The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

CAMPUS
Early birds at DU profit, stragglers will try
their luck today
Smriti Kak

Here’s a compendium of what happened on the first day of the admission season at Delhi University. The university has made a record of sorts. Within hours of supplying forms to various counters, the university received frantic calls that there was a shortage of forms.

Of the 14 lakh forms printed a few thousand were left by noon today. While there were a few takers for the forms from the website, most chose to buy them from the centres across the city. While the university promised to supply more forms by evening today, a sizeable number of candidates hoping to make it the acclaimed university returned disappointed.

“We came at 11 in the morning, thinking the crowd will have subsided, but after standing in the queue for an hour we have managed to get just five forms”, rued Sachin Kumar, a resident of Rohini.

While the early birds caught the worm, late risers will now have to wait for the university to fulfil its promise of “doing something by the evening”.

DUSU aid camp pulled down

The day did not begin on a bright note for DUSU, who had painstakingly erected stalls to help the students. The with you, for you, police force decided to pull down the DUSU assistance camp, resulting in a fracas and broken bottles.

Members of DUSU and the policemen staged a commotion on Chattra Marg. While onlookers watched aghast, the brunt was borne by a soft drink major.

While fighting it out with the cops the students grabbed bottles from the vehicle that was caught in the crossfire and used them as missiles to assert their supremacy.

The union members described it as “police highhandedness” and had this to say, “The university belongs to the students and not the cops. They cannot decide what will happen here. We are intellectuals and refuse to take orders”.

Forms fetch a premium

Black marketers had it easy. A bunch of 10 forms procured at just Rs 10 could be sold for anything between Rs 30 to Rs 50. Located at strategic positions and keeping an eye on the cops and the cameras, these touts, it was alleged, were hand in glove with some university officials.

A chiding from the Dean, Students Welfare, was all it took to shut one counter from near her office. The counter meant to sell forms to organisations like DUSU had begun selling forms to students. So far so good, until it dawned upon them that the counter could well be feeding touts.

Fun times got them going

For some it was not the moolah but the mirth that had them don the role of “volunteers”. A group of students happily supplied forms to students without charging an extra farthing. Reason. It was a good time to “ make introducsan” and also “davlop frandship”.

Battle royale of beverages

There was a major battle going on between the Banta wallas, a coffee major and a new entrant in the cold drink market. To counter the sweltering heat the coffee, both hot and cold, was priced shrewdly. While students could sip their coffee in a stylish van, Banta wallas remained unfazed.

Loyalty to their simple yet refreshing drink was an assurance enough. “ Nobody goes without a Banta. Even if they have cold drinks and coffee, they still come for Banta and bhel”, chipped a confident Ram Bhaj.

Not many takers for RTVs

There were not many takers for the RTVs and the buses supplied by DUSU and the ABVP. A line of empty RTVs could be seen standing awaiting prospective commuters.

The “ricks” however were upset with the free rides. These buses were a damper as far as raking money goes.

Centre remains hidden from view

Handicapped students also faced rough weather. They were left to locate the centre set up for their counselling. “There are no indicators or boards put up to tell us where the centre has been set up. We have been going around in circles and in this heat it is an ordeal compounded”, said a student who had spent close to an hour looking for the “hidden centre”.

Magazine on study abroad

Ready toGo? A magazine offering comprehensive information on study abroad has announced a tie-up with the British Council. The magazine in the next six issues will provide content on education in the UK.

There will be sections on ‘Ask the Counsellor’ and ‘FAQs’ where experts will answer queries. The current issue focuses on education in UK, information on visa regulations and common queries related to immigration.

Organic farming course

M R Morarka–GDC Rural Research Foundation in collaboration with the College of Technology and Engineering, Udaipur, has launched the country’s first course on organic farming, a one-year PGD in Organic Agriculture Management Course.

The programme is aimed at providing students with information and tools on the development and use of environment-friendly food production practice.

The first batch will commence from August 2003 and the intake is 30 students, six of which are of the reserved categories. The course is open to graduates in agriculture and allied science. Selection will be made on the basis of an all-India selection test scheduled for June 22.

Award for Management Guru

Award for Management Guru Management Guru and Dean of Centre for Economic Research and Advanced Studies, IIPM, Prof Arindam Chaudhary, has been conferred the Personality of the Decade Award by the K G Foundation, Coimbatore.

The award recognises and appreciates individuals who have achieved excellence in their field of activity and have made significant contribution to the country.

Last date for giving applications at IILM

For those seeking a career in areas of Health Care Management, Urban and Infrastructure Management, Insurance and Risk Management, Media Management, Natural Resources and Environment Management and Social Sector Management, the Institute for Integrated Learning In Management (IILM) has announced June 5 as the last date for the submission of applications for the two-year PGDM.

Graduates in any discipline from an institution in India or abroad whose degree is recognised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) or the University Grants Commission (UGC) are eligible. The written test will be conducted on June 14.

Aspirations 2003 for students

More than 50 career opportunities were identified for students at a three-day fair organised in the Capital recently.

The Oriental Bank of Commerce and Arclight Eventz Network brought together Aspirations 2003, an interactive platform for educators and students in the Capital.

Students were provided information regarding new courses and professions that they can opt for. The forum helped identify more than 50 career opportunities to students.

The three-day event also focussed on specialised fields like Advertising, Armed Forces, Languages and Travel.

Shying away from downloading forms

Even in the IT age there are few takers for the net. Most of the aspirants opted to get their forms from the sale counters set up across the city rather than downloading the forms from the website.

Oppressive heat, serpentine queues, commuting woes notwithstanding students marched to the university, post offices and schools to get their forms.

An enterprising advocate marched up to this correspondent with a request to “help me buy some forms for my sister”. When asked why he shied away from using the Internet, which would mean no trouble at all, he replied, “I don’t understand the Internet business”.

Like him many chose to give the Internet a go-by. While some claimed or maybe feigned ignorance others were not “sceptical,” therefore “not interested”.

Wonder if the university will have to reconsider their plans of making online submissions possible in the near future.