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Reform Without A Roadmap: Delhi University’s Fourth Year Raises More Questions Than Answers

By DU Beat August 2, 2025

Delhi University’s push for a fourth year under FYUP has left chaos in its wake with missing infrastructure, mounting workload, and no exit in sight. Has the university confused rhetoric with reform in its rollout?

With a notification dated July 31, 2025, Delhi University formally enforced the fourth year of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme starting August 1. What should have been a thoughtful academic transition has arrived as a poorly managed surprise, marred by missing infrastructure, insufficient faculty, and an undefined syllabus. For over a year, Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh has endorsed FYUP as a transformative, student-centric reform aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. But students and teachers alike reveal a rushed, unclear rollout, exposing the lack of structure and support that has left students in the crossfire.

According to the notification, the Executive Council met on July 12, 2025, to deliberate on the implementation of the fourth year, recommending that colleges operate from 8 AM to 8 PM to optimise resource usage. While students may choose from a basket of courses, actual availability depends on faculty norms. Faculty deployment will follow existing rules, with guest faculty hired if needed. Though extra staff workload is acknowledged, no clear compensation is outlined. The Council stressed that only experienced, regular faculty should teach the fourth year. Citing UGC Clause 15, the notification reiterates that full-time teachers must work 40 hours a week over 30 weeks annually, including five hours daily on campus and two hours for mentoring, with 16 teaching hours weekly for Assistant Professors and 14 for senior ranks.

Dr. Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected member of the Executive Council, highlights the serious concerns raised by DU’s latest notification:

“Directing colleges to adopt 8 AM to 8 PM daily classes is extremely dangerous from the safety perspective of students and teachers. Further, it just shows that DU is not prepared for the 4th year on both counts: infrastructure and manpower. It also insults newly appointed teachers by implying that only senior teachers can teach the 4th year. Teaching is based on areas of specialisation, not age.”

The last-minute advisory, released a day before the Fourth Year began, raises concerns about the university’s planning process. Abha Dev Habib, Secretary of the Democratic Teachers’ Front and Associate Professor at Miranda House, points to glaring gaps and questions the impossible timelines handed to colleges:

“Does the University know that teaching distribution and timetables have to be made during vacation itself if classes have to start from day one? New courses have been introduced at the undergraduate level without any workshops or preparatory training for teachers. While some colleges may be able to manage depending on their faculty’s specialisations, the University has made no systematic effort to ensure a smooth rollout.”

Beyond academics, the policy has drawn sharp criticism from faculty for its regressive undertones. Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor at Kirori Mal College and DUTA Executive member, cautions about serious institutional risks:

“The 8 AM–8 PM schedule now has official sanction, pushing a draconian, anti-teacher, and anti-student timetable, especially in colleges lacking basic space. There is also no clarity on how this will affect evening colleges; will they function from 8 PM to 8 AM, or will they be dismantled entirely? The advisory also formalises the exclusion of research supervision from regular workload, paving the way for the overburdening Draft Regulation 2025. The requirement of two hours daily for mentoring 15 students per teacher attempts to quantify meaningful engagement and defeats its purpose. Reserving 4th-year teaching for senior faculty creates a divisive hierarchy. And with many Delhi government-funded colleges still awaiting appointments, ad hoc teachers are now cut out entirely. This not only adds insult to injury but also makes the actual conduct of the fourth year logistically difficult.”

In the end, the most pressing concern remains the lack of choice. With Delhi University’s August 1 deadline behind us, the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme has effectively become a one-way tunnel. Students who may have legitimate academic, financial, or personal reasons to opt out are now left with no transparent pathway to do so. This move erodes student autonomy but also betrays the very spirit of flexibility and choice that the National Education Policy claimed to uphold. What was promised as reform has curdled into rigidity, trapping students in a system that denies their agency. It begs the question, can a system that suppresses dissent and eliminates choice truly claim to educate, let alone empower?

Featured Image Credits: Siva For DU Beat

Neeraja Unnikrishnan
neerajaunnikrishnan2005@gmail.com

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Campus Central

Ramjas College Hostel Shutdown Worsens DU Housing Crisis; Students Protest

By DU Beat July 31, 2025

A protest organised by AISA student body took place today, on 31st July, 2025, at Ramjas College’s front gate, as the college shuts down all admissions for both of its hostels with the start of the 2025-26 academic session.

On 30th July 2025, Ramjas College issued a notice informing students that the hostel would not be accepting admissions for the academic year 2025-2026. The notice mentions the building being under a structural stability test as the main reason for the hostel shutdown. As a response, a student protest organized by All India Students’ Association (AISA) took place today, i.e., on 31st July, 2025, at Ramjas College’s front gate from 2 pm onwards, resisting this shutdown and demanding hostel rights for all students. The students called out the action for adding to the increasing inaccessibility of affordable accommodation in DU, a move that furthers the exclusion of marginalised students.

The hostels accommodated 210 people every year and had a specific number of seats available for the reserved category students (SC/ST, physically challenged, sports persons, foreign students, etc.) to occupy.

With PG and flat rates in North Campus skyrocketing, Anjali, a Delhi University student and representative of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), says:

This model is pushing students toward unaffordable private accommodations and chipping away at the public character of DU. With lakhs of students arriving from across India, hostels are not a luxury; they are a right. We will fight tooth and nail to defend that right for all.”

She also explains how this isn’t just an isolated event but a visible pattern for exclusion:

What’s happening at Ramjas is not new; it’s part of a disturbing pattern across Delhi University. Hindu College Boys’ Hostel has remained shut since the lockdown. KMC dismantled seat allocations for PG students. And now Ramjas has shut down both hostels just as freshers arrive.”

Hindu College’s Boys Hostel is being demolished and rebuilt with the promise to accommodate more students since 2023. LSR College hostel has also remained closed for “maintenance reasons” since March of 2023.

Anjali further talks about how, despite having space for building affordable hostels for students, the university land is being used for private constructions:

This is a strategic move to exclude students from marginalised backgrounds. AISA has long fought for student accommodation. Back in 2016, we launched the “Room of My Own” campaign and submitted a list of vacant DU-owned land that could be used to construct hostels. Yet in 2019, a 39-story private building was being made on university land in front of Vishwavidyalaya metro.”

While the hostels are aged and rundown, it is the responsibility of the university, according to the UGC guidelines, to ensure that students from all sections of society studying here have affordable and safe living situations. The decision to close down the hostel directly contradicts this mandate.

With multiple college hostels currently non-operational, concerns over affordable and inclusive student housing remain unaddressed.

Image Credits: AISA

Gaurika Bahl

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Admission Season

Delhi University Relaxes Criteria for Minor Subject Selection Under UGCF

By DU Beat July 31, 2025

Delhi University introduces greater flexibility in minor subject selection under UGCF, removing GE paper restrictions to promote interdisciplinary learning and ease progression to postgraduate studies.

In a significant academic reform aligned with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Delhi University (DU) has announced greater flexibility for undergraduate students in choosing their minor disciplines under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF). The university released a notification on Tuesday making it clear that students will no longer be required to opt for specific General Elective (GE) papers in order to pursue a particular subject as a minor.

Until now, students aiming to take up a subject as a minor had to select related GE papers in earlier semesters. This often restricted academic freedom, particularly for those wishing to explore disciplines outside their primary area of study. The latest move by DU removes this limitation, thus widening the scope for interdisciplinary education. According to the official notification, the minor can now be chosen independent of the GE papers taken earlier. This change is expected to benefit students who are aiming for postgraduate studies in fields apart from their major, as it will now be easier to qualify for diverse academic paths without being confined by past elective choices.

A senior university official explained that the structure was originally implemented to uphold academic standards and ensure that students had sufficient subject familiarity before applying for postgraduate programs.

This reform is part of a broader shift in Indian higher education policy. The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently introduced new guidelines that promote flexibility and student autonomy in selecting both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The 2025 UGC reforms have made it clear that any student, regardless of their academic background, can pursue a postgraduate course in any discipline, provided they clear the requisite entrance examination. In this context, Delhi University’s step appears both timely and in alignment with national academic trends.

For students, the revised policy means greater agency in shaping their academic trajectory. A student majoring in political science, for instance, can now opt for a minor in economics or philosophy without having taken prior GE papers in those disciplines. However, sceptics believe that this will result in a non-proficient academic career. A student who would obtain a minor in a non-parent subject would not be acquainted with this discipline well enough. Having studied GE papers of one subject would at least instill a sense of familiarity with the discipline.

Feature Image source- Telegraph India

Madhav Choudhary

madhavchaudhary1209@gmail.com

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Admissions

DU Aims to Tighten Anti-Ragging Protocols Ahead of Academic Year

By DU Beat July 29, 2025

Delhi University has introduced stringent anti-ragging measures, including mandatory declarations, awareness campaigns, patrols, mentorship, grievance platforms, and control rooms, ensuring safety and smooth induction of new students.

A meeting of the Proctorial Board, held on Monday, finalised the introduction of new measures to Delhi University’s anti-ragging policy, ensuring a strict and robust stance against ragging across institutions to facilitate the smooth induction of the newly admitted students.

As opposed to the earlier approach of restricting surveillance to “sensitive areas”, the revised policy seeks to reach as many areas as possible. Additionally, the new policy includes the integration of technology through the use of online portals, Delhi Police and the Anti Ragging App.

All newly admitted students and their parents/guardians are required to submit an anti-ragging declaration through the national portal, www.antiragging.in. This mandate follows the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court to combat ragging in educational institutions under the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee.

Anti Ragging Week
Under the UGC guidelines, DU will observe Anti-Ragging Day on 12 August, with an entire week dedicated to anti-ragging awareness campaigns and discussions from 12 August to 18 August, in both Hindi and English.

Anti-Ragging Committee and Vigilance Squads
Colleges and requisite hostels have been made to restrict outsider access. There is a proposal for the formation of an Anti-Ragging Committee and Vigilance Squads with the help of students from the National Social Service and National Cadet Corps.

Police Surveillance
Regular patrolling will be conducted outside key campus areas, especially in women’s colleges. Using vehicles like Vamika, Delhi Police has ensured that plainclothed female officers will be present within and outside college campuses to prevent any sort of harassment against female students.

PG Verification
Students opting for paying guest accommodations, which has become extremely common, have been advised to verify their PGs with local police authorities to caution them from any exploitative practices in their accommodations.

Mentorship System
The university has rolled out a mentorship system where new students will be paired with faculty mentors outside their academic departments. An official in conversation with the Times of India stated that:

These mentors are expected to help new students navigate personal and emotional challenges that often come with the transition.”

Control Rooms
For instances of emergency, two control rooms, one each on the North and South Campus, are operable, from 1 August to 8 August. The numbers for the control rooms are:

- - - - North Campus: 27667221
        
        South Campus: 24119832

An online platform will be launched for grievance redressal, which will also include a referral process for cybercrimes related to ragging. All institutional authorities are required to submit weekly compliance reports during the first three months of the academic year, followed by monthly reports to the University Proctor at proctor@du.ac.in.

Students have been asked to install both the UGC anti-ragging app and the Delhi Police’s Himmat app. The University of Delhi, in collaboration with Delhi Police, has committed to ensuring an effective implementation of anti-ragging measures across all campuses.

Featured Image Credits: Yaksh Handa for DU Beat

Divyanshi Dusad

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Admission Season

Delhi University CSAS UG Second Allotment List Today: Over 43,000 Students Eye Seat Upgrades

By DU Beat July 28, 2025

Delhi University to release CSAS-UG 2025 second seat allotment today at 5 PM. Major reshuffling expected as thousands seek upgrades.

The University of Delhi (DU) will release the second round of undergraduate seat allotments today, July 28, at 5 PM, as part of its ongoing centralised admission process for the 2025-26 academic session under the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS-UG). Candidates who applied in the second round can check the allotment list on the official website once it is published.

Ahead of this round, the university had published a list of vacant seats, allowing candidates to re-arrange their preferences between 5 PM on July 24 and 4:59 PM on July 25.

This round of allocations is expected to reflect significant internal reshuffling. While 16,126 candidates chose to freeze their seats after the first round, a majority of 43,741 students opted for upgrades. These students are now awaiting the second list, hoping to move to their preferred colleges or programmes. The updated allotment will reflect these changes, offering candidates another opportunity to secure a seat based on merit and availability of seats.

According to the official schedule, once the second allotment list is released, candidates must accept their seats online between 5 PM on July 28 and 4:59 PM on July 30. Colleges will then verify and approve the online applications by July 31.

To confirm admission, students must pay the requisite fee through the online portal by 4:59 PM on August 1. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the allotted seat.

Additional rounds of seat allotment may be conducted by the university if vacant seats remain.

Image Credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Neeraja Unnikrishnan
neerajaunnikrishnan2005@gmail.com

Also Read: Few Days to Reopen, Still No Syllabi: What’s Happening at DU?

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Admission Season

Delhi University Issues Final Notice for CW Category Admissions for 2025-26

By DU Beat July 25, 2025

Delhi University asks CW quota candidates to submit ECC and documents by July 28 for UG admissions 2025-26.

The University of Delhi has released notification for candidates applying under the Children/Widows (CW) of Armed Forces Personnel supernumerary quota for undergraduate admissions for the academic year 2025-26. A tentative list of eligible candidates has been published, and those included must complete their document verification by submitting the Educational Concession Certificate (ECC) and other required documents no later than 11:59 PM on Monday, July 28, 2025.

The notice explicitly states that this date will be the last and final opportunity for CW candidates to submit the necessary documentation. No extensions or special requests will be entertained after the stipulated deadline.

All CW category applicants aspiring to secure admission under this quota must check their eligibility and priority classification, which ranges from Priority I to V, as detailed in the attached Annexure I available on the official DU Admissions 2025-26 portal.

Required Documents by Priority

The type of documents required for verification varies depending on the candidate’s priority status:

Priority I:

Pension Payment Order (PPO) and subsequent PPOs (if any)

Service/Discharge Book issued by respective records

Battle Casualty Certificate

Priority II:

PPO and subsequent PPOs (if any)

Complete Service/Discharge Book

Battle Casualty Certificate

Proceedings from the Invalidment Medical Board

Priority III:

PPO and subsequent PPOs (if any)

Service/Discharge Book

This categorisation ensures that concessions are granted in a structured manner to the most deserving candidates based on the nature of service and sacrifice made by their family members in the armed forces.

The document submission process must be completed online through the official University of Delhi admission portal, under the “Undergraduate Admissions 2025-26” section.

This move is part of the university’s broader commitment to honouring the contributions of armed forces personnel by providing educational support to their wards and widows. However, university officials have urged candidates to act promptly and accurately, warning that incomplete or delayed submissions will lead to disqualification.

Candidates and parents are advised to keep a close eye on official communication channels and ensure that all documents submitted are authentic, complete, and legible.

Image source : Devesh for DU Beat

Madhav Choudhary

madhavchaudhary1209@gmail.com

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Features

Unlawful Detentions, Custodial Torture. Delhi Police Faces Scrutiny Over Crackdown on Student Activists

By DU Beat July 24, 2025

Seven youth activists were allegedly detained without due process, tortured in custody, and later released, raising serious concerns over legality and institutional silence.

Over a span of 11 days in July, seven students and youth activists were detained by the Delhi Police Special Cell in a manner that civil liberties groups allege have amounted to enforced disappearance. The arrests, which began on July 9, have drawn criticism over alleged procedural violations, custodial torture and intimidation, including threats of sexual violence.

The detained individuals were affiliated with student-led platforms such as the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch and the Forum Against Corporatization and Militarisation.

On July 9, Delhi Police detained Gurkirat, Gaurav, and Gauraang, members of the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch, without issuing any formal arrest warrants or prior notifications, an action that appears to violate procedural safeguards outlined under Sections 35 and 36 of the BNSS. Two days later, activists Ehtmam-ul Haque and Baadal were also taken into custody under similar circumstances in Delhi.
Samrat Singh, a psychologist and social worker based in Yamunanagar, Haryana, was reportedly picked up from his residence without any involvement from the local police, raising concerns over the legality of cross-jurisdictional action by Delhi authorities.

While all seven activists were released by July 21, rights groups have said that the circumstances of their detention and treatment in custody merit closer scrutiny. The use of coercion, threats of sexual violence, and blatant disregard for due process remain matters of serious concern.

Legal groups and those detained allege that the arrests were made without warrants, and that standard procedures—including informing the accused and producing them before a magistrate within 24 hours—were not followed. Family members and legal representatives claim that for several days, they were unaware of the whereabouts of the detainees, effectively making the situation one of enforced disappearance under international human rights norms.

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) said the detentions violated Article 22 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to be informed of the grounds of arrest and to consult legal counsel. The group also said there was no adherence to the Supreme Court’s D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997) guidelines, which mandate the preparation of arrest memos and timely communication with families.

A report by Maktoob Media, based on interviews with the released individuals and legal advocates, stated that several of the detained activists alleged they were subjected to custodial violence, including beatings, electric shocks, and verbal abuse.

The Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM) stated to DU Beat:

This level of repression with abduction, week-long illegal detention, and custodial torture including electrocution, being forced to strip naked, sexual harassment, heads being dunked into unflushed toilet bowls is not an isolated incident.”

The statement continued, “These actions reflect the broader crackdown on democratic voices under the Surajkund Scheme, which aims to criminalise and silence all forms of dissent.”

Among the most serious allegations were threats of sexual violence directed at female detainees, who were allegedly warned they would be raped with rods if they did not comply with police demands. In some cases, activists claimed they were coerced into signing declarations renouncing political involvement or agreeing not to return to Delhi.

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), in its statement, alleged that the treatment meted out to the detainees amounted to sexualised violence and custodial abuse in breach of both Indian legal provisions and international human rights obligations. The group urged the courts to initiate an independent judicial probe into what they described as unlawful detentions, disappearances without disclosure, custodial torture, and gender-based threats made against the activists during their confinement.

Among the seven detainees, the case of Rudra, a 20-year-old student of Philosophy (Honours) from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, has received particular attention. Rudra disappeared shortly after boarding a train to Delhi on July 18. His phone was switched off within hours, and no information about his location surfaced until he was released on July 21. Activist groups say Rudra’s temporary disappearance typifies an emerging tactic of off-the-record detention meant to silence political speech while evading legal scrutiny.

Twenty-nine civil society and human rights organisations issued a joint statement demanding an independent judicial inquiry into the detentions. The signatories included the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS), and student organisations such as AISA, SFI, and BSF. According to a report by Maktoob Media, the statement described the detentions as part of a broader attempt to criminalise student and youth dissent, particularly among those opposing state policy in conflict-affected regions.

The joint statement urges the need for judicial oversight, accountability for police actions, and an end to the use of preventive detention in such cases.

The All India Students’ Association (AISA), which led demonstrations in Delhi following the arrests, framed the incident as an alarming expansion of authoritarian practices under the guise of national security. In a statement to DU Beat, spokesperson Anjali said:

The rapid erosion of civil and democratic rights has only accelerated in recent times as the ‘war against Naxalism’ spreads into cities. Any and all dissenting voices are being hunted and persecuted… This pattern must end immediately and a judicial inquiry must be constituted into the abductions, enforced disappearances, custodial torture, and threats of sexual violence faced by the detained activists.”

Other campus groups have called on university administrations and the University Grants Commission to take a stand in defence of student rights and institutional autonomy.

Despite the severity of the allegations, the case has received minimal coverage in major national dailies and television media. Only a handful of independent outlets have documented the timeline of events, first-hand accounts from the activists, and statements from rights organisations. This limited media scrutiny, observers argue, reflects a broader pattern of silence when allegations involve state agencies.

Lawyers representing the activists have announced plans to seek legal redress, including filing compensation claims and writ petitions questioning the legality of the arrests. These legal proceedings, if admitted, could require the Delhi Police to account for their conduct during the 11-day detention period and explain the apparent procedural lapses.

Simultaneously, rights organisations are exploring formal complaints to the National Human Rights Commission and relevant State Human Rights Commissions.

According to Maktoob Media,

“Legal support networks are also preparing to escalate the matter internationally, citing the custodial torture and enforced disappearances as violations of India’s obligations under international human rights law.”

The detention and alleged torture of Delhi-based youth activists has raised serious questions about the state’s adherence to democratic norms and constitutional protections. While all seven individuals have been released, rights groups argue that the manner of their detention and treatment warrants urgent institutional scrutiny.

Failure to address these concerns, they warn, could deepen distrust in law enforcement and weaken public confidence in democratic institutions. With civil society seeking accountability, the onus is now on the judiciary and human rights commissions to ensure due process is upheld.

Also Read: DU Student Activist Missing Amidst Alleged Police Detention, Speculations Spark Concern

Image Credits – Himanshu for DU Beat

Eram Asrar

eramas@dubeat.com

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Admission Season

Candidate Files Petition in Delhi High Court Challenging the Omission of Lawn Tennis Under the Sports Quota at Hindu College

By DU Beat July 21, 2025

Aditi Rawat, a sports quota candidate, has challenged the alleged failure of the Hindu College administration to comply with Delhi University’s CSAS Policy 2025-26, which mandates a five per cent allocation to ECA/sports quota in each college for every program.

The Delhi High Court, in its hearing on Friday, had demanded an explanation and specifics of the supernumerary quota seat allocation done by the authorities of Hindu College after a petition by a candidate, Aditi Rawat, on the same.

The petitioner, a gold medalist at CBSE nationals, with the representation of advocate Jeentender Gupta, has argued that based on the number of seats currently offered in the college, it mandates at least 47 seats for ECA/sports quota under Delhi University’s Common Seat Allocation System policy for the session 2025-26, which makes it mandatory for every college to allocate five per cent of the seats in each program to ECA/sports quota.

However, only 20 seats (equally divided between the categories) were allocated by the college. Additionally, it allocated seats for only three sports, including basketball, cricket, and football.

The petition states, “Hindu College failed to release even a single seat for lawn tennis in this quota, denying the petitioner her right to be considered for admission in her preferred institution on merit.”

The plea further argues that the college and Delhi University’s authorities cannot unreasonably exclude an internationally recognised sport from the seat matrix.

Justice Vikas Mahajan has ordered the requisite college authorities to reserve a seat under the quota for its academic session of 2025-26 while it decides on the plea.

Featured Image Credits – India Legal

Divyanshi Dusad

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Around the Campus

Crisis on Campus? Fourth Bomb Threat Throws Delhi University into Turmoil

By DU Beat July 19, 2025

Bomb threats targeting three DU colleges and 45+ schools have triggered mass evacuations and deepening fear. As students, parents, and teachers grapple with repeated hoaxes, a pressing question emerges: what does safety mean in a city where panic arrives before the school bell even rings?

Amid a string of unsettling events, fresh panic gripped Delhi University as three more colleges, Indraprastha College for Women, Hindu College, and Shri Ram College of Commerce received bomb threats via email earlier today. North Delhi Police confirmed the threats and stated that security protocols were immediately activated, with police teams conducting thorough campus searches. This marks the fourth such incident this week, escalating anxiety across students, parents, and staff. Notably, these threats are not limited to higher education institutions. Over the past few days, more than 45 schools across Delhi have also been targeted with similar alarming emails.

Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, with cybercrime units working to trace the origin of these messages. While all previous threats have turned out to be hoaxes, they have nonetheless triggered widespread panic, repeated evacuations, and intense law enforcement activity. The surge began on July 14, when three Delhi schools received bomb threats that led to bomb squad inspections; none of which revealed any explosive devices. On July 15, St. Stephen’s College and St. Thomas School were forced into lockdowns after receiving emails about IEDs and RDX being planted on their premises. The case was later traced to a 12-year-old student, who was detained briefly and released following counseling. The threats continued on July 16, when seven private schools received similar emails, prompting early morning evacuations and city-wide searches. No explosives were found in any of these cases, but the wave of threats has deeply unsettled educational communities across the capital.

Reacting to the developments, former Delhi Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, took to social media to voice her concern. She condemned the government’s failure to ensure the safety of children, writing:

More than 20 schools have received bomb threats today! Think of the trauma that children, parents, and teachers would be going through. BJP controls all 4-engines of governance in Delhi, and is yet not able to provide any safety or security to our children! Shocking.”

Cyber experts and senior officers of the Delhi Police investigating the threats add that the senders are using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and the dark web. According to police, all the emails received were similar, containing vague but threatening information, sent before school timings and often through international servers. The entire matter is under probe, they added. They warn that the use of VPNs and routing through the web proxies is hindering traceability like “chasing a shadow in a room full of mirrors” and as they “find a clue, it disappears behind another layer of anonymity.”

Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, a similar pattern emerged today as around 40 private schools across the city received hoax bomb threats. Chilling emails claimed TNT devices had been planted, prompting immediate evacuations and bomb squad deployments. However, no explosives were found. While none of these incidents yielded actual devices, the recurring pattern of early-morning emails, mass panic, and the rapid dismantling by anti-sabotage teams creates a troubling continuity that heightens anxiety across these two cities and places growing strain on emergency response systems. Until those responsible are held accountable and preventive systems strengthened, Delhi’s educational spaces, in particular, remain vulnerable; not just to physical danger, but to the looming cloud of fear.

Image Source: Deccan Herald

Neeraja Unnikrishnan

neerajaunnikrishnan2005@gmail.com

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Campus Central

Ashoka Admin Brings Back Surveillance, Student Government Fights Back

By DU Beat July 18, 2025

Ashoka University students protest new security rules. The measures reinstate the surveillance measures that ignited mass protests in January 2025, highlighting the precarious state of student dissent in the country.

On July 17, 2025, the Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) posted a public statement opposing the university’s new security rules for the upcoming semester. These rules will come into effect from September 17, 2025, and apply to all students attending the summer term. The new rule says that anything larger than a wallet or purse can only be brought through Gate No. 2. Further, the students must get their bags scanned every time they enter campus.

The Student Government has strongly opposed this move. They say students were not properly involved in the decision. Although a Standing Committee was formed last semester to discuss such policies, the student representatives were treated as “audience.” Their votes were not counted. Later, they were also left out of important meetings and were not informed about the final decisions.

This is not the first time such rules have led to controversy. In January 2025, Ashoka students held a major protest against strict surveillance measures on campus. The administration had introduced sudden room inspections, searching of vehicles, belongings of taxi drivers and family members on move-in days, and increased monitoring under the claim of tackling substance use. Hundreds of students joined the protest. The movement eventually forced the administration to form a Standing Committee to include students in decisions that affect their everyday lives.

Now, students feel those promises have not been kept. In the latest statement, AUSG pointed out that:

The distrust between the Administration (especially the Residence Life Office) and the student body has increased exponentially in the past semester. The office has subjected students to punitive measures, including citing exceptional clauses of the Residence Life Policy to conduct invasive “inspections” in the residence halls while breathalyzing and subjecting students to urine tests before addressing their health concerns when they visit the infirmary. The reimposition of the invasive security protocol risks making the situation worse, discouraging students from accessing the campus health resources, fearing disciplinary action against them.

The Student Government said that better, non-punitive solutions were suggested by students and faculty, including the Ashoka Behavioural Insights Team. But these were ignored. They believe that the new rules could make students feel watched and unsafe, instead of supported. The statement ends with a call to action. The AUSG reminded students that similar surveillance measures had led to Ashoka’s largest-ever protest earlier this year. AUSG calls out to students, saying: