Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Tag

women

Browsing
DUB News

CM Rekha Gupta Meets DU Student Representatives To Seek Input on Campus Safety Measures 

By
CM Rekha Gupta meeting with DU female representatives

CM Rekha Gupta held a meeting with DU women representatives from various colleges to discuss topics of travel, safety, and educational facilities while promising rapid improvements.

 

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta interacted with DU students and female representatives from various colleges on October 12th at the Mukhyamantri Jan Seva Sadan. The session highlighted the importance of the inclusion of young people while incorporating their perspectives and ideas into administrative policymaking. The youth of Delhi represent a significantly valuable resource for the country’s socio-political development. The discussions addressed many important topics related to women’s safety, such as campus safety, public transport, and educational facilities.  

 

At the meeting, many students shared their personal experiences and suggested definitive measures such as periodic safety audits across all educational campuses, an increase in the number of female police personnel, and adequate street lighting while simultaneously illuminating the dark spots near the campus and student housing areas. Discussions on the regular accessibility of Pink Booths were given adequate attention. In response to these constructive remarks, the Chief Minister assured the students that their concerns would be properly addressed with necessary action. 

 

To address these safety issues, Rekha Gupta addressed the students, saying that the work for installing around 1 lakh streetlights is currently underway. These lights would be connected with the Integrated Command and Control Centre. Under an annual maintenance contract, agencies would be required to repair non-functional lights within a specified timeframe. She said steps to improve lighting near colleges would be taken in coordination with local agencies and college administrations. 

 

To tackle security issues outside the jurisdiction of the colleges, Rekha Gupta asked the students to use the emergency helpline number, 112, to seek police assistance in an emergency. Furthermore, for internal auditing within the institutions, women representatives suggested setting up safety committees in every college comprising the principal, student representatives, and local police officers. 

 

Transportation was also a key topic that was brought up in the discussions. Better DTC Bus connectivity and University-Provided Bus Connectivity for off-campus colleges, regular stops at designated locations, regulated e-rickshaw operations, and stronger security around paying guest accommodation. 

 

Students and representatives from Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College, Daulat Ram College, Jesus and Mary College, Maitreyi College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Bharati College, and Janki Devi Memorial College attended the meeting. For further developments, CCTV surveillance and grievance redressal at college levels were also demanded by the student representatives, the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement. 

 

To facilitate quick and reliable communication measures, WhatsApp groups would be created to establish a reliable coordinating system between the students and the officials that would always remain active, enabling students to share their concerns directly. This platform would also help the students feel encouraged to speak up about their issues and concerns directly to the official authority. Thus, this framework is very important to create a 2-way relation that acts as a bridge to cater to every scenario and help find a proper solution for all the safety demands from students from all campuses. 

 

In lieu of the concurrent frameworks and protests, the CM assured that if a complaint is not addressed at the appropriate level, students can also approach senior police officers and officials of the concerned departments. Therefore, removing the unseen barriers that affect female safety. She emphasised that effective grievance redressal would be executed while ensuring students’ safety remain priorities for the government. 

 

For a major portion of young women in this country, education is an incentive rather than an indispensable right. This is not just a paved pathway for education, but sometimes the only means to become truly self-dependent and instil confidence. Therefore, by addressing and solving such coherent safety concerns, the youth of this nation can continue to work towards their goal without any unnecessary barriers. The session served as a reminder that meaningful youth participation begins with attentive listening and continues through sustainable action in response to dialogues. 

 

Image Credits: impressivetimes.com 

Read Also: The Perfect Protests Don’t Exist

 

Rajarshi Ghosh 

[email protected] 

 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

Allegations of Sexist and Sexual Remarks Surface Against Core Members of FLP Hansraj

By

Several posts circulating online allege sexist and sexual remarks made by Union Members of FLP Hansraj. The club union has released a statement announcing that the named members are no longer associated with FLP. 

On Thursday, 8th October 2026, posts appeared on LinkedIn and Instagram, alleging misogynistic and sexual remarks made by members of ‘Future Leaders Program (FLP)’ Hansraj College.

Screenshots circulating on social media, independently verified by DU Beat through anonymous sources at Hansraj, show the named individuals making inappropriate remarks such as “She’s asking 4 it” and “Mein toh soc chod deta first year hota toh – zero hot women”. The screenshots also show the accused using obscene language and casteist slurs against female juniors. 

Future Leaders Program, Hansraj College, was founded about a year ago in 2025. Following the surfacing of sexual and sexist remarks by the leadership, Hansraj College declared that the Future Leaders Program is not a recognised society of Hansraj, in an official notice dated 8th October.

Following the controversy, the Future Leaders Program on 9th October released a statement announcing, “​​In light of the recent developments and concerns that have come to light, the President, former Presidents, and individuals holding the previously associated core positions are no longer associated with FLP in any capacity.” The club also stated that it does not stand by the conduct that has surfaced, and has attempted to address these concerns over the past weeks through structured channels within the society.  

Image Source: @flp.hansraj on Instagram 

Students at Hansraj stated that this misconduct had been ongoing since November 2025, and the details were made clear recently. DU Beat was also told that the club’s previous union, responsible for choosing the new presidents, was aware of the alleged misconduct of the individuals named, their statements and was directly involved as well. 

An anonymous source at Hansraj College stated that the FLP President, named in these allegations, had apologised to those who brought the allegations forward. They pointed out that “if it wasn’t true, he wouldn’t have apologised.” 

When asked about the wider environment of the club, it was revealed that the club had a skewed gender ratio, “The current council had 10 men, 4 women, and there was only 1 woman in the whole core union.”

Further, according to social media posts, backed by students at Hansraj College, those named have received Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) from several reputed consulting companies. 

Individuals involved are demanding cancellation of the accused’s Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs), out of concern for appropriate workplace behaviour and have stated suspension as the bare minimum.

SFI Hansraj, a left-leaning student political organisation, has also condemned the incident and submitted a memorandum asking for strict action to be taken against those involved. 

These allegations arise against a backdrop of growing student concerns over women’s safety and their ability to move through public spaces without fear. With the recent allegations coming to light, questions surrounding safety, dignity and accountability continue to remain a concern. 

DU Beat reached out to the FLP Club for a direct quote, but no response was received at the time of publication.

 

Image Source: @hrcduofficial on Instagram

Read Also: DU Women’s Colleges Call for Solidarity March to Reclaim the Streets; Hundreds of Women Take Part

 

Sahaj J. 

[email protected] 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

‘Hum Auratein Azaad Hai’: DU Students March to Reclaim Public Spaces

By

A solidarity march demanding safer public spaces for women and gender minorities was held across South Delhi on September 25, with students from Delhi University colleges taking to the streets following the gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl in Astha Kunj Park. 

The march remained largely decentralised and student-led with no formal affiliation to any political party. Members of the Collective were, however, also seen participating in the protest. Coordination and communication were primarily carried out through multiple WhatsApp groups. 

Students from various Delhi University colleges, along with those from institutions like AIIMS and IIT Delhi, joined the demonstration. The march began near Gargi College and proceeded towards Kamala Nehru College, with protesters raising concerns over women’s safety, inadequate infrastructure and restrictions on women’s access to public spaces. Reports from the protest noted demands for better lighting, security infrastructure and accountability around areas frequently used by students. 

Hindustan Times spoke to a student and revealed how they were publicly recorded in a metro, raising questions around privacy and safety. The demonstration unfolded in multiple stages. Students first marched on the road before moving to DDA’s Arun Jaitley Park for a public meeting, where participants discussed the demands being raised by the protest. The gathering later resumed as a night march at around 7 pm, with students returning to the streets as an act of reclaiming public spaces after dark.

The protesters opposed measures that restrict women’s movement in the name of safety. A major point of contention was the reported move to restrict access to parks after sunset, which protesters argued places the responsibility for preventing sexual violence on women rather than addressing perpetrators, policing and inadequate public infrastructure. Moneycontrol reported that protesters also criticised restrictions on women’s access to parks and called for stronger institutional accountability.

The march also expanded the conversation beyond rape to everyday forms of gender-based harassment. Protesters raised concerns about stalking, inappropriate recording of women in public spaces and the lack of adequate lighting and security around college-adjacent areas. 

At the public meeting, participants released the “Hum Auratein Azaad Hai Declaration”, a ten-point charter outlining their demands. The declaration calls for street lighting in roads, parks and public spaces, particularly around universities, slums and industrial areas; improved public transportation, including more DTC and shuttle buses and metro passes for women; and functional public toilets and menstrual-health facilities for women and gender minorities.

Speaking to DU Beat, another student emphasised the need to build collective solidarity beyond Delhi University, arguing that the movement should extend to central universities like IITs and AIIMs across the country. “For collective solidarity, this cannot remain limited to Delhi University. Students from central universities across the country should be brought into the movement so that the demand for women’s safety and the right to public spaces becomes a nationwide struggle.”

Beyond immediate security measures, the declaration places women’s safety within wider questions of economic and social freedom. It calls for more hostels and scholarships for women students, greater opportunities for women in STEM and professional fields, equal pay, and investment in public infrastructure such as anganwadis, creches, maternity homes, community kitchens and laundries.

The charter also addresses the treatment of women care workers, calling for recognition and dignity for workers in anganwadis, sanitation, hospitals and domestic work. It further raises concerns over the treatment of sexual violence as a matter of community “izzat” and demands greater accountability for public officials accused of sexual harassment.

Similar marches are scheduled to happen across Delhi University colleges. The protest thus connected the immediate demand for safer streets with a broader demand for women’s freedom to occupy public spaces without restrictions. 

 

Read also: IPCW Announces Student Elections Following Earlier Refusal

Image Credits: Satakshi for DU Beat

 

Tarunima Tayal 

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Auburn Umbrella

Pocket-Sized Problem, Billion-Dollar Solution 

By
2018, data journalism outlet The Pudding measured the pockets of 80 pairs of 32-inch men’s and women’s blue jeans across 20 major brands. Women’s front pockets were, on average, 48% shorter and 6.5% narrower than men’s. Only 40% of women’s front pockets could fit a smartphone. And just 10% could fit a woman’s own hand.

For “The Business Model Hiding in Your Jeans”: Women’s jeans pockets are 48% shorter than men’s, and it’s not a fashion afterthought. Here’s the economic logic that turned a design flaw into a billion-dollar industry.

A question to all the women reading this: Can most or even any of your pairs of jeans, trousers, or lowers fit a phone, keys, and your wallet in them?
Probably not…Because more often than not, men can fit a phone, wallet, keys, and probably even a small novel into their pockets, while women are stuck with pockets that feel less like pockets and more like decoration. And if you’ve ever wondered why, well, this is less of a coincidence and more of a deliberate design choice. 

Back in 2018, data journalism outlet The Pudding measured the pockets of 80 pairs of 32-inch men’s and women’s blue jeans across 20 major brands. And here’s what they found: Women’s front pockets were, on average, 48% shorter and 6.5% narrower than men’s. Only 40% of women’s front pockets could fit a smartphone. And just 10% could fit a woman’s own hand.

But why is this so, and since when?

In medieval times, both men and women had “pockets” tied around the waist and hidden beneath their clothing. But in the 17th century, men’s jackets and pants were adorned with pockets sewn directly into the garment. Women, meanwhile, were still stuck with tie-on pouches strapped under their petticoats.

Toward the end of the 18th century, women’s fashion changed: waistlines crept up, silhouettes slimmed, and pockets shrunk, sometimes becoming nonexistent.  Famed fashion designer Christian Dior further cemented the patriarchy of pockets in 1954, allegedly saying, “Men have pockets to keep things in; women, for decoration.” 

As a consequence, the purse was born. Reticules, as they were called, were minuscule bags that women carried in their hands rather than on their hips. As the century ticked on, they became more elaborately decorated, and hence became a status symbol. And this was “the beginning of the end”

The beginning of the handbag industry, the end of choice….I mean pockets.

This consequence soon became a thriving cause, strong enough to keep the design as it is and the pockets well non-functional and petite. Just think about it. If our jeans can’t hold our phone, wallet, or keys, we need somewhere else to put them. And that creates space for an entirely different market to thrive… handbags. 

Just to give you a sense of scale, the global handbag market was valued at roughly $86 billion in 2025. And this is not something that emerged in anonymity; a large chunk of it grew around the economics of manufactured need. There’s a well-known business strategy around this model called the razor-and-blades model: sell the base product cheap, then make your real money on a complementary product the customer has to keep buying. For example, Gillette sells cheap razors and expensive blades.

Pockets and handbags run on the same logic, with one twist. Nobody needs to lower the price of the jeans; they just need it to fail at a basic job. Which doesn’t lower the demand for jeans; people still need the jeans, right? What it does do, though, is generate demand for something else entirely, a bag to carry what the pocket won’t. 

The more useful economic explanation is that once a design constraint creates a dependent market, there is no market incentive for the original manufacturer to fix it. A denim brand has no financial reason to give you a pocket that fits your phone; doing so doesn’t sell more jeans. The cost of the small pocket is anyway externalised; it’s paid by you, in the form of a bag you now have to carry.

So in an illogically-logical manner, this creates a pink tax of sorts. The well-known pattern where women pay more than men for near identical products. A US government study of 800 gender-specific products found personal care items priced 13% higher for women, accessories 7% higher, and clothing 8% higher, according to the World Economic Forum.

Economists have a formal name for this: third-degree price discrimination, where a seller charges different prices to different groups for essentially the same good, sorted by an attribute like gender rather than by production cost.                                                                                                                        

In this case, though, it is a little different; nobody per se is charging more for a woman’s pair of jeans; they’re just subtly removing a utility that should come with it, forcing women to spend twice, just to solve a problem that fabric simply solves for men. Towards the end, leading to men paying less than women for the same utility.

Now, you could argue that women simply “prefer” handbags. And sure, maybe we do now. But it’s funny how preference and necessity have a way of blending into each other when necessity is manufactured first. 

Arshia Sharma
[email protected] 

Read also: Beyond the Binary of Pink and Blue

Image credits: The Pudding

Keep Reading
By
Admission Season

CUET and the Gender Equation: Why Fewer Women are Entering Delhi University

By
Female students getting admission in colleges of Delhi University

A closer look at the decline in women’s admissions to Delhi University after CUET raises concerns over equity and accessibility.

Since the introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) in 2022, Delhi University, once a bastion of growing female undergraduate participation, has seen a steady decline in the number of women securing admission. A trend that had once tilted heavily in favour of women has now begun to falter, raising serious questions about equity, access, and the unintended consequences of a uniform entrance system.

Between 2019 and 2021, DU witnessed a strong and consistent female presence in its undergraduate admissions. In 2019, women comprised 60.16% of total admitted students; in 2020, the figure stood at 57.82%; and in 2021, it peaked at 61.44% — the highest in recent years. These gains were made under the previous system that relied heavily on board exam performance for admissions.

The landscape shifted dramatically in 2022 with CUET’s implementation. That year, the percentage of women admitted dropped to 50.97%, accompanied by a sharp decline in absolute numbers: from 54,818 in 2021 to just 34,120 in 2022. Though there was a slight recovery in 2023 and 2024 with 36,039 and 38,096 women admitted, respectively, the female share of admissions continues to hover around 54%, notably lower than the pre-CUET average.

This drop is not merely statistical; it reflects a deeper structural issue. Faculty members and educationists report that the CUET format has posed multiple challenges for female aspirants, particularly those from marginalised and rural backgrounds. One key concern is the digital divide. CUET is conducted as a computer-based test, and many students, especially girls in semi-urban or rural areas, lack access to adequate devices, internet connectivity, or test preparation platforms. Unlike the earlier system, which rewarded sustained school performance, CUET leans heavily on performance in a single national-level examination, often necessitating expensive coaching.

Moreover, DU officials believe that logistical constraints, such as the unavailability of safe and affordable hostels and increased travel costs, are deterring women from applying to or pursuing degrees at DU, especially when similar options exist closer to home. Several faculty members have pointed out that while boys may be encouraged to move across states for college, girls are often expected to stay local, unless DU offers strong institutional support.

This gender shift has wider implications for the university. With DU reportedly losing ₹21 crore over three years due to vacant undergraduate seats, the drop in female admissions is not just a social concern but a fiscal one too. The university has had to conduct multiple mop-up rounds to fill vacancies, delaying semester schedules and diminishing academic momentum.

As DU adapts to the CUET regime, the challenge ahead lies in ensuring that standardisation does not come at the cost of inclusion. Policymakers must ask—Is a uniform test truly equitable when the ground on which students stand is anything but level?

Read Also: The Illusion of Equality: The Hidden Gender Imbalance in DU’s Equal Paradigm 

Featured Image Credits: Hindustan Times 

Madhav Chaudhary 

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Features

Patchwork Feminism: Are Women Truly Capable With Just Education Alone?

By

A vile assault and murder has struck the nation’s tightest nerve. It must now wake up and smell the coffee to realise that empowering women goes beyond providing them an education. Even the most capable of us will need safe conditions to live without fear and with freedom. 

On August 9th 2024, a horrifying incident shook the nation to its core. A resident doctor at the R.G. Kar Hospital in Kolkata was found unconscious on the hospital grounds. Alerted by her state of undress and the profuse bleeding, she was taken in for examination by the medical staff, who later declared her dead. The post-mortem report revealed shocking details. It was reported that there was severe bleeding from her genitals, a list of broken bones, and a vile mutilation of her body. The nation is rightfully grieving and raging against the news; hundreds of protests and marches in her name are being held on a daily basis. Politicians, celebrities, students, and the Indian intelligentsia have taken over the internet to pour out their grief and revitalise the conversation surrounding the state of women in the country. 

 For many, this incident comes as a shock. To them, India is a developed nation with rights and functions outlined for all. On the brink of economic greatness, the vox populi considers India to be above such crimes of barbarity (it is shocking in equal measure how many have turned their eye against brutal cases in the past and are only raging now when the victim is someone that belongs to their class structure. There is shamefully no doubt that a similar incident in say, a village in Uttar Pradesh, might not have triggered such a passionate response). Perhaps it is the right time to consider that maybe India is not the haven they thought it was and that regardless of the claims of “Beti bachao, beti padhao,” the daughter will never be safe, not unless we change systemic patterns.  

The world has always fallen victim to pseudo-feminism. Women have been given just enough to satiate, but never enough to truly free them from their shackles. India is no stranger to this phenomenon. The constitution makers envisioned that with independence, India would herald a new age where a person’s rights would beget them the respect they had been denied for centuries. Coupled with the immemorial reverence for education in the country, it was understood that once formal education was introduced, many of society’s evils would fade away into obsolescence. An educated member of society is a capable member of society, and a capable member of society would not be plagued by issues of old. Rape culture, however, does not spare anyone. It looks for a chance, and unfortunately for the women of India, their abilities do not influence it. The Kolkata case among the long, long list of many others raises the question: Is simply educating the girl child going to save her?  

Tarabai Shinde, in her career-defining work Stree-Purush Tulna (Comparison Between Men and Women), answers the question with a resounding no. In her time, “the educated wife” was a fad that had taken hold. It was to educate the woman without actually letting her participate in the public sphere. Tarabai Shinde’s father was a member of the Satyashodhak Samaj, and it is to him that she “owes” her education. However, this relative freedom hadn’t been enough, as Tarabai referred to herself as “locked up and confined in the proper old Maratha manner.”.  

Her scathing critique fits the current India scarily well. 

Tarabai reaffirms the tragic reality where gender relations remain unchanged but are rebranded so that they may stand out as modern while also neatly fitting into the ideas of patriarchy. It’s patchwork feminism. A manifestation of this is seen in the Kolkata case as well: A woman out late at night is permissible only because she was a doctor on duty. The rightful outrage is only as loud because there is truly nothing to vilify the woman over. Her value is only seen in relation to her profession, and is not inherent, as should be the case for all beings. Women are thus empowered with the constraints tightly in place. In doing so, we never achieve a revolution; instead, we continue to exist in the same manner as before, with little to no change. Families pride themselves on letting their daughters go to school (even if they never let them do anything with it). Politicians are quick to wash their hands off their duties towards women by funding the construction of educational institutions as if that marks the end of it. What good is an education when a woman is still too scared to go out past sundown? What good are the multiple all-female colleges when, the minute a woman leaves campus, she has to formulate attack strategies in her brain? 

Did any of her achievements matter when faced with the caprice of men? Did any of any woman’s?  

All of this isn’t to say that education is not a sector to invest in or that educating women is a futile pursuit. It is to make us realise that education does not exist in a vacuum. Empowering women is a dynamic process that must take into account a plethora of other variables; the safety of women is the most basic of them. When we pride ourselves on the equal right to education that legally gives women the same access to knowledge as men, we must also ask ourselves if we have built a society well enough where they can enjoy the fruits of their labour and where they can actually act as capable citizens instead of just being one on paper. 

Read also:  Women’s safety in DU: How safe are we?

Featured Image Credits: The Hindu, PBS  

Anvesha Tripathi

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Features

Sugarcoated Nightmares: Pepsi’s “Special Treatment” for Women in Maharashtra

By

In the heart of Maharashtra’s sugarcane fields, a sinister reality unfolds as women laboring
for giants like Pepsi and Coca-Cola face exploitation through forced hysterectomies,
overshadowed by corporate profits.

About a third of the sugar produced in India, the second-largest producer in the world, comes
from the state of Maharashtra alone. Maharashtra is a key supplier of sugar to global
corporations such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Mondelez, the parent company of Cadbury. The state
prides itself on the sprawling 1.487 million hectares of lush sugar cane fields with about
203 crushing factories producing 138 lakh metric tons of sugar every year becoming the
state’s major support system. One such district is Beed, although this one in particular is one
that the state shouldn’t be proud of.

This picturesque field of Maharashtra hides a darker reality – the exploitation of women at the
hands of sugar-producing companies. While these companies reap immense profits from the
sweet harvest, the women toiling in the fields are left to endure the bitter impacts on their
health. The issue dates back almost 30 years, when the New York Times interviewed some of
the women working in the fields to find out that the vicious cycle starts with underage girls
getting married off to the men working in the field which ropes them into a contract that seems more like lifelong slavery than wedlock. The men and women are expected to work alike at the same potential for 16-hour-long shifts every day without breaks. Tampons and pads are expensive and hard to find, and without access to running water, women address their periods in the fields with reused cloth that they try to wash by hand. The fields are located in remote locations, and it’s a whole other world in itself with workers
living under tarps, and companies seeking forced hysterectomies as a way to combat the issue of
lack of washrooms on the field.

One local government report surveyed approximately 82,000 female sugarcane workers from
Beed and found that about one in five had had hysterectomies. A separate, smaller
government survey estimated the figure at one in three. Women, already marginalized and
disadvantaged, are coerced into undergoing these surgeries under the guise of ‘health
benefits’ or as a means to prevent pregnancy or period leaves from work. This reprehensible
practice not only robs women of their bodily autonomy but also perpetuates a cycle of
systematic abuse and inequality. The issue at hand unveils a centuries-old taboo enveloping
menstruation, casting a shadow of “unsanitary” perceptions upon women during their natural
cycle. This mindset, steeped in misconception and bias, tragically manifests in the coercion of
women into undergoing hysterectomies, all in the name of the illusion of “cleanliness” on the
fields.

According to the New York Times, sugar producers and buyers have known about this abusive system for years. Coca-Cola’s consultants, for example, visited the fields and sugar mills of western India and, in 2019, reported that children were cutting sugar cane and laborers were working to repay their employers. They documented this in a report for the company, complete with an interview with a 10-year-old girl. In an unrelated corporate report that year, the company said it supported a program to “gradually reduce child labor” in India possibly referring to their plans to increase hysterectomies. This Great Indian exploitation game is nothing less of a spectacle, when women working in these harsh conditions visit the nearby gynecologists with problems like forming of cysts and irregular periods, the doctors take advantage of their patients’ illiteracy and are given an ultimatum that “hysterectomy” is their only option. The whole process is orchestrated not only by the companies but also many health practitioners from the district. These major companies even have moral codes of conduct for their workers which they evidently throw out the window in a bid to make corporate profits. After facing backlash and solely because people threatened to boycott the brand, Pepsi released the most generic statement expressing their grief over the issue while Coca-Cola still hasn’t issued a statement and continues to live in ignorance.

Of the many stories that flood the Indian news channels, none have ever made reports on this
issue, it’s as if they would rather turn a deaf ear than face the truth. In conversations with
reporters from The Fuller Project, as the workers gave them a peek inside their lives, they
sang folk songs which were inspired by Bhimrao Ambedkar in unison and had only thing to
ask everyone who visits the field, a promise; that one day the world will know their plight.

Featured Image Credits: The Fuller Project

Read Also: Feminism: A Belief or a Tagline?

Saanvi Manchanda
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
News

Delhi University’s Swift Response to Sexual Harassment Allegations Garners Campus Solidarity

By

In a swift response, Delhi University takes action against a staff member accused of sexual harassment, reflecting a commitment to student welfare. As students rally for justice at the Central Institute of Education, officials ensure a thorough investigation by the Internal Complaints Committee, prioritizing safety and transparency.

The University of Delhi’s Establishment Branch has terminated the employment of a non-teaching staff member who was allegedly involved in the sexual harassment of a student at the Central Institute of Education (CIE) earlier this month. The incident occurred in the Department of Education’s new building, per the student’s official complaint with the Head and Dean of CIE. The defendant is alleged to have engaged in several inappropriate behaviors, such as unwanted approaches, invasive personal inquiries, and acts that created a great deal of discomfort and fear for the student’s safety.

The student has asked for her peers’ support, expressing how the encounter violated and deeply distressed her. She also expressed fear for her safety because the harasser was walking around the department unhindered. Students came together to plan a demonstration at CIE on Wednesday to support the student’s right to justice.

The Indian Express was notified by Pankaj Arora, Head and Dean of CIE, that the Internal Complaints Committee was notified of the student’s complaint as soon as it was received on Monday. The accused, who worked for the company under a contract, was let go early on Wednesday.

We have engaged in extensive discussions with the students and have assured them that the university’s ICC will handle the matter with care.” Arora said in response to the protest.

While the ICC investigates the case, questions remain about the student’s ongoing safety and the support system available. Did the University offer counselling services or connect her with external support groups specializing in trauma recovery? Transparency regarding the ICC process would also be beneficial. What are the expected timelines for the investigation? Are there resources readily available to explain the process to students involved in such cases?

The case is presently under review by the ICC, and until the process concludes, it would be challenging to disclose specific details of the proceedings.” said DU Proctor Rajni Abbi.

The Students’ Union or other student committees at CIE likely played a crucial role in supporting the student and organizing the protest. Including a statement from a student representative would amplify the students’ voice and highlight the collective stand against harassment. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the prevalence of sexual harassment in educational settings. By creating a culture of support, ensuring a fair and transparent investigation process, and implementing robust prevention programs, universities can foster safe learning environments where every student feels empowered and respected.

Read Also: Where are you ICC: Looking at DU’s History of Sexual Harassment 

Featured Image Credits: India TV News

Divya Malhotra

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Around the Campus

Security: The Overrated Inconvenience During Fests at Women’s Colleges

By

As DU gears up for the fest season, the supposed fortress of security seems to crumble each year. Are women’s colleges equipped with the required security measures?

For the past few years, Delhi University (DU) has consistently witnessed incidents of unwarranted male trespassers into women’s colleges every time there is a fest or any event for that matter, with students being sexually harassed, catcalled, and their safe spaces violated. In light of such incidents, the University issued an advisory with guidelines to be followed by all colleges during events likely to be attended by outsiders. Between April 2023 and January 2024, the notifications have been updated thrice ahead of the upcoming college fest season.

Surely, such an advisory may appear to be the need of the hour and perhaps even reassuring, but is it the case that the University has finally recognized the persistence of such pressing issues, or is the advisory, just like security in most women’s colleges, merely performative? Isn’t it high time that the University’s administration, instead of issuing such performative guidelines, actually addressed the larger issue of male entitlement, beyond just ensuring their students’ safety? College spaces, be it women’s colleges or co-educational spaces, should certainly not be places where women (or anyone for that matter) live in a sense of fear, apart from obviously the external world beyond college boundaries. 

It is also important to note that some of the security measures, for instance, the installation of CCTVs, pre-registration through Google Forms, and deployment of security personnel, have already been in place in many colleges, and yet there have been repeated violations. Most instances have been when the ones who “lawfully” entered the college premises became perpetrators of assault. So, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is completely ineffective when it comes to the “male gaze” and entitlement towards women’s spaces in a patriarchal set-up.

“Because our college restricted male entry this year, apart from the participants, it did make the fest safer than last year, where a lot of chaos had ensued with guys passing lewd remarks at female students performing during the dance competition. Although such incidents didn’t take place this year, I believe restricting male entry is just an instinctive response to a much larger problem, that is, patriarchy, which is so deeply rooted in our society. Such measures end up putting the onus on women to protect themselves, as apparently “boys will be boys.” If the administration is unable to restrict students inside the campus, their immediate response is to just stop male entry. We need some long-term solutions to such problems, and sensitization of not just students but even the faculty needs to take place to uproot the actual cause of this problem.”

-said a student from Janki Devi Memorial College.

Students believe that the advisory is just the bare minimum, and the larger problem needs to be taken into account while ensuring security in women’s spaces.

Google Form registrations certainly do not amount to character screenings; thus, the University has no appropriate solution to this issue. At the college’s annual fest last year, the administration, as a security measure, made it mandatory for every male attendee to have a pass with a particular student’s name on it to ensure that they were invited by any of the students. Also, it was ensured that no guys entered the fest in groups. It’d be great if there was security present not just at the gates but inside the college, where a large crowd usually gathers, because that’s where fights usually break out. It would have been great if the University advisory came with a preface condemning the actions that took place not just at IPCW last year but what has been happening in women’s colleges almost every year. They need to realize that such incidents mostly just take place in women’s colleges because patriarchy allows men to feel entitled to women’s spaces and men fear other men, rather than respecting women as equal human beings.”

-remarked a student from Maitreyi College when asked about safety in women’s colleges ahead of the fest season.

A student from Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) spoke about how the college’s environment has changed significantly since the unfortunate incident at last year’s fest.

The college administration, just like the administration in almost every DU college, loves to put the entire blame on the student body, despite the Student Council being a mostly performative entity in our college now. Since the college is busy with its centennial celebrations, we are not even sure if the annual fest ‘Shruti’ will even take place this year. The advisory issued by the University just goes on to show that the onus of protection is always going to be put upon women rather than holding the perpetrators accountable. Despite there being extensive measures like Google Form registrations and screening of bags at the gate, they were certainly not enough to prevent overcrowding and its aftermath. Our college did not have enough security to handle such a large crowd, and sadly, it took the University that incident and many more past occurrences in women’s colleges to even issue an advisory, which was also the bare minimum, to say the least.”

Thus, the question is: are women’s colleges even equipped with effective security ahead of the fest season, or is just locking up women and not questioning the root cause of the problem, which is patriarchy, going to be the immediate response from the administration in most colleges? 

Read Also: Who Protects Our ‘Safe’ Spaces?

Featured Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Gauri Garg

[email protected] 

 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

The Unrepresented – Women and Student Politics in India

By

The Delhi University Students Union election inch closer, after a three-year long hiatus, amidst bouts of violence, forced entry in colleges and aggressive campaigning, certain issues like the lack of women’s representation seem to have lasted the stop-gap. There still only seems to be two women’s colleges even part of the election process, one being Miranda College. Moreover, even after elections, women do not seem to occupy high roles, and are known for being “dummies” for other male candidates. This article aims to look at the larger narrative behind women and student politics, how it has evolved and what it means for national politics.

 The evolution of student politics can be traced to the pre-independence, wherein most mass student mobilizations were to protest against the introduction of the English language as a medium of instruction in universities across India. Eventually, student unions merged with the larger independence movement. However, the use of violence in campus politics has been a pervasive issue since its inception as it was often the only way to express their grievances, in what was a political system which frequently ignored the needs of the youth.

For the illiterate and the literate without any contacts, a quick of venting anger and grievances was to resort to violence (Arnon & Altbach 1973: 164)”

Due to the nationalization of campus politics and the flow of funding from national parties, the two stages – the campus and the nation have become reflective of one another, wherein the factionalism on the lines of caste, class and gender in national politics can be seen in student politics as well, due to the monetary links formed between the two. This too often leads to violent outbursts.

It is no surprise that the transference of women’s underrepresentation can also be seen in campus politics, given the lack of female representatives on the national level as well. In the coming elections, most women’s colleges won’t be represented as they’re not a part of the student union.  This is an issue that extends beyond Delhi University, with several state colleges facing the same issue. The women’s wing of Arunachal Pradesh’s student union claims that parental and social pressure plays a part, many afraid of the dangers of campus politics, which are notoriously violent. This institutionalization of force in student politics, which is traditionally associated with masculinity, is also an ideological barrier which dissuades women from even trying to make it to higher positions within the union. Similarly, in Panjab University, party vice-presidents raise the same grievances, stressing on the lack of importance given to female candidates despite the presence of women’s wings, which are mostly tokenistic. They also highlight how this lack of representation is detrimental to women’s causes within campuses, like creating safe spaces, provision of feminine hygiene products etc.

Moreover, since visibility creates such a big part in campus elections, the lack of women being present during campaigns is also detrimental to their cause. Given the proximity of the student elections, and more so India’s national elections, it is important to note how such issues of underrepresentation are magnified as we move up the administrative ladder. If we cannot adequately represent women’s issues within the student body, how can we do so on a national scale?

 

Read also. https://dubeat.com/2023/07/23/women-in-politics-or-the-lack-thereof/

Image credit. Deves

 

Chaharika Uppal

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By