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Kirorimal College organises TEDx on ‘Dialogue for the Rational Indian’

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TED talks are famous all over the world for their inspirational and innovative messages. What makes the concept even better is that videos of these talks are available for anyone on the internet to see, for free!

A TEDx, or an independently organised TED event, is a localised version of TED talks. TEDxKiroriMalCollege was organised on Sunday, 2nd February 2014 at Patel Chest Institute. Despite a slight delay in the proceedings, the speaker sessions interspersed with TED videos kept the audience engaged. The host for the day, Kunal Arora did a splendid job of keeping the participants entertained with his questions and timely jokes. The list of speakers included quite a few DU graduates like Lokesh Madan, Ankur Warikoo and Shifu Kanishka Sharma.

The first speaker to take the stage was Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, a highly acclaimed social reformer, accredited with the success of sanitation projects like the Sulabh International. During his talk titled ‘Restoration of Human Rights and Dignity of Untouchables’, he elaborated on the various endeavours and projects he has undertaken to make ‘untouchables’ a part of mainstream society.

After that, Lokesh Madan, a corporate executive turned musician told the audience his story; how he started singing at the age of four, formed a band right out of school, gave all that up for a corporate career, and finally found his way back to music! His love for singing and the guitar was clear from his expression while he played a short tune from one of the songs his band Eka, had composed. His last bit of advice was to combine a dream with an idea on how to market it and how to manage it financially. A perfect blend of idealism and rationality!

The next speaker, internet entrepreneur and CEO of Groupon India, Ankur Warikoo took the audience through a story from his personal life aptly titled ‘From Crutches to 21 kms’. His talk traced his journey from being bed ridden after getting a ‘freak disease’ in 2011 and then having to use crutches, to his decision of running in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon in 2013. The message that he left the audience with was, that fear is self imposed-if we can create it, we can conquer it, too.

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Next to take the stage was Manit Rastogi an architect and School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) alumnus. His talk was centred on the concept of ‘The Architecture of Sustainability’, primarily talking about how, if buildings and structures are built correctly, they can be completely sustainable in terms of energy, water and electricity usage. He also talked about his proposed solution to many of Delhi’s problems (sewage treatment, pedestrian safety and pollution), all through design and architecture.

The session was followed by the screening of Harsh Bhogle’s TED talk on cricket in India. The video led to a discussion among the audience members regarding the effects of the IPL on the sport as a whole. Post the discussion, the group broke for lunch. Before the next set of speakers took the stage, Digvijay Singh from the KMC music society sang a Nusrat Fateh Ali song that was highly appreciated by the audience.

Next up, Dr. Sunil Mittal, a psychiatrist by profession, delved into the latest frontiers of neuroscience and shared concepts such as ‘shaping one’s mind and brain’ and Neuroplasticity, which proves that the brain develops all throughout the adult life.
Following him, Vaibhav Singh, a private equity professional delivered his talk on ‘How not to lose the ticket after winning the lottery’. It was an engaging presentation on the possibilities that India’s economy holds and how equity and capital can be channeled in a way that encourages growth.

Vinita Singh, the founder of We The People, talked about citizenship being a 24×7 job for all the citizens of a democracy like India. She equated the relation between citizens and politicians to one that is shared between employers and employees. In her words, ‘If they are doing a bad job, the main reason is that we are sleeping on ours!’

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The next speaker, Timothy Wildgoose, a photographer who’s come to India for a crowd funded photography and videography project, spoke about the power of connections, presence, yoga and meditation. He also made the audience laugh with his rather accurate guide on ‘How to thrive in India’.

The final speaker for the day, and in my opinion the most awaited one, Shifu Kanishka Sharma, took the stage.  A martial arts trainer, he is the only Indian to have trained at the Shaolin Temple. His talk was very interesting (and slightly scary too!) as he demonstrated some quick moves and attacks on stage. He touched upon a few key lessons of martial arts and spoke of his mission to teach women’s self defence in a practical and effective way in India.

The day finished on a high note with the Organising Committee taking the stage. ‘TEDxKirorimalCollege started as a dream and each attendee and speaker was a part of it. This has been the best experience of my life’, said Ashutosh Bhardwaj, the Curator and Organiser of the event. Pallavi Jain, a student of Hindu College said, ‘TEDxKMC was the second TED event that I have attended and it was a Sunday well spent. My favourite speaker was Ankur Warikoo who narrated a personal anecdote coupling it so simply with subtle humour and an amazing video!’

Image courtesy: Blessjess Photography

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Top Picks

Top Delhi University events of 2013

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2013 has been a turbulent year for Delhi University. While the Vice Chancellor brought about a significant change in the University with the plan of taking a step towards providing holistic education for the students, protests over its implementation followed. Other important changes included merging and scrapping of certain courses and entrance exams and removal of the Revaluation System.

With 2014 a few hours away, we take a look back at some of the biggest events that took place in our University this year.

Introduction of Four Year Undergraduate Program

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Hands down the biggest news of the year, Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh proposed and implemented the FYUP in DU. Along with the introduction of an additional year for all courses across the University, most entrance exams including the CATE and CJET were scrapped off, certain courses like the Programme courses were done away with and some were merged like the Journalism and Mass Communication courses and the three Undergraduate Management courses. The syllabi were redrawn to include Foundation Courses that were to be common across all colleges and courses and exit points for students were also added. All these changes were implemented despite protests from students, parents and teachers.

Second chance for students who failed a year

After a series of drastic changes that raised eyebrows from teachers and students alike, the University finally issued some positive news in July. According to the Notice, students who had failed a year would not have to repeat the entire year and could simply retake the exams of previous subjects along with the new ones instead.

DUSU and DUTA Elections 2013

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The DUSU elections took place in September this year and the newly elected Union comprised 3 ABVP members and one representative from NSUI. Aman Awana was elected as the President. The week before the elections saw aggressive campaigning from all parties with flyers strewn across every inch of North Campus.

In Picture: DUTA President Nandita Narain | Image Credit: Abhinav Arora for DU Beat

The DUTA elections, which were held in August saw a large turnout this year. Dr. Nandita Narain from DTF was elected as the body’s President.

BR Ambedkar College’s Principal suspended over sexual assault allegations

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Bhim Rao Ambedkar College’s Principal, G K Arora was suspended in October after allegations of sexual abuse were made against him. The alleged victim, Pavitra Bhardwaj was a Laboratory Assistant in the college and had filed a case against him four years ago. The suspension was made after a recommendation by the college’s governing body after Bhardwaj immolated herself outside the Chief Minister’s Office.

Removal of Revaluation System

Another notification issued by the University in October declared that revaluation of examination sheets would be discontinued post the Semester Exams held in November-December 2013. The University explained that since the papers would now be jointly examined by multiple professors, there would be no need for revaluation. Though both the DUTA and DUSU cabinet were vocal about their opposition of this move, as is usually the case, their views were ignored by the VC.

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Small Screen

TV Show Review: Grey’s Anatomy Season 9

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It was last year when Grey’s Anatomy was screened on Indian television for the first time. The medical drama was an instant hit, with TV channels showing seasons 1-6 at one shot and then repeating the seasons on popular demand. Soon enough, seasons 7-9 were also featured, leaving fans content.

So what is it about this show that keeps viewers hooked? First of all, the variety of characters on the show is diverse. You have Casanovas, emotionally damaged people, those who’re perpetually unlucky in love and those who’re always upbeat and peppy. Of course the fact that the cast is very attractive helps quite a bit. Then there is all the drama! A lot of it is unbelievable, because let’s face it, how many times does an average doctor find himself or herself in a life threatening situation? Well, in this show, at least once per season. But the tragedy is what draws you in, it makes you appreciate all the happy moments on the show like when Meredith gets to know that she’s pregnant with a baby she refers to as ‘Foetus’.

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Season 9 was a particularly emotional one with deaths, births, marriages and break ups. The new set of surgical interns brought with them fresh energy and romances. Kepner, who used to be an immature and slightly irritating character earlier, has grown tremendously in this season to become a rather likable character! Meredith and Yang were as close as ever, though the tension between Yang and Hunt kept increasing.

The last episode of season 9 was another rollercoaster ride what with Dr Webber being electrocuted, Kepner feeling confused between Avery and Matthews, Callie getting to know about Arizona’s affair and the beginning of a romance between Karev and Jo. There are many unanswered questions as of now and the only thing we fans can do now is to wait for Season 10!

Image courtesy: abc website and aceshowbiz.com

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Top Picks

Top 5 trends that freshers end up following

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College is seen as a land of magical dreams and abundant freedom. After slogging for their Board Exams, freshers look forward to letting their hair down and experimenting with everything under the sun. While every fresher takes a different route, we look at some common trends among freshers in the first few months after college begins!

  1. Getting their hair coloured-Ah, come college and you’ll notice many hardcore freshers dyeing their hair in a variety of colours. Red and light brown are too old school now and people have moved on to more off beat shades like purple, blue, green and even white. In case you dislike everything that is main stream and want to stand out, just shave your hair off completely; that should do the trick!
  2. Joining societies and ‘youth organisations’– It is common knowledge that the batch of first years is easily the most enthusiastic lot in a college at any given point of time. Fresh out of school, they want to try their hand at anything and everything, and usually end up joining about 5 different societies in colleges, or the many ‘youth organisations’ comprising DU students. Needless to say, they don’t think too much about it and jump into such activities. This zeal fades, eventually, and students end up in the one or two societies that they really like.
  3. Getting tattoos and piercings-Nothing screams freedom and individuality like tattoos and piercings, right? There are many fucchas who line up outside tattoo studios and jewellery stores to get inked and pierced respectively the minute they get into DU. They get their ears, noses, eyebrows and even unmentionable body parts pierced. Cryptic tattoos are definitely in, though most like to keep it simple with the symbol for infinity being a popular option.
  4. Adopting a hippie outlook- This transformation is relatively slow and not something that everyone goes through. But slowly and surely, you’ll notice some freshers adopting certain habits. Such students claim to hate all that is main stream and switch to loose, brightly coloured pants and tops and can be seen smoking around campus. And no, that’s not a cigarette they’re smoking! They’ll start growing out their hair and adopting an ‘I don’t care about anything’ attitude. Many of them even start listening to Pink Floyd to seal the deal.
  5. Creating LinkedIn Accounts-This isn’t an immediate occurrence, but within a month or so, students start creating LinkedIn accounts for ‘professional purposes’. Especially those in Commerce, Economics and Business courses feel that a profile on LinkedIn will help them get important contacts. Only problem is that the next time they log into their account is about a year later, if at all.
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Events

MUN season at Delhi University kicks off with DDUCMUN

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DDUCMUN is usually the first MUN held in the academic session in DU. It is known for its high level of debate and this year was no different. After the success of DDUCMUN 2011 and 2012, the MUN Club of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College worked day and night to organise the 3rd edition of the same.

This time around the conference was held on August 2, 3 and 4 inside the college premises. There were three UN committees i.e. the Eco Soc, Human Rights Council and General Assembly with the agenda of formulating optimal combinations of short term and long term fiscal measures in order to ensure socio-economic growth, the right to humanitarian assistance and self determination in conflict zones and the tension in the Strait of Hormuz respectively. Apart from that an Ad Hoc Committee had been set up and the highlight of the conference was the War Cabinet of Olympus which was based on Greek mythology.

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The event kicked off on the morning of 2nd August with an Opening Ceremony that included lighting of the ceremonial lamp and speeches by Dr SK Garg, the college’s principal, Mrs Nisha Rana the Convener and the Secretary General, Mehr Arneja, who said, ‘Here at DDUC, our endeavour is not only to provide you with a platform to come and showcase your debating skills but also to provide you with an environment for a 360 degree development.’

After that, the delegates made their way to their respective committees to start discussing and debating on the given agendas. Over the three days, the delegates, under the guidance of the Executive Board, put forward their views on the topics at hand, through a structure that mirrored the rules followed at actual UN meets. The participants made their points backed up by thorough research and debated with the other representatives by raising points of inquiry and information. The committee sessions and moderated caucuses continued on all three days with lunch breaks in between.

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In the EcoSoc, the main areas of focus were promoting micro, small and medium sized enterprises, enhancing infrastructure, bringing about tax reforms and short term fiscal policies to ensure economic growth. The Human Rights Council saw delegates discussing hindrances while delivering humanitarian aid, the legal regulation of humanitarian intervention and the role of NGOs in humanitarian assistance. The War Cabinet of Olympus was a particularly active committee with delegates representing Gods and Demi-Gods from the Percy Jackson series like Zeus, Hades, Athena, Annabeth, Percy and Hazel. The discussion was largely based on the growing distrust in the Demi-Gods by the Gods and the looming threat posed by Gaea, Goddess of the Earth. Another interesting point about this committee was that the Chairperson was hidden among the delegates, and his or her identity was to be revealed later.

On the last day, the focus was on brainstorming solutions and resolutions to the issues discussed on the previous days. The event came to a close with the announcing of the results and distribution of prizes like Best Delegate, Honourable Mention and so on. In all, more than 250 delegates participated, a group that comprised both first timers and experienced MUNers. Sahil Grover, Head of Delegate Affairs in the Organising Committee said, ‘DDUCMUN’13 has been an amazing experience. Having participated in and organised several MUNs in the past, this conference, being that of my own college, holds a special place in my heart. Seeing the success of the event has been a source of great happiness for me!’

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Admissions 2013

FMS goof up leaves students in anguish

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This year, the three business related courses under DU i.e. Bachelor of Business Studies, Bachelor of Business Economics and Bachelor of Financial Investment and Analysis, were merged to form Bachelor in Management Studies, a course that combined the best of all three courses. The move also put this new subject under the umbrella Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, which is widely regarded as a premier institute for post graduation in Business Administration. Unfortunately, a major goof up on the part of FMS has left students dejected and angry.

Around 22000 students sat for the Entrance exam for BMS in the month of June, which was followed by Personal Interviews of the shortlisted candidates. The interviews were held between 10-13 July, after which the final merit list was announced and two counselling sessions have already been held. Classes under the course have also begun.

It has recently been revealed that the Answer Key to the Entrance Exam posted on the FMS website has 7 wrong answers marked for Question Paper Series 11. In all probability, this mistake has affected the scores of thousands of aspirants, especially since the paper had negative marking as well. Given the number of students who sit for the exam and the level of competition, students are often neck to neck; multiple people getting the same rank and scored differing in decimals. In such a scenario, 7 questions can make a huge difference.

Further inquiry indicates that there might even be errors in up to 40 questions in the other series as well. Parents and students are agitated by this goof up and rightly so, as it may have cost them a seat and higher ranks may have been given to students who do not actually deserve them as per the correct answers. Written statements of protest have been submitted to the Dean of FMS, Dean Student’s Welfare, VC and the Registrar of DU on 24th and 25th July. FMS has announced that a Panel will be set up to discuss the matter and a report on the same will be submitted in two days. Sneha Bajaj, a BMS aspirant told us via Twitter, ‘When I and a few other students contacted FMS, they simply told us that they were reviewing the matter’.

A revaluation of marks would be the right thing to do on FMS’s part, but it may not be a feasible idea. Revaluation would mean releasing a completely new list of shortlisted students for the interview, after which interviews would have to be held once again. Following that, a list of final ranks will have to be issued based on which multiple counselings will have to be scheduled. The basic problem is that though students who deserve a seat can be given one, the University cannot cancel the admission of students who might have got a seat based on the incorrect answer key, especially since the admission process in most colleges is now about to close.

All that the anguished BMS aspirants can now do is to wait for the judgement of the Panel.

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News

Students who failed 1st, 2nd year exams can move to next semester: DU

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According to a notice issued by the Registrar of University of Delhi on the 27th of July, students who failed or were absent for their 1st or 2nd Year Examinations in 2012, can now breathe easier.  Such students can continue on to the next Semester as opposed to having to repeat the year. They can give the exams again along with those of the new Semester.

Generally, one needs to pass at least 50% of the examinations he/she has appeared for, in order to move to the next year.

However, according to this announcement, students who failed or were not present during their first year examinations held in 2012-13, now move on to the second year. These students can appear for their Semester I and II examinations along with the examinations of Semester III and IV. The same holds true for students who failed or were not present for second year examinations held in 2012-13. These students can move on to their third year of undergraduate study.

This notice is a result of the implementation of the FYUP. Since, any first year who has to repeat an year cannot be a part of a different curriculum altogether as the junior batch is following the FYUP.

While this decision will save one year for several students, it will also be adding additional pressure on these students as they would now have to clear examinations of two entire years together.

Though we are yet to see whether the FYUP is good for the newly admitted batch or not, a transitory measure such as this is definitely a second chance for a huge number of 2nd and 3rd year students.

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Arts & Culture

Glee actor Cory Monteith found dead

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Canadian actor Cory Monteith, who played the role of Finn Hudson on the hit musical-comedy show Glee, was found dead in a hotel room in Vancouver on Saturday. The cause behind his death is still unclear, though chances of foul play have been ruled out.

The 31 year old star had been battling with substance abuse problems ever since he was a teenager and had voluntarily undergone rehabilitation treatment in April this year.

Though he had appeared briefly on shows like Supernatural and Smallville, he shot to fame as one of the lead characters on Glee. The show, which just finished its fourth season, was one of Fox’s greatest hits in recent times, despite declining show ratings. He played a goofy underdog who, despite being a quarter back, considered singing and performing to be his calling. The character had an off and on romance with Rachel Berry, who was in the same show choir as him. In real life, the actress portraying Rachel, Lea Michele and Cory were in a relationship.

Following the news of his death, his colleagues, co stars and fans worldwide expressed their grief through tweets, Facebook statuses, videos and posts. Fans will always remember him for his funny interviews, his singing and acting talent, his fondness for playing the drums and his awkward but cute dance moves. Some of his most popular performances on the show include the covers of Don’t Stop Believing, It’s my Life/Confessions, Just the Way You Are, Paradise by the Dashboard Light and I’ll Stand by You.

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Admissions 2013

Tips for BMS Interviews

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Now that FMS has released the list of candidates selected for the Personal Interview round for BMS admissions, it’s time to prepare for the next stage! Though interviews may seem daunting, they are actually quite easy to ace if tackled properly. We bring you some important points to keep in mind while preparing for the same.

  • Though every interview is different depending on the candidate, you can expect to be asked some of the following questions:
    *Introduce yourself/Tell us something about yourself.
    *What are your hobbies and interests?
    *Why do you want to study BMS?
    *What do you plan to do after completing your graduation?
    *If you had to pick one college out of the 6 for BMS, which one would you take up?
    *What are your weaknesses and strengths?
    *What have been your main achievements in school?You could try and prepare a few of these answers beforehand. Do some research on the course i.e. the syllabus, DC II options, applied courses, etc.
  • It always helps to sit and make a list of your interests and achievements. Even if you think you haven’t achieved too much in your school life, it’s highly probable that there must have been some activities you took part in. So just sit down and collect your thoughts. Once you’re done with that, think about how you want to highlight each point.
  • Focus on achievements over responsibilities. For example, rather than simply saying that you were the President of the Debate Club in your school, talk about how you helped train the team or which competitions your team won.
  • Definitely talk about any competitions you might have won, NGO work or internships you might have been involved in and your academic achievements.
  • Remember that in a lot of ways you direct the path of the interview based on your answer. This will help you prepare for the same. For example, if you plan to mention reading as a hobby, you should expect the next question to be about the latest book you’ve read or your favourite book. Similarly, if you’re asked what your favourite subject in school was, the next few questions to follow will be on the same.
  • Try not to bluff your way through the questions. Interviewers can usually see right through people who lie and exaggerate. Be honest as far as possible.
  • Pay attention to your body language and posture. Sit up straight, relax and don’t be fidgety or distracted.
  • Remember to dress smartly. It’s best to stick to formals. For guys, this means an ironed pair of trousers and crisp shirt. If you’re a girl, you could wear a skirt or pair of pants with a shirt. Do wear formal shoes and make sure your hair looks neat. Don’t forget to smile!
  • Do not be impolite or rude to the interviewers. Be respectful and courteous. This includes wishing them when you walk into the room.
  • If possible, try arranging a mock interview. Even if you’re not enrolled into any coaching centre, you could ask a friend or senior to help you out.
  • Lastly, relax and be yourself. It’s perfectly natural to be a little nervous. Maintain a calm and composed stance no matter what the question may be. Remember that confidence is key!

You can check the PI schedule for 2013 here.

Image Credit: freedigitalphotos.net

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Admissions 2013

Bachelor of Management Studies: Course Analysis

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While BMS aspirants wait for the result of the entrance, we take a look at what you can expect out of the four year undergraduate programme in Management Studies.

BMS or Bachelor of Management Studies replaced three courses i.e. Bachelor of Business Studies, Bachelor of Business Economics and Bachelor of Financial and Investment Analysis. Under the FYUP, the course is now overlooked by the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, a reputed institute for management education. However, studying BMS for a year will make you realize that the Faculty of Management Studies has nothing to do with it apart from its sole contribution being the redesigning of the syllabus and the scrapping of the interview that was followed earlier in the admission process.

BMS, like the three courses it replaced, is a course that is meant for students who wish to go beyond theoretical education. Since the admission is based on the Board marks, the entrance exam, it gives students an opportunity to study at reputed colleges in DU, even if their Board marks are on the lower side.

Here’s a look at some aspects of this relatively new course:

Syllabus
The syllabus for BMS is very similar to that of BBS, with certain elements from the syllabi of BBE and BFIA like Basic Econometrics and Financial Modeling and Derivatives added to it.

Some topics, which were earlier simply a part of subjects in the 3 courses, are now full fledged papers under the new syllabus like Database Management System and Consumer Behaviour. BMS students will have to study a language under the new syllabus as an Applied Course.

Students can choose from the following subject areas for their DC II papers: Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Management of Services, Management of Global Business and Tourism Management.

On one hand, this is a plus because the students have more choices now, as the old courses had less number of options for specialization. Moreover, students can choose a DC II paper from their second year. This gives the students an added advantage of studying a specialization subject for three years which was previously taught for only a year (final year).

However, though initially these six courses were meant exclusively for the students pursuing BMS, Delhi University revoked its decision and made it available for the students pursuing any course subject to the guidelines mentioned here. Therefore, the exclusivity that students pursuing BBS/BBE/BFIA had of specializing in a subject has been taken away from the course.

A bonus year
An extra year for BMS students, brings with it various opportunities. The 3 courses it has replaced have always laid emphasis on extra curricular activities. Students can intern for another summer and try their hand at working in different industries, start ups, NGOs and so on. Apart from that, it is another year full of B Plan competitions, Mock Stocks, B Quizzes etc. Those who wish to take up this course are usually inclined towards gaining practical exposure. With a bonus year, students can apply themselves in a much better way and hone such skills. Additionally, a student graduating after 4 years will be awarded an Honours degree, though 2 of the earlier courses were not Honours courses.

The exit options
The exit options might prove to be a boon for those students who aspire to be entrepreneurs. They can finish their graduation in 2 or 3 years and use the knowledge acquired to set up a business. This route is not for the faint hearted, of course. This option may also prove useful for students who plan to join their family’s business post graduation.

College Choices
Though BBS, BBE and BFIA were taught in 3, 10 and 1 college(s) respectively, BMS will be taught in only 6 colleges, namely:

Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (or CBS)
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College (DDUC)
Keshav Mahavidyala (KMV)
Bhimrao Ambedkar College (BRAC)
Maharaja Agrasen College (MAC)
College of Vocational Studies (CVS)

This move came as a surprise since reputed colleges like SGTB Khalsa, Gargi and SGGS College of Commerce were not given a green signal by the University to start this course. In all, 840 seats have been allotted to this course.

Based on the counseling sessions of last year, CBS was the first choice for most students. KMV and DDUC followed next, and were more or less equally popular. CVS too, saw many takers especially since they have 300 seats for this course. MAC and BRAC were the next options taken up by students.

Overall, the changes made were mostly positive, with fairly decent to good placements depending on the college, a myriad of extra curricular activities and a balance of theory and practical exposure.

 Tushar Diwan and Priyanka Banerjee

(For analysis of other courses click here)

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