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SERVICES ON AND OFF CAMPUS
Carpenters are next to the electricians behind the SBI. You have to register a complaint.
Computers are available (10am – 730pm) in BIC, they have different packages (in AC waiting is comfortable). BEWARE: this place infects your floppy! An introduction course to learn using Windows and internet runs for 10 days in September and in March, 4-5pm, in the SLS Auditorium; register your names in the Office of the Computer Centre, Hall No. 8, Lecture Hall Complex.
Cultural activities are regularly organised on the campus (e.g. North East Nite in the Open Air Theatre or Manipuri dance in the primary school near Tapti), check the pamphlets in the hostel mess and posters. In the newspapers and Delhi Diary (weekly, Rs. 10) or First City (Rs. 30) as well as on the web (www.delhigate.com) you find an "Agenda" indicating the functions, classical concerts, dance, theatre, exhibitions, seminars etc. in auditoria and cultural centres. Republic Day (26 Jan.), Holi (Feb.-Mar.), Id, Independence Day (15 Aug.), Gandhi's birthday (2 Oct.), and Diwali (Oct.-Nov.) are celebration days. All offices are closed. Republic Day (26 January at 9 AM on Rajpath): get a ticket (INR 10, 20, 50, 100 or 300 - the closer to the president your place is situated the more you pay) a few days in advance (they close at 5 PM) from ticket booths near South Block, North Block, Red Fort, India Gate, Jantar Mantar, Pregati Maidan Gate Nr. 1. Your ticket will indicate the number of the stand where you have to go. Ask at the booth to explain to you on a map where your seat is situated. The map will also indicate the parking and arrival plan for vehicles. You cannot cross Rajpath, so choose in advance whether you have to arrive from the north or from the south of Rajpath to reach your place. The best side to sit on is the south side because of the sun and the air planes which will fly over the north side. If you get an invitation card, it is on name, it is not transferable to another person, you have to carry it with you and it will indicate the number of the stand where you have to sit. Go well in advance because you have to walk a long distance before reaching Rajpath as all the roads are closed of for all traffic. Beating the Retreat (28 or 29 January at 5 PM on Vijay Chowk, end of Rajpath): get a ticket a few days in advance (INR 20 or 50) from ticket booths near South Block, India Gate, North Block, Red Fort, Jantar Mantar, Pregati Maidan Gate Nr. 1 (they close at 5 PM). Ask at the booth to explain to you on a map where your seat is situated. Your ticket will indicate the number of the stand where you have to go. On 11 Nov. (birthday of Maulana Azad, the ICCR founder-President) the International Students’ Festival needs you to perform or watch: buses come to JNU. For all ICCR functions you get free passes from ICCR (1st floor, room 16). Museums (e.g. National or Dolls Museum) are interesting (Mondays closed), take I-card. Go for a Delhi sightseeing tour starting from CP (with guide: ITDC, Block L 1, 8am, Rs. 147 half or 231 full day, tel.:332-2336; DTTDC, Coffee Home, Baba Kharak Singh Road, 8am, Rs. 110 (half) or 210 full day, tel.: 331-5322; without guide: Lion’s Travels, 930am Rs. 100/150 AC, tel.: 331-0611), or for an audiovisual night show. Visit the Moghul Gardens (only Feb.) around the President’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Surajkund Mela (Feb.), or book fairs (Jan. and Aug.) in Pragati Maidan. The Tourist Office (88 Janpath, 9am-6pm, Sat. 9am-2pm, email to ask for information: [email protected]) and the Delhi Tourism Development Corporation (N Block, CP, 7am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 331-3637/4229, web site: www.Tourisminindia.com) give information.
Apart from trying out the delicious food in other hostels, you can eat in the Tibetan/Chinese restaurant "Kitcha's" or non-veg “Qureshi’s” in KC. You can buy snacks and drinks in the dhabas (opp. Godavari, Brahmaputra, Sabarmati, and, most popular after midnight, near Ganga). There are canteens to have a thali or pakora and wash it down with, say, a lassi in SIS, SSS (I&II) and behind the library. For lunch, you can taste the cuisine of God’s Own Country, Kerala, on Saturday, at the SIS (Babu’s) canteen. You can also eat in Aravali guesthouse (breakfast 8-9am, Rs. 15; lunch 1-230pm thali: Rs. 30; dinner 8-930pm), the Faculty Canteen (DTC bus pass counter) and Admn. Bld.. Mother Dairy (KC) pampers her kids with ice cream till 10 pm.
Opposite East gate there’s Mezbaan restaurant with 10 % discount for I-card holders. In Munirka you find Veg Garden (Nelson Mandela Road, DDA Flats) and small restaurants near the Outer Ring Road and on top of the shopping complex is Udipi, specialised in South Indian dishes (veg only). In Vasant Vihar, in Priya complex and in Vasant Continental Hotel, you find restaurants serving also non-Indian food for non-Indian prices (Barista (cafetaria), TGI (bar), MacDo, Nirula’s, Pizza Hut); in C Block market Mini Mahal has a bar and on Saturdays a disco; Janta serves Indian food and Chef Salad is a (non)veg salad specialist. In RK Puram (near Malay Mandir) is “Tandoori Nites”. In Vasant Kunj behind ICGEB the Sahara restaurant has a disco on Saturdays. Karnatak Sangam (Moti Bagh) and another of the same name opposite Upahaar cinema (Green Park) serve good and less spiced South Indian food and coffee at a reasonable price. Osaka and Golden Dragon (the latter is also in Vasant Vihar) (Chinese) and Kabila are in Hauz Khas and Green Park. Hauz Khas has restaurants for tastes ranging from Indian to Hawaiian but with a distinct Punjabi flavour. IIT has dhabas, canteens and restaurants; opposite the main gate is Rainbow’s. Opposite INA is Dilli Haat with food stalls of all Indian states. In Chanakyapuri, Malcha Marg market has two Chinese (Fujiya; Yokohama) restaurants and Indonesian food is cheap in the Indonesian embassy (all are welcome, Shantipath); AP Bhavan in 1 Ashoka Road serves delicious Andhra food at Rs. 40 (50) veg (non-veg); Karim’s is in Nizamuddin and next to Jama Mashid, but nothing beats the Parliament canteen which in taste and in price is simply the best! The Delhi library canteens are discouraging so look for good eating joints before you start going to libraries. Delhi Diary gives you a restaurant list. When in DU, try the ISH on The Mall Road, and think how cool it would be to have such a five-star restaurant in JNU...
Electricians are situated behind SBI (opposite Periyar) and opposite the hairdresser’s in Poorvanchal: fill in the complaint book and bide your time... Or you can pay the KC hardware shop electrician for room service (tel.: 617-8841).
The A(lternating) C(urrent) is 220-240 Volts, 50 Hertz (cycles/sec), but this may fluctuate and it is advisable to use a voltage stabilizer for big electrical appliances and sensitive equipment such as desktop computers.
E-mail is available in BIC (930am-1; 2-5 pm, Mon.-Fri.), no booking, max. 20 minutes per person, take I-card. You can type your messages on the opposite side of the building on a floppy (see Computers). The JNU Post Office has internet: Rs.21/15 min.; 37/30 min.; 65/hr. In Munirka and Ber Sarai it costs Rs. 30/hr.
There are two hairdressers on the campus: in KC and in the ‘shopping complex’ near the Poorvanchal bus stop. Both charge ± Rs. 10 for boys. For girls there is the popular Madonna and for both sexes Oxford near Priya cinema. Kiran does hair and manicure for girls: she comes to Godavari and Ganga on appointment.
Get the JNU ambulance from the Health Centre after the doctor’s permission and accompany the patient to the hospital (no waiting to return). Well-known hospitals (see TELEPHONE NUMBERS):
A 24 hr pharmacy is also in Holy Angels. The Vasant Lok hospital next to Holy Angels (both behind Vasant Continental Hotel) is NOT recommended as they overcharge foreigners. DO NO UNDERESTIMATE THE LONG TERM IMPACT OF A CHANGE OF CLIMATE AND FOOD ON YOUR BODY! When in a hostel, supplement the mess food with fresh fruits and non-veg meals (see Eating out and Shopping) and tablets as some nutrients (e.g. iron for women, multivitamins) are lacking. Too much tea/coffee is bad, as is too spicy / hot / chilli food; alternate with milk and boiled mess food. Gradually increase the masala and hostel water intake (CHECK WHETHER THE FILTERS ARE WORKING: AQUAGUARD filters have a green light). The good thing about eating hostel food is that you won't face stomach upsets when you eat outside! Nonetheless, always take care in what you eat and drink. Street side dhaba's serve generally (sometimes unhygienic or deadly) oily food. If you suffer from diarrhoea (loose stools), drink plenty. Delhi is the world's most polluted city: avoid rush hours; cover your nose/mouth with a hanky or gas mask. Take care of your skin & hair. Mosquitoes (malaria or dengue) are everywhere: fans don’t keep them away; use repellent cream, an electric mat or mosquito net. During monsoon viral fever sweeps through the campus: lots of rest, drinks and paracetamol. During the winter it can get as cold as 5-6 °C: use blankets and woollens. In the spring all the flowers make the (broken?) hearts beat faster. In the hot summer cover your head, sleep in the afternoon and drink, drink, drink (more if your urine is dark), but be careful, water-borne diseases like gastroenteritis, cholera and viral hepatitis (causing jaundice) can only be avoided by keeping personal hygiene, not eating exposed cut-fruit or junk food and drinking boiled or chlorinated water (you can buy purification tablets or a portable filter in KC chemist's), because TAP WATER IS NOT OKAY. Apart from not having sex, the best protection against sexually transmitted diseases is to have safe sex by always using condoms in the correct way. When you travel, take some sterile needles with you to prevent infection by dirty needles. A healthy spirit in a healthy body: at 5 AM people practice anything from Tai Chi to jogging on campus. Or work out in the hostel. Why don't you? Yoga classes at the Stadium: 6-7am, 7-8am, or 5-6pm, Mon.-Fri., Rs.50+20/month. When ill go to the Health Centre (Mon.-Fri. 8 am - 2 pm and 4-6 pm; Homeopathy 9-12 am), they analyse your blood and/or stools and give medicine. Check your weight there regularly. At every visit you show your Medical Booklet. Two doctors (one lady) are present. Diagnosis and treatment are for free. For psychological problems, Saarthak specialists counsel in the Health Centre (10am-2pm Mon., Wed., Frid., Sat.; 4-6pm Tue., Thur.). After hours and/or for a second opinion on the diagnosis/treatment go to another hospital. Students undergoing treatment off campus must keep the Chairperson/Chief Medical Officer informed and keep the prescriptions (see also SCHOLARSHIP).
Internet terminals are in every School to surf on the Information Super Highway. Take a floppy to download information. In the library (Reference Section) you can book 30 minutes 1 day in advance, for handicapped on the mezzanine above the Text Book Section. The JNU Post Office (9am-4pm) has internet: Rs.21/15 min.; 37/30 min.; 65/hr. In Munirka and Ber Sarai it costs Rs. 30/hr; also at AP Computers/Photostat at IIMC (Rs. 40/hr,9am-12pm). For The Near Future?: internet via the TV cable; pay Rs. ±10,000 (refundable) for the decoder to the cable wallah in KC and surf unlimited for ±Rs.250 per month in your own hostel room; check with Siticable (Safdarjung Enclave, Arjun Nagar, tel. 610-3459).
English newspapers: The Times of India, The Hindu, The Hindustan Times, The Asian Age, The Statesman, Indian Express, The Pioneer. A subscription for room delivery costs ± Rs. 50/month (The Asian Age is more expensive); tell the person delivering around 6.30 am which paper you want and stop it by a sticker on your door. In every hostel 2 newspapers are on display. English news magazines: India Today, Frontline, Outlook, The Week, Sunday. A women's magazine is Femina. In Maurya Shop at Ganga bus stop or in Geeta bookshop (KC) they sell most magazines. In some hostels there are reading rooms with magazines: read, don’t take away. For international news you can consult foreign newspapers/magazines in the main or SIS library, in other libraries (see LIBRARIES) or buy them in CP. JNU News (bimonthly official university newsletter) publishes e.g. the list of all students awarded Mphil / PhD and their dissertation / thesis titles. You can also contribute to JNU topics, send articles to: The PRO (Jagdish Lal), JNU News, 113, East Wing, Administrative Block, JNU. The All India Radio airs news in English at 815 am, 6 and 9 pm on 666 kHz medium wave. Between 1-3 pm they play western classics. Times FM (102.6 FM) tells you what's in, out and on with foreign/Indian hit songs. More FM stations are coming soon. For the foreign radio stations you need a short wave radio; ask the frequency and the programme schedules in the various embassies/cultural centres. The national television is called Doordarshan; in every hostel the majority decides what to watch on the cable television (BBC World Service, Star TV, Channel-V, Zee TV, Discovery, National Geographic): usually it’s Hindi movies or cricket around the clock, but all watch the 9pm Star news. Newspapers and Delhi Diary carry the programme schedules. Cable TV in your room costs: Rs. 250 (installation, not refundable) + 145/month, contact cable wallah in KC. English films are only shown in: Priya, Chanakya, Anupam PVR (Saket) and Satyam. Tickets from Rs. 11 (front stall, queue early, or with I-card for the late show in Priya) to 130. Telephone reservation possible; there is a separate queue for women. Sometimes film festivals are programmed in cinemas or by the cultural centres (they issue the passes; see V. LIBRARIES): check the newspapers or Delhi Diary. Hindi films (not subtitled unfortunately - take a friend) are part and parcel of Indian culture and their songs are ubiquitous, but a few are exceptions, e.g. Lagaan. Watch also Indian feature films like the powerful Mississippi Masala, Bandit Queen (the late Phoolan Devi's story), Kama Sutra, Fire, 1947 Earth, Hey Ram or English August.
(Rs.0.5/A4; 1.5/A3) Always insist on back to back copies, even if they refuse.
(930 am -1 , 2-4 pm) (Important: Always watch your stamps being franked B4 they are sent! Send important mail from a post office outside JNU old / new campus.)
Registered mail is notified in the hostels on tiny bits of paper at the entrance; on mid-campus you can collect it in Periyar (1-115 pm) or Sutlej (0130-2 pm). Collect parcels from Old Campus Post Office Fax, telegrams, telephone and internet services in the Post office: a local fax costs Rs. 10; inside India full/half page: Rs. 30/15; to neighbouring countries: Rs. 60; to the US: Rs. 110; rest of the world: Rs. 95. For Rs. 10 they call you when a fax (max. 3 pp.; more: Rs.3/page) has arrived for you. Telegrams cost Rs. 1-2.5/word. For the telephone no collect calls are allowed. Internet costs Rs. 65/hr (private places outside the camps are cheaper, see Internet). How to send a parcel abroad? Send parcels from a post office outside JNU old/new campus.
Packets up to 2 kg are at letter mail rates = cheaper than parcel rates. Book post (max. 2kg) is cheaper too, no customs form needed but wrap it so that it can be opened easily; specify sea post (Rs. 210/2kg all over the globe) or airmail (Rs. 363/2kg). Speed post is available at Vasant Vihar (behind Priya cinema, 10 am-6 pm; and in C-block market, 10am-5pm), Chanakyapuri (next to Chanakya cinema, 10am-830pm), Safdarjung Airport post office (Delhi Gliding Club, next to the bridge, 24 hr), Eastern Court Post Office (Janpath, 24hr), IGI terminal II (24 hr + up to 30 minutes before the flight) and Hauz Khas (IIT flyover, 10am-830pm). Information: tel. 336-5543. Tariffs: India (delivery within 48 hrs)
Abroad (minimum 3 days)
The blue mailbox in Old Campus Post Office guarantees delivery within 24 hours of letters to Mumbai, Calcutta, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai. The green mailbox is for Delhi.
Call toll free from BSNL/MTNL lines: 1 800 11 4000. Or 011 27662955/6/7/8 (9.30 am to 5.30 pm) www.trai.gov.in Complaints concerning interruption/fault to be attended within max. 3 days; billing problems within 1 week; termination within max. 7 days.
Chief Proctor R. Kumar (Admn. Bld., room 108, tel.: ext. 2045) and Security officer (Admn. Bld., rooms 005/6, tel.: 2029) are in charge of law and order on the campus: in case of criminal offences go to them, BUT IN ANY CASE ALSO GO TO THE POLICE (Nelson Mandela Marg) AND MAKE SURE THEY REGISTER AN FIR. A crime is a crime and criminals must be punished. Never leave valuables/money openly in your room or clothes to dry outside it: stealing by room mates and through windows happens on campus. Carry a money belt for your valuables when going out, the buses / trains / stations / airports / CP / Agra are especially risky terrain. Don’t carry your money in one place. In case of theft, report it to the police (you have to for lost travellers’ cheques and I-card). Lock / chain your luggage in the train. Make photocopies of passport / visa / air ticket / travellers’ cheques and keep them separately and leave a copy at home or with your embassy. If you are in legal trouble, contact your embassy (carry their phone/fax number, see Embassies). Always carry your I-card. When leaving for a long time or far away, tell your friends where you can be contacted and keep in touch. Don’t get carried away when giving your opinion about sensitive Indian issues: some students had to leave/have been deported. Do not photograph any government installations (railway stations, bridges, airports, the military, border areas…), and some temples. Cars have to register at the gate after 10 pm. (JNU students with vehicles, get a JNU sticker.)
Brahmaputra, KC & Godavari.
KC (10am-2pm incl. Sun.; 8-12am) Shopping Centre contains
Poorvanchal (10am-2pm incl. Sun.; 8-12am) has:
Some vegetables/fruits are being sold on push carts/stalls e.g. in Saraswatipuram. Book shops with 10-20 % discount are behind the SSS I Auditorium, at KC and Ber Sarai.
Don't buy before shopping around and comparing prices after bargaining (± ½ price); don't pay more than the labeled price. Check clothes’ size, whether wrappings/bottle seals (mineral water) are intact and be aware of the fake brand names. Pick your own fruits. New books are cheap in Ber Sarai, expensive near Priya cinema (Facts and Fiction, Om Bookstore) and old ones are cheap in Daryaganj (only Sunday) or on the street next to MacDo. Markets (with bus numbers):
There is a university championship athletics with medals/certificates in Feb./Mar. and an inter-hostel competition in various sports.
Calls can be made from:
You can get a phone in your room for Rs. 3000 (refundable) and minimum ±Rs.200/m (± 70 free calls); pay your bimonthly MTNL bill in Bhikaji Cama Place.
Typing
Washing and pressing of clothes is done by yourself or the dhobis at each hostel. They don't take underwear. Count your clothes, ask when they’re ready and if you’re not satisfied (clothes and buttons suffer a lot), change dhobi. Rs. 3-8 per piece. There are also the dry cleaners in KC or in Munirka.
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