B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Edu dept reverses its decision on digitised question papers
Faridkot, September 12
Days after a move of the Education Department to use the digitised form of question papers in the half-yearly summative assessment (SA) exams in government schools in the state came in for criticism for its impracticality, the Director General School Education (DGSE), Punjab, has issued a corrigendum admitting that the new method to bring transparency and prevent leakage of paper would create problem in conducting the exam.

Drug haul
10-yr-jail for father-son duo
Abohar, September 12
A court of district session judge has awarded 10-year imprisonment each to Sunil Middha and his father Raj Kumar Middha of Nai Abadi here today. The police had claimed that 225 gm sedative powder and 160 bottles of syrup were seized from them during a raid.

Eight-year-old boy drowned
Fazilka, September 12
An eight-year-old boy Ranjit Singh, a student of class III and son of a farmer Jarnail Singh, drowned in the Sutlej creek at 3 pm today. Reports say Ranjit Singh had taken buffaloes to the river bank. Suddenly, he slipped into the river and was swept away by the strong current of water. The nearby villagers immediately informed his parents. After an hour, they were able to fish out his body out of the river on outskirts of the village. His body was shifted to the local civil hospital for postmortem examination.
— OC

Saragarhi martyrs remembered 
Ferozepur, September 12
A function was organised to pay homage to the gallant soldiers of the 36 Sikh Regiment who attained martyrdom while defending the Saragarhi Post of the Fort Lockhart in Afghanistan on September 12,1897. Ferozepur Division Commissioner VK Sharma presided over the function. He said the saga of bravery of the 21 Sikh soldiers was one of the most daring feats of gallantry and devotion to duty. On the occasion, DC Manjit Singh Narang, SSP Manminder Singh, ADC Arvinder Pal Singh, SDM Vijay Syal and officials from the Sainik Welfare Department and many ex-servicemen paid obeisance at Gurdwara Saragarhi Memorial. — OC

Edu dept reverses its decision on digitised question papers
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, September 12
Days after a move of the Education Department to use the digitised form of question papers in the half-yearly summative assessment (SA) exams in government schools in the state came in for criticism for its impracticality, the Director General School Education (DGSE), Punjab, has issued a corrigendum admitting that the new method to bring transparency and prevent leakage of paper would create problem in conducting the exam.

In a letter (No. SSA/SS/2013/14842-14845) issued to all district education officers (DEOs) and the heads of all government schools in the state on Wednesday evening, the DGSE wrote that as there were complaints from schools that they would face problems in conducting the exam as per the new formula, it was decided that all schools will get the question papers two days before the start of the half-yearly exam.

The exams for classes IV to X will start on September 13.

Adopting a new policy this time, the Education Department had last week decided to send question papers from its head office to the schools across the state in a secure manner (via e-mail) an hour before the start of exams. To ensure that there is no leakage of question papers, the school head was to take a print of the e-mailed question paper, get its photocopies made and distribute them among examinees.

But as it was not practical for schools in rural areas to get the print and photocopies of the e-mailed question paper within an hour due to erratic power supply, so the department reversed its decision.

Under the revised policy, the questions papers of all six subjects (English, Punjabi, Hindi, social studies, mathematics and science) were e-mailed to all schools today and the schools were asked to get them printed and photocopied in the next 24 hours for the examinations starting on September 13.

Anjali Bhawra, the DGSE, said the school heads would be responsible for any leakage of the question paper.

Another change is the exam timings. If earlier it was conveyed to all schools to conduct exams from 11 am to 2 pm, now they have been told to hold exams from 9 am to 12 noon. Most middle and primary schools had expressed helplessness in serving mid-day meal to students with 11 am to 2 pm as examination time. The exam timings were changed so that the students could take meals after taking test.

Summative Assessment exam

In a letter issued to all district education officers and the heads of all government schools in the state, the DGSE wrote that as there were complaints from schools that they would face problems in conducting the exam as per the new formula, it was decided that all schools will get the question papers two days before the start of the half-yearly exam.

Drug haul
10-yr-jail for father-son duo
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 12
A court of district session judge has awarded 10-year imprisonment each to Sunil Middha and his father Raj Kumar Middha of Nai Abadi here today. The police had claimed that 225 gm sedative powder and 160 bottles of syrup were seized from them during a raid.

Meanwhile, 31 residents, including four women, of government seed farms today sought amnesty by submitting affidavits that they will not indulge in drug or liquor trafficking in future. They along with panchayat members met Superintendent of Police (SP) Varinder Singh Brar. The sarpanch and panches assured the SP that information would be given to the police, if anyone is found selling narcotics or liquor.

Last month, the police had arrested 31 persons after searching their houses by sealing the boundaries of the village.