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Samra Iqbal

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The following piece seeks to present yet another easily dismissive view (read rant) of a Muslim in India. All names, people and incidents mentioned are NOT fictitious. Resemblance to any past event of dictatorship and fascism is NOT AT ALL coincidental. Any attempt to debase the piece as “anti-national” comes from a shrouded majoritarian privilege.

Few days back while I was flipping through the memories laden pages of my eleventh standard Political Science NCERT textbook revelling on the old nostalgia, I chanced upon Faiz Ahmed Faiz lines in one of the cartoons.

Hum to thahre ajnabi kitni mulakato ke baad

Khoon ke dhabbe dhulenge kitni barsaaton ke baad

(We remain strangers even after so many meetings

Blood stains remain even after so many rains.)

Indeed, the ongoing insurgency of our once dear democracy in the hands of the incumbent government gave new meanings to these lines. It is a known fact that the constant othering of the Muslims and other minorities has been normalised and conveniently subsumed in the state apparatus in the recent years. This manufacturing of hatred by the ruling party is certainly not a new phenomenon, but the extent to which it is practiced is certainly something that cannot be easily dismissed. The dehumanisation and humiliation experienced by certain sections of the people, especially religious minorities, cannot be easily language-d.

An imam stabbed and shot to death in a mosque that was burnt to the ground. A young doctor, walking home, set upon by an armed mob who thrashed and molested her. A teacher asked a kid to slap his classmate. An MP ridiculing another MP “terrorist” and hurling dehumanising slurs in the Indian Parliament. The incidents which took place in India over the last few months (and are increasingly a common sight), are seemingly unconnected, yet the victims were united by a common factor: they are all Muslims.

“In the early days of my college, in a class of 80+ students, my friend who was sitting beside me and I were made to stand up, our identities assumed because we were wearing hijab and asked by one of our senior professor, in a very condescending tone, if we ever faced discrimination in India,”

-a second year student of Delhi University.

A socially identifiable Muslim that fits in the perfect imagination of a stereotypical archetype is often seen at odds with the usual surroundings–worthy of suspicion, stares and second looks. In times of blatant and unapologetic Hindutva outfit of the government, practicing religion in public has become an increasingly dangerous exercise. A burkha donned lady is more carefully and suspiciously frisked at the metro station so does a cap wearing long bearded Muslim is exoticised and immediately seen as out of the place. Last month, when the violence against Muslims broke down in several parts of the country, I remember my father telling me that he has removed the hanging from his car’s rear-view mirror that had the verses of Qur’an written on it, as a step towards “precaution”. Muslim families are increasingly moving towards, what they consider, “religious neutral” names like Alia, Amir, Ayesha etc. to avoid being outrightly identified as Muslims. People avoid putting nameplates on their front doors for the fear of becoming targets of Hindutva outfits in the next communal violence. In such a political environment of Right-wing extremism, the public practice of religion for the minorities is becoming difficult day by day.

Another second year student who wishes to remain anonymous expressed her grief,

“I see way too many people than I’d like, defending violence against Muslims by turning the table and just blaming the Muslims for committing the violence themselves. Most of the times it’s my acquaintances or even friends; it makes me wonder how they actually perceive me.”

Being an ordinary Muslim in India involves waking up to at least one Islamophobic news and then for the rest of the day dissimulating your own identity for the fear of being identified. After a point our identities are just subsumed in the mere everydayness of these stories of discrimination and violence. The identity of a Muslim is battered against the social realities of the present systemic state oppression and is mutilated every single day–the vilified hypersexual outlook of Muslims that feed into the insecurity of the hyper-masculine Hindutva narrative of the nationalist discourse. The ritualistic nature of endless and unresponsive humiliation has led to conscious effort to not socially “appear as Muslims”; running away from our own identities. Will an ‘Indian Muslim’ continue to be an oxymoron? How long will our words of endearment—ammi, abbu, bhaijan, aapa will be misappropriated to give perverse connotations? How long our citizenship questioned, our identities thwarted, our cultures denigrated and our existence diminished? Maybe in the end of the day, what remains is the tiredness and a helpless resignation when we are questioned and made to question ourselves—who are we?

Read Also: Islamophobia in Delhi University’s Student Community: A myth or Reality?

Image credit: The Indian Express 

Samra Iqbal

[email protected]

This report is a synopsis of the 11th Annual Business Symposia organised by the Department of Commerce at the Delhi School of Economics .

Adding on an another successful feather to their cap, the Department of Commerce at Delhi School of Economics organised its 11th Annual Business Symposia ” RETHINK ’23” accentuating on “India’s G20 Presidency : Navigating Global Business Challenges ” on 16th September, 2023 at the Conference Centre, New Delhi. The event commenced at 10 am IST with the inaugural speech by Mr. Ajay Kr Singh (Head & Dean of the Department of Commerce, Faculty of Commerce and Business), followed by professor Niti Bhasin’s debrief of the theme. The keynote speaker Mr. SP Sharma elucidated further on the impact of India’s G20 presidency. The Chief Guest for the event Mrs. Urvashi Prasad provided high level insights on the G20 forum. The audience intently followed through with the speeches that kick started the Symposia 

The first panel discussion centered around the impact of India’s G20 presidency on Business environment with the panelists Mr. Arpan Gupta (additional Director of FICCI), Colonel Anurag Awasthi (Vice President IESA), Mr. Aman Kumar (Vice President of Accenture), Mr. Amit Walia (Vice President at CITI) and Mr. Amiye Agarwal (Senior Director Public Services at TCS). The panel presented worthwhile insights on the direct and indirect impact of India’s G20 presidency, stressing over the forthcoming  ‘Amritkal’ and the pertinent importance of executing and implementing the takeaways from G20 that favours the vision of “India @100”. The panelists were presented with well researched and provocative questions. The scope of India’s interaction with global business and governance, increasing roles of semiconductors, tipping the scale of technology transfer in the favour of sustainability were among the few questions that led to breakthrough brainstorming which was invigorating for the panel as well as the delegates. The audience sat gripped by the eloquence and anecdotal knowledge shared by the panelists. The major takeaways from the discussion centered around “pragmatic activism” as witnessed in the paradigm shift of the global economy through balancing geopolitical tensions, intersecting collective and national interests of G20, mobilising resources and partnerships and focusing on global biofuel alliances. 

Colonel Anurag Awasthi’s “stop thinking like nations and start thinking like empires; well done is better than well said” earned him a well deserved round of applause . The students seemed vivified by the discussion, Saurav Kumar a student of International Business at Delhi school of economics deemed the lecture to be enlightening in terms of India’s growth plan for becoming a sustainable representative of the ‘Global South’.  

The second panel of speakers included–Mr. Nanda Kumar Das, Vice President at Genpact; Mr. Samir Kapoor, Chief Marketing Officer at Justdial; Mr. Tarun Goel, Senior Director at Tiger Analytics; Mr. Aditya Tandon, Vice President at Network18 and Mr. Mukesh Ghuraiya, Chief Marketing Officer at Modi Naturals. The panel was based on the theme of ‘Positioning India towards inclusive Growth and Digital Literacy’. Towards the beginning of the discussion, Mr. Das joked about ‘bringing the better panel after lunch.’

The panelists discussed topics ranging from the evolution of innovation, research and development as well as building an entrepreneurial mindset. The way new up-and-coming technologies like Gen AI are going to disrupt and innovate the market space was also extensively discussed. They also talked about maximising growth by bringing more women into the workforce. 

While discussing the role that both private and public sectors can play in inclusive growth and digital literacy, Mr. Goel said, “There is a huge opportunity underlying India. Given our infrastructure and education, the private sector can play a huge role.”

Enjoy yourself…what you do remember is all the time you spend with each other and the time you spend with your family, so really enjoy yourself.

— Mr. Tandon while talking to the students about his university days

 

I think the idea of ‘Amritkal’ for any entity, whether it is an organisation– whatever the entity, symbolism is very important because that is how we channelise energy and motivate people to come together for a cause. So, I think symbolism from a communication standpoint is also very important. And I think ‘Amritkal’ was beautiful–why? Because I also look at the timing. For our country, there are many positive signs.

— Mr. Tandon, when asked about the conversations about the incoming ‘Amritkal’ around the G20 Summit and what that entails for the youth

The event ended with the students and the panelists gathering for evening tea, providing them ample opportunity to reflect and deliberate about the insightful discussions they’d witnessed.  

 

Read Also: Protesters Demand Suspension of DRC Principal Dr. Savita Roy

 

Priya Shandilya 

[email protected] 

Vanshika Ahuja

[email protected]

The Supreme Court of India recently released a handbook that deals with countering harmful language used in court that fosters stereotypes against women.

The language spoken and accepted in court may not directly influence the outcome of a plea, but it serves as a significant indicator of the values upheld and endorsed by a country. Taking a step towards countering inappropriate and harmful language used against women and gender minorities, the Supreme Court recently issued a 30-page handbook detailing alternative and preferred phrases to be used in legal matters. 

(…) the language a judge uses reflects not only their interpretation of the law but their perception of society as well.” -Chief Justice Chandrachud

The handbook tries to eliminate some disdainful language that promotes stereotypes. Some of the identified phrases include ‘career woman’, ‘obedient wife’ and ‘chaste woman’. Another stereotype that the handbook aims to do away with is the idea that women are inherently overly emotional and thus incapacitated to make decisions. It also acknowledges that assumptions made about women’s characters depending on their sexual history and clothing preferences tamper with the judicial assessment of sexual violence cases as they diminish the importance of consent in sexual relationships.

The handbook also wishes to implement the use of more dignified language towards the LGBTQIA+ community. Moving forward, ‘sex assigned at birth’ is stated to be the preferred phrase in place of ‘biological sex’.  

When announcing the publication of this handbook in court, CJI D.Y. Chandrachud said that he hoped this would mark a milestone in the journey towards a more equitable society.

Implementation of measures like this one, especially by a nation’s highest authorities, is crucial for driving a fundamental transformation in how women and gender minorities are perceived within a country. Such initiatives not only signal a commitment to gender equality but also play a major role in determining societal norms in the long run. 

By challenging these long-existing biases, the Supreme Court of India has contributed to a broader cultural shift that recognizes and respects the dignity and rights of women. Hopefully, there is potential in this handbook to inspire change not only within the legal system but also in society as a whole. 

Read also: Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes – SC 

Featured image credits: Boom Live

Arshiya Pathania

[email protected] 

 

This report deals with the Muzzafarnagar episode of communal hate mongering, the underlying concerns that it raises for our society in general and the reaction of Student bodies like AISA and SFI that followed suit.

On  24th August ,  a media clip took the political climate of the country by storm as it brought  into picture the visceral steeping of hate mongering in an educational setup in Muzzafarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. 

The video that stirred the controversy featured two adults — one who still remains to be identified and the other being Tripti Tyagi along with a 7 year old Muslim boy who has been at the receiving end of physical and verbal abuse amongst his classmates, his identity remains undisclosed due to privacy  concerns. The video showed her instigating physical harm to a Muslim student by ordaining fellow students to slap him. To further accentuate the issue the teacher has also been recorded openly inciting a derogatory religious commentary .  

The incident was reported from Neha Public School , in Khubbapur District under Mansurpur Police Station jurisdiction , it was uploaded on social media by the cousin of the 7 year old Muslim boy who has been at the receiving end of the violation .

The video spurred immediate reaction pouring in from the spectrum of political enthusiasts . Calls were made for immediate action to be taken against Tripti Tyagi for inciting violence and discrimination against Muslims in the context of increasing religious intolerance in the country . The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) issued its statement and called out the ‘sangh priwar’ for this national disgrace, urging the Supreme Court to take immediate action against this and called for a week long nationwide campaign from 28th August to 5th September against the hate politics . All India Students’ Association (AISA) urged people to raise their voices for justice and humanity through the protest they organized on 26th August at 6 pm from Gupta Chowk to Arts Faculty for the immediate arrest of Tripti Tyagi . AISA DU Vice President Aditya addressed the gathering by saying  “Tripta Tyagi is a symptom of the hatred that BJP has spread across the country. They have created a community of criminals and they take pride in it . We the students of the country will fight this battle against communalism head on and bear the torch for secularism.”

Various political parties have laid out their strong worded statements for the same with heated arguments pouring on the social media site X .  While the essence of the incident might have felt a little muddled in the political blame game of the ruling and the opposition class , open solicitations were made regarding the discrimination the 7 year old student had faced and the need for suo moto action . In his statement , Circle Officer Ravishankar has assured that the police was actively following up on the incident and actions regarding the same would be issued soon on 25th August , 2023.

Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Shubham Shukla also assured that the person and the institution would both be brought under question following the incident . The Bal Kalyan Samiti initiated counseling for the associated children and parents. While a number of political representatives assembled in Muzzafarpur to give their statements and support poured out from pan India, Tripti Tyagi took to social media via a video message where she is seen asking for forgiveness with folded hands.  She asserts that the boy refused to do his homework and her being physically unfit she asked a fellow student to slap him as his parents had themselves requested to be strict with the child. The child’s father upon being interviewed has ascertained that there has been no religious angle but just harassment of his child by physically violating him . 

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson, Priyank Kangnoo said instructions have been issued to take action on this matter. While there is an ongoing investigatio , a second investigation has also been launched after the victim’s family agreed to file complaint following initial hesitation .

The way the issue blew up connotates the various underlying notions of how religious paranoia seeps into a society that boasts of its diversity.  The very fact that learning institutions  meant to foster harmony could instead promote hate mongering in young vulnerable minds is both disturbing and concerning, but to have a populace that suffers from it simply based on their religious identity is nothing but pitiful for any nation. 

Another evident problem that this issue brought into picture is the spread of misinformation and the way it is milked by interested parties in their favour. The viral social media clip had people giving out death threats and hate comments in X threads even before all the facets of the issue were made public . While political parties jostled over the blame game , the voice of the actual victim seemed somewhat subdued .

 

Read also: https://dubeat.com/2020/02/25/du-gathers-to-protest-against-communal-violence-in-north-east-delhi/

https://dubeat.com/2020/01/08/protest-at-jesus-and-mary-college-condemning-violence-against-students/

Image credits :  AISA 

 

Priya Shandilya

[email protected] 

To mark the closing of the University of Delhi’s centenary celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation of three new buildings. The event was broadcast live throughout all DU campuses via screens installed in staff rooms, auditoriums, and other locations, with some colleges issuing guidelines related to attendance and also imposing dress code restrictions.

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the closing ceremony of DU’s centenary celebration as the Chief Guest and virtually laid the foundation of three new buildings: Delhi University’s Computer Centre, Faculty of Technology, and Academic Block. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also attended the event as the Chief Guest. The event, which took place from 11 AM to 1 PM, was broadcast live in almost all DU colleges via screens installed in staff rooms, libraries, auditoriums, etc. Several DU colleges released guidelines for their students, including guidelines regarding compulsory attendance, dress code, extra attendance to attendees, etc.

Participation in the event was declared mandatory in a notification issued at BR Ambedkar College, whilst a notification released at Zakir Hussain College said that the signatures of all the attendees will be sent to the university, adding that it’s being done at DU’s behest. Meanwhile, Professors at Hindu College sent students a WhatsApp message promising 5 extra days of attendance as a benefit for their participation in the event.  Additionally, the message aims at encouraging students not to wear black clothes.

Several faculty members and students criticized these guidelines on social media. In an article by The Print, Abhigyan, a student of DU, said “Promising grades and attendance have become a regular event in DU. Similar promises related to extra marks in elective subjects for students who participate in yoga day were made.”

The Zakir Hussain College notification, asking all faculty members to turn up by 9 AM reads, “As per the directions of the University of Delhi all staff members other than the newly appointed teachers who are physically present at the multipurpose hall, University of Delhi, are mandatorily required to remain present in the college library to view the valedictory function of the centenary celebrations.”

Concerning the message, The Print contacted Hindu College Principal Anju Srivastav. She said “The administration’s message had been misunderstood, and there was no restriction on the color of clothes. It is not possible to give students extra attendance. However, we would like to see all students and staff turn up for the screening. We only wanted to send the message across that it is a regular working day and students have to come to college.”

Various student Unions criticized the release of these guidelines. SFI released a statement expressing strong criticism about certain notices released by several colleges about the valedictory ceremony.  The message read “It is absolutely condemnable for any college to be releasing such dictatorial directives. If making the presence of all students mandatory for the live screening of the event was not exasperating enough, the admin has also asked students to not wear any black dress! It is preposterous that the college and university administration will go to any lengths to curb all sorts of dissent in our educational spaces. In addition to it, baiting students with five attendances in such a manner speaks volumes about the ‘serious’ approach adopted by institutions like Delhi University towards imparting sound, meaningful education to its students.

 

Read Also: DU Offers Scholarships, Laptops for New B. Tech Courses

Featured Image Credits: Devansh Arya for DU Beat

 

Dhruv Bhati

[email protected]

While the idea of fluidity in gender might seem new to people, it is not a modern phenomenon. Examples of bending identities from history and myth can pave the way for deeper perspectives on this long-established concept.

When I was first introduced to the concept of gender fluidity, the notion felt familiar instead of strange. As a devoted explorer of mythology and folklore, I had long been reading about Gods and mortals who transcended the confines of the gender binary. On the contrary, a well-received opinion today is that fluidity is a contemporary phenomenon. A 21st-century ‘invention’, even. Doesn’t this claim conveniently erase the rich history of fluid identities throughout cultures of the world?

For a brief overview, gender fluidity means flexibility in one’s gender identity or expression, or both. It’s about not feeling tied to a single gender label, allowing it to shift and change with time. It plays a significant role in understanding diverse gender identities. For centuries, if not millennia, traditions across the world have recognized and honoured gender nonconformity. As we celebrate Pride this month, it’s imperative to show appreciation and learn from them the vast ways gender can be perceived.

A recurring theme in Hindu mythology that I grew up fascinated with, is that of Gods and Goddesses often blurring the lines between masculine and feminine. The ‘Puranas’ recite various tales of this including one where Shiv merges with Shakti to become Ardhanarishwara, (Sanskrit: Lord who is half-woman) who is seen in many Southeast Asian sculptures. Another story is that of Shikhandi, who was born into a female body but always knew was a man and later entered the battlefield of Kurukshetra as one. It was also ordinary for Gods to turn into Goddesses to enchant ‘Asuras’! In Norse mythology, Loki is a famous gender-bending entity. In Greek myth, the prophet Teiresias spent seven years as a woman, and in Mesopotamian lore, the Goddess of fertility and love is depicted with both masculine and feminine elements.

Ardhanarishwara sculpture in Mumbai, Source: Elephanta Caves Web,

While such beliefs provide significant insight into the perception of gender thousands of years ago and still remain a part of cultures worldwide, people may find it hard to see some sense of reality in it as it is lore, after all. This is why it’s essential to also discuss credible historical accounts of gender fluidity that go a little less far back into history.

Flourishing cultures have not only accepted but also revered the dynamic nature of gender. One of the more prominent instances is that of the Native Americans. In their societies, the existence of feminine men, masculine women, and transgendered people was ubiquitous. They were called “two-spirit” people and were considered strikingly knowledgeable. There were no rules regarding expression of identity and cross-dressing was routine. With the advent of the Europeans, this flexibility was no longer tolerated. The Mahus of Hawaii and Tahiti, who never put restrictions on gender identity, met with a similar fate after colonization. Certain ethnic groups in Madagascar would raise their boys with long hair and multiple piercings if they tended to show feminine traits and this practice is still prevalent. These are only scattered examples from a myriad of customs from all over the world.

While in some historical contexts, queerness might have had a negative connotation, it’s refreshing to realize that more often than not it was nothing out of the ordinary. Its acceptance sure did gradually plummet after the Euro-Western dominance, but its existence could simply never be questioned.

We’wha, a famous two-spirit, Source: Human Rights Campaign Web

For a modern interpretation, legends and lore about the fluidity of gender can be viewed through a lens of acceptance and inclusivity. These stories serve as a powerful reminder that gender has always existed along a diverse spectrum, and they should encourage us to pursue social structures that protect the dignity of all individuals, irrespective of expression or identity.

There will always be diversity in the human experience, let’s honour it. Today, as the modern world wrestles with the idea of accepting anything that is beyond the binary, remind yourself of this perpetual truth- Gender fluidity is as old as time itself.

 

Read also: How Ancient Mythologies Defy the Gender Binary

                   Gender Fluidity Around the World   

Featured Image Source: Medium

 

Arshiya Pathania

[email protected]

The suggestion to drop these papers and replace them with new ones comes after the curriculum review being taken by the committee based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

 

The Economic Faculty members of Delhi University from several colleges opposed a suggestion put forth by the Academic Council who met to drop three elective papers, namely, ‘Economy, State and Society’, ‘Production Relations and Globalisation’, and ‘Economics of Discrimination.’ They have sent an appeal to the vice chancellor, Dr. Yogesh Singh to withdraw this decision.

Du Beat later recalled that the Committee has probably recommended the merger of the first two courses into one course and it has altogether recommended the deletion of the third course. These recommendations are to be taken up for consideration in the Standing Committee meeting on 14.06.2023.

Speaking about the ‘Economy, State and Society’ paper, Nandini Dutta, associate professor at Miranda House and member of the Department of Economics’ syllabus sub-committee, said-

“In the AC (meeting), we got to know they are objecting to this paper as they feel there is an overload of Marxist Political Economy. Secondly, they feel many papers are repetitive. This is not true. These are three different papers. In fact, Economics of Discrimination was brought in as there was a demand for Dalit understanding and of economics for the marginalised. All three papers were passed in the department council… we told the AC that… rejecting these papers can do greater harm to our students, post which we wrote to the V-C.”

The points that the faculty members took into consideration before the Committee decided to make a final decision were as follows:

 

  1. The Committee had two specific mandates viz. a) to avoid overlapping similarity between courses and b) to include economics of developed countries in the course content. Given this, “We categorically state here that there are no overlaps whatsoever between these three courses or with any other course in the proposed Economics curriculum. A cursory glance at the course structures and reading lists will clearly establish this. Therefore, the Committee’s decision to merge the courses or delete a course goes against the very mandate the committee was set up with.”

 

They further added,

“Our plea is that all the three courses should therefore not be changed at all because they have been prepared through several rounds of deliberation and have been approved by the Committee of courses, Faculty Committee and the Standing Committee of the AC. Further, they entirely fulfil the concerns of “non-overlapping” and “inclusion of the developed country perspectives”.

 

2. Economics of Discrimination is a newly designed paper covering crucial aspects of discrimination such as caste, race and gender. This is a very topical paper with an absolutely contemporary reading list. It is ironical when in the same AC meeting, the honourable Vice Chancellor has himself taken interest that a course on the economics of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar should be designed, a course on economics of discrimination, which includes the writings of Dr. Ambedkar along with contemporary academic writings, is being eliminated.

Shriprakash Singh, Director of South Campus and standing committee member, said,“This issue was discussed in the AC meeting. Following that, a committee comprising top economists of DU and the country was constituted, which suggested dropping these three papers and replacing them with one paper on Political Economy. We had accepted it and communicated this to the EC.”

Image Credits: The Indian Express

Read Also: DU to Conduct PhD Admissions via CUET from Academic Year 2023-24

 

Aanya Mehta

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

The Executive Council of the University of Delhi passed a resolution on 9th June, 2023 to conduct PhD admissions into the university via CUET from the upcoming academic year, 2023-24. Alongside this major decision, several other resolutions were adopted in the meeting, including those pertaining to the initiation of the five-year LLB programme.

This is the first time the university will be inducting students into its PhD programmes through a common test instead of conducting written tests and interviews.

“PhD admission will be done on the basis of CUET (PhD)-2023 based on the recommendation of the Standing Committee of the Academic Council, after deliberations on various matters related to admission and attendance of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and PhD programmes for the academic session 2023-24, the same were also accepted by the Executive Council (EC),” read the university statement. 

The University had started conducting undergraduate and postgraduate admission via CUET-UG and CUET-PG since last year. The PhD entrance test will be through the national-based CUET-PhD (2023), conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). However, teaching and non-teaching  candidates serving in the university can directly appear for interviews. The University also added that the teaching and non-teaching staff must be permitted to attend classes and take examinations without affecting the duties assigned during office hours. Such rules for PhD will be applicable from the academic session 2023-24.

Apart from this, several other resolutions were passed at the Executive Council meeting. The eligibility condition and seat matrix recommendations of the Medical Science Course Admissions Committee (MCAC) for admission to undergraduate MBBS/BDS courses for the admission session 2023-24 were also approved. It was also decided that MSc admission to the Respiratory Therapy programme will also be under CUET-PG 2023.

The resolution to set up the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies, passed in the 1014th Academic Council meeting of the university was also approved on Friday. The centre will focus on researching about unsung heroes and freedom movements that have not found a place in mainstream history textbooks along with the tragedies and horrors of the partition.

The Council has also given approval for the formation of Tribal Studies Centre that shall be a multi-disciplinary centre focusing on various tribes of India. Additionally, establishment of Hindu Studies Centre was also passed by the EC. A Master of Arts Programme in Hindu Studies will be started under this Centre. The Council also approved to run the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) from the academic session 2023-24 which will be a four-year long course.

DU’s Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Mahila College, Mata Sundari Mahavidyalaya and Jesus and Mary College have been granted approval for ITEP by National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) from the session 2023-24. The education department of DU and eight colleges running B El Ed course will
apply for ITEP course for the academic year 2024-2025.

With major changes occurring in the admission process as well as university programmes, the students can only hope for a smooth and unhampered experience.

Read Also: Delhi University to Introduce B.Tech Courses Starting August.

Featured Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Priyanka Mukherjee
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