Truancy reflects in middle school results
Ordinary schools way behind model ones
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — While the results of the annual middle standard examination, held in February, have been announced showing an overall pass percentage of 71.2, there seems to be a disparity between the ordinary and model schools, both in terms of overall pass percentages and subject-wise pass percentages.

Interestingly, while there were 8145 candidates of ordinary schools appearing for the examinations this year, more than double the number of 3919 students of model schools, the pass percentage of these schools has been only 62.84 as compared to 88.57 per cent of model schools. Also, the percentage of students failing in model schools is only 11 as compared to 37 per cent in ordinary schools.

The main reason, cited by the authorities, for the poor results of ordinary schools, is the non-formal compulsory education for students of these schools till Class V, who are promoted to Class VI without any background or training in formal education. In fact, most students reportedly play truant in these schools, resulting in low incentives and poor motivation levels even for the teachers.

A glance at the subject-wise percentages of the ordinary schools revealed that there has been an improvement in the pass percentage in maths, Hindi, both as first and second language, and Punjabi as second language, as compared to last year. Expectedly the highest pass percentages this year have been in Sanskrit — 97.96, Drawing — 99.88 and Domestic Science—99.4.

A similar study of the model schools shows that though since 1996 the results in drawing, music and domestic sciences had been 100 per cent, this year only domestic science ensured a 100 per cent result. The remaining two subjects showed a marginal fall. But the overall pass percentages in all the subjects, in model schools, has been more than 90 this year, with a very minimal fall in social studies, from 95.57 per cent last year to 94.11 per cent this year.

In the category of model schools, GMSSS, Sector 19 has come out with the best pass percentage this year, — 99. And the model school that has shown the lowest result this year is the GMHS, Sector 29, with a pass percentage of only 47.

Also certain senior secondary schools in rural areas have shown improvement, since last year. Senior secondary schools of 38-West, Dadu Majra, Maloya and Dhanas have all shown improvement this year. But the Karsan model school has shown low results this year, as compared to last year.

Few takers for college libraries
Mainly visited for magazines, reference books
By Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — Libraries are no longer the most frequented place on the college campus, going by the number of students who visit it everyday. Barring a few colleges, just about 5 to10 per cent students go to the libraries when the session is on.

A recent visit to the libraries of a few colleges revealed this fact even as the examinations are fast approaching. A majority of the librarians attributed the decline in the reading habits to the coming of satellite channels and, of course, the Internet. Reference and periodical sections are the general choice of all who visit the libraries regularly. Hence, students seem to use libraries only to refer books or read magazines.

DAV College, Sector 10, which boasts of a separate library building of two floors, including a section of old manuscripts and rare books, has only 5 to 10 per cent students coming to the library. Perhaps the most well stocked and modern college library, it contains as many as 1,11, 698 books , computerisation and the Internet facility but few takers.

According to the college librarian, Mr P.V Rao, the Internet facility will soon be be made available to the students in this session. The Indology section is a blend of the old and modern as it not only has a collection of rare manuscripts but also modern technology to publish CD-Roms.

The Reading Room, which is a part of the library and remains open from 8.30 in the morning to 11.30 at night is very popular among students who like to study on their own in peaceful surroundings.

Among the 80-odd periodicals subscribed by the college, most of the students prefer to read competition magazines ( Competition Success Review, Competition Master, Physics Today, Chemistry Today) followed by current awareness magazines like India Today, Yojana and Economic and Political Weekly . Sports and other general magazines are also read. And in case of newspapers, The Times of India and local papers, particularly the English dailies have a better readership. However, Economic Times is the choice of students in the commerce stream or BCA.

However, the library of the MCM, DAV College for Women, Sector 36, is neither very well-equipped nor does it have enough seating capacity. In this case also just about 5 per cent girls, mostly from the arts stream visit the library.

According to a library attendant, science students remain busy with their classes and practicals till 5 pm and hardly find time to visit the libraries. Normally, the Reading Room which stocks about 40 periodicals and 12 newspapers attracts crowds who at times jostle for space.

The girls contacted revealed their preferences for women's magazines like Femina, Woman's Era, Savvy, Sarita and current affairs magazines. Interestingly, this college does not subscribe to any film magazine. Among the news papers, the local English newspapers and a few dailies published from Delhi are read.

A few girls were of the view that the Reading Room should be expanded to accommodate more numbers, even though it is already independent of the main library.

Contrary to the two DAV Colleges, nearly 40 per cent students visit the library in Government College, Sector 11. One of the oldest college libraries, it has a collection of 87,000 books, 50 magazines and 13 newspapers. In fact, the reference section has many takers from both arts and commerce streams.

Mrs Jaspal Kaur, in charge of the reference and periodical section, said that they also issue reference books on week-ends for short durations to the serious lot of students. But despite this, and the availability of students, there are students who mutilate books to satisfy their personal needs.

According to the librarian, Mrs Rekha, the Reading Room is the choice of a mixed crowd of readers .

Interestingly, women's magazines like Femina, Woman's Era, Stardust, Society, Graha Shobha are the hot favourites of most of the boys.

In the nearby Government College for Girls, Sector 11, about 15 to 20 per cent girls go to the library for reference and reading purposes.

The periodical section not only attracts the career conscious who read competition and other current awareness magazines but also all those who like to read Femina, Savvy, Manorama and Graha Shobha. Of the 14 newspapers, the two local newspapers — Chandigarh Tribune and Chandigarh Newsline — are most sought after.

The college librarian, Mrs Harjinder Kaur, lamented that girls do not have any sympathy for books as they often tear pages of precious reference books or steal novels.

The libraries of GCG-42 and GCG-46 are not as well-equipped as they are relatively new and do not get sufficient grants from the UGC.

Unlike other colleges, students here are deprived of basic facilities like photostat and have no choice but to sit in the library and make notes. However, in some genuine cases books are issued for a day or two, said Mr R. K. Aggarwal, librarian of GCG-42.

Girls prefer to read all women's magazines, besides newspapers ,mostly Hindi and Punjabi. This college has a collection of 21,000 books, 74 periodicals and 13 newspapers.

The trends in Shri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26 are quite similar to those in GCG-Sector 11.

Mr Naib Singh, one of the library attendants, disclosed that boys love to read women's and film magazines because of the masala they offer.

While boys indulge in tearing pictures from magazines, girls in the science stream are tactful in tearing pages from books.The trend of students issuing fiction novels has also increased in the last few years.

In the SGGS College for Women also, general magazines are most read, followed by various competition magazines. The students, however, voiced the need to have some more current awareness magazines like National Geographic and Economic and Political Weekly.

Country’s biggest-ever photograph
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — A city photographer claims the distinction of having made the country’s biggest ever photograph (translite) with a single invisible joint. The picture measuring 12’x30’ is of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and adorns the main dais at Anandpur Sahib for the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa.

The photograph depicts the historic Sikh shrine in ultra white colour with lush green outfields and clear blue and white sky as the backdrop.

“It took us almost a month to prepare this picture,” says Mr Kirpal Singh, leader of the team that made the “biggest ever photograph in the country”.

The photograph mounted on a 800 kg Carver wood frame, imported specially from England, has been erected at the back of the main dais with the help of cranes and other machinery. To light the photograph from behind, nearly 200 fluorescent tubes have been fitted in the frame.

Mr Kirpal Singh says he and his team of photographers not only used computers but dedicated a special room of their Shri Gurudev Photo Color studio for the project to make this photograph. The Anandpur Sahib Foundation had invited offers from eminent photographers and studios for this prestigious project.

“We used both camera and computer techniques to prepare an 18’ negative from which the final print of the country’s biggest ever photograph has been made. After the print has been made, mounting it and then erecting were other major challenges.

But we were successful in erecting it scratch free,” he said.

The mounted photograph has been a major attraction of the pandal where hundreds of visitors have been bowing their heads and even making offerings to it. The position of the picture can be changed only by use of cranes.

Footwear ‘vital’ in sport
By Arvind Katyal
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, April1 10 — ”Inadequate footwear used by players can lead to serious injuries”, according to Dr Ashok Ahuja, Senior Scientific Officer, Sports Authority of India, Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports, Patiala, who is here to attend the all-India badminton coaches seminar in progress at the Sports complex, Sector 42, here.

Dr Ahuja said in an interview that badminton now commanded a high degree of care as it had become a very aggressive game.

He said by inadequate recovery methods available, the recovery time was getting prolonged. As a result a player was not able to perform to the optimum capacity. Dr Ahuja said certain drugs, being taken by the many players of various sports disciplines to give instant results, could spoil their career and were dangerous.

He said in badminton, shoulder, elbow, knee and wrist injuries were very common and coaches must see to it that players were properly attended to. He suggested arthroscopy methods for knee and cartilage injuries. Various strengthening exercises could help the injured player to overcome the mental block he might have developed during the injury period.

Dr Ahuja advocated the use of footwear according to the game and the structure of the feet. He said in badminton, separate shoes during physical conditioning were required and for the game different shoes were recommended. “ Proper footwear helps in the prevention of many injuries”, he said.

The SAI official ended by saying that the present injuries of cricket players were due to the “passive recovery process”.

Completion of bridge delayed
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, April 10 — Hundreds of HUDA plot holders in Sectors 25 and 26 of Panchkula extension will have to wait for several more months as the completion of a bridge over the Ghaggar connecting Panchkula extension with the main town has been delayed further.

The 35-metre-long bridge is being constructed by PWD (B and R) on behalf of HUDA at a cost of over Rs 7 crore. Earlier also the completion of the dual-carriageway bridge consisting of nine spans had been delayed for one reason or the other. The last time the PWD was given time till December 31, 1998, to complete the bridge.

Another major hurdle in making the bridge operational were jhuggi settlers who had encroached upon at least six acres of land of Sectors 3 and 21. The jhuggi dwellers had got a stay order from a court. A part of the encroached land has been earmarked to lay approach roads on one side of the bridge.

Unless the land for constructing approach roads to the bridge was not cleared the bridge cannot be opened for use. The HUDA was exploring the possibility of using certain pockets of the encroached land — not covered under the court stay —for clearing land to construct approach roads to the bridge. The HUDA officials are hopeful of making the bridge operational before the monsoon this year.

The delay in completion of the bridge is also affecting habitation of Sector 25 and 26 as a number of allottees in the sectors are reluctant to build houses on their plots as they have to take an additional detour of at least 4 km to reach their sector. At present the only access to the sectors in the Panchkula extension is from the Nadha Sahib bridge across the Ghaggar.

Besides two other smaller bridges — one connecting Sector 24 with other sectors in Panchkula extension( Sectors 2,26,27 and 28) on Nandana choe and another on Nadha choe connecting Sector 24 with the Panchkula — Naraingarh highway are also being completed. Both choes traverse through Panchkula extension before merging into Ghaggar downstream.