High pitch, frequent scuffles, sloganeering and never-ending, double-rowed queues was the norm at Delhi University’s North Campus on Monday where a sea of humanity descended to make a last bid for admissions.
Long queues of desperate admission seekers marked college campuses. “Year after year we warn students not to leave it to the last minute. We issued ample warnings this year too, but then again you have students missing out by coming in at the last minute and not being able to buy or submit their forms,” said Deputy Dean Students’ Welfare Gurupreet Singh Tuteja, who had to tell several students to hurry up when they came with queries on the application process a few minutes before the counters were to close at 1 p.m.
The Arts Faculty has always been the most crowded ever since the application process started on June 4 and the crowd seemed to have increased ten-fold with queues for other applications like SC, ST and non-collegiate forms leading out of the enormous park where the Arts Faculty lies. The longest queues were, however, in front of the photo-copying machine as a photocopy of the pre-admission form is required to be made by every student as a proof of submission.
“There is one photo-copying machine in the faculty and there is another one a few steps outside. I stood in line for almost one hour to get my application form photocopied from the machine outside,” said Ruchika. A few students seemed to have given up. “It is already 12-15 p.m. By the time we stand in the line to get the form, fill it, then photo-copy and submit it, we will be way past the time limit,” said Nidhi and her friends waiting outside the SC/ST enclosure.
The counters selling forms in the Arts Faculty tried to close as per schedule but were forced to keep open to oblige pleading students, finally closing them at about 1-45 p.m. on instructions of the Dean of Students’ Welfare Office but not without some drama from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad which tried to prevent the counters from closing by chanting loud slogans and blocking the exit ways.
Submissions were, however, extended till about 4 p.m. in the university centres, with college centres accepting forms till the students came. Post offices also remained open till 4-30 p.m. with online applications remaining open till 5 p.m.
There was a peculiar confusion in the line for submitting applications for the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board as several boys had tried to apply for the all-girls institute. Miranda House, also an all-girls college, had several boys trying to submit ECA and sports forms. The college was also a centre for selling and accepting the university’s application forms but hardly saw a crowd and the only queues were those in front of the food kiosk and restrooms.
It was also the last date to submit ECA and sports forms in most of the colleges but there was no last-minute rush registered in any of them which allowed many to breeze through the application procedure. “I was with my son and we first bought and submitted the university form and then went to Hindu College for the sports and ECA form and then finally went to St. Stephen’s College which has a different admission procedure. All this we did within two hours,” said Rohini, who was waiting for her son.
Almost all students in the college said they had barely taken about 10 minutes to buy, fill and submit forms. This was also the case in other colleges.
Keywords: DU, college applications, Students’ Welfare, non-collegiate forms, Arts Faculty, Hindu College, ECA form
