DCET & The Changing Face of Student Politics

One of my first memories of Panjab University, Chandigarh is Ankit Malik & Puneet Rooprai, two 2nd year seniors coming to my room and giving me my first lesson in Panjab University Politics, in process making me a SOPU member for life. But I also remember me having thought at that time, “ I have not come here for politics, I will study!” That might have been the case with most of the people entering Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology as politics is perceived as a thing for the law or arts guys. But PU is a place where you just can’t stay away from SOPU-PUSU or INSO & ABVP & SOI as well some may say. Looking at it all in hindsight, I don’t think I regret having been an active supporter of SOPU or being “involved” in politics. I think it in reality, it lead me in discovering a totally different side of myself.

I was as staunch a supporter of SOPU as one could be but I was good friends with a lot of people who didn’t support my party. There used to be a tradition in our hostel that some seniors were baptised as fathers of some juniors, based on how close they are to each other. Ironically, my “godfather” was Rahul Ravi- a PUSU member and so were most of his friends. But that never was a bone of contention in our relations. We did our best to make sure that we bring success to our parties but we never fought our such stuff. I don’t remember having seen any Senior-Junior alternations because of politics during my first couple of years in DCET. Now that I am no more enrolled as a student in the University and am not directly involved in the elections or any related activities, I realise things have drastically changed. Or were they changing when I was there?

Panjab University Campus Students Council elections have recently concluded and PUSU won 3 out of 4 seats in the council. I am myself disappointed by the result, but what pains me even more is the Facebook wars going on between various supporters of both parties from my department. What hurts me even more is the fact that in majority of the cases, it is a case of seniors(in some cases- passouts) and juniors having a full frontal attack on each other. Something that was unheard of in “our times.” I don’t know what is the reason for it-It can be the sudden rise of Facebook which has given wings to people’s thoughts, It can be the fact that now “ragging” is banned unofficially as well as officially so juniors probably have no real nor apparent respect for the seniors, it can also be due to our dedicated efforts in making our juniors loyal to our party more than anything else or it maybe due to some other reason or maybe due to a mix of reasons. But, I know it is not good for the future batches of my beloved DCET( can’t get used to UICET).

So just a heartfelt request to my fellow DCETians, support your party as much as you want to, just have some respect for your fellow batchmates, seniors & juniors even if they support some other political outfit. I think you will enjoy your stay in the university much more.

The City Beautiful

A place where life will always be colourful
The City Beautiful

We often Complain about the life at night
But in the day a "tota" is never out of sight

Be it Rendezvous, Silver or Score
Guys come with a hope to score

Roads that don't know what are jams
All thanks to Carbousier's plans

If you love Mercs n BMWs the city is a treat
Home to the elitest of the elite

Wondering why FR, DT n Centra are so small?
Just because 17 is so tall

Chandigarh, Panchkula or Mohali
Tricity is in a different shade till new year starting Diwali

Uphill is such a famous word
Morni & Kasauli complete our world

SOPU n PUSU always on the hunt
Sometimes brutal, sometimes just a stunt

PEC, DAV or University
Filled with students and diversity

Be it terrace,rock or rose
Of sheer bloom it is a dose

When it rains the city shines
With beauty Chandigarh rhymes

What I miss the most,Is it the lake?
Or those sector 10 shakes?

Those drives better known as geris
Or girls like the ones in fairies?

Coffee at CCD, barista & Java Daves
Or Nik's fruit punch I most crave?

I think it is just the city
And all its nitty gritties

Facts

*Words like "tota" and "geri" are trademark Chandigarh...In case you are unaware,
Tota- A good looking girl-Not derogatory, rather the biggest compliment
Geri-Drives in front of girls' colleges

*Nik Baker is a Chandigarh based bakery/coffee shop

*Kasauli & Morni are small hillstations near Chandigarh

*PEC & DAV are colleges

*SOPU & PUSU are the principal student parties in Panjab University

*FR,DT & Centra are the malls in Chandigarh

*Le Carbousier was the architect who designed Chandigarh

*Rendezvous, Silver n Score are all discs