Delhi University Archives - Page 34 of 49 - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

In spite of being a sensitive issue, discussions regarding gender and sexuality are heating up all over the country. With a large number of students being a part of the varsity, sharing different backgrounds and cultures, it is a great platform to openly garner different stances. As a step forward in the view of gender sensitization, The Gender Studies Group, Delhi University has launched four FAQ booklets on the topics – The Body, Sexual Minorities, Sexual Harassment as well as Accommodation in and around the University.

With the recently launched booklets, the Group aims to connect students to the knowledge on these issues. Often not openly discussed, students remain indifferent to the subjects of harassment, abuse and bullying. The booklets provide useful information about the rights of the students and social conditions prevalent in the university. It aims to incorporate students and make them heralds of social awareness and change.

For instance, the booklet titled “Body”, talks about the definition of gender, which includes transgender, consent in a sexual relationship, basic anatomy of the male and female reproductive organs and the misconceptions attached. It also talks about health, hygiene, contraception and date rape. “Accommodation” is another booklet that comprises of restrictive rules and regulations in hostels, especially for women and also cautions them about the forms of harassment that they might encounter. The booklet on “Sexual Minorities” deals with the LGBTQIA – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexuals, Trans, Queer, Intersex and Asexual — and explains each term. It also embraces the issue of homosexuality and common questions arising in its context as to why, how and if it’s wrong.

Excessively it acquaints students as to how to collectively oppose and protest moral policing, harassment, gender biased rules and violence in the university. These booklets rationally question the myths and taboos concerning gender, sexuality and accommodation. The Group’s efforts are delegated towards guiding students in the right direction and analyse such issues with a coherent and open mind.

The booklets are available at a few places in the University including the Delhi School of Economics. Soon these will be distributed in other places too.

Tanya Agarwal

[email protected]

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Top Picks

Top 10 DU fashion icons you just can’t miss

By DU Beat October 5, 2015

Over the years, Delhi University has not only bestowed us with great minds, but, created identities that have marked a history in the field of fashion. Popular Designers, Bloggers, Fashionistas, this list of personalities drawing a massive hierarchy of personal style just doesn’t end. While some have found their distinct places where their names will be called out and paparazzi would strike them like a storm, for the rest, there has been a special wall of stardom at Wooplr which never stops showering them with love. Let’s meet our top 10 Fashion Icons from the various colleges of DU who are racing their way up on the Fashion Reign :

SALONI SEHRA

Being the Miss Fresh Face of her time, Saloni belongs to a college where you’ll see two varied communities of Fashionistas. While one community believes in following an everyday college style, the other has divas like Saloni, who believe in turning heads towards them with their runway ready fashion. She is one of the reasons why Kalindi college is known for it’s beauties. Never will you find her repeating her looks, or attires. And, talking about photographs, she will never be tired of flaunting her fashion in them.

LENTINA LONGKUMER

Speak of simplicity, speak of Lady Shri Ram College! It is one college where the girls don’t do words, they follow the word of being effortlessly stylish. Holding this value strong, Lentina is one such loyalist at Wooplr who has always kept her style elementary and personality strong. When you see her, not only will you wish to own such a comfortable collection for college, but, you will feel such positivity in her fashion that you wouldn’t be able to stop yourself from knowing her deeper. The girl who can nail a plain maxi dress with such poise, definitely knows a lot of fashion.

NIKITA JAIN

Gargi College – ‘THE’ college where all that girls do apart from their lectures is great fashion! Being a student of such a college, you automatically tend to follow a trendy breed no matter how off you are with styling. Similar is the case with Nikita Jain, with the only difference being, that she was born with a fashionable spoon. She follows the mantra – ‘The shorter, the better!’. While she is obsessed with her tiny bodycon dresses and hot pants, she is also a once in a blue moon surprise package with her indian wear. The question is, who should we thank for such an amazing fashion discovery, DU or Nikita herself?

PRATIKSHA KAKKAR

At Wooplr, you’ll find smoking fashion influencers, and then, you will find, unbearably cute faces like that of Pratiksha! Pursuing her UG course at Lady Irwin College, she has almost completed her masters in being a Fashion icon of a kind. From a college whose fashion society has a record of being the topmost for more than two years, it was really hard to spot a girl that got our heart melting. What makes her different is that, she knows her shoes quite well! You will never find her in the same footwear, and make-up, oh! you haven’t seen her enough! Despite of being a brand-baby, she does the street-style quite right!

5. NAYANA ROY CHOUDHURY

Coming as complete astonishment, is this combination of sugar and spice and everything nice, Nayana Roy Choudhury! The surprise is not in how sinfully fashionable she is, but, the fact that ARSD college, has such gems hidden in its treasure. So, just in case you thought that the DU Fashion is saturated in a handful colleges, she is here to prove you wrong! Her idea of fashion is to always create a twist and turn out of a normal outfit and write a story that could justify the worth of her purchases. While simple is an everyday tale, her thing is to spice it up with grace!

ARSHDEEP KAUR

Being the pioneers of vogue in Delhi University, Kamla Nehru College gets its fame through sizzles like Arshdeep. Having associations with her fashion society in the college, she owes every bit of her chicness to it! She feels that a personal style might be inborn, but, fashion, is a learning process that wouldn’t end till you cross an age where you fall for your whites! We love how she loves her lipshades and flaunts her reflectives just with the right ray of sun falling on her.

BHUMIKA POPLY

If you’re wondering which college to head to if you want your three years to be one big fashion carnival, then, it is none other than Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce! Just as how crazy this college is, Bhumika is our crazy find from there, whose first impression to us always remains, ‘Hello Happiness!’. Having a hardcore fetish for prints, you will spot bhumika in amazing ranges of prints every time you see her. And, mind you! When we say ranges, her collection of prints just would not reach a zenith. She is one cute head who set the stage on fire with the hotness in her fashion.

SRIJONI ROY

‘Bored? Let’s style up!’ – With styling checked among her favorite pass time, Srijoni is one fashionista, you’d look at and question her of being a student at Miranda House, or at any college for a fact. With a touch of professionalism in her styling, she never fails to lose out on any attention in her college. She might seem a quiet person to you initially, but, she will be at her best when she is in her perfect attire, which is everyday! She has her own moods when it comes to her daily looks. While, at times, she is all quirky, and at times, she is this elegant Indian lady brimming with a unique sense of style!

MONIKA KAPOOR

‘They say, if you want to find the typical ‘dilli girl’, then Daulat Ram College is your place to be!’ We weren’t really sure of this quote, until we came across, Monika, who has got that perfect DRC vibe in her, making us believe, that irrespective of the fact that you’re a delhiite or not, DU, will make you one, at least with your fashion! She has a closet that can bring any girl in envy of her. Street shopping is her choice for college wear, and for formal occasions, she hits to destinations that would remain a big secret. The exclusivity, though, is not in the place where she shops from, but, the way she moulds it to her personal touch!

UZMA RIYAZ

One of our oldest fashion influencers, Uzma is the Wooplr sweetheart. She walks on the path that says, ‘Don’t over-do, but, do what you think is right!’. She is a very simple girl when it comes to fashion, but, when it comes to looking a class apart, she knows how to make a kill with her sophistication. The catch for her is the uniqueness of an outfit and bling, what bling? Pursuing Psychology honors from Lady Shri Ram College, she is an amazing mind reader and that’s how she manages to leave a lasting mark on great minds with her jaw-dropping Forever 21 Fashion!

In DU and not on Wooplr? You’re missing out on joining these Divas in the league of amazing Delhi Fashion. So, connect with us, flaunt your personal style and let us get you the star-like feel!

Article contributed by Wooplr

Is fashion your biggest foe? Does it intimidate you? Do you feel like a dodo when it comes to making sensible fashion choices? Do you wish to be a fashionista but aren’t sure how and where to start?
Well, our dear fashion-stricken reader, we’ve got a one-stop solution to all your fashion queries! DUB introduces to you the latest fashion app, Wooplr. This app will help enhance your fashion knowledge: it will guide you through the latest fads and trends, help you customize a style for yourself, suggest shopping options and Voila! Turn you into a stunning diva! So check out the app and be prepared to rock the college scene with your new-found fashion acumen!

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Interviews

In conversation with the newly elected President of the Student’s Union of Miranda House

By DU Beat October 2, 2015

Miranda House witnessed a lot of heat during this year’s Student Union elections. Unlike last year when the post of the President had just one person contesting for it, the competition this year was fierce. After a well-contested election, Miranda House elected Nitasha Dabas as the President of the Miranda House Student Union for the 2015-16 session. A third year Chemistry Honours student, Nitasha has been a part of Mridang, the Indian dance society of Miranda House for two years now and also works with the environment society Vatavaran, and the Miranda House NSS unit.

Nitasha got down to business right after her oath-taking ceremony. Nevertheless, we managed to get to know what’s on her mind as she kickstarts her tenure:

Q. Congratulations on your win, Nitasha! When did wanting to be a part of the Student Union become a plan for you? What motivated you towards student politics?

For the last two years I have observed the basic problems that students face and felt the urge to work for the college. I have been constantly making plans in my mind for the betterment of the college and being a part of the union was one of the ways to execute my plans.

Q. While there are obvious ecstasies about representing the students of Miranda House, what are some of your inherent fears for your tenure?

As much as I am enjoying my victory, I am aware of my responsibilities and the promises I’ve made in my manifesto. I am not really afraid of any obstacle; I’m fully prepared to face them. I do have a lot of things in mind to execute my plans, but sometimes I feel that the time period available is not enough. Nevertheless, I’m determined and will devote all my energy and time towards working for the students.

Q. What tops the to-do list of your union?

Our first step was to realise the problems of our college, of which we are now completely aware. Now is the time to act. Like I said, with all the time I’ve spent in the college I have deeply felt and faced the issues faced by everyone, and I believe that our team is capable of fulfilling all our goals set for the session. We are determined to work for our college and make a change.

Q. Before the elections we had been made to realise the problems of the College. Do you think the new union is harmonious enough to deal with these?

The newly elected union has good experience with working for the college. In the last two years, we not only got the opportunity to work for various societies but also for the union. The new union consists of people who had worked very closely with the previous Student Union, so we have sound knowledge of how an organization is run in Miranda House. With the managerial and coordination skills that we have gained, we will be able to work very efficiently as a team and take Miranda House to new heights.

Q. What is your message to all Mirandians?

I would like to tell them to not restrict themselves. Try to explore. Miranda House is a place where you can make your dreams fly high. You should not only be proud to be a part of this great institution but also feel blessed because only a few and the finest become Mirandians.

Image Credits: Jasmine Chahal

Tooba Towfiq

[email protected]

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Campus Central

India Vision 2020- Are we there yet?

By DU Beat September 23, 2015

Markandey Katju speaking at Kirori Mal College[/caption] Katju was of the view that every nation makes a transition from feudal agricultural society to a modern industrial society, but in case of India, we are stuck somewhere in the middle of these two phases. He not only commented on the sad state of affairs of the parliament and bureaucracy by calling politicians ‘a bunch of rogues and rascals’, but he also presented the unfortunate state of the Indian media that is more interested in covering Sheena Bora Murder, Radhe Maa and Bollywood, rather than bringing forth the plight of farmers who are committing suicides. Interestingly, he pointed out the pitiable condition of Police investigations in India, stating that the ‘Darogas’ must see and learn from Sherlock Holmes. For him, India would soon face a social revolution and things will become terrible and turbulent by 2020. However, our national aim should be to make India a modern, scientific and industrial state, for which a revolution is increasingly necessary. After Mr. Katju’s words of wisdom, academician- Dr. Indira Bhardwaj spoke about her vision of India. A faculty member at Delhi School of Business, she highlighted the ever pervasive problem of employability, explaining it as the art of doing routine things in a better way. She criticised how Indians lack innovation and how we make an imagined hierarchal difference between jobs by bifurcating them into either menial or sophisticated jobs. She stressed on learning and respecting ‘dignity of labour’, by treating all job platforms with equal respect. After former Justice Katju and Dr. Indira, the final speaker that enthralled the audience was politician, Subramanian Swamy. According to the former Cabinet minister, a DNA study claims that, ‘all people of India are originally Hindus or their descendants had a Hindu identity.’ Taking his genetic research adventure forward, he stated how he got the DNA structure of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray matched with a person from Uttar Pradesh, claiming that Thackeray, who mocks North Indians himself has ancestors from UP. By virtue of these anecdotes, he aimed to highlight that every person in India is an Indian first, a north or south Indian next. [caption id="attachment_34918" align="aligncenter" width="269"] Subramanian Swamy speaking at Kirori Mal College[/caption] Sharing his teaching experience at Harvard University, he said, “ Whenever I used to ask students what kind of a job they would vouch for after the completion of their degree, 99% of Indian students in my class would say they’ll go for a secure job”, hence throwing light on the never ending search for stability by Indians. Stating about the problem of corruption and bringing back our money from ‘foreign lands’, he said, “It is not that difficult to bring black money back to our country, but for that, I should be made Finance Minister.” He mockingly argued that India is in a questionable state because of the idealism of Jawahar Lal Nehru, who didn’t listen to anybody, but listened occasionally to Lady Mountbatten, Swamy claimed. He made an effort to project a hopeful picture of India as a developed country if we get our act together. All in all, the conference, though meant to discuss about the future prospects of the Indian Subcontinent, majorly dwelled on the present, but it did establish a connect with the students and teachers as was apparent with the loud roar of applause at the end of the session. Image Credits- Chirag Sharma for DU Beat Riya Chhibber [email protected]]]>

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Bazinga

Bazinga: DU introduces compulsory sex education courses in line with Indian sanskaars

By DU Beat September 18, 2015

In one of its most revolutionary reforms till date, Delhi University has decided to introduce a compulsory sex education course from next year.

In order to not upset parents and politicians with the “s” word and to respect Indian culture, the course will be called Hindi Sanskaars 101 and the curriculum will include texts on how to stay away from temptation and how to find the perfect heterosexual mate from your caste. Supplementary chapters on Chinese food and its effect on rape culture and the ill effects of live-in relationships for women in particular will be included. Though the entire course has not been disclosed yet, extensive beating about the bush, pun intended, is to be expected with diagrammatic discussion on the reproductive systems of plants.

Whether it will be in the form of a qualifying, allied or credit course is yet to be decided by the administration but it has been declared that there will be a 75 mark theoretical paper and 25 marks worth of internal assessment. “Delhi University has always been a very liberal and progressive university. It is time to accept that youngsters of today are very modern and it is important for us to make them aware of and prepared for the consequences of wearing shorts”, said an abstaining member of the administration, Pyaare Hilaake.

Contrary to the implementation of the FYUP or the CBCS, the initial response from student and teacher bodies has by and large been positive. A member of a student body, who has previously participated in the outrage against the Kiss of Love movement welcomed the new course and said, “Students need to be made to realise that sex is impure and only married couples can partake in this sin without compromising on our values. Personal liberty and consent have no place in our culture.”

Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost believable fake news. We firmly believe sex education should be made mandatory for youngsters, not Hindi Sanskaars 101, but the kind that talks about contraception and safety.

Image Credits- psytreasure.com

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DUB Speak

Know your parties- DUSU Elections 2015

By DU Beat September 9, 2015

Still haven’t decided your vote? Here’s a little insight into the parties contesting for Delhi Union Students’ Union election 2015.

ABVP – can they do another 2014?

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad is the only major right-wing representation in DU’s political pitch. ABVP is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and shares nationalist ideologies with the Bharatiya Janata Party. ABVP has presided over DUSU 22 times since the establishment of the students’ union. Riding on the anti-Congress mood of the nation, ABVP clean swept the DUSU polls last year with a decisive margin.

Past activities and stands

The party took an offensive stand against the Four Year Undergraduate Programme in 2013 and in 2014, after the election of a BJP government in the centre and a full-blown tussle between the University Grants Commission and the University of Delhi, FYUP was rolled back by DU. ABVP is known to be anti-homosexuality and an opponent of live-in relationships. In October last year, ABVP formed a human chain in the University to “sensitise students about the menace of live-in relationships”. ABVP’s karyakartas also locked horns with rival party All India Students’ Association in November over Kiss of Love, a movement against moral-policing supported by AISA.

ABVP has raised several issues pertaining to DU students in the past, including reintroduction of the schemes of revaluation and ‘special chance’. After Arvind Kejriwal’s successful bid for Delhi’s Chief Ministerial post, ABVP office bearers met with the CM to discuss issues related to the University.
DU Beat’s DUSU Opinion Shows ABVP to be winning by a small margin. Read more here.

Candidates for 2015

ABVP has fielded the Joint Secretary of its Delhi chapter, Satender Awana, for the post of the President. He is presently pursuing M.A. Buddhist Studies. Sunny Dedha, a student of the Faculty of Law, is contesting for the post of Vice President. Anjali Rana, a student of history at Lakshmi Bai College, is the party’s pick for the post of the Secretary of DUSU whereas for the post of Joint Secretary, Chhatar Pal Yadav has filed his nomination. The ballot numbers for the ABVP panel are 1, 1, 4 and 4.

AISA – Gunning for #1

The All India Students’ Association emerged as a galvanising force in 1990 grounding itself on the ideology of the Naxalbari peasant movement and the 1974 peoples’ movement in Bihar. The organisation believes that Marxism can liberate the society and can lead to human emancipation. Its critical stand towards ‘fascism’ and political forces that divide masses on religious lines is what inspires belief in its members.

Past Activities and Stands

The organisation’s support for the labour rights and the working class has been both evident and lauded by many left scholars.It has also been at the forefront of the movement against criminalisation of politics.
AISA has voiced its dissent whenever instances of privatisation in the realm of education have germinated in the country. It has been vocal against the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. The liberal nature of this organisation and its structure, which is devoid of communal elements, has attracted the attention of many civil society members. In the 2014 DUSU elections, the organisation came as the third force after both the parties.

Candidates for 2015

For 2015, Sheetal Bhopal of Hindu College is contesting for the post of President. Sudhanshu Shekhar of Sri Aurobindo College has been pitched for the Vice-Presidential post. Ravi Kumar of Ramjas College and Abhinav Kumar of Deshbandhu College are contesting for the positions of Secretary and Joint Secretary respectively.

CYSS- The Newbie to change it all?

The Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), the AAP supported student body, is all set to make its debut in the Delhi University elections scheduled to be held on September 11. With AAP and Arvind Kejriwal’s ideas in mind, CYSS is committed to ending money and muscle power in campus elections. CYSS claims a strong level of intra-party coordination and a firm adherence to clean and honest politics. They believe that the crippling problems of the nation like corruption and hunger can be solved if parties stand by clean politics. Focusing on student issues, they want to rid the election scenario of vulgar splashing of money and the intimidating presence of outsiders.

Past activities and stands

CYSS has made three issues the focus of its campaign as seen in their manifesto. Providing WiFi facilities in all public places and high footfall areas of North and South Campus, monthly job fairs in the 11 revenue districts of Delhi and implementing an education loan scheme and providing opportunities to help DU students become job creators and not just job seekers. However, CYSS had recently found itself amidst allegations of publicising ‘fake’ opinion polls and advertising on hundreds of billboards across the city. Their claims of being a ‘clean’ party and standing for honest politics got into more trouble when the party organised a star studded concert at Talkatora Stadium. The Chief Minister also addressed the students of Delhi University, promising them higher education loan schemes, one lakh jobs within a year and free WiFi in colleges, when endorsement of candidates by political parties is not permitted according to university norms. Lyngdoh Committee recommendations speak of a budget of Rs 5000 for campaigning. It would seem the actions of the party have been contradictory to their claims of ‘clean’ politics.

Candidates for 2015

Standing from the CYSS panel are Kuldeep Bidhuri, a second year B.A Programme student from PGDAV (morning) college, for the post of President, Garima Rana, a state-level badminton player from Hindu College, for the post of Vice President, Rahul Raj Aryan, a university gold medalist from Hindu college, for the post of Secretary and Hintanshi Chauhan from Satyawati College for the post of Joint Secretary.

NSUI- A Force to Reckon with?

A proud Centrist party, NSUI came into being on 9 April 1971, and boasts of 4 million members and around 1,30,000 office bearers and units in 14,500 colleges across the country.
Their mission is to “empower the student community, to create responsible citizens and leaders based on the values of democracy, secularism, liberty, quality & equality”.

Past Activities and Stands

In their 20-point manifesto for 2015, NSUI has focused on four main issues- rollback of the CBCS system, demand for atleast two hostels each in the North and South Campuses, proper water facilities in all colleges, and improvement of administrative management across the university for procedures like submission of the examination forms. In addition to these, they have also stressed on the importance of issues like lack of WiFi access in colleges and the tedious schedule of evening colleges.
Their campaign strategy works on ‘conventional is cool’. According to them, the glamorous and star-studded campaigns being run by other parties aren’t good tactics.

Candidates for 2015

For the 2015 DUSU elections, NSUI has fielded Pradeep Vijayran, a final year LLB student from the Faculty of Law, as their Presidential Candidate, Prerna Singh from Ram Lal Anand College as their Vice-Presidential candidate, Amit Sehrawat from the Faculty of Law for the post of the Secretary and Deepak Chaudhary from Hansraj College for the post of the Joint Secretary.

SFI- Aiming to Reform DU

“Curb money and muscle power in the University of Delhi,” said Prashant, a State Committee Member of the Students’ Federation of India. In the 2015 DUSU Elections, SFI is aiming for that and to stop mishaps in the University.

Past Activities and Stands

Unlike many other student political parties, SFI has a different manifesto, which includes removal of the Choice Based Credit System, better accommodation in hostels and rent-control for PGs and Flats, sorting out the matter of the LLB Course of the University not being recognised by the Bar Council and granting of the “MCM Scholarships”, which were started in 2002 by SFI.

SFI has continued to have an alliance with All India Students Organisation- the AIDSO Alliance. This is to stop the fractioning of the left votes in the university and to amalgamate the left force to defeat the predominant right wing of the university.

The Candidates for 2015

The candidates being fielded by SFI are Chand Mahal Ruby, a 3rd year Political Science student from Ramjas College, for the post of the President, Qasim Masumi, pursuing masters from School of Social Work, for the post of the Vice-President, Ashraf Ali standing, a student at Moti Lal Nehru College and the AIDSO Alliance candidate, for the post of the Secretary and Ashish Chauhan, a student at Zakir Hussain Evening College, for the post of the Joint Secretary.

Image Credits- youthkiawaaz.com

Sidhant R. Seth
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Riya Chhibber
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Arindam Goswami
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Sidharth Yadav
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Ishaan Gambhir
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DUB News

SFI conducts referendum on CBCS, more than 90% vote ‘No’

By Sidharth Yadav August 20, 2015

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), CPI (M)’s student wing, conducted a referendum last week on the widely debated Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) which was implemented at the undergraduate level this year by the Delhi University. The referendum was conducted through polling stations at 12 major colleges of the varsity. These included Kirori Mal College, Hindu College, Shri Ram College of Commerce, SGTB Khalsa College, Miranda House, Laxmi Bai College, Satyawati College, Satyawati College (Evening), Zakir Hussain College, Zakir Hussain College (Evening), Motilal Nehru College, Ram Lal Anand College, Aryabhatta College, Dyal Singh College, Dyal Singh College (Evening), Aurobindo College and Aurobindo College (Evening).

The students voted in considerable numbers at all the centres leaving the final vote count at 12,769. Out of the number of votes casted, 11,734 voted against the system by selecting the ‘No’ option on the ballot papers while 1,016 voted for it. 19 votes were deemed invalid. The counting was done on Wednesday evening outside the Arts Faculty by a three member teacher panel. 91.89% of the votes were against the system.

SFI, which claims to be constantly battling for a fair higher education system in the country, faced resistance from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in various colleges as the former was eventually garnering a lot of support during the lead up to the referendum. The Federation now plans to do a nationwide referendum on the nature of higher education in the country and accordingly report the results to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Image credits: SFI

Sidharth Yadav

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Freshers, it’s time to pop the bubble!

By DU Beat August 1, 2015

Congratulations to you, freshers! You’re now officially a student of Delhi University in spite of its skyscraper like cut-offs. And by now I am guessing you must have had a taste of the LONG metro rides, the dreaded Rajiv Chowk crowd, lectures at 8:45AM or the trouble to manage the limited pocket money because let’s be honest, there are way too many places to eat and shop and very little money. But there are many more important and grave changes that you’ll experience in your first year at college which your school didn’t really prepare you for.

The diversity at DU

Everyone is aware of the fact that because of Delhi University’s reputation as one of the premier educational institutes, it caters to a large variety of students from all over the country. This sort of diversity may or may not have been present in schools. And, because of the usual habit to stay in our comfort-zones, we often don’t expand our social circle to include these out-station kids.

But, trust me, take a chance. Talk to them and make them feel comfortable. They are not only dealing with the anxiety of stepping into a new college but also the anxiety of living in a completely new place often without the warmth of family and homely-cooked food. Thus, don’t just reduce them to stereotypes but rather rise above them. Try to know more about them and their culture. You can make them experience the ever so famous “Dilli-life” which can range from trying golgappe and chaats to exploring and visiting different places and monuments.

Just scoring marks isn’t the motto anymore

You’ve given your boards and got a percentage which is soaked in your sweat, blood and the numerous cups of coffee that helped you burn the midnight oil. But, it is time to make peace with the fact that you’ll hardly ever see your college mark sheet with a percentage above ninety percent. In the next three years you’ll see people participating in innumerable events, building a CV or more importantly, building a personality. And a personality is something which will set you apart from the crowd. Thus, PARTICIPATE. Audition for the various different societies at your college, participate in college or departmental elections or join a not-for-profit student run organisation. Make use of the fact that college is a place where no one knows your history and you literally have a clean slate which makes it the ideal time to explore aspects and fields you never knew you’ll develop an interest in.

Adopting an open-minded approach

With time you’ll realise that the classmate you started hanging out with has a starkly different set of opinions and moral code than yours. Or you might start comparing this newly formed bond with the bond you share with your school friends, who are now spread all over the country in different colleges, which gives rise to expectations which may or may not be met. It is okay. Everyone is different and handles situations differently. Accept this subjectivity. We might have gotten used to our circle which makes it sometimes difficult to understand the other person’s perspective but learn to agree to disagree and still maintain the friendship. It is a part of growing up to be more open-minded and non-judgemental. And adopting a broader perspective to look at and handle things is something that college teaches you most definitely.

All in all, you have the agency to carve this phase in any way you like. So, get out of that comfort zone, take chances, make proper use of your freedom and welcome the change with open arms!

Nishita Agarwal

[email protected]

Image credits: www.pgm-blog.com

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DUB Speak

Life At Delhi University: The Debating Society

By Kriti Sharma August 1, 2015

Christopher Hitchens once remarked, “Time spent arguing is, oddly enough, almost never wasted.”
And rightly so, for debating in DU is one of the most gratifying and fruitful activities. In school, debating is one of those things that students pursue outside their curriculum, as a leisure activity. In college however, debating is more than just a hobby. For many, debating becomes life itself. That, in a nutshell, highlights the intensity and passion with which people debate in DU; the colossal time that it consumes; and the euphoria of achievement that it is capable of bringing to the winners.

Ignorant freshers often believe that their experiences from MUNs and school level debating are sufficient for conquering the DU debating scene. But such complacency is the biggest myth attached to the DebSoc. Firstly, every college debating society conducts trials for freshers, where the main criteria for selection is a person’s ability to reason, articulate and argue. So no fresher will ever be prejudiced against the lack of prior debating experience. Secondly, every society invests at least a month in training their newest members in different forms and styles, indoctrinating nuanced arguments and holding mock debates. This training period goes a long way in prepping the rookie debaters for their initial tournaments (eg: Fresher tournaments).Thereafter, the credentials of a debater will solely depend on his participation, potential and growth.

There are several reasons why you should consider taking up debating in college. Debating will help rid you of your inhibitions, make you more knowledgeable, teach you how to cajole people in the cleverest of ways, widen your ability to reason with logic and give you a college life worth experiencing.

But before you immerse yourself in the world of DU Debating, here are five things to know about the Debsoc ethos:

A. Killer Kompetition
The circuit doesn’t have an age bar and quite often, you might land up in a sticky situation where you, as team of fucchas, are debating against stalwarts from Law Faculty and DSE, people who are almost three years greater than you in age and experience. This can be extremely intimidating, especially if the seniors take you as a joke. Winning in such scenarios is almost next to impossible. The best thing to do then is to take the debate as a learning experience. Instead of getting discouraged by failure, keep up the perseverance and debate with panache! Who knows, maybe a couple of months later, when faced with the same team of titans, you cream your opponents. Or more realistically, at least manage to put up a decent fight!

B. Break Night Parties
When you’re in the debating society, exciting break night lore will form a substantial part of the legacy that you will receive from your seniors. Break night parties are one of the two (the other being the hefty cash prizes) things that draw senior debaters to a tournament. Senior participation decides the reputation of a tournament, and thus it is absolutely essential to host an extravagant break night party. Debaters are hedonists; that is the crooked truth.

Break night parties are like after parties: exclusive and lavish, anything and everything worth talking about happens here! Debaters let loose and enjoy the music, food and other gifts of Dionysius. After attending a break night party, you will realise (and possibly relish) that you belong to an elite society of people who are smart, yet know how to enjoy the finer things in life. Your first break night party will become a defining moment in your debating life and certainly a memory that you will cherish otherwise as well.

C. The freaky outstations
For a debater, outstation tournaments are equally, if not more, important than DU tournaments and your seniors in the society will insist that your participation is well rounded. But getting permission from your parents, making arrangements for transportation and accommodation and saving for expected expenses are arduous tasks. Missing out on such tournaments can put you legions behind and hurt your growth. Outstations are usually a big no for debaters from conservative families. But those who have attended outstation tournaments will unanimously agree that an outstation tournament is like a never ending break night party: a perfect balance between work and play!

D. My way or the Highway
To survive in the circuit, you must be adept in one of the following two things: A. You must either possess tremendous knowledge about several issues like International Relations (IR), Economics, Third Gender Rights, Feminism etc OR B.You must make the other person believe that you possess in depth knowledge about these things. Not that you can faff your way to the finals. But a decent level of knowledge, complemented by a receptive mind, quick thinking and cocky smartness, can help you argue your way through the toughest and slimiest of motions. When all else fails, smartness will double up as a reliable weapon.

E. Family, not society
Most tournaments happen over a span of three to four days and take up almost six to seven hours per day. On non-tournament days, most debaters spend their time in intra and inter societal mock debates. Some others can be found in their groups, discussing raging issues in the library or just chilling in the college canteen. When you spend so much time with your society, members become the best of friends in no time. The bond that you share with your fellow debaters is inexplicable.It’s so tight and lasting that you might as well be a part of a family. Truly, DebSoc Bonhomie is a thing of legends.

I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I were to say that the debating society is the object of desire of every fresher. The glamour, the talent and the intellect are sure to lure you right in!

But a word of caution: Join the DebSoc,but join it for keeps. Invest your effort if you intend on staying; don’t join the society if you want instant results and lack patience. Debating requires time and commitment, because you’ll take at least a year to learn the tricks of the trade, another year to establish yourself in the circuit, and if you’re one of those bright bulbs, then you’ll finally come around to shining in your third year.

So, if you’re one of those toughies who have mastered the art of determination and perseverance, join the debating society to develop a skill set that will help you in every phase of your life.

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

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DUB News

Revolutionising football: North Campus Football League (NCFL)

By Brij Pahwa June 28, 2015

Seldom do we see initiatives arising at college level that promise to leave a benchmark in their respective field. One such initiative, taken up by the students of North Campus certainly promises to leave an impact and bring a change in the game of football as it is currently practiced at the university level. NCFL, acronym for North Campus Football League, is that dream tournament being planned by a bunch of young talented football players and is scheduled to launch next year in January. The preparations though have already begun. The layout of the whole tournament seems promising enough to ensure an unprecedented sports league, something which the university has never seen.

The tournament will see 7 football teams of different north campus colleges. The franchisee for the teams will be auctioned for a 5 year term, preferably to the alumni of these colleges and the entire event will be webcasted live. The matches have been scheduled at the iconic Delhi University stadium which is also situated in North Campus.

The tournament assures to alleviate budding talent in the game of football not only in the colleges of North Campus but from other university colleges as well since the franchisees will be able to take in players from other colleges of DU. So the tournament will be limited in its reach at the team participation level but not when it will come to the participation of players, something which will ensure the rise of latent talent in football players from different colleges. That being said, the professional players will be allowed to participate up to a certain limit.

Promising in its nature, the initiative is still going through the early stage of clearances and is getting a satisfying response from authorities both at college and university level. Once having all the clearances, the event will be slated to finally transpire into a reality and embark on a journey to revolutionise the game of football at the university level in India.

Image Credits- ncfl.in

Brij Pahwa
[email protected]

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