The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

PU offers to host AIU meeting
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 6 — The Panjab University Syndicate has cleared a proposal of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) asking for an offer to host the 76th annual meeting of the AIU in November, 2001.

Sources said that the annual meeting would be attended by nearly 130 delegates, including about 100 vice-chancellors of Indian universities, foreign representatives and officers from the University Grants Commission and the Ministry for Human Resource Development.

The meeting is rotated annually among four zones. It is the turn of the North Zone this time. A letter of Prof K.B. Pawar, secretary-general of the AIU, to Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice- Chancellor recently was quoted.

The office of the International Tax Directorate , Canada, has responded to a letter of PU seeking a tax rebate on donations to the campus. A final decision is yet to be communicated.

In a change in qualification of a section of those in the clerks’ grade, besides a minimum second class at the graduation level, the applicant will also be expected to have proficiency in computer application.

Mr Kehar Singh raised the issue of the reservation policy. He said that in the teaching faculty there had been negligible addition to the reserved class despite candidates having the required qualifications.

Sources said that a resolution of Prof R.D. Anand thanked the Chancellor for appointing Professor Pathak as the Vice-Chancellor, which was passed by the House. A resolution thanking a Chancellor, Mr Krishan Kant this time, has probably been placed for the first time in the House.

Members mentioned a flaw on the part of the university in following the UGC proposal on retirement. The age of superannuation was increased from 60 to 62. The proposal, dated July 1998, came into effect on November, 1998. This affected some teachers who retired during this period.

Prof Charanjit Chawla raised the issue of the updating of the examination system. The delay in the conduct of examinations as well as the declaration of results put the entire system “out of gear”. The Vice-Chancellor, a few days ago, had mentioned the issue while addressing a rally of non-teaching employees.

The appointment of Prof V.K. Bansal as Dean, Student Welfare led to debate. Prof Dinesh Kumar, Dean Alumni, had earlier asked for relieving orders. Following the extension in Professor Bansal’s term, he has also come back as a Dean. Members , mainly Mr Gopal Krishan Chatrath Prof Ram Prakash and Ms Sneh Mahajan, argued on the matter at great length.

The Government College for Girls, Sector 11 has been allowed to offer the MA ( Economics) course. The university gave extension in affiliation to the local Dhanvantry College on condition that a special committee would keep watch. Government College, Sector 46, can offer the Master of Commerce course.

Students on the campus will have to pay Rs 15 as annual film fee. A resolution of Professor Bansal saying that Sarojini Hall residents pay Rs 10 for a fund for the lift facility was also cleared.

PU Student Centre in a shambles
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 6 — The Student Centre in Panjab University today bears a shambled look. A centre for all-round activity surely deserved a better look to match up with reputation of the institution.

An extreme corner next to the fountains is in ruins. Overgrowth of grass and weeds can be seen in an area crowded with students.

One big blot on the centre is the construction activity. The building work of the exteriors is nearly finished. A research scholar pointed out that the university could at least clean the building material scattered all over.

A senior teacher said the construction at the centre was “ unwanted”. “There is no need for extensions in the existing structure or for more shops as the university campus has a shopping complex for nearly all kinds of commodities. More shops at the centre will only lead to crowding, marring the beauty of the centre”, he added.

The centre is covered from sides with tall trees. The degeneration of these trees is slow but visible.

During the monsoons, there is a problem for those going to the centre from the Botany Department and hostel IV sides as the way is filled with knee-deep water.

The stink in toilets at the centre has been persisting over the past several months. Poor water supply has been reported. The curtains in the games room are in a poor condition and several carrom-boards definitely need a change.

The area around the centre had flower-beds, a university employee said. All flowers are missing now. One can often find polythene bags floating on the water while several others lie all around the area.

The parking has been a miserable sight since long at the centre. A sizeable extension has been created. However, the old area seems to be the favourite spot for parking vehicles.

A night of nostalgia for Saikapians
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Aug 6 —Old boys of Sainik School Kapurthala, nicknamed Saikapians, met after 10 years at an impressive get-together party at a local resort on Saturday.

The function was to honour heros of Kargil war. For the Saikapians it was a night of getting nostalgic."The meet was attended by nearly 200 Saikapians and their family members", told Mr Pramod Goel, secretary of the Saikap Old Boys Associations.

Mr H.S.Mattewal, Advocate-General, Punjab, and the President of the association, said, "It is a great occasion and I am feeling like a teenager once again". Other distinguished Saikapians were Brig M.P.S. Bajwa, hero of the Tiger Hills, Mr S.S. Sidhu, President, Chandigarh Golf Club, and many officers of the three armed forces.

Brig Bajwa popularly known as 001 among the fellow Saikapians said, "The victory won by us at Kargil is devoted to my school". Mr Mohinder Kumar, the junior most at the gathering, was feeling great as he got a chance to meet some of the heros of the Kargil. "I wish I too had joined the Army", he said. He is doing MSc in anthropology at Panjab University.

The school was established in 1961 at the palace of Maharaja of Kapurthala by the Defence Ministry. "The idea behind setting up the school was to incorporate the feeling of patriotism and prepare the youngsters to join the armed forces", said Mr G.P. Mittal, a retired teacher of the school.