Delhi University admission procedure takes its toll
Finding their way: Admission seekers at a Delhi University college on Monday.
New Delhi, Jun 21 : The Vishwavidyalaya station of the Delhi Metro railway is noisy and crowded -- crammed with clueless students headed in all directions. The air is filled with different dialects and laughter mingles with loud shouts. The admission procedure has taken its toll among Delhi's young and it's now time to make an inventory of things to look forward to once college begins.
However, outstation students have other issues to plough through before they can blend in with life at the University. Students from small towns find it especially tough dealing with issues that crop up as soon as they come for admission. Many of them are accompanied by parents and siblings but still find navigating through the many colleges and filling up endless forms complicated.
Deeksha from Haryana, accompanied by her father and brother, has been sent back twice for not filling out the application form correctly. “I still don't understand what to fill in many of the slots but feel silly asking them again and again,” she says. Someone has told them bad things about the hostel and they are too timid to find out from the authorities if it is so.
In contrast, Amy and her sister from Manipur have managed to find their way and complete the admission formalities in time.
The general advice from senior outstation students is to remain alert at all times and unhesitatingly ask for help in case of getting lost. The North Campus can be overwhelming for anyone new to the city.
Recounting her experiences when she first landed here from Meerut, Smiti, a former student of Miranda House, says: “For the uninitiated, it is always better to be on your guard. Everyone from the rickshawallah to the guy selling fruit on the pavement will try to fleece you if they know you are an outsider.”
Battling loneliness and dealing with a “different” roommate can also be challenging, as students from different parts of the country and aboard with varying cultures and upbringing are forced to live in the same space.
“I had a roommate who would take the TV remote and obviously I couldn't fight for it like I would with my brother back home,” says Madhu from Pune.
Another student from Jharkhand remembers being teased mercilessly for calling everyone ‘maam'.
Smiti's experiences have led her along with a few friends to form “DU Jugaad”, a website that lists information to help you wade through the confusing North Campus, from finding accommodation to helping you locate a nearby gym or beauty parlour.
“My parents left me in Meerut and came here to look for my accommodation. They were totally confused and did not find anything for a week. Luckily I managed to get a seat in the college hostel. I see the same story repeating itself this year with confused parents and irritable students trying to make sense of everything” she says, adding, “Delhi does not have the reputation of being a friendly city and we want worried parents and outstation students to feel that they have a friend in us.”
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