Teachers see red in saffron agenda
By Meenakshi Mehta
“THE Highwayman,” a poem by Alfred Noyes and ‘The Muscular Son-in-Law’ a short story by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay, have been a part of the English textbooks of the Central Board of Secondary Education’s courses A and B respectively for Class IX over several years.

GND varsity makes giant strides in thirty years
By Ashok Sharma
GURU Nanak Dev University has established itself internationally in science and technology and allied areas of research studies. A university which once functioned from the agriculture block of Khalsa College, Amritsar, has now erected its own buildings, a picture of modern architecture in traditional red brick.

Tailpiece

Teachers see red in saffron agenda
By Meenakshi Mehta

“THE Highwayman,” a poem by Alfred Noyes and ‘The Muscular Son-in-Law’ a short story by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay, have been a part of the English textbooks of the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) courses A and B respectively for Class IX over several years. These two seemingly innocuous chapters that, like a bolt from the blue, have acquired a political hue in recent days. Reason: Vidya Bharati — the educational arm of the RSS — demands that these should be expunged from the CBSE Class IX syllabus on grounds that these defy the “Indianised, nationalised and spiritualised curricula” proposal and do not conform with” Indian values”.

Is it a mere political bravado that has prompted this demand? Mr Jaspal Singh, Principal, Ambedkar Institute of Career Courses, SAS Nagar, believes that this will not be the first instance of a fundamentalistic approach. “There has been an upheaval in the entire education system. Eminent historians like Irfan Habib, Harbans Mukhia, Bipin Chander, to name a few, have been dissociated from the Indian Council of Historical Research simply because their ideas on history were objective and scientific and did not appeal to the communalistic, religious and chauvinistic fundamentalism of the present establishment”.

Mr Harish Bhanot, Chairman of Sarv Hitkari an education society, and a former RSS activist, sees valid reasons in Vidya Bharati’s objection to the poem “The Highwayman”, particularly the line “one kiss my bonny sweetheart, I’m after a prize tonight...” He says “The poem is titilating and encourages “negative” emotions. The raw minds of children should not be polluted by such literature. Therefore the course material should be scrutinized by Indian experts who value Indian culture and morals”.

On the contrary, teachers like Ms Harmala and Ms Rekha Gulab Singh who have been teaching the poem at Carmel Convent, Sector 9, Chandigarh and St John High School, Sector 26, Chandigarh, respectively, find nothing, whatsoever, salacious in the poem. Says Ms Harmala “In all my years of teaching this poem, I’ve never been embarrassed. Nor has any parent or student complained about it being immodest.

Ms Rekha Gulab Singh feels “This poem reflects the true spirit of English literature and one harmless phrase should not be blown out of proportion. The poem must be retained in the CBSE English Course”.

Mrs Sumitra Gautam teaching ‘The Muscular Son-in-Law’ at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, says: “This story appeals to one’s sense of humour and is enjoyed by the teacher as well as the taught. There is nothing immodest in the story”.

If these English lessons are to be deleted because they misdirect “adolescents’ biological, emotional and intellectual needs”, as the Vidya Bharati puts it, then “what about history lessons on Khajuraho temples and Sanskrit literature that deals with shringar ras which is full of eroticism,” asks Ms Meenakshi Mahendra, Principal, Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, Chandigarh.

Mr Bhanot however rejects this objection saying that “The statues at Khajuraho are not titilating, they merely represent Indian art”.

The unavoidable corollary of the charges against these two lessons of English Literature is the assertion that similar “grossness” is being taught to students of classes X and XI (also teenagers) through the CBSE textbooks of Sanskrit literature. According to teachers of Sanskrit at the plus one level who preferred anonymity, teaching shringar ras to teenagers can be “embarrassing. Surprisingly Kalidas’s play ‘Vasantsena Hridayam’ dealing with shringar ras seems to have gone unnoticed for the so-called salacity.”

This reaction against the two lessons of English lessons comes as “a repercussion of condemnation of Sanskrit,” argues Mr Bhanot. Mr J.V. Gupta, a sangh chalak of the RSS region of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir, says: “Sanskrit is the cultural language of our country and has to be accepted by the minorities”.

The general opinion is that forcing of such fundamentalist values through such curbs is yet another bid to create a Hindu lobby and could be seen as a threat to the minorities. Mr Bhanot brushes off the argument saying “these are some of the patent charges which are baseless.” Mr Gupta feels that “such arguments are politically motivated and a means to bringing the minority into the mainstream”.

Ms Rekha Gulab Singh, however, is convinced that “if such a posture is maintained by the majority, although there may be no immediate threat to the minority, a feeling of alienation, due to their religious and cultural sentiments being ignored, is bound to creep in.

“Such step-motherly treatment meted out to the minorities has led to sharp reactions in some states, and could just as well lead to another partition,” she adds.

GND varsity makes giant strides in
thirty years
By Ashok Sharma

GURU Nanak Dev University has established itself internationally in science and technology and allied areas of research studies. A university which once functioned from the agriculture block of Khalsa College, Amritsar, has now erected its own buildings, a picture of modern architecture in traditional red brick. A university which once faced opposition by DAV colleges falling within its jurisdiction, is now capable of granting affiliation to academic institutions on foreign lands.

This sea change did not take place overnight; it took almost three decades. Founded on November 24, 1969, the university named after the founder of Sikhism celebrates its 30th Foundation Day tomorrow.

The founder Vice-Chancellor, Mr Bishen Singh Samundri, oversaw the construction of huge buildings which provided physical structure to the university. His successor, Dr Karam Singh Gill, an economist of international repute, strengthened its financial foundations. The third and fourth Vice-Chancellors — Dr JS Grewal and Dr SS Bal — both historians of standing, concentrated on its academic standards. The contributions made by the fifth Vice-Chancellor, Mr Gurdip Singh Randhawa, went a long way in establishing this university academically, economically and administratively. From here the present Vice-Chancellor, Dr Harbhajan Singh Soch, picked up the thread two years ago to raise the status of the university to international heights and re-interpret the role of the university in the present scenario.

The university has recently signed MoUs with Wisconsin University, Milwaukee, and College of British Columbia for bilateral exchange of students and teachers. Efforts are on for signing similar MoUs with Panjab University, Lahore and Qaide-e-Azam University, Islamabad (Pakistan). It has permitted Handsworth College in Barmingham, UK, to run a graduate-level course in Panjabi language.

The Academic Council of Santiago University in Spain has accorded approval for exchange of academic notes and mutual scholarships. Under this agreement, the Santiago University will establish a “super molecular lab” in the campus for medicinal mixtures.

The university has created Departments of Applied Physics, Applied Chemical Science and Technology, Architecture, Human Genetics, Planning, Computer Sciences and Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Energy Science, Environmental Science, Pharmaceuticals, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Personnel Management and Industrial Relations and Geophysics.

The Centre for Genetics Disorders, claimed to be the best in Asia, provides diagnostic facilities to individuals suffering from various genetics disorders. So far, it has provided investigations to over 350 patients suffering from a variety of anomalies. It has also built an academic infrastructure in the form of a well-stocked computerised library, Academic Staff College, All-India Service Training Centre, Instrumentation Centre and Computer Centre.

As far as its faculty is concerned, 100 teachers of the university have been awarded international fellowships like Bhaba, Commonwealth, Fulbright, British Council, Humboldt, USIS, WHO and national fellowships like UGC National Associateship and Career Awardship.

Thirty teachers have the honour of being invited to universities of the USA, Europe and Japan. Besides, 120 teachers have attended seminars and conferences abroad.

In sports, it has achieved an unparalleled distinction, winning the highest sports award Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy 13 times.

In the years to come, the university proposes to set up a school of Asian Studies which aims at studying socio-economic aspects of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Japan and Bangladesh. Under the population education programme, self-service institutes will be created to uplift the status of women of the border areas of this region.

A new subject of India’s culture is to be introduced to focus on national integration, ancient history and teaching of saints and gurus.

University pond being used as cricket pitch
By Peeyush Agnihotri

CHANDIGARH: Flower day, students’ stir, youth fest. With so many activities taking place last week, most of the campus students were hardly in a mood to study. Classes were bunked to enjoy the early winter sun. Most of the boys grabbed the opportunity to play cricket.

Nothing unusual except for the fact that the wicket (and the wicketkeeper) was the wall of Gandhi Bhavan and the pitch they were playing on was the dried up pond adjacent to the building. With such a “beautiful playground”, who cares for the stadium!

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The meeting of the Youth Welfare Committee is scheduled to take place on November 23. The meeting is likely to be stormy since student leader DPS Randhawa feels students from the campus are being ignored. “What pains me is that none of the student from the campus was taken in any adventure expedition organised by various youth clubs during the past few years,” he says.

During the recently concluded youth fest, campus students were sidelined and no intimation regarding various events was given to them or their council. He is of the view that the campus should be considered a separate zone and campus students be allowed to complete at inter-zonal level directly.

“Since each campus student pays Rs 15 as youth welfare activity fee, a special quota should be kept for them”. Further, the student leader points out the problem of placement of students who pass out has acquired epidemic proportions and suggests centralising the placement cell and creation of the post of a Dean to monitor placement services.

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After a gap of more than 11 years, the Curriculum Development Committee in Geosciences is scheduled to meet on December 7 and 8. It was in 1987 that a similar meeting was held at Roorkee. The university Centre of Advanced Studies in Geology will play the host. Chairmen from geology departments of 30 universities from North to East of the country will participate. “The idea is to frame a common syllabus and to devise such ways which might make the studies more job-oriented,” said Prof RS Chaudhari, Chairman of the department.

He says the meeting will include brainstorming sessions and will go a long way in rationalising and improving geological studies throughout the country. The department also organised a seminar on groundwater on November 17.

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The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has asked for training and placement support from the University Business School. The department has already given its consent to train students graduates and diploma holders in most cases.

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The department of Zoology will hold a conference on fisheries in the first week of December. The unique point will be that besides academicians and researchers, anglers and fish farmers will also be invited.

Daunting assignment

Students at Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management (USA) received a daunting assignment as they started class this year: create and operate a business that proves profitable by spring. Today 70 students are part of two businesses: “Atkinson Business Services,” a technology consultation group, and “Creative Juices,” which hopes to publish and sell a cookbook and winery guide. Students wrote business plans, borrowed real money and made connections with the two nonprofit organisations that will receive the benefits of any profits they make, reports US newspaper The Oregonian. Willamette’s programme is one example of how business schools are trying to find ways to give their students real-life experience.

Demand for Islamic schools

The Al-Noor School, Brooklyn, New York’s biggest Islamic private school, has 600 students. The school turned down 400 kids because they did not have room for them. Across the country, Islamic schools like Al-Noor, that offer religion and Arabic classes along with a standard academic curriculum, are expanding and flourishing, with many becoming oversubscribed so quickly that principals are searching for money to build more, reports The New York Times. American-born converts and an increasing immigrant population from Asia, Africa, West Asia and the Indian subcontinent are responsible for the demand.

Race for online courses

Spurred by fierce competition for students, US colleges and universities are beginning to offer online education. No college can be certain whether the programmes will attract enough students to justify the $50,000 or more it costs to create and support each class. But officials say that if they do not offer online education, someone else will. Unlike a traditional classroom course, for which a professor creates and delivers each course, the professor for an online course becomes more dispensable after putting the course together in a form that can be sent out again and again, reports The New York Times.

Another instructor can be assigned to answer questions and grade papers. Universities are creating different arrangements to determine who owns what. Penn State, for example, is splitting revenues with the faculty members who develop the courses and their departments. The student body for most online courses is part-time — adult students in continuing education programmes or full-time degree-seeking students who take most of their work in traditional classrooms. The trend is to make it possible to earn a degree online rather than just take a few individual classes.

• Faculty of Management Studies, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur: Rajasthan management admission test on January 24. Contact faculty or respective institute. Last date January 5.
• H.P University, Shimla: LLM and Ph.D programmes. Contact university. Last date December 7.
• IAS and Allied Services & Training Centre, Punjabi University, Patiala: IAS (preliminary) coaching. Contact centre. Last date December 2.
• Regional Computer Centre, Cedarwood Building, Lower Jakhoo, Shimla: DOEACC’s ‘O’ and ‘A’ level courses. Contact centre.
• Regional Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur–831014: MCA course. Test on February 7. Contact institute, last date December 26.
• Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai-600020: Certificate and diploma courses. Contact institute. Last date December 4.
• Central Hindi Directorate, West Block No VII, R.K Puram, New Delhi: Prabodh, Praveen and Pragya (correspondence courses). Contact directorate. Last date December 31.
• Office of the Commissioner of Industries, Delhi: Training in footwear and leather goods manufacturing. Contact Flatted Factories for Leather Goods, B-72, Wazirpur Industrial Area, Delhi. Last date December 4.
  
  
  

Tailpiece

Teacher: What is the formula for hydrogen sulphide?

Student: HIJKLMNOPQRS, Sir.

Teacher: What are you talking about?

Student: Sir, only yesterday you told us that the formula for hydrogen sulphide was H-S (H2S).