Are DU Societies Worth It in 2025? 

WARNING: Long post ahead, but would be a good read for sure! Your experience may have differed, here’s just a peep into mine.

As another batch of students begins their 1st year at DU and I start my 3rd semester (2nd year), I question whether DU societies are overrated? Overhyped? Are they still worth it? (Wait, before you scroll, this isn’t just about DU societies; this is a really personal experience that I am putting out to not just express my views but also know what other 70K+ students of Delhi University think.)

Something about the professional world changed drastically because of the pandemic. It has fast-tracked everything, now that global opportunities are accessible more than ever before. Opportunities that are readily available have become less important as we keep searching for exclusive, niche, and tougher outlets.

I was selected in 11 societies and remained active in 7 of them, and would be holding PoRs (Position of Responsibility) in 2 in the coming academic session. Were societies/clubs my main focus? NO. Were they absolutely necessary? IT DEPENDS. But was it a complete waste of my time? Again, NO.

I had a fair idea of how clubs in academic institutions work, as my school also had active extracurriculars and year-round clubs including MUN and TEDx etc., but the scale at which they function in college is a fairly different ball game, with more independent decision-making capacity and less supervision.

Why did joining them matter to me? Entering into clubs in Miranda House is very competitive. The English Debating Society had over 250 first-year students shortlisted from initial forms, and I did make into the final 20 after rigorous 3–4 interview and GD rounds, only to shortly leave it after a few months (shift in interest and priorities; still love debating, but now differently). Applying into the rigorous selection system societies have was something where I wanted to assess my ability. A top-ranking college where super talented and smart girls from all over the country study—can I compete in it? Getting selected in almost every society I applied to gave that confidence.

The more important question though is: why did I continue in 7 of them?

1. It helped most in connecting with students beyond my course but with similar interests, all of them navigating similar goals armed with different academic backgrounds and skills.

2. Most people pursuing humanities courses, since the very first day, began preparing for government exams, which does not take center stage for me at the moment. I felt like that’s the only way of going forward, but exploring clubs with students from both humanities and science backgrounds helped me understand that there are non-linear ways through which I can realize my dream of working with the government in ways other than UPSC.

3. I explored areas that I was not proficient in or didn’t know about before, in a way that was much safer and gave scope to learn, make mistakes, and excel eventually.

The societies I was part of were not random. I had a vision, a purpose, and a strategy. (FYI: I haven’t counted exactly, but to give you an idea, Miranda House has at least 40+ societies, clubs, and even NGO tie-ups to join.)

I was selected in the following:

1. Finance and Investment Club [FIC]

2. Entrepreneurship Cell [E-Cell]

3. Women in Business Club [WIB]

4. Miranda House Consultancy Forum [MHCF]

5. Policy Center and Gender Lab [PCGL]

6. Miranda House Law and Policy Review Journal [MLPR]

7. TEDx Miranda House

8. English Debating Society

9. Suvakta - MUN Society

10. TULA - Consumer Rights Awareness Club

11. Aavya - Animal Welfare Society

PCGL and MLPR were something I looked forward to the most. They combined my love for political science and research. It was a ‘had to’ thing.

FIC because I consciously chose to pursue Economics in my undergrad despite not studying it in school, as the analytical and objective rigor that comes with the subject couples greatly with Political Science. To understand and dive deep within Finance and Economics, FIC was the obvious choice. Even with the lack of an Econ background in school, something that gave my classmates and other people pursuing it an edge, I have successfully participated and even won in case competitions, including prestigious ones at SRCC.

I am someone who has always taken an interest in entrepreneurial ventures, something that I explored and am currently continuing with the organisation The Indian Vidyarthi (now Vice President there, but was a part since its inception). For me, entrepreneurship is a mindset. It's not only about starting a business or a project of your own. It goes beyond that in inculcating risk-taking, brainstorming, and strategizing capabilities. E-Cell and WIB were a perfect fit there.

I joined TEDx, DebSoc, and the MUN society because they were something I actively participated in during school years. A flair for writing, public speaking, with added creativity was a fun mix I enjoyed. While I continued with TEDx, I dropped DebSoc and MUN Soc. Both are great and rigorous, but I leaned more towards case competitions after joining college as they tested targeted skills required in the job market today, from PPT making to presenting it, focusing on tangible skills grouped with research, and helping me explore the niche of policy and foreign relations, something I thoroughly enjoy and envision being a part of in the future, which also aligns with my academic pursuits (Political Science and Economics).

Another 2 societies I left were TULA and Aavya, simply because my interest didn’t stick with them after a while.

Last, I joined MHCF, the consulting society, the first ever Miranda has had, right during its inception in January this year. Consulting is something I was introduced to after I came to college, and it has had my attention since then. I am also holding the position of Core Consulting Director for the society this year, and another PoR being Research Director in FIC.

My choice of societies wasn’t vague, and they were not the only thing I focused on. I explored competitions and internship opportunities, amongst other things. One thing that remained common across them all was being part of the research and stakeholder relations vertical, as I wanted to hone my skills in these areas and contribute maximally. There are overlapping patterns amongst the tasks I engaged with, which signal both diversity and convergence towards common goals. I wasn’t inactive in any of them. I took part in their initiatives like consulting casebooks, research reports, journal entries, and even being Event Head for a few during the fest season!

I strongly believe that no experience goes to waste. There is always something new, unique, and skillful you can learn at every place, work, and event where you have dedicated your conscious efforts and time. I heard a lot regarding “aren’t you involved in too many things?” My time management was constantly questioned when I applied for PoRs, something my work proved otherwise, because there wasn’t a single task which got delayed or stuck because of me. I prioritized them efficiently (it was difficult and tedious, but I tried). Some people thought that this was just resume stacking, which it was absolutely not! I take part in things I genuinely love, want to be challenged at, and know are right for my abilities, something that has helped me throughout.

Whenever people question “aren’t you doing a lot?”, my counter is “aren’t we all?” For some people these things might be visible; for others maybe not so much. But at the end of the day, at the mere age of 18, I want to explore different parts of not just my skills but also my interests and personality. Again, this hyper-accelerated world hardly gives you a chance to stop, wander, and explore. You are always on the move, applying for the next big thing and trying to be the best in the game.

DU societies may have lost some of their charm and relevance in that sense, but they still continue to be a very important part of college life. I found some of the most brilliant, loving, and amazing people not because they sat beside me in lecture halls but rather in between the late-night society meets, rants, gossip, and work. I found peers and seniors who help in navigating out-of-college complexities and make the whole backbreaking, brain-draining college experience fun, exciting, and memorable.

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