the Institute of Home Economics, B.Sc. (Pass) Home Science has 131 vacant seats, while Lady Irwin College has 101 vacant seats in the same programme.

However, the vacancies do not limit themselves to only science and commerce courses. The courses in Humanities also show sizable vacancies. At Dyal Singh College, for instance, vacancies remain in Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi and Urdu programmes, alongside science and commerce courses. At Kalindi College, B.A. (Hons.) Sanskrit has 68 vacant seats, and Hindi has 54.

The university has strictly made it clear that these numbers are not final. These numbers are subject to change because of reconciliation, withdrawals, cancellations, and grievance redressal. Withdrawals will remain suspended during the Spot Round, according to the university.

With the commencement of the Spot Round Admissions, another chance will be given to the students aiming to get into the University of Delhi against seats that remain vacant after the earlier admission rounds.

Image Source: NDTV

Chandrani

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DU Clarifies Class 12 Admissions Only for Vacant Seats, CUET Unchanged

By DU Beat August 23, 2026

DU has clarified that its decision to allow Class 12-based admissions in select colleges and courses does not alter the regular Common University Entrance Test (CUET) admission process.

DU Registrar Vikas Gupta clarified that students who applied through CUET have already been allocated colleges and courses based on their CUET merit and submitted preferences. The clarification follows the University’s decision to permit colleges to admit students on the basis of their Class 12 marks to fill seats that remained vacant after the regular admission rounds.

According to Gupta, CUET-based admissions operate through a preference-based system, with candidates selecting from around 1,500 college-course combinations. Allocations are then made according to each candidate’s CUET score and stated preferences.

The Class 12-based admission process is separate and will apply only to courses and colleges with vacant seats. Participating colleges will invite applications and make admissions based on Class 12 marks and the number of seats available. Students who have already secured admission to a DU college will not be eligible to apply through this route.

So far, three notices have been released, listing the colleges and programmes available under this route. Students can apply to these programmes based on their Class 12 marks, subject to seat availability.

Gupta added that DU has completed nearly all undergraduate admissions, with around 70,512 students admitted against 71,439 seats. The remaining vacancies are partly due to supernumerary categories and excess allocations made to ensure that the academic session commenced on time.

The move marks a limited return to Class 12-based admissions at DU after CUET became the standard route for undergraduate admissions in 2022. However, the University has stressed that the provision is intended solely to fill remaining vacancies and does not replace the CUET-based admission system.

Ahana Dey

[email protected]

Source: admission.uod.ac.in

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Ransomware Group DYSPHOR1A Claims Hit on Delhi University

By DU Beat August 22, 2026

Ransomware group DYSPHOR1A reportedly listed DU as a victim on August 21, 2026; the claim is unverified, DU hasn’t commented, and the listing has since vanished from Ransomware.live’s tracker.

The University of Delhi (DU) has reportedly been hit by a ransomware group calling itself DYSPHOR1A, according to an incident report sourced from Ransomware.live via the cybersecurity platform HookPhish. The report dated the breach and its discovery to August 21, 2026, at 02:20 IST, and listed DU under the education sector in the India region.

The listing described DU using standard identifying details—its founding year, academic scope, and status as one of India’s most prominent public universities. Ransomware.live, which tracks postings by ransomware groups on leak sites, had flagged DYSPHOR1A as an “emerging group” at the time, cautioning that claims from newer threat actors should be treated with caution until independently verified.

The University of Delhi has not issued any statement confirming or denying the incident. Infosecurity Magazine’s July 2026 report pointed to a sharp rise in ransomware attacks on higher education globally in the first half of the year, driven in part by newer, less-established groups entering the space. Indian institutions have not been exempt from this trend, with several universities and research bodies appearing on leak-site trackers over the past year.

If confirmed, DU would be the latest in a string of Indian educational and research institutions targeted by ransomware groups this year, a trend consistent with a broader global rise in ransomware attacks on the higher education sector through 2026.

The original listing on Ransomware.live has since returned a “page not found” error, and DU no longer appears on the platform’s current list of Indian ransomware victims. The reason for its disappearance is unclear; it could indicate a retracted or unsubstantiated claim, a technical change on the tracker’s end, or another resolution, none of which can be confirmed at this time.

Image Source: ransomware.live

Image Caption: Screenshot from ransomware.live link, which originally targeted Delhi University

Sheetal Mishra
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sex amma

Sex Amma Is Back: Got Questions? Ask Away

By DU Beat August 22, 2026

My Dearest Kannas,

Look who has returned! After some well-deserved vacation, Sex Amma is back to her kunjungal, listening to your problems, giving you advice that you may or may not have asked for, and helping all you DU students on matters of sex, dating, intimacy and troublesome friends.

Some of you may remember me from the good old days of DU Beat, I do remember them very fondly myself. Every other week, one of you children would write to me with some fresh catastrophe, and I would sigh at the enormity of juvenile angst that I had bestowed upon myself. Ah, youth! What a time indeed. I have seen many things in my time, children. I have made questionable decisions myself. I, too, have loved people who loved themselves more, trusted people who should have been watched more carefully and once took advice from my own chechi-amma that I spent years pretending I had never followed! But this is how we learn, no? Having lived such an eventful life I have realised (and you must too, children) that experience is just embarrassment that, over time, becomes wisdom. And sometimes, kanna, you might want to look for straightforward answers when things might be much more complicated, or maybe at times you just need to realise that your partner is, in fact, an idiot.

So consider this our little secret for the questions that you’re not too sure who to ask, without having it be printed in tomorrow’s newspaper (see what I did there ;)), or questions that you’re too scared to ask Google da, I assure you child, Amma will listen, I will not judge you; although I do reserve the right to judge the person involved. I may give you some wisdom, and some pitāi; I may also occasionally tell you to stop being an ullu and go drink some water—that’s tough love, na? But I promise you to give an honest answer, even if it’s not the one you were hoping for.

So come on, my dear kunjungal, tell Amma all about your crushes, heartbreaks, your scandals, and…what’s that word? Ah, situationships, and all other things you children have made up despite having no idea what you are doing. Amma is waiting, Amma is listening.

Your favourite hot auntie,

Sex Amma

Write to Sex Amma at [email protected]

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Delhi University Allows 4-Year UG Graduates to Apply Directly for PhD

By DU Beat August 22, 2026

Delhi University introduces direct doctoral paths for the inaugural four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) batch, 2026-27.

The University of Delhi has altered higher education pathways for its inaugural four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) batch. According to a recent press release from the university, four-year graduates can now bypass a master’s degree altogether and apply directly for Ph.D. admissions for the 2026-27 academic session.

According to the press release issued on August 21, 2026, 75,948 students enrolled in the inaugural FYUP batch (2022-23) under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF). Of the enrolled students, 40,005 opted to exit after their 3rd year, whereas 35,943 opted to continue into the optional 4th year to focus on research and internships.

In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 guidelines, the University of Delhi has updated its academic progression structure. With approval from the Academic Council and the Executive Council, Ordinance VI has been amended to establish a direct doctoral pathway for students after their undergraduate studies.

Through this, graduates of the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) batch can apply directly for their Ph.D degrees, bypassing the requirement for a master’s degree. For students to qualify for this path, they must achieve a minimum cumulative grade of 7.5 CGPA, while students belonging to the SC/ST category need to achieve 7.0 CGPA.

In conversation with TOI, DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said that the eligible students will still have to take an entrance examination, with the dates to be announced later. However, they will not be required to appear for an interview.

Gupta also added that this decision is restricted to the first FYUP batch because of the difficulties encountered during the rollout of the new undergraduate structure. “This will not be applicable for upcoming batches. The modalities will be decided later if the same has to be rolled out for other batches later,” he said.

Alongside the policy shifts, the university has also embedded application-based learning in the fourth year curriculum, requiring students to engage in hands-on learning through mandatory internships, skill-enhancement courses and real-time problem-solving projects. This curriculum shift aims to tackle real-world studies and research diversely and engagingly.

To support this, 25 DU colleges have established dedicated skill development centres backed by university funding to provide students with proper infrastructure. Additionally, student-led innovation and entrepreneurial ventures are actively fostered through the Udhmodya Foundation to provide students with meaningful industry exposure and advanced research skills.

This is introduced to bring research and entrepreneurship into undergraduate education to align Indian degrees with global standards and produce academically rigorous graduates.

Image Source: ANI on X

Vanshika U Singh

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DUSU Poll Security Boost, DU Installs 600 CCTV Cameras

By DU Beat August 21, 2026

Ahead of the DUSU elections, Delhi University has tightened security, introducing stricter campaign regulations and deploying 600 CCTV cameras in coordination with Delhi Police.

University Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh and Delhi Police ACP Rajendra Prasad held a joint meeting to outline the security protocols that candidates and college administrations will be required to follow throughout the election period.

Among the key measures is the installation of around 600 CCTV cameras across the North Campus, South Campus, and Dhaka Hostel campus. The administration has also reiterated the strict enforcement of the Lyngdoh Committee guidelines, warning candidates and student groups that any violations could result in the cancellation of nominations or, in serious cases, the cancellation of the elections.

The printing of pamphlets and posters has been prohibited, with candidates instead encouraged to use handmade posters. Campaign material may only be displayed in designated areas, including the University’s “Wall of Democracy”. Additionally, all 54 colleges have been instructed to set up two 10×10-foot Walls of Democracy, one for DUSU election campaigning and another for college-level clubs and societies.

The University has also imposed limits on campaign teams, permitting no more than five students per team. In women’s colleges, only female campaigners will be permitted. The involvement of individuals who are not affiliated with the University has been strictly prohibited, and non-university members will not be allowed to enter the campus for campaigning.

Patrol teams have been deployed to inspect campaign vehicles for violations, including the use of tinted windows, improper parking, and the possession of narcotics or alcohol. Delhi Police personnel, supported by NCC and NSS volunteers, will be stationed across the University’s campuses in both uniform and plain clothes. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police Cyber Crime Cell has begun monitoring social media platforms to curb the spread of misinformation and misleading content during the election period.

Students have been urged to conduct their campaigns responsibly and in accordance with the prescribed guidelines to maintain harmony on campus and ensure the smooth conduct of the election process.

Vanshika U Singh

[email protected]

Image Credits: thepatriot.in

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Blind Law Student Pankaj Dhingra to Contest DUSU Polls, Puts Disability Representation in Focus

By DU Beat August 21, 2026

A visually impaired Campus Law Centre student is contesting the DUSU elections with AAP’s student wing ASAP, spotlighting representation for students with disabilities ahead of September polls.

A visually impaired law student at Delhi University’s Campus Law Centre has entered the race for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, bringing renewed attention to the question of disability representation in campus politics.

Pankaj Dhingra is campaigning under the Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), the student wing affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), ahead of the DUSU polls scheduled for September 18. His decision to enter the fray has drawn attention on campus, given that DUSU elections have historically been contested almost entirely by able-bodied candidates from mainstream student outfits.

Dhingra’s campaign centres on the difficulties faced by students with disabilities in accessing academic opportunities and taking part fully in campus life, a concern ASAP says has long been sidelined in student politics. The group described his candidature as an attempt to widen the scope of campus democracy and create space for voices that are usually left out of the conversation.

ASAP said its larger campaign is built around what it terms alternative politics, an approach centred on the everyday concerns of ordinary students rather than conventional electoral messaging. The organisation maintained that students with disabilities should not be viewed only as beneficiaries of welfare schemes, but as capable of taking on leadership roles within the union. It added that the DUSU result should also be assessed by how fairly representation is spread across the student body.

The candidacy comes as Delhi University finalises arrangements for the 2026-27 DUSU polls. Nominations close on September 10, followed by scrutiny the same day, with withdrawal of candidature allowed until September 11. Voting takes place on September 18, and results are due on September 19. Prof. Raj Kishore Sharma has been named chief election officer, with Prof. Rajesh Singh as chief returning officer.

Image Source – Dainik Bhaskar