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The Physical Transformation that Comes with College

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Some people use their appearance to reflect their true selves, while others use it as a blank canvas to expresses their art.

School protocol requires for every student to wear the same uniform all day, every day. The length of skirts, elasticity of sock bands, shiny-ness of black shoes, etc. is all specified, and meticulously laid down under “Uniform Guidelines,” in our diaries. While the intention behind the creation of a uniform is noble, it hampers creative expression. Almost all Indian schools have uniforms, in a bid to erase socio-economic inequalities, and promote a sense of unified identity amongst its students.

College acts as the hot knife of freedom, cutting through the (sometimes) suffocating butter of unoriginality that schools forces upon us for all these years. It acts as the saviour of whatever little imaginative abilities most of us have left. Hair usually ends up being the first victim of expression. The possibilities are limitless, bold, blunt, bob, or balayage. Cut, colour, and style, marks the exit of a school child, and the entry of a strong free, independent individual, whose hair exuberates confidence and fierceness.

The way of dressing too undergoes a drastic transformation. Most follow their own good sense and dress as they will, while others may buy into the University of Delhi culture of kurtas and jhola. The khadi way of life, is an indicator of successful integration into one’s own culture, as well as an ode to Gandhiji. After years of buying into the colonisers capitalism, returning to one’s own roots, is never a bad idea.

Clothes and hair manage to scratch the surface, but the real transformation is best observed in body language. Our way of speaking, posture, hand and facial gestures go through a radical change, over the three years. You may find yourself subconsciously aping your professors’ mannerisms, which usually is a result of your admiration for that person. The way you carry yourself in public and private spaces becomes more distinct, as a result of maturity and exposure.

The first-year identity crisis finds its resolution in the third-year of college. You may find yourself not caring about physical appearance at all, or perhaps, the complete opposite. The art of not caring about what others say is mastered, and you find a version of yourself which is completely authentic. No matter the clothes and hair, by the end of your college journey, you reach a stage in life where beauty lies in diversity and acceptance, and the art of giving and receiving love.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Meher Gill
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Delhi School of Journalism

How Most Indian Colleges Fail to Provide a Comprehensive Prospectus

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The recent Delhi School of Journalism protests have successfully managed to shine a spotlight on the inadequacies of the college’s administration. The protest centred around the main issue of the lack of proper infrastructural facilities provided by the college. This ongoing unrest has sparked a conversation about the insufficiencies and/or misleading tendencies of most of the prospectuses provided by Indian colleges. 

Vibrant in colour, with crisp edges, and fanciful words printed on glossy paper, the average Indian college brochure is a folding of ambiguous, and sometimes misleading information. The main aim of a prospectus is to provide information to prospective students regarding; courses, campus life, faculty, and co-curricular activities etc. making it an extremely important first step for students joining the college. The University of Delhi provides an online prospectus to students on its website, and hard copy of the same on a payment basis, during the student admission process. As the number of private institutions and universities are increasing in number, their attractive brochures and world-class infrastructure are heavily promoted, making it hard to keep a tab on how real this promotion is, and whether it can actually live up to all its attractive promises. With the recent protests undertaken by the students of the Delhi School of Journalism, it is imperative to understand why there is such a parity between what the college prospectuses showcase and what is actually provided. 

“I remember during the time of selecting colleges, we were very particular on getting a firsthand opinion from an already going student there instead of completely relying on the prospectus and counsellors because we wanted to be sure ten-fold before stepping into the right college.” Says Nikki Chaudhary, a second-year student of English honours in Maitreyi College.

A major complaint which Indian institutions in the education sector face is, the improper utilization of resources, that is, regarding equipment provided in terms of labs, or basic facilities in the classrooms. There may be faulty projectors or air-conditioners which hardly work. “Our fans also work super slow, and it gets very tough to manage especially in the warmer seasons”, adds Nikki Chaudhary. While ventilation is a major problem in a majority of Indian schools and colleges, there have been multiple reports on behalf of the students wherein the ACs are just a show-piece in the classrooms, as they hardly work.

“Before getting into DU for psychology, my other options were MU and Christ University. I feel that the prospectus was in itself very high and beaming, but the condition of the labs was a dismay. It is just sad to see how misleading the brochures can get.” Says Gargi Singh, a first-year student of Psychology Honors in Kamala Nehru College.

While the condition of our western counterparts may be slightly similar, Tim Pippert, a sociologist at Augsburg College in Minnesota reveals, “Diversity is something that is being marketed… They’re trying to sell a campus climate, they’re trying to sell a future. Campuses are trying to say, “If you come here, you’ll have a good time, and you’ll fit in”. This being said, a lot of the college prospectuses in foreign universities mainly focus on areas such as campus life and try to project unrealistically positive scenarios.  

Campus tours/ Open days usually start before, or during, the admission process and help students determine whether the college is what they are looking for. Then again, the way admissions take place in western universities is quite different from how they are conducted here. Moreover, with the rising number of scams in the education sector, the ingenuity of educational institutions is constantly tested. 

The University Grants Commission website is a good place to start while researching on any educational institute. It lists every educational institution and from time to time releases reports regarding admission processes etc. As of now, a list of twenty-two self-styled unrecognized universities {a few still under investigation) has been released, so that students, as well as parents, can be better informed against misinformation and malpractices. 

 

Feature Image Credits: The Wall Street Journal 

 

Avnika Chhikara

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Campus Central

Are Universities Culpable of Glorifying the Indian Civil Services as the Only Viable Career?

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With the fetishisation of a civil services career reaching absurd heights, in the absence of promising alternatives, are universities truly implementing reforms that students and policy-makers desperately grovel for?

Fretful students are aplenty across Delhi University, bearing a weary visage as they toil hours in damp and packed rooms for the sake of a distant endeavour: to make it through the arduous civil services examination. The liberal arts and pure sciences curricula of universities across India are inexorably intertwined with the forced aspirations to get the coveted tag of a civil servant. In a country where the options of securing a bright future are bleak, a career in the Indian Civil Services (hereafter ICS) makes everyone, be it a lower-middle-class family or diplomatic circle, race after the achievement of accomplishing “civils”.

The university students are the first ones who are affected, often times forced, to pursue this ultimate Indian dream.  Coaching institutes and even universities capitalise on this dream and make money off the naïve students and their hopeful guardians. Notwithstanding these developments, university officials vehemently deny the extent to which the civil service examinations have rendered students deadened and captive to its false charisma.  A casual stroll across the North Campus of Delhi University would make one gape in horror at the sight of massive hoardings and billboards depicting eerily grinning applicants of institutes that prepare university students for the UPSC exams.

While officials can’t be held responsible for private entities selling this dream, but they can be questioned about the use of public-funded educational institutes for holding conferences and seminars pertaining to ICS examinations. The coaching institutes thrive on the patronage extended to them by colleges in exchange of money.  Students from the liberal arts as well as the science streams are adequately represented in such seminars, which suggest that prospects are indeed very bleak and dismal in their respective fields. While the university brass is quick to dub this as something undertaken by students on their own volition, all of them evade questions when confronted over the outdated curricula that involuntarily coaxes students towards a monolith career choice. A statistics graduate is poised to find his/her skills unrequited owing to the glut of labour, a parameter simply beyond his control, on account of which the only tenable path for him/her to embark upon would be the quest to be an ICS officer. Pestering parents and snooping relatives aren’t the only impediments one has to deal with during this arduous and turgid expedition, for battling depression and stress can be an ever-present burden.

Graduates are rendered jobless in a market where their skills and labour don’t amount to much, which spurs a vicious cycle to kick in, churning millions of students in its mix, most of whom perished while the few make it through. Mounting pressures to maintain an edge amidst the sea of chaos nudges students to accept exploitative internships and adopting an unhealthy lifestyle. This reeks of an endemic that is plaguing DU as well as other premier universities across India.

To what extent should the government intervene to decimate the misleading charm of the ICS within student citadels without risking itself being dubbed as indulging in activities inimical to the interests of the students? This pits policy-makers in a risky position in which none of the options seem viable to undertake without accruing flak. Glibly denouncing the infatuation of university students towards the ICS would rightly invite censure when one isn’t heeding the existence of several other issues marring the Indian educational system. Prone to venerating stability over all such factors, the Indian populace unflinchingly seeks the upward social mobility associated with the civil services. The low acceptance rates of civil service examinations ensure that the thriving and multi-million dollar ICS preparatory industry preys on the paranoia and insecurities of the students. This insecurity comes out of surging unemployment rates that serve as a scathing indictment of the government’s bombastic claims.

Professors tout the civil services as a viable career to pursue, which it of course is; however, what is highly absurd is the extent to which professors concoct ethereal notions around an ICS career and fellate upon its perks beyond proportions. While colleges will downplay any attempts hinting at connivance between them and the coaching industry, one thing’s certain: this mammoth industry shall flourish with impunity till strong measures are undertaken to arrest the tide of students falling prey to the IAS dream. Till then, visuals of scrawny students frantically rustling their pens on parchments monotonously shall continue to be immortalised.

Image Credits: DNA India

Adeel Shams

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Arts & Culture

Sadhguru at SRCC- an Ode to Nebulous Direction

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Yogi Sadhguru paid a visit to SRCC recently, as a part of his campaign titles ‘Youth and Truth’. An analysis of the advice given by innumerable motivational speakers in The University of Delhi reaped interesting outcomes.

Sadhguru, a renowned yogi, mystic, and founder of the NGO Isha Foundation, was at Shri Ram College of Commerce on 4th September 2018. The biker and English-speaking guru was accompanied by his entourage, following a suspension of lectures and extensive police barricading, extending from SRCC till Patel Chest Institute (bit much for a yogi, perhaps?). Contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t there to preach, and true to the essence of his campaign, ‘Youth and Truth’, his session included but wasn’t limited to, genuine advice about goal setting, relationships, confidence building and parenting. Once the initial aura of celebrity had subdued, and snapchat stories had been uploaded, people started to really listen. This was probably succeeded by the realization that the speaker hardly partook in original preachings, instead, like most motivational speakers, he simply validated already existing feelings and knowledge. This is a common occurrence, and it is this validation and connection that students seek from motivational talks/speakers, in the University of Delhi.

Celebrities, leaders, motivational speakers, members of the elite academia, and those who made it big by pure chance; the students of Delhi University have stood firsthand witness to it all, via panels, seminars, conferences, conclaves and other events similar in nature.

Students flock to these events in large numbers, seeking motivation, inspiration, enlightenment, or to simply catch a glimpse of a famous entity. However, when reconsidered, it seems as if all of these speakers, regardless of their field of expertise, are making the same point. You seldom come across anything radically enlightening, rather receive recycled gyaan.  If you’ve heard the terms ‘hardwork’, ‘leadership’, ‘innovative thinking’, ‘bringing something new to the table’ and ‘being humble’ one too many times; congratulations! you have unwittingly become a victim of nebulous direction.

Everything makes sense and nothing makes sense. Vague and nebular advice is the new preaching. Nothing anybody says adds any intrinsic value to the lives of students, their leaders themselves often presenting recycled ideas while simultaneously urging students to be ‘innovative’. One reason for the same is that there is no set path to success, and students are often too delusional to realize that. Students are burdened with the desire and/or pressure to overachieve, and often this desire arises not from within, but as a result of environmentally generated competition.

Leaders and speakers are an important part of college culture, but often, making examples of the small fraction of people who ‘made it’ advertises a lifestyle that is probably already out of stock. There is no market equilibrium; the demand and supply are poles apart, and in the end, students are suffering.

Nikita Bhatia

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Events

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Shares His Inspiration for Rang De Basanti at The SRCC Youth Conference

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As SRCC’s Youth Conference 2018 progressed, the stage was graced by many more brilliant speakers from varied backgrounds, with equally varied thoughts, views, and opinions, to share.

The second day at the Youth Conference 2018 at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) started with an enthusiastic first session. Manoj Kohli, the Executive Chairman of Softbank Energy, a global company with the aim of spreading and enlarging renewable energy, addressed the gathering. An alumnus of SRCC, Mr. Kohli talked about his college days at SRCC almost 40 years ago (he graduated in 1979). After his graduation, he also talked about his work in the telecom industry including his stint as the Managing Director and CEO (International) at Bharti Airtel.

Mr. Kohli spoke about the ways in which he believes success can be attained by students. Using what he called the “Four-C’s formula of Character, Courage, Creativity, and Circus (striking a balance), he gave a lengthy exposition based on his experiences. “However, success and happiness has to go together,” Mr. Kohli said, underlining the importance of family values, personal relationships, and ethics in the professional life. He left with a standing ovation from the audience who were visibly enthralled by his speech.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, added to the list of famous personalities to share their experiences at the conference. He talked of his days at SRCC. “I am a storyteller. The drive to tell my stories is what keeps me going. I have come a long way and there is a long way to go,” he said when asked about his days and dreams. On being asked about Rang De Basanti, he said, ”All the seven characters are original inspirations. It was a life we lived at University of Delhi.”

The next speaker for the day was Arjun Vajpai. This 25-year-old mountaineer from Noida talked about his experiences climbing six eight thousand meter mountains of the world. On being asked what kept him going, he said, “If you are not living on the edge, you’re taking too much space. It’s that simple.” Arjun  Vajpai is the youngest to climb 6 peaks above 8,000 m.

Following next was Anu Aga, social worker, billionaire and Chairperson of Teach for India. In her address, she recounted her experiences and journey from a Fulbright scholar to the chairperson of Thermax.

Next up was Political scientist, and a University of Delhi faculty, Bidyut Chakrabarty. He talked about the inspiration of Indian Constitution and its derivation from sources like Vedas and the Enlightenment philosophy.

In an anti-climatic wrap, the band of Awaaz which was supposed to be the last act of the day could not perform as the conveners abruptly shut down the programme. The organizers cited security issues for the abrupt cancellation.

 

Image credits: Adithya Khanna for DU Beat.

Sara Sohail

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Nikhil Kumar

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Campus Central

Facing the Biggest Reality Check on Joining College

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Here is a much need reality check on how college life needs more effort, gives more competition and how we need to shed our high school persona to face all this.

NBC once used to air a sitcom called Community. Let me tell you a little something about one of its lead characters, Troy Barnes. Troy who was a high school jock but at Greendale College, hardly anyone raises a brow seeing him. It’s initially disappointing but eventually Troy finds his weird bunch of friends and enjoys his life of leading the “not so popular” student life in college.

High school is a pretty interesting phase for the students. Apart from normal humble introverts and extroverts, the highlights of every school are its star students, the trophy kissing champions, the high-ranking class toppers, the big mouthed debaters, artists, writers, quizzers and so on.

However, if the competition gets less and it hardly puts sweat on one’s brow, then one might succumb to pride and arrogance. It is quite natural. That’s what makes us human after all. Luckily after high school, if you get enrolled in an educational institution like the University of Delhi, it becomes an enlightening destination for a much-needed reality check. Be it Ramjas College or Delhi College of Arts and Commerce , Gargi College or Shri Ram College of Commerce, the colleges of the University of Delhi recruit fine students from all over the country, students who have shown mastery in academics, sports or co-curricular activities. But it takes time for freshers to understand that this mastery helped them gain entry in heir desired college but this would not help them survive in the next three  years of their undergraduate course. For that, we will need to be persistent with our areas of expertise.

Many ex-head boys and head girls, school toppers, the ones that might have worn the ‘Mr’ and ‘Miss Popular’ sash in their farewell, would feel disillusioned because the world of college needs starting over. Nobody would care that much about your past achievements either because they themselves might have had better feathers on their cap or simply because they don’t care. You see, there are hardly any heroes in the college, hardly any people around whom the whole world revolves. Every student makes up the world called the University of Delhi. It is like this film set and we are all members of the supporting cast.

The school debating champion might make a face on hearing better intellectual arguments made by members of various Debating Societies. The conventional poet from secondary school might now explore more spoken word genres and different writing methods in the college literary circuit. School quizzes used to be to the point, with straight direct answers. However, in college the quizzes are more like puzzle solving questions with large paras of questions containing cryptic clues that need to be figured out to give the correct answer. Such changes apply in all fields of college life.

Therefore, it is up to us whether to continue fussing that we have lost our high school glory or whether to pick up the pieces and work on building a new glory all over again. Accepting change is a part and parcel of growing up and that is exactly what we do in a competitive artistic world like the University of Delhi. The quicker we face this reality, the better it gets. In the end, Andy Samberg’s lines from the 2016 film Popstar would best sum it up – “Sometimes, you’re up. Sometimes, you’re down. But the trick is not to lose yourself along the way.”

Feature Image Credits- FanPOP

Shaurya Singh Thapa 

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Campus Central

An Ode to the College Canteen : A Multicoloured Umbrella

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Hailing it as the ultimate institution of equality and diversity, our correspondents pay their ode to the college canteen.

The University of Delhi (DU) is a world of its own. It is a world inhabited by different people with different interests, from different backgrounds. At the onset, DU might not be the most inviting place and the differences that it accommodates may be starkly visible. The most evident point to this is how different groups mark different territories of the college. However, one safe haven which unites everyone at a DU college is the canteen. Apart from satisfying appetites and being the gossip point, the college canteen is surely an epitome of accepting diversity. There is diversity in the menu and the people, and nobody feels left out. Thepseudo- intellectual girl who might have a hardcore accent and an education from a posh school would be busy getting her fingers messy devouring a buttery aloo parantha and at the same time, the small-town boy from a Hindi- medium background who is trying to master the colonial tongue will also be helping himself to a plate of white sauce pasta with a plastic fork. Out here in the canteen, people are mostly busy enjoying the little things in their  college life making it a sort of equality- promoting, no-judging zone.

Anyone and everyone can step in this ‘Demilitarised Zone’, this neutral territory, to order food, socialise or get chutta for a 500 rupee note. The geeks, the freaks, the politically active students, the students who choose None of the Above (NOTA) in elections, the jeans wearers, the kurta wearers, the jeans and kurta wearers, all welcomed by the canteen doors. Some might say the library is a similar institution but with a look at the smiling faces, the colours, and the energy in the canteen and one will realise that the canteen is truly unique. Although students might hardly realise this uniqueness as it has become a part of our everyday lives. Some of the canteens have outdoor tables with umbrellas, while some sport hues of the rainbow. In today’s world, a college canteen can be symbolised by a multicoloured umbrella. Maybe, that is what the college canteen is, a multicoloured umbrella providing space for all students, all states, and all shades of opinion. DU Beat spoke to Brijlal Sir, the manager of the Ramjas College canteen about his experience of managing and running a canteen. He was asked, “How long have you been running the canteen at Ramjas college? How has the general experience been?” He answered, “I have been working here for eight years. In these eight years, I’ve pretty much seen everything, the most important and significant thing I have witnessed though is change. I have seen and served all kinds of people here. Students from dramatics, dance, music societies, studious kids, and even ladki ghumane wale, all come here. I see them as budding vibrant colours, and every year new colours are added into the mix.

Once, a boy came to me and said, ‘Sir bus agar yahan hone ki attendance lagti na toh classes se bhi zyada hoti meri’ (If only I would get attendance for coming to the canteen, I would have more attendance than I do in classes right now!). This made me very happy. One more interesting thing to note here is, the difference between the professor and the student diminishes, they all are alike. Yeh alag alag pehlu mujhe maano jaise kadhai main dale alag alag masalon jaise lagte hain, alag but ek jut, ek jagah.” It’s true, DU canteens become a safe haven for all without bias, a home for friendships, fights, protests, campaigns, love, sadness, and everything else. It has become a staple rule upon entering DU to visit canteens, especially those in the Faculty of Management Studies, or Hindu College, or Delhi School of Economics. It is so because these places have transcended the stature of just canteens but have become a place of memories.

Feature Image Credits: The Outlook

Shaurya Singh Thapa
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Haris Khan
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Campus Central

Famous SRCC Chai Stall Burns Down

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It’s almost synonymous with DU, chai. However, chai-wallas here are not limited to being mere service providers; they’re ingrained into students’ lives.

On 19th August, the iconic Tea Stall inside the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), endearingly referred to as ‘Irfan’s’ by students, accidentally burnt down. There was an approximate loss of assets worth INR 1,00,000, excluding the initial shock factor, and the low spirits that prevail around that area now.
The students and faculty members of the college sprung to action, with a collection drive (which is ongoing) led by faculty member Mr. Santosh Kumar. The sweet little shop is undergoing restoration, and is expected to start functioning again soon. The overwhelming response on behalf of the students, faculty and non-faculty members of the college stands proof of the value and importance of this dear tea-stall. DU Beat contacted Mr. Santosh Kumar but he was unavailable for a comment.

Page 2- after damages
Ananya Jain, a second year student at SRCC expressed her concerns to a DU Beat correspondent, and said, “We can’t deny the fact that Irfan uncle’s Bhajiya Patti was a savior on one too many days. I can’t wait for his shop to become functional again.”
Another student from SRCC, Parikshit Batra, a first year hosteler, said, “My daily Anda-Bread-Chai fix will be missed, but this is not about my breakfast. I was touched by the organisation of a collection drive to help Irfan Uncle; it’s like a little family here that takes care of one another.”
This spirit prevails all over the University of Delhi and extends from Chai wallahs to Co-op book store owners providing crucial assignments and reading at subsidised rates and even letting students borrow books during desperate times. They hold immense importance in students’ lives, adding to the quality and comfort of campus life. Sadly, they often go unnoticed and under-appreciated, their presence is taken for granted, and the same way sound and lighting teams in Dramatics Societies often are. The drab nature of the past week at SRCC has proved how Irfan’s was an irreplaceable part of the college campus. Campus chai-wallahs have forever been a part of any DU student’s life, and their stalls are the very birthplace of the phenomenon called chai pe charcha. Their chai making is almost akin to artistry; tea, milk, and ginger at their best.
These places resemble the eye of the tornado in any college; offering an INR 10 cuppa and peace of mind
amidst the surrounding chaos. Be it the election time or protests, or a regular day, these places are always thronged by students. They stand witness to conversations about subjects ranging from politics to societies and academics to love life. It never happens that a development from the University or the Arts Faculty doesn’t reach them. Barring their timeless charm, these places also have a devoted fan following, just try to criticise Sudama Tea Stall in front of a Hinduite, or talk down Ganga Dhaba in front of JNU Students. Go on, we dare you.

 

Feature Image Credits: Ramkrishnan, Click- The Photography Society, SRCC.

Nikita Bhatia

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(Corrigendum: This is to correct wrongful accreditation to DU Beat for the feature image used in this article, in the fifth print issue, published on 29th August 2018. The rightful credits of this image belong to Ramakrishnan, who is a member of the photography society of SRCC, Click.)

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Features

Haier Launches India’s First IoT Enabled Smart Laundry Service in IP College

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On 29th August, Haier launched India’s first ‘IoT Enabled Smart Laundry Service’ at Indraprastha College for Women with an aim to revolutionise the mundane washing experience.

Founded in 1924, Indraprastha College for Women (IP College) is the oldest women college established under the University of Delhi. A witness to numerous generations, IP College has stood evident to change. In one such drive for change, IP College became the site of India’s first ‘IoT Enabled Smart Laundry Service’ to transform our very way of living in this world of technology.

On 29th August 2018, Haier- the global leader in Home Appliances & Consumer Electronics and World’s Number one brand in Major Appliances for almost a decade, brought forth a unique technology to cater to all the registered students in the college campus.

As part of a generation where the Internet is the niche of every demand and supply chain, this breakthrough will increase the convenience multifold for all the students by providing them with an end-to-end digitally managed washing experience. This means that while working on an assignment or filtering pictures for Instagram, the user can reserve, schedule, monitor and pay for the services through the consumer-friendly “Haier Wash App”. The added benefit of the entire process is in its simplistic approach as the Haier Wash App makes sure that the users are aware of the steps in between, and it assists them throughout.

One need not keep a constant check of the washing machine, which becomes an essentially tedious process while sharing accommodation space in places like hostels. There is a sense of comfort in knowing that the whole process of washing can be individually managed and adjusted as each washing machine is in a secure connection to the cloud.

The utmost convenience is not only reserved for the users as they receive reminders to take their clothes out once the laundry is done, but the experience also allows proper maintenance of records of the users’ laundry usage. This record acts as a useful tool for authorities and the consumers to maintain transparency in monetary matters.

Contributing its efforts to the cause of ecology in the era of e-commerce, the advanced technology utilised in the commercial washing machines at the Haier Smart Laundry Service helps in avoiding cross-pollution. In a fast-paced lifestyle, the uniquely developed technique of double sterilization-ozone and high-temperature asserts the certainty of hygiene and sanitation without hassling the consumer.

Setting an example for the youth at Indraprastha College and the entire nation as well, Mr Eric Braganza, President, Haier Appliances India commented on the inauguration, “This is a moment of great pride for us to achieve the milestone of setting up India’s first IoT enabled smart laundry service. As we progress further on Haier’s vision to become a global leader in the era of the Internet of Things through its Eco-brand strategy, our focus to create smart solutions for the connected consumer is strengthening. This initiative is a step towards providing high tech, hassle-free laundry solution to today’s millennials who are fast adopters of this hyper-connected age.”

Image Credits: The Mobile Indian

Anushree Joshi

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DUB Speak

We Made DUSU Politics Dirty

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As EVM machine buttons in colleges are deciding the fate of the politics of our varsity, it is time to wonder why for a Varsity as politically aware as ours, we choose to stay aloof from our own elections.

The University of Delhi (DU) and the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are the epitome of what student politics in our country looks like. DUSU politics is an extension of national politics. Money and muscle power sway results, caste matters much more than we would like to believe, women are horribly underrepresented, freebies are secretly welcome, and just like national politics, the privileged do not bother turning up to vote. Like a 70s Bollywood film, DUSU politics has it all
– money, muscle power, a protagonist, and an army of self-righteous men, supporting their leader as if their life depends on it.

Elections in DU are a stepping stone to national politics. Becoming a DUSU office-bearer is the equivalent of winning a wild-card entry into the more significant horizon of state or national level politics. There is analogy, used in the varsity on and off, that there are 70 MLAs and 7 MPs in Delhi, but only one Delhi University Students’ Union President. The result of these elections result in a victory march of sorts, surrounded by supporters and the kind of mad frenzy that revolves in the air, highlights exactly how powerful this position is. As the winners climb on the Vivekananda statue in the Faculty of Arts, that moment signifies lakhs of rupees worth of campaigning, thousands of supporters, hundreds of cars that blocked the campus roads, and almost one year of unofficial lobbying.

When we try to understand why we don’t vote in DUSU elections, we need to understand why we don’t need to vote, in the first place. We don’t feel the need to stand in a two-hour long queue to press a button or understand which political party is offering subsidised canteen food v/s which is offering hostel facilities because we simply do not care and our day-to-day functioning is not affected by it. By virtue of how Delhi University functions-on the basis of high cut-offs- a fair share of its student body, especially in top ranking colleges hails from your stereotypical, private, CBSE/ISC school background where they had the luxury, guidance, and resources to chase a number as unrealistic as 98%. These students, who hail from privileged, upper-middle class families, need not bother about politics, just the way privileged individuals almost always do not care about politics because they’re above it, at least in principle. Schemes brought out for the majority aren’t applicable to them.

The power of one vote is cliché, to the point that the concept has stopped moving us. I will not urge you to exercise your democratic right by turning up to vote because every vote counts. I am sure you have heard that line before. But if you are one of the people who know by virtue of their birth, have their luxury to dissociate from politics, who are not plagued by the fear that the wrongly elected representatives could negatively impact your lives. If you are confident that with time, your life will continue as is, irrespective of how the results are, then I would tell you that you are extremely privileged.To have the luxury of not worrying about who would win, because you know you would be alright, is the primary symptom of being privileged.

The general student body of DU is woke. Students here volunteer,protest, resist, and take pride in fighting their battles. Therefore, the kind of hypocritical elitism they show towards DUSU politics is appalling. As we snub and stay complacent towards DU politics, another election season with its blatant caste-ism, sexism, and “might is right” attitude comes to a close. DUSU politics isn’t ugly because it has inherently been so, it is ugly because we refuse to engage in it. We have given bigger players in national politics the free reign to turn DUSU into their own little game of tennis, with the ball being in either sides of the court at all times. By refusing to engage with it, we have lost the right to claim to be above it. As you sit today, probably in a classroom or cafeteria of your college where you pursue a subsidised education, I would urge you to go ahead and vote. DUSU politics was never too ugly, we just neglected what was ours for too long.

Kinjal Pandey
[email protected]

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