Jalandhar, July 1
The dismal performance of students in BBA-I and BCA-I in Guru Nanak Dev University-affiliated colleges is forcing the educationists to rethink about the reforms required for admission to these courses in the coming years.

It has been a very poor show by the students of BBA-I with pass percentage as low as 28.24. A close look into the university gazette reveals that the result is so bad that in some colleges, such as Ramgarhia College, Phagwara, not even a single student out of the total of 32 students has passed. Even in the BD Arya College for Girls, Jalandhar, just one student has managed to clear first year without any compartment.

The pass percentage of BCA-I is also quite low at 41.49.

Most of the college lecturers attribute it to wrong eligibility criteria adopted by the university. “Students with minimum 40 per cent in plus two from any stream can take admission in either of the two courses. It is not mandatory for the students to have had mathematics or economics as a subject till the plus-two level, whereas they have to clear at least three related papers in the first year itself, which they find extremely difficult”, said a staff member of an affiliated college actively involved in the admission process.

Prof Sandeep Chahal of Doaba College claimed, “The aptitude of a student in a particular line takes a backseat during admission. It is just a rat race or you may call it a peer pressure. Many students opting for BBA are doing it simply because their friends are pursuing it. There are others being forced into it because their parents want them to be an MBA like their neighbour’s son or daughter.”

Principal of DAV College Satish Sharma had another point of view, “Many students of the BBA first year had complained to me that the paper was out of syllabus. They said they were asked questions on trigonometry, which they had not studied. I, on their behalf, had written to the Vice-Chancellor to give grace marks to them. I had also advised the students to apply for re-evaluation. If nothing happens on this front, I will send reminders to the university”.

Various government officials accompanied him during the tour, during which he said one-half of the grant would be spent on strengthening the dams and the other half on cleaning the connection drains. Revenue Minister Ajit Singh Kohar said a grant of Rs 3.6 crore had already been released as the state disaster response fund to tackle any calamity. — TNS

Jalandhar, July 1
Capt Amarinder Singh, chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) inaugurated the newly computerised office of the District Congress Committee (DCC) here today. With the computerisation, the local office has been interconnected with the office of the Punjab Congress, revealed Arun Walia, district Congress president.

The district Congress would also launch its own website shortly, he claimed. Earlier, Congress leaders from the district, including Varinder Sharma, Satnam Singh Bitta and Yeash Pal Singh, received Capt Amarinder Singh on the party office premises. After paying a short visit to the party office here, Capt moved to Kapurthala, where he chaired a meeting of party workers.

Phagwara, July 1
Powercom has opened 31 suvidha centres in the subdivision to facilitate the subscribers in depositing electricity bills. This was stated by Senior Executive Engineer Sanjeev Kumar while talking to mediapersons here today.

He said the suvidha centres had been set up on Phagwara-Zandiala Road, Phagwara-Bhularai Road, Rattanpura Mohalla, Railway Road, Onkar Nagar, Model Town, Preet Nagar, Bhagatpura, Chachoki, Bhanoki Road, Malikpur, Nimmawala Chowk, Bedian Mohalla, Jagatpur Jattan, Dhadhey, Palahai, Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Mata Rani Road, near Civil Hospital, near Capital Bank, Guru Hargobind Nagar, Sham Nagar, Green Park, Palahai Gate, Cinema Road, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Banga Road, Mandi Road, Ambedekar Park and Ranipur.

He said no extra amount would be charged from subscribers for depositing the electric bills in these suvidha centres.

Tarn Taran, July 1
Six members of a family have been booked under Sections 498A, 406, 323 and 120B of the IPC by the Sarhali police for throwing out a married woman from the house as she failed to bring Rs 10 lakh as dowry from her parents.

According to information here today, a case has been registered on the statement of Gurmit Kaur, daughter of Jagir Singh Sandhu, resident of Thathian Mahantan village, 20 km from here, against her husband Ajitpal Singh, father-in-law Sukhwinder Singh, mother-in-law Manjit Kaur, residents of Lehra village (Makhu), sister-in-law Rajwinder Kaur and her husband Amandeep Singh, residents of Raian village (Makhu ), and one more person.

Gurmit Kaur said the accused had been asking her to bring Rs 10 lakh from her parents for starting some business, failing which she was thrown out from her in-law’s house two months back.