The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Computer education in all schools soon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 9 — The Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Lieut-Gen JFR Jacob (retd), has called for taking measures to widen the reach of Internet to rural areas and slums to make it a medium of masses.

He was speaking during a seminar on "Internet in education" organised by egurucool.com here today. He formally handed over the letter of intent, presenting five computers to children of night schools gifted by the egurucool.com.

He said the Internet had failed to reach the rural areas of the country and hence was not able to become a complete medium of masses. He said that it was due to the fact that it was dependent on a computer as a medium.

He also said that Internet was an expensive medium and the middle-class people were not able to access the same.

The Governor thanked the company for presenting computers to slum children and expressed the hope that it would adopt these schools and chalk out a computer education programme for them. He expressed happiness at the noble gesture of egurucool.com and said that slum children of night schools would be the first among the students of government schools to get computer education.

He further said that the Administration had drawn a plan to introduce computer education in all schools.

Earlier, Mr R.S.Sandhu, Secretary, Education, termed Internet as the biggest knowledge and resource bank that had the ability to reach across physical and political boundaries.

Mr N.S.Kalsi, Director-cum-Special Secretary, Technical Education, Government of Punjab, said that almost all educational institutes in the state were offering IT as an elective or compulsory course. He said that 2,500 government schools started with IT as an elective subject and rest of the schools would be made to follow suit within next two years.

Among other who were present on the occasion were Ms Neelambri S. Rao, Head, Educational Projects, Mr Vivek Aggarwal, CEO, egurucool.com and Ms Vanita Rai, Advisor, UT Administration.

Ragging within limits... Yes please!
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 9 — Remember your first day in college? Dressed in your best clothes, new books clutched close, pen in hand, confused looks trying to locate your classroom and ever watchful of the seniors. Is he the one? Or is she? Should I go towards them or not? Will they rag me?

Ragging, the dreaded word of our first days in college now seems to have lost its importance. Colleges have banned ragging in the classrooms and hostels, and most of the city colleges have police men and women guarding the freshers from their seniors. But do the freshers want to be “safe” from their seniors or would they like to enjoy a little session of “introduction” with them? Lets find out:

Aman of BA I, a fresher to GCG-11, says, “Ragging is a friendly way of making friends and getting to know your seniors. But it should be a positive way of knowing each other, not a negative one in which there is a feeling of being insulted or being disgraced.”

Shumeet of B.Com I, also from GCG-11, says, “Ragging is something which should be kept within limits. If one is asked to introduce oneself or maybe sing a song or asked about one’s hobbies, then its alright. In fact ragging of this variety is welcome.

Shubhra Choudhry, a newcomer to GGDSD college, Sector 32, says,” Ragging is an essential part of the first few days in college. In fact it is quite boring that there is no ragging in colleges anymore. Ragging should be a fun filled experience. I don’t see a problem if we are asked to dance and sing.”

Harneet Singh of BA I in the same college says, “There is no college life without ragging. Ragging should be polite, not rude, the way it ends up becoming. Ragging should never hurt the feelings of the persons being ragged. There is no harm in being asked to propose to a girl or even go to her and give flowers. In fact this is a way to break the ice between the freshers and the seniors.”

Nikhilesh of BA I of GGDSD college says, “ This college is known for ragging, but ragging should be innocent. Seniors should not try and play a power game with the freshers. There should be no teasing which would insult the other person. Ragging should be about asking funny questions from the freshers, their introductions etc. I also feel that the boys should be allowed to rag girls in co-ed colleges and it should be a positive interaction not a negative one.”

Sunil Kumar of BA III in DAV College, Sector 10, says, “I feel there should be no ragging. We are here to help the newcomers and not to trouble them. As it is they are rather confused and trying to find their way around .”

Harsharan of BA III year in DAV College, Sector 10, says,” No, there should be no ragging. In fact, if someone tries to rag the freshers we are here to save them. No one in the college will trouble the newcomer.”

Paramjit of GGDSD College, Sector 32, says, “Yes I think boys should be allowed to rag the girls. But then limits have to be maintained. There should be no disgraceful remarks,only introductions, joking and sharing experiences with each other. A friendly interaction is what we look forward to.”

Sancharika of BA I at Government College, Sector 46,says,” There should be no ragging at all in any college. It is a mental torture to be ragged. Ragging is acceptable only if certain limits are maintained, but there rarely happens. Once ragging starts, the seniors try to go beyond the limits of decency. That is when all the problems start. Its insulting to answer indecent questions.”

Santa Singh of the same college says, “Ragging is something which can be a beautiful experience to remember if it is done properly, but it could be very horrifying if the seniors are out to insult you and enjoy themselves at your expense. “Jaspreet, another fresher from GCG-11 says,” ragging should include only mild introductions, maybe singing of songs, but should not go beyond that. Ragging of the cheap variety is best avoided.”

Jatinder Kumar, a senior of government College, Sector 46 says,” Ragging is very important to get introduced to the newcomers and should not be banned. If we get an opportunity we will rag the newcomers. It is an essential part of college life and one should remember that those who are ragged in their first years will rag the freshers when they become seniors. So its a circle which goes on and on. Infact the principal should cooperate and allow us to rag our juniors.”

COURTS

Salary arrear case for provisional liquidator
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 9 — Disposing of a petition by the Punwire Executive Welfare Association seeking directions for the release of salary arrears, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today relegated the petitioners before the provisional liquidator or the Company Judge.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court, Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice K.C. Gupta observed: "We have been told that the Company Judge of this court has been appointed for Punwire. Since a provisional liquidator has been appointed by the Company Judge, we consider it appropriate and in the fitness of things, to dispose of this writ petition by relegating the petitioners before the provisional liquidator / Company Judge in accordance with law for the relief claimed in the present writ petition".

It may be recalled that Mr Justice J.S. Khehar while appointing a provisional liquidator had earlier ordered that he would forthwith take charge of the assets and affairs of Punwire.

Justice Khehar had observed: "The liabilities of the company are mounting from year to year. The losses in the past two years have jumped up to Rs 200 crore and the admitted debt is Rs 300 crore. Besides, the wages to the tune of Rs 13 to Rs 14 crore are payable to its employees".

Justice Khehar had also observed: "None of the creditor has been paid for the past two years, even the employees of the company have not been paid for over a year".

In his 11 page order, Justice Khehar had observed: "In my view, there is absolutely no possibility for the revival of the company and in the view of the facts it is just and proper to appoint a provisional liquidator who can take the present assets of the company into his custody so that its assets do not wither away merely with the passage of time, there being no effective management in control of the company".