Delhi NCR
Meeting people at Dyal Singh College
Dyal Singh College sits on Lodhi Road beside Lodhi Gardens, a campus students often call the most beautiful in DU. Its Arts and Culture Society runs eleven societies and the Priyadarshani fest, which is where most students find their crowd.
Dyal Singh College was founded in Lahore in 1910 from the will of Tribune and Punjab National Bank founder Dyal Singh Majithia, and its Delhi campus on Lodhi Road sits beside Lodhi Gardens.
The story of Dyal Singh College
The college began with a will. In 1895 Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, founder of The Tribune and Punjab National Bank, left his wealth to set up an education trust for 'a truly secular college'. Dyal Singh College opened in Lahore in 1910.
After Partition the trust rebuilt in India, in Karnal and in Delhi. The Delhi college began functioning as a University of Delhi college at Rouse Avenue on 5 August 1959 and moved to its present Lodhi Road campus, built by Sir Sobha Singh, on 16 October 1962.
The University of Delhi made it a university-maintained institution in 1978. It holds an A grade from NAAC and has ranked as high as 8th among Indian colleges in NIRF, in 2017. Dyal Singh Evening College, which shares the founder's name and motto, is a separate institution.
What the campus is like socially
DSC is big, central and relaxed. With thousands of students across science, commerce and humanities, the campus has a wide mix of people, and its green Lutyens-era surroundings make it a favourite for long breaks on the lawns. Students rate the location highly: Lodhi Gardens, Khan Market and India Habitat Centre are all close by.
Social life runs through the Arts and Culture Society and its eleven societies, from theatre to film. Political Science and History students also bring a strong civil services culture, and many study for UPSC alongside their degree.
Traditions every Dyal Singh College student knows
- Priyadarshani: The annual cultural fest, organised by The Arts and Culture Society. The name means 'delightful to look at', and it features fashion, band, dance and street play events.
- Glamorratti: The fashion show that headlines Priyadarshani.
- Rock Anthem: Priyadarshani's battle of the bands for rock and metal fans.
- Spectrum: The group dance competition at Priyadarshani.
Campus lore and insider spots
- Founded by a will: The college exists because of an 1895 will that asked for a truly secular college.
- From Lahore to Lodhi Road: DSC's story runs from Lahore in 1910 to Rouse Avenue in 1959 to Lodhi Road in 1962.
- Two colleges, one name: Dyal Singh College and Dyal Singh Evening College share a founder and a motto, 'Gather ye the wisdom of East and West', but are separate DU colleges. Aspirants mix them up every year.
- The most beautiful college: With Lodhi Gardens and Humayun's Tomb nearby, students have a strong case.
How to find your people here
Join a society or the fest committee at Dyal Singh College in your first few weeks. DU friendships tend to form around a shared activity, not the classroom, and the North or South Campus ecosystem makes it easy to meet people from other colleges too.
Fests and societies at Dyal Singh College
Signature fests
- Priyadarshani
Notable societies
- Astitva (Theatre Society)
- Cognitio (Debating Society)
- Xposure (Film and Photography Society)
Societies worth knowing at Dyal Singh College
- Astitva: The theatre society, running monoacts and productions with inter-college competitions.
- Cognitio: The debating society, covering parliamentary debate and Model UN.
- Xposure: The film and photography society, with dozens of inter-college prizes.
- Roots: The Indian music society, with competitions in classical vocal, light singing and instrumental music.
- Jamini: The fine arts society, known for live book cover design and watercolour workshops.
- Spilled Ink: The creative writing society, with slam poetry in English and Hindi.
Careers, internships and placements
DSC has a placement cell, with commerce and economics students most active in campus hiring. Many students treat their degree as the base for professional exams, master's study or civil services preparation.
The civil services track is the college's standout: Satyam Gandhi, a 2020 Political Science graduate, secured AIR 10 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Society work in debate, theatre and film gives others a route into media, law and the creative industries.
Notable alumni
- Alka Lamba: Politician and former Delhi MLA, a 1996 B.Sc. graduate.
- Shruti Choudhry: Politician and former Lok Sabha MP, a 1997 B.A. graduate.
- Satyam Gandhi: Political Science graduate who secured AIR 10 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
- Sehban Azim: Television actor, a 2007 English Honours graduate.
- Priyanka Kothari: Actor and model, a 2003 Chemistry Honours graduate.
- Govind Singh: Co-founder of Delhi Greens and an associate professor at O.P. Jindal Global University.
Rivalries and eternal debates
DSC sits in the South Campus camp of the endless North vs South Campus argument, and its students point to the campus, the location and the metro access as proof. Applicants regularly weigh DSC against other DU colleges for economics, political science and commerce seats. Inside the gate, the friendly confusion with Dyal Singh Evening College never quite goes away.
What Dyal Singh College is talking about now
Admission season brings a wave of questions and explainers about the two Dyal Singh colleges, and fest and freshers' reels carry campus life online the rest of the year.
Meeting people at Dyal Singh College by interest
A lot of friendships here form around a shared interest rather than a class or a hostel wing. If you are into theatre and dramatics, debating and mun, photography, poetry and open mics, and reading and book clubs, those pages cover where that scene actually happens in India and how to find people near you who are into the same thing.
Colleges nearby
Dyal Singh College sits close to Lady Shri Ram College, AIIMS New Delhi, and Jesus and Mary College, all part of the same Delhi NCR student scene. Cross-college friendships often start at inter-college fests, hackathons, or shared-interest communities rather than in class.
Similar campuses across India
If you are looking beyond your own campus, students at Gargi College, Hansraj College, Hindu College, and Indraprastha College for Women share a similar campus culture, and Zyber works the same way at each: showing you verified people nearby who match on interest, intent, or timing.
Zyber on campus
Zyber is built for meeting people nearby in real time, with verified profiles only. At Dyal Singh College, that means showing you people near you who share your interests or your drive, whether or not you overlap on a class or a society.
New to Dyal Singh College? Start here
If you are just starting out, these freshers guides are written for exactly this moment: first week of college checklist, how to choose societies in college, making friends beyond your branch, and internship in first year.
FAQ: Dyal Singh College
Where is Dyal Singh College located?+
Dyal Singh College is on Lodhi Road, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi, near Lodhi Gardens and Humayun's Tomb, with Violet Line metro access.
When was Dyal Singh College founded?+
The college was established in Lahore in 1910. Its Delhi college began in 1959 and moved to Lodhi Road in 1962.
Is Dyal Singh College and Dyal Singh Evening College the same?+
No. They share a founder and a name but are separate University of Delhi colleges.
Who founded Dyal Singh College?+
It was founded through the 1895 will of Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, founder of The Tribune and Punjab National Bank.
What is the Dyal Singh College fest called?+
DSC's annual cultural fest is Priyadarshani, organised by The Arts and Culture Society.
Is Dyal Singh College good for UPSC?+
The college has a strong civil services culture. Alumnus Satyam Gandhi secured AIR 10 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
How do I make friends at Dyal Singh College?+
The fastest way to make friends at Dyal Singh College is to join a society or activity group in your first few weeks and keep showing up, since Delhi NCR's campus culture here rewards consistency over one-off networking.
What societies should I join at Dyal Singh College?+
At Dyal Singh College, the societies and clubs tied to what you actually care about, not the biggest or most popular ones, tend to build the strongest friendships.
What are the main societies and fests at Dyal Singh College?+
Dyal Singh College's social calendar centers on Priyadarshani, alongside societies like Astitva (Theatre Society), Cognitio (Debating Society), and Xposure (Film and Photography Society).
How do I meet people from other colleges nearby?+
In Delhi NCR, cross-college friendships usually start at inter-college fests, hackathons, or shared interest communities rather than in class. Apps like Zyber help by showing you nearby people at other campuses who share your interests.
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