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How English
is helpful
Campus notes
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How English
is helpful
English comes in handy when conversing with strangers, getting visa and finding your way around. But, why do people take so much time to fathom this hard fact? Ignorance? Probably, but only at the initial stages—childhood and adolescence. Later people are lost and caught in the rigmarole of spoken English courses. They go on to join courses after courses and remain dissatisfied. In the end, lots of money and efforts go down the drain. Despite the countrywide mushrooming of so-called public schools, children cannot write correct English. Why is it confined to the classroom only? Why this deteriorating standard in the rural areas when the need to know English the world over is on the rise? Lalit, who hails from Rohtak, says: “The attitude of teachers and parents helps in generating interest among students. In our region, teachers put up very little effort and English is considered as a burden. The parents, on the other hand, feel that English being a foreign language may take their children away from their culture. Thus, nobody inculcates the reading habit among children. Buying English story books is unheard of, as it means waste of money.” Echoing the same viewpoint, Pardeep, a sales tax advisor from Kangra, says: “Teachers tell students that English is a foreign language, and make them feel that it is a burden. Later, students grow up with this idea. Grammar was never taught in our school because the teacher was busy giving tuitions. I could never learn its correct usage and thus suffered in my profession. The teachers in rural areas do not explain the pronunciation and meaning of difficult words. So, one does not develop interest in the subject.” S. Amrik Singh, a leading advocate of Kharar, gives a balanced picture. He says: “I too am a product of a rural school, but one of my juniors from a public school was amazed at my written as well as spoken English. The reason was that our teachers used to take active interest in students’ progress. They would write on the blackboard and explain every difficult word so as to make the subject interesting. Thus, the students could enjoy reading. Today, the fault lies both at the teachers’ and students’ level. While the teachers have commercialised education and are less interested in students’ welfare, the students too don’t inculcate the reading habit among themselves.” Rumina Sethi, lecturer in the Department of English, Panjab University, feels: “The importance of English has declined and there is more emphasis on indigenous languages. There has been a tremendous gap between colonialism and the contemporary society. So, the domination of English and its hold over society has diminished. The focus has shifted from grammatically right language to tech-savvy. For example, if you are doing a project, you can use English language software where you need not depend on grammar. You have to know the “know-how”. Now employment opportunities do not depend upon English alone. New subjects like functional English, communication skills, etc. are being introduced in colleges. Orientation is changing in this computer world. But one should know good English to aspire high and probably in rural areas, the people are not aware of the fact. To learn the language, one needs to have a social set-up convincing the learner why it is important to learn good English. The idea of English as a superior language is declining, but you nevertheless need it.’ Mrs Ginna of Teg Boutique, Chandigarh, has the last word. She says: “I knew English language but had no proficiency in it. When I started my boutique, I realised its importance and went on to do a short course to brush up my language skills.” She narrates an incident involving a lady customer who was always accompanied by her husband. “The husband did all the talking every time and was very rude to me. My proficiency in English helped me the other day when he started speaking rudely. I told him firmly to stand aside and let me deal with his wife. He was astounded at my newfound confidence and quietly stepped aside. I was really pleased with myself. Thus, I feel that learning English is a must these days.”
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Campus notes Punjab Technical University is planning to start the construction of its own ultra-modern, eco-friendly building on its 75-acre plot in a month’s time. The first phase of the building is likely to be completed in a year’s time on the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road. A Delhi-based architect is likely to be finalised soon for the purpose. The university building will also house paperless offices as the entire data will be saved on computers, and each system will be connected through networking. According to Dr V.K. Arora, Dean, Planning and Development, Punjab Technical University, the proposed eco-friendly building will have its own water-harvesting system to ensure that every drop of water collected in sewerage system or pouring down in the form of precipitation would go into soil pits for replenishing of the water table. Dr Arora said the building plan was being designed in such a way that most of it could be constructed in vertical manner, rather than a horizontal style, leaving as much space for greenery as possible. The building will be very flexible in nature with various modular fittings. He said all offices would shift to the new location from its existing campus on the Ladowali road.
M. Pharmacy from new
session
PTU is all set to introduce M. Pharmacy in its affiliated colleges from the new session. An approval in this regard was given by the Board of Governors at a meeting held recently. A committee comprising Dr R. K. Khar of Hamdard University, Delhi, and Dr Lazar Mathew, Director of St Francis Institute of Medical Sciences, Ajmer, has been set up with a view to formulate various rules and regulation, syllabus and fee structure for the course. While the university is already running B. Pharmacy course in 17 colleges of the state, the university is planning to start postgraduation in the field in one or two colleges from the next session. The authorities have also decided to enrol 10 to 15 candidates for the first batch and that the number of seats be increased gradually. It has also been decided that pharmaceutics and pharmacology will be the two specialised fields that would be taken up in the first batch. According to university sources, three pharmacy colleges—Baba Isher Singh College of Pharmacy, Moga, Lovely Institute of Pharmacy, Phagwara, and GHG College of Pharmacy, Gurusar Sudar—had proposed that M. Pharmacy be started on their campuses. However, the university has not given a nod to any one of them. Instead, the PTU has decided to set up a regional centre in a college and elevate it as postgraduate college.
PTU gears up for CET
Punjab Technical University is gearing up for conducting the common entrance test (CET) for admission to engineering, architecture and pharmacy colleges on June 3. It will be the first national level joint test that will be open to candidates from other states as well. The test is likely to be split in two parts. The first part will test the general aptitude of candidates and proficiency in English.
However, the merit will be decided on the basis of the second part comprising mathematics, physics and chemistry. The result will be declared on June 15.
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— Pervin Malhotra
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Today, English has become a link language that helps you converse with people around the world. More so, because the world has become a global village and you can easily transcend borders for employment. Well, even if you are not looking for employment, there is a whole world just waiting for you to explore—trekking, cruise, sightseeing and more. If you have the money and an itch for adventure, then no place is far.