Gift to students: CM Rekha Gupta announces youth special bus for Delhi University

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced the relaunch of the youth special bus service around the Delhi University campus to provide a student-friendly transport option.

Addressing students at the inauguration of a new academic block at Delhi University's Social Centre School in Maurice Nagar, Gupta said that during her student days, there used to be a U-Special bus service exclusively for university students.

''The Delhi government is once again starting the Youth Special, which will operate on DU routes, with a little bit of music playing in the bus. This is my gift to students today,'' Gupta said.

The revived U-Special service — once a lifeline for college students — will return with modern upgrades, including air-conditioning, LED lighting, and music systems, to ensure a more comfortable and accessible commute, she added.

The school, originally built in 1947, has now been transformed into a four-storey modern facility with 21 classrooms and laboratories. The new academic block was constructed in a record 21 months at a cost of over Rs 27 crore, according to Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Prof Yogesh Singh.

The chief minister also announced that the school will now be recognised to offer education up to Class 12.

To promote mentorship and community learning, Gupta proposed that Delhi University colleges adopt government schools.

''Why don't our colleges adopt two to three schools each, where college students can go weekly to teach and motivate school students?'' she said, directing Education Minister Ashish Sood to prepare a blueprint for the initiative.

She urged university students to act like elder siblings to underprivileged children and help guide them into mainstream society.

Gupta also raised concerns about public perceptions of government schools, saying that while parents eagerly seek admission to government colleges and universities, they hesitate when it comes to government schools due to outdated views.

''We are determined to change that. Government schools in Delhi are being transformed to exceed the standards of private institutions,'' she said.

Recalling his student days, Education Minister Ashish Sood said, ''Coming to Delhi University is a nostalgic moment for me. I've spent so many years on this campus. Whenever I see a new educational building, I don't see bricks and materials, but doctors, engineers and patriots emerging from it.'' He highlighted the government's focus on democratising education and said the recently introduced Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill aims to give parents greater say in private school fee hikes.

Sood also appealed to colleges to join the 'Kude Se Azadi' cleanliness campaign by identifying nearby areas and developing them as model clean zones. He floated the idea of setting a world record on August 31 for the largest one-day clean-up drive.

Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh encouraged students to cultivate a solution-oriented mindset.

''I want to tell students: be problem-solvers, not complainers,'' he said.

Calling for a more value-driven approach to education, he added, ''We need an ecosystem where students become more country-centric and less self-centric — something missing in our system for the last 75 years.''

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)