– Anaita Sabikhi

Let’s talk numbers. Delhi University officially has 78 colleges, 4 recognized institutions and 84 postgraduate departments with approximately 320,000 students. Let’s assume that half of these students are in north campus, which brings us to a watered down figure of 1,60,000 students. The hub for eating, meeting or plain hanging out for this vast group is our very own Kamla Nagar Market. Being only a 10 to 15 minute walk away from most colleges you would expect it to have a distinctly collegiate atmosphere, teeming with small coffee shops and the one quintessential student thing – books. Walking on the crowded, narrow pavement, at first glance, you’ll get the wrong impression when you’re met with an array of shops selling books.

Is it absolutely ludicrous to ask for a book STORE and not a quick, ask-what-you-want and get it book depot?

Starting off with University Bookstore that is by far the most popular and is always full of people. It has all your textbooks, plus classics and other books considered ‘young’, like a Pink Floyd biography or maybe ‘Almost Single.’ It’ll have the popular books, for example Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. The point though is that it isn’t a store, it’s simply a place where books are stocked. No tantalizing displays, no space to stand and browse and absolutely no concept of simply having a look.

Datta bookstore has a buy and sells system, where you often get second hand books for as little as Rs. 10. But most of these books are sleazy crime novels or Bob the Builder variety kids books. The staff is efficient, asks you what you want and are usually quick in finding it, but again no browsing. Book Land is next, but their fiction section comprises one paltry shelf behind a glass cabinet. International Book House is run by two sardarji’s and is usually less crowded but well stocked. The last in this row is Charkha Oriental which sells Sanskrit and religious books. You might just find a sadhu sitting there going through devotional music books!

The infamous pirated bookstalls that litter the streets are next. If you’re looking for the books by Chetan Bhagat or the ubiquitous Khaled Hosseini you’ll find them here for a cool hundred bucks.

So here’s my pitch. Is it absolutely ludicrous to ask for a book STORE and not a quick, ask-what-you-want and get it book depot? It’s hard to believe that the reading population among students is so low that it is not worth the while of a bookstore owner to open shop. Not even a small underground one…Where you can sit and browse for as long as you like, and be allowed your cup of tea to sip…Where a stranger can recommend a book they liked and you read it and have it change your life…Where writers and readers alike can meet for the occasional book reading…

I wonder, if it has something to do with our very psyche? Have we been grilled since time immemorial by just tuition and textbooks? And we actually have no taste or idea about the others? Even if that is the case, having a bookstore will change things. In a reversal of roles, apart from bookworms flocking to it, it will encourage more people to read. A smart display will have people coming in. And in a high student density place like Kamla, word spreads like wild fire and there is no doubt, that if a book or a store gets popular there will be no looking back for it. So someone, hear our plea and bring us salvation – all we ask for is one proper bookstore.

By Anushree Deb and Nandini Swaminathan

Delhi University, recently ranked 254 for its research quality, graduate employability, international outlook and teaching quality, is one of the most desirable destinations for students in India. However along with all of this the fact remains that the standards vary from college to college. And each college has their individual pitfalls and brilliant redeeming qualities. DU Beat provides you with a closer look at these colleges in DU. The best and the worst:

Hindu College
Best: It attracts a good and is the only college to have a ‘Parliament’. It functions with a proper budget.
Worst: Inefficient politics and administration has often quoted to be the greatest fault in the college.

Ramjas College

Best: It offers one of the best language courses available and has an extremely well furnished ECA room that is much talked about. The infrastructure is good and is well maintained.
Worst: Recent controversies and allegation surrounding the college have caused people to form incorrect and often biased opinions.

Hansraj College

Best: It’s known for sports and has been winning the vice-chancellors trophy for four consecutive years. It is the only college to have an indoor archery range.
Worst: Not having a girls hostel makes it very inconvenient for many students.

Kirori Mal College

Best: With newly renovated labs situation there is a lot better with newly renovated labs the situation is much better. Known for its brilliant ECA, the college has earned many laurels.
Worst: The leaking auditorium roof and other infrastructural deficiencies have long troubled the college

Miranda House

Best: The beauty of the college and its structure is quite dazzling. It also has on of the best arts faculties in Delhi University.

Worst: Students often complaint off the bad state of the college gymnasium.

SRCC
Best: It provides a congenial and focused atmosphere as the majority of the students are pursuing similar interests.
Worst: Students often complain about the ‘geek problem’ and how their peers seem to be very one tracked and dull.

Jesus and Mary College

Best: JMC is one of the few colleges that has a well-equipped, fully functional gym.

Worst: The location. The area around JMC is rather unsafe for women, especially towards the evening.

Gargi College

Best: Gargi’s societies, says a student, add to the fun atmosphere.

Worst: Placements are not conducted in an organized way – there is a placement cell, but students complain that it is barely functional. Hence students complain that they miss out on many opportunities that their peers from other colleges have.

Sri Venkateswara College

Best: The college atmosphere gives students a free, fun, and laid-back feeling, while at the same time it is ideal for academics. Also hygiene has improved greatly, with new loos being constructed in the college.

Worst: Students often complaint of the lack of an auditorium and a hostel which makes life hard for quite a few.

LSR

Best: The best thing about LSR is the café – prices notwithstanding, it offers a delectable variety of food for everyone from the junkie to the calorie – conscious.

Worst: There is a lot of institutionalisation, in the sense that there isn’t much scope for freedom of expression and criticism against attributes of the system students might not agree with. In addition, there is an unnecessarily excessive tendency for self-celebration, which makes students overlook a lot that is not right in the college and the system.,

Dyal Singh

Best: Dyal Singh has an excellent, state-of-the-art seminar room, where most events are conducted.
Worst: Many of the classrooms, especially the Science block classrooms are in a deplorable condition, with lights and fans not functioning, among other things.