Destination DU

Admission time shows government-run institutions like the DU are still preferred by students over swanky private universities
Sadiq Naqvi Delhi Hardnews 

Delhi University campuses are buzzing with activity. Long queues, help desks, swarming media persons, and even stalls put up by corporate houses. It's almost festive season at DU and the buzz will last at least till the students' union elections.

The north campus of DU continues to be the premier destination for undergraduate courses in humanities and pure sciences what with colleges like St. Stephens, Hindu and Kirorimal (KM) College dotting its horizon.  

Agreed Bharat, who is seeking admission in history. "The north campus colleges have a charm of their own. Besides quality education, they offer opportunities in the fields of debating, theatre and music. This is a big help in all-round development of the personality," he told Hardnews.  

Niharika, who has applied at KM College through the extra curricular activities (ECA) quota, echoed similar views. After all, the north campus colleges have produced a slew of leaders, bureaucrats and academics. PM Manmohan Singh's Cabinet has five Stephenians.

Kulsoom Fatima, busy filling up the admission form for St Stephens, had always wanted to study in one of the north campus' premier colleges, "It has the best colleges and I don't want to enroll in a professional course at the graduation level. An honours degree in sociology or history will help in enhancing my understanding of the subject. A professional degree can always follow at the postgraduate level," she told Hardnews.  

Eish Mishra, a political science teacher at the Hindu College, felt, "Good quality education, I believe, is the birth right of every individual. Also, there should be affirmative action for backwards sections so that they can come on the same plank as the affluent sections." 

On the issue of reservation of seats for OBCs as directed by the Supreme Court, contrasting voices were heard on the campus. Groups like Youth for Equality and ABVP opposed any kind of reservations while the Leftist student groups supported reservation to do away with the ills of caste system.

Amidst all this, there was an outcry on the campus against the admission process where the class XII examination was considered the yardstick. Many students demanded entrance tests for all courses. Teachers, too, endorsed this demand as it would help judge the aptitude of students taking up a particular course.  

"Thanks to the lenient marking system of CBSE, many students get into subjects they are not comfortable with. This results in falling standard," complained a political science teacher at the Kirorimal College.

Complaints were also heard against the university policy of offering undergraduate courses in psychology exclusively to girl students. Only two off-campus colleges - Zakir Hussain College or Keshav Mahavidyalaya - are offering it to male students.  

"Why is the country's premier university so biased in terms of gender? With my marks, I could have got into any course in any college. I wanted to be a psychologist but I don't want to study in either Zakir Hussain or Keshav Mahavidyalaya. This is unfair," said a student. He has had to taken up his second option, political science, in one of the premier campus colleges. 

Inspite of the anxiety over admission, students are angry over recent attacks on Indian students in Australia. After all, many of them harbour hopes of going abroad for higher studies. "The mindset which gives rise to such pervert feelings of racism is also found in our country. And, they should be dealt with an iron hand whether they are in Australia or India" said Mariyam, a student. 

Interestingly, DU, looked up as a mecca of education, is flouting laws. Students are being handed out forms in plastic bags which are banned in the city.  

The admission process attested the pre-eminence government-run institutions like the DU enjoy over the much-advertised private universities flaunting Olympic size swimming pools, horse riding clubs and fancy eating joints. 

Winds of change is also blowing in DU. This year, a common admission test for English was started even though all colleges haven't subscribed to it. Plans are afoot to introduce semesters at the undergraduate level. Many teachers though are unhappy as they claim they were not consulted while making the decision. This would increase their workload and students would have less time to participate in extra-curricular activities, a section of teachers alleged.