The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Schools criticise board’s conduct
From Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana Aug 6 — Members of management committees of private-aided schools of Punjab demanded that instead of the Punjab School Education Board, Panjab University should be given the responsibility of conducting the Class X examinations in future.

A resolution regarding this was passed at a meeting in Dashmesh Senior Secondary School here yesterday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the "mismanagement" on part of the board in this year's examinations.

Mr Prem Chand Gupta, President of the management committee of private-aided schools, said the board had committed glaring mistakes in result preparation and pre-examination work. It was alleged that the board had allotted same series of roll numbers to three schools (Arya Girls Higher Secondary School, Hindi Putri Pathashala, Khanna, and Khalsa Girls Senior Secondary School). While the Class X results of Hindi Putri Pathshala had been declared, those of the other two schools had not been declared so far.

As the results of students of these schools have not been declared and admissions to Class XI in schools and colleges are over, students and their parents are sore over the board's conduct. According to Mr Gupta, when an 85-member team, including school administrators and parents, approached the Chairman of the board, only then it was found that many answer sheets had been lost.

Mr Gupta also said some students had even got 100 per cent marks in English, which had never happened before. Some students had even received two different matriculation certificates.

Members of the committee also expressed resentment over the decision of the board to increase the admission and registration charges for Class VIII students, besides the migration-certificate fee.

Officers back stir of jobless vet graduates
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana Aug 6 — Veterinary officers of Punjab have supported the ongoing agitation of the unemployed veterinary graduates and students of the College of Veterinary Science, PAU, who are on strike since August 1.

According to Dr Paramjit Singh, Secretary of Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association (PSVOA), a meeting was held here today under the presidentship of Dr Gurcharan Singh Chahal.

Dr Chahal asserted that despite Punjab being the highest milk producing state, the veterinary graduates were jobless. The veterinary dispensaries are being run by pharmacists. To provide better health services to the livestock, the association has been demanding that veterinary officers be posted in more than 1,500 dispensaries of the Animal Husbandry Department.

Dr Paramjeet Singh said as per Section 30 (b) of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, "No person other than a registered veterinary practitioner shall practice veterinary medicine in any state." It further reads, "A person holding a certificate or diploma, under the supervision and direction of registered veterinary practitioner, can give minor veterinary services."

This means that even for providing minor veterinary aid in dispensaries, the post of a veterinary doctor is must. A pharmacist cannot be posted alone in a dispensary, as it is violation of the IVC Act.

DEO shielding steno: front
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana Aug 6 — The Punjab Democratic Teachers Front has condemned the inaction on the part of the education department against a stenographer of the District Education Officer (DEO), Mrs Usha Sidhu, Ludhiana, for using insulting language against a woman teacher in the presence of the DEO on July 26 in the latter's office.

This was stated in a joint press release issued by the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, the District Teachers Federation and the Government Teachers Union after a meeting held here today. The teacher leaders claimed that by issuing self-contradictory statements, the DEO was trying to shield her stenographer. The teachers' union had appealed to the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, to shift the stenographer and order an inquiry.

It is also alleged that the DEO had violated the pronounced policy of the Education Minister by shifting male teachers to Government Senior Secondary Girls School, Khanna, and that several genuine cases of women teachers who had applied for transfer were left out and males were given preference.

The union have also decided to hold a rally at Khanna on August 11 in order to protest against injustice. It is also stated that the Education Minister had not yet initiated action and an early step should be taken.

New club formed in school
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana Aug 6 — When civilization began, first tree was cut. When the last tree is cut, it will be the end of civilization. To plant new trees, the New Interact Club was formed today in New Senior Secondary School. It is sponsored by the Rotary Club.

Ambika was made the President of the club, and Gaurav its Secretary. Many students like Ragini, Jyotika, Honey, Chetna, Vivek and Ritin were joined the club.

Mr Harbhajan Singh, Dr D. Vij, Mr Sunil Mariya and Dr Dhand urged students to help in making Earth a better place to live.

Ms Meera Puri, Secretary of Rotary Club, said the club had been formed to make youngsters aware of their responsibility towards protecting the environment.

CULTURE

Ghasiram Kotwal comes to city on Aug 12
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA Aug 6 — The Ludhiana Sanskrit Samagam (LSS) will organise the presentation of a famous play, Ghasiram Kotwal, written by renowned Vijay Tendulkar, on August 12 at the Guru Nanak Dev Bhavan auditorium, here.

The play will be first presentation in the city by artistes of National School of Drama (NSD). The school has been a fountainhead of theatre in India for about four decades. Headed by eminent personalities like Om Shivpuri, Manohar Singh, Uttara Bhawkar, Surekha Sikri and currently, Prof Ram Gopal Bajaj, it has also contributed to cinema and television.

Ghasiram Kotwal is a powerful play and has never lost its freshness. The cast consists of a 55-member team of talented artistes, musicians and dancers. The original text in Marathi has been translated by Vasant Dev and music is by Mohan Upreti. The play is directed by veteran theatre director Rajinder Nath who was awarded the Sangeet Natak Academy award in 1977 for his contribution to theatre.

The LSS, a voluntary organisation, floated in January, 1999, has promoted the best in performing arts at Ludhiana. Eminent artistes such as santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and his son Rahul Sharma, famous vocalist, Shankar Mahadevan, renowned percussionists Taufiq Qureshi and Shivamani, sarod maestro Ustad Biswajeet Roy Chowdhury the queen of Indian classical music Shubha Mudgal, renowned qawwali singer Altaf Raja, famous Bharatnatyam dancer, Navtej Johar, classical vocalist, Rekha Surya, have performed at the programmes organised by the LSS.

Another feather to it's cap was the performance of the creative dance troupe of the late Ananda Shankar and his wife Tanusree Shankar. The play Khamosh! Adalat Jari Hai of Barry John of the Theatre Action Group has also been staged by them. Ghasiram Kotwal will be the 11th programme being organised by the LSS within one year of it's inception.

According to Mr S.K. Rai, General Secretary of the LSS, the programme is open to everybody, whether they are members of LSS or not.

The Guru Nanak Dev Bhavan auditorium, where the play will be staged, is a state-of-the-art auditorium built and inaugurated recently by the district administration with the efforts of the local industrialists. It fulfills the long-pending need of the city for a modern theatre.

A budding poetess
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana Aug 6 — Poetry comes naturally to Jimmy Khullar, who writes under the pseudonym 'Pratibha.'

Her father, Mr V.K. Khullar, spotted her talent and encouraged her. Today the number of poems written by her has reached 500. Though writing poetry in Hindi is her forte but she also writes in Punjabi, English and Urdu.

Jimmy started writing when she was in Class VIII. Presently studying in R.S. Model Senior Secondary School. She has won many prizes for excelling in academics also.

Her room was the best place for writing, she said. She is quick at writing what she observes. She writes on current topics, human relations, animals, social evils, etc. She writes ghazals and geet and wishes that people dance to the tune of her lyrics one day.

She aims at becoming a lyricist and remove the vulgarity of today's music world.

The rough proof of her book has already been published which is named ‘Chal Akela’.