Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Tag

Deshbandhu

Browsing
Campus Central

A Bandhu Initiative – Raksha Providing Suraksha

By

 

Shreya Singh, a 3rd-year student from Deshbandhu College who won the post of Secretary as an independent candidate, promises to protect students through a WhatsApp community group intended to provide a safety net. The response is mixed. 

 

Shreya Singh, an independent candidate from Deshbandhu College, has launched a WhatsApp community group called Raksha. A message shared with students by her describes this initiative as an effort to ensure safety and help them focus on “their growth and dreams”. The group includes 229 students for immediate reporting, either to a nearby police station or to a safe location. 

 

This offers a somewhat evasive promise of protection amid rising student crimes. In a campaign video, Singh acknowledged the safety risks faced by students, many of whom commute through unsafe streets. The group is new and has yet to receive a report. For many students, the initiative appears promising. Still, some remain wary: “I am unsure how this will be an exclusive space for safety. How will the admin vet people entering the group?” one said.

 

At the end of the day, the makers will have to weigh in the factor of protected identity to actualize the suraksha/protection through raksha. 

 

Image caption: A social experiment of community-bound protection. 

Credit: Anonymous 

 

Kinjal Sharma

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

Students Stage Mega Protest at Deshbandhu College Against Fee Hike and Poor Facilities

By

Students of Deshbandhu College, DU, staged a massive protest against fee hikes and poor facilities, highlighting issues in labs, sports infrastructure, Wi-Fi, medical room, and basic amenities.

Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, witnessed a massive student protest today as several students gathered outside the Admin Office to demand better facilities and to oppose what they termed as “unjustified fee hikes.” The protest was organised under the leadership of Sarthak Singh, President of ABVP, Deshbandhu College, who spearheaded the campaign with the slogan: “No More Excuses, No More Lies – Students’ Voices Will Rise!”

The protest began at 11:00 AM on 22nd August, drawing students from various departments who expressed anger over infrastructural gaps and rising costs of education. Holding placards and shouting slogans, students demanded immediate redressal of their grievances.

At the heart of the protest was the demand for reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, which students argued is indispensable for academic work, research, and digital submissions. Many students complained that repeated assurances by the administration had yielded little progress, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to other colleges. Equally pressing was the issue of the college medical room, which, according to students, lacks both equipment and personnel to handle emergencies. Calls for a functional and well-equipped facility echoed throughout the demonstration.

Speaking at the demonstration, Sarthak Singh, ABVP leader, said:

Education is a right, not a privilege. We will not tolerate exploitation in the name of infrastructure when students lack access to even the most basic facilities. The administration must listen to us.

Another female ABVP leader of Deshbandhu College raised some important concerns: 

There are some very common problems, such as girls’ washrooms, Wi-Fi connectivity, and drinking water. The college holds zero accountability towards these basic responsibilities, and we must raise our voice in unison to demand answers from the administration. 

A major concern among students has been the inadequate state of the science laboratories, where a persistent shortage of essential chemicals and basic apparatus has disrupted regular academic work. Many practical sessions remain incomplete, leaving students unable to meet required coursework standards. Alongside this, the college’s sports infrastructure has also drawn criticism. Facilities are limited, equipment is outdated, and the available space fails to cater to the needs of a growing student population. Together, these shortcomings reflect what students describe as a broader neglect of academic and extracurricular resources.

 

Read also: NSUI Launches Protest Demanding DU to Implement 12 Days of Menstrual Leave Per Semester Policy

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat 

Madhav Choudhary 

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

Folk Dance Societies Disappointed at Deshbandhu College

By

During Sabrang, the annual cultural fest of Deshbandhu College, extreme mismanagement led to disappointment among the participants of the group folk dance event.

On 5th March 2019, Riwayat the folk-dance society of Deshbandhu College organised Ruhaaniyat, a group folk dance competition as part of their annual cultural fest, Sabrang. The event saw extreme mismanagement on the part of the organisers due to which there was a time clash between the folk dance and fashion society’s event. Although, the event saw participation from 11 teams but only nine were able to perform, out of which Ramanujan College was disqualified.

Abhishek, the President of the Bhangra Regiment, the folk dance Society of Ramanujan College stated that the competition at Deshbandhu was cancelled by the teachers due to mismanagement after more than half of the teams had already performed. He stated, “Even our team was disqualified. According to them, we took time in microphone set-up when it was discussed with their co-ordinator before hand.”  Shubhanshi Bharadwaj, President of Nazaakat, the folk dance society of Gargi College claimed that it was one of the worst competitions they took part in. “While we were performing , we were asked to step down during the performance because of time constraints. Fashion societies were also waiting for their event to begin. In all this ruckus, two societies couldn’t perform.”

The Bhangra Society of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College and Bhangra Inspire from Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College even after waiting till 6 p.m, all ready with their outfits, were not able to perform at the competition. The President of Bhangra Inspire said, “The organisers started the fashion show abruptly and told us that we will perform after. But they continued with the fashion show for a long time. We asked them to let us perform since we had been waiting for long in our costumes. But we weren’t allowed.” Post this, the teams had a heated discussion with the teachers and the Student Union where the teams demanded that the event be cancelled.  But the Union opposed this and an announcement to conduct the event the next day was made. However, it became impossible for different societies to return to perform the next day for the competition. A week later, the President of Riwayat, the folk dance society of Deshbandhu College texted the members of Mridang, the folk dance society of Miranda House and Nrityakriti, folk dance society of Maitreyi College that they have secured first and second position respectively.

Shubhashini also stated that teachers were being extremely disrespectful towards the teams. She added “When the presidents of different societies went to talk to the teacher, she told them she will slap them or ask the bouncers to throw us out. It was so disrespectful and  disheartening to see a teacher behave this way.”

The President of Riwayaat accepted the occurrence of mismanagement. She said, “The event began extremely late because of the inauguration. Everything got delayed and the fashion society started demanding the stage to conduct their own event. All this led to a huge ruckus.” Talking about their decision to release the results a week after the even she said, “Other teams who had performed demanded that the results should be announced. We understand it was a mistake on our part  but it was our duty to disclose the results.”

 

Feature Image Credits: Rishabh Gogoi for DU Beat

Sakshi Arora

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By