Agonising wait for medical entrants

It has been a rather long wait for these students. And if recent turn of events are any indication, then it has actually not been worth it. Becoming a doctor, obviously, requires more than just passing entrance tests in the Capital. At least in this case.

For the parents and wait-listed students of the Delhi Pre-Medical Test (DPMT 2000-01), it was first waiting for the Safdarjung Medical College to get affiliation from Delhi University. When the initial hiccups regarding the affiliations seemed to be over, with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, entering the picture by giving affiliation, a new hitch regarding the validity of the entrance exams that qualify these students for a seat in the College.

Although IP University has granted affiliation to the College, it is now thinking of conducting another entrance examination for the 100-odd seats the college is offering. According to the medical superintendent and principal of Safdurjung Hospital, Dr. Jagdish Prasad, since Delhi University has not granted affiliation to the College, the DPMT is no longer valid for getting admission to the course.

The need for conducting a new entrance examination also arises from the fact that the validity of the list produced by the CBSE expired in September, according to a order given by the Supreme Court.

Adding to the confusion is the denial of IP University officials of any such development. According to officials here, no date has been fixed as of now for the entrance.

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The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) election is arguably one of the most interesting happenings in the Capital's campus politics. This year has been no different. Although there was not much activity during the campaigning, election and counting day sort of made up for the missing action.

Diversity, it is believed, is the strongest point of this University. And as election day proved, it was a day that showed pictures of sharp contrast. And this picture only got wider and clearer at the makeshift camp that had been set up outside the counting centre, School of International Studies (SIS). There were supporters shouting slogans allright. There was ``down down communalism and up up socialism'' from the red brigade and ``campus chodo'' from the saffron ones, but those who really walked away with one's attention where the silent ones here.

They did not see their candidate win or lose or shout any victory slogans. It was snoring away to glory that they did and yet managed to get glances of admiration from friends and foes alike. Having worked tirelessly for their `candidate' for days, it was nap time for these few by the time the results came out. Catching up with sleep by dozing off in the benches that had been placed in the tent, these students seemed hardly concerned about the results, when they eventually came out.

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And what would a student not do for a vote. If you thought JNU was different from DU, think again. This time students were promised pick ups and droppings too. Of course, it was Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) which tried to bring in the DU culture and impress students, and well, failed miserably in the end.

As for the SFI, last year's loss meant taking every single vote seriously. So much so, when members of the SFI were told that a student of SIS was planning to cast all the votes except the one for the president's post in their favour, they decided it was time to do extra work.

The student was visited the night before the election and convinced for hours till he finally said yes. That was the kind of ground work that SFI ensured this time. And considering it worked, it probably just goes to show that burning the `midnight' oil' is effective.

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This is a seminar that will teach students all about flying. For those looking for a successful career in the aviation and hospitality industry, the Air Hostess Academy, in association with Delhi University Students Union, will soon be organising a seminar on opportunities and prospects available in the industry.

With over 200 airlines and 550 luxury and five star hotels in the country, it is an expanding industry that we are talking about here. The Air Hostess Academy prepares young aspiring candidates to meet the challenges of the aviation industry.

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Mr.D.C.Pant has been appointed as the new advisor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Sixty-three-year-old Mr. pant was the Pro Vice- Chancellor of IGNOU during the year 2000 and the Director of Student Registration and Evaluation Division between 1989 and the year 2000.

* * * At a meeting held on Wednesday, the Delhi State NSUI president Anil Choudhary appointed observers for different districts till the new state executive committee is announced. The newly appointed observers include Sunil Kumar, Bharat Bhushan, Praveen Yadav, Anuj Gour, Vinay Solanki, Bhupinder Khatana, Sandeep Goswami and Saurav Gupta.

The Delhi unit NSUI has also decided to organise constructive programmes at district levels and the campus. While an essay writing competition is being organised on Thursday, December 3 will see the launch of AIDS awareness campaign at north campus.

Lakshmi Balakrishnan

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