New Delhi: From special sessions to explain the new four-year undergraduate courses, helping in course selection to assistance in lodging, commuting and counselling their parents, unions and associations catering to students from the northeast in Delhi University (DU) are doing all they can to make aspirants from the region feel at ease as admissions commence.
An estimated 20,000 students from the northeast, where facilities for higher education are limited, are enrolled with DU.
Different unions representing the eight northeastern states have set up admission committees that are answering queries and providing important tips on the admission process. They are even guiding aspirants back home through social networking sites.
“We have attended all the conferences and open days and have collected information to guide students who come to us and also to help those who are interested and are back home, including parents, about the new four-year programme,” J. Mavio, vice president of the Naga Students Union, told IANS.
“Information and contact details of all the union members have been published in newspapers and news websites across all the seven states so that people can contact us any time,” Mavio added.
The “admission committee” of the Naga Students’ Union is stationed at the Faculty of Arts in DU’s north campus and in the office of the Dean (Students’ Welfare) in the south campus.
The four-year undergraduate programme will replace every existing undergraduate course in DU’s 77 colleges. Apart from the main subjects, four applied courses offering a chance to use one’s skills will also be taught to students. The applied courses will be taught in the second and third years.
The unions are also providing refreshments to aspirants reaching the campus in the intense Delhi heat.
“Samosas and cold drinks are free for the students and their parents,” Mavio said.
The introduction of the Optical Mark Registration (OMR) forms, which do not require a candidate to be present while submitting the form, has further helped students.
“We have been submitting forms for students who have not been able to come here,” Tado Koj of the Arunachal Pradesh Student’s Union told IANS.
The unions have also been getting in touch with students through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has also set up a helpline – 8802039831 and 8826512890 – for students from the northeast.
“We have a team at the back-end that has been helping the students. We have set up a separate helpline for students from the northeast to resolve all their queries,” Awadh Nagpal of the ABVP told IANS.
Nineteen-year-old Pfokuhrii Puni, who is from Imphal, said the information provided by the unions has been very helpful.
“It is very good that we have been able to gather all information under one platform. From the time I have come here, they have assisted me with the entire admission process,” Puni told IANS.
Puni and others are positive about the new four-year course.
“I am sure the four-year course will help us in the long run,” said Ronnie Gangte from Manipur. “I have been told that the courses are aimed at us getting jobs. We will be better skilled after doing the four-year term. Also our chances of getting admission abroad will increase.” (IANS)