To start a new college society in DU is an exciting and fulfilling journey for any student who wants to explore diverse cultures, develop new skills and possibly create an impact both within and outside the institution.
As a premier university in India, DU has a broad range of societies catering to clubs ranging from cultural, political or even subject-specific interests, offering opportunities for students to engage with their peers while pursuing their passions.
Starting a new society in DU isn’t an easy task, and the challenges it brings may often seem daunting at first glance. However, by following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to forming your community at DU:
What do You Require to do to Start a New College Society in DU?
To establish a society within DU, certain key factors need to be considered:
Approval and Mentorship of a Faculty Advisor
Commencing a new society necessitates the endorsement and support of a faculty member. You can reach out to your department head or any faculty member you feel comfortable with to present your idea, enabling them to convey the proposal to the higher authorities.
A faculty advisor plays a pivotal role in the inception of society, as all financial transactions and communications with higher authorities must be conducted through a faculty member.
In every society, a faculty convenor or advisor is designated. If you directly approach the college principal to establish a society, the college administration typically assigns a faculty member as the society’s convenor.
Funds and Financial Resources to Carry Out Operations
After registering a society with Delhi University College, it becomes eligible to receive specific funds for organizing events and competitions on campus. However, immediate access to these funds is not granted upon the society’s establishment.
The society must demonstrate self-sustainability and operational efficiency to the college administration during an initial probationary period. The outcome of this probation period determines the extent of financial support that can be obtained from the college. Initially, societies often rely on sponsorships to finance their events.
Intermediary Body to Oversee Initial Provisions
To establish a society, most colleges within DU mandate the involvement of a student’s union or an intermediary group of students responsible for overseeing the society’s operations and securing initial provisions.
You can either submit an application endorsed by a faculty member to the student’s union at your college or directly approach the principal to initiate the society’s setup.
How to Start a New College Society?
To start a new college society in Delhi University, you need to have a spark and an answer to “Why” to justify your actions. Following are some of the points you should check to justify your call to start a new college society:
Identify Your Interest & Unique Skill Set
The first step to start a new college society is identifying an interest that you are passionate about. Is there something you excel in or enjoy doing? Do you have a unique skill set or know about a particular topic that others can benefit from learning?
The possibilities for starting a society in DU are endless, so take the time to consider what resonates with you the most.
Do Some Basic Research
Before you begin the process of starting a new college society, reach out to existing ones and seek advice – what worked for them, what were their struggles, and how did they overcome them? This will offer you valuable insights and enable you to avoid making mistakes that others before you may have made.
Gauge Interest of College Students
Before formalising your idea, gauge students’ interest across the university. In DU, a plethora of platforms exist like social media, word-of-mouth, and open forums that can be used to spread the word about your proposed society idea. These can be used to get potential society members excited about joining you to create a new community.
Get a Core Team Together
To start a new college society, building a team of motivated individuals who share your passion and vision is key. Seek out students across the different streams, make sure that the team can bring different perspectives to the table, and that everyone’s opinions are valued.
Having a team also distributes the workload, leading to better-quality events and activities. It’ll also help you in thinking about some creative college event ideas that will attract the attention of all the students.
Develop a Well-researched Plan
Once you’ve identified your area of interest, researched well, gauged interest, and have a team in place, start planning your society. Your plan should be comprehensive and include goals for every semester, budgets for events and activities, a marketing plan, and expected outcomes.
A strong plan helps create clarity around the society’s purpose and objectives, ensuring that society members stay on track and work towards common goals.
Get Approval from the College Authorities
After preparing a plan, it’s essential to get approval for the new society. The best way to go about this is to contact the college authorities and follow their procedures for starting a society.
In most cases, the office of the Dean of Student Affairs is responsible for approving new societies. Once the society is approved, register with the official university student council.
Create a Name and Logo for Your Society
The name and logo should reflect the character and ethos of the society. This step would help identify the vision of the organisation, making it attractive to individuals who share the same passion. It is essential to choose a name and logo that stand out in the crowd while being relevant to what society is all about.
Improve Visibility and Attract More Members
One of the significant roles of society is to enable students to meet like-minded individuals and learn from each other. Societies offer opportunities to increase visibility across the university and strategically position the services and activities offered by the society.
You can also increase the attraction by organising business events for college students. For more college events ideas, read our article “How To Organise A College Fest? A Complete Breakdown For You!”
Organise Events and Activities
Finally, nothing brings a community together like organised events and activities, which often help develop soft skills such as leadership, team-building, and communication. Organise meetings, cultural festivals, career talks, workshops, and other engaging activities to bond the group and showcase your society’s vision and shared passion.
Get Constructive Feedback and Keep Learning
Starting a society is an iterative process. As your society continues to grow and develop, keep learning from your successes and failures.
Listen to feedback from members, engage in constructive criticisms, continuously seek new collaborations, and maintain an improvement trajectory. Your ability to stay up-to-date with all aspects of your society will make your community thrive.
Conclusion
Embarking on the journey to start a new college society at Delhi University is an exciting and fulfilling endeavour. While it may seem like a daunting task initially, remember that every thriving society began with a simple idea and a group of passionate students.
Your faculty advisor, funds, and intermediary body are the stepping stones to transform your vision into a thriving reality. Stay persistent, stay motivated, and don’t be afraid to seek guidance from fellow students who have successfully navigated this path before.
Starting a new society isn’t just about creating a group; it’s about forging connections, exploring your passions, and leaving a lasting impact on your college community.
So, dream big, collaborate, and make your mark in DU through the creation of a vibrant, student-friendly society. The possibilities are endless, and your journey is about to begin. Go out there and make it happen!
