The Hindu : New Delhi News : Stirring up a hornets’ nest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Stirring up a hornets’ nest

The comprehensive information brochure issued recently by Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Robin Hibu prescribing a host of measures for students and visitors from the Northeast coming to Delhi seems to have stirred a hornets’ nest with certain quarters terming it as “social profiling” of students from that region.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) has condemned the booklet, describing it as “an insult to the cultural identity of North-eastern students”.

“These prescriptions are an assault on students’ freedom. Referring to the dressing sense of girls from that region, the booklet says: “Revealing dress should be avoided. Avoid lonely road/by-lane when dressed scantily. Dress according to the sensitivity of the local populace.”

“As for food habits, it instructs that bamboo shoot and other “smelly dishes” should be prepared without creating a ruckus in the neighbourhood. This is simply an attempt to selectively target Northeast students,” said JNUSU general secretary Sandeep Singh.

“Students of the Northeast face a lot of trouble when they come to study in Delhi. They find it difficult to get houses on rent because of their identity. Instead of creating an atmosphere for students where they can feel comfortable, the Delhi police are coming up with such prescriptions, which are an assault on the identity and freedom of these students,” he added.

Meanwhile, Indian Justice Party president Udit Raj has also demanded withdrawal of this booklet stating that it was “not the business of the police to define food habits and dress code for people”.

The promoters of International Maritime Institute Group last week announced the launch of Integrated Management College (IMC) that will start its first academic session from the third week of August.

Talking about the new institution located in Greater Noida, IMC Director Bhavya Kohli said: “We are the only college to offer a pathway to a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Digital Art and Technology in this country. IMC has tied up with University of Plymouth, Britain, and students can choose if they want to get a British degree or an Indian degree from our institute.”

Indian School of Business and Finance has announced the beginning of a one-year post-graduate diploma in “Wealth Management”. The form can be downloaded from www.isbf.edu.in. The last date for applying is July 20.

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) has increased the seat intake for its Bachelor of Technology programmes from 3,340 to 3,820 for the 2007-08 academic year.

The seat increase is the result of the addition of three new engineering institutions in the Capital -- Government Engineering College at Jaffarpur, Gobind Ballabh Pant Government Engineering College at Okhla, and Bhagwan Parshuram Institute of Techno logy at Sector-17, Rohini -- all of which are affiliated to GGSIPU.

The Government Engineering College at Jaffarpur will offer 60 seats for B.Tech. in Civil Engineering and as many for B.Tech. in Information Technology. The Gobind Ballabh Pant Government Engineering College will offer B.Tech. programmes in Mechanical and Automation Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering, with an intake of 60 seats each.

Bhagwan Parshuram Institute of Technology, which is a self-financing institution, will offer 60 seats each in four disciplines -- Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.

Admission to these institutions, including the new additions, will be made through the ongoing counselling for B.Tech. courses at the University.

-- Parul Sharma

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