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DUB Speak

Delhi: Connected

By DUBeat November 29, 2009

BACK THEN

So let’s accept it. Till a few years back, life was convenient.

There was a school bus that was paid for. There were some parents who went a step ahead to ensure their dainty darlings don’t miss the air conditioned travelling too much. There was the majority who stood in the balcony in their night suits, asking the driver to wait for two minutes after five minutes of the repetitive plea.

AND NOW

So let’s accept it. Life is tough. This crib started a year or two back and is going to remain.

There’s a budget.

There’s a need to be everywhere, there’s a need to fit everything in, there’s a need to convince yourself that you’ve grown up and there’s a need to check everything off that ‘to-do-list’.

All this without commuting?

We’re students and we’re commuting in the capital city of the country. The former brings us a fast life and the latter sprinkles us with distances we always assume will shrink. How we wish the former guaranteed us our own vehicles and the latter provided smooth travel. The reality lies in inevitable dependence on auto walas who can never assure you a safe travel. The reality lies in congested buses where marking a territory for the toes proves to be difficult. Completely ignoring the lack of space they provide, we’ll be kind and give them some space here.

AGONY AUTOS

As students of the varsity ,each one of us has a long drawn association with autos and have often complained of being overcharged. A list of some preposterous excuses students claim to have encountered, Pardon the use of a not-so-alien language for authenticity cannot be compromised.

“10 rupaiye zaada lagenge kyunki traffic hai.”
“Hum nahi jaenge kyunki sawaari nahi milegi.”
“Jab se gaon se waapas aaye hai,meter nahi chal raha.”
“Meter se fayeda nahi hai kyunki chillar nahi hai.”
“ Wahaan toh jam hai. Aap bhi mat jao.”

It won’t be soon before their importance fades away. Need I say, they’re crawling all over the city. All the whining and tomorrow morning you’ll still be seated on those jazzy auto seats staring at the meter and hoping for it to work.

BUMPY BUSES

They’re frequent, cheap and safe. If you’re uncomfortable, try re discovering the best playlist on your I Pod. The rugged journey will transform into an extraordinary drive. The DTC and Blue line buses dominate bus travel in Delhi. The past few years has seen buses connecting Delhi to the NCR as well. Also with CWG round the corner, the service has seen the addition of low floor ac buses which guarantees an inclination towards the commuter’s comfort, now, high on priority. For beginners at bus travel, confidence is the key word. Be sure of your route and travelling from Point A to Point B will never be a task, left incomplete.

MANIC METRO

It’s still fragmented, but when asked about the amount of relief the Delhi Metro has brought, to the commuters and the traffic alike, one only sees heads nod in agreement. It’s on the verge of connecting the entire city and the city to the NCR and it certainly is doing wonders. The concept is magnificent but admittedly the recent past has highlighted its defects as well. However, the convenience it provides to the students of Delhi University is a glorious achievement. Vishwavidyalaya Metro station of North Campus is a mere twenty minutes from CP which is suitably connected to almost all parts of the city. It has marked its existence in West, East and Central Delhi. Last week saw it’s gracious entry into Noida. For students commuting from there, the long wait for buses has now been replaced by a simplified card swipe. Saying that it’s widely used is an understatement. The stations are well-equipped, the service efficient and the overall system, user-friendly. The Metro has almost fallen victim to inflation and thus, like any other essential commodity, we got to pay more to use it!

CLASSY CARS

Let’s not be unkind to a those who’re lucky enough to steer their own vehicles. It’s not essential for everyone to experience the “tough life”, really. For those bestowed this rare privelegel. Realization must not have struck yet, but you can and must at least consider converting your vehicle to CNG. One ride from North Campus, all the way to South will cost you not more than twelve bucks. It fits your budget with ease, doesn’t it? Also, you’re doing your bit to benefit the environment. And if this isn’t motivation enough, catch the next show of 2012!

Two things. One, they’ve taken leaps to make our life easy. Two, it’s our birth right to crib. So amongst all the whining, waiting and hyper-ventilating; amongst all the irritation, frustration and dissatisfaction; let’s not take a moment and instead, do our “own thing” to say cheers to the mad travelling that Delhi has to offer with a constant hope that OUR DELHI, OUR CITY, STAYS CONNECTED.

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Uncategorized

Delhi University Admissions Time!

By DU Beat May 29, 2009

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Academic Session| PG’s & Hostels| Ask a Question| Last Years Questions

What is the common pre-admission form?

The common pre-admission forms are designed to make the admission process more convenient by allowing applicants to apply to multiple courses and colleges though a single form. This saves time, effort an energy otherwise spent in filling individual college forms, and not to mention, minimizes the time spent in the Delhi heat. However, some colleges such as St. Stephens and JMC do not accept it, nor is it applicable to those courses having entrance tests. Check this space for a complete list of colleges and courses that aren’t covered by this form. Other details such as previous year cut-offs, map of location of colleges, information on various courses offered in DU are given with the form

Where and when can I get the common pre-admissions form?

This form is available at 15 centers scattered in various parts of the city. A complete list is provided below. They will be available from 2nd to 16th June 2008. The last date for submission is 16th June, 2008. The forms can be submitted at any of the centers irrespective of where it was obtained.

North Delhi

1. Office of the Dean Students’ Welfare, Main Campus, 27667092 University of Delhi
2. Kirorimal College, Main Campus 27667861 University of Delhi
.3. Faculty of Arts, Main Campus 27667981 University of Delhi

South Delhi

4. Office of the Deputy Dean Students’ Welfare 24119832 South Delhi Campus, Benito Juarez Marg,
5. Deshbandhu College,Kalkaji, 26439565
6. A.R.S.D. College, Dhaula Kuan, 24113436
7. Gargi College, Siri Fort Road 26494544
8. P.G.D.A.V. College, Nehru Nagar, Ring Road, 29832092
9. College of Vocational studies, Sheikh Sarai 29258544

East Delhi

10. Shyam lal College, Shahdara 22324086
11. Vivekananda College, Vivek Vihar 22150100
12. Maharaja Agrasen College, Mayur Vihar, 22716039 Phase â€“ I

West Delhi

13. Rajdhani College, Raja Garden 25930752
14. Bharati College, C-4, Janak Puri 25547328

Central Delhi

15. Zakir Husain College, Ajmere Gate

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Can I fill two Common Pre-admission forms?

No, one common Pre-Admission form is sufficient as it can take your all college-course choices.

I don’t belong to Delhi. Can I send the Common Pre-admission form by post?

No, common Pre-Admission forms received by post are not accepted.

Is the Common Pre-admission form available online?

The Common Pre-admission form is not available online

What are the prospects of getting admission into Delhi University?

As per the Delhi University website-

‘The University offers more than 5000 seats in Professional Courses and around 35,000 seats in under-graduate courses. In the last 3 years, almost all students with Ist class marks were admitted to Colleges.

However, the list of cut-off-percentage for 2007-2008 indicates that some students could get admitted to a few courses such as B.A (Hons.) in Hindi, Sanskrit, Philosophy and History even though they had passed in second class marks.

Candidates are advised to keep the cut-off-percentage of the last Academic Year in mind while making a selection of College and Course. Cut-off-percentage of marks for last yearsâ€™ admission to various Courses in different Colleges is enclosed. These are only indicative and the cut-off-percentage marks for this year will be notified later.’?

Last years cut offs can be viewed at the official Delhi University website

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How can I voice any queries I may have to officials at Delhi University?

The University has organized several open days at various locations where DU hopefuls can meet university officials

to get their questions answered. The schedule for which is given below

May 24-25, 2008 S.G.T.B.Khalsa College, University Enclave, Delhi.

May 26, 2008 Deen Dayal Upadhaya College, Karampura, Delhi.

May 27, 2008 Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Pitampura, New Delhi

May 28 & 29, 2008 S.P.Jain Centre, South Delhi Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi.

May 30, 2008 Shyam Lal College, Shahdara, Delhi.

May 31, 2008 Vivekananda College, Vivek Vihar, Delhi

Delhi University has also launched a helpline and tele-counseling facility for DU students. The numbers are

27662507 and 27662508

How can I apply for correspondence courses?

Students who do not wish to seek admission to full time Courses in Colleges, or are unable to secure admission have the choice to enroll themselves in the Non-Formal Stream of Education. Information Bulletin and Application Forms for the Non-Formal Stream are available as given below:

I..School of Open Learning June 02 â€“ October 31, 2008

II. Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board June 2 to 20, 2008 (From Board Office)

Can a student pursue another degree course while pursuing a degree at DU?

No, a student can’t pursue another full time degree course while doing BA from the university. But a student can do an add-on course or a part time course.

When is the 1st cut-off list due to be out?

The first admission list will be announced by the Colleges on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 10.00 a.m. Three more cut-off lists are technically due to come out, but many courses in many colleges are filled by the first list.

What are the requirements for admission in DU?

Students must have passed their class XII from Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or any other examination recognized or equivalent to it and should be above 17 years of age as on first day of October of that year.

What all do I carry when I leave home?

Carry a bag pack that has the following items to be on the safer side-

Deodorant!
Carry Chilled water/Juice in a thermos (avoid-soft drinks)
All important documents (list provided below)
All stationary items like-stapler, fevi-stick, loads of passport size photographs, puncher, threads, pens, pencils etc)
Usually eatables are very important to carry. Buying food from the nearest food -vendor may not be a good idea when standing in long lines and oh! Yes, do not eat oily food and dirty the documents!

What important documents should I have on me?

1. Subject-wise mark-sheet of the last public examination (usually the class 12th mark sheet)
2. Pass Certificate -10th and 12th,
3. Character and migration certificates from the institution last attended
4. Certificate of date of birth (normally the secondary school certificate)
5. SC/ST or physical handicap certificate where applicable
6. Certificate of having passed the lower Hindi test (if exemption from compulsory test in Hindi is sought)
7. Medical fitness and participation certificates for admissions on the basis of sports and extra-curricular activities
8. Four copies of a recent passport-size photograph
9. Make sure you carry Xeroxed and attested copies along with your originals

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So what about entrances?

Entrances are limited with limited courses in DU. In 2007, only English, Journalism and other CBS programs involved entrances. Considering the latest controversies regarding entrance it is probably wise to check up with individual colleges. The only thing worse than not studying for an entrance exam, is to study for a non-existent one. However, if your target is the Journalism or CBS program, you need to pick up the entrance books and study!

Ok, so what about interviews then?

After entrances come the interviews. Students often assume that interviews are cake walks, however the truth is a shade more sinister. Half the hopeful lot gets eliminated in the interview process. You may just land up in the waiting list which is actually worse. The dreaded waiting list not only comes with the hint of disappointment but also the added horror of sailing in two boats. Acing the interview traditionally requires a lot of devotion to the newspaper and will essentially test your general knowledge. Communication skills and body language are also immensely important.

How do I find out about any registration detail(s)?

Applying is quite simple. Forms and any sort of registration details are always mentioned on the notice board. If incase the notice boards do not mention much of the details, the office is a great place to clear all queries. At times, people may look rude and mean, but one should understand their work pressure and be patient to wait for the turn. At times, due to lack of time, patience may not seem to be the virtue, but then, do remember to take the office numbers and call up during the morning hours and clear all doubts respectively.

What can be done to keep a tab of different college dates?

The Admission Month looks to be a big loop of confusion, but actually it isn’t. For an impatient individual this may be the worst phase in their lives, but for all who can manage the sweet talking, this is the ultimate resort.

However, the admission forms come with the set college dates (which usually differ from college to college). A check on these dates can be made through the net or through personal checks or through telephoning the office. The best option is to divide your group of friends into college zones. Where some are responsible for some college dates and the rest could keep a tab of other college dates. In that way, a symbiotic relationship can help reduce your traveling costs and your time.

Is the course more important or the college?

This important question is the kind of double edged sword that clichÃ©s are invented for in the first place. If the lure of the college starts becoming too strong people might get stuck in a good college doing a course that they don’t want to do. End result, the student is miserable. A similar fate awaits the student who does a good course from a college where the faculty for the course is terrible or required infrastructure is not there. One must find the right balance and make an informed decision before choosing their college and course.

Check out our list of colleges and expertâ€™s comments on courses to make this decision easier for you.

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How to go about ECA and Sports Quota Applications?<>

ECA and Sports Quota are meant for talented students who through their admission into the college will nurture their own skills and also further the name of the college. These require different forms from the usual admission forms. Different rules for different colleges are explained in our list of colleges.

What all certificates are required for taking admission through the sports quota?

One should have the certificates for his/her performance at the zonal, state, national, international level. The candidate must have also a won a position to secure admission under this category.

What are the rules for the extra-curricular quota? Do the same rules apply there also?

Yes, the same rules apply there also. But students should have a relevant certificate for the last four years in the field in which he/she has excelled like dance, drama, music, debates etc.

Can I opt for two ECA quotas at one time?

You have to check this with the different colleges or the colleges in which you want to apply.

What are the various quotas one can apply under?

Other than the ECA and Sports quotas discussed earlier there are certain other reservations categories

Children/widows/wives of men of armed forces killed or disabled in action
There is a 5% reservation for this category and extends to a 5% relaxation in marks. Centralized registration is done for arts and commerce courses in room 220, New Administrative Block and in Faculty of Science for the science courses

Foreign students
Up till 5% seats are reserved for foreign students. Applications are dealt with the Deputy Dean (Foreign Students) and can be contacted by e-mail: [email protected] or Phone (-91-11)27666756

Physically challenged candidates
3% reservation is available to candidates having minimum 40% disability. Such candidates should register themselves with the Dean, Students Welfare, Main Campus, where they can get application form for free and avail counseling facilities. The application form should be accompanied by a certificate of disability indicating the extent of disability, bear a photograph of the candidate and be counter signed by a doctor of the medical board issuing the certificate. The candidate also must appear before the medical board, WUS health center

SC, ST and OBC candidates
The University has decided to increase the total number of seats by 18% this year. Seats of other reserved categories

will accordingly be increased and filled up in accordance with the directions of the Ministry of HRD to accommodate

9% (approx.) OBC (non-creamy layer) in this session i.e. 2008-2009.

As in SC/ST reservation where relaxation of 5% in the minimum marks is given; in the OBC category, relaxation of up

to 10% will be given. However, unlike SC/ST admissions where further relaxation is given if seats are left vacant,

there will be no such policy for the OBC seats.

For the courses where admission takes place through entrance tests, there won’t be any relaxation in the

eligibility criteria. However, OBC students will get the 10% relaxation after the test cutoff is determined.

Women
Other than having certain colleges exclusively for girls, some colleges allow upto 5% relaxation in marks for girls

How will inclusion of OBC quota affect the selection process?

With an increase in the number of reserved seats for the OBCs, the University of Delhi has decided to increase the overall number of seats in each course by approximately 36 percent. Thereby this raises the number of seats from 42,000 to 49,000. It is believed that because of this hike in the overall number of seats, the increased reservation for the OBCs will not affect the cut-offs as otherwise speculated. This is some relief for the students from the general category.

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I have obtained compartment in one subject in 10+2 exam held in 2008. Can I take admission in DU.

Yes, you can take provisional admission (provided your marks percentage is in cut-off list of any college), subject to passing the compartment examination within stipulated time.If you have been placed in compartment in more than one subject then you are not eligible for admission.

I have a gap year. How does it affect my chances?

The rules of the University of Delhi do NOT stipulate refusal to a candidate because of a gap year. Gap year students are considered at par with other current year students with regard to their cut-off percentages unless any particular college has stated any particular rule in their prospectus.

I had Business Mathematics in 10+2. Is it considered at par with Mathematics?

Business Mathematics is recognized to be equivalent to Mathematics for B.A. (Hons) Economics and B.Com. (Hons) courses only and not for B.A(Hons) /B.Sc(Hons) Mathematics.

Can Vocational subjects be taken into account while computing best of four?

Yes,(but certainly with some riders in some colleges). Please refer to the information bulletin for a list of vocational courses applicable for B.A. and B.A. (Vocational Studies) streams and individual college prospectus.

Can more than one Language be included in best of four?

For computing the Best four Subject (1 Language and 3 electives) combinations, the language can be any of the core languages including Sanskrit. If, besides the core language, a candidate as an elective has taken another language, it can be counted as one of the three best subjects.

I had Bio-technology subject in 10+2. Can it be included in the best three in place of Mathematics?

Bio-technology is NOT a substitute for Mathematics for B.Sc. Physical Sciences, Applied Physical Sciences, Honours courses in Physics, Electronics, Chemistry, and Instrumentation. For Life Science courses Bio-technology is considered as an alternate to Biology. Bio-technology can also be included among the best three electives for Arts and Commerce courses.

What is the academic session for Delhi University?

First term: 16th July to 30th September
Second term: 16th October to 23rd December
Third term: 8th Jan to 24th March

About handling PGs and hostel?

For any out station student the first thing of prime importance becomes PG or hostel accommodation. However, it indeed is a very important part but itâ€™s more important to finalize the college and course. Otherwise, a lot of money is wasted on traveling and transportation in spite of having a nearer accommodation to the college.

Therefore, it is very essential to note that Delhi does not lack PG accommodations, just that you need to get it quick as soon as you decide your college and course. As far as the hostels are concerned, there are a very few colleges in Delhi that support such facilities. A quick check on hostel facilities can be seen in our individual college reviews. A comprehensive list of PGs in prime locations of Delhi will be provided in the newspaper version of DU Beat.

Are there any other questions that you would want to ask us? Please type them out in our comments section and we will include them in our list of questions ASAP.

Or see the questions prospective students asked last year by clicking here.

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Arts & Culture

The FOMO of Not Living on Campus

By Sakshi Arora September 17, 2019

Early morning classes can kill you on the inside, and the weariness from attending five back-to-back lectures is enough for you to consider dropping out. But, the real heartbreak happens when your friends, who live on campus, make plans to go out at 8 p.m., and you can’t join in because travelling back home takes you two hours alone. In this moment, you truly feel the FOMO of not staying on campus.

Fresh out of the cages of you school life, college becomes synonymous to freedom and fun- to hours of hanging out with friends, to shop, and to go out to drink or eat. You feel unstoppable, the life at Delhi University is famously known for its leisure and easy accessibility to a number of trendy and hip hang-out spots.

And then you receive a churlish reality-check when you realise that travelling to college from places away from campus buries your dreams to the ground. By the time your friends make a plan to go out to eat at someplace you’ve all been dying to go to, you’re halfway across the city at Rajiv Chowk, suffocating with everybody else on the Blue-Line, making to your way to back to Noida, or getting off at IFFCO Chowk after hours of weary travel in a cramped metro with busted air conditioning. Even if plans are made when you’re in attendance, you are unable to join them because that going out with everybody at 6 p.m. means getting done by 8, which inevitable means reaching home by 9. Assuming you don’t have a curfew, you still say no because boarding the metro during office hours is a person’s worst nightmare.

It is then that you realise that you’ll forever be the “responsible friend” when everyone is drinking, not because you do it out of the goodness of your heart, but because you have to. You know you have no other option- there’s no way you can travel in the metro while you’re wasted, and there’s no way your mother won’t call you once the clock strikes 7, if you decide to stay back and recuperate. It is always missing out on society meets, and then feeling like a slacker when you can’t attend impromptu training sessions because boarding the metro after 4 means hell. You will have to miss out on seminars and unpremeditated extra classes by professors who keep last minute extra classes, and don’t take into consideration that not everybody lives 20 minutes away from college. It is coming to terms that you’ll always, always be tired no matter how much you sleep and that you will need an entire Sunday to catch up on your week’s sleep.

You understand after the first week that your happening school-schedule of falling asleep at 2 a.m. will be going down the drain because you will start falling asleep at 10 p.m.- even before your parents-to wake up at 6 a.m. and feel like an old person. And lastly, it’s the feeling of wanting to abandon your ancestral roots of being non-violent and floor a person the moment they say, “just shift to campus na, yaar!”

Feature Image Credit: Ivy Marketing

Shreya Juyal

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DUB Speak

My First Semester in DU as a Fresher

By DU Beat November 23, 2017

Today while I was laying on my bed half conscious, I realised that I have been riding the bus of ‘Delhi University’ for six months now. Delhi University or perhaps the ‘Dream’ University for many students, was one of the best things that ever happened to me. It all started from the trial rooms of the Extra Curricular Activities quota. The first two months went by in running from one college to the other for my trials; it was probably the most challenging phase of my academic career. After going through the rigorous ECA trails, I made it to the University of Delhi through the Photography and English Debate ECA trials.

And once DU’s journey began, I knew it was not going to be a cakewalk. In all these months, DU showed me it’s various feathers. In all these months, DU showed me it’s various feathers. I dined with a different culture each day, bunked classes, and witnessed the clashes between the Red and Saffron. I also mastered the art of arrangement by assembling notes for the internals, hunting for a pen during the class, and counterfeiting attendance (proxy).

It dawned on me on the last day of the semester that I left behind my school life around nine months ago. In these six months of college, I have made friends that I will cherish for a very long time. I have been acquainted with their habits on which we sometimes laugh, and the rest never judge. My seniors are always there to guide me about any and every situation whilst giving advice about assignments and tests. They are more mature than I am and give self-improvement advice like nobody else. I look forward to having another six months of bonding with them and loving them for a lifetime.

Delhi University as a whole has proved to be a boundless ocean of opportunities if only you have the eye to look out for them. There are opportunities that take you out of your comfort zone and responsibilities that teach you more skills. You’ll expand the horizons of your mind and your personality will become more versatile. I look forward to having the best three years of college life at Delhi University filled with memories, laughter, and deadlines.

Feature Image Credits: IAS Paper

Prachi Mehra

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Naimisha

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Features

DU Freshers Guide 101

By Arindam Goswami August 3, 2015

Gone are the days of school uniforms, strict school teachers and the thousand restrictions that come with school life. Our fucchas now finally have a chance to begin a new phase of their life. Surely, many have taken admission in one of the best universities in India for Undergraduate courses – Delhi University.

“DU main admission ho gaya? Ab toh bas enjoy karna hai!” your friend would say. Well, friend, it might be too early to say that. Thanks to numerous articles on College life, stories narrated by seniors and family members, and even Bollywood movies most of us definitely have a lot of expectations from college life.

So here’s our Fresher 101 guide for what you need to know about Life at Delhi University Colleges. It may break your expectations, some might be wrong, but in the end you’ll be somewhat prepared to tackle the new things thrown at you.

Freedom from Restrictions – You were literally counting the days when your board exams get over so you can finally begin your life as a mature responsible college going adult. Exploring places to hang out with new college friends was sure to become a part of your daily routine; or so you thought.

Reality: You’ll realize your call log on phone is filled with missed calls from your parents initially, and getting into Delhi University won’t stop your parents from constantly questioning your whereabouts. Before the hang outs and friends, you’re just trying to find your way to the next class in the huge campus trying not to get lost and figuring out the names of people in your class.

School friends and College friends – You still remember the last few days of your school when you constantly kept telling your school best friends to stay in touch wherever they are, but always having a fear at the back of your mind that you’ll lose touch with all of them once college begins. As you start meeting new people in college and even being a part of a small group in class, you feel these are going to be your closest friends for the next few years and beyond; only to realize something else.
Reality: Exactly a year later you might have a completely different set of college friends than the ones you’re with right now. Yes, you might not be in touch with each and every school friend, but the ones who matter the most are going to stay for sure. After all, those school friends have seen you go through the funny middle school phase as well as all those new looks you tried throughout your school years.
The College seniors – As you enter the college gates, you constantly keep praying that you don’t get ragged by a senior. You wouldn’t walk separately from the few people you know in college and all you hope is to find some helpful seniors in your department.
Reality: You most probably won’t have to worry about anything happening at all. You’ll realize that the very college seniors whom you were a little tensed about are your pillars of support throughout your first year in college. They help you untangle the college life, and in the end, you’ll feel happy to be approached by them rather than the other way round.
Attendance – “Bas ek lecture? Let’s go somewhere else instead,” said that one senior who made you realize that yes, missing lectures in a day is possible and no teacher is going to run after you for attendance. In layman terms, you need not be present throughout the day in college. Also, there is no fixed time to come every single day; at days you’re free by 12pm, and at times your classes can happen till 4pm. Everything seems to be fine…till you hear the criteria for minimum attendance to give exams.

Reality: You might not be eligible to give an exam if you don’t have 66.6% attendance. Most colleges across Delhi University are truly strict about it and would make you sign an undertaking if you aren’t regular to college. You might as well be careful here and not limit your already short time in college.
In the end, these 3 years will make you a far more mature person than you are. You’ll meet some great people with whom you’ll have some of the best memories of your life to cherish. Make the most of each and every day at Delhi University.

Shaina Ahluwalia

[email protected]

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Campus Central

NEXUS’25: In Sri Venkateshwara’s Fest, Jashn-e-Dilli Took Centre-Stage

By DU Beat March 8, 2025

University of Delhi’s Sri Venkateswara College witnessed a massive footfall following the culmination of its Annual Fest, NEXUS, in March.

Sri Venkateswara College, under the aegis of the University of Delhi, celebrated its Annual Fest, NEXUS, on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of March this year. Upon entering the college gates, one witnesses what appears to be the college’s way of presenting an ode to Delhi—a Jashn-E-Dilli, if you will. Every corner has been decorated with banners naming popular sites of everyday pilgrimage, from the Faqir Chand and Sons bookstore to Sarojini Nagar.

An inauguration ceremony preceded the performance of the Dramatics Society of the college as they took to the front lawns on Day 1 from 9.30 A.M. onwards to celebrate Madari’25, an annual street play event, abuzz with the energy of the performers. Crescendo, the Western Music Society of Sri Venkateswara College, presented the Battle of Bands from 1 to 5 P.M. as a tribute to Delhi, the heart of the country’s music revolution. In the midst of it all, Alaap, the Indian Music Society of the college, presented Raageshwari, a polyphony of melodies, at the Indian Classical Choir Competition. While Nrityangana, the Indian Dance Society, took to the dance floor in solo and group dance competitions.

As you enter the building, leaving behind the cacophony of singing voices and the chants of the dramatists, you are met with Mehfil-e-Tamasha, an improv battle taking place in Room 57. If there is one thing that has stood out by now, it was the dedication with which all artists performed, the veneration they heaped onto artistry, eventuating in a showdown for the history books.

Kurukshetra, the crew-based dance competition, preceded the performance of the night by The Frequency Project, who gave music a Sufi spin in their own rendition of popular classics.

Day 2 was marked by Effulgence, Sri Venkateswara’s Photography Society’s annual display, Kodachrome, taking place in tandem with Opera D’Arte 3.0, Leonci Art Society’s annual display. A student from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, who planned on staying for the Mr. Professor’s DJ nights after participating in H#, the Western Acapella Competition, stated:

It’s been an interesting run so far. The wins were well-deserved. I’m staying here till 6 for the DJ.

As is the case with every DU-affiliated college, the sole event that marked Day 3 was the performance of the much-awaited artist. This time, Javed Ali of Guzarish fame took to the stage. Post Dilli Ke Darshan, the concert gave people in the audience a lifetime of memories and then some more.

Featured Image Credits: Arush for DU Beat

Aastha Singh

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DUB Speak

Exploring the state of teen love in an ever changing landscape

By DU Beat February 15, 2025

We often hear tales of romances from teenagers that leave us baffled and maybe even get a chuckle or two out of us. Here are excerpts from my chat with teenagers enrolled at the University of Delhi trying to figure out why teen romances seem so fickle these days.

“Everyone is always on the hunt for someone better.”This quote vividly captures much of what might come to mind when encountering corny, often irrational teen romances during your daily scroll. Criticizing teenagers for their mistakes hardly makes sense, as—despite what they may want us to believe—they are still in their formative years. Nevertheless, as someone who recently hit a miserable milestone (i.e., celebrated their 20th birthday), I thought it’d be fun exploring what the kids are up to these days. Finding people who are up for a chat is rarely a problem on college campuses, so we assembled a group of people, sat down for a cup of tea, and heard their story, trying to figure out what’s made teen romances a funny affair.

“The preferability of hookups to lasting romance in the gay space practically decreased my odds of finding love, not in Delhi anyway.”.

Gabriel, a second-year college student enrolled at the University of Delhi, laughed when making this remark, but the misery of never being able to find love couldn’t be more apparent. Dating in the queer space presents more challenges than most; to get there to begin with is a win for most. Despite the recent progress, homosexuality is still and has been historically frowned upon in most sections of the globe. Some say it’s the sexual repression that’s led to a preference for sexual pleasure over lasting romance in masculine/gay corners of the queer space that Gabriel referred to earlier.Another historical explanation often cited is the trickle-down effect of the sexual liberation movement across the West in the second half of the 20th century which retains its essence in various sections of the queer community to this day.

“Such is life that it began the very week I stepped foot in Delhi,” said Gabriel with another poignant smile, telling how he thought he’d found love in someone who’d go on to ghost him later. Heck, they even shared birthdays!!He seemed rather at odds with how he felt about apps like Grindr, which on one hand have made dating fellow queer mates more convenient than ever and have helped him make new friends in a city relatively unfamiliar but also led to people fearing/moving away from commitment, given the barrage of options that they have now. Despite his abysmal run in the Delhi dating scene, we are hoping he twins birthdays with someone very soon!

While Gabriel’s story reflects a rather unlucky tale of teenage romance, others like Serena view queer relationships with a fondness I had hardly seen before.” I’ve had breakups before; nothing has hurt the way it hurts when she’s upset with me.” Boy, could she have put it any better? Her tale is different from that of Gabriel in that she has found herself a partner, her first and, as she hopes, last. Our chat reminded me about the variables that make young love so pure. She explained how appreciative she is of having someone she can rely on emotionally when the going gets tough, someone to help kickstart her day and, similarly, help end it. Serena speaks in glowing terms of life feeling as though it’s being viewed through rose-tinted glasses when you’re emotionally invested in someone you love, naturally not a big fan of hookups.

How often do we see videos about red flags and green flags in relationships on our tabs? These videos often reduce attraction, which could be multifaceted to very shallow and non-pluralistic parameters, i.e., music, movies, and whatnot. And because the algorithms are designed in such a way that they get us stuck in an echo chamber of like-minded people who subconsciously affect our decisions. This perhaps can explain why so many young people increasingly feel more and more caged with their partners once the initial happy-go-loving phase is over. Serena too cautions people against other mono-ritualistic parameters being deciding factors for something as multifaceted as love. “Why even bother dating if you aren’t even emotionally invested in them?” she recalled dismissing my question about music potentially playing a big role in her relationship…

Serena was someone who found comfort in emotional investment, yet in a world that’s growing at breakneck speed, that is something that’s becoming an increasingly rare virtue. In the last of my chats, I ran into Rob and Miley, sharing their insights on the matter.

” The fear of commitment in the world of fast fashion is what puts people off of long-term relationships.”

Rob remarked when asked about the deteriorating state of a meaningful connection in recent years. This led to a brief chatter about the rise in situationships, as not so long ago, it used to be synonymous with what you call the “talking stage” but has now taken the long-term route, often leaving people somewhere in the middle for months. Not sure whether it’s the “old man speak” in me, but maybe we should do away with it, at least this iteration of it, where it may last as long as 6 months, if not more.

Miley, on the other hand, was harsh on people giving up at the first hurdle they came across. “Everyone is looking for someone better than their current partner or isn’t willing to work it out when things get hard. They seek an easy way out,” she recalled when asked about the problems with most modern relationships. It made sense, given the number of people who avoid conversations, misjudging them for confrontation, and proceed to let the resentment build up inside of them instead of talking things out and attempting to resolve conflicts.

Ultimately, these conversations revealed what might not be the revelation one may have been expecting but was important nonetheless. Like anything else in life, love, for better or for worse, is multifaceted, with various dimensions affecting an array of people. From Gabriel’s misfortune to the raw beauty of Serena’s first love to Rob’s tale of naturally becoming indifferent to his ex-partner. As he so succinctly put it:

“My previous relationships fell apart as there was not enough attachment; maybe we didn’t try hard enough to cherish each other, and over time, we became indifferent towards each other.”

Featured Images credits: Hindu College

Yash Raj

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Campus Central

Dalit student allegedly harassed and assaulted by Shaheed Bhagat Singh College’s principal

By DU Beat November 24, 2024

On Friday, protests took place in the arts faculty led by the Student Federation of India (SFI) and another one staged by the students in Shaheed Bhagat Singh College responding to an alleged case of assault on a Dalit student by the college principal.

On the 18th of September 2024, protests were staged outside the office of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s principal, Prof. Arun Kumar Attree. These protests, led by a Dalit student, were in response to an alleged incident of blatant casteism and assault on him by the principal. The Dalit student, Sumit, claims that Attree assaulted and hurled casteist slurs at him amidst an attempt for a forced confession for an incident that allegedly took place in September.

On 24 October 2024, several obscene videos were sent to students and teachers alike in the Hindi Department’s WhatsApp group. They were sent through the phone of one of Sumit’s classmates. On suspicion of hacking and frustration of negligence to these issues, the matter was brought to the principal through a letter sent in by Sumit and his classmates.

Recalling the incident at an AISA-led student-teacher convention on Tuesday, he alleges that such incidents were not news and had taken place numerous times before but were swept under the rug.

They took my phone and went through everything they could despite assuring us of our privacy prior. They even went through my chats with my sister and a whole lot of other things that I probably am not aware of.

Following the letter, an investigative committee was formed to look into the matter. They allegedly seized the phones of the suspect and, in Sumit’s case, went through his private photos and even through chats with his family. This was an obvious and absurd breach of one’s right to privacy as laid down in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

We’d get you arrested, taint your character certificate, and make sure your career goes nowhere from here on if you do not confess to having dispersed the videos. If you get away with all that, we still wouldn’t let you in without charging a hefty sum.

These were allegedly the things said to Sumit once he was called to the principal’s office, where, despite the committee admitting to having found nothing against him, Attree pressured and threatened Sumit to confess. He, alongside other professors, tried locking him in to physically assault him further. There were casteist slurs thrown at him and told how he “looked” like someone who would do such a heinous act. Sumit, as he alleges, was made to sit through all of this for 5 hours.

You could tell he is the culprit just by looking at his face.

This was allegedly remarked on by Mahesh Kumar Choudhary, a professor in the Hindi department at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. Sumit, after the incident, was treated like a convict in college classrooms, and as he put it, it’s almost always people from the SC/ST communities who are singled out and discriminated against.

Disappointed and upset, Sumit and his friends went to file an FIR at Malviya Nagar police station on charges of breach of privacy. This is where the trial of disappointing events, allegedly takes pace. The police, after having heard his complaint, dismissed it initially.

You are no Ambani that your privacy would matter.

The Delhi Police, on several occasions, have dismissed such complaints or handled them poorly. Why should one’s economic or social standing be a determiner of a right to a dignified life? Dr. Rakesh Kumar, a professor at the college and also present at the student-teacher convention, alleges that FIRs aren’t registered against the principal owing to his familial ties to the higher-ranking officials in the Police Force.

Attree has denied any wrongdoing with a statement to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) saying, “The student has been manipulated by a teacher, who is currently undergoing an inquiry related to false certifications. The student himself faced an inquiry after there were allegations that he had previously hacked people’s phones and sent obscene messages”.

Curiously, it is not the first time Attree has found himself in hot waters, as he infamously detained 1500 students last year on grounds of mandatory attendance criteria. Under his tenure, he has introduced what many view as “anti-democratic” measures into the campus space. He has barred students from hanging out in groups of 4 or more and has installed CCTV cameras everywhere, including the staff rooms, which is seen as an authoritative move in an attempt to curb any sort of opposition he may feel.

Nandita Narain, former President of the Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA), condemned the incident and expressed her support by saying,

Such incidents of blatant authoritarianism are increasingly more common, as seen by recent incidents in Laxmibai College and Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. I hope strict action is taken against Attree for this crime against humanity. I also hope for greater representation of the SC/ST community in positions of power at the university level shortly as a means to combat this issue.

Featured Images credits: @sbscduofficial on X

Yash Raj

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From Killing Ideas to Killing Intellectuals: The Institutional Murder of G.N. Saibaba

By DU Beat October 26, 2024

Prof. G.N. Saibaba did not ‘pass away’ on 12th October 2024. He was gradually and brutally murdered by the state, the Indian academia, and our collective silence. The Indian university has become a graveyard, with students and academics being executed for voicing their opinions. Is staying silent the best that we are capable of?

The first time I came across G.N. Saibaba was in a social media post from 2022 that dealt with his ongoing case and featured the poem ‘I Refuse to Die’ from the collection of his prison poetry and letters, Why Do You Fear My Ways So Much? The poem and his case prompted me to buy the book and read more about him. G.N. Saibaba was the first poet I read after getting admitted to the literature program at the University of Delhi in 2022, and I carried the text with me to my first lecture in college only in the hope that someone would recognise it. The text became my first introduction to the oppression that the DU administration and the state are capable of meting out to a 90% disabled professor, even before I physically reached my college. It was only a matter of a few months before I would witness academic precarity firsthand in my department when my professors would be displaced, and later, Prof. Samarveer Singh of Hindu College would be forced to take his life.

G.N. Saibaba’s death is simultaneously, both a rare case of UAPA in which each institution of the state and even the university administration worked in tandem with each other but led to Saibaba’s eventual bail and also another case of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) imposed on the academic-activist on no solid grounds, except for his alleged “links with the banned Maoist party.”

Though the BJP-led government has made significant amendments to the UAPA and excessively imposed it on students, academics, and activists to curb any criticism of the state in the last decade, it is important to note that the draconian law was imposed on Saibaba by the Congress-led UPA government in 2012. The misuse of the colonial era law by the UPA government, a part of which today stands as an alternative and the opposition to the NDA alliance, allowed the exploitation of the law and for it to be made arbitrary by the latter, to the extent that the law was amended to shift the burden of proof from the accuser, usually the state, to the accused, making bails in such cases extremely rare.

Though Saibaba was granted bail, he was not even allowed to visit his mother’s funeral and was physically tortured by the prison authorities during his abduction-cum-arrest from DU campus and in jail that led to the paralysis of his left arm, denied basic healthcare facilities, and even contracted the coronavirus twice while he was in jail. Despite all of these grave concerns, Saibaba was continuously denied bail, even though several high profile individuals were given bail during the pandemic. When he was finally acquitted in October 2022 by the Division Bench of the Bombay High Court, the Maharashtra government filed a petition and challenged the HC’s order at the Supreme Court, and on the very next day, Saturday 15th October 2022, a special bench of the SC comprising Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice M.R. Shah stayed the HC’s acquittal order, citing how the “brain is the most dangerous and integral part of committing terrorism-related offences”.

The profiling of progressive academics, activists, and intellectuals as ‘terrorists’ has been made into a common practice by the state and the university administrations have also been actively complicit in this. It is alleged that a colleague of Saibaba at the Ram Lal Anand College was responsible for helping the state frame him in the case. Prof. Saibaba was also unfairly terminated from his job as an assistant professor at Ram Lal Anand College, DU even before he was proved guilty in the case.

This atmosphere of fear and surveillance in the saffronised university space has not only been responsible for the death of several intellectuals but has also been actively used by the state to break networks of solidarity—in the case of Prof. Hany Babu who was a part of the defence committee for Saibaba and has also been incarcerated under UAPA. Even the lawyer Surendra Gadling who fought the case for Saibaba’s release was charged with UAPA and the judges who had acquitted Saibaba have faced consequences for the same.

In conversation with DU Beat at a memorial organised for Saibaba, Professor Jenny Rowena, wife of Hany Babu, said,

We always talk about issues when somebody dies, then it becomes a viral thing. We saw Rohith Vemula when he was alive. How much attention do we give to these people? Even now, people who are in jail because they campaigned for Saibaba, like Hany Babu, Rona Wilson, and Surendra Gadling, who was their lawyer, are still in jail. These people also have a lot of health problems, so are we waiting for the same to happen to them? We all should really protest against UAPA. All condolence meetings that we have should also be against UAPA. There should be a mass movement against it, because they [the state] are using it ruthlessly now to crush any kind of opposition and dissent.”

The law has been reduced to a tool of state repression and is being increasingly used to arrest students, young activists, academics and other intellectuals who criticise the state under the garb of ‘national security’ and by labelling them as terrorists. Not only is it absurd that young students and 90% disabled professors are labelled as ‘terrorists’ and potential ‘threat to the nation’ but it is against the constitutional values that promote critical and free thinking. In fact the very structured and systematic manner in which each institution of the state and each public institution including the universities and the media is working in complicity with the state to corner dissenters is in itself a symptom of a regime of terror that the UAPA supposedly seeks to counter.

It is also important to take into cognizance the notions of ‘terrorism’ that UAPA seems to be against. Is fighting for the rights of Adivasis and against their killings terrorism? Is peacefully opposing state operations such as Operation Green Hunt and Operation Samadhan an act of terrorism?

Is mere ‘links with Maoist organisations’, as Saibaba was accused of, or ‘possession of Marxist literature’ terrorism? If yes, do students of the humanities and social sciences, particularly literature and history, who study Marxism as a compulsory part of their course, pose a threat to the nation and are terrorists? Does mere engagement with or belief in a particular ideology that may or may not be critical of the state’s beliefs, constitute as terrorism? Today, even asking these questions can lead to the imposition of a UAPA case. In fact, academics who have worked on such topics for their PhDs are often harassed by prestigious academics and labelled as anti-national in job interviews.

The law is being increasingly used to destroy public universities by imprisoning students such as Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, and Sharjeel Imam, among hundreds of other students for peacefully protesting against divisive laws, an undeniable law of each citizen. The incarceration of these students under UAPA have also been orchestrated so as to ‘set an example’ for dissenting students and to silence them, developing a disquiet culture of suppression and destroying the culture of resistance that India’s public universities have been known for.

The constant ‘red-flagging’ of individuals who identify with the Left or are in opposition to the state policy and may or may not identify with the Left, in conjunction with the profiling of individuals as “urban naxals” by state authorities, including the Prime Minister, not only qualifies as discrimination on the basis of ideas and leads to connotations of anti-state and anti-national individuals, but also leads to anti-intellectualism that has been identified as one of the most important factors behind the development of a fascist state.

Though the judges at the Supreme Court have been citing how “bail is the rule and jail is the exception”, it does not seem to apply to UAPA cases, more than half of which are not being investigated, as per the National Crime Records Bureau. In Saibaba’s murder and the human right violations as a part of it, the state did not merely attempt, though unsuccessfully, to kill his ideas but also take away his life, as it did with Father Stan Swamy, Pandu Narote, and SAR Geelani. By unfairly terminating his contract with the university, it was ensured that Saibaba does not get to teach his students ever again and one of his most heartfelt desires to teach students after being released from prison, was left unfulfilled. As Saibaba remarked in one of his letters to his students and colleagues from the prison:

I hope none of you should feel sympathetic to my condition. I don’t believe in sympathy; I only believe in solidarity. I intended to tell you my story only because I believe that it is also your story. Also because I believe my freedom is your freedom.”

Even in solitary confinement, his desire for freedom was not restricted to himself. The campaign against him was not only unfair to him but also his family and also his students, who were not allowed to be taught by a brilliant scholar, teacher, and translator whose translations of Kabir have been the most significant and timely in English so far.

Though we have been reduced to observing birthdays, death anniversaries, and anniversaries of arrests of activists and students as they remain incarcerated without trials and more than a handful of unsuccessful hearings, the outrage at the murder of Prof. G.N. Saibaba is both a culmination of our complicity in his murder and simultaneously a rupture in the amnesia surrounding state repression under UAPA. That should pave the way for a movement against UAPA and the larger culture of saffronisation-infused anti-intellectualism. For the message should be clear: the state should not and cannot kill ideas, let alone individuals. As Saibaba himself claimed and rightly so, he and his ideas and struggles refuse to be forgotten and to die..

Featured Image Credits: Shahid Tantray’s Instagram

Vedant Nagrani

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Features

Legal education and the cost of dreams

By DU Beat October 4, 2024

Each year, thousands and thousands of students work hard and appear for CLAT (Common Law Admission Test), aspiring to crack into top law colleges. These students enter the campuses with big dreams and expectations, but in light of the recent suicide cases, are these premier institutes ready to facilitate integrated law programs or should they resort to the conventional three-year law programs?

Since the inception of the 5-year integrated programs in law in 1986, India has set global standards in the field of legal education. While many other countries like Australia, the U.K, the Philippines also offer five to six year courses in law, in India, after the establishment of NLUs (National Law Universities), programs like BA-LLB (Bachelors in Arts + Legislative Law), BBA-LLB (Bachelors in Business Administration + Legislative Law), BSC-LLB (Bachelors in Science + Legislative Law), BCOM-LLB (Bachelors in Commerce + Legislative Law), and BSW-LLB (Bachelors in Social Work + Legislative Law), have taken prominence. While courses like MBBS are often socially regarded as rigorous courses, the recognition in the case of 5-year law courses is not the same from the academic institutions. As a result, several students have taken their own lives.

In light of the recent events, mental stress, especially amongst law students, has become a burgeoning issue. When premier law schools like NLU-Delhi and RMLNLU (NLU-Lucknow) report suicide cases, wherein the administration is silent and people ask about ‘why’ and ‘how’ the incident occurred, it illustrates the urgency of the aforementioned issue. People often overlook the academic rigour, which is a prerequisite in these integrated programs. These people often act as the vice-chancellors and professors in these institutions, and are willing to undertake batches of 200 students, but do they have the required apparatus to facilitate them?

Typically, these 5-year integrated programs involve 6 subjects in a semester, all of which are considered the core subjects (this may be subjected to some variation in some institutions). Three of these subjects are usually of your dual degree while the rest three are legal subjects. This format is followed till the end of 2nd year and majorly from 3rd year onwards, only law subjects are covered. The underlying problem that arises here is, that the current private and government universities have an inclination towards starting these integrated courses, but at the same time these courses demand experienced professors who hold expertise in the associated dual degree, with which the student is combining it’s LLB. Ad-hoc appointments of professors is not a new issue and has been faced by students from all universities under all disciplines, but the cases of such hurried appointments increase when we look at government institutions.

This illustrates the urgency to scrutinise the present administration in NLUs (National Law Universities) and other government-aided universities. The amount of rigour that is demanded in the aforementioned courses is often underscored. There is burgeoning pressure on students to get their papers published in renowned journals that are UGC-Care listed or have ISSN and ISBN numbers. Typically, universities often direct students to write two to three research papers per semester for every subject. In some subjects, students may be required to come up with group presentations, for example, students pursuing BBA-LLB often immerse themselves with business case studies in their initial years, but writing research papers for the law subjects remains a constant. These publications act as a non-negotiable asset for students who wish to apply to foreign universities for their LLM. Adding to this, moot courts and ADR (Alternate Dispute Resolution) competitions, become a quintessential aspect for resume building as companies nowadays prefer hiring students who are well versed with practical experiences in these events. Given all these prerequisites, when students are not supplemented with proper aid from their universities, it adds a heavy mental pressure on them.

To add more on this, these events often require hefty registration fees. I myself, being a law student, at the ILC (Integrated Law Center), Faculty of law, University of Delhi, participated in an International Negotiation Competition, which was hosted by NMIMS Mumbai. The accommodation charges for the event amounted to 10,000 rupees + 18% GST, apart from this, the registration fees additionally were 5000 rupees + 18% GST. Even after qualifying for the advanced rounds, our university did not spare a single penny for us. I’m privileged enough to come from a well-to-do background, which helped me in financing my competition, but the same is not the case for other students. Moreover, non-NLU students have an added pressure of finding internships due to an existing bias of companies favouring students from National Law Universities.

I feel stressed. There is a constant fear that everyone will be in a better place in the future, and I’ll still be here just figuring out life. What if I’ll not succeed? What if all this is not for me? The moots, projects, 9-4 classes, and the pressure of doing more in the meantime is too much. The unsaid expectations that I have for myself are too much to handle. Having no one to talk to, yes, there are people who are there for me and will listen to me, but still not wanting to tell anyone and fighting alone. It feels like it’s all gonna be worth it at some point in life but when?”

– Riya Singh (a 2nd year law student at ILC, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi)

The recent suicide cases being reported from premier universities like NLU-Delhi, shed light on this. Within a month, the university has reported 3 suicide cases, and still there are almost no signs of student anecdotes and testimonials from the students, on any social media platform, which raises a lot of suspicion on the administration of the university. The first suicide of a 20 year old, third-year student, has brought forth shocking details. Amrutavarshiny Senthil Kumar reportedly came from a social minority group and has worked her way up to NLU-Delhi by garnering prestigious scholarships; her case, upon further investigation, has showcased harrowing details of caste-based discrimination, mental stress and harassment. The halls again echoed with similar concerns when, Shah Khushil Vishal, a first-year student at the university committed suicide in the same month. The students have received extremely strict guidelines from senior authorities, wherein students are not allowed to discuss such matters as it may lead to ‘unnecessary unrest amongst students’.

We were directed by our professors not to discuss about these incidents, especially on social media platforms as it can cause significant reputational damage and can prove to be detrimental for the university”

– Anonymous (a 2nd year student at NLU-Delhi)

Although the university has now initiated many programs catering towards the mental health of the students, the question here is, if premier institutions like NLU-Delhi are handling their batches like this, what should we expect from others?

Cracking a double-digit rank in CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) and getting into NLSIU Bangalore is a dream of lakhs and lakhs of law aspirants. Imagine being a rank holder and then making the decision to end your life in your first year itself. So was the case of Dhruv Jatin Thakkar, who was a first-year student at NLSIU Bangalore. Although further investigations have revealed that Dhruv was previously suffering from depression and was on medication and counselling sessions for the same, we say that our universities act as a ‘home away from home,’ but are they really well equipped to do so?

Such incidents show us the credibility of NIRF rankings which should be heavily scrutinised. If the universities are not well-equipped to facilitate integrated programs for their students, then they should not move forward with it. As far as these premier institutions are concerned, much focus should be given on revitalising age-old norms and establishing a proper feedback mechanism wherein if students feel that a certain professor is not helping them, they should have the freedom to report the same with their anonymity.

Be it litigation or corporate law, be it a first-generation lawyer or a student with an established law background, every student aspires to achieve up to the best of their capabilities. As a first-generation law student myself, our visions and dreams should not suffer at the cost of administrative negligence and poor facilities of ‘ironic’ premier universities.

Samvardhan Tiwari

[email protected]

Featured image credits: iPleaders

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