As Delhi University welcomes thousands of new students for the upcoming academic session, a spectrum of opinions has emerged among freshers regarding the recent student protests that took place in the national capital. While some hail these demonstrations as a crucial expression of dissent, others have voiced concerns about the methods employed and the ensuing disruptions.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that many first-year students, whose entry into university life coincides with the aftermath of these significant public mobilizations, are grappling with diverse perspectives on the role and impact of student activism.
Aman Kumar, an 18-year-old first-year student at Ramjas College from Jaipur, shared that he had closely followed the developments surrounding the protests. He expressed a desire to have participated but was unable to travel to Delhi due to his ongoing admission process. Kumar stated, “I was following the updates from the protest regularly, not just on the news but also through all the content and reels that people were putting online about how this was one of the most intense student protests of our generation.” He added, “I really wanted to take part, but considering that my parents would not allow me and my admissions were going on, I could not travel.”
Another first-year student, who studies at Miranda House and requested anonymity, revealed that her cousin had actively participated in the protests. While she acknowledged the importance of the movement, safety concerns for her cousin remained paramount. She recounted, “My cousin sister, who resides in Delhi, had joined the protest. Of course, it was an amazing movement and we all understood the importance of it, but we were very worried about her safety. We could barely get in touch with her as the network was mostly down around the protest site.”
For a significant number of freshers, the recent protests, predominantly experienced through social media channels, served as their initial introduction to student politics and the dynamics of collective action. Ishika Chakraborty, a first-year student hailing from a small town in West Bengal, found that the scale of the protests offered her a novel perspective on the potential influence of student movements.
Chakraborty elaborated, “I come from a small town in West Bengal, and the idea that students can come together and create a difference was new to me, even though I had heard stories about student movements before. Seeing it happen is a completely different experience.” She expressed eagerness to experience campus life during upcoming student elections, stating, “I could not wait to get to Delhi. I want to see what the campus is like during the DUSU elections.”
However, a segment of the incoming student cohort has raised questions regarding the efficacy of prolonged agitations and the inconveniences they may have caused. Rajeev Verma, a first-year student at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) and a resident of Uttar Pradesh, noted that his parents had frequently voiced reservations about the manner in which the protests were conducted.
Verma explained, “What my parents kept pointing out throughout the protest was that there might have been better ways to initiate a dialogue with the government. The protest caused disruption for several people, including the closure of metro stations and network connectivity being affected for days.”
Similarly, a first-year student at Hansraj College indicated a lack of full endorsement for the way the protests unfolded, even while recognizing the legitimacy of the students’ grievances. “I understand why students were protesting and that they had genuine concerns, but I am not entirely in favour of the way the protest unfolded. My father was among the hundreds of commuters who were affected by the disruptions caused by the agitation,” the student stated.
These divergent viewpoints among new entrants to Delhi University underscore the ongoing discourse surrounding student activism and its broader societal implications as the institution embarks on its new academic year.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
