The Winning Society at a glance

Cultural Festivals

Daulat Ram College Conducts Manjari’17

By Vineeta Rana April 30, 2017

The much celebrated fest season of Delhi University has almost come to an end. Most of the colleges have had their annual cultural fests with spectacular performances in the competitive events, and to the amazing EDM and Star Nights. With the tribal theme on point, Daulat Ram College successfully organised its two-day fest Manjari’17 on the 22^nd and 23^rd of March. The pots painted with warli paintings and tribal masks: everything was splendidly placed, decorating the entire college premises beautifully.

The audience relished the amazing performances of different colleges in the western dance competition Laasya, folk dance competition Ulhaas, classical dance competiton Yogya, and semi classical face-off Darpan organised by Zenith, the western dance society of DRC and Annhad, the Indian dance society of DRC respectively. Alahyaa, the Indian Music Society of DRC held its annual music fest Aaroh’17 where the leading music societies competed in the different events like Sur Sangam, Jugalbandi and Annhad. Memesis, the theatre society of DRC organised Adakari’17- the theatre festival of DRC which saw a vast multitude of spectators pulled towards the amazing annual productions of the different theatre societies. Annual exhibition Taabeer’17 was organised by Sepia, the film and photography society of DRC. ‘Shades’ was organised by Spectra– the fine arts society of DRC. Tajagna, the quizzing society of DRC hosted Big Fact Hunt- a general quiz. All India Mushairah was also organised. A talent hunt competition was held for the visually challenged students. Events like Promenade by Debonair, the fashion society of DRC and Zaahir-e-Hunar, the open talent hunt, had immense spectation.

Superstar singer Guru Randhawa of Suit, Patola, Yaar Mod Do fame ignited the evening with his peppy numbers, making the crowd dance on their toes. The two-day celebration was drawn to a close with Bollywood hits like Pee Loon, Tere Sang which are credited to the name of the soulful singer Tulsi Kumar.

Feature Image Credits: Pinterest

Radhika Boruah
[email protected]

Daulat Ram College Organises Annual Sports Day

By Vineeta Rana March 28, 2017

The day before Manjari, the annual cultural fest of Daulat Ram College, saw a Sports Day be conducted. It started off with the entry of the chief guest, Dr. Kuljeet Kaur, who is an athletics champion and alumni of the college, and the Principal, Ms Savita Roy. A round of felicitations then took place, with the chief guest, the Principal, and the organising teachers being recognised. This was followed by recognition and appreciation of the students who excelled in the previous Sports Day. Their hard work was applauded while they were received by a warm welcome from the crowd.

The actual event was an exciting affair, with wide participation from not only the students, but also the teachers. Most surprisingly, even the Principal took part in a couple informal events, which truly lent an element of fun to the occasion. Some of the races included classic favourites such as frog race, spoon race, and three-legged race. Such events brought everyone back to their elementary school days, when these races were the highlight of the school year. Apart from this, there were the usual formal sports events. These included distance races such as the 100m race, long jump, and so on.

Once the competitive events were concluded, there was an awards ceremony where all the winners were presented with their prizes. All in all, the day concluded on a note of laughter and excitement, and got both the students and teachers all hyped up for Manjari in the consequent days. It was a successful event that left everyone with a high.

Feature Image: Daulat Ram College Cricket Team

Vineeta Rana
[email protected]

VICHAAR 2017: A Two-Day Conference by the DebSoc of Daulat Ram College

By Vineeta Rana February 15, 2017

On 11 and 12 February 2017, the debating society of Daulat Ram College organised Vichaar, an Indian youth parliament. This was the inaugural edition of the conference, which took place after nearly four months of intense planning and commitment.

The conference simulated a number of committees, from conventional ones like the Lok Sabha, the Chamber of Princes, and the Research and Analysis Wing, to the highly specialised and unexpected Akbar’s Court of Navratnas. The esteemed executive board that conducted the discussions in the committees allowed both experienced debaters as well as newcomers to learn more about contemporary issues and find viable solutions to them. The various agendas that were the points of deliberation were in reference to sedition, the integration of India at the time of Independence, terrorist attacks, and unified religion. The variety of opinions and the characterisation of delegates as parliamentarians truly added to the dramatic and enjoyable nature of the conference.

The weekend was vibrant with delegates dressed up as their portfolios in traditional Indian attire. While the college buzzed with excitement and anticipation for the beginning of the event, the opening ceremony gave everyone a glimpse of the executive board and the organising committee. As the Founding Secretary General, Shubhi Vadehra, stated, “The motivation to organise the simulation of Indian committees came from our daily lives being hugely impacted by national issues. Any law that is passed by the government affects an affluent businessman as well as a village farmer immensely. We plan to provide the participants with the ability to work on such issues and respond to national concerns.”

This goal was duly achieved as both delegates and the executive board agreed that the committees were prolific and the conference was a rewarding experience. The end of the event saw resolutions passed in committees as solutions to the concerns that were raised. The closing ceremony included prizes being given out to the best delegates as well as the executive board being recognised. The heads all talked about the conference being a success and about fruitful debate taking place. Finally, the debating society as a whole surprised the Secretary General, who is also the society President, with a small memento. The two-day extravaganza concluded with a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment for all parties involved. The first edition of Vichaar is only the beginning of a legacy for the debating society of Daulat Ram College.

Image Credits: Indian Press, Vichaar

Vineeta Rana

A Daulat Ram College Student sexually assaulted by bank employee

By DU Beat January 19, 2017

On January 18, 2017, at the onset of a new semester, a first year student of Daulat Ram College was sexually assaulted by an employee of the Indian Overseas Bank that is inside the college. The incident came to light after the victim decided to share it with an ABVP activist in her college. “She came to me to ask whether she could leave the college. She was shivering. When I asked her why she wanted to leave, she broke down and told me that the man had unzipped her jacket and touched her inappropriately,” said Priya Sharma, the activist with whom the incident was first shared.

The 52 year old accused, Devinder Kumar, had apparently helped out the victim when she needed funds for her mother’s treatment. She lost her father a few years back and stays with her mother and an uncle in the Moti Nagar area. The accused also offered her a ride to college, claiming to live in the same area, which she accepted. The victim said he had made her uncomfortable prior to the incident as well, touching her under the pretense of changing gears while driving, but she put it down as an accident and chose to ignore it. She was traumatised when it happened again on their commute to college. Before she shared her plight with Priya Sharma, she had decided to not report it and instead drop out of college. The college authorities were made aware of the case after a few other college students wrote a letter to the Principal, who then reported it to the police. The Prinicipal of Daulat Ram College, Savita Rai, said that the incident took place around 11:45 a.m., and even though it didn’t take place inside the college, it was reported to the police as soon as it was brought to their notice.

An FIR was lodged at the Maurice Nagar Police Station, where the accused confessed to the crime and was charged under section 354 for molestation, which is a non-bailable offence. Reportedly, the court was supposed to proceed with the hearing for the case from January 19 onwards. The victim is currently undergoing counseling.

Feature Image: wired.com

Radhika Boruah

Daulat Ram College elects Student Union 2016-17

By Vineeta Rana November 2, 2016

The student union elections were finally held in Daulat Ram College (DRC) after being delayed by a month due to protests and renovations. On 26th October, 2016, thousands of DRC students went on to cast their votes to elect the Student Union for the year 2016-17. Most posts saw close competition between the contenders, especially for the posts of general secretary and cultural secretary. The option of NOTA (none of the above) was also a popular choice, with a count of 103 for the post of treasurer.

The results were announced around three hours after the voting ended. The newly elected union celebrated their victory with music and dancing in the college premises. The Student Union for the year 2016-17 is:

President – Nishita Narwal

Vice President – Rajni Upadhyay

Treasurer – Tamanna Chaudhary

Proctor – Prachi Goswami

General Secretary – Surbhi Hooda

Cultural Secretary – Rakshanda Bhat

Joint Secretary – Sanchita Jain

Image Credits: Bhavesh Bellani

Vineeta Rana

Project Urban Air: Delhi University Innovation Project’16 of Daulat Ram College

By DU Beat October 24, 2016

With climate change and their impact being a much debatable topic nowadays, one of the major culprits for our degrading environmental quality is considered to be air pollution. Thus, it is a matter of deep concern for all developing as well as developed nations to take concrete action towards it, and create a center stage of all challenges particularly by developing nations. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, a team of students and teachers from Daulat Ram College undertook Project Urban Air (DR-309) under the University of Delhi Innovation Project Scheme 2015-16. The aim of the study was to identify the monetary benefits that can be reaped by the citizens of Delhi along with health benefits as a result of reduction in air pollution.

The project was initiated under the guidance of Prof. M.N Murty, and headed by Mrs. Pooja Sharma, Mrs. Prarthna Aggarwal Goel and Mrs. Pooja Jain.

The team of students comprised of the following: Rupeesha Galhotra, Srishti Gupta, Drishti Narula, Phalguni Sanghi, Juhi Dugar, Chitranshi Singh, Pragati, Mansi Goyal and Bhoomi Aggarwal.

The study has been based on primary data collected through extensive surveys across various localities of Delhi. The questionnaire covered various socio-economic and health aspects of the households. Data regarding pollution levels across seasons was also collected from various monitoring stations of CPCB and DPCC. Hence, the results have been formulated to evaluate people’s willingness to pay to reduce air pollution, household production of indoor pollution, health expenditure and the noxious substances like CO, NO₂, SO₂, PM2.5 and PM10 released in the air, thereby worsening the air quality.

Through the project, the students aim to impart awareness concerning various determinants of air pollution and highlight not only the health impact but also the monetary gain derived from a reduction in pollution. Through this study, the students hope to make a positive impact in the fight against the deteriorating air pollution by making the problem more understandable to the layperson; and also appeal to the relevant authorities to take effective, concrete and long term actions to combat the rising menace.

As a part of the project, on 19^th March, 2016 the team organized a seminar on the topic – Air Pollution and Health: Issues, Challenges and Policy – which brought together eminent scholars in the field of health and economics to engage in an enlightening discussion with the students about the given topic. The panel included the project mentor, Prof. M.N Murty (visiting Prof. at Teri University), Dr. Dipankar Saha (Senior Director at CPCB), Chirashree Ghosh (Associate Professor at Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi) and Surender Kumar (Professor at Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics).

Team Urban Air with eminent scholars invited at the seminar

The team has also published its findings in the DU journal of Undergraduate Research and Innovation titled ‘Air Pollution Reduction and Health Impact Analysis’ (ISSN no: 2395-2334) and presented a paper in the First International conference organised by Academic Fora on the theme ‘Medical, Medicine and Health Sciences’. They will present once again in Jawaharlal Nehru University, in the near future.

Team presenting its paper at International Conference organized by Academic Fora.

Daulat Ram College Innovation Project: Using Social Media for Enhancing Students’ Learning

By DU Beat September 29, 2016

In recent times, the use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Youtube etc has become an integral part of our lives. The new technological developments have made internet an innovative way of communication. Under the University of Delhi Innovation Project Scheme 2015-16, Daulat Ram College undertook Project 307, “An Empirical Study of Using Social Media for Facilitating Effective Students’ Learning”. The objective of this innovation project is to examine how incorporating social media into teaching process can contribute to students’ learning, engagement, and their academic performance.

TEAM:

Principal Investigators- Ms. Malini Sharma, Ms. Pooja Khanna, Ms. Divya Gupta, Mr. Naresh

Student Members- Akshita Nidhi, Bharti Sharma, Bhavya Gupta, Gunjita Dhingra, Harshita Wadhwa, Hiya Saharia, Shaivya Gupta, Smriti Banati, Snigdha Sharma, Vaishnavi V.G.

In this project, primary data has been collected through an online pre-test and post-test survey administered to a sample of Daulat Ram College students (in the experimental group and the control group). With the experimental group, social media has been used for various types of academic and co-curricular discussions. The two group’s differences in engagement and marks are analyzed using statistical software SPSS. This study investigates the acceptability of social media for collaborative learning and the possibility of using it as an effective teaching tool.

This project also supports the ‘Digital India Initiative’ of the Government. Incorporating social media in higher studies will have a beneficial effect on both students as well as the teachers. Teachers and students would be able to communicate even after the classes. Teachers would be able to stimulate the thought process of the students by launching dialogs. Through social media we can reach out to the students in remote areas and improve the educational system of the country.

Various workshops and seminars have been conducted under this project to spread awareness regarding positive impact of using media in higher studies. Also extensive surveys have been conducted in schools across Delhi and Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) to analyse the impact the media clubs on students.

The team has presented papers in various conferences and has also won the best paper award. They have presented papers at International Conference of Women Empowerment in Digital India supported by M.P Govt, International Conference at Daulat Ram College sponsored by ICPR, International Conference held at Indian Federation of United Nations Association (IFUNA) and International Conference on Business Management and Social Innovation.

Campus Central

Protests at Daulat Ram College question the governing style of the Chairperson

By Vineeta Rana August 11, 2016

Protests regarding the governing body took place in Daulat Ram College on 6 and 8 August 2016. Both students and teachers came together to question the governing style of the chairperson, Ms Suneeta Sudarshan. The protest revolved around key infrastructure problems that the college faces, as well as the chairperson’s reluctance to handle these issues.

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Image credits: Sukanya[/caption]

The protest concentrated primarily on the issues of infrastructure such as unhygienic washrooms, inadequate space in classrooms, and the unstable condition of the college building itself. A teacher from the political science department also highlighted the fact that ID cards are yet to be issued to first-years due to the lack of administration and section officers. Furthermore, no permanent appointments – of either the teaching or non-teaching staff – have taken place in several years. Posters of ‘We Want Dignity’ and ‘Save Daulat Ram College’ were spotted. Students also exclaimed slogans such as, “Chairperson hosh mein aayo” and, “ek do teen char, band karo yeh atyachaar.” Priyanka, a student of Philosophy Honours, claimed that “we have contracts and funds,” but that the chairperson was hindering access to them and thereby the renovation process of the college. The administration staff refused to comment.

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Image credits: Vineeta Rana for DU Beat[/caption]

After hours of protesting in the front lawn directly opposite the admin block, the gathering was addressed by the Principal, Ms. Savita Roy, who explained the conflict with the governing body. She claimed that the condition of the college was “pathetic” and that despite carrying out proper procedure and taking permission for its renovation, the process was taking much longer than necessary due to lack of cooperation of the chairperson. She claimed that the governing body had frozen the hostel accounts and had filed an FIR against the Principal for breaking a lock that was put up by the matron in the hostel. With regard to the students’ demands for lowering of the tuition fee (the fee has more than doubled in a span of two years), the Principal said that she invites a delegation to formally present the issue so that it can be resolved. The chairperson has denied the allegations against her.

After the demonstrations in college, several students and teachers marched to the Vice Chancellor’s office in an effort to make their demands heard. It was reported that the Teachers’ Union of the college had an altercation with Satender Awana, the DU Students’ Union (DUSU) President, who verbally and physically assaulted staff members from the college. The DU Teachers’ Association (DUTA) issued a press release which detailed the events of the day and declared its solidarity with the staff of the college. Students of the college have also been posting messages on social media which detail the shortcomings in the college’s infrastructure and management, particularly with regard to the hostel, where the warden is seen as being autocratic and unreasonable. The outcome of these protests is yet to be seen.

Featured image credits: Asmita

Vineeta Rana

[email protected]

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