It is this impeccable image of DU that brings so many of India’s brightest in such fierce competition, and chances are, stresses at this point are running high. The future might seem to be wrapped up in marks that are exchanged like a cheque for a great university brand name and education, failing which all hopes, aspirations, and most importantly, the hours put in before the exams, all seem to be a waste.
Delhi University is the most preferred university by students every year. Lakhs of aspirants struggle to get in, fighting for that one extra mark to wear the ‘DU’ tag around their necks. But is this pressure and race really worth it?
As someone from the year 2022, I do think that we got the short end of the stick. As the pandemic strikes again, people from batches before and after mine— before you decide to knock down my door with pitchforks and torches in hand, let me explain.
I’ll admit that the Batch of 2021 had to graduate online, and that sucks. I’ll even admit that the Batch of 2023 had to begin college without ever having been to one, and that sucks too. But the Batch of 2021 had two years to experience offline college.
Growing up in a typical Indian family, DU has always been a pretty big deal. The coveted “DU ka thappa”. Parents, teachers, and nosy relatives— every single person was anticipating my result. When I had successfully gotten in, everyone told me to thank my light stars.
DU’s college life and “academic reputation” had secured a seat in a “meritorious college” after all, being privileged enough to be privileged in a merit race with a support system to help during boards. I was immediately deemed lucky by every pados-wali-aunty. But let me ask you a question: how many classes have you attended this semester sincerely? How many classes have you attended since the online college started?
Not to blame online classes; I mean, they did do whatever they could think of to deal with some extremely unprecedented times, I suppose. And I have been told many times that college experiences are never as good experiences as they are narrated.
The University has maintained its position at the top in the country as per the Centre for World University Ranking (CWUR) ranking and is 8th in the National Institutional Ranking Framework. It is also among the top 10 Indian public educational institutions/universities and the first among Indian public universities under QS BRICS University Rankings. The h-index of the University touched 192, one of the highest among Indian universities.
But is this pressure and race worth it? And is taking admission to one of the 1st Ranking Universities necessary? Let’s take a look at the different aspects of this esteemed university to look forward to: –
The Pros —
Chole Bhature, Tom Uncle ki Maggi aur Cutting Chai (there’s no ‘etc’) :
Delhi University is famous for its aforementioned delicacies and that’s pretty much all. There are a couple of other joints to visit and experiment but if you stop to ask someone, they’d tell you that before you go anywhere else to eat, you MUST try the Chole Bhature. And what to say about Sudama ki Chai and Tom Uncle Ki Maagi, Can ever DU be complete without mentioning these two?
Sarojini ke kapde pehen ke jaati madam disco :
Fashion hits Delhi University like a truck. Every new attire is first donned by someone from Delhi University, from where it starts trending. To keep up with the latest trends, one can go broke. Hence, Sarojini Nagar always goes to one’s aid. So, if you hope to be a student here, you better keep up. Because, whatever becomes haute in the morning, becomes pass by afternoon.
DU se hun :
Delhi University students walk with their cliques by their side and boast with pride. But the mere certificate wouldn’t land you a well-paying job if you have no skills. A good university/college name highers the expectation, but doesn’t lower the need to be talented.
Quality Education at Affordable Fees :
If you had thought ki kam fees main accha college hai, therefore, paisa hi paisa hoga udane ke liye then you have landed at the right place i.e DU. One of the major advantages of studying at DU is that it charges very leveled fees that students from every background can afford. You can expect your undergraduate (UG) course tuition fee to cost from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 50,000 depending on the programme and the college you choose.
The Cons —
WTF?! (Why The Fan) :
Most of the classrooms in Delhi University colleges have fans, which are either slow or choose to not work at all. For all those aspirants who imagined a classroom with an air conditioner, you might have to either compromise on your dreams or withdraw your application.
Old is gold, a lie been told! :
The infrastructure of DU colleges is never really retouched or revamped. The old bricks, tainted walls, and chipped-off paint make a bad background and hence, may hamper all your Instagram pictures. The infrastructure of most of the colleges here is horrible. The buildings are dilapidated and in dire need of repair; the computers in the labs or cyber cafes are extremely slow, and the WiFi in most colleges doesn’t work.
In conclusion, one of the major advantages of studying at DU is that it charges very level fees that students from every background can afford. You can expect your undergraduate (UG) course tuition fee to cost from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 50,000 depending on the program and the college you choose.
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