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With the examination season around, it becomes important to study well and prioritise one’s actions and acitivities. Here is a piece on how one can identify and circle down things that take away most of the time in unproductive sessions without making one realise it.

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1. Netflix and Chill (?)
Just one episode more! This has led to getting caught in an endless cycle of shows and series. Utilise your time wisely this exam season and just hold on to the urge to watch the series a little later. It is an altogether different joy to experience when one watches shows without the pending loom of having to study for exams!

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2. Partners
In the garb of productivity we end up wasting a lot of time by talking to our significant others over social media, in the garb of the ‘one WhatsApp message’ or over the video call with the context of studying together but that is a far call from reality. At the end of the day, one needs some ‘me’ time to for a productive study session. So it’s just a matter of little time. Keep that urge to message or call away just for a little while!

 

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3. Parties
It’s time to reverse the motto of ‘Study Hard, Party Harder’. During the exam season at times, one may find the urge to attend parties after long and tiring sessions of studying. At times it may even feel justified but in the heart of hearts, the realisation does upon that this is not an ideal practice to fall into during the exams. This leads to an endless cycle of partying late, coming home even later and ending up causing a disruptive timetable during this crucial time.

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4. The ‘tapri-time’
It seems almost logical and justifiable to go out with our friends and chill over at the Tapri. With the cold winters, a warm cup of tea doesn’t seem a bad option either. However, that tapri trip can turn into a trap and lead to endless hours of unproductivity. It’s important to utilise time wisely and prioritise things during the exam session. The trip can wait, your exams cannot!

 

Thus, this exam season, let us imbibe ‘delayed gratification’ as the tool to ace the exam season!
Feature Image Credits: Noihrit Gogoi for DU Beat
Image Credits: Noihrit Gogoi and Vaibhav Tekchandani for DU Beat

Amrashree Mishra
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Vaibhav Tekchandani
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The students of Delhi University have observed multiple discrepancies during the Semester-End Examinations causing various issues. Read further for more details.

On 4th December, students of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (SBSC) writing the GE History paper for the first semester received a question paper that was out of syllabus, raising a huge concern among them all.

“We had our GE History Paper yesterday Delhi Through the Ages. Our syllabus for this year was changed. But, our particular class has got a separate paper than that of others, i.e, of the previous syllabus. Other classes have got the new paper, we got the old one. Even after we told our teacher, he denied it. We’ll get zero marks if the person checking our answer sheet doesn’t get the paper, as we had different question papers from others,” said a student writing the exam. The student further provided that they had contacted the Principal who further directed a letter to the concerned authorities. Hopefully, corrective measures will be taken soon.

Further, on the 5th of December, students from Ramanujan College giving their 5th-semester exams for B.A (Prog) E.S.B ( Entrepreneurship and Small Business) had been given a paper which was completely out of the syllabus taught to them. Vaibhav, a student giving the paper at Ramanujan says, “Our syllabus was completely different than what came in the exam. I read the first question and I thought I don’t know this, I read the second question and I didn’t know it and when I got to the third question, I raised my voice and asked is this In the syllabus and everyone there agreed that all of this wasn’t in the syllabus.”

Initially, the invigilators had been very helpful in alerting the administration. However, after an hour was waste by these students, they were told to either attempt the paper or leave, and
no helpful solution was provided. This threw the students into a very bad situation.

Rishansh, who had called the teacher during the exam says “ When I asked the authorities for help during the exam, initially they were helpful but then after a while, they said this is your syllabus according to the DU website. When I called the teacher, he didn’t pick up, he later responded saying he couldn’t pick up due to the DUTA strike. I tried to coordinate with the teacher to sort this out the next day but he was not serious at all. We are very worried.”

Another similar incident was observed on the 7th of December during the Political Science paper for the first semester throughout Delhi University. Students claim to have received questions from the old syllabus.

“We had 3 questions from Democracy which wasn’t there in the new syllabus. Everybody was upset about it but nobody exactly complained about it. We had to attempt any 4 questions out of the 8, so nobody really did anything. And the last question was short notes on any 2 out of 4 and two of them were from democracy and one direct question from democracy,” stated a first year Political Science student from Lady Shri Ram College for Women. To our knowledge, no corrective measures for the same were taken.

Further issues were faced in Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies in Rohini where the paper for Basics of Statistical Inference was delayed by 1 hour since it didn’t reach the college on time.

These recurrent instances speak volumes about the impetuous nature of the Examination Department of Delhi University. These heedless actions may severely impact the academic careers of countless students. Hopefully, these errors would be corrected in a timely manner.

Feature Image Credits: Vaibhav Tekchandani for DU Beat.

Prabhanu Kumar Das

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Aditi Gutgutia

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With end semester exams right around the corner, here are few cheap and doable stress busters you can count without burning a hole in your pocket or being too elite or pretentious.

When exams knock at the door, it is common to go paranoid. Exam stress is an actual accepted psychological distress. It can lead to severe anxiety, that turn into physical symptoms like nausea, stomach ache, headache and even dizziness. In this time of chaos, one looks for easy stress relievers that don’t put a dent in your college finances. Often, stress busters are highly elitist, they involve dinners at expensive restaurants and retail therapy that one can’t cope up with.

Here are few stress busters you must do in times of distress:

  1. Talking is Therapeutic

Of all exam stress busters, the best is, of course, talking and communicating stress. If you just cannot get rid of the constant exam tension, how about talking about it with your favourite person? It can be your friend, cousin, sister, teacher, classmate, parent or anybody else. Saying your problems out loud will even help you articulate.

  1. Music and Dance on the Loop

Mujhe naachne or gaane ka bahut shaunk hai.” (Dancing and singing are my favourite hobbies.) . Read the phrase in typical Anjali’s voice from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Indeed, music transports you and the energetic dance can rejuvenate you from the many all-nighters you will pull this semester. Plus, music is a great way to not feel alone while studying. Pro-tip: The Local Train can literally save all of us.

  1. Sound Sleep

This is probably the most important one. With exam season upon you, it’s important to keep in mind to sleep well. Most of the students often spend all of their time worrying about the exams, and tend to sacrifice their nights for the same. Always remember, a well-rested mind can do wonders. Use white noise or a constructive podcast to listen to while sleeping, that will help with your concentration and productivity.

  1. Slow and Deep Breaths

Before reacting to the next stressful occurrence, take three deep breaths and release them slowly. If you have a few minutes, try out a relaxation technique such as closing your eyes and meditating or just shouting loudly. These are some tricks to calm oneself down.

  1. Talking Loud and Slow

Whenever you feel overwhelmed by stress, practice speaking more slowly than usual. You’ll find that you think more clearly and react more reasonably to stressful situations. Stressed people tend to speak fast and breathlessly; by slowing down your speech you’ll also appear less anxious and more in control of any situation.

  1. An Effective Time Management Strategy

Choose one simple thing you have been putting off (e.g. buying the book for a particular subject), and do it immediately. Just taking care of one nagging responsibility or subject can be energizing and can improve your attitude.

  1. Drinking plenty of water, eating small, nutritious snacks

Hunger and dehydration, even before you’re aware of them, can provoke aggressiveness and exacerbate feelings of anxiety and stress that exams give you. Thus, keep yourself energised and fit by having fppd at regular intervals.

  1. A quick Posture Check

Hold your head and shoulders upright and avoid stooping or slumping. Bad posture can lead to muscle tension, pain and increased stress. It’s most like that you’ll be stuck at your desk most of the day, revising or studying the vast syllabus. In those times, make sure your workstation reflects good ergonomic design principles meaning it’s good enough for your height, doesn’t require you to stress your arm to rest and is comfortable.

  1. Setting Realistic Targets

It is advisable to make realistic revision targets per day instead of trying to squeeze in a lot in one day. If you make unrealistic targets and are unable to achieve them, stress will definitely shoot through the roof and lower your learning power.

  1. Taking out time to unwind

Take out at least half an hour to watch your favourite TV programme or surf the Internet for fun or listen to your favourite music or just laze around. Getting bogged down with too much stress can ruin your positive energies so take that short break and don’t feel guilty about it.

Hopefully these 10 stress busters will equip you enough to handle exam stress like a pro. If you still feel stressed, seek help with people around you. All the best for your exams.

 

Feature Image Credits: Scopio

 Chhavi Bahmba 

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Many of us are lucky enough to look forward to our birthdays, and feel excited about them. But, what about those unfortunate chaps who just undergo tension and anxiety as their birthday comes closer along with their exams?

Exams suck. Ask any student, which is the worst time of the year according to them and exam season is the only answer you’re going to get. But for some students, the misery doesn’t end here. Having your birthday during exams is the worst omen of them all.

I bet we’ve all had big plans for how to celebrate another year of living, and have the best time. Attending birthday parties all year and analysing what to do and what not to do when it’s your turn to throw one, coming up with perfect scenarios in our head only to see the date sheet and ask, “Geez, what bad deeds did I do to deserve this?”

We are all used to celebrating festivals around exams because obviously our education system sees us as mules and wants to suck the fun out of our life, but it only prepares us for more unfortunate luck.

Prabhanu Kumar Das, a student from Kirori Mal College said, “So my birthday is on the 21st March. This year it was on the same day as the festival of Holi and also right before my Economics board exam. So while everyone else was outside having fun, I was looking at graphs and calculating demand and supply. Eventually, my friends came and dragged me out of the house, but it wasn’t the same.”

Not only it ruins the particular day but it spoils all the energy and the concept of birthdays in general. One is practically tensed all the time and is going through hell inside their head, doing last-minute revisions (or in my case, starting the course) when instead, one should be having the best time of their life, be it partying outside with everybody or staying at home and re watching the Harry Potter series with cake.

One could obviously study beforehand and still do all those things but let’s be honest, we want to be able to do those things without the guilt. And then there’s obviously the saddest alternative, celebrating after exams. Who are we kidding, that’s not the same, not even close. So one eventually makes peace with it and realises that it’s a part of growing up and this is a price that has to be paid for all the dreams. But all this maturity goes down the drain when you receive those yearly birthday calls from your relative and it gives them another excuse to ask about your studies and you start questioning the worth of being the ideal and elder respecting child of your family when you hear the words, “beta party nahi kar rhe?”

Ananya Tiwari a third-year BA (Honors) Sociology student from Hindu College, said, “You know you’re adulting when you have to give an entrance exam on your birthday.

21st Birthday Expectations vs Reality

Expectation: (Akshay Kumar singing) Party all night, party all night!

Image Credits: Youtube
Image Credits: Youtube

Reality: Pulling an all-nighter cuz ENTRANCEAHDBJSSHSHS..”

Priyanshi Banerjee, a student of Lady Sri Ram College said, “Birthdays were never a matter of excitement to me. But with the exams teaming up with my birthday for the next three years just makes it even duller. But if I have to see the silver lining, at least I would be saving myself from giving treats.”

You obviously cannot NOT mention the freedom you’d get from throwing parties and giving treats. You don’t have to constantly worry about making sure that everyone has a good time. And let’s not ignore all the money you would be saving. Apart from this, years down the line, when you and your friends would be together discussing the worst birthday stories, you’d have tons and can go like hold my beer realising that it finally paid off.

So to all those who have their birthdays this end-semester exams, it’s completely normal, you’re not alone.

Feature Image Credits: Tumblr

Avni Dhawan

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If you are a lost and confused fresher, and are looking for tips on how to approach seniors for help during exams, read further!

With end semester exams on the head all students look for different ways so as to crack these exams. Some collect notes from the class topper, some prepare chits to hide in their socks, some stay up late for hours mugging up their texts, while some just stare into the abyss, and pray for things to work out. Among all these different students from different schools of thought, there is a group of the students who leech off seniors during exams.

As a fresher writing the exams for the first time, we’re all lost and confused. The towers of countless readings become our Everest, and actually reading them seems impossible. It is all so overwhelming and exhausting, and you have no idea where to begin or how to go about it. In situations like these, what can be better than a senior who gives you all the exam hacks and pointers?

Now, it isn’t that easy to find seniors who are genuinely willing to share their precious knowledge over these years. And even if they are, they are mostly too busy trying to figure their own mess out, forget helping a mindless, half-baked junior. But that’s where you need to know how exactly must one approach a senior.

For starters, take a cup of chai or a glass of iced-tea with you while approaching the seniors. This is an essential step so as to show them that you care and aren’t entirely heedless. Then, initiate a light conversation; ask them how they are or what their day was like. Try and ensure they aren’t already stressed. If they are (which they will be in most probability since they are way busier than you, for obvious reasons), try cracking a few jokes to mellow down the tension and lighten up the mood.

Once you see them smiling and giggling, and maybe suggesting going to grab a bite (which would be amazing for your situation), that’s your queue! But remember, you still don’t directly ask for help. You start by talking about your own preparations, and different things that are troubling you. Hopefully, the senior himself or herself will suggest tips or pointers that you were looking for in the first place. If not, you ask them if they faced similar issues in their time. Consequently, the senior will end up blabbering pointers that helped him or her. Once they start, they probably won’t stop until they have given you everything they have to offer. But then again, this varies from individual to individual.

Now, another important point to be noted is choosing the right senior to approach. Apart from the fact that the senior should belong to your department (obviously), (s)he should also, preferably, have a personality similar to yours. For instance, if you are a diligent student, an advice coming from a comparatively casual senior would not be of much help. Similarly, if you aren’t too concerned with getting the highest scores, an industrious senior would only make things worse.

The end semesters are definitely a tough period, especially when you are new and confused. Leeching off seniors is of course an option; a very practical approach, indeed. However, I would still suggest you to cut them some slack and invent your own methods. Afterall, you know yourself the best- your strengths and weaknesses. All the best for your exams!

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Aditi Gutgutia

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Upon the directions of the Honourable Delhi High Court, DU’s SOL has formed a subject-wise committee to review the study material distributed to students. 

Since the beginning of this year’s odd-semester, the University of Delhi (DU) affiliated School of Open Learning (SOL) has faced many issues pertaining to admissions, curriculum and academics related fronts. 

In the most recent turn of events, the administration of the School has appointed a subject-wise committee to review the study material distributed to students as a part of their curricula. This move comes into the picture after the college administration had been addressed with complaints by the students that the material provided to them by the School, for their classes, was of poor quality and not reliable in terms of its content. 

Hence, upon the directions of the Honourable High Court of Delhi, a committee has been appointed by the institution to look into the matter. The court’s judgment had called for a review of the material. Earlier the court had also put a stay on the December exam to be held for over one lakh students currently enrolled at SOL. This year, the University converted SOL from the annual mode to the semester system and the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). The administration has even formed a committee to address the grievances of the students enrolled under the CBCS. The committee will suggest remedies that need to be implemented. 

Students alleged that the study material was full of errors and most of it had been prepared by simply bifurcating the material that had been prescribed in the previous system of annual mode. The Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, which had led these protests against the study material has also affirmed the presence of errors in the same. 

Saurabh, a first year student of B.Com. at SOL says, “It is great that the SOL is finally taking steps to bring our studies back on track…things are still uncertain though.”

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Bhavya Pandey

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The end of semester exams, are reportedly now to commence from 10th December owing to the high rising pollution in Delhi.

On the 21st of November, the Examinations Department of Delhi University (DU) declared that the end-semester examinations for undergraduate students would be now postponed owing  to the high rising levels of pollution observed in the city of Delhi. The order was signed by the Dean of Examinations, Professor Viney Gupta, quoting, “With the pollution level in Delhi rising to such hazardous levels, the department believes it is highly unsafe for the students to step out of their houses and expose themselves to such toxic atmosphere.”

The Department holds that the examinations will now commence from 10th December onwards, by when the pollution level is expected to lower down. A new date sheet will be prepared by the 24th November, and uploaded on the site, www.du.ac.in. However, the gaps provided between the examinations will be lessened so as to not waste students’ precious time. 

This decision was an outcome of lengthy debates held in the Examinations Department following the protests taking place across the University campus for the past few weeks. Protestors had argued, “Numerous students have already fallen prey to the pollution in Delhi. This would severely affect their performance in the examinations, hereby bringing down the average grade of the University itself.”

This is a dire and drastic decision which is not supported by all. It was argued that the postponement of the examinations could lead to a delay in the declaration of the results as well as the commencement of the following semester, thereby making it even more difficult for professors to finish the syllabus on time. “The Department fails to realise the adverse consequences this delay in examinations may bring forth. However, I do hope that they have planned the following semester accordingly and know how to deal with the repercussions,” said Ms Shilpa Khureshi, a professor in the Delhi University.

Dean Viney Gupta argues, “The Department is taking utmost care and looking deeply into the issue. The planning will be done such that not many changes would have to be made to the schedule of the following semester. The students’ health needs to be prioritised over exam schedules.”

Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Aditi Gutgutia

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On 17th November, Sunday, students of School of Open Learning (SOL) held a funeral march to symbolise the death of the varsity’s Vice Chancellor (VC) for them, and sent tonsured hair to the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) to protest against the hasty implementation of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) system in SOL. 

On 17th November 2019, the students of DU’s School of Open Learning (SOL) took out a funeral march from the main gate of the Arts Faculty to the VC house, symbolising his death for the students of School of Open Learning (SOL). The students carried an effigy of the VC in a funeral procession, with slogans that read Annyay VC ki shavyatra (Unfair VC’s funeral procession) and SOL aur Regular mein degree ki samanta hee nahi, suvidhaon ki bhi do (Provide equal opportunities to regular courses and SOL, and not just equal degrees). The march was organised by the students and the KYS against the ‘bulldozed’implementation of the CBCS/ Semester system by DU for the students of SOL. 

In a press statement released on Sunday, the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), mentioned, “Classes are suspended while more than half of the Honours courses remain incomplete; thus destroying the future of first-year SOL students, who have to appear for the CBCS examination later this November. Not only is the syllabus incomplete, the SOL students are yet to be provided with their complete study material. SOL is so unprepared that till now even the study material which has to be mandatorily provided to the students has not been made available to the majority. All this while the exams are due this very month. Also, even though lacs of students have taken admission this year in SOL, the study centres are almost empty because no information has been provided to them.”

The students of SOL had held a massive protest at the MHRD as well, where they had tonsured their hair and sent it to the Union HRD Minister, Delhi Education Minister, UGC, DU, and SOL authorities to assert that they felt orphaned, and were thus sending their tonsured hair as offerings of symbolic sacrifice. The students have made an appeal to the High Court of Delhi and had also protested against University Grants Commission (UGC), demanding its immediate intervention for the roll-back of the new CBCS curriculum and semester mode. 

“The entire situation is chaos. Even though the idea of lessening the parity between regular colleges and distant learning is a good initiative, its implementation is terrible. We don’t know the syllabus, classes are empty and without the proper study material, the teachers don’t know what to teach in classes either. We’ve been completely abandoned by the authorities, despite continually reaching out. The University decided to introduce the CBCS system with no preparation and now we have to sit for semester exams that SOL wasn’t even prepared for. This is our future, and the University doesn’t seem to care at all,” Mrinal Yadav, a B.Com. student at SOL told DU Beat. 

Expressing concern over this issue, several teachers have written to the University visitor, President Ram Nath Kovind, calling for the postponement of the exams and rolling back of the semester system for this year. “We have been observing the growing agitation of SOL students and the high handedness with which the University is circumventing to their objections regarding the manner in which the system has been introduced,” the letter to the President said. It was said to be signed by about 100 teachers. A review of the study materials provided, upon which distance education students mostly rely, showed that they were “full of errors” and not a product of academic protocols, they wrote in the letter. The teachers also raised issues about the way the new system was introduced, arguing that it was “bulldozed” through the University’s statutory bodies.

Feature Image Credits: KYS

Shreya Juyal

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The administration of the University of Delhi
(DU) has announced the reintroduction
of mid-semester papers, which will be
held immediately following the end of the
University’s sanctioned mid-semester break
in October.

After continual speculation, Professor
Yogesh Tyagi, Vice Chancellor, DU, has
declared that the University would be
reintroducing mid-semester exams for all
papers across every undergraduate course
provided by the University. The exams
would commence immediately following
the end of the University’s mid-semester
break in October, in accordance with the
Academic Council (AC) of the University. The date sheet for the mid-semester exams will be released on 1st October 2019 via the University’s official website. The changes in the academic calendar were sanctioned on 26th September 2019. The press release states that the administration acknowledges that the unannounced decision may come as a shock to the students and faculty. However, it clarifies that the decision is for the welfare of the students, in an attempt to mitigate the stress of a singular exam per paper at the end of a semester.
Though the Varsity’s action aims at making the academic year less stressful for the students, the faculty of the University is less than happy with the decision. Professor Angad Mehta, from the Department of Economics at Hindu College, says, “This is a rash decision on behalf of the administration. The professors were completely unprepared for this decision; now we have to rush the syllabus.” Another professor from Indraprastha College for Women said that it burdens the students rather than “lessen the pressure, as the administration wished for.”
Students of DU have mixed reactions. Aarti Bhaskar, a B.Sc. (Honours) Mathematics student from Daulat Ram College, stated, “This decision is honestly a godsend. Our entire GPA is currently dependent on one exam at the end of the year. This way, we have a way to compensate.” A student from Lady Shri Ram College said, “I’m glad that the decision was introduced as a way to lessen the burden on students during exam season, but the University’s decision of taking such a drastic step suddenly has blind-sided us. I’m a part of multiple ECA societies, and trainings and practices take up a lot of my time, and I’m lagging on my studies. Now I have to rush to complete them in just a matter of weeks when I would have had at least two months prior to this change of rules.”
The decision has been contested by the students’ unions of colleges like Hansraj College, Hindu College, Miranda House, and Motilal Nehru College. DU Beat tried contacting the Registrar, but he was unavailable for a statement.
Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat.

Shreya Juyal

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The Executive Council of the University of Delhi (DU) has approved the semester system for the School of Open Learning (SOL) and  Non-Collegiate Women Education Board (NCWEB) starting from the current academic session.

The Executive Council of DU was called on Saturday to discuss the introduction of semester system in the SOL and NCWEB, and it has decided to introduce the semester system from this academic session.

The SOL and NCWEB are currently following the aannual system in which the exams are conducted in the month of May. 

It was decided in an earlier meeting that the Choice Based Semester System (CBCS) would be introduced in these two institutions from the academic session of 2019-2020.

The semester system would enable these two verticals to be identical to regular colleges.

Some officials expressed dissent, as they felt that this move has been taken in a hurry and would affect the students who have enrolled on an annual basis as classes have begun and the study material has also been handed over.

Akansha, who is a B.Com. student in SOL, seemed disappointed and had this to say-  ”There are mainly three reasons for choosing correspondence, those who choose it for convenience and do not have time for regular classes would be pissed as this defeats the purpose and who cannot afford regular education or do not have enough marks to get onto a regular college. I am pissed.”

SOL enables the students to enrol themselves in various courses and programs without being physically present to attend classes unlike other colleges in DU.

This means that students enrolled in undergraduate honours courses will have their examinations under the Central Examination Centre, since SOL offers very few honours courses. Notifications for the schedule of examinations and filing of forms for the students of NCWEB shall be along with regular semester students. Whereas  semester exams for non-honours students would be undertaken by SOL.

The annual system only has one examination whereas the semester system has two examinations during the months of December and May.

The fee structure also varies as semester system requires fee payment to be done in two instalments unlike the annual system with single payment.

The SOL, which was founded in 1962, is one of the largest distance education institute in the country with over five lakh students in its fold, and around one and a half lakh students enrolled annually.

NCWEB, which is exclusive to women, provides weekend to females residing in the national capital.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Stephen Mathew

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