Panic in PU Admn Block
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 11 — The Panjab University staff in the Administrative Block, yesterday, experienced tense moments after receiving an information that they would be required to stay back after the office hours.

Reliable sources said the staff was informed that the government inquiry agencies would check the data of the examination branch.

A staff member said, "We rushed to hostels and canteens to have a quick lunch. However, nothing serious happened later." They were told that if required, only the staff of the Controller of Examination, who had been arrested by the CBI yesterday, would be required to stay back for a little while.

Dr Sodhi Ram, Controller of Examination, was taken into custody by the CBI yesterday in a paper-leakage case. Three more persons are already under arrest.

Reliable sources said Dr Sodhi Ram was brought to the university office for nearly two hours in the afternoon.

City, Pak club tie-up on theatre workshops
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 11 — The Futurekids Club (FC) in Chandigarh has tied up with the Ajoka Children’s Theatre (ACT) in Pakistan for joint theatre workshops in India as well as across the border.

According to Director of the Besten Foundation, the parent organisation of the newly launched Club, Mr Amrit Pal Singh ,“Our first joint interaction with Ajoka Theatre Group will be sometime in October, when their senior artists will visit us. Members of the ACT will be here in December this year.”

As per plans, “if the authorities permit, permanent members of the FC will be taken for a tour to Pakistan for Basant Panchami next year.

At a dance party organised in celebration of the successful completion of the FC summer camp I in the Jailhouse Rock , the kids stomped their feet in joy, dancing to the latest pop hits, thoroughly enjoying themselves this morning.

“This is their treat, a party for their excellent performance at the Tagore theatre on Saturday,” said Mr Singh. The club had performed a stage show, at the concluding programme of the first summer camp. It included various dance sequences, besides a play directed by Ms Veena Kapoor, called “Hum Hain Neta”.

According to Mr Singh, “It was a satire about current affairs, police and politicians. It was hilarious and we had tremendous feed back from the parents and other audience”.

The Director of the Beston Foundation has ambitious plans for the club. “Our first summer camp was organised to launch the Futurekids Club. However, unlike other summer camps, it will be a permanent club where members will undergo regular workshops throughout the year.”

Mr Singh says that getting enrolled in his club will be extremely affordable, “I am not trying to target any particular class.” The FC 1 summer workshop started simultaneously in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.“We have a dedicated team councillor to handle and take care of the children including the security guards and nannies for very small kids. Besides we also have a 24-hour helpline,” he said.

FC 2, slated to start sometime next week will be dedicated to art and craft . “Next we will have an exhibition at the Art folio. The proceedings of this exhibition will be donated to the Institute of Blind.”

Schools of excellence-VIII
Stress on overall development of students
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 11 — “The most important person of our school is a student,” says Mr Jasdeep Kalra, Executive Director of Ajit Karam Singh International School. “Be it academics or extra-curricular activities, we concentrate on the overall development of the students, “he adds.

The school has shown good results in the matriculation examination conducted by the CBSE. Sixty two students appeared in the examination and all passed. Fifty four students secured first division and 11 students got between 80% and 86.4% marks. The first topper, Taruna Sohal secured 86.4%, while the second topper, Jasmine Kaur Sahota got 86.2% marks.

The school has always proved itself in terms of results. “Individual attention is paid to the students. We first observe the students and then react as the situation demands”.

We lay special emphasis on character building of the students. Every day five minutes are spent with the children to generate moral values among them. We ask them to work upon themselves and introspect. This makes them focussed in their life and they keep on working to reach their target,” says Mr Kalra.

The school is also involved in the welfare of poor and needy students. It is owned by a trust, National Education Development Trust. It has adopted a night school in Khijri village to educate children of slum-dwellers and provides scholarship of Rs 500 per month to the students of engineering and medical colleges who are deserving and needy. The poor students are provided free education in the school itself.

The institution provides free and open environment for the growth of students. Student council elections are held every year.

The council bridges the gap between the students and the management. Many problems are discussed by the council and the management and issues are resolved.

The parents of Taruna Sohal are very happy with the school. Parneet Kaur, her mother, feels that the teachers are very helpful . Extra classes taken by the teachers really improved the result of the school.

“Individual attention was paid by the teachers and they made sure that students did not face any problems as far as syllabus was concerned,” says Mrs Sohal

Taruna’s father Sqn. Leader GS Sohal is happy with her daughter’s success. He is away to Hyderabad as he is posted there. Only Mrs Sohal looks after the children.

Mr Dalbir Singh Sahota and Mrs Anita Sahota, the parents of second topper, Jasmine Kaur Sahota, are now planning to get her admitted to a school for her plus one. They feel that schools are a better option for an 11th class student than a college.

“The schools can do better for a plus one student as they enforce discipline and they provide freedom in limits,” opines Mr Sahota, who is a Technical Executive in the Punjab Energy Development Agency. “I wish her last school had plus two classes so that I would not have to run for a good school. The staff was hard working and laborious. Jasmine never needed tuitions and she was on her own. Mrs Sahota is a housewife and has this to say, “I was never able to pay attention to her and she depended on her school only. The extra classes held by the school made the difference. The students were never out of touch with the curriculum even during the vacations.”

Field wide open for students
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 11 — The results are already out. It’s time for school passouts to decide the subjects for further studies. The broad options available to them are studies in science, commerce and arts streams. Those determined to make it to various professional courses after plus two have already taken provisional admission in various schools and are focussed on a single goal. Some are running from one institute to another in order to take a seat for themselves. There are some who want to take up job-oriented courses immediately after matriculation.

The vocational courses run by the vocational education unit of the Local Education Department every year have solved the problems of many such students besides diversifying the education at plus two stage. These courses are run parallel to the existing science, arts and commerce subjects under academic stream. At present, the department is offering 22 such courses in various senior secondary schools in the city.

Broadly classified under four heads, namely home science, health and para-medical, engineering and commerce, these courses are skill-oriented.

The syllabus is prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education and the duration of each course is two years, which includes 10+1 and 10+2 stages. The examination of 10+1 is internal and that of 10+2 is conducted by the CBSE . The passouts are awarded certificates by the CBSE.

Complete practical training is given in school workshops for courses in fashion designing and clothing construction, textile designs, dyeing and printing. Training in school workshops is followed by training in hospitals and hotel industry for courses in medical lab technology, ophthalmic technology, hotel management and catering technology, bakery and confectionary and food service and management. Training for courses like auxiliary nursing and midwifery and X-Ray techniques is undertaken in the hospital situation.

An on-job training of two weeks for students of plus one and of six weeks for students of plus two is organised at different work places for all courses. Out of 22 courses introduced in various senior secondary schools, 17 are covered under the apprentices act (1961) and a stipend of Rs 770 is given per month to the apprentices for one year. Students after passing 10+2 vocational stream are sponsored as apprentices.

The department makes a follow-up of vocational passouts and students are informed about the avenues of higher education and employment from time to time.

Various courses include fashion designing and clothing construction, textile design, dyeing and printing, health care and beauty culture, computer applications, medical lab technology, marketing and salesmanship, stenography, structure and fabrication technology and refrigeration and air conditioning technology.

Other courses like life insurance course, banking, accountancy and auditing, automobile technology, electrical and electronic technology, ophthalmic techniques, bakery and confectionary, hotel management and catering technology and food service and management are also run by the department.

For more information on vocational courses, the local vocational education department in the office of the Director Public Instructions can be contacted.