JOIN USBreaking the myth of 'brand' colleges
With extremely high cut-offs, the proportion of those not getting into North Campus has increased considerably and so has the ‘inferiority’ complex among freshers who are tense and finding it difficult to cope with the thought of ‘managing’ in an off-campus college.
As DU opens its doors to the new batch, Metrolife talks to alumni and current seniors from the so called ‘lesser known’ colleges and finds out why they are stigmatised - despite having good faculties, extra-curricular options and deserving students.Priyanshi Sharma acquired 80 per cent in her XII Boards but could get only a Pass Course in Miranda College whereas BSc Hons Computer Science was her dream.
So she had opted for Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences in Dwarka. “My friends were getting admission in North Campus and since it is known to be the best place for graduation, my decision to get into an off-campus college wasn’t appreciated by them.” Later college with its new infrastructure and good faculty has became her favourite. “The first few days I felt lonely because my school friends were not with me but the college offered me much more than my expectations.” Having passed out this year, Priyanshi has also got a good placement, the credit for which she gives to her almamater.
Abhishek Das was aware that his percentage in XII wasn’t sufficient for a good college (‘good’ implying North Campus by default). Now a Second year student of BA Program in Deshbandhu College, Abhishek says, “I had heard many stories from my seniors about the fun of studying in North Campus and was embarrassed when I lost the chance. I made new friends and, not just studies but even cultural activities kept me engaged.” The transformation was bound to happen since colleges are the same everywhere but what matters is the perception that branding is more important.
“Brand is a hype” says Brati Biswas, Associate Professor, Department of English, Dyal Singh Evening College “and it exists even within North Campus. Students always want to be there but with the trend of high cut-offs everybody cannot get admission in top colleges. Moreover, the faculty working in lesser known colleges has to put in more hard work because it is easy to make a 99 percenter acquire first division but it takes effort to bring an average student to a level of first divisioner.” Well said and there are many examples which prove the point.
Television actress, Geeta Bisht, is one such instance. Geeta took admission in Economics Hons in Kamala Nehru College but flunked in first year. Her interest in dramatics made her switch over to Dyal Singh hence she graduated with a II division in B Com Hons. “I was struck by the charm of a good college but the reality is quite different.
Whatever I learned in three years of my graduation in Dyal Singh, made me sail through six years in this industry. Now I feel, it was good that I left Kamala Nehru for Dyal Singh otherwise I wouldn’t have learnt so much and also continued my passion for acting.”