SEMESTERIZATION OF U.G COURSES, DELHI UNIVERSITY

Why has this issue sparked so much controversy? Semesterization would bring Delhi University at par with the universities all over the world. I t would ease the students’ burden by dividing the syllabus and the introduction of the Credit system would increase interdisciplinarity, which is so vital for wholesome education. This decision has been opposed by many teachers and students because of the haphazard manner in which it is being introduced. The decision has been called undemocratic by many teachers whose voices and protests went unheeded.

DU has 77 colleges and not enough administrative backup to ensure that the new system would be implemented properly. Currently, the Academic Council has introduced a mere bi-annual system under which the University will be conducting 2 semester examinations instead of one annual one. Unlike the mid-term examination conducted under the annual system, which carries a weightage of 10 marks out of the allotted 100 marks per main subject, this examination would have a weightage of 75. Re-evaluation will not take place in case of discrepancy. Unlike other colleges like IIT, no mid-semester examination would be conducted. The student thus will have no practice before a full-fledged exam is conducted. Also, the new courses had not been approved by the body of teachers last year and had led to many problems for the students.

There is also a lack of infrastructure and teachers, which makes the implementation of a proper semester system impossible. Although the Vice Chancellor mentioned the new classrooms built after the implementation of the OBC reservation in his letter formally announcing the council’s decision, many colleges under DU do not have enough classrooms and labs to actually support the system. In addition, DU suffers from a lack of teachers, which needs to be addressed as soon a possible. The increase in interdisciplinarity would definitely need a lot of improvements to the existing facilities before it can be implemented. What has currently been implemented is nothing more than a makeshift system, which will deeply affect only the Council’s lab rats- the coming few batches who will inaugurate the system. Also, the rules regarding attendance and examination marks for students who get involved in extra curricular activities such as NCC camps (the Republic Day Camp, for instance which requires missing more than 2 months of college and the examinations conducted in December or January) have not yet been changed.

It is felt that the University and all the colleges need to improve their infrastructure and administrative backbone, increase their faculty strength and set a proper syllabus before any major changes are made to the existing annual system. The current changes have been poorly planned and could harm the students more than they help.

First Days

The red building with its bold white letters always brought to mind so many questions.. What was it like to be a student of the IIT-D of the humanities world? What was it like to walk those corridors, to be instructed by the best faculty?

Cut to Admission Day-1. After wandering in colleges submitting forms, confused and frustrated(yes yes, the Orientation Day spoof was pretty accurate) my admission process required very little effort on my part. It was the product of joint endeavor of at least 6 seniors. A yellow printed-paper finally declared that I belonged. Admit one, for my parents were no longer allowed in to watch their child’s progress. And so, I flew away.

Orientation Day changed my life. MG ma'am’s inspirational speech, made me feel as though I had just travelled to Antarctica barefoot! The department orientation was just as awe-inspiring.

LSR’s best feature? It’s a ‘No boys Zone’!! I was a part of a completely matrilineal society (and the women here are as mighty as the Amazonians).After 14 years in a sexist school(no names mentioned) this was heaven! No dominance, just inter-dependence and co-operation. The college was clean, attention was paid to every small detail-the ID card was so pretty!!(have you seen NSIT’S? It’s a piece of green cardboard with their names on it). Chic! It was ‘ok’ to come to college in pajamas, the gym was always empty and parents trusted us again!

So I see so many changes in me! A staunch dog person, I befriended the café (i finally got it right) cats. I went one a trip and did not fight with a single person and actually made female friends. Always a first time eh?

Academic life began. Searching for empty classrooms and late teachers became the morning routine. Every bit of writing had to be looked at with the feminist-lens. New phrases entered my ears and the dictionary was rendered useless by the lack of detailed explanations. Teachers were called by initials and the only way to differentiate between a student and a teacher was the telltale register(use bhi chod dete) !I began attending seminars and talks organized by other departments (yeah, they made sense to me) and enrolled for Russian classes.

The thought of joining college societies was intimidating and after hesitating long enough, I joined a fair few. Work is strenuous and just as rewarding.

Department Freshers’ and the Trip made me forge new bonds and I came to the conclusion that the biggest contributor to making my “fachcha” experience so wonderful was a band of merry (wo)men- The seniors! You came up with fantastic themes for the Freshers’ and the Interaction and continue to help us in so many ways. Can’t imagine LSR without you (sob sob).

The biggest advantage of being an ELSA? At the Hansraj College's Freshers, bouncers were employed to keep gatecrashers like me out. IDs were being checked and all people could do was rattle the gate. No, I didn’t try to sneak in. I just pulled out my ID card and held it up. One look at it and I was ushered in, no questions asked!

A journey

MOMENTS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND MEMORIES- THE NCC JOURNEY

“Chinta mat kijiye, apne bachon ki tarah rakhenge” (Don't worry, we will treat them as our own). This was the reassurance given to my mother, many years ago, when I was about to leave for my first ever NCC camp. That is what NCC has been to so many cadets like me-family.

NCC organizes around 500 camps every year. The toughest and perhaps the most rewarding is the Republic Day Camp (RDC). For this national level camp, every directorate selects and trains a team (cream?) of cadets who represent their directorate and compete with other teams for the RDC banner handed to the best directorate by the Prime Minister. This camp is where cadets are selected for the Youth Exchange Program (YEP) The training is grueling and the selection process extremely tough.

I had heard a lot about this camp from my senior, SUO Aparajita who had been a part of the NCC Rajpat Contingent, 2009. She told my about how the Rajpat cadets (selected at the camp) had to wake up at 0230 hrs for marching practice on Rajpat. She got 2 hours of sleep a day and marched roughly 14km a day, all day. Her most rewarding moments were when all the military contingents would assemble at India Gate in the end and cheer them on! This and the crowd’s encouragement would make her forget all the weariness and march with all the style and smartness demanded. She had represented India at YEP Sri Lanka and her experience inspired me greatly.  They had a 15-day pre-camp (‘Chiller camp’) where the 10 chosen cadets were prepared for their trip. “At the Sri Lankan camp, we trained with them. We visited places. On the last day, we received our YEP medals. Marching up to the VIP to receive my medal, I realized what a long way I had come.”

Cut to 14/8/2010-Promising Day Parade. After 10 days of training hard, the LSR contingent of 40 girls, me among them was going to take the oath. That day, my dream of being an RD holder solidified. SUO Aparajita Bhasin, President, NCC came dressed in her YEP combat uniform and Drill Master Shoes (boots, rather). Only a military uniform could make someone look so awe inspiring.I knew I wanted a uniform like that. I wanted carry myself with that confidence and wear the 7 corner RDC badge.

It was a tough journey. After failing the drill test thrice, I finally made it to both the drill and cultural teams. We had drill practice early morning and cultural practice all day long. Just four hours of sleep. Our new “best friends” were the 4.4kg Self Loading Rifles (minus the firing pins), which we lugged around, sometimes in one hand sometimes above our heads. Miraculous weight loss and Super Stamina in just 10 days!

After a month long training (in my seniors’ cases, more than 50 days), the final RDC contingent, Delhi boarded the buses and left for RDC-2011, Delhi Cant. We were so busy! Almost every day, we would dress in our uniform, newly stitched (made to order, the ones issued would make most of us looked like naxals) with ceremonials and attended tea parties with VVIPS including the CM, military chiefs and the defense minister. We were often interviewed. In our spare time, we’d sneak off to the cafeteria (they expected us to live on the Mess food!!), out of bounds for Delhi cadets(strict CO).On Jan 11^th, we visited Agra together, wearing our red blazers with the gilded logo- Republic Day Contingent, Delhi.

I was nominated for the YEP selections by my directorate. I had a written test, in which I managed a second highest, a drill test which I managed and an interview with the Directorate General, NCC. The last one lasted 45 seconds and as I described India for him, I realized how badly I wanted to get selected. I await my results.

On 26/01/2011, we all watched the parade in the auditorium. Cheering for every contingent and clapping furiously, I realized that this was The Way to watch the telecast- with one’s friends.

The cultural events went on without any trouble. My mother sent my guitar(we usually use NCC instruments) and in spite of technical problems, gave great performances. Looking at a photo of the choir, with me at the centre (and my guitar), I start humming the familiar tune.

Back in college, in my new drill master boots, blazer and wearing my RDC watch(presented to each cadet by the contingent commander) I could feel the change in me. NCC had given us an aura of achievement and our training had brought out the best in us. Slouching became a thing of the past and I knew that my confident stride matched up to those of the very seniors who had inspired me. The RD holders went to NCC fests for the Best Cadet competitions, often winning and trained and commanded the next year’s contingent of new members. 

“That’s the reward kid. You get to stand where your seniors stood and inspire more people and lead them on to success.”