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Among the most premier institutions in the country, the University Of Delhi has thousands of outstation students on its rolls, both at the undergraduate and at the postgraduate levels. Thus it was deemed necessary for the university to construct hostels to house these students.

From Assam to Afghanistan, Nagaland to Nepal, the University Of Delhi receives a significant number of outstation students every year. To accommodate this huge influx, the university has built numerous hostels in both the campuses. Besides that, many colleges have their own hostels for undergraduate students – St. Stephens’s College, Sri Venkateswara College, Hansraj College to name a few. Most of these hostels charge nominal fees, and since many students have financial constraints, the demand for rooms here is extremely high and allocation is usually merit – based. Students also prefer hostels due to the proximity to their place of study as well as for security reasons. We take a look at a few notable ones – 

Mansarovar Hostel 

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Image Credits : Mansarovar Hostel

Situated in North Campus opposite Khalsa College, the Mansarovar Hostel was constructed in 1993. It has 167 seats and houses male post graduate and research students of the university. Amenities include a dining hall, gymnasium, air-conditioned reading room and a computer room. Located in a slightly secluded spot, the hostel provides a respite to its residents from the hustle and bustle of the campus. Though during DUSU elections, the hostel is usually considered a hotbed of political activity. “I have made countless memories while staying at Mansarovar, and the constant interaction with people from diverse backgrounds has helped me grow immensely as a person”, said Meraj Alam, a Ph.D researcher and resident.

Aravali Hostel

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Image Credits : Aravali Hostel

Established in 2005, the Aravali Hostel, located on Benito Juarez Marg, provides accommodation to male post graduate and research scholars studying in South Campus, with a total of 76 seats.  The hostel has facilities for table tennis and badminton, a dining hall and a recreation centre. 

Geetanjali Hostel

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Image Credits : Geetanjali Hostel

One of the newer additions to the list of university accommodations, the girls-only Geetanjali Hostel is located in South Campus and takes in post graduate and research scholars, with a total of 102 seats. The hostel has a computer centre, library, gym and sports facilities. The boarders also host an annual function “Mridang”.

Gwyer Hall

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Image Credits : Just Dial

With its sprawling lawns, rows of palm trees, huge arches and symmetrical corridors, one might mistake the Gwyer Hall for a colonial era monument at first glance. Among the most iconic and also the oldest hostel in the university, the Gwyer Hall has been a site of numerous historic events and produced a long list of illustrious alumni since its inception in 1938. Named after Sir Maurice Gwyer, a former Vice Chancellor of the university and the founder of Miranda House, the Hall is situated in North Campus, opposite the University Stadium and accommodates 158 post graduate and research students. “The years I spent at Gwyer Hall are the ones I cherish and remember the most. I often pay a visit once in a while to eat the canteen’s much loved meetha samosa”, quipped Pradeep Jain, a Delhi University professor and a former resident of the Hall. Indeed, the Gwyer Hall canteen, run by Pandit Ji, is famous for the unorthodox menu it has on offer – butterscotch lassi, butter masala Maggi and the flagship sweet samosa amongst others.

Meghdoot Hostel

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Image Credits : DU Beat Archives

Located opposite the School Of Open Learning in North Campus and secluded from the main road by a canopy of trees, the girls-only Meghdoot Hostel was inaugurated in 1992. It houses full time post graduate and research students, with a capacity of 100 seats. The hostel is equipped with a computer lab, common room, dining hall, medical centre and sports facilities. Meghdoot is known for its strict administration and tight security– a curfew was imposed on the day of Holi in 2017, sparking controversy.

International Students House

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Image Credits : DU Beat Archives

Located beside Mansarovar Hostel and probably the first building which a person driving towards North Campus sees, the men-only International Students House was set up in 1964 with the efforts of the Indian Council For Cultural Relations to provide accommodation mainly to foreign students studying in the university. ISH has 98 seats in total, with 68 reserved for foreign students and the rest for Indian students. Currently students of more than 35 countries reside here, both undergraduates and postgraduates. The International Students House For Women is situated a few kilometres away in Mukherjee Nagar. ISH has been devoid of any notable controversy since its inception, a testament to the unity and harmony enjoyed by students from across the world living together.

Other notable hostels include – Jubilee Hall which was founded to commemorate the university’s silver jubilee in 1947, VKRV Rao Hostel which was founded in 1999 and houses research scholars from FMS and Delhi School Of Economics, Rajiv Gandhi Hostel For Girls which houses a large number of students from Northeast India, DS Kothari Hostel and the Ambedkar-Ganguly Students House.

The government should allocate funds to the University Of Delhi for construction of new hostels for both men and women keeping in mind the rising hostel: student ratio.

Image Credits – International Students House

Araba Kongbam

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The University of Delhi’s long-time pending demand for the construction of two hostels has finally bore fruit with the University ready to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). This stands as one of the key developmental issues that will take place in the University.

The University of Delhi (DU) along with the CPWD is planning to construct two hostels in the North and South Campus. A ‘400 bed capacity with double accommodation’ hostel is to be constructed in Mukherjee Nagar and the one in South Campus is yet to be finalised.

Currently, there are only 17 hostels in the University with a total capacity of 3,215 students whereas the total number of students for undergraduate, postgraduate, and certificate courses stands above a staggering number of 2,23,000 students. Having more hostels will bring better and safer living alternatives for the students of the University.

Along with the construction of the hostels, DU is also planning to preserve the century old Central Library as a ‘heritage building’. The Central Library is a host to a collection of 1,380 gifted books and functioned as a shifting space, until it found the present location at the Faculty of Arts in 1950. According to the plan, the library will be renovated and preserved along with the addition of another new block to it. The plan includes the construction of smart class rooms, seminar halls and an auditorium.

These two projects are spearheaded by CPWD along with the construction of a fully ‘digitalised Academic Block’ which will be located at the Maurice Nagar. The academic block will only be used for teaching purposes and will be constructed with digital and world class technology.

The University is working on more interesting plans and new technology for the students. As reported by The Pioneer, Mr. Tarun Das, Registrar, DU, said, “With the CPWD as the executing agency of the project, an estimated budget cost of the entire project is said to be 200 crores.”

The environment angle will duly be kept in check while all of these construction projects take place. Mr. Das also quoted, “Permissions need to be sought from environment department for felling trees.”

All of these projects stand as great stepping stones in bringing world class facilities to the university and making the spaces more accessible and centres of learning and ease for the students.

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

Amrashree Mishra

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If you are reading this in a North Campus college’s canteen, you have your fortunes to thank for. You have made it to The Inaccessible.

The paid admission applications stood at 2,58,388 after the last date of registration at the undergraduate portal this year. The University of Delhi (DU), one of the most coveted education-hub of the country has provision of seats for less than a quarter of these applicants. To make up for this “exclusivity”, the University has a presumably foolproof hack: astounding cut-offs. With every year, the poor standard of education is validated by the rich number-game of cut-offs. National headlines in dailies are blaring announcements of which college set the highest cut-off percentage this year.

This practice necessitates the question of alarming ambitions that we are handing out to young high-school students, and for the sake of what? The University is a lot of things, but not the best academic space. How important is it, then, getting a whopping 99% if you wish to pursue B.A. (Honours) Political Science from Hindu College?

Our school system has been reduced to unhealthy academic pressures, topped with the co-curricular necessity to be an “all-rounder”. School teachers are critical when a student underperforms. The acknowledgement of good work is brushed aside with “you have to do even better in the Board exams”.

The severe and mortal fear of Board exams, as you will relate with, dear fresher, presents the most harrowing March ever. The DU cut-offs soaring through the roof have sustained the brand-value of colleges like Shri Ram College of Commerce, but their effect on the lives of high-school students have been largely treated as ambitions. “I remember my Business Studies teacher chiding me in front of a class of fifty-odd students, ‘If you plan on getting a 90 in your Board exam, better do not consider appearing for it in the first place.’ This was 15 days before the Board exams started, and till date, I am not over this statement, despite getting a good score. I remember it flashing in my mind every second during my Board exam.”

Truly, getting 95% today is disturbing. If you wish to pursue Economics Honours from Lady Shri Ram College, you need at least 97% or above, which is more or less saying that you must not lose more than 2.5 marks in each of your Best of Four Subjects. The Central Board of Secondary Education and other boards have also adjusted to the demand. 100s are tirelessly awarded to students in language papers. Such distribution puts to question the idea of 100s. But then, as long as you are getting a seat for English Honours at St. Stephen’s, how does your English proficiency matter? College comes with its opportunities, and hiding behind these opportunities are insecurities and vulnerabilities. The definition of a good college is earmarked in its history and brand-value. Most school students are blasted with the academic pressure by their parents and teachers, all to enable them to make it to their dream college. The inconsistent debate of the quality of our education system, along with the question of the inconsequential social exposure that we allow to our students pointedly screams at the alarming ambitions that we have enforced on the youth.

India is one of the leading countries in terms of its rich human-resources under the age of 35, but how effectively can we translate this resource into its most conducive form? Surely, not by falsely feeding the inadequate need for validation of the “top colleges of DU”.

 

Feature Image Credits: Manjit Thapp via Instagram

 

Kartik Chauhan

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Thinking of going out for a cute, non-expensive date with your significant other (or maybe yourself!) this Valentine’s Day? We give you the best spots in North and South Campus for a memorable Valentine’s experience.

Here are spots in North Campus you mustn’t miss!

1) The Ridge: The Kamala Nehru Ridge has its own history of being a lover’s spot but be careful, don’t let the monkeys get you or the insects harm you! Bask in the winter sun for a peaceful getaway from the bustling North Campus.

2) Delhi School of Economics: The Delhi School of Economics (DSE) lawns are perfect for a mini photoshoot in the winters. DSE has many lawns (some less populated) which give you the perfect peace and quiet with your significant other. The tea from JP Tea Stall makes it worthwhile!

3) Kamla Nagar: Take a stroll through the bustling market and hunt for the cheapest outlet you can find. It can be a super fun thing to do with your partner while getting lost in the many narrow lanes of ‘K-Nags’.

4) Hudson Lane: Okay, we get it. It’s not exactly ‘non-expensive’ but take a walk through Hudson Lane before 11:00 AM, when the restaurants and cafes haven’t opened for business yet. Save up for Valentine’s day as many restaurants would have offers going and it’s the perfect way to feed the capitalist agenda.
5) Majnu Ka Tila: Roam around Mini-Tibet while devouring delicious dumplings or laphing this winter with your partner. It’s the perfect place to shop for cheap clothing, bags and more trendy stuff! Make sure you try the cafés and restaurants serving Tibetan, Nepali and even Korean food.

Discover these unexplored spots in South Delhi with your partner.

1. Siri Fort Ruins: In the heart of South Delhi lies the beautiful and isolated Siri Fort ruins. Pack a picnic basket, enjoy the Valentine’s Day afternoon in this brightly lit monument and make your day special. The nearest metro station to reach here is Green Park.

2. Deer Park: Cherish the breath-taking sunset at Deer Park in Hauz Khas Village. The freshness of nature and sight of the gorgeous lake will bring positivity and happiness in you.

3. Lodhi Garden: A lovely spot to escape from the hectic city. Come along with your partners to admire nature, tombs and a lake in this relaxing spot. You can spend hours strolling through the area and appreciating the flora.

4. Park behind Ansal Plaza: An empty, isolated yet beautiful space for you to meet and have a simple and peaceful date. Just behind Ansal Plaza, this seems like an old piece of land but is very well maintained with lovely seating arrangements under the shade of tall stunning trees.
5. DDA-Gulmohar Park: Extremely close to Green Park Metro Station, this well-maintained park is a perfect spot to bask in the sunshine, spend lazy afternoons with your significant other and enjoy watching rehearsals of various cultural societies who generally come out to practice in winters.

6. Sheikh Yusuf Qattal’s Tomb: An old monument with intricate jaalis, blue tiles and a 12-pillared structure, Sheikh Yusuf Qattal’s Tomb is a peaceful and beautiful unexplored date spot with minimal tourists. This Valentine’s Day, explore this hidden marvel with your loved ones and enjoy.
Image Credits- Pinterest

Sakshi Arora
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Jaishree Kumar
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With the end of school life, admission fever has caught up and life is changed forever. The cocoon of school life has burst and you are in for a rollercoaster ride at the University of Delhi. One of the most relevant debates in the University is: North Campus or South Campus? I understand that everybody does not have the privilege of choosing between the two, but the preferred choice has always been the North Campus. Having settled for a South Campus College, I can vouch for the differences but each one has its own pros and cons.

Location
All the colleges in North Campus (NC) are located within walking distances of each other. In addition to this, all the Departments and Faculties of the University lie in the vicinity along with teachers’ residences and apartments. Cluster Innovation Centre and Delhi School of Journalism are also a part of North Campus. South Campus colleges are located in a gap of kilometres from each other and walking is not feasible. Being in such a close-knit environment, NC students have the opportunity of coming across other fellow students from other colleges and making friends beyond just their college, the same is not plausible for South Campus students.

Activity
With the benefit of having all colleges, departments, and faculties in the same neighbourhood, students are often found at locations other than their colleges during free hours. Not a day goes by when there is not a talk, seminar, play or other events (s) in any one of the colleges. Such privilege has not been bestowed upon the South Campus students because a) not enough events take place during odd semesters and b) time travelling to NC would consume the free periods.

Hangout Spots
Anna Canteen, Tom Uncle’s Maggie,  Majnu Ka Tila, and Hudson Lane are some of the favourite hangout spots for North Campus students.  Kamla Nagar (Knags), a favoured shopping stretch, is at a stone’s throw away from all colleges. Satya Niketan, Hauz Khas Village, Lajpat Nagar, and Nehru Place are the preferred hangout hubs for South Campus students offering an array of options for eating and shopping.

Hullabaloo
The protest culture is a double-edged sword. The sloganising and haranguing have often excited and disturbed the North Campus students. The right to protest is a blessing in disguise for the University teachers and students to claim their fundamental rights, but often the same protests are used as a  propaganda tool of the political parties which disrupts the schedules of North Campus colleges. Residing in solitude and away from the protest culture, the South Campus colleges carry on with their lives in peace, but that has not deterred the students and teachers from joining their compatriots on various occasions. Considering most protests often culminate at Mandi House, all colleges get equal access to participate in vibrant student-led movements.

In conversation with the DU Beat correspondent Dr. Anjana Nera Dev, Assistant Professor at Gargi College, articulated, “The North-South friendly rivalry is part of the urban legend heritage of DU admissions. While common sense dictates that geography and academic credentials are the reasons for the inter list migrations between the two, there seems to be more to this than meets the eye. Also, the preferred direction seems to be North, while South is better for all the co-curricular activities. I wonder when the compass will go back to having four cardinal points and the East and West will also become desirable destinations to which students will aspire and about which the media will debate.”

Everybody’s college life has its own share of ups and downs and once you have settled in your college, you love your college no matter what and it becomes your home.

Feature Image Credits: The University of Delhi
Prachi Mehra 
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The long and tiring admission process in Delhi University which dominates the imagination of aspirants since the beginning of March means taking multiple important decisions. With the onset of this season comes the dreadful pressure of making life-changing choices. While we certainly can’t dictate what you ought to do, we can list some pros and cons to help you make a worthy decision.

 COLLEGE VS COURSE

The juncture where most students get stuck is the great debate of college vs course. On one hand, you have your dream college and on the other, you have your favourite course. It is a tough call to make but there isn’t any one answer that is right for everyone.

The faculty members of Delhi University are good at their jobs all over and great professors aren’t just restricted to a few colleges. So the difference in the ranking of colleges is usually a result of other factors and not solely because of a lack of the quality of the faculty. However, it is a fact that a high-ranking college does make a positive difference to your CV. Therefore, for those who feel this factor to be essential in their chosen field can choose course over college. On the other hand, if one aims to pursue research and higher studies in one particular subject then choosing course over college might just be the right decision. As a Department of English professor says, “Before choosing a stream, the student should understand that a college tags for three years while the discipline tags throughout the career.”

The choice of college or course also depends on the career path one has chosen. If your career is leaning towards co-curriculars, it makes sense to choose a college that has the best society or team for your chosen field. At the end of the day, what matters is if you are getting the most out of your choice.

(Anagha Rakta)

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 NORTH CAMPUS VS SOUTH CAMPUS

The north campus of the University is the natural first choice of all Delhi University aspirants thanks to its sprawling Lutyens-esque buildings and its rich alumni. But with the perennial growing standards of and around the colleges outside the University enclave, are north campus colleges really worth blind-shots?
A majority of students and professors around the University deny the supremacy of the north campus colleges and believe that the chosen course is what really matters. A University professor from the Department of English opines, “The faculty across the University are evenly qualified. Hence, there is no scope of relatively mediocre teaching standards in any college of the University. The professors across the University would unanimously agree that the preferred course should not be compromised at the cost of campus, or college, for that matter.” In this light, the varsity also allows the student to switch colleges in the second and third years on the basis of the marks scored throughout the year.

For non-educational aspects, both the campuses have a culture entirely unique to themselves, without either being inferior. Satya Niketan in the south and Hudson Lane in the north, along with other marvelous hangout zones around almost every DU college, ensure a brilliant time for every student of the University.

Both campuses have their own special charms and unique factors and it is impossible to say which one is superior. Whatever side of the city you choose, your campus will give you immense opportunities to make the most of your college life.

(Nikhil Kumar Thakur)

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It’s that time of the year again when the farewells have just ended and everyone is busy with exam preparation. It’s also that time of the year when students are eagerly waiting for the exams to end and the fucchas to arrive. Well, the fucchas -to- be, on the other hand, have nothing to do but sleep, eat, dream and repeat. Dream about making it to the college they’ve always wanted to be in and have a taste of the freedom that college life promises. And a lot among these young aspirants also dream of making it to North Campus.

Allow me, a former North Campus aspirant just like them, to bust all myths about this place.

1. Elite Colleges
When people talk about North Campus, the first thing they mention is the number and names of elite colleges it has. Hindu, Stephen’s, Miranda and the list goes on. What they forget to take note of is that some of the best and top colleges of Delhi University are either Off Campus or South Campus Colleges. (Heady hint: LSR, CBS, JMC)

2. Food Joints
Can college life ever be complete without eating joints? Nay! So, when people from North Campus come up to you to tell you about how North Campus (NC) has Hudson Lane and apart from the million other small eating joints, tell them about Satyaniketan which is home to almost all the cafes in NC or the proximity of Amar Colony from PGDAV College and drive home the point by mentioning the proximity of HKV, Shahpur Jat and Cyber Hub from South Campus.

3. Markets
Now, everyone knows how the North Campus walas have K-nags all to themselves but let’s not forget how South Campus has Lajpat Nagar, Khan Market and Sarojini Nagar nearby and the proximity of off campus colleges to the Paharganj Market. We’re not the only privileged one’s here!

4. Infrastructure
Yes, the infrastructure in many North Campus colleges is top notch but that let’s not underestimate the off campus colleges. In the past few years, a lot of off campus colleges from ARSD College to Deen Dayal Upadhyay College have shifted to better locations with better infrastructure facilities.

5. Courses
Off Campus colleges offer specialized courses which is not common in North Campus. Lady Irwin College and Institute of Home Economics, both of which are off campus colleges are the only colleges which offer courses in Home Science.

The next time someone from North Campus comes to you talking about the environment in North Campus ask them to think about the time of the elections in the campus and compare the crass cacophony of sloganeering with the peaceful environment in Off Campus Colleges!

Akshara Srivastava

Image Credits: http://churchak.org/

As reported by DU Beat in January, the poor conditions of the footpath of south campus and persistent overflow of sewage led students of Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University to write letters to various government and municipal agencies to look into the matter. This was met with a positive response from both, the Prime Minister’s Office and Dr. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament.   However, more than a month and an evening of rain later, the campus reverted to sewage waste on road and water logging. Ashutosh Singh, a student of Sri Venkateswara College, notified the Public Works Department to tackle this issue and also live up to their promise made before of replacing the sewer line. The work for this has begun and new sewer pipeline is being laid out. Demand of public toilet or convenience and the reconstruction and repair of the footpath had also been mentioned in the letters but no work towards it has started yet. “It is essential that we demand for basic rights. With properly constructed footpaths and public toilets, college students can have a pleasant experience instead of hassled one,” said Ashutosh Singh. Under a student run program, a campaign called ‘Outside the Campus’ was initiated where more than 250 students of Sri Venkateswara College wrote post cards to the PMO expressing their grievances, wants and solutions.   Also read: Open Sewers and Broken Footpaths: South Campus students complain to authorities   Shefali Bharati [email protected] Image credits: Ashutosh Singh]]>

The South Campus of Delhi University comprises of six colleges situated on the Dhaula Kuan stretch, with a strength of almost ten thousand students attending college. However, the public infrastructure has been underdeveloped and ignored.

The campus has been facing a continuous problem of sewage leakage and broken footpaths. Open drains in between the footpaths make it a potential accident hazard and the stench from overflowing and exposed gutters makes it unbearable to walk the stretch. Students coming from the Dhaula Kuan ring road side are compelled to take an auto and spend money where as they could easily walk the distance if the footpaths were maintained, clean and continuous.

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On account of this, three students of Sri Venkateswara college namely, Manish Jain (Central Councillor), Ashutosh Singh (Student Activist) and Anshu Mishra went and met with Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi(Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha) and discussed these issues with her. Ashutosh Singh had also sent a mail to The Chief Minister of Delhi specifying the problems and demands on 8th Jan 2016 which had been received by the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the C.M. and has assured that a positive and a legal action regarding these issues will be taken as soon as possible.

The proposal of demands includes, increase in frequency of the university special buses, installation of CCTV cameras and the completion of the underpass on the Benito Juarez Marg at the earliest.  The mail has also been forwarded to the Commissioner, South Municipal Corporation of Delhi (SDMC), Tourism Department and OSD Transport Minister

When DU Beat asked them about their agenda and the execution of changes, Ashutosh Singh said, “After witnessing sewage, footpath, garbage and underpass problems in South campus, we will start a campaign named “Outside the Campus” with the help of all South Campus Colleges. In this initiative student members will write more than 1000 post card letters about the problems they are facing to appropriate authority which will include HRD Ministry, Urban Development Authority, SDMC, Public Works Department of Delhi and the Chief Minister.”

Receiving positive responses and the promise of imminent change, the students are finding strength in their initiative. It’s time South Campus catches up and becomes a pleasant experience for students and others alike.

Featured Image Credits- du.ac.in

Inputs From: Ashutosh Singh

Shefali Bharati

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