Just like a bag of assorted candy,Delhi University has its own mix of ups and downs, some of which are dipped in sugar and innocence while others remain sweet-and-sour. As part of this, we observe that while DU attempts to throw light on various issues to begin the groundwork for change, it fails to acknowledge the simultaneous shadow that is cast on other equally important issues. As a university, DU has a pan-India student community yet subjects like Sociology & Psychology are treated as fairly feminine subjects.
With over 60 colleges and over 1.5 lakh young minds, the availability of Sociology and Psychology as subjects continues to be scarce as opposed to other disciplines and is made accessible mostly to the female student base.
Given the limited number of colleges that offer the course,we see a large issue of disproportionate ratio of girls to co-ed colleges. Out of the 8 colleges that offer the course in Sociology,only 2 are Co-ed colleges- Hindu College and Sri Venkateswara College. Not only this,both the co-ed colleges have extremely high cutoffs which leaves a whole new section devoid of a choice.
As a result, many male candidates are conveniently denied the opportunity to pursue the course of their choice.In the search for this very opportunity, many are either forced to opt for Private Universities entirely or pick their second choice of course.
College is an important platform to harness and nurture one’s interests but we fail to see the support of administrative structure to aid this process.The university unknowingly or knowingly deprives an entire section of the student community from studying the subject they want.
Such a step inevitably results into formation of stereotypes regarding the choices that students make in accordance to their their gender.As a University that continues to expand,both in area and ideology,we must work to break stereotypes and not add to their creation. We must begin the work to a better place where choices are free of social constraints.
