DU Reopen: Students turnout in good numbers in DU colleges

NEW DELHI: The first day of offline classes at Delhi University saw a good turnout of students from the national capital while the attendance of students from other states was low, with numbers expected to pick up from the next week. The teachers said that while the attendance was good in second-year students, the turnout was lower among first-year and second-year students.

"The first-year students have their exams next month and this is the time for their submission of assignments and internal exams. Also, since their exams are happening in online open book mode, there is no pressure on them to return. "The third-year students at this point are also busy with their entrance exams and might be at their coaching classes. The enthusiasm among the second-year students was good. We did practicals that we had done in online classes," said Abha Dev Habib, who teaches at Miranda House.

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There are some colleges like Miranda House, Moti Lal Nehru that are offering online classes to first-year students. Principals said the turnout was good for the first day and hoped that numbers would pick up by next week.

Kalpana Bhakuni, Principal of Kamala Nehru College said, "The turnout was really good and that was something which we were not expecting on the first day. Students had reached the college at 8.30 am for the first class. Every nook and corner of the campus had come alive today. Students were familiarizing themselves with the college." Bhakuni said that they have kept the timetable relaxed for the first couple of weeks and they will see how things go but said that the number of students coming to college might increase by Monday.

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Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, Principal of Maharaja Agrasen College, said that there was a turnout of 70 percent of students on the first day, and it was unexpected. "We had made all the preparations and it was a good turnout today. The attendance was quite good," he said.

Babli Moitra Saraf, Principal of Indraprastha College For Women, said that they have got a communication from outstation students saying that they would take a few days to arrive in Delhi. She indicated that there might be more students coming in by the next week. "The college looked beautiful and it was a stupendous view seeing our students back in the college," she said.

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Manish Kansal, a professor at Hindu College, said that there was a turnout of 20 per cent in his class on the first day. The number of students from Delhi outnumbered those from outside Delhi, he said. "The students were happy. They were clicking pictures of the college, the roads and the traffic. I think that the attendance will go up by next week," he added.