Freshers enter a campus in transition

“It will be one of the star attractions when it opens. The engaging coffee-house culture of the campus,however,may no longer remain intact,” Abhijeet Phartiyal,a final-year student at Delhi University,says.

From next year,the university is also planning to introduce a semester system. Although this move is aimed at bring DU closer to world-class universities elsewhere,there is a fear that it is being introduced without the necessary structural efficiency. “With one exam a year,DU struggles to get results out on time. With two exams a year,I can’t see how they will manage,” Debraj Mookerjee,Department of English at Ramjas College,says. “I also believe the semester system suits the sciences better than the liberal arts,where a more wholesome approach is required.”

In addition,construction continues unabated at seven colleges,in order to be ready for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. These colleges — St Stephen’s,Hindu,Ramjas,Kirori Mal,Daulat Ram,Khalsa and Hansraj — had to relocate their sports trials to other colleges. Though these colleges will get world-class facilities after the Commonwealth Games,it has put the playgrounds off limits. “The playgrounds are a vital part of the social life of the college,especially in winter. They are also the only place for physical exercise,” Aditya Nair,a student of Hindu College,says.

“Northeast students,for example,are especially fond of football. Now,they have to go to places 2to 3 km away to play.”

In the Commonwealth year of 2010,with malls,stadiums and a more stringent academic system,North Campus might be miles away from the campus that alumni recall.