EDUCATION

Part-time lecturers’ pay ‘needs hike’
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21 — Enhancement of salaries for part-time lecturers in colleges figured prominently in the list of items discussed during a meeting of private college principals with senior officials of the UT Administration.

According to sources, principals pointed out that these lecturers were being paid Rs 2,200 and Rs 3,500 in two categories. Taking in view the current salary structure of other teachers, they needed enhancement. They were assured that the issue would be looked into by the Administration and modalities were being worked out.

Among those who attended the meeting were Dr A.C. Vaid, Principal of GGDSD College, Mr P.S. Sangha of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Ms Satinder Dhillon of Dev Samaj College of Education, Dr R.C. Jeewan of DAV College and Ms V. Bhargava of Dev Samaj College for Women.

The need for a change in staff structure of non-teaching employees also came up for discussion. The nature and load of work had changed and the staff strength had lowered in several cases. Authorities assured them of necessary action in this direction. The Central Government had banned recruitment of employees till March 2000.

Also on the list was a government notification of December 1998 for enhancement of salaries for principals. Principals with 15 years' experience and PhD have been put in the category of professors. Those with 10 years' experience and a doctorate degree will be recognised as readers.

The proposed pay structure of principal professors is 16,400-450-22,400 and that of reader principals is 12,000-420-14,300. The lowest payment in the former category is Rs 12,840 and in the latter category, it is Rs 17,300. The house recommended quick study and suitable action.

It was also decided that principals of non-government colleges would also go as members on committees for staff selection in private colleges.

In another majority decision, it was recommended that posts vacant in colleges or those of retired persons should be filled. The Administration should also have a look at the actual workload and staff distribution.

A principal asked the authorities to do away with the provision of asking for presence of at least eight candidates for each post. "Often one has only one or a couple of experts against each post", it was pointed out.

Homoeos’ gherao over probe
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21 — The Homoeopathic Medical College (HMC) unit, Sector 26, today gheroed residences of Mr R.P. Joshi, President of the college management, and Mr R.K. Kanwal, Treasurer of the college management, for continuation of inquiry against the Principal of the college.

A press note issued by Mr Sunil Khurana, Press Secretary of the Akhil Bharitya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), said the gherao was planned after it was clarified by the Deputy Commissioner, UT, that he had not hindered any ongoing inquiry.

Meanwhile, the ABVP unit of the HMC, along with parents’ association, has decided to start in indefinite hunger strike by two students — Alok Garg and Prabhjot Singh — from tomorrow till the inquiry against the Principal is reinstated and its report is executed, along with the acceptance of other demands submitted to the management.

Homoeos’ stir continues
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 21 — The strike by students of Homoeopathic College, Phase II, here entered its second day today.

They are demanding to know the affiliation of their college. The students also demanded a proof of the same.

The protesting students also asked for their respective enrolment cards. According to the students, the examinations of their college had been scheduled for December 1999, but could not be conducted “due to the carelessness and the ignorance of the authorities”. The students said their strike would continue till any action on the above mentioned grievances was taken by the authorities.

Test for RIMC on Feb 1, 2
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21 — The written entrance test for Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun, for the August, 2000, term will be held at Central Polytechnic on February 1 and 2.

A statement issued here said role numbers have been dispatched and candidates who do not receive them may contact the Zila Sainik Welfare Officer at Sainik Rest House, Sector 21 or on phone number 701947.

COURTS

Rape accused gets remand
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21 — Chandigarh Police commando Sarandeep Singh, accused of raping a Kharar resident after luring her, was today remanded in judicial custody till February 4 by the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash.

He had surrendered before the court yesterday. The commando was earlier booked by the Chandigarh Police for wrongfully confining a person, kidnapping and rape under Sections 363, 366, 376 and 342 of the IPC after the victim was found unconscious at the Inter-State Bus Terminus here.

According to her statement, the commando had raped her in a hotel at Pinjore after luring her into accompanying him. She had added that the commando had left her near Mani Majra the next day.

CULTURE

Saavi adjudged best play at festival
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21 —The team of BBK DAV College, Amritsar, won the award for the best play on the second day of the inter-college cultural festival at the local DAV College here today.

The team staged Saavi , a play about a young girl who struggles hard to get her brother married.

Sippy Sagar in the lead role playing Saavi won the prize for best actress.The best actor award went to Arvinder Singh in the role of Gurbaksh Singh in the play Mitti da Bawa.

Special prizes were awarded to Chaitanya and Nagma , both from BBK DAV College, Amritsar.Amandeep Shukla from the host college also won a special prize.

Mr Iqbal Dhillon, Director,Youth Welfare, Panjab University, was the chief guest.The judges were Prof Atulveer Arora, a theatre personality, Manmohan Singh, a writer and Mr K.K.Sharma , a director-actor.

It was felt that the participation level in the cultural contest was poor.Surprisingly, only two teams out of the invited 54 turned up.Folk dances are scheduled for tomorrow.

Navjot’s poem adjudged best
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21 — Navjot Sran of MCM DAV College, Sector 36, won the trophy in best self-composed poem competition on the concluding day of the three-day inter-college annual cultural meet held at Government College of Education, Sector 20-D.

In the poem singing contest, the first prize went to Kamvalroop Kaur Dhillon of GCG, Sector 11, while Navdeep Kaur of DSCE, Sector 36, and Guneet Jaggi of MCM DAV, Sector 36, were second and third, respectively. Rajan Vishal of GGDSD, Sector 32, won the poem recitation competition. Neelam Rani of MCCE, Ludhiana, was second and Pradeep Malik of GCM, Sector 11,was third.

Earlier the chief guest, Dr Kashmir Singh Gill, a former Director Public Instruction (Punjab), talked about the importance of poetry in day-to-day life. He said it added bliss to life in an otherwise hollow and dry routine. He added that such cultural meets led to all-round personality development. Around 300 students took part in the meet.