I was born and brought up in Delhi, and never had the chance to go out and study at some other place. I finished my schooling and college and higher education in Delhi only. Recently, while having a conversation with a friend I realized that with all three main universities of the capital city, i.e. Delhi University or DU, Jamia Millia Islamia and Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU, I have had long association/ engagement. I am fortunate to have been richer by the experience with all three institutions.
During my graduation, I enrolled in Hindu College of Delhi University (DU). On my first day itself, I was made aware of the rivalry with people across the street (re: Stephens'). I was given the gyan on how 'we' (Hinduites) were superior against them (Stephens'). After having studied in a Convent Girls' school, (and previously in a Muslim school) Hindu/ DU was nothing less than a culture shock for me. And this shock lasted for three years!! There were so many events always happening if not in the college, then there was something always on in the North campus somewhere. Kamla Nagar was close by, if college/ campus got dull. College friendships were not very deep for me, unlike my school or later friendships during my Masters'. DU was a very fashion conscious place, and extremely address-conscious as well (backgrounds were important, if you are coming from PrithviRaj/ Aurangzeb Road/ Bihar/ Punjab/ UP). It encouraged talent, by giving students chance to enroll for various societies. Sadly I was too shy, and feared I would embarrass myself if I went out of my zone. And, my zone was the library, although I was not very studious then, but felt comfortable amongst the books, as nobody bothered me there. My closest friend was a girl from Assam, who had beautiful voice and resembled singer Alka Yagnik too (but never joined any singing group, as she was shy too)! My Hindu years are hazy for me, as I do not remember doing any significant thing but what it gave me was passion for studying Sociology. We had amazing faculty for Sociology in Hindu, led by Prof Suranjan Sinha and others. In terms of education, trying to make sense of the world around us and the knowledge that it provided us with, it was the best under-grad education anybody could have asked for. And if inspiration waned in any way we had Delhi School of Economics just behind the wall where the likes of Andre Beteille, JPS Uberoi, Rabindra Ray walked the earth!
After my graduation, for Masters' in Sociology I joined Jamia Millia Islamia, and went on to do my PhD from there as well. In Jamia I also taught and worked as a Research Scholar for sometime. My longest association till now with this humble university, which is sandwiched between the 'snooty' DU and 'leftist/revolutionary' JNU. I liked the friendly atmosphere that unassuming Jamia offered and made the best and longest friendships here. Its Islamic character and emphasis on modesty of clothes not withstanding, it stands for a approach which is modern and tedious. The faculty that we had in Sociology department was very friendly and took personal interest in the grooming of students'. For students' (if they cared, that is) teachers went out of their way to help in any way they could. Everybody whether teacher/ student is usually very down to earth, with no-airs or hangups about anything. Nobody is bothered about what background you are coming from, or who your father is!! The recent infrastructural developments in Jamia have added to the appeal of the place (the new stadium is beautiful!). It may not offer as many opportunities for extra-curricular activities as DU or JNU, but its departments come up with events to make it interesting to study here. The Community Center of New Friends' Colony (CC of NFC), and recently the Castro Cafe near the auditorium are the hang-out places for university students. Its campus is big and spread out on a long road, which leads to a populous Muslim neighborhood. Jamia is well known for its Mass Communication department, arguably the best in India.A research scholar friend who was working in DU and came for a seminar in Jamia remarked that Jamia students' are most well-behaved, most humble, or most 'tameezdar'/ cultured in Delhi!
Post PhD, and after a few research jobs here and there (well still searching for that elusive stable university teacher job!), I joined JNU as a consultant on a project. It was not a full-time job, my shortest time in a university (a year so far), but still enough to make me fall in love with JNU. Helped by a big, beautiful green campus, mostly known for its night life, its atmosphere is laid back. It has hostels (named after various rivers of India), for outstation students, thus mostly students here are mostly from all parts of India. They sleep late, (as discussions on world issues over numerous cups of tea, take long), and so everybody gets up late. Everybody has a strong opinion on everything under the sun, once you get admission in JNU, which is mostly a post-grad university, respect for your academic quotient goes up a few notches! Its ideology is leftist, and you feel that everybody is just in a brotherhood to bring a revolution to change the world and rid it of all its ills. The graffitis on the walls on various current topics exhorting students' to take a stand make you understand how aware- socially, politically the campus is. It is one place where I know that administration is scared of students', as students (or for that matter teachers too) can sit on a dharna at the drop of a hat! Passion for struggle/ resistance is glorified against any real or perceived injustice!!JNU is a unique place in Delhi, where people/strangers' smile at each other. Food in various dhabas inside the campus is cheap, and nobody wants to leave the campus ((a) its tooo much effort to go out, and (b) people come to jnu, jnu walas do not go out!), but their hang out places are , Priya-PVR market, now the Vasant Kunj malls, or the lifeline of JNU - 615 bus takes them to Sarojini Nagar Market or to the center of the city, Connaught Place/ Janpath. JNU students are dubbed as 'jhola walas', as they dress in simple cottons as compared to their counterparts in DU. JNU has students' from all backward regions of India, and it prouds itself in providing an atmosphere where caste/class/ regional/ religious biases are non-existent. The students' once they join, read up on all Marx and Marxian literature with their initiation class itself. Everybody smokes cigarettes in their angst against the inequalities of the world. It has an active campus life where often plays, and events are planned and performed almost throughout the year. Faculty goes the extra mile to help fresh students fit in, from different regions of India. Since, most of the faculty stays in the campus, student-teacher relationships are strong! Debates, discussions are encouraged and often can intimidate outsiders, as JNU walas are scared of no one, even the PM! PM Manmohan Singh had to face the ire here, due to his US friendly policies! A NRI friend from US once told about the plight of her white American friend who had to face hostility in the campus due to her American citizenship! That might be an extreme example, but campus is due to its hegemonic policies, mostly anti- American!But still, one of the most friendliest places of Delhi, where women are safe even at 2am in the morning!
