EDUCATION

Confusion about school timings
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — While the Education Department of the Chandigarh Administration announced on Tuesday that due to the prevailing weather conditions the school timings of “all UT schools” would be changed with effect from January 6, there exists a confusion till date about the school timings.

Though all the government schools of the city are complying with the orders passed on January 4, the private schools are either sticking on to their old timings or changing the timings to suit their own conveniences.

Meanwhile, a meeting of 35 private schools of the city has been scheduled tomorrow at the Shivalik Public School, Sector 41 at 3:30pm to discuss this issue. This was informed by Mr D S Bedi, Principal of Shivalik Public and the President of the association of the private schools. Mr Bedi’s school has already changed the school timings and added: “I am sure that other schools would also be doing the same”.

A spokesman of the Department of Education, however, said that it was not happy at the way “defaulter” schools were acting and that “action would be taken against all those not willing to change their timings”. The department is waiting for the meeting of the schools till tomorrow. Sources also stated that the change in time had been done while keeping the safety of the children in mind.

The spokesman of the Education Department added that strict action might also include “de-affiliation” of the schools. “These private schools seem to be taking things very lightly. In fact 70 per cent of these schools are defaulters, and some of them could be recommended to the Estate Office for resumption of their buildings, which have been acquired on concessional rates”.

But most of the private schools, when spoken to by the TNS, were not in favour of changing the time. Said Mr J P Singh, Principal of St Kabir High School, Sector 26, “What is the need for this change? I feel that fog does not subside till about 10am, so what is the point of making this change? Also, children simply want concessions all the time”.

Chatrath group sweeps poll
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — As expected, the Gopal Krishan Chatrath—Deepak Manmohan—Ram Prakash front swept the Syndicate polls in Panjab University for the last session of the Senate here today.

The post-poll results show 10 supporters of the group winning. Five winners are being claimed by the Deepa group.

Prof Charanjit Chawla who bagged 23 votes made it from the science constituency. Ms Sneh Mahajan, also with 23 votes, and Dr I. M. Govil were the other two candidates in the science group. There were a total 38 votes and two were absent. The losers included Mr Pawan Walecha, Mr M. Arora and Mr V.P.Arora.

Mr Deepak Manmohan, Dean Colleges, Dr Ram Prakash and Mr Satish Sharma (Ludhiana) made an unopposed entry in the arts category. Mr Gopal Krishan Chatrath and Mr V. K. Bansal were chosen in the laws faculty without opposition.

Mr Raghuvir (12 votes) and Mr Paramjit Pammi (17 votes) were elected from the languages faculty. The lone loser was Dr Mohammad Khalid with 8 votes. Mr H. R. Gandhar (36 votes), Dr R. D. Anand (36 votes) and Ms Nirmal Kaur (33 votes) were elected from the combined faculty. Other contestants included Mr S. S. Hundal (31 votes) and Dr Joginder Yadav (30 votes).

Situation for an election developed in the medical faculty. However, Dr O. N. Nagi and Mr Kehar Singh made it to the body. Mr Kehar Singh had nine votes to his share while his rival, Dr K. S. Chugh, got eight.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Rajinder Deepa said that the result was expected. "Our academic agenda is very clear and there can be no no compromises." He said that the result of the election would not be a handicap for raising voice against wrong decisions.

Dr Deepak Manmohan said, "Functionally, the winners do not belong to any group. Academic interest comes first."

Mr Kehar Singh has been chosen as Dean Animal Husbandry and Dairying while Dr E .Nahar is the new secretary.

Mr Gopal Krishan Chatrath adorns the robe of Dean in the laws faculty while Prof V.K.Bansal will the new secretary. Dr Krishna Yadav will be the new Dean in the medical faculty.

Seminar on career opportunities
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — Bringing together industry and academic institutions and jointly searching for career avenues for students was highlighted by Prof Ashok Sahni, Dean University Instructions, Panjab University ,inaugurating a seminar on career opportunities here today.

Prof R.P.Gupta, Chairman of the University Business School, emphasised that interactions on a regular basis would keep the institutions abreast of latest job options.

Mr B.K. Sharma, Chairman of the UGC-IIT, gave a holistic picture of how the insurance sector in India was expected to rise in the next 10-15 years .Indirect business opportunities were expected in real estate , print media, auto-workshop, computer hardware and tele-marketing.

Other prominent speakers included Mr K.K.Sharma, assistant Vice-President, Indusbank, Mr Girish Keshwani, group head of NIIT, Mr Gurpreet Singh of the ICICI, and Mr R.N.Yadav , AGM of the SIDBI.

School students honoured
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Jan 6 — The annual prize distribution function of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, was held today at Tagore Theatre. The chief guest of the function was Mr Prabhakar Sharma, Chief General Manager of the State Bank of India, local branch.

Mr Prabhakar gave away prizes to meritorious students for the year 1997-98. Mr Brahmjeet Kalia, DEO, UT Government, gave away prizes to students for the year 1998-99.

Students delighted the audience with a variety of cultural programmes. The evening began with Saraswati Vandana, followed by a welcome song and a nursery rhyme. A qawwali and English Play ‘Pygmalion’ were impressive.

Later the Principal of the school, Mrs K Sharma, read out the school report and highlighted the various achievements of the school for this academic session.

COURTS

Bride’s plea dismissed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — A bride’s attempt to rescue her husband and her in-laws from a kidnapping case registered against them by her parents at Patiala failed today after UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr. Mahender Singh, dismissed an application for recording her statement.

In her application, bride Ms. Parminder Kaur had stated that she wanted to get her statement recorded before the court “so that she may not be compelled, forced or tortured by her parents or their relatives or by the police to support their version which was wrong”.

Claiming to have voluntarily married Muhkwant Singh without any pressure, she had also stated that her parents were “illegally and wrongly harassing him and his parents”.

She had added that they had “no role in the marriage. Rather, they were opposing the marriage of their son”. Her counsel had further stated that the applicant was neither kidnapped, nor forced to marry against her wishes.

He had also asked for sending Ms Parminder Kaur’s statement to the Illaqua Magistrate and the police concerned “so that the first information report may be cancelled in the interest of justice and fair play”.

CULTURE

Winter Collection of Art Folio
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — The Winter Collection of Art Folio, Sector 9, a conglomeration of works of various artists, sculptors and potters, opened today at the art gallery. These works are part of the collection of Art Folio over a period of one year.

With works ranging from Neeraj Mittra’s charcoal drawings to Kamra’s sculptures to Bhanu Shah’s paintings to Shubrato Das representing Bengal art to the works of city-based artists like Bheem Malhotra and Balvinder, this winter collection forms myriad contours and compositions.

What seems to be missing however is a little bit of colour in this collection, certainly needed in this depressing grey winter.

The four Tanjore paintings, are in their traditional gold colours and hues.

Maximum works, displayed are those of Shubrato Das, whose seven paintings infuse a desolate spirit of yearning and remoteness.

Raja Jaikishen’s works, which are photo-negatives that have been painted upon, have intriguing compositions of a woman’s back being revealed through hues of blues and purples. Raja, who is known for his collages, seems to present some delicately created images and forms of woman through the eyes of a dreamer.

Dipali Bhattacharya’s boldly drawn figures of male and female over a cup of coffee, are an immediate eye-catcher.

One of Bheem Malhotra’s landscapes, which appears to be somewhat of a consistent feature of this gallery is also included in the collection. Also on display are K.K. Kamra’s sculptures. His 14 works have been done in wood, bronze, fibre glass and stone.

Kamra’s aesthetically carved sculptures, especially those crafted in bronze, give a soothing effect to the eye.

Balvinder, another city-based artist, is also represented in this exhibition. His two huge paintings provide a sense of colour and vividness.

Another placating experience is provided by a set of four charcoal based paintings by Neeraj Mittra.

The exhibition is open till January 14.