An act (un)intelligent

The ‘interim measure’ taken by DU to do away with the entrance test for admission to English (Hons) is perceived as nothing short of disastrous by the majority of students who are currently pursuing Literature in DU. It has perhaps been far too long that we, as students, have put up with ridiculous decisions imposed on us. If now we agree, by common consensus of inaction, to bury our heads in the sand we are unconsciously supporting this act. This issue is relevant not only to the unlucky few who apply this year but also has an impact on the colleges as a whole as they may end up with students unsuitable and frankly unequal to the task of handling the course in question.

A final year student of Literature myself, I am only too aware of the analytical skills required to do reasonably well in the course and marks obtained in the CBSE examination are not an accurate judge of the aforementioned. In fact, this decision may mislead students into choosing a course that their marks gives them access to but which is not in tangent with their aptitude. This act is also viewed with concern by teachers who are extremely aware of the probable negative consequences of the decision taken by DU. The judgment pronounced and admission given will thus be based on marks secured by rote and not on the candidate’s proficiency or aptitude for the language. There may be various aspects of academics that CBSE excels in but the promotion of a creative mind or one capable of intelligent criticism is not one of them.

There has been talk of the introduction of a common test from 2009 but that too has been opposed by many colleges of DU. The reason cited can be constructed as this being a threat to the autonomy of the college as Anjana Dev, principal Vivekananda college, comments that “colleges should be allowed the leeway to admit students as they want.'' The University is also set against the idea of an interview and this only makes it harder to assess an individuals interest in the subject. This leave from common sense must be recognized as a travesty and voices must rise in protest. The body in power is clearly closing its mind to reality and shoving its distorted view on an unwilling system. The time to act is now and all that’s needed is a united front opposing it.

(Wrote this a while ago in an extremely agitated state...this would be the revised version for submission to a legit. publ. source.)