Tag

Delhi University

Browsing

Amidst modern excess, Minimalism surfaced as a guiding light of simplicity and intentionality. However, its evolution into an aesthetic trend inadvertently started to echo with privilege, sidelining those who needed it most. Can minimalism evolve to bridge the divide between privilege and inclusivity?

I noticed the word Minimalism casually being dropped into conversations in 2019 when the Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo began airing. Almost instantaneously, there was an obsession with tidying and perfectly organised bedroom drawers. The gentle and inviting coziness of the show captivated audiences, leading them to believe in the possibility of living prosperous lives, distinct from the prevailing extravagance that dominated much of our existence. Eventually, like most popular things in the social media age, minimalism started to gain traction as an aesthetic. Now, people no longer want to be associated with excess; simplicity is all the rage once again.

Minimalism as a concept surfaced particularly through the artistic movements in the 1960s as a challenge to the abstract expressionist movement that dominated the World War II era. However, minimalism as a lifestyle began to flourish in the 21st century, as an increasing number of people started to feel suffocated by the mindless accumulation that had taken root in their lives. The concept that personal contentment can be pursued without constant reliance on instant gratification from material objects is truly liberating. Minimalism also focuses on the emotional relationship between our material possessions, prompting us to appreciate their significance and purpose in our lives.

However, the concept of minimalism fails to acknowledge the influence of socioeconomic privileges in shaping the standards of what is deemed “aesthetic”. While minimalism advocates for mindful living and appreciating our time and surroundings, it tends to disregard the privilege of having “time” itself. Many individuals lack the luxury to dedicate time to deliberate choices about their possessions. While promoting minimalism is certainly valuable and demands greater attention, it inadvertently marginalizes individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Their limited resources and time prevent them from investing in possessions that genuinely enhance their lives. For them, minimalism isn’t a voluntary decision but rather a necessity dictated by their circumstances.

[This trend is] all about spending an incredible amount of time and attention to look as if you hadn’t thought about it at all.

-journalism Chelsey Fagan wrote in 2017

Modern-day minimalism places significant emphasis on aesthetics. The image often involves pristine white walls and linens paired with opulent dark wood, accentuated by touches of greenery to instill a sense of airiness. However, herein lies the predicament with minimalism. It tends to cater predominantly to a wealthier demographic, one that possesses the means to indulge minimalism into a lavish trend. Conversely, individuals with fewer resources have inherently practiced a form of minimalism, driven by the circumstances that shape their lifestyles and decisions. While their approach might not align with the conventional aesthetic, their practices resonate more genuinely with the fundamental values that minimalism advocates.

I guess around the late 2010s I really started noticing minimalism in my Pinterest feed. The aesthetic was very similar and there was a lot of emphasis on cleanliness. I think about minimalism and how it is about having less but valuable things in your life, I feel like it has already been done by people. I don’t think minimalism is anything new as a concept but I feel like people are just now taking it seriously because rich white people suddenly believe capitalist consumption is wrecking the earth.

-remarked a student from Mumbai

The concepts of minimalism often intersect with the principles of sustainability, particularly within the realm of fashion. Sustainability in fashion revolves around the notion that individuals should curate a wardrobe comprised of “investment” pieces. This approach enables us to derive maximal value from these items, without the constant pressure to conform to fleeting trends through low-quality fast fashion. Nevertheless, this perspective also reveals the underlying theme of privilege, as not everyone possesses the means to afford long-lasting, high-quality pieces. Many individuals turn to more affordable alternatives out of necessity, as they lack viable options.

I used to thrift all my clothes. I wasn’t necessarily aware of the sustainable implications or the vintage aesthetic of the clothes. It was just something my family did for the longest time. But now it’s considered so cool to go thrifting. I’m glad it is gaining awareness because of sustainability but sometimes I’m just confused because I see people who can afford better quality clothes from sustainable brands go thrifting and then immediately discard those clothes after 2-3 wears. I just feel like it defeats the purpose. For my family, Goodwill was essentially the only way we could afford clothes but I sometimes feel like if I had the resources, I would definitely try to invest in more expensive but sustainable brands.

-remarked a student from New York City

This doesn’t imply that minimalism is an elitist movement or that we should abandon its principles. Instead, it’s crucial to expand the perspective of minimalism beyond the familiar narratives that primarily resonate with affluent individuals. Contemporary minimalism is heavily associated with the privilege of choice, a luxury that isn’t accessible to many of us. The issue with the current state of minimalism is not its inherent cost, but rather the fact that it’s both expensive to adopt and carries a sense of condescension towards those not embracing the lifestyle. Thus, it becomes essential to redirect our attention from the “glamour of minimalism” and instead focus on how we can make minimalism more relatable and attainable for those who are already engaged in its principles.

While minimalism promises a path to mindful living, the popularization of minimalism often overlooks the barriers of socioeconomic privilege that influence its aesthetics and accessibility. The paradox lies in advocating for simplicity while failing to recognize that true simplicity may be forced upon those without the means to choose it. As we strive to redefine the narrative of minimalism, we must question whether its current trajectory aligns with its core principles of intentionality. How can we bridge the gap between the aspirational image of minimalism and the reality faced by those who lack the luxury of choice? Can we reshape minimalism into a movement that honours its essence while fostering inclusivity and acknowledging diverse economic circumstances? By reflecting on these questions and reshaping the discourse, we can work towards a version of minimalism that truly speaks to the essence of material liberation and contentment for all.

 

Read Also: https://dubeat.com/2016/12/19/minimalism-have-less-be-more/

Image Credits: Inc. Magazine

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

[email protected]

 

Protests about anomalies in DU’s PG admissions have recently raised concerns about the transparency of the admissions process. While many PG applicants came forward questioning the rejection of their admission applications without an adequate reason, the DU administration refuted such claims, stating that the rejection was due to failure to meet “program-specific eligibility criteria.”

The University of Delhi started its first round of seat allocation for postgraduate admissions on August 17th. Shortly after that, students began to dispute the allocation process and claim that their forms were rejected for no reason at all. This provoked widespread uproar, with student organisations such as SFI and AISA holding protests. While the disclosure of a merit list and re-consideration of rejected applications were among the primary demands, other PG aspirants want the process halted and replaced with a fresh, transparent admissions process.

The fair solution is to cancel the first round and hold it again after considering all eligible students.”

A Twitter user tweeted

Some of the major allegations against the university admission process are as follows:

Within the same category, candidates with lower marks are assigned a college, while those with higher marks are not.

One of the major concerns about the admissions process was the lack of transparency in seat allocation. DU did not officially release a merit list this year. With reports of students with low scores within the same category being assigned a college while those with better marks were not, there was a great deal of uncertainty among students.

The SFI Delhi State Committee released a statement condemning the arbitrariness of Delhi University’s M.A. admission process.

Delhi University did not release a provisional rank list or cut-off list, thereby undermining the transparency of the admission process. The criteria on which the selection of candidates depends remain unspecified.”

-SFI Delhi Instagram Post

Many applicants who were offered seats in the first round were denied admission. Students argue that no rational explanation was provided.

Many students allege that they were offered a spot in the first round of admissions but that their applications were rejected. Applicants argue that neither the college nor the admissions office provided them with a legitimate reason.

I had applied for admission in PG at DU through CUET PG 2023 and was allocated Motilal Nehru College. But the college authority abruptly rejected my allocation, citing the reason ‘invalid documents’ without even specifying the name of the document. However, the documents I uploaded are correct and valid. This is just sheer misuse of authority, and candidates like us who work so hard to get admission to such prestigious colleges feel cheated and dejected. This is happening to so many candidates, not just me.”

                                                                  -Anish tweeted                

Some students alleged that their forms were rejected because they were flagged as “wrong category (C1 and C2)* selection” even if the category they chose was correct.

(C1 = Those students who graduated from another recognised institution as well as those enrolled in the programme degree at DU

(C2 = students who completed their degree with honours in the subject for which they are applying.)

The uncertainty over categorization was one of the most serious and evident flaws in the admissions process. Many students were refused admission due to category selection errors. Students contend that they picked the correct category. The mistake was made by the university.

My form clearly shows my category, but still, my form got rejected, stating “wrong eligibility criteria..

–  A PG applicant

Significant variance in the difficulty level of CUET PG papers and question repetition

Some disciplines’ CUET PG exams were held in two stages separated by approximately 2-3 weeks. Students who took the first phase say that the phase 2 paper was way too easy. Not only that, but several of the questions in the Phase 2 paper were repeated or restructured.

For example, CUET PG Paper for M.A. English

  1. Question ID: 92090624040 – French_____ (structuralism) was inaugurated in the 1950s by cultural anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss.

Directly linked to Question ID: 6863409182 from Phase 1: Who among the following is not a post-structuralist critic (Levi-Strauss)?

  1. Question ID: 92090624021 – Gorboduc, the first English tragedy, has been written in ___ (blank verse)

Repeated in: Question ID: 9209064063 – Which of the following plays was written in blank verse? (Gorboduc).

  1. Question ID: 92090624033: Savitri, an epic in blank verse, was written by ___ (Sri Aurobindo).

Repeated from Question ID: 6863409149 from Phase 1: Savitri, a literary epic in English, was written by ____ (Sri Aurobindo).

We expected normalisation to happen, but NTA didn’t do that for us.”

-A PG aspirant who appeared for the M.A. English Entrance

Many student organisations protested against this level of dispensary in the admissions process. The Student’s Federation of India (SFI) organised a demonstration outside the Arts Faculty and handed in a memorandum calling for the admission of all competent applicants who had been wrongfully denied admission as well as for greater transparency in the admissions process. A video explaining the problems with the admissions process was also issued by SFI Delhi on their Instagram page.

The All India Students Association (AISA) also organised a protest at the admission block, calling for the prompt release of all admission lists as well as compensation for all discrepancies. Students who had been waiting for three days at the admission block to have their problems resolved joined the protest.

AISA activists reached the admission block and saw that more than 50 students were lined up in anticipation of their admission. AISA activists raised slogans against the lack of transparency and demanded that the admission in charge come out and answer all queries. The administration was adamant about not listening to the students. The admission in charge did not even bother to come out. However, the persistence of the protesters resulted in a partial victory, and the C1, C2, and CGPA change issues were solved.”

-Anjali, AISA DU Secretary

Finally, on the 21st, the university issued a notice addressing these issues, but students contend that the notice was only a formality and did not address their problems.

Those candidates who had chosen Category-1 in their applications and have been rejected due to non-fulfilment of “Programme Specific Eligibility” criteria in Category 2 will be considered in Category-1 in subsequent lists as per their merit.

Those candidates who failed to convert their CGPA score into percentage (%) despite several announcements made by the university in this regard may be able to do the CGPA to percentage conversion in the mid-entry window. Such candidates will be considered mid-entrants.”

–  Notice released by the Admission Branch

Many students said they were refused entry to the admission block on the north campus. Students also alleged that the admissions branch wasn’t responding to their calls or emails.

Rejecting applications in the first round without any reason and then considering them in subsequent rounds with leftover seats is unfair.”

–  Shivam, A PG Applicant

The degree of transparency of the CUET admission procedure for both UG and PG programmes has always been an important area of concern. However, such blatant carelessness and mistakes in the admission procedure cast doubt on the credibility of admission through this method and risk the future of the students. The University of Delhi is one of the biggest and most prestigious central universities in India. Such large-scale dispensaries in the admission process only serve to highlight the state of the education system in our country. To answer these questions and provide transparency in the admissions process, the university should release a merit list. Along with this, the institution should set up an experienced grievance committee that addresses student complaints respectfully and assists them with the admission process.

 

Image Credits: DU Updates

Read Also: “You Are Not Special”: Delhi HC Questions DU over Decision to Use CLAT Scores for 5-Year Law Course Admissions

 

Dhruv Bhati

[email protected]

 

The alliance formed by the teachers’ associations aims at “reclaiming the DUTA from the cronies of the ruling dispensation and defend public higher education.”

10 Delhi University teachers’ organisations and 4 independent teachers have come together to form the Democratic United Teachers’ Alliance (D.U.T.A) to contest the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) 2023 polls. Ahead of the elections, which will witness over 10,000 academics of the University casting their votes to elect the leadership, the alliance has announced Dr. Aditya Narayan Misra as the joint candidate for the post of DUTA president. The teachers’ organisations have joined forces to challenge the BJP-RSS affiliated National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF) in the upcoming DUTA elections scheduled for September 27. The DUTA elections are expected to witness a tough contest between the D.U.T.A and the NDTF, which emerged victorious in 2021 after a 24-year hiatus. AK Bhagi was elected as the DUTA President, defeating his nearest contender, Abha Dev Habib by a margin of 1382 votes.

The Democratic United Teachers Alliance, formed with the aim of “defending public education by reclaiming DUTA”,  is a coalition of multiple groups including Congress’s Indian National Teachers’ Congress (INTEC), AAP’s Academic for Action and Development Teachers Association (AADTA), the Left-leaning Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), and various independent teachers’ associations such as the Common Teachers’ Front (CTF), Delhi Teachers’ Initiative (DTI), Independent Teachers’ Front for Social Justice (ITF-SJ), and Samajwadi Shikshank Manch (SSM) and the Voice of DU Adhocs.

There is an immediate and serious need to reclaim the DUTA as a teachers’ collective that works in defence of public-funded education and rights of teachers and students in the forthcoming DUTA elections,” – the joint statement by D.U.T.A read.

At a press conference on August 25, held at the Press Club of India, Prof. Nandita Narain, former DUTA President said that the current NDTF leadership had turned the union office into a “department of the administration which slaughtered thousands of good teachers in the ongoing recruitment drive.” While the teachers’ movement in the country looked for guidance and inspiration from DUTA to reclaim the rights of the teachers, the alliance alleged that the DUTA leadership failed thousands of ad-hoc teachers in their quest for permanent jobs after decades of service.

We are here together to safeguard the dignity and security of all teachers. We are here to defend full public funding and build public opinion against the privatisation and other sinister designs of NEP, 2020. We are committed to absorption of all existing ad hoc and temporary teachers and reinstatement of those who have been displaced during the last two years, while protecting the services of those who have already secured permanent appointment.” – read a statement by the teachers’ alliance.

 The Academic Council of Delhi University, in its meeting held on 11.8.2023, reported a letter from the UGC granting approval to DU as a Category 1 – University under the Graded Autonomy Regulation. By permitting the University to function on a self-financing basis, the D.U.T.A alleges that the regulation would pave the way for commercialisation and deprive the University of necessary Government grants for teaching-learning and infrastructure.

Salaries, promotion, and pension will all have to be taken care of through self-financing. No expectations of funds can be kept from either the University Grants Commission or the Government. Will teachers be displaced? Are we handing over the entire University in private hands? Will the character of the University remain what it is?”- commented Prof Narain in the press conference on Friday.

 Prof. Narain, Convener of the Democratic United Teachers’ Alliance, stated that the policy-driven decline in the academic quality of public universities is best demonstrated by the new version of the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), which carries a plethora of anti-academic moves to undermine the integrity of various disciplines.

 The DUTA leadership has refrained from raising their voices about the degradation of academic quality due to the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. A number of academically vacuous courses have been introduced in the name of most Value Added Courses and Skill Enhancement Courses, which add neither to values nor skills, and leave students too exhausted to focus on the core academic disciplines. On the other hand, internal assessment has been increased from 25 to 45%, with a new component of continuous assessment. This, given the massive reduction in teaching-tutorial-practical time, is an academic fraud. None of these changes were brought after consultation with teachers.” – mentioned the statement released on August 25.

 The statement by D.U.T.A highlights the concern that self-financing by institutions will be undertaken by loans, which will be repaid through increasing student fees for “commercially viable courses” and discarding “uneconomic” ones.

Massive fee hikes will follow, exacerbating the exclusionary tendencies that have been already initiated by the CUET process. Even if the constitutionally mandated provision of reservation is retained (though it finds no mention in the NEP document), students belonging to deprived sections will be excluded through the back door of high fees.” – added the statement.

 Claiming this as “the death of higher education, DUTA joint candidate Dr. Aditya Narayan Misra, of the AAP-affiliated Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers’ Association (AADTA), urged teachers to join hands and fight for the withdrawal of the National Education Policy,2020.

Despite our dissent, the fees for certain courses under the Law Faculty were approved at nearly Rs.12.5 lakhs, the same courses which were being taught at a fee of Rs 5000-7000. How is this “greater autonomy?”. This should not simply be a reporting item that is brought and told to us. The students’ future depends on it, and the teachers’ future depends on it- why are such decisions being imposed without due discussion? The DUTA has failed us. It is being used as an extension to privatise and commercialise higher education.” – remarked Misra, a three-time president of DUTA.

 Clause 19.2 on Graded Autonomy in the NEP 2020, which envisages that all public colleges and universities will become “independent, self-governing institutions” for the governance of which “a Board of Governors (BoG) shall be established consisting of a group of highly qualified, competent and dedicated individuals”, has also been opposed by the alliance. They fear that the BoGs will govern institutions without external interference and make decisions concerning the “incentive structure” unilaterally without reference to UGC regulations.

The Board of Governors will have the complete autonomy to establish new courses and curriculum and hire and fire as per will, with recruitment of contractual teachers and foreign faculty being given more importance. Post independence, we established institutions like the D-School, the IITs, the IIMs, and the English, Commerce and Sociology Departments – but we were always self-sufficient in devisiong and teaching our own curriculum. Why do we need foreign faculty now? They will display the foreign teachers for 4 months and use it as a tactic to raise fees. We are witnessing the biggest privatisation deal of India.” – said Misra, who has been teaching Political Science at DU since 1986.

Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) Secretary, Abha Dev Habib, remarked that the reluctance of the DU administration to form the governing bodies of colleges administered by the Delhi Government will formalise the dependence of public higher educational institutions on private corporates.

 DU authorities have packed the Academic Council (AC) subcommittee for academic affairs with NDTF members whose only role is to subvert statutory powers of Committees of Courses (CoCs), Departments and Faculties, and impose unacademic changes in syllabi in keeping with their agenda of saffronisation. The DTF teachers of DU have decided that public higher education cannot be redeemed if the current leadership is successful in its aim of converting the teachers’ collective into a patronage dispensing tool to further NEP through undemocratic demobilisation.” – remarked Habib.

Alleging that NDTF-led DUTA remained silent during the mass displacement of ad hoc teachers in the University, the alliance asserted that the teachers’ union’s claims that displaced teachers are being absorbed elsewhere are not supported by transparent data.

What is most reprehensible is that instead of taking up the cause of all teachers, the leadership has been selective and discriminate. It is the first time in the history of DUTA that a large number of teachers are afraid of displeasing their own elected representatives,” the statement added.

 The alliance claimed that the outgoing (present) DUTA committee has been hand-in- glove in furthering anti-academic and anti-teacher moves. It has also undermined the functioning of wider trade unions of teachers such as FEDCUTA that are fighting against privatisation and for the restoration of the old pension scheme.

 The D.U.T.A. is committed to ensuring absorption of all existing ad hoc and temporary teachers, reinstatement of those displaced in open positions, and protection of services of all permanent teachers, with counting of past services at all levels of promotion and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, and also for the protection of service conditions of Librarians and teachers of Physical Education. It will launch an effective struggle to strengthen public-funded education by demanding a rollback of NEP2020, Graded Autonomy and all such attempts to privatise our public universities.” – the statement by D.U.T.A concluded.

Prof. Abha Dev Habib said that this unprecedented unity of different groups comes in the light of the “gravest challenges confronting the teachers, students and non-teaching employees of DU”.

There has been mass displacement of serving temporary and ad hoc teachers with the active connivance of the NDTF leadership and especially in institutions helmed by those who are part of the ruling dispensation. The institutional murder of Samarveer was possibly the abysmal low to which the state of affairs in DU have descended.”, Habib, a Professor of Physics at Miranda House, commented.

 The statement by the alliance claimed that 80% of serving ad hoc teachers have been displaced in the interviews held recently, most of them in colleges headed by the Principals close to the ruling dispensation.

 I have been part of Delhi University all my life. I have been an ad-hoc teacher and was thrown out so I understand how it feels. I can connect to the pain of the people who have been ousted. Regularisation of ad-hoc teachers would be one of our main agendas.” – mentioned Misra, a professor at Dyal Singh College.

 On Friday, Delhi Finance Minister Atishi expressed displeasure over the non-release of Rs.100 crore to Delhi Government’s 12 fully-funded DU colleges after a representation was submitted by Dr.Aditya Narain Misra and DU Executive Council (EC) members Seema Das and Rajpal Singh appraising her of the delay.

 On 28th June 2023, I approved the release of Rs 100 crore as the second quarterly grant was announced. But this fund has not reached colleges yet despite one and a half months having lapsed. The faculty and the ministerial staff of these colleges cannot suffer due to administrative technicalities and the finance department should have a facilitatory approach over these financial issues. Hence, the funds should be released without any further delay.”- Atishi said in an official statement.

 

 D.U.T.A Press Conference held on August 25 – D.U.T.A. Press Conference, Save Public Funded Education

 Featured Image Credits: India Today

 Read also: After a Three-Year Hiatus, Delhi University Students’ Union Elections Are Back – DU Beat – Delhi University’s Independent Student Newspaper

 

Manvi Goel

[email protected]

The Economics Faculty of Delhi University welcomed a new elective on Ambedkar while replacing the old elective paper, ‘Economics of Discrimination’, going against the decisions taken by the Academic Council of the institution on August 11 and introducing a series of changes to elective papers in the syllabus.

‘Economic Thought of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’, an elective paper welcomed by the Economics Department of Delhi University to be taught to undergraduate students this year has caused the axing of another elective subject, ‘Economics of Discrimination’, resulting in several faculty members expressing concerns.

The new paper includes Dr Ambedkar’s views and understanding of various aspects of economic systems; theories of economic development; labor welfare; economic policy making; and other issues in the Indian economy during the colonial period. It replaced a new ‘Economics of Discrimination’ paper, which was decided in the Academic Council meeting on August 11 while introducing a series of changes to elective papers in the syllabus.

The syllabi of this paper signifies that the subject talks about Dr. Ambedkar’s pioneering thought in the field of economics, relevance in the contemporary world and its implication for ‘social justice’, ‘equality’ and ‘inclusive development’.

An associate professor of Economics at Kamala Nehru College and an elected Academic Council Member, Monami Basu, mentioned to The Indian Express that the paper on Dr. Ambedkar was welcomed by the entire faculty as it talks about him as an ‘economic policy-maker’ during the post-colonial period, his thoughts on ‘colonial economy’ and how caste and labor are interconnected.  However, she adds that the paper on discrimination was dropped without consultation with Academic Council members, departments or committees of courses.

Another professor who has been teaching economics at DU for over two decades has professed to the Indian Express on conditions of anonymity that the focus on ‘caste discrimination’ has been diluted in the new Ambedkar paper and it is only 10% of the paper now. According to other faculty members, the now-dropped paper was the only one that focused on the concept of discrimination in the UG economics syllabus. It had themes such as gender and unequal burden of work; inequalities in access to land; and intersection of discrimination though race, caste, class and disability.

The first suggestion to drop three elective papers, including ‘Economics of Discrimination’, was made in an Academic Council meeting on May 26 and opposed by faculty members of several colleges. Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh had then consulted a six-member panel to revisit the syllabi.

Read Also: Text Removal and Renaming in DU’s History Syllabus: Brahmanization Term and Paper on Inequality Dropped

Featured Image Credits: Google Images

Priyanka Mukherjee

[email protected]

Delhi HC has rejected DU’s preference for CLAT instead of CUET for its 5-year law courses. The respondents of the PIL are DU’s Faculty of Law, Vice Chancellor of the University, UGC and Union of India through the Ministry of Education.

 On Thursday, August 17, the Delhi High Court questioned Delhi University on its decision to admit students to its new 5-year integrated law courses based on the Common Legal Admission Test (CLAT-UG) 2023 results. A petition submitted by Prince Singh, a student at DU’s Faculty of Law, challenged the University’s announcement of the 5-year integrated law courses, beginning in the academic year 2023-24. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by him sought admission to these courses through CUET UG 2023, following the directives of the Universities Grant Commission (UGC) for central universities. The Court granted Delhi University and the Centre time until the next hearing on August 25 to file their responses to the petition.

The bench, which included Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula, stated that the Government of India, through the National Education Policy, had decided that admissions to all Central Universities would be done through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) introduced by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and that Delhi University is “not special.”

You are not special. There is a national policy. If 18 other central universities are relying on the CUET scores for admissions, why is DU not doing the same?” the bench remarked.

 The court granted the University’s counsel time to file a counter-affidavit before the next hearing on August 25. The Union of India has also been given time to “file its reply” or seek “appropriate instructions in the matter.” However, the court stressed that if no counter-affidavit is submitted by the next hearing date, the matter will be heard on the question of grant of interim relief.

Delhi University’s counsel, Advocate Mohinder S Rupal, contended that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Yogesh Singh, formed a special committee of specialists, which delivered a detailed report to the Academic and Executive Councils of the University. During the hearing, he argued that the University only launched the 5-year integrated law degree this year and that if a stay is granted on the operation of the August 4 notification, the entire academic year will be wasted. He alleged that DU had not yet provided a schedule or timeline for admissions to its law courses.

It is not as if we are rushing the process. We haven’t started the admission process yet. The University will not issue any advertisement regarding applications for CLAT-based admissions to the 5-year law course till the next date of hearing.”- stated DU’s counsel, Mohinder Rupal.

 The PIL was filed in response to a notification issued by Delhi University on August 4 announcing the introduction of the Five-year Integrated Law Courses- B.A.LLB (Hons.) and BBA.LLB (Hons.), admissions to which would be undertaken by the CLAT scores of the aspirants.

“The Bar Council of India in its letter dated 26.07.2023 has accorded its approval of 60 seats for BA LLB (Hons) and 60 seats for BBA LLB (Hons). Admission to BA LLB (Hons) and BBA LLB (Hons) shall be based on merit in the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) UG 2023 result. The classes for BA LLB (Hons) and BBA LLB (Hons) courses will be held at the Faculty of Law, Kanad Bhawan, North Campus, University of Delhi. The online application for admission to BA LLB (Hons) and BBA LLB (Hons) courses will be announced by the University soon,” stated the notification by Delhi University.

 The petition contended that by issuing this notification, Delhi University has placed a “wholly unreasonable condition” that violates the Right to Equality under Article 14 and the Right to Education under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The plea stressed that CUET is conducted in multiple languages while CLAT is held only in English, which leads to an admission advantage for a specific sub-group at DU’s Faculty of Law.

That the condition imposed for admission to the five-year integrated law courses at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, is wholly unreasonable and arbitrary. It lacks any intelligible differentia and has no rational nexus with the object of admission to the five-year integrated law courses at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi,” the plea by Singh stated.

 

Read Also: Delhi High Court Seeks the Stand of the Centre and University in Opposing the New Admission Criteria – DU Beat – Delhi University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Featured Image Credits: Bar and Bench

 Manvi Goel

[email protected]

 

The revised history syllabus for the fourth and fifth semester undergraduate students, which was approved by the DU Academic Council on May 26, has been ratified by the Executive Council on June 9, 2023. The removal of a paper on inequality, the elimination of the term “Brahmanization,” and the addition of matriarchal perspectives are some of the changes that have been introduced.

On June 9, 2023, the University of Delhi’s Executive Council, the apex academic decision-making body at the university, ratified the amended curriculum that had been approved by the Academic Council on May 26. The Academic Council revised the history syllabus for the fourth and fifth semesters under the new Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP). A few of the changes include the deletion of the words Brahminization and ‘Brahmanical’, the removal of the paper on “Inequality and Differences”, and the introduction of matriarchal perspectives.

The revision aims to align the syllabus with the suggestions of the New Education Policy, NEP 2020.

-Shri Prakash Singh, Director, South Campus, in a report by The Indian Express

The phrase Brahminization has been removed from the fourth and fifth semester Generic Elective paper ‘Religion and Religiosity’, which has been renamed ‘Religious Traditions in the Indian Subcontinents’. One of the topics in the paper titled ‘Approaches to Brahmanization in the Early Mediaeval Era’ has been renamed ‘Approaches to Shaiva, Shakta, and Vaishnava in the Early Mediaeval Era’. In addition, the revised syllabus removed the term ‘Brahmanical’ from the fifth-semester paper on the Brahmanical Patriarchy. Furthermore, the title of the article has been changed from ‘Evolution of Patriarchy’ to ‘Evolution of Patriarchy in Early India’.

Apart from this, the paper titled ‘Inequality and Differences’ in semester four, which talks about the concepts of jati, varna, caste, class, and gender and their evolution, has been withdrawn.

Constructive suggestions are also given — there is now more diversity and more information. It was a unanimous decision and the changes were reported to the academic council way in advance. There is no dissent. Suggestions were given by the standing committee as well.”

-Dean of South Campus, DU, in a report by Jagran Josh

Furthermore, the paper Women in Indian History will provide fresh perspectives on matriarchy. The units that were previously centred around patriarchy will now also include discussions around matriarchy. The primary goal of this modification, reportedly, is to make students aware of and have a diverse viewpoint.

Image Credits: Devansh Arya for DU Beat

Read Also: Gandhi replaced with Savarkar in BA Syllabus; Row Erupts in DU

Dhruv Bhati
[email protected]

On 7 August 2023, the first round of seat allotment for UG admissions have been released with over 87% of UG seats secured by students, with Hansraj College witnessing the highest number of registrations. The second round of seat allotment will be released on 10 August for the remaining vacant seats.

In the first round of seat allotment under the CSAS portal for securing UG admissions at Delhi University (DU), the maximum admissions were secured at Hansraj College, Ramjas College and Dyal Singh College. The list was announced on 7 August 2023, with over 87% of UG seats already secured by students. Kirori Mal College witnessed the highest number of total registrations with 1,61,533 registrations followed by Hindu College with 1,58,548 registrations and Hansraj College with 1,57,162 registrations.

According to the data released by the CSAS portal, a total of 85,853 students secured UG admissions at DU. However, 62,008 students paid their fees and secured their seats at DU, among which 53% are female students. 12,733 students have chosen to freeze their allotment with 40,701 opting to upgrade.

The list of vacant seats has been released on the official websites at du.ac.in and admissions.uod.ac.in. The second round of allotment commenced on 7 August 2023 with the display of vacant seats. Students who have opted to upgrade will be given the option to re-order their higher preferences from 7 August to 8 August 2023.

Most of the seats are filled. Only in science courses, around 10% of admissions are left. Earlier, it would take us at least four lists to arrive at the seat scenario that we are witnessing now after the first list”, Manoj Khanna, principal of Ramjas College mentioned in regards to the admission process.

The second round of seat allotment will be declared on 10 August 2023. Selected students will have to accept their allotted between 10 August to 13 August 2023. The third round of seat allotment will be notified by the university. However, depending on the number of vacant seats available for admission, the university may announce additional rounds.

Colleges will be required to approve the online application from 10 August to 14 August 2023. The last date for the online payment of fees by the students is 15 August 2023.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

[email protected]

 

 

 

In recent years, concerns regarding the evaluation process and its transparency have become increasingly common among University of Delhi students and faculty members. An increasing number of instances of faulty results, in which students are marked zero or absent even though they appeared for the exam, leaves these students with little choice but to seek reevaluation and pay high fees. Students are adversely impacted by the late announcement of revaluation results and the lack of effective grievance redressal.

 University of Delhi, India’s one of the most premier public universities, attracts students from all backgrounds. With more than 90 colleges, 500+ programmes and almost 19 lakh students enrolled in different regular, open, certificate and diploma courses. With such strength, the process of evaluation and declaration of result is undoubtedly challenging. However, it is essential for universities to maintain a fair, unbiased and transparent assessment.

In recent years, there have been an increasing number of cases of errors in results in which students are graded zero or absent despite having taken the exam. Students who face such problems are typically advised to request for revaluation by paying a fee of 1000 rupees. However, there is no transparency in this process. Some of the key complaints of students include poor grievance redressal, late release of results, rejection of forms if any information is found to be wrong without notifying the applicant, and so on.

More than 100 pupils received a zero in English in 2012. A similar incident occurred in October of last year, when over 400 students from the faculty of law were marked zero or absent, provoking complaints from student groups. Many final-year UG students received zero or were marked absent in their OBE (Open Book Examination) results in 2020.

How can one get a zero in the open book format where we were allowed to use books? I have already taken admission in an MBA programme in a private institute in Pune and my family also took a bank loan of ₹16 lakh for my higher education. I have to submit my final-year mark sheets by November 10. They won’t allow me to join with this result. I applied for revaluation but I do not know how much time the university will take to declare the results. I am extremely anxious about my future”, says Yogendra Jaisawal, a student of Batch’20 from Rajdhani College in an interview in Hindustan Times

Not just regular students, but also SOL (School of Open Learning) students, experienced comparable challenges. Last September, Students from SOL’s B.Com and B.Com(Hons) programmes protested against faulty results.

They (DU) have made this mistake. They say that it could be anybody’s fault so we can go for re-evaluation after paying Rs 1,000. Where do we get Rs 1,000 from? In SOL, most students, including myself, come from humble backgrounds. We have already paid for our exams and books, though we haven’t received the latter yet”, Pushpendra, Delhi University in an interview on The Quint

 Students raised similar problems this year when the semester 4 and 6 results were released in July 2023. Many students from Zakir Hussain College received zeros in “Auditing and Corporate Governance” and “Fundamentals of Investment”. The pattern in these cases is that students with successive roll numbers received zero marks in the same papers.

In other papers, I received 7 GRPT. How can I get a 0? How could someone fail a theory paper unless they left it blank? This ruined my whole CGPA”, a student from Batch’23 of Zakir Hussain College. 

Students generally complain about the administration’s behaviour at the examination branch. Usually, students have to wait for extended periods of time since no one is seated at the window. Not only that, but students complained that they attempted to contact the examination branch through email or phone for an update on their revaluation, but no one responded to their emails or texts.

We asked the officers seated on the next window, 2-3 times. We informed him that we had been waiting for 25 minutes. He replied rudely, ‘Wait, there only’.”, a postgraduate student

The issue is not only the evaluation or the student being marked zero or absent and forced to pay 1000, but also the way the revaluation procedure works.

The revaluation guidelines read “If the award of the first revaluator is beyond ± 5% and up to ± 10%, the average of the marks of the original examiner and the first Revaluator will be taken.” Does this mean that incorrectly marked zeros will also be counted when computing my grades? If so, it is completely unjust. That was the fault of the university, not mine”, a student of Hansraj College. 

The release of revaluation results is a separate issue. In some cases, revaluation results of students get released after a year. Many students of Batch’24 who were graded faulty score of zero or absent say that they are ineligible to apply for placements in their colleges as a result of this error in their marksheet.

An RTI application revealed that between 2015-16 and 2017-2018, the University of Delhi earned more than 3 crore rupees in fees from students for rechecking, revaluation, or providing photocopies of their answer scripts.

According to the information provided by the university, it earned Rs 2,89,12,310 for revaluation alone between 2015-16 and 2017-18. During the same period, it earned Rs 23,29,500 for rechecking and Rs 6,49,500 for providing students copies of answer-scripts evaluated”, Reports The Indian Express

 Such mistakes and technical flaws are possible. However, the number of these cases has considerably grown in recent years. Such mistakes have an impact on a student’s career as well as their mental health. A transparent evaluation and revaluation procedure is of the utmost importance right now. To fix such errors, the institution should devise a quick and simple procedure. Not everyone can afford to spend such large sums only to correct faults created by the institution. As one of the largest and prominent central universities, DU should devise simple and effective solutions for resolving student issues.

Featured Image credits: exam.du.ac.in

Read Also: A Horror Tale of Major Human Error in DU Results

Dhruv Bhati

[email protected]

A student from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, was beaten to death with a rod in Malviya Nagar after she reportedly refused the accused’s proposal for marriage.


A student from Delhi’s Kamala Nehru College was attacked with a rod in Malviya Nagar on Friday and died on the spot. The victim, identified as Nargis, was attacked outside the college premises.

According to the police, the victim came to the park with her male friend. The police have arrested her 28-year-old cousin named Irfan in connection to the murder.

The accused told the police that he was prompted to kill the victim after she refused his marriage proposal. His anger was compounded by the fact that no one was agreeing to marry him. He had allegedly been planning the murder for three days and surrendered to the police hours after committing it. The incident took place in a park near Aurobindo College.

As per the preliminary probe, Irfan had been upset after Nargis had stopped talking to him. Her family had refused to allow their marriage, partly because he didn’t have a proper job and worked as a food delivery agent. The victim, who used to attend stenography classes in Malviya Nagar, had completed her graduation just this year. Irfan had gone to the park today aware of the fact that she would cross while returning from her class. He called her in and said he wanted to talk to her and when she refused, pulled out a rod from his bag and attacked her.

After receiving the news, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) and senior police officials rushed to the site. They found a rod near the victim’s body and injuries on her head. The police are questioning the accused in connection to the murder.

The police said, “We received information that the body of a 25-year-old girl was found near Aurbindo College in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar. An iron rod was found near her body. According to a preliminary investigation, the girl was attacked with a rod. Blood was oozing out from her head. Further investigation is in progress.”

A campaign, #JusticeForKNCStudent, has been launched online in support of the victim and calling out the perpetuation of crimes against women, with one user on Twitter writing,” Apathy of police admin. in responding to such cases& filing FIRs,& the nexus between the culprits, the state administration,& law enforcement agencies adds immensely to culture of Impunity wrt crimes against Women!”

 

Swati Maliwal, Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, taking note of the incident tweeted, “In a posh locality like Malviya Nagar, a girl was beaten to death with a rod. Delhi is extremely unsafe. It doesn’t matter to anyone. Only in newspaper reports, the names of girls are changed, and the crimes do not stop.”

A senior police official, while talking to ANI, said,” The incident took place inside the park. The deceased is a college student. She had come to the park with her friend. There are injuries on the deceased’s head.”

Read Also: Rising Water, Sinking Hopes

Featured Image Credits: The Indian Express

Vanshika Ahuja

[email protected]

 

Yamuna’s water level exceeded the danger threshold and rose to an all-time high of 208.8 meters, flooding important regions and forcing the closure of schools and institutions around the city. The University of Delhi announced the postponement of exams on July 13, 2023, putting students into a tailspin of uncertainty.

On July 13, 2023, the Yamuna reached an all-time high water level of 208.8 meters, forcing floodwater to reach Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, ITO, and numerous other places. Three to four water treatment facilities had to close as a result of the flooding, which caused an acute shortage of water in one-fourth of Delhi. The Delhi government also declared that all schools and institutions in flooded regions would be closed, leading to the theory exams scheduled on the 17th, 18th and 19th and practical exams scheduled on the 14th, 15th, and 16th being postponed.

By the decision taken by Delhi Disaster Management Authority on 13.07.2023 as communicated by the Press Release dt. 13.07.2023 of Raj Niwas, Delhi, the University shall remain closed w.e.f. 14.07.2023 to 16.07.2023. The examinations scheduled during this period stand postponed” – Read the notice released by the University

The notification was followed by numerous fake exam notices. A few of the messages included the cancellation of all exams and fake postponement dates. This created a great deal of confusion among students appearing for exams.

DU needs to reel in the problem of fake notices. It was getting out of hand especially for the exam postponement issues.” – Hiten Dalmia, a first year student  of BSc.(H) Mathematics 

There were other problems alongside the fraudulent notices. A few of the student areas also experienced flooding, locking individuals inside. A sub locality of Mukherjee Nagar named Hakikat Nagar was inundated with contaminated drain water, which caused a power outage and a subsequent water problem.

The entire place had a gutter-like odour. We had to stay in our apartment for extended power cuts and without water because we had nowhere else to go. Our parents were worried that we wouldn’t get sick from the area’s drain water. It was terrible.” -Rahul, a UPSC aspirant and a graduate

Hakikat Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar

Up until Sunday, the capital’s flooding problem, power outage, and water shortage persisted. The situation in these locations got better as the Yamuna’s level steadily dropped. But for students who will take examinations in the following weeks, this relief was quickly followed by a little shock. The new dates for the postponed exams were announced by the University of Delhi on Monday. This announcement was received with conflicting emotions. Some people enjoyed it since it gave them more time to study, others felt upset because their exam gaps shrunk, and yet others were outraged because they had to cancel their tickets and plans to return home for the holidays.

The new date sheet is worse. I have my exams on 25,26, 27, and 28. Four continuous exams. How am I supposed to study? I reach home by 2 pm and I have an exam the next day at 9 AM?” – Tisha, a first-year student of B.com. (H)

Some students said this postponement gave them extra time to study and cover-up.

As we know the momentum to study in college develops only a few days ago so for me this postponement was a blessing. I enjoyed this extra time too instead of studying but now I am back on track.” – Shreeya Ahuja, a first first-year student of Bcom. (P)

Not all of the issues stemmed from the decreasing gap. The majority of the outstation students have already purchased tickets to return to their home cities. Students were compelled to either change their plans or cancel and buy a new ticket later due to the extension of the theory exams until the second of August and the practical exams until the fifth of August. Some were forced to pay cancellation fees because they had no other choice; others were unable to purchase tickets and were left with no choice but to purchase a train ticket under the “Tatkal” category. Many students have PG and broker contracts that expire on July 31. Often, PG owners and landlords impose extra charges on students when they stay past their contracts – thus adding another expense to all students. 

The repercussions of these changes in the examination schedule have caused several students inconvenience and financial problems, emphasising the need for better planning as well as an understanding of students’ circumstances in such situations.

Image Credits: Business Today, Times of India

Read Also: Climate Change se Aazadi: The Delhi Chapter of the Global Climate Strike

Dhruv Bhati

[email protected]