The Hindu : New Delhi News : Hindi medium student not welcome at Maitreyi College

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 30, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Hindi medium student not welcome at Maitreyi College

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 29. It may be easier to score good marks in the senior secondary examinations than get admissions into the college of your choice, as Deepika Chauhan discovered today. With 74 per cent on her mark-sheet, the student has discovered that making it to the cut-off percentage is not the only thing that matters in Delhi University.

Coming from a Hindi medium background, Deepika is meeting resistance from Maitreyi College for admission into B.A. (Honours) History even though she meets the cut-off. "They need 65 per cent and I have 74 per cent. I secured 69 per cent in English. But they are saying that I would not be able to understand the teachers because the medium of instruction would be English. So they are not accepting my form. But we have been told that no discrimination can be made on these grounds,'' said an upset Deepika who was told to return on Wednesday for further clarification.

"I have spent my entire day here. First they refused to accept my form and told me to go away. When I kept insisting, they made me wait for more than an hour and then told me to come back tomorrow,'' she added.

Even with Deepika clarifying that she would be able to cope with the language, the response was not warm. "I have studied in Kendriya Vidyalaya IV and I managed fine there. The teacher used to sometimes instruct only in English and I was able to cope over there. I will be able to manage here too,'' insisted Deepika.

The College, however, is not satisfied. "We don't have a separate section for Hindi medium. No separate teacher either. The same teacher is not going to repeat everything twice - once in Hindi and again in English. It will be difficult for the student to cope with the language. It is a very practical problem that we are pointing out. She should take admission in a college that instructs in Hindi medium,'' said principal Pushpa Kochhar.

The problem faced by Deepika is similar to what many students from a Hindi medium background face. Yet another candidate, Anju Chauhan is facing the same problem and the Dean of Students' Welfare office has also been approached by some students.

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