The power of the Internet finally caught up with Delhi University aspirants on the third day of admissions here on Friday, with sale figures of online applications doubling that of offline forms. However, the North Campus was a beehive of activity with rumours of glitches and actual glitches forcing students to troop in to get a hard copy “just to be sure”.
“We sold 19,975 forms by 1 p.m. and 44,348 online forms when we checked at 4 p.m.” said Dean Students’ Welfare J.M. Khurana. Till now, the university has sold a total of 90,412 applications and there are four more days before applications close. The seats on offer are just 54,000.
No wonder, the day also saw a large number of salesmen promoting “other universities” on the campus.
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“You cannot be absolutely sure that you will get into this university. You have to keep your options open,” said a boy in a uniform, who was handing out pamphlets of a private institute that promises a complete degree even as you work at the same time! Another advertised itself as one where all the success stories start.
But admission seekers were not the ones to be persuaded to leave without the DU application form. Nor were the cries of the numerous students’ association representatives, who screamed at them to “run away from the FYUP”, seemingly having any impact.
“I completed my application online, but my friends told me there were several glitches and the university could not access the application. That is why I decided to play it safe and come here,” said Poornima, a B. Com aspirant who said she was so excited about the new four-year course that she could not risk losing her application.
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“Someone told me that the printout of online forms was showing information different from the online form, so I decided not to take a chance and came here. After all, it is just one day of braving the heat and waiting in line,” said Political Science aspirant Kajal.
B. Com aspirant Juhi almost fainted from all the running around. “The counters were to close at 1 p.m. and I wanted to submit my application,” she said, adding that she was genuinely confused when told that there was no first come, first serve basis and that there was still more time to submit the form. “They only say such things, but of course you have to submit it sooner,” she insisted.
“This is madness. Nobody is able to answer my questions. I wanted to do English (Honours), but the brochure tells me I have to do some foundation courses that look like school courses and in the first year my subject hardly gets any weightage,” said an upset Nupur. She did not know that the university had changed its structure so much.
Recovering from a long illness, Nupur was also confused why nobody at the counter could answers her queries. “I now know that the course is for four years, but I still don’t know the reason behind this. That is why I came to enquire personally about it. Otherwise I would have just filled the form online,” she said, adding it was wrong of the university to have selected only a few schools for a presentation on the new structure.
“We are the ones who have to do the course. Can’t they hold an orientation session — an open house where they can explain everything?”