Whether you are a fresher who just got into a college society, or a second or third-year who got promoted, read on to understand what kind of a relationship you should share with your fellow members.
The University of Delhi (DU), while being eminent in terms of education, is also recognised as an institution which aids the overall personality progression of a student because of the numerous extra-curricular activities it provides. It would be safe to say that not many colleges or universities take as much pride in their societies as DU does. But along the same lines, runs a parallel that might not be so luminous.
Because of the immensity of the work, the countless hours of practice, the sword of Damocles constantly hanging over the members’ heads to live up to the legacy that their seniors had left them with, it is not difficult to slip into this looking-down on juniors who never seem to know what they should do.
The true judge of an office-bearer’s character is how well they tackle these blunders of the juniors, because, in their defence, they have never been in a similar situation before, and need constant assistance till they reach a point where they can handle the work themselves. Conflicts are bound to happen, but it is how well these are tackled that determines the future of the society.
A lot of time is spent doing society work, and it becomes an increasingly toxic space for the juniors if they feel they are not being respected enough, and are treated as if it were sheer privilege, and not their merit that they were made a part of the society. But in reality, these students have had to clear several rounds of auditions, and were selected amongst a large pool of applicants, thereby confirming their excellence.
It is essential for the juniors to know that their seniors deserve respect, not because of their seniority, but because that is basic civil behavior. At the same time, they must not forget that they, too, are supposed to be on the receiving end of such civility.
Members of the Academic Council (AC) have written to the Vice Chancellor (VC) to put the approval of the revised syllabus on hold.
The controversy in the University of Delhi (DU) surrounding syllabus of certain undergraduate courses looks far from over. In a recent turn of events, eight members of the University’s AC belonging to the National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF), have asked the VC to not approve the controversial syllabus of the four undergraduate courses immediately.
Emphasizing the need for a “comprehensive” deliberations on the syllabus, the members of the AC have also demanded that an “independent inquiry committee be constituted to expose the persons behind the conspiracy against academics, Indian culture and the Indian state.”
Controversy over DU’s revised syllabus erupted over the inclusion of study materials in the English course related to the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the infamous 2002 Gujarat riots, and use of Hindu deities in the reading of Queer literature. Such additions have invited the wrath of right-wing forces who find this “unfortunate”.
The Varsity has since then witnessed a bunch of protests by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the AC, and invited counter-protests by organisations like the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Association (AISA), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), Pinjra Tod, Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA) among others over the proposed syllabus in what has become an ideological battle.
Barring the syllabus of the first semester which has already been passed, the AC has asked the VC to keep the rest on hold.
A copy of the letter has also been sent to M K Pandit, Chairman of the Oversight Committee, to whom the approved syllabus has been sent for further action.
In his statement to The Indian Express, Pandit said, “It’s not individuals who decide; there is a process and a committee will decide after due deliberations.”
Featured Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat
The University of Delhi (DU) colleges have released the sixth cut-off list for admissions to its undergraduate courses.
The admission process for the sixth cut-off will take place from 1st August to 3rd August. If seats are left vacant after this cut-off then a seventh cut-off list will also be released on 6th August.
As per the schedule released on the DU website, the Varsity had conducted a special drive for on 29th and 30th July, which addressed the issue of admission to those students who belonged to the reserved category, but had inadvertently missed applying in their respective category. They did so by requesting a change in their categories. These students would also be considered to take admission in entrance-based courses according to their rectified category in the subsequent lists of entrance-based admissions. This drive also included eligible applicants who could not seek admission or cancelled their admission during any of the preceding cut-offs and therefore, were not admitted in any college but meet the eligibility of any of the preceding five cut-offs will be given admission in the sixth cut-off, providing the seats are available.
Check this space for the latest updates on the sixth cut-off.
Click hereto view the complete second cut-off list for Arts and Commerce Courses at DU.
Click hereto view the complete sixth cut-off list for Science Courses at DU.
Click hereto view the complete second cut-off list for B.A. Programme at DU.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for PGDAV College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for Aditi Mahavidyalya College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for Gargi College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for Maharaja Agrasen College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for Satyawati College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for Vivekananda College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off list for Shyam Lal College.
Click hereto check the sixth cut-off for Dyal Singh College.
Click hereto check the fourth cut-off list for NCWEB for B.A. Programme.
Click hereto check the fourth cut-off list for NCWEB for B. Com.
Read on to know how this indoctrinated system of privilege makes us blind towards the condition of those who come under the reserved categories.
On entering your University of Delhi (DU) college, you will find people who belong to the reserved categories. Before you pass a quick, seemingly harmless judgement, here are several things you must consider.
Equality vs Equity:
Reservation and equality are talked about simultaneously. While reservation is not synonymous to equality, it becomes imperative to know that the reserved and the unreserved categories do not have the same pedestal to start from. High-handed statements about reservation having been there for seven decades, and that there is no discrimination in the ‘India of today’ will instantly evaporate on reading a newspaper, with headlines screaming of caste-based discrimination and violence.
We must also understand that caste-based and economic discrimination are not very different from each other. In a society where we have certain jobs like manual scavenging, cleaning toilets, etc. ascribed to a particular section of society, we must not take education away from them because it is the only tool that they have to dream of an upward social mobility.
They get it easier:
People who have access to convents and DPSs, with world-class education, and people who don’t even have funds for a decent basic education, write the same board exams, and are marked irrespective of their social background. For that student to score above 75%, with the limited amount of resources is, if anything, more difficult than their privileged counterparts.
22.5 per cent of the total numbers of seats is reserved in DU for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (15 per cent for Scheduled Caste and 7.5 per cent for Scheduled Tribes, interchangeable, if necessary), as per DU’s website. And although the numbers vary in different surveys, the amount of SC and ST inhabitants in the country is over 25%. Therefore, to say that every reservation candidate will get into DU is a rather poorly researched argument.
It is time reservations should end:
“Discrimination is already illegal in India. In fact, so is murder. Yet court after court is acquitting self-confessed brutal mass murderers of Dalits,” Vidyut, Founder of the website Aam Janta,writes. People feel reservations are divisive, and they are. But they are the effect, and not the cause. People should take it upon themselves to end discrimination, and the need of reservation will end, thereof.
The fault in our systems:
“If the general category students think they are losing out of seats then their fight should be for more colleges and universities,” says Niharika Dabral, an outgoing student of the Varsity. Rather than ending caste-based reservations, management quotas that reek of nepotism and networking is the real fault that exists in our system.
For a central educational institution like DU, it becomes a moral responsibility to make sure it has seats reserved for the underprivileged to safeguard their rights because they do not have the kind of money to pay the tuition for privately-funded institutions, let alone give donations to get admitted – as is not uncommon.
All being said, reservation isn’t the medicine that the society is meant to ingest to cure it of caste-based discrimination. Rather, it is a protective measure that is here to stay till the psychological cleansing has been done, and people recognise each other for what they are – humans.
Summer vacations allow you time to work on yourself, it is the kind of luxury that one normally doesn’t enjoy on regular days. A very important aspect of self-development is reading, here is a list that you must have checked-off by the time vacations end.
Anne of Green Gables: This dear book written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery has an entire world of hope to offer to the readers. Orphaned Anne Shirley is adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had initially wanted a boy. But she brings light and life to the fictional town of Avonlea and becomes an instant favourite of every town-dweller.
Fun fact, it has been scientifically proven that reading this book helped with anxiety and depression.
The Little Prince: Originally “Le Petit Prince”, written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a beloved children’s book, translated and read throughout the world. But don’t let that fool you! This novella has an extraordinary way of getting us face-to-face with the sheer absurdity that is in growing up into adults who don’t wonder at life anymore. The Little Prince in the book leaves his planet to travel the universe, and shares with the readers experience that they will hopefully remember all their lives.
Brave New World: This dystopian novel by English author Aldous Huxley is enough to make you uncomfortable with yourself, and then proceed to think long and hard about the world that exists. The novel features genetically-modified citizens who are conditioned to perfectly suit social hierarchies, made to normalize death, given a ration of soma or a governmentally-sanctioned drug that makes the citizens be in a state of euphoria, etc. John, who is a ‘normal’ human, or in Huxley’s terminology, a ‘savage’, questions the system. This book is sure to keep you hooked throughout.
To Kill a Mockingbird: It surprises me how many people have not read this beautiful book written by Harper Lee. The story is told from a child’s perspective and talks about fabricated rape charges against men of colour – a practice that was not uncommon in that period of time. Because of the protagonist being a child, the story is narrated in a more humanised way that is allowed to only children and makes one think about the evils that the humankind is capable of.
Gone Girl: A mystery/thriller novel written by Gillian Flynn is a sure nail-biter with all of the suspense that it holds till the very end. Nick and Amy Dunne are a picture-perfect couple until suddenly, Amy goes missing, and the plot reveals itself and morphs into something that the readers never anticipated was coming their way
This flawlessly-plotted book is a page-turner, and putting the book down to get work done will be a misery.
A lot has been said about Kashmir’s beauty and hospitality through the cinema, literature, the media, etc. Here’s adding more to that pool, while also coming up with pragmatic reasons why you should visit the valley that has not lost its charm all these years.
Before going on any further, click on this link and see for yourself what Kashmir has to offer to a tourist:Aerial View of Gulmarg
Being a Kashmiri, and writing about Kashmir, it becomes impossible to not bring the conflict perspective into the narrative. In all honesty, if you are worried about shutdowns or curfews, I won’t blame you. Although slight, there are chances that you might witness a brief spell of disorder, but I can guarantee, you won’t be affected by it. The narrative that is propagated in this case is that the Kashmiris are extremely hospitable – it stands in all tests of verity for me, yes. But I also understand that this may not necessarily be enough substance for assurance. What we also need to understand is that tourism is the main industry of the valley, and the people won’t harm their ‘customers’ as opposed to the vague term ‘guests’.
The Dal Lake
• Trigger warnings and suggestions:
1. If an exceeding amount of military presence daunts you, don’t visit.
2. If you need uninterrupted internet, make sure you make arrangements beforehand.
3. Kashmir is mostly a dry region, so if alcohol is important to you, it might be just a little difficult to find.
• Reasons why you should visit:
1. The geography of Kashmir allows it limitless royalties for being a top tourist destination. It is almost like a bowl surrounded by the most majestic of mountains; you feel disconnected from the rest of the world.
2. The food of Kashmir can be compared to the likes of Persian, Afghan, and Mughal cuisines. Although primarily non-vegetarian, there are options for vegetarian food as well. Besides these, drinks like kahwa and noon-chai (salted tea) are some things you must try.
3. The history of houseboats dates back to British times. Because of the infamous article, non-inhabitants could not buy land in the valley. As a solution to it, the British decided to live on the water, in these uniquely styled boats – which came to be known, quite simply, as houseboats. The interior is a beautiful amalgamation of Kashmiri and British decor. The ones at Dal Lake are the most famous. Perhaps the best thing about houseboats is that every morning there will be vendors on small boats or shikaras, selling everything from fresh produce to flowers to imitation Kashmiri shawls.
4. Kashmir is a great shopping destination, with souvenirs like the Kashmiri Shawls, carpets, saffron, honey, papier mâché, wood-carved decoration pieces, among many others.
5. I have mentioned this before, but the people of Kashmir are extremely hospitable.
6. The weather of Kashmir is a pleasant 20 degree these days, less than half of that of the capital. This should be enough reason to make you visit.
7. Kashmiri slopes are world famous from their powder snow and skiing, a summer alternative for that is water-skiing. Many companies provide the service at Dal Lake, and it is a safe, guided and extremely fun experience.
8. We all know of the cultural and religious diversity that exists or existed in Kashmir. This gives a rich architectural history to the place, and the valley is littered with shrines of various gods, goddesses, monks, and saints.
Pather Masjid – A Shrine in Kashmir’s Downtown area.
• How to get to Kashmir:
Either a short 1 hour 25 – 1 hour 45-minute trip, depending on the airline, will get you to the valley. Although many hotels or guesthouses are not where the airport is, the city centre is just a 15-20 minutes’ drive away. Srinagar airport is an army airport, therefore make sure not to take any pictures there, in addition to this, you might also be asked to lower the window sheets. This is all security protocol, and you need not panic. This mode will gain you a plethora of Instagram-worthy pictures of flying over the snow-capped mountains, much above the clouds. The skies are cleaner, bluer, and better.
Airport Authority Contact Number: 0194-2303311
The train to the valley only goes till Banihal, after which you have to take a cab, or a bus – both of which are fairly cheap. The best part about this journey is that right after you cross the Jawahar Tunnel, which is a 2.5 km long tunnel, the entire scenery will change! It will feel almost as if the tunnel teleported you to a different, beautiful land. The journey after this will be your quintessential Old Bollywood Romance setting. The bus or cab will drop you at the Tourist Reception Centre, which is in the heart of Srinagar, and 2 minutes from the Dal Lake.
View From the Airplane.
Places to visit:
Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Dal Lake, and the Mughal Gardens are all some places you have to check off of your list. But besides these, here are some off-beat places you could visit:
Doodhpathri: A rather new tourist spot, this place is quickly gaining more attraction, and for good reason. Doodhpathri is a specimen of what a Kashmiri vacation spot should look like, minus the crowd. In Pahalgam and Sonmarg, you can still spot more than a few other groups of tourists. Doodhpahri is comparatively quieter and more solemn. (Don’t miss on Pahalgam and other famous places, though. They are famous for a reason!)
Downtown: The Kashmiri downtown is absolute heaven for photographers, historians, or generally anyone who is interested in the culture of a place. The locals are the most polite and helpful people, and will readily serve you noon-chai if you ask them (or even if you don’t). Make sure to visit the rose water vendors, the spice vendors, the houses, if you are allowed, and just sit on the banks of the river Jehlum. Downtown is also famous for all the shrines that were mentioned earlier.
Dargah of Khanqah-e-Moula in Downtown, Srinagar.
Shankaracharya is a hill located in Gupkar, and a short hike to the top gives you a view spanning the Dal Lake, the main city, and the adjacent mountains. There is the temple, as the namesake, at the top of the hill.
Kishtwar is a place famous for its ruby and sapphire mines. Another attraction is the natural hot spring, Tatta Pani. With numerous health benefits, there is hardly a reason why you wouldn’t take a dip.
Dachigam National Park has numerous species of birds and wildlife animals, but the most majestic of these is that Kashmiri Stag, or Hangul as it is locally called. Make sure you say hello to the Hangul before you return.
Dachigan National Park Contact Number: 0194-2462327
If you are feeling particularly fancy, do visit the Khyber Resort, Gulmarg, even if just for a lunch. This 5-star has the most picturesque landscapes and the most beautiful of views.
Important Contacts:
Director Tourism, Kashmir: 0194-2502279
Tourist Reception Centre, Srinagar: 9596098882
J&K Tourism Helpline Number: 1-800-103-1070
J&K Tourism Official Website: Here
Police District Headquarter, Srinagar 0194-2455047
Kashmir exists above and beyond its conflict. If you are thinking of taking a trip to the valley – you must go now!
University of Delhi (DU), in collaboration with the Dean of Students’ Welfare Office, organised an interactive counselling session for this year’s undergraduate admissions at Conference Centre, North Campus today. Similar sessions will be held on the 3rd and 8th of June in North Campus and 4th to 10th June in South Campus colleges.
A panel consisting of Dr Manoj Kumar Khanna, Principal of Ramjas College, Jaswinder Singh, Principal of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Keval Arora, Professor of English at Kirori Mal College, few members from the Grievance and Admissions Committees, among others, was present at Conference Centre, North Campus today for an interactive question-answer session. The aim of this conference was to acquaint the aspiring students with the admission procedure, and also to address their queries.
The programme was scheduled to be held between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; however, owing to the large number of students, it went on till almost 2:30 p.m. An enormous number of students flocked to the Centre today – so much so – that all of them could not be accommodated in the auditorium and had to be addressed to in shifts.
Among the congregation were parents of the aspirants, eager to get their doubts cleared. Arushi Gupta, an aspiring student, and her mother said they were satisfied with the answers that the panel provided them with.
Helping the panel was a group of 15 volunteers from various colleges across DU. They estimated to have answered as many as 400 questions collectively during the session, and were willing to sacrifice their break for the same. According to Varun Pradhan, a volunteer and student of Motilal Nehru College (Evening), the most common question was regarding the calculation of Best of Four percentage.
When asked about how the overall increase in 12th class percentage would affect the DU admissions this year, the answer from the volunteers was that they expected higher cut-offs. Interestingly, Pradhan also suggested that the number of registrations is expected to be lesser since the registration began much after the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) announced the results. He argued that the students who scored below a certain percentage might not apply in the first place.
The panel and volunteers alike also had to answer a new set of queries due to the changes that will be implemented from this year. These include DU’s affiliation with CBSE in getting the mark sheets, consideration of Modern Indian Languages as academic subjects, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota, etc.
Also seen at Gate number 4 were members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), including Sidharth Yadav, the State Secretary of the students’ party. They were providing information in terms of the changes that the admin has come up with, water and chairs, etc. to those who had come to the conference.
It would be safe to say that the session accomplished much of what it had aimed to. The only dissent perhaps would be the fact that it was accessible to mostly students from Delhi and the NCR because it is highly improbable for outstation students to come to the national capital before the announcement of the first cut-off.
The portal will reopen from 16th to 25th June to enable foreign students to register for admissions. This has been agreed to be as the second phase of admissions due to the large number of applications.
The University of Delhi (DU) has decided to reopen its admission portal for international students in respect to the large number of applications received this year for various courses offered in undergraduate, postgraduate, M.Phil, PhD, and diploma courses. The varsity usually opens its portal for international students at a much earlier date as compared to for Indian nationals – that is at the beginning of the year itself. The admissions that began on 22nd February had successfully ended much earlier with respect to applications. It seems that this year, the number of applications has been much higher.
The number of foreign students in DU has risen steadily over the last few years. The students mostly belong to countries from the subcontinent like Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam etc. Besides these, there has also been a growth in the number of students enrolled in the University from European and other Asian countries like Japan. The quality of education and the low living cost are some of the reasons for this surge. The University also has taken great care to attract more students with international hostels and special transport services. With more than 3000 applications from international students in the year 2018, the varsity has proven to be an attractive educational opportunity.
The time period for the opening of the portal is from 16th to 25th June. All courses, apart from MBA, have been opened and are receiving applications. The first phase of shortlisting and selection is yet to be completed. After this, the second phase would be considered.
The international students have a quota under which they get selected. These students are chosen on the basis of merit under the concerned department they have applied for or the consideration of the faculty based on the number of seats available.
DU has been able to gain worldwide recognition for its ability to attract foreign students. Colleges like St. Stephens had three students from Japan last year and three students from the USA this year, with more students going to be enrolled in this academic year. Interestingly the college also offers Indian students the opportunity to study in Japan for a year as well. Other colleges of the varsity, too, have a number of foreign students enrolled.
In the last part of DU Beat‘s analysis, we look at what the respondents have to say about the role of youth in politics, elements missing from our political culture and some other conclusions.
After having analysed what the University of Delhi (DU) students, mostly first-time voters, had to say about the government, the opposition, the electoral possibilities and what matters to them as voters, our attention is now turned to questions that aim to understand their views about the larger political sphere.
When asked about whether they thought if the youth could influence the politics of the country, almost all respondents answered affirmatively – 71.7 per cent saying “yes, in a major way” and 26.4 per cent selected “yes, but in a limited way”.
A second and related question was whether the respondents had been politically active themselves. Ironically, 49 per cent said they had not.
To give space to respondents to express what they felt about the larger political culture, we asked them what they thought was one major element missing from politics. The responses were not only highly varied, but also threw light on a rather sad state of affairs as brought about by the plethora of shortcomings as perceived by the voter. A majority of them focussed around ideas of accountability, morality and integrity, lack of emphasis on “real issues”, and incompetent leadership and opposition, while some others touched upon the need for a free and strong media and tolerance for dissent. Yet others felt the need for parties to show unity in international matters and put India first.
“Dharm ke sthaan par dharmikta ka chalan,” (The replacement of righteousness by religiosity) wrote Amit Kumar, a student of Shyam Lal College. Shankar Tripathi of Hindu College answered that a “greater acceptance” of student movements, and a safer and workable environment for the same was a missing element. “People take themselves as a subject of government they do not take themselves as a participant in politics,” said Praveen from Dyal Singh College. Some views were rather curious. A student from Kalindi College, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “Too many rights to common people, they oppose almost every step taken by the government.”
Interesting and varied answers were also given, wherein respondents expressed their general views about the upcoming elections or the political trends – from singular remarks like “NDA>36o”, “Save democracy” and “India should not invite Indira Gandhi Part-2” to lengthy comments.
Namit from Dyal Singh College wrote, “Upcoming elections will be a watershed moment, which will make the picture clear where the country would go in the next 10-15 years. Also, it will be the most difficult election for the grand old party, the Indian National Congress. Eager to see how Rahul Gandhi leads them.”
“The upcoming elections are very crucial not because it is Modi vs rest but because it is choosing between becoming a developed nation or still remain developing. Yes, India is still developing but the pace of development that we have seen in BJP led NDA government is so fast – be it the area of national security, health, education or roads and railways. If now at this point this government is stopped then I believe our graph of development would come down,” wrote Aayushi Agarwal from Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences for Women.
A student from Hansraj College wrote, on conditions of anonymity, “I don’t know if there has been any work done or not. But one thing’s for sure – I don’t feel secure voicing my opinions now as I did before. And no, I am not anti-nationalist, neither a fan of Congress.”
Conclusions
To conclude, it is quite clear that everyone feels a lot is riding on this election. For some, it is about deciding what and how India and its democracy would be going forward; for others, it has got to do with sustaining what has been done in the past five years. In any case, the election is important.
There is also a near-universal realisation that voting based on caste and religion or emotive issues isn’t desirable and that greater emphasis on more pressing issues is necessary. At the same time, there is also an acknowledgement of the absence of that tendency in the current political and electoral scenario.
Image credits-
1. Cover- DU Beat archives
2. Graphs- Palak Mittal for DU Beat
The standing council of the admissions committee of Delhi University (DU) made a proposal for issuing ‘smart’ identity cards to the students in the coming academic session.
Dean of Student Welfare, Rajeev Gupta, chairperson of the committee, said that such cards, once approved, would help bring uniformity and was an attempt at improving the overall infrastructure of the university. The cards are said to be integrated with health centres to help students avail their facilities. They might also help in keeping real-time record of the entry and exit of students from colleges.
As the cards would become operational only in July when the new academic session for 2019-20 starts, the University can have sufficient time to set up the necessary infrastructure required for its implementation, The Hindu quoted Rajiv Gupta, Dean of Student Welfare and Chairperson of the committee as saying.
DU Beat spoke to Rasal Singh, Professor at Kirori Mal College and member of the committees. He gave us some insight into the same.
Objectives: The card is expected to bring uniformity. It will have the DU logo on one side and the college logo on the other. It will also carry the University registration number which is given to every student when they apply to DU.
Features: The nitty-gritties have not been finalised but some of the ideas include integration with the libraries to keep a record of books issued by students. It may also serve as an identification card that can be used to rent bicycles from metro stations and be integrated with metro or bus passes. Apart from this, it will serve as a regular college ID card.
Challenges: Whenever there’s a new policy or idea, some difficulties do arise. That might be the case here also, but that can be managed.
Current Status: The meeting took place on 18th April. There is consensus on the card. It is expected to be rolled out from the next academic session.
