Despite recent reports of confrontation between Africans and locals in the Capital, Delhi University (DU) remains a favourite destination for higher education for students from the continent.
Compared to 2015, the university has seen a 400 per cent jump in the number of students from Africa seeking admission in DU.
Amrit Kaur Basra, the deputy dean of Foreign Students Registration Office (FSRO) of DU, told The Hindu that less than 100 students had applied last year.
This year, however, 428 students have already applied. All applications are first processed by FSRO and then sent to the colleges or other departments.
This will also mean more applications accepted and a better representation of African students in DU in the next academic session, said Ms. Basra.
“As of now we have around 48 African students studying in the university. But that number is set to rise from this year. Another interesting fact is that this year, students from all parts of Africa have applied for admissions. We hope more and more get through,” she said.
On the security challenge in view of recent incidents, Ms. Basra said that it was a concern but it was more a question of their safety outside the campus area than within it as usually incidents do not take place there.
“These incidents, wherever they take place, are unfortunate, but we here in DU have a zero tolerance for racial behaviour. That is considered ragging and thus becomes punishable by law,” said Ms. Kaur.
According to her, the university has prepared new directives to ensure improved security for African students, but those cannot be divulged at this point of time.
Ms. Kaur and some of the African students in North Campus had recently attended the sensitisation programme taken up by the North District for African nationals last week.
