SVC: Will promises be kept?

SURENDER K DHALETA

As a part of a series of survey of Delhi University colleges, TCP had a look at Sri Venkateswara College in South Campus this time. While the students in general rated the infrastructure as 7 out of 10, they thought there was still room for improvement. When we approached Dr A Shankra Reddy, the principal of the college, he took us around the college and assured that students’ concerns and complaints were being taken care of and work was already underway for any new demands.

Here’s a look at the various issues which cropped up and the management’s feedback.

WASHROOMS
While a separate block of toilets and washrooms is already under construction, the condition of the present toilets seems to be nothing short of bad. TCP found the ‘Gents’ toilet on the ground-floor stinking, washbasins choked, the mirrors - if there were any – dirty and the floor all wet and slippery with a danger of a big fall. Abhishek Sharma of Physics (Honours) says, “It needs some civic sense from students as well. The washbasins are choked mostly because students throw empty pouches of pan-masala etc.”
Principal’s reaction: “The toilets are mostly clean. It was a temporary problem as the sweepers throughout DU were on strike for three days. As you can see, we are in the process of renovating all the washrooms. We are also coming up with a separate block of toilets.”

SPORTS
Ashish Mehta, the table tennis captain and contender for the Sports Captain’s post this year, is optimistic that they’ll “have a new table very soon.” Sherin Sebastian (a member of the chess team) complains, “The college has one of the best cricket pitches in DU, but our team still keeps losing to weaker teams like ARSD. The pitch has been leased out to a private cricket club. Coming to football, we have been waiting for long for a goal post. The shower room for the players is so bad that only the canteen staff uses it. We are not given attendance when we are away for any competitions and we have to shell out money from our pockets for any transportation.”
Principal’s reaction: “The pitch has been leased out to Sonnet Club but only for Saturdays and Sundays. Ashish Nehra and Ajay Jadeja are members of it. It’s the club that maintains the grounds. No college can maintain grounds on their own. We earn a revenue of Rs. 3 lakhs a year from this lease, which is used to upgrade sports facilities in the college. As for a goal-post we will have it soon as right now it’s stuck in accounting processes.”
The principal also showed us around the new shower rooms coming up, which according to Dr. Narendra Gaur, Lecturer, Physical Education, “should be ready within two-weeks.” Dr. Gaur also showed us the bills of expenses incurred in transportation of kits and players during inter-college matches and the register in which attendance of players was duly marked.

DRAMATICS
Aakash Kaushik, President of Anubhuti, the Hindi Dramatics Society of the college, like Sebastian, complained about the attendance and transportation problems.
Principal’s reaction: The principal showed TCP the bills and the attendance register maintained. “As we have rehearsals from 4 - 6 pm in the evening, anybody asking for an attendance for the time before that certainly cannot be marked present,” Dr. Reddy said.

CANTEEN
Riya Mitra, a third year student, feels the food at the canteen was “pretty okay” as far as hygiene is concerned but rues the fact that “there isn’t too much of a variety in North Indian food.”


Principal’s reaction: As Dr. Reddy walked us around the kitchen of the canteen, he assured us that “hygiene was being taken care of.” Which certainly was, as the kitchen was all well organised and clean. “It is a South Indian college, so you are bound to get more of South Indian dishes. But we have a lot of North Indian as well on the menu – Rajma Chawal, Cholle Bhature, Samosa, Parantha, Chowmein, Spring Rolls, Fried Rice, etc,” the principal said.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
While Dr. Reddy showed us the Internet Resource Centre and the computer-labs, there were students who complained about the “slow speed” of the machines and network. But Dr. Reddy disagreed and said, “These are minor issues. We have just migrated to 218 Kbps speed Internet and have all information about the college and syllabus on the college website. We have an online ‘Grievance Cell’, where the students can send in their problems and complain about classes not being held. The parents have a facility to check the attendance of their wards, which is updated regularly. We also have tied up with UGC Ahmedabad to have access to their journals.”

MISCELLANEOUS
While Abhishek Sharma of complained about non-availability of water in the Science Department on the second floor, Radhika Dayal said, “They had to stand in long queues to submit the forms and fees. There can be separate queues for different departments. It will certainly ease out the process, not only for the students but for the administration as well.” She also felt that there could be an air-conditioner in the table tennis room. “We are ready to sponsor it as well,” she said with a smile.
Noting the problems of the students, which TCP highlighted to him, Dr. Reddy assured that “they would be taken care of in due course of time.”

(With inputs from Nitika Dhingra)

Are our girls safe?

The issue of security for girls in the country, and in Delhi in particular, has been an issue of much concern always, but more so in the recent past. Girls do not seem to be safe anywhere: be it with their landlords [as was experienced by two girls of Miranda House], in the marketplace, in public transport or anywhere else beyond home.

So what does one do about this shameful situation? While there may be enough theories about possible solutions going around, the situation only seems to be getting worse. Here are some ideas from TCP readers and student journalists:

Night colleges should provide separate transport facilities for girl students. At auto-stands, the authorities should provide prepaid auto facilities to the public as the numbers of the autos would then be noted down. Girls find it safer to travel by such autos. Make uniforms compulsory for all which will prevent outsiders from entering the college premises. Girls should be made responsible to take care of themselves. There must be perfect communication between family members. Sex education must be included in the education syllabus. Separate bus services SHOULD be provided for girls. Bus staff should be ideally all-women.

- Mohammad Nibras. P.K, RICM, Bangalore

As a result of the lack of hostel facilities in most colleges, students have to accommodate themselves in private hostels and rented rooms which are not at all secure. The dispute between students and the owners is mainly due to security reasons. Raktim Hazarika, an active student tells us, “The PG owners must provide adequate night security to these tenants by engaging private parties. For the security and privacy of the girls there must be visiting rooms in PGs.”
It’s good news for us that many students’ organizations are initiating a movement for the safety of girls. A strong student movement is necessary to pressurize the government to take necessary action. In fact, a movement has already been started by the North Eastern Students’ Joint Action Committee, specially keeping in mind the issue of ‘women safety’. However we all are aware that this is not the only solution. Women have to equip themselves with ideas of their own so as not to become a victim of suppression, oppression or harassment.

- Jutismita Hazarika

The problem lies with the value system of our society which says and accepts that whatever happens, boys will be boys, as if heinous deeds committed by them are part of their privileged rights. It is the mothers who have to come to the fore-front and teach the sons to respect women. Women need enlightenment first.

- Shalinee Mattoo

The education pattern needs to be changed. The boys have to be taught right from childhood to respect girls. What are boys learning about girls? Even in my childhood I felt that we were taught ‘sit like this, do like this’, but not the boys (comment by a parent of a student). Girls should learn martial arts.

- Swati Mukherjee

I think the best way for women to be safer is by learning martial arts. I strongly believe that every girl should enroll for martial arts classes. One doesn’t have to be a Michelle Yeoh or a Lucy Liu. It’s enough to learn the basics of a particular style. If you know the basics you can strike fear in the hearts of anyone trying to be smart with you. Also carrying some sort of weapon is advisable. But for girls to feel really safe, the mindset of people has to change. Treating any girl wearing short dresses or moving unescorted at night as ‘available’, this mentality has to change.

- Pritam Goswami

I personally feel that every girl needs to take her security into her own hands. It is absolutely essential for girls to know how to protect themselves in the face of danger from any quarter. More awareness about self-defense workshops is required and even though they are conducted quite often, such programmes need more publicity. Certain self-defense instruments like a pepper-spray or even a simple deodorant can help save lives. Girls also need to be aware of people and their immediate surroundings at all times.

- Sukhmani Waraich

Men need to be more sensitive. A general awareness needs be created amongst them to enable them to understand the delicate state of affairs in our country, specially when it comes to their and others’ attitude towards women.

- Amrit, SVC

Women should equip themselves better - specially physically - so that they can fight back harder. An expensive but effective way is the use of pepper sprays.

- Aditi Choudhury, Hindu

First and foremost the police should start indulging in some image building measures because when stuck in an ugly situation, girls finds it impossible and highly unsafe to approach a cop.
When a crime is perpetrated against a girl, all of us should come out in the open and protest with all our might rather than sit in front of our television sets and talk big. We must associate ourselves with activists and NGOs that can take up such issues at a macro level.

- Tanushree Dhaundiyal

Dress: Sense or nonsense?

VANDANA PURSWANI

Have you ever wondered how seemingly little statements can give you an idea for a story? Well, that’s what happened with me when a fuchcha said that she didn’t want to wear suits to college because she didn’t wish to be labeled a ‘behenji.’ It made me think about whether we actually judge people merely on the basis of their attire. Would we label someone a behenji or a BTM (behenji-turned-mod for the uninitiated) just by looking at their clothes? Aren’t there any other criteria that we consider when we try to figure out who they are?



Priyanka Redhu, a final year student of LSR says, “To a certain extent we do judge people by their clothes but it doesn’t mean that all the girls who wear suits are ‘BTMs’ or ‘behenjis’. The way you carry yourself and your personality also matter.”

And what about the guys? Nikhil Maheshwari, a final year student of DU says, “Indian thoughts, Indian beauty wrapped in Indian wear can be the most appealing sight. A girl’s attire can never be the criteria for judging her personality. It’s how you think and present yourself that matters.”

So for all you fuchchas out there, here is the senior-speak: the real person in you is going to stand out, no matter how you dress up. Your own inner self is your biggest asset and no matter what your wardrobe looks like, you are special!

Eating off the same plate!

PRANAB SAIKIA

Although sharing the same plate of food with friends is a common sight in college canteens and restaurants in Delhi, outstation students find this practice quite repugnant.
Here’s what some sharers and non-sharers had to say.


“There is nothing to it, it just happens. We take one plate of Choley Bhature or Shahi Paneer and Roti and share it with our friends,” says Gagan of Shyamlal College. “Sharing food in the same plate with friends in a canteen or restaurant infuses a feeling of friendship and strengthens the bond of brotherhood,” he further elaborates.

Purab Bhattacherji, a second year student of Zakir Husain College, hailing from Guwahati. says: “When I saw my friends sharing a plate in the college canteen last year, I was surprised. Ours is a religious family and sharing a plate with somebody is always discouraged. We do not even touch a utensil while eating without washing our hands.”

Another student of Zakir Hussain College agrees. “It is not hygienic. Sharing in the same plate means sharing sputum from the saliva of your friends. Another aspect to consider is whether your friends have washed their hands,” he says.

Sonali, a journalism student of YMCA, has some advise for those who do not like eating off the same plate: “If your friends are sharing a plate of food and you simply decline to join them, they might feel offended. Try to give some excuse for opting out. But if you are in the midst of a number of friends, it is better to take a morsel just to show your participation. A simple refusal is preferable if you are with only one or two friends.”

So keep sharing and caring!

Nirvana: Waking up the authorities

MEENU VERMA

Nirvana is an initiative founded by a few students who want to mobilize the opinion of the youth of this country and convey their views to the enforcers of democracy. This group was formed in December 2004 and has distributed 3,000 questionnaires on the Kashmir issue in North Campus and is also making a documentary on manual scavengers - the people who remove human faeces. It now has a Yahoo! Group (Nirvana _ demrev) and a web page and is planning to expand its activities all over India.

Rahul Verma, one of the founders of Nirvana and a student of Kirori Mal College, describes the essence of Nirvana: “Nirvana is for students who are fed up with all the grandiloquence and unsubstantial talk. It is an organization which does a reasonable amount of work and tackles problems in unique ways. We accept the fact that an NGO can show more concrete results, whereas our results will be more subtle.”

Astitva Chopra, a student of St.Stephens College, is another of Nirvana’s founders. He says, “Our market is the student population of this nation and our product is awareness, consciousness, responsibility and activism. We seek to create a forum where opinions are exchanged and solutions are reached. But that is not all. We want those solutions to be heard by the authorities. We want explanations from the representatives of the people as to what they have done and what they intend to do to reform our existence.”

Akshya Rao, a student of St. Stephens explains how Nirvana plans to proceed on the Kashmir issue: “We will distribute questionnaires in various colleges and then organize panel discussions on the issue. We will then draft a rough proposal based on the feedback and contact other colleges in the country and seek their proposals. A final draft will then be prepared and sent to the Prime Minister, the President of India, and the authorities concerned.”

Kanishk Saxena, a Hindu College student, hopes that Nirvana will add a new dimension to issues that are relevant but which have not witnessed significant public participation. “We want to broaden the perspective of the students of Indian colleges and make them think about issues which affect their lives directly or indirectly. Our objective is to stir the conscience of youth and make them understand how a democratic system of government works,” he says.

Yeah, it’s here… The Final Year!

The Beginning of the End…

PINKY NIGAM

Only they know what college is really all about, as these are the ‘Super-Seniors’ who’ve seen it all! Well, for the good or the bad, the countdown has begun and yes, the clock is ticking. Let’s find out what is it that they wish to do with only a few months left in college and what they wished they had done more of in the past two years.

“Okay, now it’s the last year, so no more college right? I am definitely going to be catching up on just all the fun that I missed. From all the co-curriculars to the fests and just about everything. It’s been enough of Classroom College!”

-Supriya Malik, Hindu

“With the result out, I feel had I studied just a little more and attended my classes, my average could’ve been higher! So yes, this year, I am really enthusiastic on attending classes and of course having the teachers know my face too!”

-Sakshi Anand, LSR

“Hey this year I’ve made certain promises to myself. I am going to speak just what I feel, the way it is. I’ve had enough of being the sweet-gullible girl thing. I don’t like it and I am just going to say it as it is. Basically for me going for a persona-change is on the top of my agenda!”

-Sayanti Sandhu, KNC

“Well for some reason all these two years I’ve always been seen with girls around me, so this year maybe a genuine effort on my part to be seen with the guys in college too!! Jokes apart, maybe doing more theatre and extra curriculars.”

-Anupam Sarkar, Hindu

“Ironical, but I wanna be a fucchha again! Yes, it’s the last year but there’s this urge to be just as care-free, image-less, unrelenting and stubborn like you really don’t know who you’re dealing with and just who to be scared of! For me I’m just going to close my eyes and walk with a song and really not bother about who’s who and what they expect of me!”

-Kabir Chandra, Hindu

“Of course… last year means partying harder and that too with all my friends together!!!”

-Charu Khandelwal, Hindu

Hunger strike at Jamia

RUCHIKA GOYAL

In a meeting last month with the students and the Jamia Teachers Association (JTA) in presence of the Vice Chancellor, the administration had decided to reconsider the issue of the hostel with the students and had said that the management would talk to the students’ representatives about their other demands. But with the students of JMI going on a 72 hour relay hunger strike, it seems that there is something amiss with that story.


The students revealed that the management still uses the hostel complex for its own purposes and that it is not ready to agree to the demands of the students. One agitated student alleged that the VC had lied outright. “He refused our demands saying that mere saath toh koi agreement hi nahi hua,” he says. The University is being accused of misusing the students’ collective fund, with students claiming that more than Rs 3 crores has been spent on security each year and more than Rs 15 lakhs on the rebuilding of the University gates, even though there was a shortage of laboratories, books and chemicals.

The students plan to continue their hunger strike until their demands are heard, although the management has done nothing so far to call off the strike. The students even allege that they were beaten up by University guards when they tried to put up a tent. They allege that the VC has threatened them with severe consequences, such as failing them in their exams and even expelling them, if they do not call off the strike.

Although not supporting the agitation openly, the teachers are impressed with the peaceful way in which it is being conducted, and feel it is the University that is behaving wildly. One of the teachers who didn’t want to be named said, “Nowhere in the world does a university seize accommodation or any other facility from its students.”

St. Stephen's for the obedient, humourless

SURENDER K DHALETA

St. Stephen's College (SSC), the 'pride' of Delhi University (DU), may be the alma mater of some of best managers, leaders and bureaucrats in the country, but its own management seems to be under fire from the faculty.

Teachers say the management's high-handedness and an authoritarian attitude of its principal Dr Anil Wilson is not helping the cause of a free thinking institution, and what are being produced are "meek and obedient bureaucrats today." In the process, norms are being flouted and no one seems to care.

As an example, with rising cases of sexual harassment at work, places of education and in public in general, some teachers claim to have filed a case against the SSC management for not setting up the College Complaint Committee on Sexual Harassment. This is clearly a violation of DU's norms. These teachers say the principal did not see this as mandatory or necessary on the grounds that the institution was governed by a body representing the minority community.

In fact, the management allegedly also edited and censored this point raised in this year's union president Maya John's manifesto, according to a teacher. Maya on her part refused to comment on this issue to TCP. Students claim she chose to keep quiet as she had apparently been threatened by the management of being thrown out of the hostel and her parents were called up in Chennai to warn her from raking up any issues. So much for leadership!!

Such an authoritarian attitude of the college management goes beyond this, claim teachers, and can be broadly classified into three categories according to them: quelling dissent, suppressing humour and excessive commercialisation of education.

Quelling Dissent
"SSC has always been known for encouraging revolutionary and newer ideas. However, over the years, the management has quelled any sort of dissent, so much so that even inquisitiveness in class is discouraged," complains a social sciences teacher who chose to remain anonymous. "The management in the '70s and '80s never let us feel that it is not our right to take up any issue. The management might have gone ahead and done what it felt it should, but they never denied us the right to raise any issues. And that was at the heart of our ability to think independently and to express ourselves fearlessly. Without independent thinking you cannot have creativity, which forms the foundation of any quality educational institution. As a teacher I have to teach the students to be critical and to ask questions; they have to be trained to voice their opinions. Today we miss that a lot," the teacher adds.

Another Humanities teacher informed us that "students are often picked up and grilled by the management and are expected to give out information against teachers and dissenting students." It's just not the teachers who are complaining. The students too have their share of woes. "We are often discouraged to ask questions in class," complained a second year English Honours student. "Any doubts in literature or passages that have sexual connotations are just passed off and no questions are entertained. The teachers act like Puritan nuns," he adds.

Suppressing Humour
There is a complete absence of humour in the college. The 125-year old college had traditions, which were meant to allow the students to let off steam and be able to make fun of each other, and even of the authorities. The college had a Wodehouse Society, a Practical Joke Week and Katy magazine, in which the students and teachers "could make fun of anybody and everybody, provided that articles didn't become obscene". The college also had a "Professor Imitation Contest". All these activities seem to have been discouraged and discontinued over time. "Though the Katy magazine has been revived, but since the principal himself is the staff advisor, how are the teachers going to poke fun at the principal," asks the social sciences teacher.

Commercialisation of Education The faculty has for long been demanding introduction of new courses like Sociology and Psychology. However, the management has been turning down any such requests citing lack of resources and rooms says a faculty member. The teachers feel otherwise though. "The college has enough rooms which have been thrown open to private institutes who are running professional courses like media studies. But these were introduced without taking teachers into confidence or consulting them. Ironically, 90 per cent of students for these courses are from outside SSC," says a Pure Sciences teacher. "We often have to struggle to find rooms for tutorials and seminars, which are a necessary part of the curriculum. We are even forced to take tutorials in lawns outside stinking toilets during winters," she adds.

Another complaint of the teachers is that a lot of money is raised from sponsors during the College Fest held in summers. "However, there is no accountability of all this money. The principal just refused to answer these questions during staff council meetings," says a teacher.

When TCP sought an audience with Dr Wilson, his assistant did not allow us to meet him for his comments.

DUSU Elections: The Annual Farce

RAHUL VERMA

It is election season in Delhi University (DU) once again, with its Students' Union (DUSU) election scheduled for September 2. Not quite a reflection of film-maker Mani Ratnam's idea of student activism and his portrayal of the power of youth in politics in his film Yuva, but still important in throwing up many a future leader in the country.

But things do not seem to be changing much. Despite the decision of the DU management to come down sternly on those messing up public places with posters, it seems to be the same story like every year. Fortunately, at the time of going into press, there had been no significant incidents of violence this year.

As usual, such politics has no room for the ordinary student in DU, like in most university elections in the country. He has simply been swamped and put aside. There are no meaningful objectives in such politics.

The gangs that intimidate, and the crowds of students that go on the rampage are bound by the most narrow sense of primordial loyalty to a person or group of persons.

The latter are often also musclemen who claim to be close to the centres of power. There seems to be no defining line between persuasion and intimidation and student camaraderie often tends to express itself in ways that have a disturbing similarity with frenzied communal mobs.

Elections like those to DUSU in the past have shown that student politics in India is not very different from mainstream politics, with political parties actively involved and state machinery used freely. The University's code of conduct for elections allows a candidate to spend not more than Rs. 10,000 and two vehicles for campaigning and the use of posters, stickers, pamphlets etc is prohibited. But to everyone's dismay, these norms exist on paper only. Conservative estimates put the expense by major parties at Rs 50-60 lakhs this year. "These norms are unrealistic given the size of the university and number of voters. Rs 10,000 is not enough even to fuel our cars," says Ragini Nayak who was elected DUSU secretary in 2004.

There are reportedly cases of students signing up for a BA once again even after graduation just to be able to contest elections. Not that most of these students really care about an education.

Face-off: JMI vs DU

Most students in the capital dream of getting into Delhi University (DU). While there is no doubting the merits of DU, surely its neighbours like Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Indraprastha University (IP) deserve a glance or two, too! Ruchika Goyal (JMI) and Priyanka Verma (DU) explore how DU compares with JMI:

On strikes and bandhs
JMI: DU may be one of the most prestigious universities in the country but JMI is not too far behind. While DU often experiences strikes, bandhs and disrupted classes, JMI witnesses none (my one year at JMI has been very peaceful). JMI has lesser campus masti and classes are on schedule and seldom missed by students because attendance is a key factor – even Shahrukh Khan was thrown out for poor attendance!

DU: From a DU student's perspective, these strikes do disrupt the routine of a college but they give both students and teachers a breather in an otherwise hectic academic schedule. The so-called masti in DU not only aids in the personality development of students but also helps them grow into balanced human beings - not serious nerds who have forgotten how to laugh!

On the admission process and babudom
JMI: Though JMI is smaller than DU in terms of area and the number of students and faculty, it has a more organized admission process and a better menu of courses. JMI also boasts of little or no babudom and has very helpful staff members amongst the teaching and the non-teaching staff.

DU: As DU includes a number of colleges, hence the intake of students is many more times that of Jamia. Living in an overpopulated country, we know that numbers cause their own problems. So Jamia should only boast of regularity and organization when they compete with DU on the same terms. And admission is simple at DU - if you have the marks you get in. Academics wise, DU holds the edge when it comes to the number of courses available and the student intake.

On college fests
JMI: All the cultural fests and events at JMI reflect Indian culture in one way or another (Mushairas, Kavi Sammelan, etc.) instead of simply aping the West (JAM sessions, dance parties, rock concerts etc.).

DU: DU has more Indian festivals than Jamia has had in five years! We also have Western festivals but that's only because DU believes in globalisation and not in suffocating the students in only one country's culture.

On politics
JMI: Contrary to popular belief, JMI is truly secular but its sole flaw lies in its refusal to allow students to form political groups. JMI holds no elections!

DU: DU is secular and has fair elections too!

The winner: Well, you have heard both sides of the story. Which varsity came out tops? Mail us at editor@tcp.in and do mention the University to which you belong.

Mess food monotony

SUDEEP POPAT

Going from home made food to the hostel mess can be a painful process. I managed to avoid it for three years of my college life, but when I shifted to a hostel this semester, I realized why my friends kept moaning constantly about mess food.

To be fair, the food at my hostel mess isn't that bad. It's just the monotony that is irksome. Potatoes are the order of the day for practically the entire week. It is understandable that they are cheaper, but even then a hostel (one owned by a charitable trust) that is making six-figure annual profits thanks to donations, should not be afraid to spend more than the bare minimum.

Wednesday evenings are slated for a "change" with the regular Gujarati food being shunned for something different. I have heard that Pau Bhaji, Idli Sambhar, etc. are offered on this day. However, for the seven Wednesdays I have been there, Chhole Puri has been all they have managed to serve. The logic being, once again, economy. I wouldn't actually mind Chhole Puri once a week, but when chick peas (Kabuli chana) of the cheapest quality are used, which incidentally don't go easy on one's digestive system and cause a few extra hassles in the morning, it gets annoying.

Despite all these shortcomings, this is still one of the best messes in the university town of Vallabh Vidyanagar. It is clean and the prices are affordable (Rs. 12 per meal, compared to a minimum of Rs. 15 elsewhere). The daal served every morning is quite famous and is so good that some students easily gulp 8-10 rotis (offered steaming hot during lunchtime) along with it. I had tried a few messes while commuting, so as to avoid carrying a tiffin, but none of them offered buttermilk every day. This one does.

All it needs is a bit of variety and the management to realize that they have enough money with them to make a few menu changes.

(Sudeep Popat lodges at Shri Jalaram Lohana Vidyarthi Bhavan.)

Delhi Metro: Serving up a mouthful to students

SURENDER K DHALETA

As a teenager, I often accompanied my father to the Walled City. The umpteen bus changes and traffic snarls involved always acted as dampeners on this trip. However, I always looked forward to the small rewards that would reward my patience - gol-gappas or paapdi at Chawri Bazaar, or parathas, kachori and kulche-chhole in one bylane or another, or the tikkas of Karim’s at Jama Masjid.

But as I grew older, I preferred not to tag along with my Dad for these trips as the thought of getting stuck in traffic jams was too much. So when a friend who worked in Connaught Place recently told me how he and some of his colleagues had hopped on to the Metro rail during lunch to have chaat-papdi at the famous Ashok Chaat Bhandar Corner in Chawri Bazaar, my mouth watered reminiscently. But what I couldn't believe was that they were able to have lunch and get back in just under an hour.

I had to see it for myself - not just for old times' sake but for satisfying my appetite too. I parked my car at my Dad's office in Shastri Bhawan and took two Rs. 7 tokens for my friend and myself for Chawri Bazaar. We got there in a mere ten minutes. As it had started drizzling, we hired a rickshaw to Karim’s. The restaurant had been refurbished since I last saw it but the food was as good as ever. We weren't disappointed and hogged on chicken-biryani and chicken-seekh rolls along with chutney. The service was however substandard – the water glasses were dirty and the Thums-Up we ordered tasted strange.

On my way back, I found a number of students waiting for the Metro at the Chawri Bazaar station and was surprised to know that they too were regular visitors here - I thought they only went to Barista or McDonald’s. "The Metro has only brought the place closer," said Kapil Sharma, a student at Hindu College. "The rickshaw rides through the narrow lanes only add to the charm," his friend Rajeev Kundra (a Hansraj student) added. Both had savoured rabri-faluda at Chowk Fatehpuri at the famous "Sardarji's shop." You too can take the Metro from DU to Chawri Bazaar. There are a number of small stalls that offer a savoury mouthful.

And yes, we were back at Central Secretariat and heading to our office in one and a half hours!

‘I want KNC to be a centre for women’s empowerment’

Interview with Kamla Nehru College prinicipal Minoti Chatterjee

A political science teacher, a lover of the arts, a theatre buff and much more. TCP’s Priyanka Verma gets to know the many facets of the Kamla Nehru College’s new principal, Dr. Minoti Chatterjee.

How does it feel to sit behind the Principal’s desk?
It feels different in a way, as it is an administrative job but not so different because this is a culmination of years of effort as a teacher. I have been teaching Political Science for 33 years now.

You were in Gargi College earlier as a Political Science teacher. How does it feel to shift to a neighbouring college?
As I’m a theatre buff, I was envious of KNC… and wondered why Gargi didn’t have an auditorium like KNC. The envy has gone now and has been replaced by collaboration. I would say there is competitiveness between the two colleges but no rivalry.

What is the first thing you did when sat on your chair?
I thanked God first of all but I don’t clearly remember my first decision. Improvement in infrastructure and renovation of the building is one of the first things I got going. The socks of academics too need to be pulled up amongst other issues to be tackled. I have also introduced new courses such as Music, Gender Studies and Media Studies.

Where would you like to see KNC in the next five years?
Basically it would be to consolidate all that I have done. The new courses should run smoothly. Waste management is very important. The Women’s Empowerment Cell should be strong enough. Green Beans, which is a National Social Service Society should be working well. In fact we are the only green college recognized by the United Nations. I want KNC to become a cultural hub because we have a fantastic auditorium and with a bit of effort this is possible.

What is KNC’s USP when compared to other DU colleges?
I think it’s unfair to compare colleges. But for my institution, I would want it not to become a polytechnic but to remain within the DU colleges. I want it to become a college of academic excellence and a centre for women’s empowerment, which I believe is very important.

Are you happy with the faculty and the extra-curricular activities of KNC?
Though I’m quite happy with the faculty, but at times when the results are poor, I feel things need to be sorted out. There are many faculty improvement workshops which we will be a part of. As far as sports is concerned, I am very proud of my college because we are champions in most of the games like cricket, football, handball, netball, etc. Sports is the pride of KNC.

What is your message to the students?
I love my students and I am a part of them. My place is amongst them in the classroom.

AIESEC: My Prague Experience

ANISH SHAH

With little other than a few thousand Czech korunas and the Lonely Planet Guide to Prague, I left on what can best be described as a life changing experience. Many months later, the guide remains unopened and the money seems inconsequential. My time in the Czech Republic, imbibing their culture and the invaluable international work experience I earned, could not have been possible on a touristy visit or a comparable job without AIESEC.

Dobrý den! I was a member of AIESEC Delhi University (2000-2002) as Vice President Finance and in March 2004, decided to experience first hand -- the internship opportunities AIESEC offers through a three month stint as a Process Analyst with Johnson Controls Inc.

Having an unusual educational background (Statistical Process Control Engineering), I was pleasantly surprised when in less than six weeks, AIESEC found me an internship that not only provided me with the international experience I wanted, but was relevant to my educational qualifications.

From the time I arrived at Prague Airport to the farewell party three months later, AIESEC Prague was family. They helped me with everything from essentials like visa processing, receiving me at the airport and initiation with my supervisors at Johnson Controls, to the incessant help throughout my stay by way of showing me around town, welcoming me into their homes, culture and becoming friends for life.

AIESEC’s professional reputation for consistent high quality ensured that I was given significant responsibility at the workplace, far beyond what an ordinary internship would beckon. My work helped identify cost savings of €1.45 million and led to employment offers in similar positions. I currently work as a Business Analyst for a software company based in Santa Clara, California.

What is college life really about?

RITIKA SABHARWAL

Masti’, movies, making friends – isn’t that what college is supposed to be all about? Well, that may exist in a world of no pressures, no deadlines, no teachers and no “system” to report to! There is a lot more to college life than meets the eye. One thinks of college as the next step from school - more time with friends, no homework, bunking classes, and basically, enjoying complete freedom. These myths have been created over time and it is better to dispel them than to believe them blindly.

Colleges are institutions that bring out the best in an individual, provided they themselves are willing to work at it. They inspire students to new heights and strengthen their personalities, while at the same time developing and honing their latent skills.

In college, you begin to learn more about life. You are finally in the real world, out of the locked gates of your school and into a world with new faces, new ways of thinking and an abundance of knowledge. It is for an individual to choose what path he/she wishes to take - one may opt for the non-serious outlook of college life, others might prefer to enjoy college life while not missing out on the learning aspect, and yet others might only study and learn the theoretical aspects of life, missing out on the most natural and practical parts. Making friends is important and so is having fun, going for movies and a little bit of ‘masti’. These memories will last you a lifetime, and the extra-curricular activities offered in most colleges add to a person’s development.

I think one should look at college as yet another experience in the journey of life. Embrace it with open arms and take all that it has to offer, the good and the bad!

Annual MHROD HRD Symposia 2005 at DSE

The Students’ Development Cell at Master of Human Resource and Organisational Development (MHROD), Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, organized its showcase event, the Annual HRD Symposia from August 9-13 this year.

The symposia, serving as a platform for students to interact with the industry, saw the presence of some of the leading names speaking to the audience. Ratnesh Sharma GM (HR) at Satyam Computer spoke on empowerment, Manjit Singh Lakhmana, VP (Personnel) at Bank of America dwelled on the subject of moving from ‘Personnel to HR and OD’ and Narendra Puppala, Head (HR) Birlasoft chaired a session on Change Management.

Other speakers included Lopamudra Banerjee from Aviva, Gautam Nath, EVP (PR and HR) at TNS India, Anshumal Dixit, Head (HR) –North at Citi Financial, Anupama Babbar, Senior Manager (HR) at Flextronics Software Systems and Sanjeev Narang who is an international corporate trainer.

The overall theme was all about the evolution of the HR professional from being a reactive firefighter to a proactive strategist. HR’s evolution from being a mere support function to a lead function had seemingly taken place in real quick time. The students were also briefed on the career path they could expect to chart as specialists in HR & OD. They were also given insiders’ tips on facing the interview board and how to be flexible and open to accepting change to keep in sync with the ever changing dynamics of the industry.

Besides the guest lectures the students also attended workshops on ‘Emotional Quotient’ & ‘Interpersonal Effectiveness’, both of which were conducted by renowned management consultants. The curtain came down on the week-long event with alumni interaction sessions and a film screening.

-TCP BUREAU

College: Higher studies or Hi-fashion?

SENSASHREE

Colleges today are full of youngsters who move like fashion models. A casual visit to a college campus will charm your eyes and warm your heart - boys and girls come to attend classes dressed up in their best and flaunting their outfits. Although not all of them can afford designer outfits, each of them wishes to appear ultra-modern. Today's teenagers spend precious and irretrievable hours in updating their knowledge about the latest fashion.

They are a breed found more often in boutiques and garment stores than in bookstalls. It seems that the modern generation will do anything to look good. And fashion is no longer the preserve of girls either - boys at times surpass them.

One can just imagine the influence these youngsters have on studious students. A person who is not fashion-conscious is mocked and jeered. Are our colleges fulfilling their task of training and educating the youth and enriching their personality to enable them to pursue a successful career? Wouldn't a return to a more dignified and respectable lifestyle with greater stress on knowledge be more desirable?

Good sense lies in being smart and active, and not being swayed by current trends.

NE students in Delhi: Disappointed and discriminated

MEGHA MENON

Ask a Delhiite to name the capital of any state in north, south or western India, and it is a fair chance that you will get a correct answer. But ask the same question about a state in the north-east and you are almost certain to get them tangled up.

Our knowledge about north-east India, its people and culture remains poor to this day. In fact, students from the north-east are often discriminated against. Their names are mocked and they are called "Chinks" or "Chinkies" as if they belong to a foreign land. Their manner of speaking Hindi (due to their inadequate knowledge of the language) is another joke. A recent article in a newspaper revealed that many Delhi families have warned their kids to be wary of students from this region, as if they belong to a different species. Visit any state in north-east India, and you will see that the people there are just like us.

This feeling of discrimination among students of the north-east has been further aggravated by the restrictions imposed upon the dressing style of north-east Indian girls by the Vice-Principal of Kirori Mal College, Mr. Virender Kumar. These restrictions were imposed following the abduction and rape of a Mizo girl near Dhaula Kuan in South Delhi. His remarks on the allegedly revealing dresses worn by students from the north-east region has triggered a number of angry responses. Many students were obviously upset about the bias against them. And they had every reason to feel so!

It is time Delhi stopped discriminating against them and let them get on with their lives (which, contrary to popular perception, are pretty much similar to ours). It is not they who have to change but we, who have to alter our attitude and outlook towards them.

Admissions: Media playing the name game

FAISAL AHMED IKRAM

When the CBSE announced the results for class XII, students who had until that time been nervous about their results, had a new attack of nerves.

"Will I get into that famous college they show on TV?" is a thought that assailed their minds. In their anxiety to get into the college of their choice, students even forgot the course in which they were seeking admission. It did not matter if they had not even a slight inclination towards the course - what mattered most was that they were a part of the "in" crowd.

This attitude is not entirely the students' fault. The media coverage given to admissions in Delhi University (DU) makes them forget that there are other good universities. These include the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Milia Islamia (both central universities) and a host of other deemed-to-be universities in the capital offering good courses with competent faculties.

However, young and impressionable minds often get influenced by the continuous media attention paid to a particular university. Instead of giving unnecessary coverage to the trends of campus life, the media should be more informative. Instead of covering just one university, it should educate aspiring students about the various courses offered by different universities. Knowing which university is renowned for which course is more important than which canteen is more "happening" and which is not.

The media should act as an informative medium to the students and help them choose a better career for themselves, and not function as a commercial entity whose sole aim is catch eyeballs.

First day in college

MADHURIMA MUKHERJEE

It was a sunny day. There I was, standing outside the college gate wearing a blue shirt and black trousers with a twinkle in my eyes and a fake smile on my face to cover my nervousness. As I entered, I tried to calm myself. I tried to look confident as I wandered around the college campus, trying to get accustomed to the environment.

I searched for newcomers from my stream and met two girls. As we were moving to the class, we talked about our experiences during the admission process. After some time we heard the college bell ring and a teacher going towards a class. We followed her. There were ten seniors who welcomed us and provided seats. The teacher and the seniors introduced themselves. As they were introducing themselves, other teachers entered. They gave us a brief lecture relating to our academics and college activities. As the teachers left the room, more seniors entered. We felt like we were dead meat. But before the ragging session started, one of the seniors gave us a choice - whoever wanted to stay and have fun in the interaction session could stay, the others could leave. We decided to stay.

The ragging procedure was simple and not as harsh as we had thought. I thought the seniors would be bullying and troubling us but they didn't. It was simple, friendly ragging and every junior enjoyed it. The seniors were not really ragging us but just having a fun-filled interaction. A boy was told to run around the class until a girl got up and stopped him. Other boys were told to play the roles of batsmen and bowlers and show us a game. When my turn came I gave them a warm smile hoping they would be lenient with me. It must have worked because I was just asked to introduce myself and say "Jai Hind" after every line of my introductory speech! I also recited a poem.

Overall, we had a great time interacting with our seniors. They are the people we look up to. They are also our buddies. My first day in college was one of the best days of my life. I hope every junior has just as good a time.

Have you been reading?

It is one of our oldest pastimes. It has changed lives and fuelled revolutions. And it flourishes to this day in spite of being written off several times.  We are talking about reading. Acknowledged as one of the most enriching human activities, it is more relevant today than ever before. We live in times where knowledge and information are considered the ultimate assets. And there are few better repositories of these than books. Chairman Mao Tse-tung had famously said "Power comes from the barrel of a gun." He was wrong. It comes from the pages of a book or any other publication.  Reading not only promotes learning - imagine trying to study any subject without the benefit of notes or books. It allows one to see events from a host of perspectives - one can read about the Indian independence movement from the British as well as Indian point of view. And that is not all - it entertains, informs and more often than not, provokes us to think. Reading does have a dark side as well. Not all books are beneficial - there are several that can have a severely negative impact on readers (remember Hitler's Mein Kampf) or spread misinformation (the US report claiming that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction), which in turn can trigger off catastrophes.  But for all that, reading remains an essential part of our lives. Even those of us who claim "not to be interested in reading" more often than not begin the day by reading - the newspaper!  The arrival of Internet has made reading even more important as a major portion of the content on the web is in the form of text! In spite of the emergence of alternative and supposedly more interactive means of instruction and entertainment, reading survives, and indeed flourishes. Any one who doubts that should have seen the queues formed to buy the latest Harry Potter book on July 16.  Love it or hate it, you cannot ignore reading. NIMISH DUBEY and TEAM TCP took a peek at what some students are reading these days and the impressions it has left on these readers.

One book that has left an indelible impact on my mind is Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist'. The book can change one's attitude towards life. It inspires the reader to listen to his heart and follow his dreams. We must learn to read omens for they are God's messages. The book made me realize the power and importance of dreams.

- Pooja Chawla, Gargi College, New Delhi

One of the latest books that I have read - 'The Future of South East Asia - Challenges of Child Sex Slavery and Trafficking in Cambodia' has turned out to be one of my favourites. The core of the book deals with research done on new age slavery and throws light on the problems Cambodia is tackling with failed attempts to check the underworld network support for the slavery industry. For me it's a treasure as it's widened my purview of the global perspective.

- Shibabrata Senchaudhury, Kolkata

One book that I found worth reading was Jean Sasson's 'The Princess'. It is a biography of the Princess of Arabia. It tells the reader about the unique and horrendous culture of circumcision of the female child. In our fantasies we always see ourselves as princes and princesses, but after reading this book, I just want to be the way I am.

- Jyotsana Khetarpal, New Delhi

The latest book I've read is Jhumpa Lahiri's 'The Namesake'. The book is important in an age when rubbishing the age-old institutions of the family and clichéd non-conformist slogans abound in fiction. One book that has truly left an indelible impression on my mind is George Eliot's timeless classic 'The Mill on the Floss'. We often fail to understand the intricacies of human emotions - among other things, the love for familiarity, for the sameness of surroundings, which are inextricably enmeshed treasured memories of childhood and youth. The novel set amidst the serene English countryside with all its emotional intensity invokes this very feeling. The love that Tom and Maggie Tulliver feel for their ancestral home corresponds to the nostalgia for home intensely felt even in our own times.

- Sagnik Dutta, Presidency College, Kolkata

One book that has left a strong impression on me is 'Boy' by Marie Coretti. It's a book about a neglected boy, a lady and an Army Major who is in love with the lady. What particularly moved me was the true love of the Major, which is so hard to find in today's materialistic world. In all, a heart warming story!

- Pritam Goswami, Guwahati

There is so much you want to know about Gregory David Roberts, the author of 'Shantaram', which is an autobiography. He was Australia's Most Wanted Man. Now he's written Australia's Most Wanted Novel. It's a story of a revolutionary who lost his deal in heroin, a philosopher who lost his integrity in crime, a poet who lost his soul in maximum-security prison.

- Misha Jagasia, Mumbai

'A Suitable Boy' by Vikram Seth is the most vibrant novel that I have read till date. A colourful coterie of different people, a picturesque and charming historical perspective, and a refreshing dash of the wicked and the unusual are the ingredients which make this huge novel immensely enthralling, and yet quite realistic. The novel is like a journey, which I never wanted to end, because it encompassed every possible emotion, captured the entire spectrum of human reactions and behaviour. The simple language makes reading it quite effortless, and the vivid descriptions capture the background very well.

- Shruti Saxena, New Delhi

Everybody loves controversies and wants to know - Could it be possible? And no wonder 'Da Vinci Code' became a bestseller. I got a copy for myself six months back and since then I've read it twice. The book introduced me to the world of symbology and cryptographic puzzles. I have been glued to the net, finding out more about these things. At least, now I know what The Last Supper is all about and why Mona Lisa smiles so mysteriously! Personal experiences, blast from the past, close to reality, painful and heart rending - 'The Diary of Anne Frank' moved me immensely. It's a diary written by a young Jewish girl when her family and she were in hiding for about four years during World War II. The emotions and the thoughts that the girl penned down half a century ago still managed to stir me. More gripping than any mystery novel!

- Tanvi Shukla, Pune

'Freedom at Midnight' by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre is one of the best literary works on the most sensitive phase of our Independence struggle - the partition. A true thriller, jutting out the bloody twist of partition, the steely will of Mountbatten, astute Jinnah, losing lustre of Gandhi, struggle of Nehru and Sardar Patel with scheming plots of the RSS. It reveals intricacies of cobwebs buried with time interwoven to showcase the turmoil of the past whose tremors are still felt in the progressing world.

- Devina Gupta, IP College, New Delhi

The latest book I read was a book called 'Women Romantic Poets'. These poems were full of irony, satire and humour, easy to understand. They had me chuckling and laughing out loud. Some were the soft, sweet and sentimental kinds. Nevertheless, they made for good reading. They left me wondering why women with such genius are so totally ignored? Why had I not heard of any of them? The most amazing book I have ever read is 'The Road Less Travelled' by M Scott Peck. I read it two years ago, having bought it at a book fair. There are people who call it a self-help or improvement book, but actually, it goes much deeper. I call it an amazing guide towards one's own spiritual growth. This book is very meaningful, even though it isn't as if reading it transformed me as an individual. But it sowed the seeds of a spiritual journey, which, I hope will continue through the years to come.

- Shruti Sareen, IP College, New Delhi

The latest book I've read is 'Love in the Time of Cholera' by Gabriel García Márquez, translated into English by Edith Grossman. The foremost reason I was compelled to go against tradition and pick this book up, is the lauding that Márquez has received for his literature, including a Nobel Prize. Another enticing feature of the book was the setting. I'm a huge travel buff, and the fact that this novel was based in South America, made me want to read it even more. Believe it or not, but the book that has left the strongest impression on me is 'Aunts Aren't Gentlemen' by PG Wodehouse. The book has made me realize what wonders can be achieved with an ingenuous use of vocabulary. I'd never aspired to write professionally before reading the book, but since then I've made a constant, spirited effort to do my best in getting to learn new words, along with studying different styles of writing.

- Sudeep Popat

The latest book I've read is 'Who Moved My Cheese', by Dr. Spenser Johnson. The book illuminates the reader on the inevitability of change in life and the environment we live in, and imparts profound secrets to find happiness in life, which lies in adapting to the changes. For the story of the book shows that those who refuse to adhere to the changes or turn a blind eye towards it, taste failure in life.

- Aparna Khanna, New Delhi

Internal assessment used to quell voice of union

For most politicians, college politics is a preparatory ground. But Narinder Tokas, the President of Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) is not sure whether to take it seriously. He says he "would do what his party (read Congress) tells him". In a tête-à-tête with TCP's Surender K Dhaleta he talks of the current state of DU and his own work in this regard.

How did you welcome freshers this year?
We had an anti-ragging squad doing the rounds of DU and made sure that no untoward incident took place. We've also introduced 20 new U-Special buses taking the total number of buses to 100. We will also be announcing an insurance scheme in association with the Delhi government and the Oriental Insurance Company. Under the scheme, the annual premium would be Rs. 5, of which the Delhi Government would pay Rs. 3 and the student only Rs. 2. In case of death in an accident or otherwise, the nearest kin of the victim will get Rs. 1 lakh. In case of loss of any part of the body, the victim will get Rs. 50,000.

What have been your major achievements in the past one year?
Besides the above, our agenda was to introduce more hostels in DU for which Rs. 6 crore had been promised by the former vice chancellor, Mr. Deepak Nayar. As DU has no VC at the moment, the project has been stalled. But I hope I will be able to revive it before my term ends in September.

Are you happy with the new courses introduced in DU?
We welcome the course changes but we are unhappy with the lack of infrastructure like laboratories, classrooms, library facilities and proper faculty to deal with these new courses. We are taking up this issue with the authorities.

Why don't people take the Students' Union (SU) seriously?
I don't think that people do not take the SU seriously. But I do agree that in some colleges the SU has been ineffective. This is due to pressure from the principals, administration and other authorities. They use tactics like results and internal assessment to quell the voice of the union.

Why are people scared of the SU?
People have their own ways of thinking. Some students who come from outside are scared because they are new to the Delhi culture. My appeal to these students is that they should come forward with their problems and doubts. We will certainly try to solve them.

Looking for a room

If you are a new student at DU and do not belong to Delhi, there is a fair chance that you will be on the lookout for a place to stay. Ideally, one would like to get a room close to one's college. However, these are likely to come at a very high rental, as their owners realise that students prefer them. To make things worse, these rooms often lack even the basic facilities. Students might be attracted by their location and proximity to their college, but the fact is that staying in them is often a pain - both in terms of finance and comfort.

Of course, you can avoid this situation by keeping a few things in mind before you select a room:

• Talk to your seniors who are living in rented rooms and seek their advice. They will provide you with a true picture of the scenario.
• Find out if the room has been legally built.
• Check the electricity and water supply.
• Insist on electricity bills instead of monthly fixed amount as charged by room owners.
• Whenever possible, opt for a room that has good ventilation and access to natural light.
• Fresh air is a must for a healthy mind. So try to get a room with a balcony.
• Make sure that the room has proper sanitation.
• Try to avoid taking a room in a 'noisy' location, such as near a flour mill, music shops, gensets, etc.
• Make sure that the room is well-guarded against rain.
• If you don't have a cellphone, try to get a room near a PCO.

- TARUN JANGID

Ragging down the ages

Although reams of newsprint have been devoted to the incidents and ill-effects of ragging, we hardly ever try to trace the roots of this savage phenomenon. Ragging can be traced back to the seventh or eight century A.D. In ancient Greece, new entrants to the sporting community were subjected to all kinds of humiliations and teasing to inculcate team spirit. The passage of time saw this technique being adopted by the military forces, and then by the education system.

Between 1828-1845, several students' organizations called fraternities popped up in US campuses. New entrants to these fraternities were known as pledges. At this time, ragging (also called 'hazing') existed in a rudimentary form and was merely a ritual to test the courage of the pledge. However, it also claimed its first victim when a freshman from Cornell University fell into a gorge in 1873.

Ragging started to acquire brutal tones after the First World War. Soldiers returning from the war re-entered college and brought with them the technique of 'hazing' learnt in military camps. These techniques were devised to highlight the importance of the team rather than the individual. However, as the number of military students decreased, these techniques were passed on to others who did not understand their purpose. Ragging became a brutal and hazardous exercise.

In India, ragging was imported alongside English education. Though it existed in the army and English public schools, it came into prominence only after independence. Right until the late 1960s, ragging was never a serious problem in India. It was milder in form, as higher education was confined to only some sections of society. Gradually as education became more accessible, ragging emerged as an instrument to humiliate students from different backgrounds.

Media influence made ragging much more brutal and violent in the 1980s. Ragging became a measuring rod to test the grit of the seniors, and many seniors ragged their juniors because of peer pressure. The early 1990s saw the mushrooming of new private engineering and medical colleges and this added a new dimension to ragging, with Southern India emerging as a hub of this brutal activity. Ragging related suicides began to increase.

In 1997, Tamil Nadu (one of the worst affected states) became the first state in India to pass legislation against ragging. In 2001, the Supreme Court of India banned ragging throughout the country. While this has led to a reduction in daytime ragging, virulent ragging continues to thrive in college hostels. There is a myth that ragging makes the fresher bold and this has given this cruel practice social acceptance. As long as this exists, ragging will continue. How many more lives will it claim before society wakes up?

- HARSH AGARWAL

Sex on the campus

To the jogger at Lodhi Garden who had to hurdle over a naked couple, the latter offer their deepest apologies: "It sounded like a good idea at the moment and it seemed like no one else was around. Hope you understand."

Why are so many couples taking it outside? Maybe they have no alternative because they have a homebody roommate, live with their parents or are having an affair. Or maybe it's the thrill of getting caught. Or bragging rights. Or they're so uncontrollably desperate they couldn't possibly contain themselves long enough to reach a bed.

"What's the craziest place you've had sex?" was my automatic greeting to everyone all week. While most adorable friends sighed, "in my head," some seemed to have rather juicy stories.
We may have thought that this was an American concept but the fact is that it is as prevalent in DU or any university in India as in the rest of the world. And as times change, it has become less taboo. I cannot say whether it's right or wrong. It's a choice which everyone has the right to make.

That said, the best places to have sex on the campus are:

• The Library - some have sound-proof rooms
• Far end of the sports fields
• Green room of college auditoriums - it's got full-length mirrors
• An empty classroom during finals week - barricade the door
• Phone booths in all posh parts of Delhi - since everyone carries a cell now
  

Of course, this journalist is not responsible for any consequences for taking up the above advice.

- PRIYANKA VERMA

DEBATATHON '05

Plan India, a subsidiary of a UK based NGO Plan International, is organizing DEBATATHON 2005, a month long event comprising a series of debates to be held at various colleges in North and South Campus of Delhi University. The aim of these debates is to create awareness about child issues and render support to child rights which is the primary focus of Plan India.

Plan India is a programme driven, independent, child centred, Indian organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act. It is loosely affiliated to Plan International through an affiliation agreement. Its primary programme focus is to ensure basic rights of children living in the most difficult circumstances through programme interventions and advocacy initiatives in partnership with grassroots organisations or independently. Plan's vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies which respect people's rights and dignities. Plan India focuses on street children, child labourers, trafficked and abused children, children affected by HIV/AIDS, children affected by conflict and disaster and children with disabilities. Plan India also takes up advocacy initiatives such as universal birth registration.

The event is being organized by a group of Delhi University students who work together as a group called AASRA, DEBATATHON is one such initiative taken to encourage the youth to recognize this need and to endeavor to help achieve affirmative action in support of protection of children in unfortunate circumstances.

The event is being held at eight zones across Delhi, inviting participants from DU colleges spanning the month of August. The debate kick starts on July 29, 2005 at Sri Venkateswara College. The initial leg events determine the best two speakers each who will proceed onto the Grand Final to be held at a later date. The motion for all the initial leg events is "Child labour is not a solution to poverty". Total prize money on offer in this period of one month is close to Rs. 60,000/- The culmination of the event at the Grand Final will witness another debate on child rights related issues and a panel discussion with renowned personalities.

Payback time for IITians

IIT - the name speaks for itself. Rare is the +2 level science student who does not appear for the JEE, hoping to become an IITian and earn dollar-salaries after completing graduation. It's hardly surprising that IIT graduates are often referred to as India's hottest exports.

Ironically, this was not what India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had in mind when the first IIT was established at Kharagpur. Initially modeled on MIT, the IITs were supposed to lead India into the modern age. However, this has not been possible as students head for greener pastures abroad - the top quarter of IIT graduates leave India. No one wants to be within the system and help India produce more and more capable engineers ready to work in India.

The Government spends a lot on every IITian but hardly gets any sizeable return for its investment. While there are some IITians who join academics and thus contribute to the system, these are few and far between. Most of the IITians who stay back in India feel that eventually "all that matters is money" and as pay packets in multinationals are far more than IIT professors' salaries, they often take up jobs in private firms. Some even admit that though professorship is interesting and rewarding, yet it fails to satisfy their ultimate need - money!

Talking to the students of India's oldest IIT (Kharagpur), one gets the feeling that most of them do not even think of contributing to help India flourish. One of the students graduating in 2005, had dreamt of getting into IIT since his childhood days. His main motive: earning in dollars! When asked about how he would contribute to the system that produced him, his answer was - "I don't know!" Another graduating student said that though he would like to contribute to the system, but he was not sure how he could do so. A few final year students of Mechanical Engineering frankly admit that as they will be going abroad for jobs, they will not be able to make any significant contribution to the system. Some students feel that contributing to alumni funds is enough to repay the system.

Fortunately, there are exceptions to this trend. Abhinav Dwivedi of Mechanical Engineering chose to stay back in India though he had options of going abroad, and at present is working for Maruti Suzuki. He says that though he is currently working for Maruti, he is keen on going back to academics in the future and become a professor.

India needs more IITians like Abhinav if it is to achieve its potential and emerge as a major power. Will they respond?

- ARUNIMA DUTTA

Ragging - a vision for the future

Building a vision for stopping ragging altogether involves building a unified front across students, college administrations and the judicial system. This is because each of these entities plays a role in the perpetuation of this disgraceful practice year-in and year-out.

Colleges
The Supreme Court judgment against ragging in 2001 was a landmark in the fight against ragging. And yet the practice of ragging continues unabated. Part of the reason is the lack of enforcement by colleges. For example, the admissions prospectus must clearly mention that ragging is banned in the institution and any one indulging in ragging is to be punished appropriately - including expulsion, suspension or fine with a public apology. Punishment could also take the shape of: withholding scholarships, results of exams, or expulsion from the hostel or mess.
A few colleges like Ferguson College and IIT, Mumbai have successfully stopped ragging based on a united effort across students, faculty and authorities alike. They have shown what is possible through an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual trust.

Administration
Authorities need to realize that outright denial or blaming freshers for incidents will simply perpetuate ragging. Instead, they need to build a coalition with students, the police and hostel wardens to actively monitor campuses for violent acts. Anti-ragging movements should also be initiated by the institutions right from the time of advertisement for admissions.

Hostels
Hostels provide a closed circuit environment where many of the worst cases occur, often behind closed doors and late at night. Colleges have to control brutal ragging in hostels through spot checks and through hostel wardens, who should have the full power of the justice system at their disposal. Surprise checks in hostels at odd hours with strict punishment to the guilty is an efficient solution to the problem.

Students
A few organizations have begun to form within colleges to combat ragging. One of the first is CURE (www.noragging.com), a non-profit organisation that actively engages the media, students and grassroots professionals to remove ragging from society. Seniors need to be empowered to take charge of situations and to act as role models, not ruffians. The solution, ultimately, rests with students everywhere.

YOU, the Student, have a choice to make today. Either you can be part of the Solution, or you can be part of the Problem. Which choice would you rather make?

Make the Right Choice today. Say NO to Ragging.

- RAJIV RAM

IP University- feel the difference!

"Jiska koi nahin hota uska IP hota hai!"

This statement coined by a DU-iite says a lot about the stature of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGS IPU). It is true that IP has not achieved the status that DU or JNU commands, but we mustn't forget that it is still in its infancy. Rather, do we all including the 'proud DU-iites' realise what a terrific purpose this university has achieved? It has given a chance at education to all those who DU is incapable of housing due to lack of seats.

Imagine the plight of those students who don't find admission in any of the courses at DU. IP offers them seats in some prestigious courses like Mass Communication and BBA. Had IP not come to the rescue, we would have had an increased level of frustration among the student community, more suicides and increased crime.

IP also provides education which private universities boast of, but at a lower cost. While most of the DU-iites might reject IP for its school life like approach towards classes and internal assessment, let us not forget our own DU has followed suit!

Another point worth mentioning here is, have we ever realised that while most courses at DU cannot fetch you a job right after graduating, courses at IP can?

Khushboo Goyal a student of BBA (banking and insurance) say, "Internal assessment is very important as it prepares us for the final exams." In a similar vein Reema Nath questions, "Which other university in the country insists on its students seeking internships and professional experience while still pursuing graduation?"

Many students feel depressed about not making it to the college of their dreams when they land up at IP. But they must not forget that it really is a varsity with a difference with the array of courses and that too all professional. Some miss the campus 'masti' but Gaurav Ghai, student of IP believes that the college life at IP is great as it is a small but a closely knit community with a strong and a close bonding between the students and the teachers.

Are the proud DU-iites listening?

- RUCHIKA GOYAL

U-specials - hardly sporty, but still special

Two years ago, when we were about to start our college lives, we had visions of driving swanky cars around the campus. Well, two years down the line nothing of the sort has happened. Instead of keys to sports cars (one can fantasize, can't one?), we have got DTC bus passes. But all would-be 'collegewallahs', fear not and take heart. So what if we can't afford SUVs, we have our very own U-specials.

For the uninitiated, U-specials are the DTC buses contracted by the University to ferry DU students from various points of the city to the college campus. The DTC bus pass is valid in these buses and they ply more or less on a fixed time, which coincides with the classes of various colleges. One can easily get a student's concession on the bus pass. All you need to do is get the bus pass form from your college office.

For those ladies who do not plan to hitchhike their way to college, U-specials are a decidedly safer option than the overcrowded Blue Lines or regular DTC buses. U-specials are also a good bet for students coming from South Delhi to study in North Campus colleges. This is because one does not need to change buses - one U-special is generally sufficient. What's more, these buses do not tarry at bus stops and hence one reaches the campus faster.

The crowd in these buses, however, does get a little enthusiastic and bellicose at times. So if you plan to study en route to the college, be warned - it is hard to concentrate as a number of students energetically exercise their vocal chords in the bus, which can be a bit of a nuisance!
But all in all, for all those not having sports cars, U-specials are a pretty convenient option.

- DIKSHA MADHOK AND BHARATI BHARDAWAJ

Five myths about Ragging

Myth: Ragging makes the fresher bold
Fact: Many of the victims of ragging are left emotionally scarred with low self-esteem and self-worth. This can lead to depression and suicide in the absence of emotional support. There have been several such cases. Ragging is an attempt to break the self esteem of the incoming students and revel in their abject shame and fear.

Myth: Ragging doesn't mean more than cleaning the senior's room or removing your shirt
Fact: Ragging incidents have included stripping of all clothes and public sexual acts, including sexual intercourse and sodomy. Ragging takes its worst form when freshers are mercilessly beaten, asked to take drugs, made to work round the clock and made to obey arbitrary rules such as not removing their shoes for months.

Myth: Severe ragging is not prevalent anymore
Fact: Severe ragging is widely prevalent in most of the colleges which have hostels, be it in the smaller cities or the metropolises. This is borne out by ten cases of suicide due to ragging in the last four years. After the Supreme Court Judgment, colleges have geared up to keep ragging incidents under cover. The problem is not solved yet, it is just hidden.

Myth: Colleges are united against ragging Fact: In many violent cases, colleges have actually denied the incident, or worse, indicated that the fresher had initiated the altercation. The college authority prefers to deny a ragging incident to "save face" at the cost of the fresher's trauma. In stray cases, where action has been taken against the seniors, public sympathy towards the perpetrator has made justice difficult.

Myth: No one can rag me, if I don't allow it Fact: A disorganized set of freshers face a united front of seniors who ask them to do the most unthinkable things in the name of ragging. A "No" from the fresher could lead to public humiliation, beating and torture. Singling out a protesting student is a regular feature of ragging. Complaints may mean facing hostile authorities and threats from the entire senior batch, leaving the fresher with no option but to leave the campus and ruin his or her career.

- HARSH AGARWAL

Ragging death toll: 10 victims in 4 years

Ragging, commonly believed to be "harmless fun" has a darker side, which manifests itself in severe sexual torture and infliction of physical injury. This inhuman form of ragging is largely widespread in colleges, more so in those having hostels. Ragging has claimed a number of innocent lives over the years.

The following list of suicide cases and ragging deaths underscores this deep malaise prevalent in the Indian educational system:

• Kamlesh Sarkar a hotel management student in Kalyani in Nadia district committed suicide due to severe ragging. (July 2005)
• Mohan Karthik Tripathy of S.K.R. Engineering College, Tamil Nadu, was found hanging in his hostel room. The parents of the victim had given a written complaint against ragging to college authorities and no action was taken. A broken father blamed "ragging and the indifference of management" for his son's death. (December 2004)
• Ehsan Saba of Manipal Engineering College in Mangalore was beaten up and forcibly pushed into the sea where he drowned. He met with this fate because he refused to enter the sea on the command of the seniors. (August 2004)
• Lokesh Yadav of Bilaspur Medical College committed suicide after being severely ragged. (January 2004)
• Anuj Khargar of MGM Medical College, Indore attempted suicide. He had been stripped and severely beaten by his seniors. (December 2003)
• Pranali Dhanvijay of Topiwala Medical College, Mumbai committed suicide due to severe ragging. (October 2003)
• Parmeshwar, a student at Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi committed suicide. He reportedly suffered from depression following severe ragging. (September 2003)
• Sushil Kumar Pandey of Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College committed suicide following severe ragging. (September 2003)
  

Anup Kapoor of IET, Lucknow and Govardhan of Agri. College, Mahanadi are others who perished as a consequence of ragging. That makes it ten suicides (including one attempt) in the last four years! These students could not cope with what they had to face. There are thousands more who just give in and compromise at the cost of their self-respect and dignity.

Did someone say that ragging, as prevalent today, promotes interaction?

Ragging: Frequently Asked Questions

Why should ragging be condemned if it is harmless fun?

Most people think ragging is mild and involves verbal interaction or making freshers do funny acts for a laugh. However, a darker side of ragging is widely prevalent in hostels and in outlying colleges. Here ragging involves emotional harassment, sexual and physical abuse. Most of the cases are undocumented, and even if publicized are denied by colleges for fear of reprisals or loss of public image.


Why is the practice so difficult to change or police?
The problem is endemic and very difficult to police. The worst cases occur in hostels, behind closed doors and late at night. Fear of reprisal, mass intimidation and shame or embarrassment at the incident makes freshers reluctant to approach authorities. The authorities anyway turn a blind eye to the issue, fearing student protests and the damage to their reputation. The problem maintains its continuity, with the victim often becoming the perpetrator in the very next year!

In which colleges is ragging more prevalent?
Ragging is widespread in colleges where students stay in hostels. In hostels, the fresher is totally at the mercy of the seniors with no support from family and friends. The situation gets worse at engineering and medical colleges, where students believe that they are the cream of society and it is their right to do socially unacceptable practices on the pretext of ragging.

Are there any laws against ragging?
The Supreme Court in its verdict, in response to a PIL filed by the Vishwa Jagriti Mission in August 2001 had banned ragging. Many states have also passed laws against ragging. But unfortunately, college authorities are not willing to accept their role and responsibility in this regard.

What role can society play in stopping ragging?
Indian society needs to wake up and realise that these events are happening. Society can play a major role today by accepting that inhuman ragging exists, that it must be stopped and alternatives explored for the Indian educational system. There are better ways to promote interaction with seniors than ridicule, humiliation and abuse.

What role can you play in stopping ragging?
As a part of the campus community, you can play an invaluable role in ensuring the continued harmony of campus life by welcoming new students to your institution and trying to build friendships based on mutual trust and confidence, rather than intimidation, fear and humiliation.

Take a stand. Build a bond with incoming students and act as mentors. Confront your peers who want to make a spectacle out of ragging. Replace immature confrontations with events geared around sports, music or social causes. Intercede and intervene to prevent violent ragging. Join an anti-ragging group such as CURE today, challenge your peers, and wipe out ragging from your college. Changing the system, clearly, is not an option.

Make a change today.

- MOHIT GARG

'New Eco syllabus at par with the best'

VARUN KHANDELWAL

Delhi University has revamped the much sought-after Economics Honours course. Not only is the new course more marketable,it is an easier course to adapt to as well.

The course has changed both in structure and in content. Nine new papers have been added to it. Earlier, the First Year of Economics Honours used to be a nightmare for many science students who joined this course. Also, the workload used to increase drastically when students entered Third Year. Not any more! Students will now have to take three papers in the first year -Mathematics, Statistics and 'Principles of Economics', which will introduce economics to students who have no previous knowledge of the subject. The University has also done away with National Income Accounting paper.

The Second Year will see students taking core economics papers such as Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. The new Microeconomics paper is an amalgamation of the two Microeconomics papers that students took over two years under the previous course. Papers such as Economic History of India and Indian Economy since Independence will prepare students for what lies in store for them in the Final Year.
The major restructuring has been done in the Third Year, where students will be required to take six out of ten papers, two of which are compulsory. The University is now offering the much-desired courses such as Econometrics,International Trade, Advanced topics in Micro and Macro Economics.Lauding the new syllabus, Ms Vineeta Sharma, teacher at Department of Economics,Kirori Mal College says, "The new restructured courses have brought the syllabus at par with the best offered in universities world over."

Dr.S K Laroiya, HOD, Deptt. of Economics, Hans Raj College, in agreement with Ms Sharma says, "The new syllabus is more comprehensive, practical and quantitative." He is of the view that the introduction of Econometrics is the most radical thing to happen to the course.

Introduction of Econometrics and International Trade would open up new vistas for students. As the new course involves activities ranging from research to finance, students would now be able to find suitable jobs straight after college. Earlier, the students had to go for specialised post-graduate courses to master their subject.

'DU elections are violent now'

Going by his reputation, one expects the renowned lawyer to lift all the veils on a case and be just as secretive about himself and his clients. While he may give out nothing or little about his clients, but he has the quality to laugh at himself. A graduate in Economics from Hindu College (1961 batch) renowned Delhi High Court lawyer D C Mathur reminisces about his colleges days in tête-à-tête with TCP's Pinky Nigam. Excerpts:


Any fond memories of your college days?
There are many. But there is this one, which I can't ever forget. It relates to an annual event held by our college called 'Fish Pond' and it was to be a very hilarious event with a funny anchor. One day as the anchor was absent, it was decided that I would anchor the show. I was very obese in my college days. Ascending the stage, I recited a poem on my obesity that was actually made by my sister for me. But the best part of it was that the audience simply loved it!

How would you describe yourself as a college boy?
I was an average student but a complete extrovert.I was a bit of a ragger,but then it was more or less limited to verbal introduction that we asked for.
What significance does your college hold in your life today?
It taught me immense self-assessment and discipline. All the awards and certificates that I got from it, I cherish them and have them with me till date.

What change do you see in DU these days?
Well, forty-four years having gone by, it's rather difficult to recount everything and compare. But yes, the number of students has increased multifold. Elections are extremely politicized and violent now. Admissions at my time were simply by merit, there was no cutoff system.

In one word tell us what did your college give you in your life?
Discipline.

VOX POP: Why we love/hate our college? (Kamla Nehru College)

I love my college because it's given me two years of fun and has taught me how to face life.

- RUPAL JAIN

I love my college because I befriended people here who I can totally rely on and I have a great time here.

- PALLAVI JASSI

I love my college because the teachers are good and I have great friends.

- BHAVNA GUPTA

I love my college because a part of me is because of what the college gave me in the past two years including the highs and lows.

- EKTA BABBAR

I love my college because I enjoy each day here with friends and study sometimes too! But I hate it when the electricity goes and we study in the heat.

- JAYSHREE BELLARY

‘Mooch’ ado about nothing?

"Kissing a Man Without a Moustache Is Like Eating an Egg Without Salt."

- A FRENCH PROVERB

Remember eccentric Utpal Dutt having a fetish for moustaches in 'Golmaal' and telling Amol Palekar: "Take care of your moustache my son!" Then our Amitabh Bachchan recommending a style in 'Sharaabi' "Moochein hon to Nathu Lalji jaisi!"


For some it's just a plain style statement and for others, a necessity to remind themselves and others, 'I am a man'.

Hitler was better known for his 'tooth-brush moustaches' and Veerappan for his 'handlebars'. 'Windsor Castle' pub in London has its own Handlebar Club (founded in 1947) with members over nine countries. The qualification for membership as per its website (http://www.handlebarclub.org.uk) is: "A hirsute appendage of the upper lip, with graspable extremities"!

You can see guys hanging around the hotspots in Delhi sporting the latest Bollywood or Hollywood styles after the movies are released. Another look popular these days is the unshaven look, also called the macho look. It's easy to sport and maintain too. Just shave on alternate days and voila; you are in fashion! The pencil beard, elongated sideburns and the Aamir Khan goatie from 'Dil Chahta Hai' are also hot favourites among the youth. Some even get their styled facial hair coloured. Whether these 'hairy' trends are appreciated or not, is a topic of mixed answers and thoughts.

What the girls have to say…
Radhika Verma (Fresher): Yuck! May be a styled look or a French beard might look good.
Ekta Babbar (Third year, DU): It's not acceptable to me. My guy should be clean-shaven.
Pragya Rawat (Final year, Amity Business School): If a guy can carry it off, anything and everything can look good.
Manika Bhasin (Vasant Valley School): My dad sports a moustache, so what can I say?

Guys have an opinion too…
Gandharv Gupta (IILM): It's a personal choice and no one person can decide whether it's a correct fashion statement or not.
Akhil Puri (First year, DU): There are two schools of thought. The first think it's an ego issue i.e. what is a man without a moustache. Whereas the second think a man is a man even without a moustache.
Aditya Sharma (Third year, DU): Who cares about this? If you feel like shaving, be it, if you feel lazy, be it.
Raghav Gupta (Third year Amity Law School): I am clean shaven and that's how I like it.

- PRIYANKA VERMA

‘Crime has a voyeuristic charm to it’

Although just a month and half old, Channel 7 has already captured the imagination of viewers around the country. Surender K Dhaleta of TCP talks to Sidharth Gupta, the 24-year-old Director of the channel, who has played a major role in its conceptualisation, packaging and success.


Why the name Channel 7?
The number seven is all encompassing. There are seven notes, seven seas, seven colours of the rainbow, seven sins, seven heavens… the number seven embodies all aspects of life. We wanted to go for a channel and a number nomenclature. We didn't want to name it Dainik Jagran, as we wanted the channel to have its own identity.

How is Channel 7 different from other news channels?
We call ourselves the 'News Plus Channel'. We want to do non-fiction entertainment, non-fiction crime. If you are thinking that Discovery Channel and National Geographic (NG) will come and tell you about the truth of the Mahabharata, you are living in a fool's paradise. We will get into the truth of Ramayana, Mahabharata, into Harappa, into the biggest battles that have ever been fought in this country.

Do you have any programmes for the youth?
The entire channel is packaged as a youth channel. All the programmes I've talked about are targeted at the youth. We will soon be coming up with interactive shows targeted at the aspirations of the Indian youth.

Most of your shows presently are crime based…
As far as crime is concerned, it is the reality of our nation. People like reading about crime as there is some voyeuristic charm to it. If there is an accident on the road, every person peeps into it as if to gratify some animal that 'my life is certainly better than his'. Somewhere, crime sells and I don't deny that.

But is there a need to sensationalise it?
Sensationalism has different meaning for different people. We go beyond blood and gore - into the mentality of the crime. We have a psychiatric doctor on our panel who analyses the entire event and tries to tell you how not to let such feelings crop in your children's mind. We have an ex-CBI Director on our panel and are in touch with Prayas, an NGO, in this regard.

Your message to the youth…
Be proud to be an Indian. Believe in yourself and put India first. Don't shirk from your identity of being an Indian.

College interviews: Honesty is the best policy

SURENDER K DHALETA

While appearing for an interview for admission in college, remember first and foremost to NEVER EVER exaggerate. Be honest and stick to the point. Or you might miss the chance of a lifetime - just as I did, eight years ago.


I had got an interview call from St. Stephen's for History (Hons.) and Philosophy (Hons.). I was overconfident. After all, I had done my schooling from an ICSE background and from St.Edward's, one of the premier institutes in Shimla. You just need a good accent and good English, I thought.

I answered some of the early questions quite confidently. Then came a volley of questions from the Principal himself on Shimla. My favourite. After all, I knew every nook and corner of Shimla. And my exaggeration spree started. While walking out, I was all smiles and loaded with confidence.

Back at home, I narrated everything to my dad - the questions asked and the answers I gave. My dad asked me, "Do you know who Mrs. Rita Wilson is?" "I think, I've heard this name before," I said. Interrupting my stream of thought, my sister said,"She was our principal (At Auckland House School, Shimla)." "And do you know who Mr. Anil Wilson is?" my dad asked me again.

"Yeah, he's the Principal of St. Stephen's." "And he's also the husband of Mrs. Rita Wilson. And he has taught at Government College, Shimla for years and he was also the Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, from where he has taken leave to head St. Stephen's." And adding insult to injury, he added, "And their son was your senior in Edward's." With these words of my dad, my ephemeral joy came crumbling down.

I was sure I wasn't in. And I just prayed he didn't remember me during the Philosophy (Hons.) interview on the third day. I was more sober and down-to-earth during the interview, but the damage had been done and Mr. Wilson remembered me. After all, surnames like Dhaleta, (Preity) Zinta, Baragta, Tanta, Panta, Pirta, with 'Ta' in the end are from Shimla.

A code for dressing?

DIKSHA OHRI

Is it a wise idea to introduce a dress code in college? I would tend to say yes. And not only in educational institutions, but also at all kinds of work places.



This debate has been sparked off by comments made by Kirori Mal College principal Bhim Sen, which has many a girl raise a furore. After all, in this new world, girls are at the forefront of everything as anyone else and on equal terms. But our society tends to disapprove of any change without giving it at least a second thought.

A dress code need not imply that girls are responsible for anything undesirable that happens, nor does it suggest that girls only dress provocatively. College life is about having fun too along with academics, and an opportunity to follow what is in vogue.While academic institutions of higher learning give us lots of freedom, but this has to come with responsibility too. It is not different from school. The motive behind any dress code is only ensuring safety of students and enforcing some form of discipline. Students should not forget they are students even while in college.

Of course, for implementation of any such idea and to be able to meet the desired objectives, cooperation of both students and parents are a must. This can only ensure a more secure campus environment. There are people from all sorts of backgrounds in colleges. College authorities can only do so much to ensue security; they cannot control the actions and intentions of anyone.

University life is an important phase of one's life, where one's career paths are also decided. Introduction of a dress code can greatly reduce acts of eve-teasing and sexual harassment. Students would be able to move around more freely with little to fear. It will also reduce the disparities between those of vastly differing economic backgrounds. One can be more equal than before. My vote goes for a dress code.

Water harvesting in DU

DEVINA GUPTA

The city can learn a lesson or two from Delhi University when it comes to tackling this summer's water problems. The latest to join the rainwater harvesting camp is Delhi's Jesus and Mary College. The project took off in August 2004 and is an initiative of college authorities to save the precious one - water. "The water saved will be utilized in times of scarcity. It will be good for our new lawns and, of course, will control water wastage," says project-in-charge and Head of Accounts Department, Mr.Pritam Das.

Water is collected from the surface by a covered drainage system. From these inclined pipes, water accumulates in a 40-foot deep underground ditch, approximately 20x10 inches in dimension. There are 8 separate ditches in different compounds of the college. All these ditches are internally connected so that water can be utilized over the maximum possible area.

It is ironical and indeed unfortunate that most of the college's own students do not know about this programme."I don't know if such a system exists in our college," says Sugandh Sharma of English (Hons.) III year. This ignorance is all the more surprising because students pay Rs. 900 annually as the Rain Harvesting fees (according to the college prospectus 2004). Even the teachers of various departments had no knowledge of this programme, which was completed in February 2005 inside their own college campus.

Another South Campus college has had a similar programme running for three years now. It was better publicised, thanks to the 'We do water harvesting in KNC' board placed right outside the college wall. That said, even there students did not seem to know too much about it and the project itself has kept a low profile.

Let's hope such projects get greater publicity in the future. They certainly deserve it.

Did you know… ?

PINKY NIGAM

• LSR was thinking of admitting boys for postgraduate diploma courses like Conflict Transformation and Peace Building. However, the possibility now seems bleak.
• South Campus to have hostels too. Colleges currently working on them; Venkateswara, Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Maitreyi.
• An English honours entrance test first demands of you a minimum aggregate of 85 per cent in Core English, besides clearing the cut-off to appear in the test in most colleges.
• An insurance cover for death, disability, loss of limb and hospitalization in case of minor injury granted to students seeking admission in DU this year. Move started by the NSUI.
• Entrance examination syllabi for Law Faculty aspirants changed. The course now includes three new topics -- environmental law, intellectual property rights and law and emerging technology. Reports have it that these could be stumbling blocks for DU students as these have been expertly taught in private institutes.
• DU offers a course of a new kind: MA in Social Work.
• Unions like INSO, NSUI and ABVP structure new plans for confused students. They shall help them with their admission queries in return for registration in their camps and thereafter seek their support during elections!
• Delhi Metro will now be available to North Campus students as an easy transport, connecting Delhi University north campus to Connaught Place in 25 minutes flat.

Strategies for surviving college!

PRIYANKA CHHABRA

"School days are the best days of your life", claim a lot of people. Well, I wanted to get out of
as soon as possible. The idea being so labelled as an adult, getting a say in important matters, free from the mindless routine of home-school-home and just chilling in life (so to say).



My first year in college was as rosy as could be, till the thorns started pricking. After endless rounds of flipping friends, changing boyfriends, travelling in buses - life just couldn't get more real. Add to this stinking, dirty toilets, pigeons in the classroom and fear that the peon would go on leave (because no one would then have any idea where the required equipment is)! I guess this is the way one learns to value things as precious as time, cleanliness, responsibilities and duties.

But there is a way to handle all of this. I recommend following a proactive policy rather than a reactive one. If you find something wrong try and set it right yourself. I know of a teacher who would go and put buckets of water in the toilets herself, because she just couldn't tolerate the stink (don't bother wondering why the sweepers are employed). It is also important to drop the ego. Believe you me, the people working in office can tolerate anything but egoistic, young things trying to teach them how to work. So the best way to get your work done is to plead.

For instance, I desperately needed some printouts. But when I asked for them in the office, suddenly everyone became so busy that not a single system was free. I had no option but to plead with one of the employees. He did help me but unfortunately, not everyone is like that.

Moral(s) of the story:

• God only helps those, who help themselves.
• Make people believe that in a crisis they are only ones who can rescue you - the saviors.
• Once you're seen making your way around things and people figure you are here to stay, life gets easier.
• Till then - SUCK IT UP!

Studies -the harsh reality of college life

SHRUTI SAREEN


A whirl of gaiety, a never ending series of parties -isn't that the image we have of college life? Hmm…a pretty nice image, but the problem is: it doesn't last long! Sorry to break your sweet dreams but that's the hard reality, thanks to this internal assessment bug.

Remember, this is Delhi University. You can't have your cake and eat it too. And that's the price we have got to pay for studying in DU. I don't want to get into a debate over internal assessment, fucchas, because you will hear enough of it in the next three years, anyway. Back home, school juniors still don't believe that college involves studying! Believe me, we too crib about assignments, attendance, and the like.

Don't get the wrong impression - we have loads of fun too: Hanging out, freaking out, clubs and societies - plenty of masti. It's just a question of managing time. And forget all your dreams of marks in the region of 80s and 90s! A 60 per cent is hard enough to get here.

For classes to be fun, you need a certain amount of interest in your course. And good teachers! But there, you might turn lucky or unlucky! Some classes you would hate to bunk, some you would rarely attend. It all depends on your college and your course. It is easier if you get on the right side of the teachers, though I personally think it either happens or it doesn't - no point in trying too hard.

Hope you freshers have an awesome three years ahead. It might seem difficult at first, but hang on and it will turn out to be fun!

DU syllabus revamp: Teachers not pleased

SURENDER K DHALETA


DU's decision to revamp its courses has come in for flak from its teachers. They feel the order was passed in an undemocratic fashion and also oppose the introduction of some subsidiary subjects (concurrent courses).



According to the elected members of the Academic Council, the move was made without consulting the teachers who would have to teach the subjects. Rita Sinha, an English (Hons.) teacher at Janaki Devi Mahavidyayla, says, "The elected members represent nearly 8000 teachers in DU and their suggestions and objections have all been ignored and bypassed. In fact they were never consulted."

The teachers are also not sure what they are supposed to teach when the academic session gets underway. "Most of the teachers haven't received details of the revamped syllabus. If a new syllabus is introduced, we need time to read and study it. The University should conduct seminars and workshops before implementing a new syllabus," says Sundaram Shukla, a History (Hons.) teacher at Kirori Mal College.

Shukla will now also have to teach subjects like Environmental History, Gandhian Political Thought and the History of Delhi as a part of concurrent courses. She laments that English (Hons.) students who earlier had a choice of British History would now be forced to study Ancient Indian History. "Medieval British History as a subsidiary subject for English Honours' students was more relevant as they could understand the social conditions of Europe. But now the subject has been removed and replaced by Ancient Indian History." She also fails to understand the relevance of Gandhian Political Thought or History of Delhi to an English literature student!

Another issue that has irked teachers is that the marks in these concurrent courses will be added to the total of the Honours' course. "Earlier, both the students and the teachers took these subjects lightly. Now, with the marks in these subjects being part of the total percentage, both students and the teachers will have to take them seriously," says Shukla. "Do colleges have the infrastructure for this? It's not only the syllabus that needs a revamp, we need to revamp the libraries, tutorial rooms and laboratories as well."

The infrastructural problem extends to the B.Sc. general course as well. As Botany and Zoology have been made mandatory for those who take up Group B (now the Life Sciences programme), teachers are worried about the laboratory and instrumentation facilities as all colleges have not been offering Botany and Zoology Honours' courses till now. With the academic session due to start on July 16, it is looking increasingly unlikely that things will fall into place in time.

The smooth guide to DU

The class XII results are out and the admissions rush is on. DU is all set for a new session. In keeping with this spirit, TCP presents the Smooth Guide to DU - a survival manual of sorts, for freshers and veterans alike.

SURVIVING DU - A FRESHER'S GUIDE
TO survive and succeed in DU, get into Dale Carnegie mode -stop worrying and start living the DU way.

Your first day in college is always special. As you enter the college portals, you will experience a strange mix of emotions - goose bumps, butterflies in the stomach, a rush of adrenaline, a spirit to conquer the world… and of course, the fear of getting ragged. Mind you, if you stick to basics and don't try anything funny, you will have a better chance of emerging unscathed.

Bollywood films portray college life as being all about fun, friends, dating, and chilling out. But there's much more to it - life in any college in Delhi University entails toil, labour, hard work, academics, co-curricular activities, and, yes, fun.

As you make your way in, you might realize that the college building does not look like its photograph in the brochure (you see, everyone tries to project one's younger days). The infrastructure could also leave a bit to be desired -rickety furniture, inconsistent water and power supply, noisy ceiling fans, etc. Don't let this get you down. Instead, think positive, make friends with student representatives and with their help submit an impressive list of complaints to the authorities!

The canteen is everyone's favourite haunt inside the college. Mind you, the cooks there will churn out dish after dish irrespective of how much salt or pepper they contain, ensuring that you develop a taste for mirchi. If the canteen personnel go missing (as they often will), fear not - there are generally plenty of eateries outside.

In class, remember to keep your wits about you. Dumb faces bore the professors, so look alert. Bunking classes is no more cool -in fact, it could land you in a fine mess. A minimum of 66.66% attendance is essential to be able to appear in the exams. Your regular attendance will also ensure that your lecturers remember your face and name - and vice versa. And forget about dozing off in class, or you will end up losing the 25% internal assessment marks.

The DU administrative staff is a force to reckon with. Dealing with them will provide you with your first experience of Babudom. If you can handle them, your success in the corporate life is ensured. Extracting credit from bankers is easier than getting permission to eat in the canteen on credit! DU's lingo too is a language in its own right. Learning it is easy and after a while, even the wackiest of words sound fundoo. And if you are in a girls' college, be ready to confront words and concepts such as Feminism,Women's Liberation, Homosexuality, Equal Rights, etc.

To survive and succeed in DU, get into Dale Carnegie mode - stop worrying and start living the DU way. Learn to laugh at yourself, enjoy the education, build your confidence levels, and above all make your presence felt. After all, it is the Diligent You that makes DU so special.

DU in correspondence mode
An inefficient and mediocre staff notwithstanding, this is a good option if you are engaged in things other than education

There are two places students and normal human beings will never want to go to - Hell, and the School of Correspondence (SOC). If that sounds a trifle extreme, let me explain.

The SOC houses a number of inefficient and mediocre staff. It takes an hour to process a task as simple as filling a form and entering its particulars in the files. To get things started, first provoke the man behind the window so that he wakes up and finishes his cold tea. That done, push and tackle the person in front of you to get a little space or else the random movement of the crowd might make your signature on the form illegible - queuing is unknown to people here. After this, provoke the man behind the window again - this is important otherwise he might slip into his default mode again. After finally presenting your documents, take a deep breath, clear your throat, touch the four-leaf clover in your pocket, and then… pray.

It is a well-known fact among old SOC students that the officers' eyes are keen on identifying correct entries in forms and weak in finding the wrong ones. So they might return your documents and ask you to correct your correct entries! That means having to start all over again, or worse, waiting in the imaginary queue that never ends.

Mind you, admission here is a price worth paying if you are engaged in things other than education - doing a job, handling family business, etc.

For best results, keep two things in mind when you visit SOC. The first is that education and administrative tasks are inversely related to each other here. The second is that if you go on their payday, they will definitely respond. Believe me!

Getting there - the art of getting a Bus Pass
The process can be tedious and is seldom smooth, but getting a Bus Pass is well worth the trouble.

Travelling to college is a cinch if you have your own vehicle. The catch, of course, is that most of us don't. And even some of those who do are terrified of driving on the mean streets of the capital. If you fall into either of these categories, using the bus service makes good sense. It is a good way to travel, although it does take a bit more time and well, sometimes the heat, the sweat and the chattering in the background, can get a bit overwhelming.

Investing in a Bus Pass makes sense if you opt for travelling by bus. This is basically a travel certificate that allows you to travel at minimal costs in DTC buses. To get one, first pay your college fees and then get your hands on a Bus Pass form - some colleges keep them handy or you can ask someone to get one for you. Complete the form and get it attested by your college. Finally, take the form, your fee slip and your ID card to the DTC Bus Pass office closest to your college.

At the Bus Pass office, things slip into bureaucratic mode. The officer there will verify your form and stamp your fee slip. You will have to make a payment, which depends on the duration of the pass (one month or three months). You will then be handed a laminated card and a receipt (a tip: make sure you don't lose the latter!).

Of course, things seldom happen as smoothly as this. You might not be able to get your Bus Pass in the first month of college because your college may not have made ID cards. Also, if your Bus Pass form is incomplete or if you forget to carry your fee slip/ID card to the DTC office, it is very much possible that you will have to come back some other day.

That said, these niggles are well worth getting a pass made. The alternative is to buy tickets every day or travel ticket-less and risk getting fined or jailed.

ECAs - going the 'extra' mile

There is more to college than attending lectures and hanging out. If you have the time and inclination, you can join an Extra Curricular Activity (ECA). These often take the form of societies and are managed almost entirely by students. Joining them is purely voluntary. A few notable societies in DU are: The Dramatic Society of Kirori Mal College, the Choreography Society of JMC, the Hindi Dramatic Society of Hindu, and the Western Dance Society of LSR.

While joining an ECA generally involves committing a significant amount of your time (even missing the odd class), active participation could get you certificates for participation in events as well as an invitation to most popular outstation fests. You could even secure a managerial position in the society.

All of which does your reputation and CV no harm at all.

The poignant state of my country

RITIKA LALL

My recent rendezvous with a young man of 26 years compelled me to write on the plight of my country. An impressive-looking young man, holding an MBA degree, he was working as a peon. In spite of possessing a managerial degree from a fairly reputed institute, he failed to get a job of his choice because he possessed neither political nor financial clout.

His is not an isolated case - there are thousands of young people holding degrees who are either sitting idle or have queued themselves for the "peon's desk". The government claims to be eradicating poverty, but what of the educated masses who should be contributing to the national income but are failing to do so? This failure is one of the reasons for the increase in crime. Another major problem is that of brain drain. Many highly educated Indians are actually working towards fulfilling the dreams of other nations. They are tempted by better financial packages and better lifestyles abroad - our country's brainpower has already played a significant role in the development of corporate America.

The scenario is not rosy on other fronts as well - India's southern states have yet to recover from the Tsunami disaster as relief efforts are not up to the mark, a number of farmers have committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, malnutrition is taking a heavy toll in Mahararashtra and Orissa, Naxalite disturbance is rife in parts of southern India and Tripura… the list is seemingly endless. Nearly every state of the country is in an unstable situation, notwithstanding the efforts of our respected political leaders who claim to make the country a free, fair and happy state.

It is time that our politicians threw away the attire of rhetoric. India needs a revolution again. Its identity needs to be reshaped.

Colleges serve up fast-track courses

DEVINA GUPTA


Good news for all students who are either pursuing or have finished their graduation from Delhi University - your college might be offering short-term courses that will enhance your portfolio. As the popularity of short-term career programmes grows, many colleges in Delhi University have joined the fast-track course brigade. These courses are affordable, knowledge-oriented and designed keeping in mind the students' academic schedule and the fee structure of the university.



Here's a list for you:

Ramjas College
Ramjas is offering a whopping nine courses. While courses like Communication and Personality Development, and Human Empowerment focus on the personality development of the students, others like Peace and Conflict Resolution, India in the Era of Globalisation, and Human Rights and Evolving World Order are aimed at sensitising students to the global scenario. For budding environmentalists, there's the Environment Management and Law course while those with a literary inclination can enrol in the Indian Literature - Many Voices Within, course. Finally, there's the Film Appreciation course that highlights different aspects of world cinema.

Kamla Nehru College
The college offers skill-oriented courses, which will be integrated in the normal curriculum of the students to give them a better understanding of their subjects. For example: Geography students will now have a Travel and Tourism skill-oriented course. Courses on Gender Studies and Advertising and Sales Promotion have been proposed for the next session.

Lady Sri Ram College
The college recently launched a two-year diploma course on Conflict Transformation and Peace Building, aimed at solving gender-based violence and creating new peace ambassadors. It is open to both boys and girls, who need to pass an entrance test followed by an interview. The college also offers Spanish, Russian and French language certificate courses from the university.

Indraprastha (IP) College for Women
The IP girls can choose from a one-year certificate course in Travel and Tourism Management, a six-month Airline diploma and a four-month Airport Customer Training Services course. German and Japanese language courses have been added to the Russian and Spanish courses specified by the university. A new summer holiday English speaking course is also featured. The college had introduced certificate courses on Environment Management and Women's Development last year as well as a Mass Media and Mass Communication three-month certificate course.

Miranda House
On offer here is a one-year certified Tourism course that takes place after classes. Those keen on joining dramatics can also participate in a one-year Theatre Direction course.

St. Stephens
St. Stephens is offering a one-year diploma course in the School of Media. One can also opt for studying Legal Framework from the School for Legal Study. There are also university-regulated Spanish and French one-year courses available, for which students need to pass a preliminary test.

Hindu College
The college offers a one-year university certified course in Russian language. Other courses are being planned.

Sri Venkateswara College
The college has a part-time certificate course for German language for college students only. Students, especially those doing Tourism at the B.A. level, can also enrol in a three-month part-time course on Basic Air Fares and Ticketing.

Stage set for annual tug-of-war

RAHUL CHANANA

The heat is going to be very much on in the coming days in Delhi University (DU) as the struggle for seats gets underway. Notwithstanding regular promises in this regard, the university has not been able to provide enough seats to students.



Students are attracted to DU because of the reputation it enjoys in India as well as abroad. The competition to gain admission in a good college is intense with cut-off lists of colleges rising every year. Yet every year sees thousands of students left disheartened as they are denied admission. The university has around 45,000 seats in all. While 5,000 of these are available in professional courses, a little over 40,000 seats will be available in regular streams.

Approximately 70 per cent of the students in the school finals are denied admis-sion. Those with 85-90 per cent marks get admission but those in the 75-plus bracket and below find themselves in a tough spot, and end up hoping to get admission in some course, albeit not of their choice.

Interestingly, a considerable majority of students still prefer to opt for DU, in spite of the increasing popularity of professional courses. These courses offer excellent professional opportunities in the fields of Marketing, Finance, HRD, Banking, Insurance, Media, Event Management, Law, Advertising and Public Relations.

Entrance to these courses is via an entrance exam, followed by group discussions and personal interviews. Passing these requires a lot of hard work but is well worth it as students graduating from these courses often get starting salaries ranging from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month.

The popularity of these courses has resulted in DU introducing new courses in its already existing scheme of programs. These changes are likely to further spur the struggle for seats among the students. That said, they will also provide better future prospects for those who do manage to get in.