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For the past month, the non-teaching staff of Keshav Mahavidyalaya have been protesting in a sit-in dharna for demands such as pending promotions and timely payment of dues. The administration has allegedly not relented to any requests as of yet. 

In an exclusive conversation with DU Beat, a member of the Karamchari Union of Keshav Mahavidyalaya alleged that promotions of the college’s non-teaching staff have been halted since 2009. Instead, they accused, the appointment of retired individuals has been extended to fill up the posts that were supposed to be taken up via promotions. This has led to serious concerns about financial security and workers’ rights, given that 30-32 members of the Keshav Mahavidyalaya Non-Teaching Staff Union have been protesting in the college since April 12, 2023.

Jo jahan pe hai wo vahin hai. Job kisiliye karta hai aadmi? Isiliye ki jisse uski koi growth ho, wo zindagi mein kuch achieve kar paye… 17-26 saal ho gaye hain logon ko kaam karte hue. Mehangai badh rahi hai, par us hisaab se aapki salary nahi increase ho rahi. Aadmi apni zaruratein nahi puri kar paata, apne parivaar ke kharche nahi utha pata.

(Everyone is stuck where they are. Why does someone work at a job? So that they can achieve something in life and for growth… It’s been 17–26 years since we have been working. Prices have been rising, but our salaries have not been increasing in proportion. One is not able to fulfil their needs and fend for their family.)

– Anonymous member of Keshav Mahavidyalaya Non-Teaching Staff Union

Even though the number of students being admitted to the college has increased over the years, our sources claimed that the number of posts for non-teaching staff has not increased in proportion to the increasing workload. Reportedly, posts such as lab assistant, library assistant, gardener, etc. are vacant and awaiting promotions.

Additionally, our sources alleged that the college has not been adhering to the reservation policy; posts reserved for SC, ST, and OBC categories have allegedly been allotted to unreserved candidates. In another instance, they accused the college of allotting examination duties to “near and dear ones” instead of the existing college staff.

Our sources retold a particular instance of pending promotions which arose in the case of the post of Senior Assistant in the Administration department. According to the post-based promotion roster available on the college website, there are two posts in the cadre. However, our sources informed us that the same was reduced to 1 post in subsequent rosters. A plea filed in 2011 under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, once again revealed that there were two posts present of Senior Assistant in the college.

Alleging “a blame game on Dilli sarkar (Delhi government)”, they reported that inquiries with the administration were met with the response that Delhi government has not sanctioned or approved those posts and that the college lacks adequate funding. Letters and mails to the administration have allegedly not yielded much positive response either.

Admin se jo ek-do baar baat hui hai, tab unhone humein pressurize karne ki neeti apnai hai. Ki aap apne kaam pe laut jao. Darane-dhamkane ka bhi unka raha hai.

(In the one or two times that we have talked to the administration, they have adopted the strategy of trying to pressurize us. That we should return to work. They have tried to intimidate and threaten us.)

– Anonymous member of Keshav Mahavidyalaya Non-Teaching Staff Union

While headlines of fund-crunch in the 12 DU colleges that come under the purview of the Delhi government have surfaced before, our source reported that, as per their knowledge, the teaching staff of the college hasn’t faced any issue with promotion or dues. If the issue is reportedly limited only to the non-teaching staff, they raised questions about the validity of the fund shortage reasoning.

The protesting workers and non-teaching staff have pleaded for immediate redressal of their “long-overdue demands” and inquiry into all cases of alleged maladministration.

Read also: DU Non-Teaching Staff Protest Demands Pending Promotions

Featured Image Credits: Sourabh for DU Beat

Sanika Singh

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A Keshav Mahavidyalaya student was recently thrown out of the examination hall on account of the alleged misjudgment of the invigilator.

A University of Delhi (DU) student was recently subjected to misjudgment on account of the invigilator while writing her exam. The student, Shweta Yadav is from Keshav Mahavidyalaya and was writing her accounts examination when the examiner wronged her for cheating and snatched the paper away, fifteen minutes prior to the completion time.

According to Shweta, it all started when the student was asked to fill up the details and tie the supplementary answer script by the invigilator. Upon constant insistence, she did the necessary. The student had done some rough work on the question paper, which was objected by the invigilator. However, instead of a warning, her paper was snatched and she was asked to leave the examination hall with the invigilator’s assertion that, “tumhe pata haina paper par nahi likhte? Ab nikal jao ho gaya paper”. The student stated this as she had to leave a 27 mark question due to the ruckus.

Image Credits: Shweta Yadav
Image Credits: Shweta Yadav

The student was sitting on the first bench and she informed that there was no scope of cheating or exchanging of papers. She did not even have the intention to do so. The rough work was a simple mathematical calculation done in a hurry. Despite apologizing to the invigilator, the student was not given her answer script back, and was asked to leave the premises of the examination hall that very moment. The invigilator was from the Mathematics department of the college.

Shweta mentions she has had a word with a member of CYSS regarding this issue right after the examination ended.
She also adds that she hasn’t received any information from the administration and the concerned invigilator, but the Students Union is aware of this situation and has enquired her to look upon a solution for this.

The wrongful harassment on account of examination invigilators should be kept in check, and brought into the limelight. The college student unions should be more assertive in their role and attend the discrepancies faced on account of the students.

 

Feature Image Credits: Justdial

 

Avnika Chhikara

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On 2nd May 2018, the students of Keshav Mahavidyalaya voted in favour of the establishment of a Students’ Union in the college and its affiliation to the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). In a much-publicised referendum, the “Ayes” received a thumping majority.

While talking to DU Beat, faculty member of the college Kunal Kumar remarked optimistically, “When the results were announced today, everyone was very happy, including Principal ma’am. Change is always good, and the overall atmosphere in the college is that of positivity and optimism.”
Subham Yadav, a student of the college, revealed fascinating statistics to DU Beat, “About 1600 is the strength of the students who were eligible to vote. Out of them, 1014 students voted yes.”

When asked about the reaction from the college authorities, he responded, “Everyone seemed satisfied. Earlier, the Principal was uneasy about the notion of holding a referendum in college, but now, even she seemed content.”

Earlier, Keshav Mahavidyalaya did not partake DUSU elections and did not have a student’s union. For years, certain sections of the student community demanded both the aforementioned elements in their college. Then finally after several rounds of negotiation, the college authoties decided that Keshav Mahavidyalaya would be holding a referendum to determine the students’ verdict in the matter of the institution of the college students’ union as well as the college’s affiliation to the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). The referendum was scheduled to be held on the 2nd of May 2018, and the entire process was deemed to be completed by 9 p.m. on the same day.

Now that the long fight has come to an affable end, it’ll be interesting to see how the college changes in the face of upcoming elections. Only time can tell whether polls will be reduced to the muscle and money laced power politics or will actually democratise the college space.

 

Feature Image Credits: Ankit Alhawatt and Sorav

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak
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It is the season of examinations, and along with it, is also the season of uncertainty and apprehension for the students who frequent their colleges like a blue moon frequents the sky.

 According to the Varsity mandated rules, students of the University of Delhi (DU) need to maintain at least 67% attendance in order to sit for the end semester examinations. For those who don’t, pleading the professors to consider their Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) attendance, or visiting a shady doctor for a medical certificate are some of the extreme choices one has, since the college is technically bound to act under the rules of the University and detain those with less attendance.

Things look especially uncertain for the third year students in some colleges, like Miranda House, as they have been told that they won’t be able to sit for the examinations if they do not have the required attendance.

In South Campus, Sri Venkateswara College has not been given the admit cards till now. Prabal Khatri, President of Sri Venkateswara Students’ Union, told the DU Beat correspondent, “There are no issues for third year students. Earlier, the 67% attendance requirement used to apply to the final year students as well. But this year, our Union has been able to bring it down to 0%, providing huge respite for them.”

When asked about whether the college administration is lenient for the first and second year students as well, Khatri remarked, “For them, even if the required attendance is 67% according to the Varsity mandated rules, our union has brought the benchmark down to 35%. However, there are some students who never show up to class, neither do they have ECA’s, nor medical certificates to justify their low attendance. Those people are of course not given the admit cards.”

In Miranda House, a meeting to determine whether third year students with below 40% attendance will receive their admit cards is slated to be held. While in the past years, the administration would not withhold the admit cards for the final year students, this year, the college has constantly maintained, right from the beginning of the semester, that they would be more stringent with attendance requirements, even for final year students.

In a phone call conversation with the correspondent, Mahi, a final year student from Miranda House remarked, “The final year students have coaching and have to prepare for entrances. So the administration is usually more understanding with us. However, I do not know about the changes brought about this year.” Since none of the final year students have been given their admit cards till now, a cloud of uncertainty looms over their futures.

It is to be noted that, amidst the first and second year students who have already received their admit cards, there are students with attendance below 40%, who are still struggling to get their admit cards. A member of the college administration told DU Beat on condition of anonymity, “Even as the college is prepared to be flexible with the final year students, we have instructions to be uncompromising with the first and second year students.”

Nestling in the heart of North Campus, is Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), boasting cut-offs that rise as high as 99.25%. SRCC is surprisingly not as strict as some of its neighbours in campus, when it comes to attendance issues.

The Corporate Communications Head of the Students’ Union, Shrimann Adhith, held that until last year, the 67% requirement of attendance in order to be eligible to sit for the exams was not followed. It is only from the current academic session that students require the aforementioned percentage of attendance to get their admit cards. Shrimann went on to say, “Even if they do not maintain the required attendance, the students would eventually be given the admit card. However, they would be made to sign an undertaking.”

Sonul, a sports student from Gargi College, does not seem stressed about getting her admit card. She says, “If any of the third year students does not have the required attendance, they will be made to sign an undertaking. At the most, their parents will be called. But they will eventually be allowed to sit for the exams.”

Contrastingly, in Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Himansh Pandey, current President of ‘Anhad’, the Music Society of the college, told  DU Beat, “even if you are a part of a cultural society, you do not get ECA attendance. After a lot of protest, the Principal promised us that they will bring down the bar of required attendance for students of cultural societies to 30%. However, for other students, 67% attendance requirement is strictly followed, without which they do not get their admit cards.” However, he also added, “The worst case scenario is that your parents are called. But the final year students are given the fated sheet of admittance even if they have to stand in lines from 9 to 5, and fight with the administration.”

For the students of Lady Shri Ram College, things appear uncertain as there has been no word from the administration. When the DU Beat correspondent asked Amita Yadav, the President of the college, whether the third year students with below 67% attendance would be allowed to sit for the exams or not, she said, “There has been no word from the side of the administration till now.”

One common trend witnessed in most of the colleges is the lack of communication from the side of the administration. With less than 10 days left for the exams, students are still uncertain about whether they would receive their admit cards or not.

With most colleges having already celebrated their farewell, is this lack of communication justified? As the final year students gear up to step into the outside world of jobs and higher studies, isn’t keeping them second-guessing about their examinations a sheer lack of transparency?

These are some of the questions we need to pose to the administration departments of the colleges.

 

Feature Image Credits: HansIndia

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak

[email protected]

Keshav Mahavidyalaya would be holding a referendum to determine the students’ verdict in the matter of the institution of the college students’ union as well as the college’s affiliation to the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). The referendum is slated to be held on the 2nd of May 2018, and the entire process is deemed to be completed by 9 p.m. on the same day.

Keshav Mahavidyalaya does not partake in the elections held to the DUSU and neither does it have a students’ union. For years, certain sections of the students have demanded for both the aforementioned elements in their college.

Faculty members V.K. Verma and Surendra Singh have been appointed as the Election Officer and Returning Officer respectively. All the class representatives (CRs) of the college have been invited to meet the Students’ Union Formation Committee on the 26th of this month for a meeting to discuss the modalities of the referendum. All students enrolled in regular courses in the college, and having a valid identity card will be eligible to vote in the same. The students can cast their votes from the following options: ‘NOTA’ (None Of The Above), besides ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.

Priyavrat Joshi, former President of the Stage Play Society, who graduated from the college in 2017, told DU Beat, “When I was in college, there were many protests for the institution of a students’ union. Our society, along with a few others had tried talking to the Principal and the administration for the same, but to no avail.” He further explained, “Our college has always been like a school, more inclined towards academics. So the authorities never wanted elections to take place in our college, to retain the academic spirit. In fact, even our college societies don’t get adequate support from the administration.”

When asked about the probable trends of the referendum, he commented, “I think the trend would be towards a definite ‘yes’ to the formation of the students’ union.”

In stark contrast to the comments of Priyavrat, a student, on the condition of anonymity, told the DU Beat correspondent, “all the societies are really happy with the way the college is functioning. We don’t have much complaints or demands with regards to either a students’ union or our affiliation to the DUSU.”

Significantly, while demands for a Students’ Union have been prevalent for quite some time, the Principal’s sudden affirmation for a referendum to decide the fate of the college was considered as a “suspicious move” by some quarters of the college. Commenting on the same, the student told DU Beat, “The Principal didn’t take the decision under any political pressure. She wasn’t against the idea of a students’ union, in the first place. Her concern was, if referendum is what majority of the students demand, then it is fair to have it.”

While any form of campaigning has been officially banned in the pretext of the referendum, the sight of “politically active” students approaching other students to influence their decision either for or against the referendum has been a commonality in the college lately.

The compilation of results is expected to commence at 4 p.m. on the 2nd of May, following which the declaration of results will be undertaken by the Principal on the same day.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Justdial

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak

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Students face a great number of difficulties when it comes to sanitation and hygiene. In terms of access to and maintenance of basic standards of cleanliness, toilets in many Indian colleges and universities fail to meet even the bare minimum cleanliness standards. In such a situation, if you happen to be a menstruating woman, it’s twice as hard just to get through the day.

A sanitary napkin vending machine has been installed at University of Delhi’s Keshav Mahavidyalaya college girls’ hostel as part of “women empowerment and hygiene”. The machine has been installed under ‘Mission AAA’ (Awareness, Availability, and Affordability) launched by CSR Research Foundation, an NGO, in collaboration with ONGC.

Principal Dr. Madhu Pruthi welcomed the CSR initiative saying such efforts would break the myths and stereotypes related to menstruation process. The proctor of Delhi University, Prof Neeta Sehgal hailed this move and said “It is a welcome step of the CSR Foundation along with the ONGC to organise such event at Keshav Mahavidyalaya, which is a co-educational institute. This step is a step towards gender sensitisation”.

The machine will make sanitary napkins more affordable and readily accessible for the female students, by dispensing a pad at a minimal cost. The initiative will also encourage a dialogue on issues related to menstruation and feminine hygiene.

Feature Image Credits: India Times

 

Sandeep Samal

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Founder of Feeding India and an alumnus of DU’s Keshav Mahavidhyalaya College, Ankit Kawatra has been selected by the United Nations as a Young Leader to advocate the Sustainable Development Goals. He is one of the 17 people who were selected from 18,000 nominations across 186 countries. At the age of 22 when he left his corporate job to start Feeding India – a youth-run, not-for-profit organisation that channelises excess food to feed the hungry,  never had Ankit thought that his brainchild will get him international recognition. What had started as a team of 5, the organisation grew to a network of more than 2,000 volunteers in 28 cities in India feeding over 1 million meals. On 19th September 2016, Kawatra was announced as a United Nations Young Leader at the Social Good Summit in New York. Speaking to an online portal, he was quoted as saying, “I worked in a global business advisory firm for two years. One day, I went to a celebrity wedding where there were around 10,000 people invited for the wedding and more than 35 cuisines were laid for them. I decided to stay back to see what happened with the food. To my shock and despair, heaps of leftover food was thrown straight into the bin which could have fed 5,000 people just that single night,” and this is what made him think about ‘Feeding India’. [caption id="attachment_45177" align="aligncenter" width="240"]Ankit Kawatra, founder of Feeding India Ankit Kawatra, founder of Feeding India[/caption] His NGO not only works towards solving hunger and malnutrition in India by redistributing excess food from weddings, corporate, canteens, banquets and households but it has also undertaken several projects in the past two years. These include ‘The Magic Truck’, a 24X7 refrigerated vehicle moving around the city collecting and donating excess food. “We have adopted many donation centres, self-run schools and shelter homes for children, elderly and specially-abled. We provide them with nutritious and well balanced meals,” Kawatra said in an interview to a renowned online platform. By diverting food from being dumped in ever growing landfills, Feeding India helps reduce methane gas from being produced. Additionally, it helps in reducing carbon footprints, by saving on the fuel and money that would have been spent in getting rid of the extra food. With inputs from csrlive.in and thebetterindia.com Riya Chhibber [email protected]]]>

The one thing that is common in all Delhi University students is their tendency to dream big. Everyone wants a posh car, a big house and of course, a job that pays well and keeps them satisfied too. But some students take it a step further to actually work on their dreams by starting their own enterprises while balancing college life. Here’s presenting a few entrepreneurs of DU. Mayank Jain of Keshav Mahavidyalya’s  venture, SocialBuzzar launched in November, 2011 can be described as ‘The One-Stop Shop for all your Social Media needs!’  The team takes care of every aspect of social media marketing from content creation to campaign strategy development for a firm. With big names like McKinsey & Company and HCL already featuring in their clientele list, this undertaking is all set to take on even bigger projects in the future. Entrepreneurs Shoury Gupta, Medha Bankhwal and Prateek Handa, students of Shri Ram College of Commerce aim to commercialise theatre and bring together students approaching expertise in finance, acting, directing set management and so on from institutes across Delhi. ‘It started with a random conversation of starting our own business. Then we realized that theatre is what we love. So why not combine theatre and business? The result was Turntable Productions’, said Gupta.Started just in February 2012, this enterprise has already staged 4 shows of a bilingual play ‘Footnotes’ at Alliance Francaise, earning a total profit of over Rs.50, 000. Madhav Sethi, a second year student from College of Business Studies, is the brain behind Muro, an interior decoration company with a mission ‘To Poster the World’. Launched in June 2012, they can turn any wall into a canvas using themed posters, wall arrangements and single posters, amongst other products. ‘We’ve already finished quite a few individual posters and are currently working on 3 orders for full walls’, said Madhav. They plan to collaborate with interior designers and architects in the near future to expand their operations.    ]]>