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The Ongoing War: Attendance Vs Admit Card

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As mid-semester examination are approaching, the age old tension of attendance shortage is being clearly visible on many students faces. With lots of hustle and bustle, students manage to get a high percentage to land in India’s best university but then the monster of attendance still manages to get a 100% in every educational institution.
Let’s hear what the experts have to say on this at Quora:

“This really depends on which college you’re in. Some colleges are super strict about these rules, and some are super relaxed. To give you an example of the range, I know people who’ve had no problem collecting admit cards for their exams with 4% attendance, along with people who’ve had to sign bonds for 65% attendance, just to be able to site for exams. The fluctuations happen because even though the University has a common guideline of 67% attendance, colleges end up making their individual rules for attendance requirements. Depending on how seriously your college takes this matter, the possible consequences are: Relaxed attendance rules

Go ahead and collect your admit card, without any hassles.

Moderately strict rules

You’ll have to sign a bond that says that you’ll maintain the required attendance mark in the coming semester.

Very strict rules + Very low attendance%

You’ll be debarred from the exams, and parents might be involved. This situation might incite hunger strikes and protests from the affected students in the college.”

As per 2016, sources said that more than 100 students, whose attendance was below 66.67 per cent, have been detained across all colleges in the University. While some colleges such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) College has detained 48 students, Dyal Singh College has detained 55 students across 15 courses. “We have detained 48 students this semester across all courses. Their continuation in the college is subject to two conditions — if they have cleared their first semester papers, then they will come back next year when the incumbent batch reaches the second semester. But if the student has not cleared his first semester papers, but has been detained in the second semester too, he will lose his seat in the college,” said SK Garg, principal, DDU College.

Now only the dates of receiving admit card will decide if medical certificates can still save the students’ careers!

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Naimisha

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DUB Speak

What to Expect from the Even Semester

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The even semester is supposed to be a period of intense activity with its various fests, competitions, and events. Here’s all that you can expect from them in the upcoming months in University of Delhi.

Depending on various things, your expectations from the even semester will be different. For example, based on what year you’re in, you can be excited about attending fests for the first time, be somewhat excited remembering the fun events you attended the previous year, or be seriously dreading facing your last few months in college. Whether these expectations from this semester will be underscored by feelings of “This is the semester where I get my life together” or “We’re all gonna die in the end so how does one semester matter”, will depend on your standing on the optimistic/pessimist-Nihlist scale. Therefore, this is where a person who’s in the middle of both of those scales can help provide something resembling a sense of objectivity.

Firstly, fests are okay. There’s the usual range of food and things you can buy somewhere else for a slightly cheaper price. There’s the DJ Nights and the Star Nights, which are really something of a luck thing, and by luck I mean how much money your college manages to raise through sponsorships and alumni. If you get a good performer and a good atmosphere (which means as less overcrowding as possible and a crowd that isn’t breaking through the stage barricading), then you’re in for an enjoyable time. But as is with all college activities, the quality of company is essential. I’d suggest you go with friends who don’t like to document every single moment with photos and stories, and don’t whine too much about delays and general tardiness in organising.

Competitions and society fests are quite enjoyable, too. Unless you’re in the organising society/participating, in which case you have responsibilities, no time to watch the performances, and basically get only a few glimpses of the actual event. However, it is a great time to see other performances when you can, and bond with your fellow members.

So, as you go into the remainder of the year, remember to have reasonable expectations. Try to attend things, to see what works for other people, and it just might work for you!

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat
Rishika Singh
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DUB Speak

The Need for Queer Collectives in Colleges

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Queer collectives are still a new idea within the colleges of University of Delhi. While there is an overall need for collectives of other kinds of minorities as well, let’s explore the case for queer collectives in colleges.

Queer collectives are basically groups that lie somewhere in between the spectrum of support groups/forums and representative organisations. Their purpose is to provide a space for the LGBTQ+ community, which is still very much marginalised in a country like India.

Even around the world, the focus on recognising queer identities has increased in the past few years with increased visibility in the media, increased protections through legislation, and greater focus in general. Of course, a lot of focus was never put on the community to begin with, hence the levels we are currently operating at our abysmally low. In India, along with the legal hurdles faced by the community, there is the added issue of how the society views the community. It’s not just the fact that queer folks are mostly treated with an utter lack of basic respect, bullied or mocked for who they are, and treated as punch lines for jokes in movies that show a stereotypical representation; there is also a bigger issue of people simply not understanding them. The idea that sexual orientations are naturally, biologically determined and that ‘gender’ and ‘sex’ are two different concepts, where ‘gender’ is a social construct that involves personal choice, is alien to most of the population. This is not surprising, considering the absolute lack of proper sex/gender related education imparted at school levels.

In such a scenario, it is imperative to have an organisation that can bridge this information gap, and provide a space for queer people to tell their stories, voice out their fears and confusions, and find others like them for support. They can also organise events in the college, helping to normalise the attitudes of the administration regarding them. For people who have struggled to find those like them or non-queer folk who would support them (called ‘allies’ by the movement), such collectives can be great agents of change and bring much needed comfort. It is high time we take this initiative.

 

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Rishika Singh
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DUB Speak

Before and After Prep Leave: A Comparison

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A comparison between those hectic days before the prep leave and the sudden tranquility of prep leave when you find yourself not always studying.

The last two weeks or so before the preparatory leave are very hectic for students as well as teachers. It is the time when everything has to be wrapped up on the teachers’ part while the students gear up to face the semester examinations again.

Some teachers take extra classes which go on for four-five hours at a stretch and the students brave through them. With a break or two in between these continuous classes, teachers as well as students grab a bite and get the crisp fresh air of winters, rejuvenating the mind; and then you are back to the same text or book.

During these long days, students often neglect their health. Burdened under the pile of assignments, normal studying hours have to be stretched and if you are somebody living in a PG, you don’t have your mother forcefully feeding you those dry fruits, fruits and snacks. Assignments and tests have coinciding deadlines or dates and the students have to deal with it and try to excel in them. In a way, it prepares us for the future when we have to manage multiple things simultaneously.
With all these deadlines comes the exam admit card work. The ID card work does not take long but too many students jamming the office in the last days can be vexing and exhausting.
On the last day or two, internals’ sheets are signed and you get a reality check of your attendance and your marks. The instant calculation of percentages and wondering whether you’ll be called for signing the undertaking are the first thoughts during signing the internals.
Then come the last day goodbyes, hugs and photographs. It dawns on the last day of the semester that the entire semester went by. For the first years, its feels like the orientation day was only yesterday or it was only yesterday that they were auditioning for those cultural societies.

We leave from college absolutely determined to study diligently in the prep leave and score good grades in the semester exams. But the first day of the prep leave begins and you find yourself binge-watching that episode or some new web series. Subsequently, you find yourself constantly on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.
The health freaks get back to their exercising routines and many outstation students go back home. Most of the outstation students may just want to relish the home-coming for a few days before they kick start their studies. Whatever situation of passing time you may find yourself in, I hope reality kicks in before it’s too late. DU Beat team wishes you all the very best for your exams.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Prachi Mehra
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Campus Central

University of Delhi holds 94th Annual Convocation

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The University of Delhi held its 94th Annual Convocation in the indoor stadium complex of North Campus, in the presence of Chief Guest, President Ram Nath Kovind, and the guests of the occasion were Prof. V S Chauhan, Chairman, UGC New Delhi, and Prof. Yogesh Kr Tyagi, Vice Chancellor, DU.

Addressing the enthusiastic scholars, the President began on a lighter note describing the University as one of the world’s biggest university and has always marched ahead in advance education. He firmly emphasised on the age of artificial intelligence which is largely impacting not only how the society is functioning but also the process in which society is thinking. At the same time, he took the opportunity to address the new courses that the University has introduced, as it is trying to break the barriers of the traditional educational system in order to prepare the Indian education system for the coming 25-30 years.

The President also appreciated the fact that 112 of the 171 medal and prize winners were girls. “Almost a two-thirds majority! This is in keeping with the trend in education of girls consistently outscoring boys. A welcome sign in our society,” the President said.

The guest of the occasion Prof. V S Chauhan, Chairman, UGC New Delhi brought to spotlight the emergence of a large number of women coming in the field of education. He stressed on the need of sharing knowledge with the marginalised and needy section of the society.

Approximately 600 scholars received their degrees and 175 medals were awarded.

The focus of the occasion was on a 60-year-old man, SK Sinha, an Associate Professor of Geography at DU’s Bhagat Singh Evening College, as he received the doctorate’s degree from the President, proving that learning and growing have no age barrier.

 

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Naimisha

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Campus Central

High Court Hearing of the Narendra Modi Degree Case: Date Rescheduled to February 28

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The Court was left frustrated as the University could not file a rejoinder in seven months, citing the ‘lack of time’.

In keeping with the Prime Minister’s efforts to keep himself in the news, the degree controversy refuses to die down, but this one not quite to the liking of the Premier. This Thursday, when the matter came up for hearing at the Delhi High Court, after a gap of nearly seven months when the case was filed, the University came up with newer records in its lethargy in legal proceedings. According to the news report by The Wire which surfaced last night, the University, which in April 2017 was asked to file a rejoinder to a reply by the petitioner Neeraj within four weeks, first tried to get another extension by claiming that the no objection certificate for adjournment had been signed by the petitioner’s lawyer. It then pleaded that it could not find time to file a rejoinder.

The University of Delhi lawyer pleaded before the court for the case to be adjourned since the senior advocate Tushar Mehta, who was leading the case, was not present. Upon being asked why despite being provided with four weeks to file the rejoinder seven months ago it had not been filed yet, the University lawyer began pleading for additional time. The developments left Justice Vibhu Bakhru visibly perturbed and after the court assembled at 10:30 am, he kept insisting that the DU lawyer move ahead with the hearing. The court heard the matter twice after that, first at 12:30 pm and then at 2:30 pm, but each time in the absence of its senior counsel. Finally at 2:30 pm, Justice Bakhru said that he was barring DU from filing a rejoinder in the matter and listed the next hearing for February 28.

In May last year, Union Minister Arun Jaitley and had made public both the Gujarat University and DU documents. Both the Universities had validated the authenticity of the documents. What is unexplainable, however, is the way University, which ideally should have nothing to hide, has since then blocked any further attempts for further information on the subject, now attempting to adjourn the court case.

With inputs from The Wire

Feature Image Credits: PTI

Nikhil Kumar
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DUB Speak

International Students’ Day Special: Student Activism

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As Indian universities and schools continue to suffer due to the lack of freedom of expression and the absence of student safety norms, students need to be at the forefront of the movement of change. This International Students’ Day, we, the students, should understand the significance of student activism in everyday issues.  

The 17th of November is the International Students’ Day, an international observance of student activism. The date commemorates the anniversary of the 1939 Nazi attack on the University of Prague after demonstrations against the killing of Jan Opletal, the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the execution of nine student leaders, the transfer of over 1200 students to concentration camps, and the closing of all Czech universities and colleges. The day was first observed in 1941 in London by the International Students’ Council (which had many refugee members) in accord with the Allies, and the tradition has been kept up by the International Union of Students, which has been pressing with National Unions of Students in Europe and other groups to make the day an official United Nations observance.

The Athens Polytechnic uprising against the Greek military junta of 1973 came to a climax on November 17, with a violent crackdown and a tank crushing the gates of the university. The Day of the Greek Students is today among the official student holidays in Greece. The 1989 Prague demonstrations for International Students Day helped spark the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day is now marked as the official holiday in both the Czech Republic (since 2000, thanks to the efforts of the Czech Student Chamber of the Council of Higher Education Institutions) and  Slovakia.

How is all of the above relevant to the present day? After Jawahar Lal University starting the nationalism debate, Rohit Vemula’s Death in Hyderabad Central University, Ramjas College stone pelting at University of Delhi, call for freedom in Banaras Hindu University,  pro-azaadi slogans being raised in Jadavpur University, Ryan International School killings raising apprehensions about school safety norms, distortion of state board’s school history syllabi in Rajasthan and Maharashtra, saying ‘Vande Mataram’ for the roll call in a school in Madhya Pradesh and many more similar incidents, I have a question to ask – in the wave of polarisation, are we safe? Do we actually have the freedom to express ourselves in any manner as we want without offending the cultural notions of nationalism in our country? Or will all of us be subject to trolls and rape threats if we put forward our opinion?

Debate, dissent, and dialogue are non-negotiable in places of education. Antonio Gramsci accorded the highest value to critical thinking of students more than their employability, knowledge, and skills. Amidst the culture of commercialisation of education, are students losing their right to ask questions and  to move freely in and across campuses? Enlightened students have to be the torchbearers of change and their courageous voice of dissent plays a crucial role in a healthy democracy. The big squeeze on civil society and on cultures of protest needs to be freed and we have to make sure that the state respects not only the articulation of politics of ‘vote’ but also the politics of ‘voice’.

Once in 1975, student movements in Bihar led by J.P. Narayan opposed the autocratic emergency regime and restored democracy in India. We have ample examples from India’s independence struggle to show us what aware students and citizens can achieve. To embark on the spirit of enlightenment, this International Students’ Day, all of us should take examples from the world as well as national history and believe in the power of student activism to bring a change.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Atlantic

Oorja Tapan

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News

UGC Invites Colleges for Orientation Programme on Autonomy

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Many colleges from the University of Delhi have expressed their desire to become autonomous. Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has invited colleges to discuss this matter under the UGC Scheme for Autonomy.

The University Grants Commission has invited colleges from across the country for an orientation programme on Thursday to discuss the matter of autonomy. Highlighting the importance of autonomous colleges, the UGC document on the profile of higher education in India reiterates, “the only safe and better way to improve the quality of undergraduate education is to the delink most of the colleges from the affiliating structure. Colleges with academic and operative freedom are doing better and have more credibility.”

The affiliating system of colleges was originally curated when the number of colleges affiliated under a university was small. The university could then effectively oversee the working of the colleges, act as an examining body and award degrees on their behalf. The system has now become cumbersome and it is becoming increasingly difficult for a university to attend to the varied needs of individual colleges.
The colleges affiliated under a university do not have the freedom to modernize their curriculum as they have to comply with the university norms. A few prestigious institutions under the University of Delhi, namely, St. Stephen’s College, Hindu College, Ramjas College, Sri Ram College of Commerce and colleges run by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, have articulated the aspiration of achieving a deemed university status for the same reason.
The orientation programme is expected to give an idea about the interest level among the other colleges seeking an autonomous status. The UGC had initiated this scheme at the beginning of the year. In his letter to the colleges P K Thakur, secretary, UGC, wrote that the commission has been implementing the scheme of autonomous colleges in order to facilitate the colleges to achieve further qualitative improvement leading towards academic excellence.
If the colleges under Delhi University attain autonomy, they would have the freedom to formulate their own rules and regulations and design their fee structures which will no longer adhere to the guidelines set by Delhi University. Many students and faculty members have protested and are against these colleges attaining autonomy.

In 1981, St Stephen’s College was offered autonomy by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. However, DUTA?had opposed the move. In 2013, a similar offer was made to Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) which yielded a similar reaction. This year, students of St Stephen’s College protested against the discussion of autonomy by the governing body of their college.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Indian Express

Bhavya Banerjee
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Campus Central

DU’s Dramatics Societies: Politics in Plays

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The dramatic societies of the University of Delhi are one of the factors that add to the charm of the varsity. Bollywood actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Manoj Bajpayee, and Shah Rukh Khan as well as well as filmmakers like Satish Kaushik to Imtiaz Ali have all been a part of dramatic societies. Theater and nukkad nataks (street plays) for the longest time have been used to promote social issues. With simplistic yet appealing performances they are able to draw huge crowds. It is because of their communication ability government bodies have often collaborated with Delhi University societies to spread awareness.
Ibtida, the dramatics society of Hindu College collaborated with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and subsequently performed in nine districts of Rajasthan. Earlier, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment asked the street play societies of Daulat Ram College and Miranda House to promote the Accessible India campaign. Before that, BJP Mahila Morcha roped in Anubhuti, the
dramatics society of Janki Devi Memorial College to promote their Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.
While these associations show harmony between governing bodies and DramSocs, to say that both share an amicable relationship would be far from true. Today when a culture of censorship is being forced down on educational institutes, it is the dramatics socs who are raising the loudest voices of dissent.

Plays such as Chacha Chaudhary Aur Dina Nath Ki Waapsi by Kshitij, the dramatics society of Gargi College, Sare Jahan Se Achha by Ibtida, the dramatics society of Hindu College, and Sawaal Toh Uthega by Manchtantra, the dramatics society of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College Of Commerce openly speak the government ideology. It’s not new for DramSocs to take a volatile political stand, but in the recent times, they have come under the radar of authorities.

On 17th March 2015, Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) sent a notice to the Principal of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College (SGTB Khalsa College), asking the college authorities to take strict action against Ankur, the theater society of SGTB Khalsa College for performing their play ‘Welcome to the Machine’ which, according to DUSU, is anti-Hindu in nature. Welcome to the Machine revolved around the how certain parties polarize the society on communal lines for political gain. It also spoke about the growing influence of religious bodies on cultural and education institutes.

Last year too Ankur logged heads with DUSU. They had to postpone their street play competition, Pratyaksh, which was being organised on the second day of the college’s annual cultural festival, Lashkara after the police requested the college to call off the event as a precautionary measure against clashes.

Earlier this year Mukhatib 2017, the annual screenplay festival organised by Shunya-the theatre society of Ramjas College on 31st March 2017 saw four plays being censored by the authorities to avoid any type of unrest in the campus. The organisers of the event were reportedly asked for the scripts of the plays which were to be performed in the festival just before the event. This was followed by the cancellation of four plays which had elements of nationalism in them. The students replied to this attempt of the administration by sealing their lips with black tapes and tying black bands around their arms.

These recent developments clearly show that dramatics, an art form that has always been used as a revolutionary tool, has come under scrutiny. But in a county of Safdar Hashmi, it is impossible to tone down the natakwalas. Be it suspension of events, threats or backlash, varsity’s street play/theater artists will still reclaim the campus.

 

Feature Image Credits: Kartik Kher for DU Beat

Niharika Dabral

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Maitreyi College

In the Corridors of North-East India

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Walking through the lanes of the photography exhibition about ‘Cultures of Sikkim’, the Department of Sociology of Maitreyi College released it’s fifth issue of its bi-annual newsletter ‘Sociologue – Aao Baat Karein’.

The attempt behind this is to create a sociological dialogue on the issues raised through the newsletter. It specifically focused at not so known- artforms, music, cinema, literature and sports of North East. The Chief Speaker for the day was Dr. Nitoo Das acclaimed Poet and Faculty at Department of English, Indraprastha College, DU. Her poems have appeared in national and international publications at various times.

The event witnessed cultural programme bringing to limelight, the traditional dances of North East States and showcase of antique ornaments from the lap of seven sisters. There were various students from different colleges of Delhi University to witness the event. The Chief Speaker, emphasised on the diverse tribes that constitutes North East and the challenges to counter the dominant narrative of the region by bringing it to mainstream.

As music is the food for thought, the event came to an end, with the tunes of A&R band.

 

Feature Image Credits: Anahita Sharma

Naimisha

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