Delhi University springs back to life as new session begins

Delhi University welcomed first-year students with orientation sessions, excitement, and a vibrant atmosphere, marking the start of the academic year.

Delhi University’s North Campus was filled with nervous energy on Friday as first-year students stepped onto campus for the first time. Students, dressed in carefully chosen outfits with backpacks slung over their shoulders, navigated the lanes in the late monsoon heat—some scanning their phones for directions, while others were guided by seniors or followed groups of fellow freshers. Orientation sessions were held across colleges throughout the day to welcome and introduce the new students to campus life.

Miranda House students on their first day at the college on Friday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Dressed in baggy jeans and a light-yellow top, Shweta Tripathi, 18, a first year student at Miranda House who moved to Delhi from Kanpur, said, “I bought this outfit for the first day of college. I wanted to feel like I am living the Delhi dream. I have always dreamt of studying in DU north campus, making friends here with whom I can do rebellious things and make endless college memories.”

Friday also marked the official first day of the first batch of undergraduate fourth year. However, most colleges either declared an off for fourth-year students, or, like Kirori Mal College and Lady Shri Ram College for Women, saw really low attendance. Shaheed Bhagat Singh College called off classes for all years even though orientation programmes continued in full swing.

“My parents were initially supposed to come to Delhi but then my brother, who works here, convinced them that he will take care of everything. I will stay with him in his flat and it is going to be a blast,” said Soumajit Banerjee, 18, a KMC student from Kolkata, barely containing his excitement.

A cluster of students had gathered by the famous chole-kulche stall just outside the DU Arts Faculty. Shreshtha, one of them, said, “I had seen countless vlogs about must-try things near DU, and this place kept popping up everywhere.” Meanwhile, others wandered off towards Kamal Nagar market after their orientation sessions.

One student, clutching a plastic bag full of new jewellery in one hand, said, “My mother gave me some extra pocket money to spend on the first day.”

At the college gates, groups of parents lingered, equally eager for a glimpse of the campus. Seniors roamed the halls, volunteering to guide freshers through corridors that would soon be their daily route. First-year students eagerly weighed their options to join the many societies scattered across campus.

Aishee Singh, a fresher at Ramjas college, said she was excited to join the dance committee. “My elder sister studied here and told me a lot about the dance committee,” she said.

DU vice chancellor Yogesh Singh said that all programmes ran smoothly on the first day of the new year. “Around 31,004 of 71,000 eligible students have opted out of the fourth year. That would mean over 55% have chosen to pursue the optional final year,” Singh said.

Admission update

DU also announced that an upgradation and preference reordering window will be opened at 5pm on Saturday, which will close on Sunday. The upgraded allocations will be declared on August 5 and a list of vacant seats will be released on August 8. Candidates will be able to apply through the mid-entry window which will remain open from August 8 to 10. The third allocation list will be declared on August 13. The admission process will conclude on August 19. The university also notified that as of 6pm on Friday, admission of 71,366 students had been confirmed.