Finding your way through the maze of Delhi University’s admission process can be as taxing as was preparing for one’s Board exams.
The Hindu accompanied one fresher as she went about completing admission formalities to capture the tribulations and the ultimate jubilation of ‘making it to the Delhi University’.
With an impressive score of 96.75 per cent in Humanities, 18-year-old Ria Rai reached Hindu College at 8.30 a.m. to confirm her seat in the Political Science course. Her father, a businessman who was not in town, and her mother, who had just undergone a surgery, couldn’t come with her. Ria was instead accompanied by a friend and her father.
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Stepping into the college campus, she was greeted by an information board that listed all the documents required for admission. The board read: ‘The applicants shall be required to produce following documents in original with two sets of self-attested photocopies at the time of admission’.
As she frantically checked her folder, she realised that she didn’t have photocopies. One of the college volunteers guided her to the photocopy shop.
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On getting there she said: “This shop is not as crowded as I had expected. I have read horror stories on social media about how getting photocopies and printouts is a nightmare.”
For Ria, who passed out of K.R.Mangalam World School in Gurgaon, North Campus was a new world. Excited, she loitered around the corridors. Explaining her celebration of having made it to a college that most students dream of, she confessed: “I am already in love with the college. I can’t wait for my first day here.”
Coming to the Science corridor, she stopped to ask the peon for directions to the admission room for Political Science. Moving to the ICT Lab, which is on the first floor on the other side of the building, Ria said: “I had kept my options open to Political Science and History, but I am glad that I made the cut-off for the former. That is what I am interested in.”
The hot and humid weather, which had left everyone drenched in sweat, did little to dampen the fresher’s enthusiasm.
Outside the ICT Lab stood a group of students who had applied for Political Science and B.A. Programme. After a short waiting period, a volunteer from the Political Science Department handed Ria a token for the admission queue inside. ‘Number 29’, it said.
The volunteers
Looking at the college volunteers wearing National Service Scheme (NSS) t-shirts, Ria exclaimed: “I read about the NSS on the college website and it showed their work with underprivileged children, blood donation camps and tree plantation drives. This is an initiative that I will definitely look forward to joining.”
It was welcome relief once Ria stepped inside the air-conditioned room where her documents were verified. After completing all the paperwork, she went back to the teachers to submit the documents, but was sent back as the guardian’s signature was missing. Ria then decided to request her friend’s father to do the needful.
However, Ria was sent back from the queue at least two more times as her paperwork was found incomplete.
Ultimately at 10.40 a.m., Ria declared: “I can’t believe it is done.” Walking out of the admission room, she turned towards the closest balcony and jumped with joy. “Completing this admission process is an accomplishment. Frankly, it was more difficult than preparing for the Board exams. But, I guess it was worth it. It is more exciting because it is the college and course of my choice.”
(The writer is an intern with The Hindu)