For 'grown up' students at DU, there are no lunch breaks

There has been a lot of student resentment since the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) eliminated the half-hour lunch break from its schedule.

This move was made without warning by the university, which provides a variety of skill-oriented programs, including a BBA in Facilities and Hygiene Management, a BSc in Aesthetics and Beauty Therapy, and a Medical and Laboratory Sciences program.

Officials from the university declared that since students are 'grown-ups,' they should be able to handle taking little meals throughout the day.

"We have requested that, if possible, the directors of each campus provide a lunch break. "It is sufficient to allow the students to leave class five minutes early for lunch," stated Kamna Sachdeva, Joint Director (Academics) of the DSEU.

She continued by saying that the modification is in line with the newly created centralized schedule created in compliance with the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP).

STUDENT PROTESTS

Students have expressed their discontent with the removal of the lunch break.

"Earlier, we used to get a lunch break from 12:30 pm to 1 pm, which was included in the timetable. However, now the university has removed it and arranged back-to-back classes from 9 am to 5 pm without giving any reason," said a student who wished to remain anonymous.

This change affects all 22 DSEU campuses in Delhi.

THE UNIVERSITY'S REACTION

According to Sachdeva, the elimination of the lunch break is part of a shift toward a centralized schedule that will allow students to attend lessons at any DSEU site in the vicinity of their home.

"They don't notice the lunch break in the new schedule, which makes them nervous, but they don't realize it's to their advantage. We don't want kids to spend a lot of time on campus," she stated.

She further explained that classes end for the first group of pupils at 1:30 pm, enabling them to head home and eat lunch there.

The Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship institution is a collegiate public state institution that was founded in 2020 and has 22 active campuses in Delhi. VK Saxena, Lieutenant Governor, is the chancellor of the university.