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Rainbows on Chhatra Marg: Fourth Campus Pride Parade Takes Place in Full Force

By DU Beat September 9, 2025

Over a hundred students marched through DU’s North Campus on 6 September 2025, demanding safety and equality for the queer community within the university.

On 6 September 2025, the 4th Delhi University Campus Pride Parade took place in North Campus, commemorating the historic 2018 Supreme Court verdict that read down Section 377 of the IPC.

Since its inception in 2022, the student-led Pride Parade has grown into a collective assertion of queer identity, rights, and political presence. The event was organised by seventeen organisations and queer collectives in association with the Students Federation of India ( SFI) and Delhi University queer collective ( DUQC). The Back Gate of the Arts Faculty at the University Enclave witnessed a turnout of more than a hundred students and protestors despite rains during the first few hours of the parade.

The parade started and culminated at the Arts Faculty, followed by an open mic session. The SFI candidate for the upcoming DUSU elections, Abhinandana Das, was present at the session. “We were expecting a much larger turnout, but we faced last-minute bureaucratic issues,” said the candidate. “Permission was taken for the main gate, but we were asked to shift to the back gate at the last minute” continued Simran, organiser and founder of DUQC. The parade gave voice to anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia, pro- Palestine and “Jai Bhim” sloganeering.

The organisers highlighted a recent issue of the alleged attack on Nitara, a transwoman in Motilal Nehru College. An assertion was made to unite the queer community of Delhi University towards creating a safer and freer space for themselves.

The parade witnessed participation from queer collectives from across DU. “DU’s queer activism has been soaring over the years, and I hope to see the same momentum in every educational institution through our collective efforts. It is extremely necessary for queer people, especially, to be aware of their rights and to fight for them,” said Shifa, Vice President of Vikirya, Gender Champions of Dyal Singh College, one of the collaborating organisations.

The first DU Campus Pride Parade in June 2022 was initiated by SFI with the slogan “March for Love, Freedom, and Social Justice.” Around 800 students marched that year, amidst backlash from the university administration and right-wing groups.

As Mehina Fatima, convenor of the Queer Students’ Subcommittee of SFI and a founding member of DUQC, recalled,

It is from these parades that I have realised how strong in numbers the queer student community of DU is. We are all fragmented here and there because of the distance between our campuses but we are not a negligible force

She commented on the political nature of the parade, saying“ pride is political… pride is not just a celebration but an unapologetic assertion of the queer identity and experience… We have refused to depoliticise the campus pride parade despite pressures… With every passing year we see that the resistance towards politics in pride is decreasing and this year, already we are hearing students talk about how pride is political, and we are very excited to see how it will materialise in the parade.”

The campus Pride March listed out their ‘charter of demands’ as follows:

Establish gender neutral washrooms in all educational institutions
Enact horizontal reservation for general students in all educational institutions
Establishment of proper mental health cells in all universities in colleges with certified mental health professionals
Establish reserved hostels for query and transgender students in all educational institutions
Mandate the existence and administrative support of collectives and all educational institutions
Conduct service in all educational institutions for the formal record of the number of transgender students and enrolling in higher education
Conduct mandatory gender sensitization workshops for students teaching and non teaching staff in educational institutions every year with emphasis on lgbtqia + identity and experience”

“The charter holds great significance; it was first accepted at the General Body Meeting of all queer students in Delhi, organised by SFI. It was put forward in the 2024 elections as the Queer Students Manifesto. This year, we have included eleven demands,” said Simran, founder of DUQC.

Image Credit: Shaafi Mahin for DU Beat

Anjali Kumari Jha

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Anjali Paruvu

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DUB News

“Clean Campus, Green Campus”: ABVP’s Eco-Friendly Election Campaign

By DU Beat September 3, 2025

On Monday, 1st September 2025, the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) launched its new, eco-friendly “Clean Campus, Green Campus” campaign for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

The campaign featured a bicycle rally that commenced at Vishwavidyalaya Metro station and proceeded to several North Campus colleges, including Ramjas College, Hindu College, Kirori Mal College and Daulat Ram College, before concluding at the Arts Faculty.

The campaign aligns with the efforts of the student union to keep the electioneering process “environment-friendly and campus-friendly”. According to ABVP leader Harsh Atri, the union will keep introducing thoughtful, eco-friendly campaigning practices such as bicycle rallies and clean-up drives. These endeavours complement the ABVP’s goal to keep the entire process of campaigning clean, transparent, and peaceful. The union is allegedly reaching out to students and strictly adhering to the Delhi High Court guidelines in its campaigning practices.

The emphasis on responsible campaigning is well expected, as the 2024 DUSU elections had brought about legal trouble due to the violation of court directives and the Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines for defacement of public property, leading to the halting of vote counting by the High Court until all defacement was undone and the restoration of public property had been completed.

On Thursday, 28th August 2025, the ABVP released a list of 11 probable candidates for the 2025 DUSU elections, which are set to take place on 18th September 2025. The final list of four candidates for the central panel will be released on Thursday, 11th September. The counting of votes will take place on 19th September 2025 under strict measures in order to avoid any form of defacement or disruption.

Featured Image Credits: @RohitDedhaABVP on X

Souparnika
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Admission Season

Delhi High Court Orders Strict Compliance to DU with 5% Sports/ECA Quota for Future Admissions

By DU Beat September 3, 2025

Delhi High Court directed all DU colleges to mandatorily reserve 5% seats under Sports/ECA quota from 2026-27, after hearing Aditi Rawat’s petition challenging Hindu College’s reduced allocation.

The Delhi High Court orders all the colleges under Delhi University to allocate 5% of their seats for the sports quota from the next academic session of 2026-27, designating it as mandatory. The direction by Justice Vikas Mahajan comes amidst a petition filed by a potential sports quota candidate, Aditi Rawat, who sought a seat in Hindu College through the lawn tennis sports quota for the academic year 2025-26. The order was delivered on August 25 but was released on Saturday.

Rawat’s lawyer argued in the petition that even though the admission brochure for undergraduate courses required colleges to set aside 5% of seats under the Extra-Curricular Activities (ECA)/Sports quota, Hindu College had only reserved about 1%. Out of the total 956 sanctioned seats, the college allotted just 10 seats for ECA and sports instead of the required 47.

The college countered that the brochure did not make it ‘obligatory for them to roll out admissions for the seats through the ECA/sports quota’. However, Rupal Mohinder, the counsel from the university, admitted that it was binding to follow the brochure. But, he argued that the petition will be unproductive since the seat allocation through the supernumerary quota has been closed.

Acknowledging this, Rawat’s counsel chose not to pursue the petition further but urged the court to issue directions ensuring that all colleges adhere to the 5% reservation mandate in the future.

The court stated, “With regard to the above, it is hoped that the colleges of the University of Delhi be careful in the future in following the mandate with regard to the seats under ECA/Sports Admission, which, as per the Information Bulletin of the Academic Session 2025-26, was mandatory.”

The order is likely to have wide-ranging implications for DU’s admission process, especially for students who depend on non-academic avenues to secure entry into prestigious colleges. Every year, thousands of candidates apply under the Sports and ECA quotas, but inconsistencies in seat allocation across colleges often lead to confusion and disputes. By making the 5% quota mandatory, the court has effectively addressed a gap that colleges had previously interpreted at their discretion.

Image Credits- The Hindustan Times

Divyanshi Dusad

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Campus Central

Delhi University Drops ₹1 Lakh Bond Rule for DUSU Poll Candidates

By DU Beat August 30, 2025

Delhi University tells the Delhi High Court it is scrapping the ₹1 lakh bond rule for DUSU poll candidates. Students now only submit an affidavit and security bond after petitions argued that the clause was arbitrary, exclusionary, and unconstitutional.

The Delhi University on Friday informed the Delhi High Court that candidates contesting the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections will no longer be required to deposit ₹1 lakh bond, as earlier mandated by an 8 August notification. The university said that the provision was withdrawn following widespread criticism and legal challenges.

Representing the University, counsel Rupal Mohinder submitted before Justice Mini Pushkarna that election candidates will now only need to provide an affidavit and a security bond at the time of filing nominations. The clarification came during the hearing of a petition filed by two students, Anjali and Abhishek Kumar, challenging the 8 August notification that introduced the ₹1 lakh deposit rule.

The contested notification was issued with the stated objective of preventing university defacement and public property during elections scheduled for 18 September. The university argued that the hefty bond was intended to avoid a repeat of last year’s incidents, when widespread defacement forced the High Court to delay the counting and declaration of results by nearly two months after the September 2024 polls.

However, petitioners, represented by advocate Raja Choudhary, contended that the rule was arbitrary, discriminatory, and unconstitutional under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. They argued that the provision disproportionately affected students from middle class and rural backgrounds, effectively excluding them from the electoral process. The plea further pointed out that the rule contradicted the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, which assign joint liability to candidates for defacement rather than imposing individual financial burdens.

“The impugned clause subverts the democratic ethos of student unions, turning elections into an elitist arena, contrary to judicial mandates for inclusivity,” the petition stated. It was also alleged that the registrar lacked the authority to introduce such a condition.

The 8 August notification drew sharp criticism from several students’ groups. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) earlier this month submitted a memorandum to the university administration opposing the deposit requirement. The group demanded immediate withdrawal of the provision and warned of large-scale campus agitation if it was not revoked.

Student leaders argued that the rule went against the spirit of campus democracy by restricting participation to those who could afford the steep bond. Many have also questioned the practicality of such a measure, claiming that it would not address the root causes of poster wars and graffiti.

Taking note of the university’s submission, the High Court disposed the petition filed by the two students. The court’s acknowledgement effectively removes this contentious requirement, allowing the electoral process to continue without financial hurdles for candidates.

The DUSU elections, scheduled for 18 September are a significant event in Delhi University’s political calendar and are often seen as a reflection of broader student politics across the country. With the withdrawal of the bond requirement, the focus is expected to return to key campus issues such as affordability of education, hostel facilities, and the quality of academic programs.

The university administration has yet to clarify which alternative steps, if any, will be taken to curb defacement during elections. For now, candidates will contest under the revised rules, with only one affidavit and security bond required at the time of nomination filing.

Featured Image source – Hindustan Times

Richa Choudhary

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Campus Central

SFI and AISA Forge Alliance for DUSU Elections, Vow to Challenge ‘Money and Muscle Power’

By DU Beat August 30, 2025

SFI and AISA announce an alliance for the upcoming DUSU elections, fighting fee hikes, privatisation, and money power in DU politics, with their campaign focusing on affordable education, student welfare, and resisting RSS-ABVP influence on campus.

In a significant development ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students’ Association (AISA) on Wednesday announced a pre-poll alliance, declaring their intent to counter what they termed the dominance of “money and muscle power” in campus politics.

At a joint press conference held at the Press Club of India, the two Left-affiliated student outfits said they would contest the polls on a common platform, highlighting issues of affordability, quality education, and student welfare. Under the seat-sharing arrangement, AISA will field candidates for the posts of president and joint secretary, while SFI will contest the vice president and secretary positions.

Aishe Ghosh, SFI’s Delhi State Secretary, underlined the alliance’s commitment to challenging the prevailing campus political culture. She further added that,

SFI and AISA have been the frontal forces against the domination of money and muscle in DU politics. Last year, too, our panel polled nearly 9,000 votes, asserting a strong third pole in DUSU. This time as well, fighting for accessible and quality education, the AISA and SFI will contest on a joint platform of student struggles.

Echoing this sentiment, AISA’s Delhi University president Saavy criticised the current education policies, alleging that universities were facing “an all-out attack” under the present dispensation.

The four-year undergraduate programme has diluted the content and quality of education. There are rabid fee hikes across courses and colleges. The recent metro fare hike will hit students the hardest. Both organisations have come together to make this election a struggle for affordability and quality in the university.

The alliance has announced a “DU Mahapanchayat” on September 2 to press for their demands. These include the rollback of fee hikes, concessional metro passes for students, adequate hostel facilities, functional internal complaints committees in every college, and an end to what they described as “bogus SEC and VAC courses” and the current internal assessment scheme.

The leaders of SFI and AISA also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), of using Delhi University as a “laboratory” for the past decade. They pledged to challenge what they termed the “RSS-ABVP nexus of privatisation and saffronisation of education”.

With the alliance positioning itself as a “third pole” in DU politics, the upcoming elections are expected to witness a keen contest, as issues of accessibility, affordability, and academic quality take centre stage.

Featured Image Source: DU Beat

Richa Choudhary

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Campus Central

Students Stage Protest Against Fee Hike in SBSC

By DU Beat August 28, 2025

Students at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College protest a controversial fee hike, citing poor infrastructure and a lack of transparency. Tensions rise as the Delhi Police monitors the scene while the administration remains silent. The demonstration highlights growing unrest over educational costs and unmet promises. Urgent changes are demanded.

At 1 a.m. on 28 August 2025 Shaheed Bhagat Singh College’s gates encountered unfamiliar knocks. A group of students dissatisfied with the fee hike citing infrastructure development and quality reassurance showed up ready—per aspera ad astra—to protest their way to change. In a statement to DU Beat, one student mentioned the collapsing ceilings of the newly built reading room at the onset of the first monsoon rain and the poor quality of the reconstructed walls. He said, “in the past two years, we have experienced an annual fee hike. Yet, the quality of development is not maintained. What we demand today is a reduction in these continual hikes and an infrastructural development through the Delhi University’s official grants.”

With chants of ‘the fate of education in Bhagat Singh’s country’, the SBSC’s entrance was swarming with Delhi Police cars, who kept a close eye on the protesters even inside the campus. The entrance was blocked several times today, and two guards, one male and one female, were the only ones handling the crowd. With no words from the Principal, Prof. Arun Kumar Atree, the protest is foreseen to continue until tomorrow. This leads to ambiguity in the formal fee payment process and does not provide any relief.

Image Credits: Shreya Bhushan

Shreya Bhushan

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DUB News

Delhi High Court Directs Blocking of Sci-Hub and Libgen Amid Copyright Infringement Dispute

By DU Beat August 24, 2025

Delhi High Court ordered the immediate blocking of Sci-Hub and Libgen for copyright violations after publishers’ suit; the move faces backlash from researchers citing high subscription costs and restricted access to essential scholarly work.

The Delhi High Court, in its bench led by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, instructed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications to block access to shadow libraries Sci-Hub and Libgen within 24 hours. The order mandates a ban on these apps with immediate effect.

This comes as an outcome of a case in 2020 filed against these platforms by renowned publishing houses like Elsevier, Wiley Periodicals, and the American Chemical Society, which filed a suit alleging copyright infringement. They argued that the platforms gave access to copyrighted research papers without any prior approval.

After its initial proceedings, the Court prohibited the websites from uploading or sharing newly published works of the petitioners until further orders. Upon further investigation, it was observed that the articles published in 2022 were also later uploaded on Sci-Hub and another platform called Sci-Net, which violated the previous order.

The founder of Sci-Hub, Alexandra Elbakyan, based in Kazakhstan, responded to the alleged violation by stating that it was a ‘technical error’ and that Sci-Net was a separate entity from Sci-Hub, which means the nonapplicability of the order to it.

In February 2021, the Delhi Science Forum and the Society for Knowledge Commons intervened in the case, affirming that Section 52 of the Indian Copyright Act allows “fair dealing” of copyrighted works for research, which they argue protects platforms like Sci-Hub from liability.

Image Credits: Live Law

Divyanshi Dusad

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Campus Central

Discontinuation of NCC Safety Units in DU’s Lakshmibai College

By DU Beat August 24, 2025

Delhi University’s Lakshmibai College introduced NCC units last year to act upon the harassment complaints made by the students around the campus of the women’s college. The units, named after Hindu Goddesses Durga, Kali and Chandi may be discontinued after a year of their implementation due to changes in the authority and differing views on the subject.

No new enrolments in the units have been observed in this academic year, and the initiative is being planned to be discreetly peeled away from the college guidelines.

The regiments, introduced by the then principal, Pratyush Vatsala, were an attempt to empower young women, teachers and students and convert the campus into a safe space for every individual.

The selection for these units was made out of the college’s NCC wing, and the students had to go through a rigorous interview process. The chosen applicants were assigned one of the units along with their own uniforms consisting of the coloured themes of red, white and black. The college ensured weekly self-defence training of the members for their own safety and equipped them with bicycles to certify timely appearance in case of any such events reported.

The initiative was met with mixed responses throughout the campus upon its launch. Similar emotions are being stirred up again with the circulation of news of its termination.

A third-year student, who was a participant of the regiment, told The Times of India, “Now that the principal has changed, the system seems to be fading away. There have been no interviews or enrolments this year. We are not happy about it because such incidents of harassment are still a daily reality for us around the college.” She added, “Though a police cab is always stationed outside, the units gave us confidence to act when needed. It was an encouraging move and had a positive impact.”

During its initiation, the move was described by the college administration as a proactive step in making the campus safer, but the action drew criticism along the lines of accountability. Few believed that this would lead to the students taking the law into their own hands rather than relying on the authorities or the institute.

A faculty member expressed their concerns about the potential risks and said that the idea might unintentionally put students in harm’s way.

Image Credits: Collegedunia

Ananya Agarwal
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KMC’s ‘Project Samaavesh’ Rewrites Campus Life for Visually Impaired Students

By DU Beat August 23, 2025

Kirori Mal College (KMC) launches Project Samaavesh, a pioneering initiative supporting visually impaired students with training, resources, and awareness programs to build an inclusive and empowering campus environment.

A quiet revolution is underway at Kirori Mal College (KMC), as a new initiative titled ‘Project Samaavesh – Towards Inclusion and Empowerment’ is actively reshaping campus life for its visually impaired students. More than just a support system, the project is a lifeline, offering tailored guidance, skills training, and, crucially, a sense of belonging to a community often grappling with isolation and limited resources.

“Inclusion is not a favour; it is a right,” states KMC Principal Dinesh Khattar. “There may be limits on sight, but there are no limits on vision.” This powerful sentiment underpins Project Samaavesh, a joint effort by the Centre for Disability Research and Training (CDRT) at KMC and the Score Foundation. The initiative’s core mission is to promote true inclusion through a dedicated on-campus help desk, where visually impaired students can receive support tailored to their individual needs and aspirations.

The project begins with a comprehensive assessment of each student, followed by the development of a customised support plan. This personalised approach directly addresses the systemic gaps prevalent in many academic institutions, where “enabling units lie dormant,” as described by Ankita Verma, a student from Miranda House. Verma highlights a critical issue, stating, “Technology is important, but our basic needs are still unmet,” a reality that Samaavesh seeks to change. The project provides training in essential skills like computer literacy, STEM, AI, and the use of assistive tools, equipping students with the tools they need to thrive in a competitive world.

Beyond resources, Project Samaavesh is fundamentally about changing perspectives. Someshwar Sati, CDRT coordinator, challenges the very definition of disability, asking, “If I give the audience a book in Braille and they can’t read it, are they disabled? Why can’t we embrace different ways of being as part of human diversity?” This philosophical approach is translated into action through sensitisation programmes and awareness campaigns aimed at students, faculty, and staff, fostering empathy and dismantling unconscious biases.

The transformative impact of the project is already evident in the lives of its participants. Sachin Kumar, a KMC political science graduate now pursuing his master’s at JNU, credits the initiative for his personal and academic growth. “When I joined CDRT, we focused on creating initiatives for inclusion,” he says. “We worked to spread awareness and make an impact. Society still doesn’t recognise the full potential of the disabled community. These programmes help bridge that gap.”

For Narendra Kumar Kashyap, a third-year Sanskrit student from Amethi, the project has eased a personal struggle. “Reading content is the biggest challenge. Interacting with peers is also difficult,” he shares. Since joining the program, however, his sense of isolation has diminished. “The gap is bridging,” he says, with a renewed sense of hope for his dream of becoming a teacher. As Sati poignantly puts it, “Nazariya badal denge toh nazar bhi badal jaayegi“—if we change the lens, our view will change too. At KMC, that change is already taking hold, creating a more inclusive and equitable campus for all.

Image Source – careers360

Richa Choudhary

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Campus Central

Students Stage Mega Protest at Deshbandhu College Against Fee Hike and Poor Facilities

By DU Beat August 22, 2025

Students of Deshbandhu College, DU, staged a massive protest against fee hikes and poor facilities, highlighting issues in labs, sports infrastructure, Wi-Fi, medical room, and basic amenities.

Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, witnessed a massive student protest today as several students gathered outside the Admin Office to demand better facilities and to oppose what they termed as “unjustified fee hikes.” The protest was organised under the leadership of Sarthak Singh, President of ABVP, Deshbandhu College, who spearheaded the campaign with the slogan: “No More Excuses, No More Lies – Students’ Voices Will Rise!”

The protest began at 11:00 AM on 22nd August, drawing students from various departments who expressed anger over infrastructural gaps and rising costs of education. Holding placards and shouting slogans, students demanded immediate redressal of their grievances.

At the heart of the protest was the demand for reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, which students argued is indispensable for academic work, research, and digital submissions. Many students complained that repeated assurances by the administration had yielded little progress, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to other colleges. Equally pressing was the issue of the college medical room, which, according to students, lacks both equipment and personnel to handle emergencies. Calls for a functional and well-equipped facility echoed throughout the demonstration.

Speaking at the demonstration, Sarthak Singh, ABVP leader, said:

Education is a right, not a privilege. We will not tolerate exploitation in the name of infrastructure when students lack access to even the most basic facilities. The administration must listen to us.

Another female ABVP leader of Deshbandhu College raised some important concerns:

There are some very common problems, such as girls’ washrooms, Wi-Fi connectivity, and drinking water. The college holds zero accountability towards these basic responsibilities, and we must raise our voice in unison to demand answers from the administration.

A major concern among students has been the inadequate state of the science laboratories, where a persistent shortage of essential chemicals and basic apparatus has disrupted regular academic work. Many practical sessions remain incomplete, leaving students unable to meet required coursework standards. Alongside this, the college’s sports infrastructure has also drawn criticism. Facilities are limited, equipment is outdated, and the available space fails to cater to the needs of a growing student population. Together, these shortcomings reflect what students describe as a broader neglect of academic and extracurricular resources.

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat

Madhav Choudhary

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