EDUCATION

Freshers against college ragging
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH June 25 — Finished schooling? It is time to enjoy now. Everyone finds college life cool, with no compulsion of attending classes and nobody to fuss over the homework not done. Then why does everyone have butterflies in their stomachs at the thought of taking admission to a college? The fear of being ragged by the seniors gives everyone goose-pimples.

Most of the students who have passed their class XII exams and are filling up forms for admission to various colleges are against this practice and are scared about the type of environment they will get in the near future.

Gaurav, who is planning to get admission to an engineering college, simply hates ragging.”It should be banned as it lands the freshers into embarrassing situations and it can end only if the Principal and the teachers start taking strict action against it. They feel that the students are having fun, but do not realise what kind of mental torture they face,” he says.

Satinder, who is seeking admission to a college for graduation, is quite scared of ragging.”Freshers are the best source of entertainment the seniors have during the first few months of the session.I have heard so many humiliating stories from people, which makes me go on thinking how to save myself from the seniors. Ragging should definitely be banned as some students are very sensitive and cannot tolerate misbehaviour.”

Ritu,who too has finished her schooling, does not at all feel scared, but is planning to take it in a lighter vein. “If you fuss over it, they trouble you all the more.So why not accept everything coolly? Moreover, ragging leads to a better interaction with your seniors whose help you will need at every step. Serious trouble-makers should be checked but ragging should be there,” she says.

Hemant is hesitant of going to a hostel, where he says, the students are literally tortured. “There is nothing wrong with light ragging. It brings cheer to the dull routine, but when the students cross their limits it becomes unbearable at times for freshers. Ragging these days has taken the form of physical torture, which should be stopped immediately,” he feels.

Udai has completed his first year of BCA and is now heaving a sigh relief, when he is no more a fresher. “The day-scholars go home after the classes, but it is the hostelers who have to face the music day and night. No one can complain out of the fear of being troubled in future. Ragging should be stopped permanently,” says he.

Everybody has a different incident to relate, about which they have heard from someone or the other about ragging. Apart from fear in their minds, they have expectations of becoming senior themselves when they will boss around the campus.

Coming university budget shows completion of
35 projects
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH June 25 — A forthcoming Panjab University budget in the Syndicate meeting shows completion of over 35 building projects during 1999-2000.

This list also features 16 more projects under the head of constructions on the campus during the same period. The long list of completed works includes providing extension of space ‘in ‘A’ type houses, water proofing treatment in PU library, improving toilets in administration block and guest house, provision of lift in girls hostel, widening footpaths, renovation in a university lounge, water proofing in Gandhi Bhawan and Law Auditorium and roofs of hostels among others.

The list of underway projects includes a generator set in the administrative block, renovations and maintenance of the university guest house and conversion staff quarters into guest house at Ludhiana, besides several others.

Nearly 14 departments are carrying out work under special assistance programmes. These include the Departments of Education, University Business School, Zoology, Geology, Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.

The university budget has been recast following differences during the last Senate. The university has sent new proposals, however, there is a question mark over several entries.

The university budget was not ‘clearly’ passed in the last Senate. What could be the correct value of amounts shown collected under the title of examination fee, a professor asked.

The university has following government proposals proposed to upgrade the fee structure to the level of Guru Nanak Dev University. The hike was more than 100 per cent in several cases. The proposal was not accepted.

The university decided to restudy the matter. The university prospectus also does not have a mention of the fee structure.

The total revenue generation from fee is shown to be less than last year. Does this mean that university had decided not to hike the fee, he added.

The office note of the Finance and Development Officer in the budget agenda says that ‘the recasting of the budget estimates amounting to Rs 7808.45 lakh are submitted for approval. The Board of Finance, Syndicate and Senate have not approved the new and additional demands for 2000-2001, except provision under the depreciation fund’.

Revenue receipts from fee of examination (non-plan) is expected to be Rs 7,76,74,000 for 2000-2001. This would be lesser than that revised of 1999-2000 which is shown as Rs 10,58,38,000. The receipt from registration and certificates expected this year is Rs 1,15,01,000 as against Rs 1,20,00,000 for 1999-2000.

The budget also shows a move to transfer amounts to the corpus of the Foundation for Higher Education and Research. Due to non-receipt of grants from the two sharing governments, Punjab and the Centre, cheques worth Rs 824.01 lakh are still pending for depositing in the fund for the foundation. Both the governments have dues pending to the university.

Compartment exam datesheet out
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH June 25 — For the first time, the CBSE has placed students failing in two subjects in compartment. This has been done to safeguard the careers of the students, according to a CBSE communique.

Meanwhile, the CBSE has announced the datesheet for the compartment candidates. On August 3, the candidates will appear in all languages, including foreign languages, except English and Hindi.

On August 4, the exams for mathematics and music, both Hindustani and Carnatic, will be held. On August 5, elements of business, elements of book keeping and accountancy, English and Hindi typewriting (theory) will be held.

While the social science exam has been fixed for August 7, the English course (A and B) will be held on August 8. Hindi course (A and B) will be conducted on August 9.

The science exam with practical and without practical will be held on August 10.

Bhambri lays foundation stone of school
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA June 25 — The General Manager of the Tribune Trust, Mr S.D. Bhambri, laid the foundation stone of a nursery school at the Madanpura Co-op House Building Society of Tribune Mitra Vihar at Madanpur here today.

Speaking at the function, he said that the Darbari Lal Foundation would provide full support and aid for the entire development and planning of the project. He expressed the desire to teach English at the school after retirement.

Mr Bhambri added that it was the efforts of the members of the housing society which had resulted in development of the colony. The laying of the foundation stone for the school was one of the last development works which had been initiated at the premises.

The school, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh, will have a three-storeyed building with a basement. The school will be spread over 10,000 sq ft within the colony.

Earlier, the President of the society, Mr S.C. Sinha, welcomed Mr Bhambri.

CULTURE

Summer camp concludes
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH June 25 — The students participating in a summer school at KB DAV Centenary School presented ‘ghoomer’ on the concluding day of the camp. A dance was also performed by girls on the much popular ‘Barbie’ number. A colourful dance on ‘chidiyan’ was also performed by the students.

The camp concentrated on art and craft, dance and theatre. In the art and craft classes the children were taught to stain glass, make puppets out of egg shells, and masks. The art of ‘tie and dye’ was taught.

In the theatre class the participants were told about the ‘senses’. They were explained to enact the reactions after a particular stimulation was acted upon them.

The chief guest on the occasion was Mrs Madhu Bahl, The Principal of KB DAV school. She gave away the participation certificates to the participants of the camp.

Another workshop on computers and skating is on in the school which will conclude on June 30 and July 12, respectively.

Cultural programme on June 28
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH June 25 — The Chandigarh Press Club, Sector 27-B, in collaboration with the Besten Foundation, will hold a cultural evening on June 28 at 8 pm in the club.

Dance sequences, short play, skit, and solo presentations will be made by children who have been attending the summer workshop, which started in the club on June 15.

A magic show by the children under the guidance of the ‘Jadugar Samrat’, Mr Om Prakash Sehrawat, will also be presented. An exhibition-cum-sale of the soft toys and clay items will also be organised.

The Agriculture Minister of Haryana, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, will be the guest of honour for the evening.

Kathak workshop
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH June 25 — A kathak dance workshop is being organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, at its Kala Gram office, Mani Majra. It will continue till July 5.

Already, 50 children have been able to learn this Indian classical dance. Some of them have been selected for their performance at Manali during Manali Summer Festival, being held from June 26 to 28.