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Educational Institutions: Secular or Saffron?

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The recent conflict over the Madarsa Act, struck down on secular grounds, highlights rising
discrimination against Islamic Institutions in India. The SC ruling, though a relief, doesn’t discount the
growing hostility.

All governments affect education, but a totalitarian government disguised as a democracy does
that in the most detrimental way. It is easy to marginalize minority groups when the government
frames every unfavorable policy as a step towards equality, benefiting a majority that already
holds significant power. India has been no stranger to such circumstances. Over the past few
years, the Indian education curriculum has gone through several alterations. From the
infamously contentious New Education Policy 2020 to the controversial removal of chapters
Based on the Mughal empire from the Class 12th NCERT syllabus of history, the Indian education system has been victim to the very active saffron agenda. Another evidence for the
claim comes forward as we look into the recent case involving the Madarsa Act.

The Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004 (Madrasa Act) was introduced to
regulate madrasas, or traditional Islamic educational institutions, under the state’s supervision in
order to ensure the standardization of madarsa education and align it with the state’s
mainstream educational policies. It provided a legal framework where religious education was
being imparted alongside the curriculum designed by the NCERT. The act came into the
Allahabad High Court’s attention when a lawyer argued that the Act violated Constitutional
articles 14, 15, and 21 and claimed that Madarsas failed to deliver quality education compulsory.
up to class 8th. The Allahabad HC went ahead with the case, and the resultant verdict argued for
the striking down of the Act completely. The Allahabad HC argued that the Act violated the
principle of secularism, it violated the Right to Education (RTE) and was in conflict with the
University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

The Allahabad HC’s decision to invalidate the Madarsa Act on the grounds of secular principle
and Right to Education is troublesome when viewed against the selective enforcement of such
principles. Madarsas were placed under intense scrutiny under the argument that secularism
requires all educational institutions to conform to a uniform standard. However, similar
measures are rarely directed towards other religious educational institutions, such as Hindu
Gurukuls, or Christian Convent schools. These institutions also emphasize religious teachings,
and promote particular values, yet operate with little government supervision or pressure to
succumb to state-mandated curriculum. This discrimination highlights a problematic double
standard, where secularism and educational rights are invoked solely in order to regulate
Islamic educational institutions. This selective application of ‘secular’ oversight makes one
question about the true intent behind such rulings, as it suggests that traditional Islamic
Educational practices are somehow less aligned with national educational interests or public
good compared to those of other faiths. By focusing specifically on madarsas, it can be inferred
that the ruling implies that Islamic educational practices uniquely require reform, while similar
religiously affiliated schools are free to operate without government interference. This exposes the
selective pressures placed upon Muslim communities in India.

This differential treatment of religious institutions not only negates the secular ethos that the
The court aims to uphold but also brings into light a growing trend of Islamophobia within the Indian
socio-political landscape. By disproportionately subjecting madrasas to perusal, the judiciary
has subjected the broader population to believing that Islamic practices and institutions are
inherently suspect and perhaps even in conflict with Indian values. This selective regulation
feeds into the existing narrative that Muslim communities and their institutions are somehow at
odds with the nation’s aspirations, further marginalizing them in public spheres. The current
government’s nationalist and right-wing policies have already contributed to rising Islamophobic
sentiment, and the Allahabad HC’s seemingly one-sided ruling reinforces this hostile climate by
validating the suspicions and prejudices against the Muslim community. In a time where
Secularism is used selectively to pressure one religious group; true equality under law seems to
be a utopian goal.

The Supreme Court’s final decision to overturn the Allahabad HC’s ruling has been welcomed.
by the Muslim community, however, this doesn’t discount the lengthening traces of Islamophobia.
in the nation. One might argue that the judicial rulings, including those on the Madarsa
Act and operate independently of the legislative government in power, emphasizing the principle of
judicial autonomy. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize that the government has significant
influence over the broader social and cultural climate in which these legal decisions are
interpreted and received. The current rightist government of India increasingly casts minority
communities, especially Muslims, in a negative light. By promoting narratives that depict Islamic
practices as extremist and backward, the Allahabad HC has, directly or indirectly, nurtured a
social environment that is more tolerant of Islamophobic attitudes. This shift in public sentiment
can create an atmosphere where biased perspectives subtly creep into various institutions,
including the judiciary, making it challenging for minority communities to maintain their rights.
and identities without facing suspicion or prejudice.

Read Also: From Killing Ideas to Killing Intellectuals: The Institutional Murder of G.N. Saibaba

Featured Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Ashita Kedia
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Features

Patchwork Feminism: Are Women Truly Capable With Just Education Alone?

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A vile assault and murder has struck the nation’s tightest nerve. It must now wake up and smell the coffee to realise that empowering women goes beyond providing them an education. Even the most capable of us will need safe conditions to live without fear and with freedom. 

On August 9th 2024, a horrifying incident shook the nation to its core. A resident doctor at the R.G. Kar Hospital in Kolkata was found unconscious on the hospital grounds. Alerted by her state of undress and the profuse bleeding, she was taken in for examination by the medical staff, who later declared her dead. The post-mortem report revealed shocking details. It was reported that there was severe bleeding from her genitals, a list of broken bones, and a vile mutilation of her body. The nation is rightfully grieving and raging against the news; hundreds of protests and marches in her name are being held on a daily basis. Politicians, celebrities, students, and the Indian intelligentsia have taken over the internet to pour out their grief and revitalise the conversation surrounding the state of women in the country. 

 For many, this incident comes as a shock. To them, India is a developed nation with rights and functions outlined for all. On the brink of economic greatness, the vox populi considers India to be above such crimes of barbarity (it is shocking in equal measure how many have turned their eye against brutal cases in the past and are only raging now when the victim is someone that belongs to their class structure. There is shamefully no doubt that a similar incident in say, a village in Uttar Pradesh, might not have triggered such a passionate response). Perhaps it is the right time to consider that maybe India is not the haven they thought it was and that regardless of the claims of “Beti bachao, beti padhao,” the daughter will never be safe, not unless we change systemic patterns.  

The world has always fallen victim to pseudo-feminism. Women have been given just enough to satiate, but never enough to truly free them from their shackles. India is no stranger to this phenomenon. The constitution makers envisioned that with independence, India would herald a new age where a person’s rights would beget them the respect they had been denied for centuries. Coupled with the immemorial reverence for education in the country, it was understood that once formal education was introduced, many of society’s evils would fade away into obsolescence. An educated member of society is a capable member of society, and a capable member of society would not be plagued by issues of old. Rape culture, however, does not spare anyone. It looks for a chance, and unfortunately for the women of India, their abilities do not influence it. The Kolkata case among the long, long list of many others raises the question: Is simply educating the girl child going to save her?  

Tarabai Shinde, in her career-defining work Stree-Purush Tulna (Comparison Between Men and Women), answers the question with a resounding no. In her time, “the educated wife” was a fad that had taken hold. It was to educate the woman without actually letting her participate in the public sphere. Tarabai Shinde’s father was a member of the Satyashodhak Samaj, and it is to him that she “owes” her education. However, this relative freedom hadn’t been enough, as Tarabai referred to herself as “locked up and confined in the proper old Maratha manner.”.  

Her scathing critique fits the current India scarily well. 

Tarabai reaffirms the tragic reality where gender relations remain unchanged but are rebranded so that they may stand out as modern while also neatly fitting into the ideas of patriarchy. It’s patchwork feminism. A manifestation of this is seen in the Kolkata case as well: A woman out late at night is permissible only because she was a doctor on duty. The rightful outrage is only as loud because there is truly nothing to vilify the woman over. Her value is only seen in relation to her profession, and is not inherent, as should be the case for all beings. Women are thus empowered with the constraints tightly in place. In doing so, we never achieve a revolution; instead, we continue to exist in the same manner as before, with little to no change. Families pride themselves on letting their daughters go to school (even if they never let them do anything with it). Politicians are quick to wash their hands off their duties towards women by funding the construction of educational institutions as if that marks the end of it. What good is an education when a woman is still too scared to go out past sundown? What good are the multiple all-female colleges when, the minute a woman leaves campus, she has to formulate attack strategies in her brain? 

Did any of her achievements matter when faced with the caprice of men? Did any of any woman’s?  

All of this isn’t to say that education is not a sector to invest in or that educating women is a futile pursuit. It is to make us realise that education does not exist in a vacuum. Empowering women is a dynamic process that must take into account a plethora of other variables; the safety of women is the most basic of them. When we pride ourselves on the equal right to education that legally gives women the same access to knowledge as men, we must also ask ourselves if we have built a society well enough where they can enjoy the fruits of their labour and where they can actually act as capable citizens instead of just being one on paper. 

Read also:  Women’s safety in DU: How safe are we?

Featured Image Credits: The Hindu, PBS  

Anvesha Tripathi

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DUB Speak

The Reformed Identity of Bengal: Tracing the History of an Exodus

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The hands of the clock now beckon you home and you realise you are quite far away. As you step across the threshold of your motherland, you do not recognise it anymore. The universities are now debris, the art nowhere to be found and the citizens asleep immobile, in a deathly slumber. 

On the asphalt streets of Bengal, there is God. Amidst the wet mud underneath newborn rice; in the dramatic torrents from precariously placed Dhunuchi on sundried hands; in the kitchen’s sweating, simmering air and the tear that sizzles in the onion sliced open on the cutting board, there is God. From the ancient, blistered pages of a chalky hardbound Thakumar jhuli, Thakuma’s thunderous and meek voice rings clear and God flashes her third eye. When you hear her, you hear the underbelly of a tidal wave roar with ripe and red age – her seasoned drawl trembles like the quaking earth. Sitting a few trees, a few cities and a few seas away from her, you find that all around you, the wet mud, the dhunuchi, the curry that stained your childhood nails have crumbled to stone. 

You are not home. The air is no loner laden with the heady fragrance of dawn Shiuli, the paint no longer peels off walls as your eyes fall to the floor and the sunlight no longer burns with the force of a thousand furnaces in your face when you smile. You feel estranged from language for your tongue has remained in your mother’s heartland. There are no trams here, no yellow taxis, no cobblers spread out on street corners, no purple skies of the Kalboishakhi, and no roads choked with rice lights and kabiraji during pujo. There are no little gods in melting make-up darting about on the streets, touring the city on shoulders and veined, brown laps. There is no you. 

Thus Modhushudon says,

“সাধিতে মনের সাধ,

ঘটে যদি পরমাদ,

মধুহীন করো না গো তব মনঃকোকনদে।

প্রবাসে দৈবের বশে,

জীব-তারা যদি খসে

এ দেহ-আকাশ হতে, – খেদ নাহি তাহে।”

This translates to:

“If disaster befalls,

My questing heart,

Do not banish me from the nectar of your memory.

If, by foreign banks,

My life cascades away from me,

I do not fear the death of my body.”

 

For the Bangla that has seeped through the fissures of Bengal and carried an exodus of the personality to the without and ushered them within, through the crests and troughs of an experience divorced from the comfort of a motherland, for the teeth watered with the acrid wind of a foreign song, Modhushudon lamented. Of course, along with departure, there must be an arrival. But we realise that the arrivals pale soon. That which arrives and has arrived, could not arrive again. In its incomplete arrival, an arrival is effervescent. There is another arrival and we lurch forth, perpetually, towards newer lands and tongueless elegies sung in deserted rooms. This sense of the ceaseless arrivals is only an abstract account of the idea of the present. Aristotle had reductively expounded it as an uneventful translocation between tactile distances. “Duration is the stuff of which conscious existence is made”, Bergson shall profoundly declare some two centuries and two score years later. But I digress. Why this lived time is important to understand is because it corresponds to the Bengali’s distorted lived identity.

This precipitates the workings of an abstract nation that is peripatetic and exists in the blank space wrought by a disturbed people’s diaspora. How did this come to be? Indeed, the political unconscious, as Jameson would observe, of the endless literature that Bengal could offer, reflects the change in the most confounding manner. It is not easy to say when the left front began to collapse; the artistically, academically, and pedagogically peerless British-fed empire of the paddy fields commenced a burgeoning descent to an industrial, infrastructural and economic impasse. Of course, the united Bengal, alongside the other, now prominent, port cities of colonial India’s Madras and Bombay, stood to be the entrance of the British into the Indian subcontinent. The colonial landslide was inevitably felt the strongest in these cities. The domain of English academia is still, to this date, dominated by either the present-day south-Indians or the Bengalis. It is no coincidence for such to have been the case. Bihar, which was an organ of united Bengal, produces the fiercest administrative officials.

It does not take the exceptionally precocious to piece together the facts. I must confess that I have also met that crude populace that has failed to tag this failing state machinery. It was only yesterday that I had the misfortune – now, let this not be extrapolated so as to deem their company unpleasant, indeed it was the converse – of acquaintance with a certain professor who was astonished at my decision to have chosen Delhi for my undergraduate destination. Being from Kolkata, why had I not chosen amongst the premier institutions of the city? Her question was not unfounded. Two decades back perhaps, or a little more, I would have considered it. In fact, it would not have been an easy task gaining admission into either Jadavpur University or Presidency. “No one knows what happens during the checking of Jadavpur entrances anymore”, sighs a Professor that I know. I would also have been assured that the evaluation of my entrance examination at the former would have been a fair one. Nevertheless, the unnamed was unaware, albeit, not blissfully so, of the cruel edifice of Bengal’s present truth. When I asked my friend who is currently a second year student of Mathematics at Presidency what has become of the education system in Bengal, what it is that has so dramatically altered its state machinery, and he said “Bengal has once churned out nobel laureates like the primed barrel of a gun; we have fallen far since then. The culture where Bengali households still push, sometimes excessively, their children towards unimaginable heights of success still exists. But the means for our generation to manifest that now-distant dream have been lost. We see them only reminisce, complacent and smug in their erstwhile glory and do nothing to reclaim it.” It might sound scandalous to say so, but it is my belief that any Bengali, with a morsel of ambition remaining in their blood, has left. The evil of the Naxalites, which had catalysed this transformed political sub-space in the first place, has been replaced by the evil of stagnancy that is borne of negligence and a ruthlessly debauched moral compass. This moral compass does not remain confined to the rulers of the state only, for we must remember the citizenship that has advocated for them, and handed to them this power. It would be folly to discount the sheer comprehension of the people’s pulse, of which the incumbent opposition ruler seems to be in dangerous possession. She knows what makes Bengal tick and she makes them tick well. I am afraid that if I indulge myself any further, I shall stand to lose my diplomatic tenor and therefore I shall not risk that venture. 

Bengal has been outpaced, and superseded by time, for all great societies are fated to fall. This is not to occasion a trite exchange, only to ascribe the causality of a devastating truth to powers intangible. And yet, I must maintain that it is not, in fact, intangible. The democracy of the Indian subcontinent is now choked with choices that one could not make without the mortifying acceptance of their choosing the lesser evil. That is another complicated tangent of debate, which I could not take up frankly without gravely endangering myself. We can no longer jointly hail one as a scholar and a politician. That species seems now to be extinct. In any case, as I grapple with this undeniable prospect, it is quite clear to me, a state I hope I have been able to confer upon the readers of this article, why the exodus has been in such Herculean proportions. The issue of the brain drain is not atypically Bengali. In Bengal, the tremors have been felt deeply, and yet, to the perspicacious, that the drain is quite Pan-Indian. The established Indian scholars have all to sport in their resumes, a degree earned from abroad. This is not simply the result of a quest to expand one’s horizons, as seems most apparent. The outward-bound instinct, or Beauvoir’s masculine transcendence, is not a universal tendency. I would fail at this moment to furnish the reader with the statistics, but commonsensically, it would not be preposterous to infer from cases of those irrefutably successful, that ambition is not a rather ubiquitous quality if all the world’s sensibilities were to be accounted for. If the reason so posited, about expanding one’s horizon, were true, then how does one explain the negligible immigration that India has seen recently, in terms of students. Of course, it is a developing country, and yet, if one were to examine the history of Indian scholars who have flourished abroad, one must concede that the Indian education system was once robust and globally revered. It pains me that I cannot account for a solution that does not drastically alter the system, and perhaps I must not. Perhaps it is important that the system be so radically reformed, for if we continue along this path, we shall only gracefully expedite our world’s transmogrification into the dystopian world of Orwell, if not extinction. 

Read also: Of Remembrance and Letting Go: An Ode to Hometowns

Featured Image Credits : Ahmadzada for Freepik

Aayudh Pramanik

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Campus Central

Atishi Points to “Irregularities” in 12 DU Colleges in Letter to Centre

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Delhi Education Minister, Atishi, has pointed out certain excesses undertaken in 12 DU colleges in a letter to the Union Education Minister.

 Delhi Education Minister, Atishi, on Friday, wrote to the Union Education Minister, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, underlining “irregularities” in the administration of 12 DU Colleges funded by the Delhi government.

She expanded upon these irregularities citing instances of procedural lapses in appointments, creation of unauthorised posts, and salaries in crores being paid to staff who were never appointed through established procedures.

Other such instances listed include the misappropriation of funds from the Grant-in-aid (GIA) which also involves the salary to the GIA-General. Atishi alleged that these oversights occurred despite crores of funds lying in the corpus of these colleges. Further instances of arbitrary and irregular payments towards sanitation and security services as well as allotment of Canteen and other contractual services were flagged.

She expressed that since these colleges are directly affiliated with DU, they are not answerable to the Delhi government for “judicious” utilisation of funds. She thus proposed two possible courses of action. The 12 colleges could either be merged under the purview of the Delhi government or the centre could assume full control and responsibility of these institutions in which case the Delhi government would no longer allocate funds to these institutions.

This comes in light of the release of Rs 100 crore by the Delhi government earlier in June this year out of the sanctioned Rs 400 crore allocated by the government in 2023-24 to these institutions.

The education minister thus took this opportunity to highlight the issue as being symptomatic of a larger pattern of financial malpractices and oversight.

There was no immediate reaction from the University.

 

Featured Image Credits : PTI

 

Deevya Deo

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Arts & Culture

Studying Abroad: Navigating the Fascination and Dilemma

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Lakhs of Indian students migrate to study abroad every year. What sparks the intrigue, and is it truly warranted?

The fascination with studying abroad among Indian students is a phenomenon that can be attributed to various factors, both societal and practical. While there is much to gain from a foreign degree like global exposure and quality education, a lot is lost, such as family and culture. How does one navigate the trade-offs and decipher how to make the right decision?

One factor driving this fascination might be how studying abroad is considered a mark of prestige and quality education in Indian society. Another contributing factor is the perception that they offer better academic opportunities and could lead to higher earning potential. From another perspective, limited domestic options due to low availability and high competition for seats in Indian institutes drive the youth to look for options abroad. Moreover, most education systems abroad curate their programs in a way that allows for variety and flexibility in the subjects and structures offered. This is appealing to Indian students.

I have always looked forward to pursuing a Master’s degree abroad because it’s hard to find career advancements domestically in my field, especially since it’s not of professional nature.” – Seher, a third-year student

Apart from these, there exist factors that seem to be rooted in no solid reasoning. Historical migration patterns in the family or social expectations can create a sense of normativity and peer pressure. The idea of studying abroad, which may have been limited to a certain social class earlier, has become a more common goal due to changing societal norms.

However, when reaching an age where the future seems too close, hesitations creep in. The potential difficulties regarding adapting to a new culture with different social norms and values, leaving family behind and the financial burden may contribute to students rethinking their decisions.

On not being able to receive a scholarship for the program I was accepted into, I dropped the idea of moving abroad. I would not have been able to handle the expenses.” – A DU alumnus.

Thus arises the need to introspect and assess your goals, both personal and professional. Navigate this decision by reflecting on your priorities regarding career and life goals. Get to know yourself better, try gauging through self-reflection and conversations with well-wishers on what suits you the best. Seek guidance from counselling services, college seniors or family members abroad to better understand the challenges and benefits of international study.

Due to these complexities, it’s essential to make informed decisions keeping in mind your ideals as well as practical considerations. Studying abroad can be an enriching and transformative experience only if guided by mindful intentions.

Read also: The Right Time to Study Abroad

Featured image credits: Unsplash

Arshiya Pathania

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Arts & Culture

Oh Lal Chutney Waale, Apni Degree to Bata

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This article adds to the buzz and discussion surrounding the “degree-walas”- the graduates who have been taking not only social media but also the street food industry by storm.

“Graduation ke baad college ke bahar momos ka stall kholenge” (after graduation we’ll open a momos stall outside college) and “Yaar maggi wale bhaiya kitna kamate honge?” (how much do you think the maggi seller earns) are just a few of the many statements that define a college student, particularly one unsure of what the future holds. For most of us, they are merely a lighthearted escape from the constant degree and college slander and are not intended to be taken seriously. These statements, casually thrown around in after-class conversations, are among the many promises that are made and buried over the course of a degree. But much like how some are able to finally turn their Goa and Manali trips into reality, some capably materialise this as well. I dived into writing this piece without realising the commonality of what I was writing about. It turns out that the relationship between rigorous academic degrees and simplistic street food is more ubiquitous than one would have thought.

From MBA Chaiwala to B.tech Panipuri wali, recently it has been quite hard to overlook viral videos on social media wherein fancy degree holders are venturing into classic street food businesses with an added touch of their own. From fire kulhad pizzas to comforting rajma-chawal, there is something for everyone!

Most recent is the virality of Tapsi Upadhyay, a 21-year-old engineering student who captured the attention of food enthusiasts by giving the beloved panipuri (I prefer the term golgappe) a healthier spin. With “air-fried” pani puri and “organic” tamarind and jaggery sauces, she started her business to contribute to a ‘Swasth Bharat’. As much as one could concur our nonchalance towards “healthy” street food, the idea appears to be working for her. Within just 6 months of operations, her team has been able to expand to four carts at multiple locations across Delhi. However, internet users’ reactions to a video detailing her inspiration and hardships, which has gained over 13 million views on Instagram, have been conflicted.

“Hats off that she is doing everything it takes to be her own boss and being financially independent.”- an Instagram user

“A degree doesn’t guarantee a good job with good living standards. Good to see she started something of her own. All the best to her.” – said another user on social, complimenting the business

On the flip side of the coin, a small part of users have also been vocal about this apparent misdirection.

“Not demeaning anyone but can’t understand why people after doing a good education start street food and term it as entrepreneurship. After completing B.Tech one should think of new technology and innovation rather than selling street food.” – a third user on Instagram

“Wearing a cap is cool but wearing a helmet is a taboo.” – remarked another person in reference to “Panipuriwali” being spotted driving a Royal Enfield Bullet without a helmet.

 

picture 1 (1) (3).jpg
Snippet from the viral video showing B.Tech panipuri riding a bike with her pani puri stall attached behind, Image Credits: @are_you_hungry007 on Instagram

The tags such businesses possess, which undoubtedly attract intrigue and help with fame, may sometimes have a hint of clickbait as well. For instance, when one hears of MBA Chaiwala, they would inadvertently think of somebody who after slogging for a degree they have no interest in, spent years in the tortuous corporate sector only to realise their true love for making and selling chai. However, the idea simply developed from a rejection from the three-lettered dream college franchise of many graduates. So maybe, if you are looking for a sign to “follow your passion” AFTER doing an MBA, this might not be the best one.

But it goes without saying that one would question how these individuals break free from the shackles of log kya kahenge? (what would people say?) More specifically, why would they need to?

For starters, the ‘hustle culture’ is a term with exceedingly mixed opinions and something that most university students unwittingly fall victim to. However, Indore-born student Ajay is a true example of what grit and perseverance are all about. He sets out at night with “Indore’s first chai on wheels” in the hopes of selling his “Cycle-wali-chai” and making enough money to pay for his coaching, education, and a comfortable sustenance.

Ajay sells tea at night to pay for coaching classes, Image Source: The Indian Express

For others, it might be about embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and the startup wave India takes immense pride in. In an exclusive conversation with DU Beat, Prasenjit Bhowmick talked about his inspiration to work on ‘Engineer Momowala’.

“I always wanted to be in the IT department but my parents forced me to go into mechanical. But I started learning about things like web development and government documentation from YouTube so I could work in a real estate company. But the turning point was when I realised that if I could help a company go from a shuttered office to 8 branches in a single city in just 10 months, then why couldn’t I build a successful company of my own?”

For a Bangalore couple that went viral for reportedly earning 12 lakhs a day, ’Samosa Singh’ was about owning something of their own and possessing the desire to take it to newer heights. Transitioning from high-paying jobs and selling their apartment to build the company further must not have been the easiest of tasks, but their love and devotion towards samosas and its “reclamation of the rightful place among Indian snacks” got them where they are- a company with an annual turnover of 45 crore rupees.

People jumping on this bandwagon might also be doing so as a means of escaping the grind of a 9–5 job. With India recently becoming the most populous country (yes,that day has finally arrived and no, it’s not 2030 yet) and job seekers outnumbering quality job openings, this could offer significant respite from the dearth of employment opportunities in a highly competitive economy. This is what was experienced by Priyanka Gupta, a 25-year-old economics graduate from Bihar, who became Patna’s ‘Chaiwali’ after failing to crack bank examinations for two years. Being a student of economics myself, I would understand the need to do away with the quantitative distress the degree unfurls on you (smiles painfully), but starting a ‘tapri’ of your own is harder than it sounds.

“I went to different banks and asked for a PM Mudra Loan, but they refused. Finally, after running around for one and a half months, I borrowed 30,000 from a college friend.” – Priyanka Gupta, ‘Graduate Chaiwali’

Lastly, I wonder if the fame and existence of such ventures is short-lived. With over 50 million videos across social media, are these only for a one-time experience and places restricted to a couple of Instagram stories and reels? I wonder if we are responsible for over-popularizing them, it is after all just chai and samosa.

 

Read also: The Home Conundrum, and the Battle of Graduating – DU Beat – Delhi University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Featured Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Manvi Goel
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The Rewriting of Education: A Distorted POV

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distorted education

Education has been considered a weapon for betterment. But more than creating a “better nation” or “better future’, has it just ended up becoming a rendition of the voice of the powerful?

They said “Padhega India tabhi toh badhega India” but what if the things India is studying aren’t history, or political theory, or literature, but rather an anomaly crafted out of politics and agendas, moulded to the needs of those upper-class, upper-caste, 60-year-old men sitting in high chairs?

Education has always been the easiest, most accessible, and most influential sphere in any society. From Communist propaganda in the Soviet Union to the widespread antisemitic beliefs in Nazi Germany, education has been at the centre of it all, watching the world catch on fire while helping this fire find its stronghold in new minds.

But this isn’t just a lamentation about something plucked out from a page of some book of the past, but rather a lamentation about the present, and more importantly about the future.

In a very recent case, a PIL was filed at the Delhi High Court, explicitly seeking a removal of portions teaching the history of the Mughals from the NCERT textbooks. In the past, this trend has been observed in the cases of state boards as well, making this not just an isolated incident which can be ignored and buried. Maharashtra state board removed the history of rulers like Razia Sultan and Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, deeming such history “irrelevant” for the students, replacing the space with an elaborate history of other rulers such as Chhatrapati Shivaji. A similar case from Rajasthan led to a controversy over the rewriting of the “distorted” history in textbooks, the one of concern being that of the ‘Battle of Haldighati’. On the other hand, the suffix ‘the Great’ from Akbar’s name was removed in textbooks. Following this was the recent decision of a committee to revise the Karnataka board textbooks, including the removal of a chapter about the introduction of religions like Jainism or Buddhism from the books.

But all this exaggerated focus on schools doesn’t mean that college curriculums are safe. From the replacement of poems by Dalit writers, and the deletion of the feminist interpretation of the Ramayana as well as sections from the “Interrogating Queerness” paper in the English curriculum a few years back to the deletion of an essay on the Ramayana by A. K. Ramanujan (one considered of extreme importance in the study of history by academicians) as well as the sidelining of (you guessed it right) the Mughal history, Delhi University itself hasn’t been spared.

 

So, has this just ended up becoming a propaganda-driven education, changing with every election? Does it mean that more than inculcating representation or inclusiveness, it has just become a hollowed-out skeleton in the hands of a selected few? Maybe India’s secularism has been hidden into a corner, blindfolded, and tied up so that there are no questions.

But all of this has still ended up raising questions— Till how long can the remaking of history, be passed off under the veil of revision? If these revisions were really to correct distortions, why have their end results ended up as distortions too? 

 

Feature Image Credit: The Citizen

 

Manasvi Kadian

[email protected]

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Features

E-learning: Woes of Students in Kashmir

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Read about the problems faced by students residing in Kashmir in accessing e-learning resources online due to low-speed internet.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration said that only 2G internet will be available to residents till April 3rd amid calls for restoration of high speed 4G internet in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

This poses a grave concern for students – as the world resorts to online classes for regular classes and lectures, students residing in Kashmir are troubled by frequent disruptions and delays in their educational pursuits. The learning process isn’t facilitated well, because the streaming quality is often poor due to low-speed internet. The union territory of J&K has over 15,000 schools and colleges catering to tens of thousands of students.

Bareen, a student of Jesus and Mary College, explains how difficult it is to continue and keep up the pace with everyone residing in the rest of the country when it comes to even basic tasks, “We are often not able to access video lectures, apart from this; National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) aspirants are facing problems in filling up forms and studying without able internet. Internet Banking has been absolutely crippled, failed transactions is the norm now due to slow net. Basic communication through mediums like WhatsApp is hard; downloading audios, videos and documents has become a huge problem. There is no question of even accessing other websites like Netflix, YouTube and social media for recreation and leisure.”

“Restore 4G internet services to help student learn from home,” an association of private schools in the valley has said in a message. The association said the ban on high speed 4G internet services has been preventing schools from offering Google classroom teaching to students in the region. “While private schools show their readiness to shift to online lesson plans, they’re running into limitations of our broadband networks,” said G N Var, president of the Kashmir Private School Association.

Feature Image Credits: Instagram / Stand with Kashmir Feature Image Caption: A letter written by a 5th grade student to address his lack of access to online classes.
Image Credits: Instagram / Stand with Kashmir
 Image Caption: A letter written by a 5th grade student to address his lack of access to online classes.

Doctors and other health care personnel have also faced significant predicaments. With concerns arising over the coronavirus pandemic, the risks to life and lungs have increased. A Kashmiri doctor recently tweeted his frustration over not being able to download the ICU guidelines for COVID-19 even after an hour of trying, due to the low-speed internet.

Feature Image Credits: The Hindu

 

Paridhi Puri

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DUB Speak

Sex Education Season 2: The Humour We Need

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Sex Education, a comedy-drama series, came out with its second season on the 17th of January, 2020, on Netflix. The new season has shed light upon topics that parents prefer not to talk about with their children.

The show essentially revolves around the life of a teenager, Otis, who goes on to follow the footsteps of his mother, who is a sex therapist. From the partial knowledge he gained from her, Otis starts an underground sex therapy business with Maeve in school. Otis, being a teenager himself, gives ‘expert’ advice to other curious students who are on a quest to explore their sexual identities.

The series became a widely watched show in about no time because the producers have touched upon those issues that people shy away from. Along with the development in its plot, the new season went on to use humour and love to carefully bring forth these issues for the audience.

Sex Education has played a huge role in normalizing homosexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality and asexuality as well. The show may be about a boy but the girls are the ones who stand out. Also, another topic that has been addressed here is unwanted sexual contact. Aimee, a friend of Maeve, gets sexually assaulted on the bus while on her way to school. Aimee, after the incident, gets highly disturbed and refuses to board the bus until Maeve, Lily, Ola, and Olivia decide to accompany her.

The writers of the show also expressed the significance of consent through a few glimpses. By taking the example of Maeve and her mother, the show also took a turn and focused on faulty parenting. Jackson, an extraordinary swimmer, embarks on a new journey to discover where his interests truly lie, after experiencing poor mental health and indulging in self-harm.

Aditi Gutgutia, a student of Lady Shri Ram College, said, “Season 2 had fallen more towards a cliché high school drama and was highly predictable, which was somehow disappointing, but on the other hand, the added depth to some of the characters was admirable.”

The addressed issues in the show needed to be brought forth because they are often overlooked by the people. The writers have done a fairly commendable job by tackling these issues with love.

Image credits- Newsweek

Suhani Malhotra

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Campus Central

DU to Launch Endowment Funds to Meet IoE Requirements

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DU will receive INR 100 crore grant from the government for achieving IoE status and aims to raise the equivalent amount on its own.

 

In September 2019, the University of Delhi was awarded the status of Institute of Eminence (IoE) by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission (UGC). In order to meet the requirements of the same, the university has launched the ‘Endowment Fund of the Delhi University’ which aims to raise INR 100 crore over a period of five years and has also encouraged alumni to invest in sectors of their choice, which may range from building to research funds. 

 

This tag allows the University a grant of INR 100 crore from the government over five years and aims to raise the same amount on its own as well. The varsity states that the funds will be, “100% tax exemption and has no restriction on the amount of contribution. The donor can choose the area in which his/her contribution should be utilised. The information on the utilisation of funds will be displayed on the university website and 50 per cent of the funds earmarked for girl students. There also will be a compulsory audit of the endowment by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.”

 

According to a circular signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Yogesh Tyagi, the University is currently in the top 500 universities globally according to QS World University Ranking and is aiming to be in top 100 over the next 10 years. However, it lacks new institutions in the field. “To help our students and faculty attain academic excellence, the University would like to provide them with the necessary support, including the best and most modern research facilities and educational infrastructure”, further states the circular.

 

The letter also suggests, “It will provide opportunities and facilities to enhance the quality of teaching and research and to attract talent from outside the University and make them stakeholders in our growth story. This enterprise will ultimately lead to the University’s role and contribution to the nation-building and to scale greater heights in the global rankings.”

 

The University is yet to sign an agreement with the Ministry, under which it will lay out the plan to achieve the status of a world-class institution. Public institutions with IoE status are eligible for a government grant of INR 1000 crores. Upon getting the IoE status, DU will have complete academic, administrative and financial autonomy to spend the resources it raises and is allocated.

 

Recently Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD) also launched a global endowment fund of INR 250 crore in presence of President Ram Nath Kovind by 10 founder alumni members. The University states that the fund will be utilised for “each one teach one” providing a student aid of INR 10000 to each student to facilitate their education. 

 

Feature Image credits: DU Beat Archives

 

Aditi Gutgutia
[email protected]

 

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