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Non-teaching staff member demands bribe to settle UFM case at Hansraj

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Screenshot of a complaint letter to the CBI highlighting allegations of bribery, extortion, and intimidation involving a Hansraj College staff member.

Mr Kapil, a non-teaching staff member at Hansraj College, University of Delhi, following a case of UFM (Unfair Means and Conduct) concerning a student, requested an iPhone 17 Pro as bribe for “settling the case” with the authorities.

 

An anonymous student source, in conversation with DU Beat, said that the accused student in question was caught with his phone during examinations and subsequently got charged with an offence, leading to an Unfair Means and Conduct (UFM) case from the college. Since the student was supposedly from a “privileged” family, Mr Kapil, a member of the non-teaching staff at Hansraj College, who assists students with exam-related issues, chose to use the case to his advantage and extort money from the student. 

 

Mr Kapil said that he would take care of the case and accompany the accused student during the hearing since he wouldn’t be able to handle it on his own. He clarified that his assistance would be in exchange for a new iPhone. The student raised a concern stating that it would not be possible for him to withdraw a large sum of money from his parents’ accounts unnoticed, but Mr Kapil kept insisting, asking if he could make use of UPI applications such as Paytm to transfer the money. 

 

The student eventually conceded, saying that it would take two months to arrange for all of the money needed to purchase a new phone since he would need to take the money out in small amounts so as not to raise suspicions. However, Mr Kapil refused, stating that the timeline is too long, leading the student to conceive an alternative plan. He said that being a content creator gave him access to several events and that he would secure a phone from one of them for Mr Kapil, insinuating motives for theft. 

 

Mr Kapil’s perpetual insists for a new phone led the student to state that he would give up his own iPhone 17 to Mr Kapil and arrange for another phone for himself. They settled with this agreement and met up near the Vishwavidhyala metro station. Following the meeting, Mr Kapil claimed that he spoke to the university official concerned and did what he could, and that he would also try to reach out through a friend. When the student asked how much money would be needed to bribe said friend, Mr Kapil demanded 30,000-35,000 rupees. The student, unable to meet the demand, proposed offering his personal iPhone 13.

 

Mr Kapil later quoted an additional amount as bribe, saying that the case would take a lot of work and that the final price would be around 70k to 80k, as stated by the university official. The student filed a case with CBI, stating extortion, bribery, and intimidation as the cause. He reported Mr Kapil’s act of corruption to the authorities, describing the case and stating the unlawful demand.

 

Image source: DU Speaks

Read Also: Hansraj College suspends over 30 students due to alleged indiscipline, violence, and defamation

 

Sammepya Karray

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Around the Campus

Hansraj College Fest Witnesses Chaos; Alleged Stabbing and Fights Ensued

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Fight breaks out at Hansraj College fest

After protesting and ultimately being granted permission for an artist at their college fest, Confluence 2026, Hansraj College witnessed a fight breaking out, creating chaos right before the artist’s performance began. 

On 9th April, 2026, Hansraj College stepped into the final day of their fest, Confluence 2026, with an artist performance by singer Vilen marking the end of their 2-day celebration. However, right before the curtains drew to a close, a fight ensued, causing chaos, commotion, and the inevitable rumours of a larger catastrophe. 

Spectators reported a brutal knife stabbing incident right before the artist’s performance began, with students of Hansraj College, and even outsiders, engaging in a fight with tables and chairs being thrown around. An unofficial students’ page of Delhi University alleged that the bricks used for construction in the renovation of the Gau Shalla were thrown around by the students, and one student’s head was injured as a result. However, the alleged stabbing incident has not been confirmed yet by any official reports. 

Videos shared with the Editorial Team of DU Beat showcased individuals engaging in physical fights with one another, involving punching, kicking, and stomping on an unidentified individual near what has been identified as the C Block. Reportedly, the Art Society of Hansraj, Kalakriti, had to close down its stall as it was in the direct vicinity of the incident.  

Similar fights were recorded where individuals were seen running out of the college hostel gates with one unidentified individual’s shirt being torn apart, tables being thrown at him, and ultimately, him being dragged out by a group of individuals. 

A student from Jesus and Mary College attending the fest stated,

There was a fight but it was before Vilen came on stage. But the concert duration was only till 5 or 5:30 and they wrapped it up pretty quickly.” 

Similarly, another student from Hansraj College added,

There was an unexpectedly large crowd at the event, which became difficult to manage, especially once the artist arrived. There were instances of people climbing barricades and a lot of pushing, making it hard to even stand, particularly in the front rows. The situation was also made worse due to the hot weather. Some of the disturbance had actually started even before the artist arrived, as we noticed groups of people rushing towards the hostel gate.”

The understaffing of security and poor management due to an unprecedented crowd have been highlighted across testimonies received by the Editorial Team. 

Reports, including Instagram stories shared by members of the Hansraj Students’ Union and Students’ Council, hinted at a similar chaos unfolding on Day 1—the Secretary of Hansraj College shared an Instagram story with regard to the incidents of 8th April, captioned, “Guys kal please thoda civilised behave krlo” [Guys please behave civilised tomorrow]. 

In one video circulated on Instagram, police officers were also seen intervening amongst the fighting students. A first-year student from Hansraj College added,

The incident at the hostel gate was the most severe one. From the information that’s being circulated, the fight involved a group of students allegedly fighting over a girl, which required police being called to handle the situation.” The same student observed that most of the rights and acts of violence were initiated by non-Hansraj students who were thereafter escorted out of the campus. 

Despite the chaos that ensued, videos have been widely circulated of the singer Vilen performing with a large audience cheering, dancing, and singing along. Many students added that the fest was successful, given the protests undertaken by the Hansraj Students’ Union and the college at large, with respect to obtaining artist permission from the administration. 

In an exclusive conversation with the President of the Students’ Union of Hansraj College, Abhijit Singh, he added that the majority of chaos and fights were ensued by outsiders with the intent of lobbying. He stated,

“Throughout the whole night, me and the Union were awake securing barricades for safety arrangements, however, on the day of the fest the crowd exceeded expected capacity. We tried our best to help the students and the artist performance was thereafter conducted smoothly.”

Singh additionally criticised the failure in security management from the police and noted that budget allocations were abruptly changed and payments were held by the college administration. He further stated that the stabbing incident has not been officially reported to the Union and is likely a rumour, along with issuing a clarification regarding the fight at the hostel gate; he said,

The video showcasing the fight located at the Hostel Gate is in fact Gate No 5, which is also the entry gate to the college. No fight happened within the hostel and most of the violence and chaos was orchestrated by non-Hansraj students.”

Image Source: DU Beat

Read Also: Students Secure Artist Approval After Overnight Protest at Hansraj College

 

Aaratrika Ghosh

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Campus Central

Inside Hansraj College, Delhi University: Courses, Infrastructure, Fees, Student Life & Placements | DU Beat

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Hansraj College (Delhi University) – Explore updated details on courses, fees, admissions, campus facilities, student life, placements, and scholarships.

Hansraj College is one of the premier constituent colleges of the University of Delhi. It was established on 26 July 1948 by the D.A.V. College Managing Committee in memory of Mahatma Hansraj and Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati. Since then, Hansraj College has grown into a major institution in the DU North Campus, offering undergraduate and postgraduate studies in arts, sciences, and commerce to over 5,000 students. 

Hansraj College Infrastructure & Campus Facilities

The infrastructure and facilities at Hansraj College are robust and student-friendly. The college boasts a well-stocked Central Library along with department-level libraries for science subjects, and a Book Bank for needy students. For laboratory work, there are six computer labs and eighteen science labs for disciplines like Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Electronics, etc. Amenities include a modern air-conditioned auditorium with advanced sound and light systems (seating about 400-500 people), multiple seminar rooms (with audio-visual projection), common rooms, yoga and meditation rooms, and an electronic shooting range. The college also provides hostel accommodation for both boys and girls, with supporting facilities such as a dining hall, kitchen, common room, 24-hour power backup, and solar geysers. Hansraj has a large sports field, courts for basketball, facilities for indoor sports, outdoor games, archery, shooting, swimming, and programmes like “Games For All” which ensures broad participation. 

Courses Offered at Hansraj College, Delhi University

Hansraj College houses multiple departments across Sciences, Arts, and Commerce. It offers undergraduate courses such as B.A. (Honours) English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Economics, History, Philosophy, and B.A. program. 

It also offers B.Sc. (Honours) in Anthropology, Botany, Zoology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Electronics and Geology and B. Sc. Program courses in Physical Science with Chemistry, Physical Science with Computer Science, and Life Sciences, alongwith B.Com (Honours) 

It also offers postgraduate courses such as M.A. in English, Hindi, History, Sanskrit, M. Sc. in Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Operational Research, Physics, and Zoology and M.Com.

In addition, Hansraj has several additional and certificate courses and offers strong research support and academic committees to ensure the curriculum stays contemporary and rigorous. 

The fee structure varies based on the course and category details. The first year fee for undergraduate students is fixed at Rs. 33,145 for all Science courses, Rs. 29,735 for all Arts courses, Rs. 31,435 for all Economics and Commerce courses, and Rs. 59,965 for Computer Science course. For PwD students the fee is Rs. 895

At the postgraduate level, the fee for M.A. is Rs.27,080, for M. Com. is Rs. 28,160, and for M. Sc. is Rs. 27,360 respectively. 

For PwD students the fee is Rs. 6770 for M.A. courses, Rs. 7,040 for M. Com, and Rs. 6,840 for M. Sc. courses.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance at Hansraj College

There are a number of financial assistance schemes offered by the college for students in need.

  • Financial aid is provided to the graduate and post graduate students of Hansraj College in the form of special academic prize that is based on student’s academic performance. 
  • The college also has the facility to give fee concession from 50% to 100% along with merit and need based scholarship. Scholarships are also provided by various government schemes and non-government agencies
  • The college also has the facility to give fee concession from 50% to 100%, based on annual income, family background, girl child (Shri Saya Pal Chadha Scholarship), Sumangla Devi Hem Raj Bhalla Trust etc.
  • HRC Merit-CUM-Need Scholarship: Scholarship of Rs. 2,000/- each provided to students on Merit-cum-Need basis and students are selected through Interview conducted by the Student Welfare Committee.
  • Sumangla Devi Hem Raj Bhalla Scholarship: The five scholarships of Rs. 8,000/- would be given to the students of the Science stream of the College on merit-cum-means basis, of the five scholarships, minimum of two scholarships must be awarded to female students.
  • Help The Blind Foundation Scholarship: Sponsorship amount of Rs. 10,000/- each is provided to Physically Handicapped (PH) students
  • Central Sector Scheme Of Scholarship For College And University Students – Awarded by the Ministry of Education to Class XII toppers from each State/Board. 

Eligibility: Family income ≤ ₹4.5 lakh per annum, pursuing regular degree courses in recognised institutions, and not availing other scholarships. 

Amount: ₹10,000 per year for UG (first three years)

The scholarship amount is Rs.5400/- per month for general degree courses and Rs.7800/- per month for technical/medical/professional/paramedical courses. For availing scholarship under this scheme, the income of the parents of the student should not exceed Rs.4.5 lakh per annum.

Awarded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs for financial assistance to the poor and meritorious students belonging to minority communities in India to enable them to pursue professional and technical courses. Financial assistance is given to pursue graduate-level or postgraduate-level technical and professional courses from a recognised institution.

The scheme offers 10,000 scholarships every year at Rs 0.80 lakh per year for the talented youth in the age group 17-22 years, for undertaking Bachelor and Masters level education in natural sciences.

PMS Scholarships are awarded to students having domicile of J&K State and having passed 10+2 Exam or 10+3 Diploma Exam from J&K and whose family income does not exceed Rs. 8 Lakh per annum are eligible for this scheme for pursuing higher studies outside the State of J&K.

Awarded to young women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to support their pursuit of undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in science. 

Extracurricular Activities & Student Life at Hansraj College

Student life at Hansraj is vibrant thanks to its many societies and extracurricular activities. There are societies like the Hansraj Debating Society, Hansraj Dramatics Society which is one of the most esteemed Dramatics  Societies within the Delhi University Theatre Circuit, Commerce Society, English Literary Societies, Quiz Societies, Fine Arts, Civil Services Society, photography clubs, etc. Annual events, cultural fests, departmental competitions, inter-college sports tournaments, seminars and guest lectures are a regular part of college life. 

In order to foster inclusion and support among its diverse student body, the college also has a number of cells such as Equal Opportunity Cell, Gender Equality Cell, Minority Cell, Northeast Cell, SC/ST Cell, and Women Development Cell, among others.

Admissions at Hansraj College  (Delhi University)

Undergraduate Admissions (UG)

Admission to Hansraj College, Delhi University is based on CUET scores and governed by the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS-UG).

Eligibility requires completion of Class XII (or equivalent) from a recognized board. CUET scores in language, domain subjects, and general tests determine seat allocation.

Applicants should check the DU Admission Portal regularly for updates and ensure subject alignment between Class XII and CUET. There is no age bar for undergraduate programs, and a gap year does not disqualify applicants.

Postgraduate Admissions (PG)

Admissions to PG programs are through CUET-PG, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), followed by CSAS-PG counseling on the Delhi University portal. Seats are allotted based on CUET-PG rank, eligibility, and course preferences. Admission is confirmed after document verification and online fee payment.

Recognition & Rankings

In terms of achievements and recognition, Hansraj College holds quite a number of honors.

  • In 2025, NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) ranked it 3rd among all colleges in India. 
  • It is accredited A++ by NAAC with a CGPA of 3.71, which is among the highest for DU colleges. 
  • The college often features near the top in national surveys for science, commerce, and arts streams. 
  • The college’s faculty has received recognition, including the Excellence Awards and have contributed to major research publications

Notable Alumni of Hansraj College

Notable alumni of Hansraj reflect its strength across diverse fields. Some prominent former students include Shah Rukh Khan, Anurag Kashyap, Naveen Jindal, Kiren Rijiju, Richard Rekhy, Gopal Subramaniam, among others. These alumni success stories highlight Hansraj’s ability to nurture talent in academics, arts, business and public service.

Hansraj College, stands out for its rich history, strong academic departments, modern and well-maintained infrastructure, diverse and active student societies, consistent achievements at national levels, and a stellar alumni network.

Internships & Placements at Hansraj College

On the placements and internships front, Hansraj College’s Placement Cell reports strong employer engagement and consistent results, particularly for students in commerce, economics and high-demand science or computing streams. In the placement drive conducted for 2024-25 the highest package recorded was ₹ 23 LPA, the average package stood around ₹ 9 LPA, and the median was about ₹ 8.4 LPA, with approximately 200 job offers for the class of 2025. 

Earlier figures show a highest package of ₹ 36.5 LPA for some batches. Top recruiters include global consulting and professional services firms such as Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG, Accenture, HCL, as well as major banks and tech firms. The college also engages students through an internship cell, which holds an annual internship fair, which provides exposure to coveted corporate opportunities, also essential marketable skills. The Internship Fair held in 2023 in virtual mode saw over 3000+ student registrations flooding in from various colleges and universities.

Image Credits: Manan for DU Beat

Mangalya Singh

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Campus Central

Hansraj hosted an event to celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram, VC attended

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Hansraj College hosted a commemorative event on 14 November 2025 to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram, drawing Delhi University Vice Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh, senior DU officials, and faculty representatives from several colleges.

 

The Vice Chancellor was escorted into the auditorium by NCC cadets. A short introductory note on the significance of the national song was delivered by Dr Gunjan Kumar Jha, who opened the event. The programme was also attended by senior DU officials, including the Director of South Campus, Prof. Rajni Abbi, the Dean of Colleges, Prof. Balram Pani, and faculty members from colleges such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Deshbandhu and Daulat Ram. The event then moved to its main segment, a complete rendition of Vande Mataram, led by the Vice Chancellor and performed by Swaranjali, the college’s music society, with the audience joining in. The entire lyrics of Vande Mataram were displayed on three screens inside the auditorium to help attendees sing along.

 

In the address that followed, Prof. Yogesh Singh described Vande Mataram as “the heartbeat of India”, citing its influence on the freedom struggle and the Bengal Revolution. He also administered the Swadeshi Sankalp oath. The Principal, Prof. Rama, concluded the programme by referring to Vande Mataram as the “soul of Indian nationalism”. The event coordinator, Dr Shailu Singh, added that the intention was “not just collective singing, but understanding what the song meant and the values it reflects”, suggesting that such values remain significant to the college.

 

The event received a positive response from students, many of whom reported that they had never heard the full rendition of Vande Mataram before. This experience invoked a sense of unity among them. 

 

Hansraj’s event took place amid university-wide commemorations marking the song’s 150th year. According to organisers, similar gatherings are expected to continue across Delhi University until November 2026 as part of an extended observation cycle. The Hindu noted that “This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week accused the Congress party of having removed key stanzas of the original song in 1937 while speaking at an event on November 7, 2025, to mark 150 years since Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay wrote it.” Together, the ongoing university programmes and the national dialogue situate Hansraj’s event within a broader context of reflection on the legacy of the national song.

Read Also: 150 Years of Vande Mataram: Celebrations across DU Colleges

Image credit: Hansraj College Administration

Suansh Dembla

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DUB News

Delhi University Earns an A++ NAAC Grade Upon the Second Round of Evaluation

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Delhi University officially secures its position in the prestigious list of Higher Education Institutes of India by receiving the highest NAAC grade, ‘A++’, on 9th August, 2025.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) recently bestowed upon Delhi University (DU) and Lucknow’s King George’s Medical University (KGMU) its highest accreditation grade of A++. 

In the latest assessment, which was also the second cycle of evaluation, Delhi University was honoured with a CGPA of 3.55, reaffirming its position as one of the prominent institutions of the country. KGMU became the second medical institution in Uttar Pradesh to receive this excellence, earning a CGPA of 3.67. 

In a public statement Delhi University proudly said,

This achievement reflects the collective dedication of our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and stakeholders.”

Before having received this certification, DU has had many of its individual institutions honoured with the same long before. 

Shri Ram College of Commerce, the leading institution of DU was awarded with an A+ grade in the year 2016, with a CGPA of 3.65. In the second round of evaluation, it moved up to A++ accreditation with a CGPA rating of 3.75 now.

Two of Delhi University’s women colleges, namely Lady Shri Ram College and Miranda House have been awarded A++ in their second round of evaluation, with LSR bagging a CGPA of 3.75 in 2023. Similarly, Miranda House received the accreditation with a CGPA of 3.61. Joining the other acclaimed colleges, St. Stephens too received an accreditation of A++ in the year 2023 with a CGPA of 3.76 alongside Hansraj that bagged a grade of 3.71 CGPA. Other colleges like Ramjas, Kirori Mal, and Hindu also have an A+ grade conferred upon them. 

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) was established in 1994 by the University Grants Commission of India (UGC). It is an autonomous body that assesses and evaluates the quality status of a higher education institution and inspects the performance of the said educational body related to education, faculty, research, infrastructure, curriculum coverage, governance and much more. The council uses a seven-point grading system to evaluate colleges ranging from A++ to D. The accreditations are valid for a period of five years. 

Although established in the year 1922, Delhi University received its first NAAC grade of A+ in the year 2018 with a CGPA of 3.28. The University worked its way up to the 6th position in the NIRF ranking amongst Universities in India and 15th position overall. 

 

Read Also: Delhi University Relaxes Criteria for Minor Subject Selection Under UGCF

 

Image Source: DU Squad

 

Ananya Agarwal

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Admissions

#Admissions2022: College Profile – Hansraj College

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With the commencement of the 2022 admission season, many DU aspirants are in a state of confusion and panic over which college to choose, and what would be best for them. Here we present the college profile of Hansraj College of the University of Delhi to make taking an informed choice easier for you.

Hansraj College was established in 1948. It is located in the University of Delhi’s North Campus. It has been ranked 14th in the college rankings of NIRF 2022. The college is known for having produced several alumni who have excelled in their respective fields. Notable alumni include Shah Rukh Khan, Naveen Jindal, and Kiren Rijiju.

Courses & Placements

The college offers the following undergraduate course:-

  • B.A. (Honours)
    • Economics
    • English
    • Hindi
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Sanskrit
  • B.A. (Programme)
  • B.Com (Honours)
  • B.Sc (Honours)
    • Anthropology
    • Botany
    • Chemistry
    • Computer Science
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Zoology
  • B.Sc (Programme)

In the 2021 placement drive, the highest package offered in Hansraj College was 20.25 LPA. The average package was 5.7 LPA. 115 companies participated in the placement drive, and over 185 offers were made. The top recruiters were McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, DE Shaw & Co., and United Airlines.

Scholarships

Merit and need-based Scholarships are given by the college. The Student Welfare Committee holds interviews for the same. The number of students that benefit is usually around 100 but varies as per the students’ requirements. The college also has the facility to give fee concessions from 50% to 100%, based on annual income, family background, girl child, etc.

Other Scholarships: The students are also offered scholarships by DAV, Single Girl Child policy, NCERT, and FAEA to name a few. In addition to these scholarships, students also benefit from the Inspire scholarships by the Department of Science and Technology and the scholarships extended by CBSE.

Scholarship for the Enabling Unit: Two awards of Rs.5000 and Rs.3000 are given to the meritorious students of the Enabling Unit every year by the College Alumni Association.

Scholarship for Differently-Abled Students: Every student belonging to the differently-abled category gets a full fee waiver and is required to contribute to the Students’ Union fund and some other minimal charges only.

Note: additional information about the scholarships can be found on the respective college websites.

Societies

The college has several societies. These include:

  • Hansraj Dramatics Society
  • English Debating Society
  • Illuminati, the quiz society
  • Kalakriti, the fine arts society
  • Nishtha, the civil services society

Note: Further information about the societies can be found on the respective college website. 

Facilities

  • Library: The library comprises four sections: the Main Library, individual Departmental Libraries (Sciences), the Periodicals, and the Textbook Sections.
  • Amphitheatre and Auditorium: The College has a feature-rich air-conditioned auditorium having a seating capacity of around 600 which makes it one of the largest auditoriums in the University.
  • Canteen
  • Sports Facilities: The College has facilities for both outdoor and indoor games. The College has a huge sports ground and a basketball court between the college and the hostel premises.
  • Laboratories: This includes laboratories for Chemistry, Physics, Electronics, Botany, Zoology, and Computer Labs.
  • Seminar Room
  • Common Room
  • Yoga Room
  • Medical Facilities: College has a medical room with all the necessary first aid and a mobile stretcher. Hansraj is well connected to a hospital that is within 500m of its main gate.
  • Yagyashala: The college has an established Vishwa Bandhu Centre of Indian Culture (Delhi Unit). The VVRI centre now works in alliance with the research department of D.A.V. College Management for the collection, preservation, and publication of ancient texts.
  • Computer Facilities: The college campus is Wi-Fi enabled with access to all the resources that the University provides centrally.
  • Hostel Facilities: The College accommodates around 200 undergraduate male students in its hostel. It has a common room, a multifaceted gym, and arrangements for indoor and outdoor games. The building of a women’s hostel has recently been sanctioned by the college administration.
  • Enabling Unit: This cell consists of more than 100 volunteers to assist students with physical disabilities, with their regular course of studies. An Enabling Unit Room with audio aids, computer facility, etc. is available in the college. Ramps and a foot-over bridge connecting two different blocks of the college have been constructed.
  • Photostat cum Stationery Shop
  • Language Lab and Media Centre: It’s an acoustically efficient media centre that is soundproofed. It has sturdy walls to keep any disturbance out. The rooms are outfitted with the most up-to-date computer systems as well as other necessary equipment such as printers, microphone systems, and audio mixer soundboard consoles.

What do Students Say About their College?

The constant chatter at Lover’s Point, coffee brewing at the Nescafe, sitting on the path beside the office – Hansraj is an emotion. Walking around the red walls, one can spot students getting their books to the library, the dogs eating their food, and the casual drop of SRK’s name in conversations under the C-block trees. This is Hansraj.

Shiuli Sural, a 3rd year student.

Read Also: ‘Beyond The Obvious: Hansraj College‘

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Urmi Maitra

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Hansraj College Shuts Down Hostel due to Coronavirus

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In a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19, hostels in various University of Delhi (DU) colleges have issued strict guidelines, where Hansraj College has asked the students to vacate the hostel.

 

Colleges across DU, in addition to suspending classes, have also asked students to follow strict guidelines in order to prevent the spread of Novel Coronavirus. In certain cases, the colleges have even asked students to vacate the hostel campuses.

 

The hostel administrations of Lady Shri Ram College, Sri Venktateswara College, Indrapastha College for Women (IPCW), and Hansraj College have asked students to leave the hostel premises. On 16th March 2020, the Hostel administrations of Hansraj College and IPCW released a notice asking hostellers to vacate the premises within 48 hours as a measure to prevent the spread of Novel Coronavirus. The students were asked to not be in the hostel from 18th March to 31st March, as a precautionary measure. The students of IPCW were asked to go to their local guardians and were also asked to not step out of the college for any other reason.

 

However, this sudden order has caused problems for various students who suddenly have to make arrangements to go back home or find an alternate residence in Delhi. Speaking to DU Beat, Vinay Pratap Singh, a third-year student at Hansraj College said “It’s very difficult for 3rd year students as we are having upcoming Masters entrance examination and it’s difficult to get all those readings to home, and some students can’t even afford to go.”

“Yes it will affect our studies, most of us will try to stay in Delhi maybe at friends’ houses but in this case people will suffer economic burden, which isn’t fair, but we can’t do anything because of this pandemic.”

 

“Many students belong to remote parts of the country and it isn’t as easy for them to make travel arrangements quickly. The hostel administration in this situation could’ve chosen to take measures to quarantine the hostel or take other safety measures, but right now we have no choice but to comply.”

 

However, experts have said that asking students to vacate might not be the wisest of moves. “I don’t think they should be sent even if a coronavirus case is detected,” said T Sundararaman, global coordinator, People’s Health Movement, in conversation with Careers360. “While there is aggregation in the campus, there is aggregation in the community too. It is not only during the travel that they put others or themselves at risk, but the community is also there. It can be catastrophic.”

 

Forcing students to vacate hostels in the middle of a pandemic means making them travel. “They should not be travelling in a crowded bus or train. They should not be in a group,” said another public health expert on the condition of anonymity. But making students leave campus will compel them to do just that – take buses, planes or trains home. “Younger people are at lesser risk,” she continued, “But they could very well be the carriers of the virus and that is why they should not mingle in a crowd.”

 

Other hostels in DU have not gone for such drastic measures yet, they have stuck to advising students to not roam around needlessly and take necessary health precautions. Kirori Mal College has asked hostellers to stay inside the premises and has banned the entry of anyone from outside, including hostellers who had gone outside temporarily. Daulat Ram College has too issued a precautionary notice requesting students to avoid going out.

 

Across the country, institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) have also asked students to vacate hostels. What remains to be seen is whether authorities from remaining DU Hostels will follow suit.

 

Feature Image Credits: Aakarsh Gupta for DU Beat

Khush Vardhan Dembla

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Hansraj College Hostellers Lock Down Mess

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In response to deteriorating food quality, residents of the Hansraj College Hostel have boycotted the mess.

On 29th February 2020, the students of Hansraj College residing in the hostel decided to stop the consumption of food made in their mess and proceeded to lock the mess from outside. This action, they said, was taken in response to the poor quality of food they were being served for the past few weeks.

“For the past three weeks, the non-teaching staff (the mess workers) have been on strike. Since then, we haven’t been served food as per the menu. The mess now operates on a self-service basis, and we’re only being served basic food like rice and dal. The food quality is terrible. As a result, it was decided that we won’t have lunch from today, and while lunch was cooked, no one ate it and we went and locked the mess.” said Vinay Pratap Singh, a resident of the hostel and a student of Hansraj College.

The students then had a meeting with the warden where they laid down their demands. “We have multiple demands because there are a lot of problems, but our basic demand right now is a bringing back of normalcy. While we understand that mess workers cannot come back right now, we should at least be hiring new cooks from outside. This is also something that had been promised to us by the warden but hasn’t been done for the past seventeen days. This is a very serious problem because the food not being cooked properly is also negatively affecting people’s health. We won’t be wasting the already cooked food though, we’ve asked the warden to have the food given to needy through the Hansraj National Service Scheme (NSS)”, Vinay added.

The students met with the principal in the evening who tried to reach out to the Workers’ Union, who have declined to come back to work at the moment. What remains to be seen is how the administration responds to the demands and how these protests affect those made by the Staff Union. For the moment, though, the lockdown has been called off.

 Image Credits: Hansraj College Website

Khush Vardhan Dembla

[email protected]

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Student of Hansraj College Assaulted during a Protest Against CAA-NRC inside the Campus

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Students of Hansraj College came together to protest against CAA-NRC and demanded an inquiry into the incident involving the assault of a fellow student.

The students had given a call for dressing up in black, reading the preamble and singing the National Anthem to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on 15th January 2020.

On 13th January 2020, students had tried staging a gathering and reading the preamble along with Swami Vivekananda’s famous Chicago speech, but the administration had intervened and dispersed the students who had gathered at Lovers’ Point in Hansraj College. Interestingly, no such active intervention took place when a pro-CAA demonstration took place in the college ground on the same day.

Because of this outbreak, the students decided to collect in the college cafeteria, albeit not collectively. At 12:50 p.m. on a signal by a student, everyone rose and sang the National Anthem and read the Preamble in unison. This way, the students of Hansraj were able to register their dissent in a democratic and peaceful manner despite efforts by the Administration to quell it.

Amidst everything, a third-year student was assaulted by a College Faculty member on 13th January, regarding which the students have filed a complaint with the Principal. The Principal informed the students that a disciplinary committee has been formed to look into the matter and requested the students to wait for two days.

The students held a meeting and decided to take the matter up to the Delhi Police and higher authorities in the University Administration should the college further delay action, while resolving to continue fighting against the recent regime.

 

Feature Image Credits : DU Beat Archives

Khush Vardhan Dembla

[email protected]

 

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Azadi from Homophobia: Pride March at the DU North Campus

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On 3rd August 2019, the University of Delhi (DU) witnessed one of its most vibrant pride marches ever in the North Campus, starting from the hostel of Hansraj College, till the office of the University’s Vice Chancellor.

On Saturday, Project CLAP organised the DU Pride March, as a celebration of fifty years of pride. The march was inaugurated with a performance by the Western music society of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College.

Members and allies were seen with face paints, flags, and posters. The event began with an introduction by the members of CLAP, followed by a Bollywood mashup rendition. Rishi Raj Vyas, a famous queer activist, addressed the parade and spoke about the repeated suppression of the community’s gender identities and sexual orientations.

Chants of “prem che, prem che, tharo maro same che” (your love and my love are all the same), and those of “Aazadi!” (freedom) from homophobia.

When asked what Pride meant to them, a member of the community commented, “For me, pride is being proud of who I am and finally accepting myself, it feels like I have a place where I belong.” Another supporter who was attending their first-ever pride march felt relieved to be a part of the event.

Arshia (name changed), a student at Lady Shri Ram College and a part of the community, remarked about how homophobic the Indian society is, how members are constantly subjected to violence just for showing love, and how pride representation was important.

With the marchers getting down to the tunes of the dhol, each step drew more traction and support. The event drew to a conclusion with an open-mic where few enthusiastic members and supporters took to the mic and performed for spectators with a vow to promote awareness and break the shackles which restrict people to love freely. “Pride is a day to showcase yourself as freely as possible, and to ask more and more people to support you. So it’s more of a supportive act than being proud of yourself, because we’re proud of ourselves every day,” a member of the community remarked.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Bhagyashree Chatterjee for DU Beat

 

Shreya Juyal

Anandi Sen

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