EDUCATION

314 graduates conferred with degrees
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Mar 29 — As many as 314 arts graduates were conferred degrees at the 18th annual convocation of Government College for Women, Sector 42, here today.

The list included 84 graduates in the science stream and 60 in the commerce stream for the session 1998-1999. Pushpa Rani was awarded the roll of honours for standing third in the university Sanskrit (honours) examination.

Ms Mohini Sharma, college principal, awarded the degrees. She also introduced the chief guest, Dr Deepak Manmohan, Dean Colleges Welfare, Panjab University. Introducing the speaker she said that the Dean had a double MA degree. He is also a doctorate in Punjabi. Dr Deepak has to his credit monitoring 11 PhD s and 40 M Phil degrees. Nothing replaced hard work, sincerity and consistency in acquiring academic goals, he said.

Students who were awarded certificates of merit included Kusum Lata( public administration, honours), Jaslovleen (music, honours paper) and Dalvinder Kaur (geography, honours).

College toppers in arts stream who were honoured included Palwinder Kaur(first), Karunika (second) and Jaslovleen (third).

Prize winners in the science stream included Amanpreet Kaur (first), Nitika Anand (second) and Shalini Rana( third). Manjeet Kaur (first), Meenu Sahi (second) and Manpreet Khurana (third) were the winners in the commerce stream.

Board Chairman’s effigy burnt
From Our Correspondent

ZIRAKPUR, March 29 — Employees of the Punjab State Electricity Board here today burnt an effigy of the Board’s Chairman in protest against the suspension of their colleagues.

The striking employees staged a dharna in front of the electricity subdivisional office and raised slogans against the Chairman of the Board.

They were demanding the reinstatement of the nine employees suspended by the Board’s Chairman on March 1.

Mr Sher Singh, President of TSU, Ropar Circle, criticised the government for its proposal of privatisation. He said this act of the government will bring thousands of work charge employees on roads.

Free CET/PMT classes
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — Sikh Missionary College in coordination with the Sector 34 gurdwara will conduct free coaching classes for CET/PMT from April 3.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Gurbir Singh, in charge of the college, stated that needy and deserving students would be given preference. The admission test for these classes will be held on March 31 at 5 pm. Those desirous can collect the admission forms from the office of the college in Gurdwara Sahib, Sector 34, from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Local lad tops IIM course
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — Amneet Singh, a local lad, has topped the masters in business administration (MBA) course the reputed IIM, Lucknow, from among 168 students, sources said here today.

Amneet also has the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology degree from Kharagpur . This was followed by a two year job with the Eicher group.

He is the son of a botany teacher in Sri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Prof Gurdeep Singh. Amneet Singh said that national boundaries were diminishing in the changed world order. He would prefer to work in India as he had his 'firm roots' here'.

Cold war between two schools
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — Two different schools — I.S. Dev Samaj Senior Secondary School for Girls and Dev Samaj Junior Model School for boys and girls — running under the same management on the same premises are having a cold war due to some differences that have cropped up between them.

As the admissions are on, the rift has increased and has now become a prestigious issue for them. Though the Chairman and the manager of the management committee remains the same for both the schools, other members are different. Though the schools are sister concerns, as they call themselves, there are strong disputes on small issues.

One of the parents who had come for the admission of his child said:’’ I am really confused where to admit my child, seeing the disorder going out here”. The mother of a five-year-old-son, said;” I have come here to admit my son to this school but I am astonished to see the haphazard situation. The senior school authorities should look into the matter and put a check on this”.

Senior secondary school teachers said: ‘’We are forced to behave like this and sit at the entrance for the admissions because the other school staff reached the main gate and took away most of our strength”.

The staff of both the schools said:’’ We are not aware of the inner policies of the management, but we are the ones who suffer the most”. Confusion prevails mostly due to common entrance to both the schools. During morning and afternoon sessions the scene appears messy due to the rush of students and the teachers. The classes also get disturbed when people enter at odd hours because there is no fixed time for entrance in the school. The conveyance is the same for picking up the children, which creates further problems because of the odd timings of both the schools.

Kids get prizes
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, March 29 — Speaking at the prize distribution function of Doon Public School, Mr B.D. Dalia, Financial Commissioner and Secretary of the Home Department, said students should try to sharpen his or her skills to become a better person.

On the occasion, students presented a colourful cultural programme in which a play depicting changing times and values was presented. Bhangra was also presented at the function. Nearly 125 children were given prizes for excellence in academics, sport and co-curricular activities.

CULTURE

Music has no barriers: Safri
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — Music is not to be criticised. It is to give pleasure without any barriers or strict parameters In this context, it would be unsuitable to criticise the influence of western music on current Punjabi numbers.

These views were expressed by Balwinder Safri of the Rahe rahe jaan valiye fame while talking to The Tribune here today.

It would be unjust to say that traditional music faced any danger. Earlier, only tabla and sitar were used. These changed to integration of mandolin and violin. New and old music have their own identity, he said.

Safri migrated from a village near Kapurthala to Birmingham in the UK in 1980. He had a masters degree in music. “This helped me to start my career in England. Singing at marriage parties and other functions was the baseline,” he said.

Safri currently has more than 20 releases to his credit. He was at the Aerizonna stage today shooting for a number for his forthcoming release Inferno.