The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Students prefer government schools
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 23 — Students of the city prefer government schools for senior secondary education. This was observed after a random survey of students who had come to various government schools to buy admission forms.

Most of these students said government schools had a better infrastructure for science education, affordable tuition fee and a number of extra-curricular activities like the NCC and the NSS. Their parents also wanted them to take admission in these schools. Some of them had opted for these schools due to the proximity of these to their homes.

Another thing which pulled these students here was the vocational courses offered by these schools. Although these courses are in tune with the present career preferences, most of the students have joined these because they have received low marks. Ruby, a former student of Shishu Niketan School who has received 55 per cent marks in the matriculation examination, has opted for a fashion-designing course. "I find it's better to do a course in fashion designing than choose the arts stream. At least, I will have some qualification in an applied subject," said Neena, another such student.

Mr Parmod Goyal, a city businessman, wants his daughter to take admission in a model school. A student of Shishu Niketan School, she has received 65 per cent marks in the Class X examination. Mr Goyal said government schools had a better infrastructure for science students than private institutions. Moreover, the cost of education in a government school was much less than in a private school, he said.

Ms Mamta Tyagi, an employee of the Social Welfare Department, wants her daughter to study in a model school. Her daughter was earlier in a private school. "Teachers in private schools keep on changing time and again. Moreover, there are infrastructural problems. I have studied in a government school myself, so, I have no hang ups on that matter," she said.

A Class XII student the Sector 35 Government Model Senior Secondary School said, "Science students have to prepare for competitive examinations. Private schools give a lot of homework and we don't get the time to prepare for competitions. However, in government schools, we get an ample time to attend tuitions and prepare for other examinations." He did not want his name to be printed for obvious reasons.

Ms Gulshan Chawla, a mother of two, said science teachers in government schools were more qualified and experienced. Another parent said parents, these days, had to spend a fortune on tuitions and the affordable fee in government schools compensated for this expenditure.

Many parents feel that the education in convents and other private schools helps in a better personality development. "Just make two students, one of a government school and the other of a private one, sit together and compare their levels of awareness and overall knowledge. You will get the answer," said Mr Parminder Singh, a Punjab Government employee.

Many parents said the quality of education at the senior secondary level did not matter. They said success depended on the self-study and tuitions only. "My elder daughter was a student of a model school past year. She depended on tuitions as the course was not fully covered in the school. I spent Rs 13,500 on her coaching. Be it a private or a government school, courses are not fully covered anywhere," said a parent.

Mr D.S. Bedi, Principal of Shivalik Public School, said, "Schools are good in covering the CBSE syllabus. Tuitions serve the purpose of professional-course aspirants, but, we give them a lot of homeworks for their own benefit."

Meanwhile, the District Education Officer said there was no shortage of admission forms as almost 10,000 forms had been released. Even after distributing prospectuses on the first day, there were 2100 forms in the distribution centre. All principals had been told that they would keep getting additional supply of forms from the centre.

Admission process on in professional colleges
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 23 — Institutions offering professional courses in the city, including those of art and architecture, are busy with the admission activity for the forthcoming session.

Government College of Art, Sector 10, has fixed June 26 as the last date for submission of application forms. Declaration of eligibility status will be displayed on the college notice board by July 3. The last date for removing discrepancies in the list of eligible candidates has been fixed as July 5.

Aptitude test for the UT pool will be conducted on July 6, while the same for the general pool will be on July 10. The merit list will be declared by July 14. The first counselling and interviews for the UT pool is scheduled for July 18. The same for the general pool will be conducted the following day.

Classes for the new session commence on July 24. The college plans a second counselling on August 7 for both pools.

Admission to Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh College of Architecture and Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, are based on CET results, followed by interviews. The interviews for all SC and ST candidates are scheduled for July 17 for engineering and architecture streams of all institutions. Interviews of medical stream candidates of agro-processing technology are also scheduled for the same day. The following day is for interviews of sports, handicapped, terrorist victim, freedom, military, paramilitary and backward classes for the engineering and architecture courses.

Interviews for the general pool are from July 19 till July 21. No separate letter will be issued to candidates. A candidate having a higher merit, if reporting late, will be considered for admissions. Reserved category candidates with CET merit positions from 1 to 5000 may appear for interviews against the general category.

Date for counselling for 10 seats reserved for foreigners, NRIs and NRI-sponsored candidates for admissions in Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, will be notified later. Interviews are scheduled at the University Auditorium. Final counselling for vacant seats in various stream will commence from August 17.

Government Home Science College, Sector 10, is finalising the final draft of the prospectus, likely to be available within a weeks time. Admissions are scheduled between July 14 and 18. There are 60 seats each in the science and arts streams.

Certain specialised areas include food and nutrition, honours school in child development and clothing and textile, among others. Postgraduate diplomas in dress-designing and nutrition are some other attractions. July 12 is fixed as the last date for receipt of forms.

The college principal said the college would implement the Administration’s recommendation ensuring 85 per cent for local students from the coming session. Results of the annual examination conducted earlier this year are still awaited.

COURTS

Bail refused in fraud case
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 23 — The bail application of Brig Gurcharan Singh Gosal (retd), Chairman, Transworld Finance Ltd, allegedly involved in a fraud case involving Rs 42 lakh, was dismissed by Duty Magistrate, Pushvinder Singh.

The accused was arrested on June 13 on a complaint by a retired IPS officer, Mr Inderjit Singh Sandhu.

The defence counsel argued that the accused had served the army for 32 years and was a veteran of three wars. He further argued that the accused was not keeping good health.

The public prosecutor argued that the recovery of money and important documents was yet to be made from the accused.

The judge after hearing the arguments rejected the bail application of the accused. The accused is in judicial custody at the moment.

Notice on Kataria's bail plea
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 23 — Additional District and Sessions Judge Sneh Prashar today issued a notice for June 24 on the anticipatory bail of Subhash Kataria, President, Traders Association, Sector 17, for allegedly threatening Ms Ranjana Shahi, councillor, MCC, on June 15.

Moving the application on behalf of the accused, the defence counsel argued that the accused was a reputed citizen and was actively involved in various causes for the welfare of society. The defence counsel further argued that the allegation against the accused was politically motivated and he had denied the allegation of threatening anyone.

After hearing the proceedings the judge issued a notice for June 24 on the anticipatory bail of the accused.