As of July 5, 2025; the policy of research supervision for the fourth year of NEP-UGCF has been approved by the Academic Council amidst dissent by several elected members. According to Rudrashish Chakraborty, who is Associate Professor at the Department of English in Kirori Mal College, as well as an executive of DUTA (Delhi University Teachers’ Association) from 2023 to 2025, the poor devising of the policy is owed to multiple reasons; the first of which include the lack of infrastructure in the form of space and laboratories in colleges to conduct quality research at the undergraduate level to research supervision not being accounted for as workload for teachers, excessively burdening teachers who are already inundated with work.

Aside from these issues, the division of workload has also been a contentious topic, with the policy deciding on a stipulation of a minimum of ten students to be allotted to a teacher for research supervision. This ratio is not only too high and would therefore jeopardize the quality of research, but also make coordination difficult as it is not possible for any teacher to do justice to the research work of so many students after engaging in their own workload.

In addition to this, no funds have been allocated for research work in the fourth year of UGCF, which leaves colleges to fend for themselves. Colleges in the Delhi University circuit are being advised to mobilise funds through the Students’ Fund, which may prove to be insufficient in the long run.In terms of research, the students are to study four courses alongside writing a dissertation, which not only takes the focus away from the conduction of research, but will also lead to a reduction of quality leading to research becoming a compulsion instead of being an original, worthwhile contribution to Indian academic spaces.

One of the guidelines for research supervision expects students pursuing the fourth year to publish in a scopus-indexed journal as research outcome. Given that even teachers would find it difficult to pursue such interests within the stipulated time while balancing full-fledged studying, this unrealistic clause will discourage students from pursuing the fourth year.

Anumeha Mishra, a member of the Academic Council, has stated,

The university must refrain from applying a one-size-fits-all size model in approving projects eligible for research funding under IoE. Discipline-specific parameters must be evolved.”

In 2019, Delhi University’s colleges saw a 25% increase in student intake due to the EWS expansion. An additional surge in admissions by 20% occurred following the implementation of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) from 2022 onwards. This move, having been undertaken along with the fourth year, comes in light of accusations of mismanagement and lack of infrastructural accommodation for the rising number of student intake every year. The absence of laboratories, reading rooms, and teacher workspaces severely undermine the programme’s feasibility. The implementation, thus, appears rushed and in the absence of structural and financial support, risks diluting the quality of education and pushing the system toward collapse. 

Dr. Monami Sinha, also a member of the academic council, points out how undergraduate students currently studying seven courses per semester, including SEC and VAC, dilute the study of core subjects and awarding of credits per subject.

Read Also: Delhi University Faces Backlash for Linguistic Misrepresentation in CSAS UG Admission Form.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Aastha Singh

singhaastha196@gmail.com

The post NEP Approves Research Supervision for NEP-UGCF Amidst Concerns on Implementation appeared first on DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper.

NEP 2020 had big dreams for education. It promised, among other things, a “more multidisciplinary undergraduate education.” Flagging the “lesser emphasis on research at most universities and colleges”, the policy framed research as the hallmark of a “great civilisation.”

To fulfil this vision, the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) was introduced. The new curriculum offers students the option to choose between three specialisation tracks in their final year – Dissertation Writing, Academic Projects, and Entrepreneurship. The first track is designed for those pursuing academic research, the second focuses on applied research, while the third allows students to develop entrepreneurial ideas. These components, worth 12 credits collectively, are meant to usher in undergraduate research as a formal part of the academic journey.

Delhi University was among the first central universities to implement the FYUP under NEP 2020, beginning in the academic year 2022–2023. The reimagined structure was presented as a transformative space to cultivate holistic, multidisciplinary inquiry, with the four-year format being positioned as the preferred option, offering students the opportunity to pursue a major alongside minors, engage in research, and explore broader intellectual horizons.

However, it seems to be that within its inaugural batch there is a general consensus that this ambitious experiment will promptly fall short of what it envisioned. Anecdotal evidence from students across colleges suggests that a significant number are choosing not to continue into the fourth year. While Delhi University has not released official enrolment statistics yet, student testimonials across different colleges and universities show a similar pattern of hesitancy and concern.

After graduating students have a few options. They typically pursue placements, graduate studies or prepare for competitive exams. The added fourth year has only intensified these pre-existing dilemmas, introducing a new layer of uncertainty.

For students interested in research, the fourth year appears redundant. The conventional path of a three-year bachelor’s followed by a two-year master’s continues to be the preferred model. Some students argue that it won’t match the depth and rigour of a two-year masters. Others are more cautiously optimistic. Tia Pandit, a Physics (Hons) student from Kirori Mal College, sees her decision as a calculated move to improve her chances of being accepted into postgraduate programs abroad. The capstone thesis and a minor in CS will, she believes, give her the academic depth many international universities look for.

Yet even those inclined toward research worry that the year may not deliver the value it promises. Khushi Aggarwal, an Economics (Hons) student from Hindu College, remarked,

DU often promises more than it delivers. For instance, it previously mentioned that under the NEP framework, internship opportunities would be provided in place of VACs or something similar, but that didn’t materialise.”

A principal from a prominent North Campus college told The Indian Express that students are at a crossroad, stating, “From a student’s perspective, there are now two choices – either exit after the third year and prepare for CUET-PG or CAT, or continue with the fourth year.“ He failed to take into account the fact that the students might just treat the fourth year as their preparatory gap year.

Aakriti Singh, a journalism student from Kamala Nehru College, asserted that it’s better to pursue a research degree rather than staying idle alongside preparing for exams. Similarly, Sreeja from Gargi College revealed,

More than half of my class is opting for the fourth year just because they couldn’t get better institutes for masters. All of us plan to study better for entrance exams this year rather than taking a gap year to go for masters next year.” 

Sarah Nautiyal, a BA (Hons) English student from Kirori Mal College, noted that most students, including her, see this period as a “gap year with benefits”. She emphasised that her decision to stay was influenced a lot more by the faculty because of whom the year “won’t be a complete waste”. 

This batch has already endured multiple institutional changes, from the introduction of CUET to the rollout of new course components like VACs and SECs, but the fourth year stands out for its sheer lack of clarity and institutional preparedness. There is near-unanimous agreement among students that colleges failed to adequately explain this entirely new system.

Tia recalls how, in her first year, her college had organised a detailed workshop to explain the newly introduced academic structure. In contrast, now in her third year, she says there has been complete silence around what the fourth year will actually entail. There have been no sessions, no official communication, and no clarity about the structure or content of the courses being offered. Far from guiding them through the process, many faculty members appear to be in the dark themselves, uncertain even about what courses will be offered. In fact, several professors have gone so far as to advise students against opting for the fourth year.

Extending the discourse upon the lack of clarity, Shrishti Shishodia, a Political Science (Hons) student from DCAC, supplemented its far-reaching influence on the careers of the students, stating, “The 4th year remains a bizarre idea for the students. Especially when the struggle to have a job in today’s market, embellished by concentrated competition in the few domains of respected employment avenues, is considered.”

The lack of clarity is only one part of the problem. Many DU colleges do not have the infrastructure to support a meaningful fourth year. Maya John, an elected Academic Council member and faculty at Jesus and Mary College, pointed out to The Indian Express that a majority of colleges lack the resources necessary for undergraduate research. There aren’t enough laboratories, classrooms, computer systems, access to original software, or additional funding and scholarships. Without these, the quality of academic projects and research output will inevitably suffer.

The fourth year, like many NEP reforms, seems to be detached from the ground reality and instead be driven more by ambition of outcome. As a result, students are inevitably caught in the crossfire, asked to commit to an additional year without any clarity, structure or institutional support needed to adequately transform the undergraduate experience.  They are, as Sarah emphasised, “guinea pigs”, participants in a policy experiment that remains worryingly underdeveloped.

Read More: Major DU PG Syllabus Cuts on Religion, LGBTQ+ and Pakistan Spark Faculty Divide

Image Credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Yashika Jain 

yashikaj638@gmail.com

The post Uncertainty Shadows The Fourth Year of Delhi University’s NEP Rollout. appeared first on DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper.

On 25 June 2025, the Standing Committee of the University of Delhi (DU) proposed several contentious changes to the postgraduate syllabi of Geography, Sociology, and Political Science. The revisions include the removal or significant reworking of content related to religion, caste, LGBTQ+ issues, and the study of Pakistan. The changes have triggered widespread criticism from faculty members, with further discussion scheduled in the upcoming meeting on 1 July.

In the Department of Geography, three major papers were affected. In the elective paper Territorial Bases of Politics in India, the committee objected to Unit 3, titled “Internal Conflicts and Problems of Nation Building,” which addressed religious conflicts. A key reading, The Production of Hindu Muslim Violence in Contemporary India, was removed. In Social Geography, Unit 4 on “Distribution of SC Population” was eliminated. According to committee members, this decision was made to de-emphasise caste-related material. Additionally, Vulnerability and Disaster, another elective, was completely removed from the syllabus.

The Sociology syllabus also saw significant intervention. In Introduction to Sociological Theory, the committee questioned the absence of Indian thinkers and suggested their inclusion. Objections were raised regarding the inclusion of the reading Weston, K. (1997). Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship, as same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in India. In Sociology of Religion, Unit IV on Religious Authority and Organizations was flagged for using academic terms such as “church,” “sect,” and “cult.” Members questioned why terms like “rishi-muni” were excluded. Despite faculty clarification that these were standard sociological terms, the committee still recommended revision.

Urban Sociology also faced changes. The committee argued that Unit 2 focused excessively on violence. Key readings addressing religion and caste were removed, including The Muharram Procession of Mumbai, Animating Caste: Visceral Geographies of Pigs, Caste and Violent Nationalisms in Chennai City, and Deceptive Majority: Dalits, Hinduism, and Underground Religion.

Some faculty members have raised concerns about the committee’s role in mandating syllabus revisions.

The Standing Committee’s direction to the Departments of Geography and Sociology to change their syllabi defies academic rationale and is an act of overreach. While the Standing Committee can share inputs and feedback with the departments, it cannot direct the departments to remove papers and readings without giving academic justification.”

said Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor at Kirori Mal College and elected member of the DUTA Executive (2023–25).

The Political Science syllabus came under the most scrutiny. Faculty members were directed to ensure the content remained “India-centric” and avoided material that “glorifies Pakistan.” This instruction aligns with Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh’s earlier stance amid recent geopolitical tensions.

Dr. Monami Sinha opposed the changes, stating,

“It is imperative to study Pakistan in detail because, pedagogically, we need to train our students and foster scholarship on Pakistan, as it remains one of India’s constant foreign policy challenges.”

Four electives relating to China, Pakistan, and Islam in international relations were removed. These included Pakistan and the World, China’s Role in the Contemporary World, Islam and International Relations, and Pakistan: State and Society. In Religious Nationalism and Political Violence, the topic “Sangha politics, civil warfare and the peace process” was removed, along with the reading by Blom Hansen on Hindu nationalism and violence.

Read Also: DU Student Murdered by her Classmate; Body Burnt at Delhi’s Sanjay Van.

Image Credit: Times of India

Yashika Jain 

yashikaj638@gmail.com

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Delhi University’s Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) 2025 form for undergraduate admissions has sparked widespread criticism after it listed “Muslim” as a mother tongue. Meanwhile, Urdu, a constitutionally recognised language under the Eighth Schedule, is absent. Screenshots showed that DU’s online application form included terms like “Muslim”, “Bihari”, “Mochi”, “Kurmi”, and other caste/regional labels in the “Mother Tongue” dropdown while omitting Urdu. This negligent act has sparked outrage, as students and professors took to social media platforms to point out the underlying communal rhetoric.

This is not just a clerical error. It reflects a deep-rooted communal mindset that reduces an entire community to a religious label, stripping away linguistic, cultural and regional identities. Muslim is not a language. Muslims speak the same languages as others in their regions, be it Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, or Urdu.”

Said Professor Abha Dev Habib, Democratic Teachers’ Front general secretary 

The academicians and students argued that the choice of replacing Urdu with Muslim, apart from being factually incorrect, also implies that Muslims are incapable of having any other mother tongue than Urdu. This not only erases the linguistic diversity of Indian Muslims but also reduces an entire community’s cultural identity to a single, inaccurate label.

….this act of the DU administration is a serious threat to the Constitution of India, as it violates the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, and also it undermines the composite and the inclusive spirit of a central university! No administration of DU had been so overtly communal as the present one, and this recent assault on Urdu takes the cake!”

Stated Prof. Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor and DUTA Executive

He further stated that such a development is “a calculated act of communalism”. He added that DU seems to have mistakenly assumed that Urdu is exclusive to Muslims; it does not mean only erasing a language, but it also entails erasing a shared cultural and literary legacy.

It is sad that a premier university like Delhi University is committing such mistakes. These should be rectified immediately. Diversities and multilingualism need to be acknowledged and respected,” said Dr Mithuraaj Dhusiya, Executive Council member.

This exclusive stance from prominent central universities also raises questions about the larger ethos shaping the actions of the current administration as members of academia worry about its “rabidly communal” policies.

Read Also: Delhi University Launches a New Course Titled ‘Negotiating Intimate Relationships’ for 2025-26 Academic Session

Image Credits: Devesh, DU Beat

DU Beat

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Delhi University has introduced a first-of-its-kind undergraduate elective titled “Negotiating Intimate Relationships” for the 2025–26 academic session. The four-credit elective, offered by the Department of Psychology, is open to students across disciplines and colleges and is aimed at helping young adults understand and navigate the complex realities of romantic and platonic relationships in a digital age.

Amidst increasing overlaps between digital and physical spaces, the course seeks to equip students with the tools to understand, reflect on, and negotiate romantic and platonic relationships in the age of dating apps.

The course consists of three lectures and one tutorial each week and is structured into four major modules, including Theories of Love and Sexuality, The Psychology of Friendships and Intimacy, Recognising and Responding to Toxic Patterns and Building and Sustaining Healthy Long-term Relationships.

Designed as an interactive course, students will be asked to analyse their own social media networks, engage with everyday relational challenges, and analyse pop cultural depictions as well as real-life case studies. The course aims to use personal and digital experiences as key sites of exploration.

Pop culture will play a central role in these explorations, with films like Kabir Singh and Titanic used to critique how toxic behaviour is often romanticised in mainstream media. Students will also use Sternberg’s triangular love scale to assess one’s love towards a romantic partner.

“Films like Kabir Singh reflect how unhealthy behaviours are often glorified as passion, and we unconsciously absorb those ideas,” said Rishika Raj, a second-year student at Bharati College, DU.

The course has been introduced in the backdrop of a rising number of crimes among teenagers and young adults, many of which stem from unchecked emotional turmoil and toxic relationship dynamics. Between May and June alone, Delhi recorded at least three murders connected to possessiveness and emotional manipulation in young romantic relationships.

“I can say from personal experience that one faces a lot of hardships when it comes to navigating relationships at this age. We’ve never really been taught the do’s and don’ts of intimate relationships,” said Kumari Kajal, a first-year student at Hansraj College.

According to Naveen Kumar, a professor from DU’s Department of Psychology, young people today face unique relational challenges that earlier generations did not.

“With both parents working and ‘digital parenting’ on the rise, young people are granted a kind of freedom they aren’t always emotionally equipped to handle,” he told AajTak.

“People want freedom but don’t know where the boundaries lie. This lack of clarity leads to stress, mistrust, and often the breakdown of relationships.” He further added

Professor Kumar also pointed to the increasing transactional nature of modern relationships, which are often built more on intensity and immediate gratification than on emotional resilience. He warned that this shift can escalate to dangerous extremes, as evidenced by the recent spike in violent incidents among teenagers and young adults in Delhi.

According to reports, the university introduced this course in response to growing concerns about emotional distress and rising instances of violence rooted in toxic relationships among young people. Through structured academic engagement, the goal is to help students build emotional awareness and develop resilience.

Read Also: Exploring the state of teen love in an ever changing landscape

Image Credits: Hindu College

DU Beat

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Just five days before her 19th birthday, an 18-year-old was reported missing on June 1st and was found murdered at South Delhi’s Mehrauli. The alleged murderer who was the victim’s classmate, Arshkrit Singh has reportedly been arrested. Police reports state that both the victim and the accused were students of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning. 

According to reports, the victim left her residence at Jahangirpuri for classes on Sunday morning but did not return home. 

She had last informed her mother around noon that she would be back soon. When she failed to return, her family began searching for her,

a senior police officer reported.

Later that day, the family of the victim received a call from the accused’s father who claimed that the victim had attacked Arshkrit with a knife that led to his hospitalisation in Pitampura. This prompted the victim’s parents to file a complaint with the police and register a kidnapping case. 

Based on suspicion and past altercations between the victim and Arshkrit, the complainant alleged that he may have abducted her,

a police officer told the Deccan Herald, 

Further investigation of CCTV footage led the police to Singh who was arrested. On further questioning, he revealed that he had lured the victim to a secluded area of Sanjay Van where he had stabbed and strangled her to death and attempted to burn her body. 

After the attack, he tried to burn the body. He sustained minor injuries during the stabbing and fled to the hospital for treatment. The body was discovered based on his information,

stated the Deputy Commission of Police (South Delhi), Ankit Chauhan.

In a conversation with Times of India, the victim’s family revealed that Singh had been harassing the victim, his daughter for months after she had cut off all ties with him. They further denied her being in a relationship with Singh and stated that they met at a party where they became friends. The victim’s father said, 

We advised both of them not to meet, yet the youth would come to my house every couple of months to start arguments. We informed his parents too. Though he apologised, the harassment continued. 

He further added that Singh had allegedly disrupted his daughter’s Korean language class by starting an argument and twisting her hand. In conversation with the Indian Express, the victim’s sister revealed, 

He met my mother near the gurdwara. When my mother confronted him about his coercive behaviour, he grabbed my mother’s hand and tried to snatch my sister’s phone from her

She further added,

He used to often threaten my sister with suicide, which would scare both her and my mother.

Shocking details regarding the case have been revealed by the police who claim that Singh used a fake social media profile of someone the victim knew to lure her to Sanjay Van. Singh was seen entering the forested area at around 8:30 in the morning and the victim was located there at around 10 AM. Leading her to an isolated spot, Singh stabbed the victim multiple times, strangled her and tried to burn her body. He was later spotted exiting the area in the afternoon. 

On Sunday, they sat and talked about their relationship for almost two hours before he killed her… she had apparently told him that she was betrothed to someone else, which was when the situation escalated,

a senior police officer revealed.

In conversation with the Indian Express, Singh’s neighbours expressed disbelief at the accusations.

Alleged statements by the accused reveal that he suspected that the girl was speaking to other boys which led to frequent arguments and ultimately led to him planning the murder. While investigations are currently underway to determine the actual motive, the murder weapon has been found and the accused has been reportedly booked under Section 103(1) for murder and Section 61(2) for criminal conspiracy.

Read also: Minor Girl Rescued After Gang Rape Near Moolchand, Alleged Police Inaction

Image Credit: Hindustan Times

Aaratrika Ghosh

aaratrikaag@gmail.com

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In Northwest Delhi’s Pitampura, a massive fire was reported at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, University of Delhi in the morning hours of Thursday, May 15th, 2025. According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) chief Atul Garg, the fire broke out around 8:55 in the morning and 11 fire tenders were rushed to the college who managed to bring the situation under control by 9:40 A.M. In response to the ongoing cooling operations, a senior fire official added, 

Several window panes shattered due to the high flames, and the fire spread rapidly due to strong winds. Our teams responded swiftly and managed to douse the flames.”

Originating in the college library, the fire impacted the building’s first, second and third floors, extensively damaging the infrastructure and academic material. Reports state that though there were no casualties, over 3000 books have been destroyed along with the library’s online system being damaged. Although investigations are currently underway to determine the exact cause, a senior college official informed the Press Trust of India, 

A short circuit in the library’s server triggered the fire, extensively damaging hundreds of books in the section that housed old books. The library is still filled with smoke, and a detailed assessment of the losses will be possible only once visibility improves.”

Sri Guru Gobind Singh College’s Principal expanding on the extent of damage added, 

“Only the top floor of the library was caught in the fire. The books on that floor were damaged due to the blaze, but we kept old editions of books and those in less circulation on the top floor. The newer editions of books were on the ground and second floors. There was no damage to our archival section as it is not on the top floor.”

Although there is widespread damage, the library’s facility system is reportedly functional with the manual issuing of books to students amid the ongoing end-semester examinations of Delhi University. Around 400 undergraduate students were scheduled to take the examination during the morning session which was cancelled in lieu of the fire breakout. However, since the library was housed in a separate building, the examinations scheduled to take place from 2:30 to 5:30 P.M. were conducted after the handover by the fire department. In conversation with the Indian Express, Principal Jatinder Bir Singh further stated, 

Since lights were to be cut off for the fire department to extinguish the fire, we postponed the exams scheduled in the morning. Afternoon examinations went on as usual. The controller of examination is yet to notify a fresh date for the exams”. 

Recently, Delhi University’s Kalindi College reported a ceiling fall falling on the head of a faculty member causing serious injury. In light of such incidents outrage has sparked amongst students who raised concerns of student-faculty safety and welfare over the deteriorating condition of the infrastructure of DU colleges. In a statement released by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) on 15th May, they questioned the negligence and demanded immediate safety audits in all colleges throughout Delhi University. 

Read also: Thefts and an Unaccountable Administration Raise Concerns at Kirori Mal College

Image Credits: The Telegraph

Aaratrika Ghosh

aaratrikaag@gmail.com

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A local rickshaw puller who found the girl in distress informed locals, who were out feeding stray dogs, about her condition. The locals found the girl curled up under a sheet. She spoke in Bengali that neither they nor the rickshaw puller could fully understand until a translator was called. When the girl saw a man pass by, she began screaming.

The rickshaw puller explained that this was the auto driver she was accusing of rape and abuse. When confronted, the accused became violent and struck the girl in front of others. A crowd gathered and beat him before escorting both the victim and the accused to the Amar Colony Police Station. At the station, the auto driver reportedly confessed. Despite this, he was allowed to rest in an air-conditioned room while the victim was made to sit on two uncomfortable chairs. After undergoing a medical examination for sexual assault, she was not administered painkillers or any form of trauma care.

Formal action has been delayed. The incident took place on a service road near Frank Anthony Public School, close to Moolchand Metro Station. The location is in proximity to educational institutions like Lady Shri Ram College for Women and Bluebells International School, and lies within a densely populated student-occupied PG area in the National Park.

The area where the crime occurred is frequently used by students and young professionals, many of whom identify it as unsafe. Students have long reported incidents of sexual harassment, flashing, and even attempted abductions along the back gate’s service road. These complaints have rarely received official acknowledgement or resulted in increased security

I have personally felt threatened several times on my way to college every day. With such incidents of casual harassment happening on quite literally every possible road you could take within the area, safety becomes a privilege. The complacency and at times, indifference of the Amar Colony Police Station only further compounds this issue. We are left with no alternative but to leave our own campus early, in the hopes of avoiding creepy men
– Student from Lady Shri Ram College for Women

The survivor provided detailed accounts of sexual assault, including the use of foreign objects and burn marks on her body. Despite this, police were allegedly reluctant to file a formal complaint, and one of the accused has already fled the state. Some are concerned that delayed legal action may once again deny justice.

National media outlets such as The Times of India and The Indian Express reported the incident, which has been criticised by the original complainant for its inconsistencies, calling the girl a “vagabond” and misstating her age, and further, for reinforcing victim-blaming narratives. Students of Lady Shri Ram College who were planning to go to the Amar Colony Police Station to raise complaints were asked to refrain by the original complainant, due to escalating tensions there. They expressed a desire for the child to have her hearing with the magistrate on 8th May, without disruptions. A peaceful protest may be organised soon.

This incident in itself, however, is not isolated. It reflects a systemic failure to protect survivors and ensure public safety. The imbalance in how the accused and victim were treated highlights deeper issues within the system, where those seeking justice are often left to suffer in silence while perpetrators evade punishment. As students and residents in the area continue to demand accountability, the case has sparked renewed calls for police reform, institutional sensitivity, and tangible steps to make Delhi safe for all.

Image Credits: ETV Bharat

Ritobrita Mukherjee

ritobritam@gmail.com

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“In case I don’t see you … good afternoon, good evening and good night.” 

• The Truman Show

To bid goodbye is an art that very few have mastered, both in reality and on the silver screen. Introductions are often easy; it doesn’t have to be perfect, for the story goes on and mends itself along the way. But conclusions are defining; in simple words, the way you end, why you end and how you end sets the stage for how you are remembered for years, if not decades, to come. 

It is often the premonition of a farewell that lingers even before its actual end; foreshadowing is a cinematic technique used by screenplay writers to subtly hint at a character or plot’s ultimatum, their goodbye. The beauty of foreshadowing is not predictability but the audience’s realisation—the shock, the rewinding and the gaping eyes that try to connect the dots.

Minutes before Mufasa’s death in The Lion King, in the backdrop of a sunrise and a melancholic soundtrack, he tells Simba, “One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here and will rise on you as the king.” Foreshadowing is as subtle as that; there are no giant billboards screaming out a character’s fate but elements as simple as a nostalgic dialogue, a wistful musical composition and a setting sun that indicates a goodbye nobody is prepared for. 

Some goodbyes hit harder than the others (even when unwanted spoilers ruin your cinematic experience). Watching a houseful audience in theatres tear up in unison all because of a single snap is a telling of how to make farewells a tear–jerker, often an unexpected one. “I am Iron Man,” says Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame and just like Peter Parker, every teenager who grew up watching and living the Marvel experience felt a pang of pain. Perhaps that is how farewells in popular culture are meant to be: heartbreaking and soul-wrecking. 

Hidden in whispers and a silent letting go of the hand, it is in Romances and Dramas that goodbyes feel like the lingering pain that hits you after ages. Some goodbyes are dramatic—the screaming and crying of Harry silenced by the director’s cut in The Order of the Phoenix as he watched Sirius die and vanish into the realm of death. At times, it is the quiet look of acceptance of love and grief that, to a romantic viewer, metamorphoses a ‘love story’ into a ‘horror’. La La Land does the beauty of silent mourning and simplicity the right way. A reminiscing of the ‘what ifs’, exchanges of the eye and a quiet letting go. Perhaps heartbreaking goodbyes are often shaped like that; “a sobering reminder of reality”. 

Yet, goodbyes do not always have to always be drenched in tears and sorrowful mourning. Mirroring reality, some goodbyes are bittersweet; you recall them with longingness in moments of nostalgia but bid them goodbye with heartfelt emotions. “O Captain, My Captain”, says Todd. To every dreamer, poet and appreciator of good cinema, Dead Poets Society consumes the meaning of ‘to bid farewell’ in its series of goodbyes—unexpected, tragic, yet bittersweet. Bidding farewell to Mr. Keatings, for many of us, mirrors the goodbyes we’ve whispered to our teachers as we walked from the familiar school corridors to the unknown red-bricked hallways of college; a nostalgic remembrance. 

Nostalgia drives emotions and people towards continuity, perhaps why goodbyes in sitcoms are more impactful; they aren’t merely TV shows but fictional characters and events that you share experiences with, in every episode. Ending its 10-season run, Friends waved farewell to its audience and to the purple-walled apartment of Monica and Chandler for the final time. A debated ending, a nostalgic final run to Central Perk and characters etched forever in BuzzFeed Quizzes, a two-decade-later reunion and the hearts of binge-watchers; farewells are meant to be such. The trope of a new beginning in the endings of family sitcoms has been a tradition inspired by reality; life must move on and people must go on despite goodbyes. The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tuckers of Modern Family also step into new chapters of their lives, for goodbyes do not always have to be permanent; sometimes a simple fare-thee-well till the next moment of togetherness suffices.

As farewells in pop culture and real life blur into a commonness of longing, remembrance and nostalgia, one must look back and think how lucky they are to have people, memories and places that are so hard to say goodbye to. It is perhaps the hardest goodbyes that form the best moments of our lives – in cinema and in reality. As Judy Collins puts into lyrics, “Farewell to my comrades/ For a while we must part/ And likewise the dear lass/ Who first won my heart.”

Read also: In Fond Remembrance of Chandler Bing

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Aaratrika Ghosh

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Sri Venkateswara College, under the aegis of the University of Delhi, celebrated its Annual Fest, NEXUS, on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of March this year. Upon entering the college gates, one witnesses what appears to be the college’s way of presenting an ode to Delhi—a Jashn-E-Dilli, if you will. Every corner has been decorated with banners naming popular sites of everyday pilgrimage, from the Faqir Chand and Sons bookstore to Sarojini Nagar.

An inauguration ceremony preceded the performance of the Dramatics Society of the college as they took to the front lawns on Day 1 from 9.30 A.M. onwards to celebrate Madari’25, an annual street play event, abuzz with the energy of the performers. Crescendo, the Western Music Society of Sri Venkateswara College, presented the Battle of Bands from 1 to 5 P.M. as a tribute to Delhi, the heart of the country’s music revolution. In the midst of it all, Alaap, the Indian Music Society of the college, presented Raageshwari, a polyphony of melodies, at the Indian Classical Choir Competition. While Nrityangana, the Indian Dance Society, took to the dance floor in solo and group dance competitions.

As you enter the building, leaving behind the cacophony of singing voices and the chants of the dramatists, you are met with Mehfil-e-Tamasha, an improv battle taking place in Room 57. If there is one thing that has stood out by now, it was the dedication with which all artists performed, the veneration they heaped onto artistry, eventuating in a showdown for the history books.

Kurukshetra, the crew-based dance competition, preceded the performance of the night by The Frequency Project, who gave music a Sufi spin in their own rendition of popular classics.

Day 2 was marked by Effulgence, Sri Venkateswara’s Photography Society’s annual display, Kodachrome, taking place in tandem with Opera D’Arte 3.0, Leonci Art Society’s annual display. A student from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, who planned on staying for the Mr. Professor’s DJ nights after participating in H#, the Western Acapella Competition, stated:

It’s been an interesting run so far. The wins were well-deserved. I’m staying here till 6 for the DJ.

As is the case with every DU-affiliated college, the sole event that marked Day 3 was the performance of the much-awaited artist. This time, Javed Ali of Guzarish fame took to the stage. Post Dilli Ke Darshan, the concert gave people in the audience a lifetime of memories and then some more.

Featured Image Credits: Arush for DU Beat

Aastha Singh

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The post NEXUS’25: In Sri Venkateshwara’s Fest, Jashn-e-Dilli Took Centre-Stage appeared first on DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper.