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DUSU Elections 2017

DUSU Polls to be Held on 12 September

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The University of Delhi, in a press release on Monday, notified the dates for the election of office bearers of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) and members of the Central Council, the most awaited students’ election contest in the country. The election are to be held on 12 September 2017 for the 2017-18 academic session.

The last date for the receipt of nomination papers and the security and publication of the list of duly nominated candidates for both DUSU and Central Council members will be 4 September 2017. The DUSU nomination papers are to be submitted to the Chief Election Officer, DUSU and the final list of candidates will be released on 6 September 2017. The date, time, and venue for the counting of votes  will be announced later.

21082017notification-schedule-of-election-of-dusu-2017-18

DUSU is the umbrella council for Delhi University’s various colleges and faculties. Each college will also hold its own students’ union elections within the same period as well. The campus is already buzzing with excitement which is visible through littering of pamphlets and active campaigning and propaganda by the various students’ wings and their members in SUVs and on motorcycles.
Feature Image Credits: University of Delhi

Oorja Tapan
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Campus Central

DUSU protests for failed third year students, University to look into the issue

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Members of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) staged a protest at the North Campus of University of Delhi on Wednesday after the announcement of the results of the third year students not clearing the exam took to the news. Slogans demanding “Third-year students be promoted” rang outside gate number four of the university, as many students gathered to demand that they should be promoted, despite failing.

A number of third-year students failed in their practicals and in turn, failed to clear their third year. The students claimed that they were not informed that they had to pass individual components of a course in order to clear a subject, and hence their failing in the course was ‘unfair.’ Members of DUSU claimed that they had received applications asking for help from as many as 2000 students, most of whom had failed the practical component of a subject in their fifth semester: At least 700 applications from B.Com programme students who failed in practicals in Computer Applications, students who have had issues in Music, B.Com (H), and Statistics (H).

“I had scored 36 out of 45 in theory, and seven out of 15 in internals in Computer Applications which are both above the passing grade of 40%. Even my total score of 56% was above the passing grade. However, they said I have failed the subject because I have scored only 13 out of 40 in my practical exams. I was never told by my teachers, or my college, that I would need to pass theory, practical and internals separately to clear the subject,” said a B.Com programme student of Laxmi Bai College.

Meanwhile, DU officials have said that a committee had been formed to look into the issue and will check if the students have been misinformed. Relevant steps will be taken to resolve the issue.

Feature Image credits: www.hindustantimes.com

Radhika Boruah

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Uncategorized

DUSU ‘authorises’ private PG in North Campus, University Officials cry foul

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In a bizarre and never before witnessed move, the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has issued a letter which reads: “DUSU hereby authorises Nanu Girls PG to promote their respective PG accommodation within the north campus. They are allowed to distribute pamphlets.” Furthermore, its letterhead bears the logo of the University of Delhi (DU). Meanwhile, Priyanka Chhawri, the office-bearer who issued the letter on behalf of DUSU, defended her stance as a well-intended measure to reach out to outstation students. However, the move seems not to have gone down too well with the University officials.

“No one can do such a thing. How can a university recommend a private accommodation? We will look into the matter,” commented a senior official in the proctor’s office, as reported by The Indian Express. The officials seem to have been unaware of the decision. Meanwhile, Chhawri is adamant in denying the allegations that her personal “stakes” are involved in any way, seeing as the letter promotes Nanu PG specifically. “If other PGs approach me, I will look into it,” she says. She maintains that this is her way of “helping” the hapless parents and students sending her repeated queries, asking her for details regarding “good” and “affordable” paying guest accommodations in the vicinity of north campus.  Meanwhile, other DUSU office bearers have denied having any knowledge of the same.

With the admission process already delayed and a row being created over the availability of seats in some colleges, this fiasco comes across as yet another obstruction in the way of the not-so-smooth sailing admission season. For many of the unsure, unfamiliar outstation students, life in DU is still an uncharted territory. It is a race to the finish line involving both parents and students, which does not end merely at getting admission into a college. With few hostel seats available, feasible accommodation remains a major source of worry and hassle for many. In these times, a callous move coming especially from a body of responsibility such as DUSU, comprising of representatives elected by and for the students, reflects poorly on the student organisation’s management of the admission season. If anything, it seems to add to the chaos and has the potential to leave the university officials red-faced.

UPDATE

Delhi University Student Union(DUSU) has come out with an official statement saying that the Union is against the system of private accommodation in the University. It further stated that DUSU is committed to fighting for an increase of University Hostels seats and aims to provide University accommodation to as many students as possible.

Copy of the permission of the letter
Copy of the permission of the letter

With inputs from The Indian Express.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Srivedant Kar for DU Beat

 

Deepannita Misra

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Admissions 2017

First cut-off, last day: Admission procedure strains on Daulat Ram College

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On the last Wednesday of June, tensions rose and confusion ensued as the police was called in to Daulat Ram College to assuage the worried applicants. June 28th marked the last day for applicants to enrol in college under the first cut-off list, and some candidates were denied admission to the college due to a lack of availability of seats.

Admission denied

According to some student testimonials, applicants wishing to pursue B.A. Programme were prohibited from entering the college as the authorities claimed that the seats were full. These candidates had cleared the cut-off and fulfilled all eligibility requirements, and as per the varsity’s rule, were entitled to secure a seat in the college.

While the University has a prescribed number of seats for admission into various courses, there is no bar on the number of students who actually register and confirm admission under a certain list. Moreover, as the undergraduate portal was riddled with technical glitches, several students were unable to obtain the acknowledgment slip of a college on the first day. Students also often wait till the last day of a cut-off list to weigh in the college options available to them, and to clarify the Best of Four requirements. The time frame allocated to a cut-off list allows every student who meets the criteria to secure a seat in a given college, without any counter policy.

Intervention by ABVP and DUSU

The situation scaled when volunteers of the RSS-affiliated student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), intervened on behalf of the aggrieved students. The Delhi University Students’ Union’s President Amit Tanwar expressed his dismay at the erroneous decision on the college’s part. He said, “According to the University rules, all students who clear the cut-offs are to be admitted. There is no first come, first serve policy. Several applicants had come to seek admission today [on Wednesday] as it was the last day to do so under the first cut-off list. They were, however, told that the seats were full. This caused panic.” As the agitation transferred from the applicants to the student leaders, the police were asked to step in.

The college has lodged a complaint at the Maurice Nagar police station against the ABVP, DUSU, and parents who allegedly manhandled the Principal, along with vandalising her office. The Principal, Ms Savita Roy, claimed that the ABVP and DUSU members entered her office without permission and misbehaved with her. The complaint filed proclaimed that, “They used abusive language, manhandled me, and threatened me with dire consequences if I did not admit the students.” She also added that the crowd refused to send a representation of two people despite her request. An FIR has been filed against six persons who were involved in the scene, and the Principal has requested police protection to continue with the admission process.

However, these allegations have been refuted by the ABVP as an “excuse” by the administration, and are being labelled as an “arbitrary denial.” Tanwar adds, “The parents of students, who were confused after being denied admission even after the verification of documents, approached the ABVP and DUSU members. All of them went to the administration to ask why were they denied admission.” A student from DRC spoke to DU Beat and confirmed the refusal of admission, and also added that the teacher coordinators for the admission process refused to allow a student to opt for B.A. Programme on account of the lack of seats, and continued to “misguide” her by advising her to enrol in other courses. She said that the ABVP proceeded to help the student who had to bear the brunt of the commotion. However, she claimed that members of the ABVP and DUSU barged in the college and misbehaved with the officials.

Authorities’ stance

A senior member of the administration said that the college complied with the admission process of all candidates who met the cut-off requirements after the ABVP volunteers barged in. However, the number of seats would act as a hindrance for them to undertake the subject-combination of their choice.

According to sources, a committee was set up to look into this issue.

Daulat Ram has set the cut-off for B.A. Programme at 91% this year, a lower number as compared to other North Campus colleges. An all girls’ college, it offers 169 seats for the course. The next cut-off list is scheduled to be announced by the midnight of June 30th.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

 

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Interviews

In conversation with DUSU Vice President, Priyanka Chhawri

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After days of anticipation and a rigorous electoral campaign, ABVP’s Vice Presidential candidate Priyanka Chhawri emerged victorious. A graduate in Mathematics from Lakshmibai College , University of Delhi, and currently pursuing her M.A in Buddhist Studies from Dept. Of Buddhist Studies, DU, from discussing her journey into politics to her plans of bringing changes in the campuse, we got chatting with her about her new found role.

Excerpts:

DUB: What motivated you to pursue your candidature in the DUSU elections? How did your journey into student level politics begin?

Priyanka Chhawri: I am a student activist from the past five years and it all started when I appeared for CATE entrance and saw a group of students protesting at the arts faculty against the DU administration. The protest was led by ABVP.I was so influenced by the student leaders that it occurred to me that I must also be there one day! So when I got admission in LBC,  I joined ABVP and became an active member! I saw a great change in me in these five years. ABVP groomed me into a more confident and responsible person and with time I attained the leadership skills that were needed to contest in DUSU elections and now, here I am, as the DUSU Vice President.

DUB:  What are your some of the key areas that you are personally looking forward to focusing upon in your tenure?

PC: Personally , I would focus more on introducing societies for blind and physically handicapped students, constructing pathways for the same, giving North Campus a new look by putting the map of the campus near metro and recognised places, creating awareness session about the women safety app launched by ABVP – ‘I FEEL SAFE’, in every college, providing health cards,making medical rooms functional in every college and providing the facility of printed mark sheets be issued to students after every semester.

DUB:  The DUSU polls saw some lavish campaigning this time again. What is your take on the guidelines by Lyngdoh Committee and National Green Tribunal about the budget restrictions and green campaigning? Do you think they are realistic targets that can be met?

PC: I think it’s not feasible to contest DUSU election in just 5ooo Rupees. How unrealistic it is, that the same amount is allowed to both contest college elections and DUSU? From the last four years , the Lyngdoh Committee hasn’t been reviewed and it’s time that we look into this matter.So, as an officer bearer, I will certainly put forward this issue. As far as paper usage is concerned, it is reduced as compared to last two years but yes it needs to end and just be limited to wall of democracy and advertising sites.

DUB: Last year saw DUSU office bearers being involved in some controversy or the other and accountability and work transparency was also an issue. How do you seek to tackle that?

PC: ABVP led DUSU is very committed to work for the student welfare and we have started working the day we joined our office. We submitted a memorandum to the DSW concerning the issues of students and currently we are working to combat the recent mass failure of the LL.B students regarding which, we have given a letter to the VC. This DUSU panel is dedicated to work for the student community and we have started our work positively !

DUB: NSUI has alleged discrepancy in the voting process and after a hunger strike, they are now planning to move to the court. What is your take on this whole matter?

PC: DU is a democratic university and it’s NSUI’s democratic right to get their doubts clear but I think by doing this they are questioning the mandate of the students. I think they should accept the decision of the students and move on and raise students issues rather than sitting and challenging the choice of students.

DUB: Having gone through the entire process of filing nominations, becoming the final candidate to actually winning, is there anything that you wish to change (procedural or otherwise) in the way DUSU elections unfold?

PC: From filing the nomination to actually contesting DUSU was a great experience. The administration has been very cautious during the scrutiny. But, an incident that seemed like a failure to me was when a candidate who filled the nomination was not present during scrutiny. It should become mandatory for all the candidates to be present during that process.

DUB: DUSU elections have been known to provide the country with some of the finest ministers we have had at the helm of authority in the past. Do you see yourself there? Do you plan to continue in politics?

PC: As of now , I will be working for the students and continue as a student activist.

DUB: Any interesting anecdote you would like to share with us that happened during the election process?

PC: Yes. Once I was delivering a speech in Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. I was in such a hurry (because it was the last day to campaign and I had to cover many colleges) that I forgot the last part and garbled some words and ran away. The students found it so funny and they said, ‘Hum samajh gaye aapki bhaavna’.

DUB: In a line, how would you define your motto for this year as a DUSU office bearer?

PC: I want this DUSU panel to be a medium of exposure for the student community. I will work on involving more students in every activity that is organised by DUSU!

Interviewed by Riya Chhibber

[email protected]

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Uncategorized

Voter turnout takes a downturn: Is it time to rethink the DUSU elections?

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The Delhi University Students Union election season just culminated and there’s clearly something wrong. Voter turnout for the DUSU elections have been slipping for a while but dropped to the abysmally low level of 36.9% this year, down nearly 7% from last year. If no one cared about the student union and hence the elections for it, the numbers would be worrisome but would still make sense. The fact that DUSU elections are one of the most talked-about periods in DU, even if just due to the inconvenience they cause with the layers of pamphlets and disruption of classes for campaigning, and that the Union is criticised and cribbed about, makes me believe there’s a bigger question to tackle – are we alienating students from participating in a process to elect their own student union?

The sanctity of a democracy comes from its election process but we must remember that while all modern democracies hold elections, not all elections are democratic. If the majority that is going to be affected by a governing body is not participating in the process of electing it, in a system that means ‘rule of the people’, we should have serious qualms in calling the process democratic. As soon as we question the voting process, the democratic system also loses its legitimacy.

Apathy is not a good enough explanation, especially when I see multitudes of people discussing the relevance of a student union and giving valid reasons why they think the existing union is problematic. Clearly, they don’t consider the entire exercise irrelevant and know what they don’t want. The question then is, are the candidates available to them to vote for giving them what they want? Has the so-called ‘political class’ of DU lost touch with the very people it’s supposed to stand for? The possibility is valid enough, given that the general student gets to experience the pamphlets, the noise and, this year, people wearing inflatable suits, and hear rumours about freebies being distributed, more than they get to know what the parties actually stand for and plan to do if elected. The political groups who stay away from the money and the muscle either talk just about the others using unfair means or are simply drowned in the general cacophony of a typical election season. I also find the assumption that freebies and the noise is a better way to get an average DU student to pay attention than addressing the actual issues insulting to their intellect. Surely, we’re capable of more. We definitely deserve more.

Another line of thought that makes sense emerges from an argument that socio-linguist Deborah Tannen makes in her book ‘The Argument Culture’. Maybe the elections have become more about winning and losing than the reasons why someone wins or loses. The stances of various political groups on important issues are also usually so polarised, often just for the heck of it and to show that they’re distinct from the others, that there remains no middle ground for people who don’t agree with either to access, and they end up opting out of the entire process.

I wish the newly elected student union my best, but at the same time, the entire process has left me with no illusions about what a general DU student can expect from them, mostly because we’ve resigned ourselves to opting out (although, hey, I did vote.)

Image credits: telegraph.co.uk

Shubham Kaushik

[email protected]

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Campus Central

Digital Campaigning: An alternative approach for DUSU Elections

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How many times have we been handed pamphlets and completely ignored them? In the age of social media, where a tweet can be more effective than a hundred such pamphlets, the Delhi University political parties need to shift their focus to digital campaigning Campaigning tactics during the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) elections, follow a recurring pattern almost every year. Enormous numbers of pamphlets bombard DU students and infrastructure alike, posters and hoardings litter the campus, party notebooks and pens fly from every direction and walls suffer from having to bear the alphabets of candidates’ names in the most glaring font. All parties put in massive amounts of money to make their presence felt and endorse their candidates. However, while the sheer intensity of party campaigning is ridiculous, social media isn’t still being utilised effectively in the DUSU elections. One need not look far in order to gauge the impact of smart social media campaigning. As the second most followed Indian on twitter, Narendra Modi has been titled the ‘first social media Prime Minister’ of India. In the 2014 elections, BJP carried out an aggressive social media campaign, harnessing the popularity and reach of digital media. Live interaction platforms like ‘Chai pe charcha,’ catchy slogans like “Ab ki Baar Modi Sarkar’, interactive twitter handles, youtube channels and facebook pages captured the attention of the 80 million Indian internet users. Almost 30 to 40 percent of the overall seats had been affected by social media. Similarly in Delhi University, capitalising on the social media frenzy and shifting focus to more of digital campaigning can pave the way for a more receptive election. As a two way communication platform, the queries of students can also be addressed by party officials. Extensive digital interaction will make party politics more transparent and keep the voters more informed. Sourcing of manifestos online, hashtag campaigns, live sessions and chat boxes could be more effective than thrusting a handful of pamphlets at random autorickshaws containing students. By sourcing party manifestos online and gauging the response of the voters, their suggestions can be included as well. Digital spaces will not only spark the interest of the voters but will make the elections more participatory in nature. By way of interaction, voters begin to feel like they’re contributing more to the election. Candidates become more than mere names on posters. By now, many students have grown wary of offline campaign tactics. With the NOTA option this year, parties need to gain the respect of the voters even more so than previous years. By situating people dressed in mickey mouse costumes holding party banners outside Vishwavidhyalai station or carpeting campus roads with paper, they’re in no way increasing their respectability. Voters need to be updated during the campaign as well as after the elections by means of a responsible and responsive social media presence on the part of various political parties. Image Credits: thehindu.com Swareena Gurung [email protected]]]>

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Campus Central

DUSU Election Campaigning: Is it too annoying for college students?

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  • Pamphlets, pamphlets on the wall; who is the most anti-environment of all?
    • If you have never walked over a carpet of pamphlets in your college life, worry not! DUSU election candidates will make your dream come true. They’ll exclusively get their faces and names printed on pamphlets for you to tread upon them! But on a serious note, this is the worst way of campaigning. Each year these candidates waste huge amount of paper and money over these pamphlets. We have been reading about saving trees and ‘3 R’s’ since childhood. Do we want such candidates who are anti-environment? By wasting resources these candidates only show off their money power not, leadership abilities!
    1. You can run, you can hide, but you can’t escape – the white walkers!
    DUSU season is the only time in Delhi University where instead of your college guard and the usual rickshaw-wallas, you meet the white walkers – frantically forcing you to accept their cards and chanting the names of their candidates as soon as you step into your college or out of the metro station! The other kind of white walkers are found in groups. They’re usually going around the college shouting slogans and once they find a group of kids, they stop to tell them about their candidates, agenda and mention the flaws of the rival party contestant. They often interrupt the lectures, hence irritating professors. This is not exactly a bad way of campaigning but, please don’t make us listen to your manifesto and resentful ranting towards the current union or opposition 5 times a day. We like to be informed but, making us late for lectures and interrupting our conversations doesn’t really make us happy!
    1. From the bus pass to latest movie tickets – they’ve got you covered!
    So, this is one of the most unethical way of campaigning. Under the garb of helping students, the campaigners try to buy the student votes. Yes, there are some who genuinely help students with the form filling, anti-ragging, offer ‘if you’ve any problem come to us’ kind of thing. But that’s not the only kind of help they do. They lure the students by offering Lakme lip-colour, latest movie tickets, free amusement park trips, food vouchers – basically money! To nip this corrupt way of campaigning is to ‘refuse’ any such help. The candidates and the party are not the only ones corrupt when they offer such stuff, you also become corrupt the moment you accept it!
    1. The vicious circle of blame game and violent fights!
    Every year the rival parties indulge in this blame and negative publicity. We don’t want to listen to the failures of your opposition party neither want to be a part of your character-shaming/shredding activity. Each time the ruling student union won or lost a battle, we were at the receiving end of the consequences. Also if you failed to deliver your promises, don’t go around blaming people. The last thing we want to hear is your ‘sorry excuse’. We want solutions, we want to see the actual work. Let your actions speak for yourself – and by actions we don’t want you to beat each other or break stuff, we want leaders not goons who just have money-muscle power and zero intellect! Informing us is not wrong but, spreading hostility and hooliganism around the campus doesn’t exactly show off your leadership qualities. Nidhi Panchal [email protected]]]>

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    DUB News

    SRCC Professor alleges attack by DUSU President

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    A physical education professor of SRCC on Monday alleged that he was attacked by DUSU president Satender Awana, a claim that has been refuted by the student leader. The professor, who’s been identified as Dr. Vineet Mehta, was on duty in the college when Awana, along with a group of students approached the department office to meet the teacher in charge of the college swimming pool.

    Dr. Mehta claims that Awana came to meet Dr. Kuljeet Kaur, in charge of the pool committee, on the directions of the college principal, and when the group entered the office, Awana started using expletives against the professor. As Dr. Kaur was not in the office, the student leader asked for her phone number upon which the professor showed his denial and was consequently thrashed.

    College authorities allege that the Police were initially reluctant to register an FIR for the fear of a possible backlash from the students. Only when roughly 70 teachers marched to the Maurice Nagar police station and a delegation met the DCP was the FIR registered on 14th afternoon. Copies were also sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Civil Lines, and the Commissioner of Police.

    Awana claims that a group of students had approached him before to request a reduction in the swimming pool fee for non – SRCC students from Rs 200 to Rs 20, the standard fee for SRCC students, upon which he took up the issue with the principal. The principal directed him to the physical education department, where, denying allegations of physically assaulting the professor, he claims to have had just an ‘argument’.

    The principal has assured prompt representation to the Vice Chancellor and the advisor to DUSU and has also sought legal advice on the issue. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has decided to stage a protest against the student leader today to demand action from the university authorities.

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    DUB News

    Woman files FIR, alleges DUSU President of dowry, molestation and attempt to murder

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    Delhi University Students’ Union President Satender Awana’s name has been mentioned along with that of other family members in an FIR filed by a woman with the Noida police on March 12. The woman has accused the Awana family of harassment over dowry, molestation and attempt to murder and has filed the FIR against her husband, Mohit Awana, and her in laws. Satender Awana has been named in the FIR as one of her brothers-in-law. The accused have not been arrested and the case has been sent for mediation, as is customary in dowry disputes, according to The Hindu.

    The complainant has alleged that, the Awana family had harassed and assaulted her over not complying with their additional dowry demands, though their initial demands for money and a car were met by her family.

    Satender Awana, a leader of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarathi Parishad, informed the media that he is not related to the woman who filed the FIR, though he knows the family as members of his village in Noida. The family dispute has been raging since Mohit Awana was married to her in May last year. The police have also been unable to establish Satender as one of the brothers-in-law of the complainant.

    Awana has said that he will file a defamation case against the complainant on grounds of trying to tarnish the image and reputation of himself and his family. In a statement to the media, Awana said, “People who know my family and myself are familiar with our character and lifestyle. These allegations are baseless and fictitious, and the truth of the matter will be proved in court.”

    Students’ organisations like the All India Students’ Association have raised the demand for Awana’s resignation from the post of DUSU President. In retaliation, Awana questioned such a demand on the grounds that these demands were not raised against Kanhaiya Kumar who faced charges of sedition. However, he agreed to step down if the allegations were proved.

    Awana has earlier made controversial statements, such as threatening to “shoot down the traitors in JNU” who allegedly raised anti-India slogans. He was also accused of misbehaving with two journalists who were conducting a survey on sexual consent on Delhi University’s North Campus.

    Picture Credits: The Hindu 

    Abhinaya Harigovind

    [email protected]

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