EDUCATION

Computer colleges oppose private help
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 19 — The Punjab Technical University has approved in principle to increase seats for the BCA course in four management colleges in the city from the current academic session.

The decision was taken at a meeting between university authorities and principals of 20 affiliated colleges, held on Thursday in Chandigarh. The meeting, however, could not arrive at a settlement on the contentious issue of involving a private company in

imparting computer education in these colleges as proposed by the state government early this year.

According to sources, the university was planning to begin some diploma and certificate courses in association with a private company. A memorandum of understanding was likely to be signed between the two parties under which the course outline and faculty for these courses could be provided by the latter, while the participating colleges would provide the building and infrastructure.

However, the proposal does not seem to have gone well with the college authorities as several representatives of these educational institutions openly resented the move. Authorities of all management colleges were of the view that involving a private company would mean commercialisation and privatisation of education.

The sources revealed that all those present at the meeting said the Punjab Government was being unfair to them by not utilising their faculty and giving away the charge to a private organisation. They claimed that the colleges could improve their facilities and begin such courses without any external help.

Dr H.S. Khuram, Vice-Chancellor, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, seemed firm on going ahead with the project. He said ‘‘For bringing about awareness on information technology, various experiments have to be performed and this decision was part of such an exercise”. He informed that negotiations were going on with Aptech Ltd and things would soon be finalised.

Meanwhile, at the meeting it was finalised to increase the seats for BCA at four colleges in the city. The seats have, however, been increased provisionally and the colleges have been directed to further increase their infrastructure. For Ludhiana colleges, 30 seats each have been allotted to Gujranwala Guru Nanak College, Punjab College of Technical Education and Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology. The Institute of Management Studies has been given 20 more seats.

PAU abuzz with election activity
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 19 —The Punjab Agricultural University is abuzz with political activity these days in preparation for the forthcoming elections of the Teachers’ Association.

According to returning officer, Dr G S Deol, Dr Hari Singh Brar contesting for the post of President announced his 15-member team yesterday, while Dr R S Brar, his opponent, announced his team of 13 members this morning.

Dr Deol further said all arrangements for free and fair elections were being made. The posts to be contested included president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and 10 councillors.

Dr R. K. Batra ( R. S. Brar group), who had served as President PAUTA for six terms is contesting for the post of general secretary,

Talking to The Tribune, he quoted a few achievements of his group. According to him, it was his group which ensured the inclusion of a representative of the teachers on the Board of Management and Academic Council of the university. He claimed that it was he who had initiated the teachers’ struggle for a proper transfer policy, though it was implemented during the regime of another group.

Defining their agenda for the next year he said, “It is to fight for the dignity of teachers which has been badly undermined”.

Dr H.S. Brar, Dr A.S . Joshi and Dr Madan Lal Gupta who are contesting for the posts of president, vice-president and secretary respectively have also made many promises.

Listing some of his achievements, Dr H.S. Brar said these included payment of the arrears of the revised UGC scales, notification for career advancement scheme for teachers and implementation of transfer policy.

Also, the benefit of leave of the kind due for availing a Commonwealth Fellowship or other scholarships has been granted to teachers. He claimed that a grant of advance increments to teachers holding Ph.D/M.Phil/M.E. /M.Tech degrees, doubling of the administrative allowance to hostel wardens, grant of benefit of higher qualifications to the retired teachers for their pension fixation were also due to his efforts.

The election is scheduled for Tuesday. The withdrawals are allowed till Sunday noon.

No hike in fee, students relieved
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 19 — The news that the Punjab government has dropped the proposal to hike fee in colleges and universities has brought a sigh of relief to all the students and their parents here.

While talking to the students in several colleges, it was seen that they were all happy with this roll back policy of the government. Most of them were of the view that the fee hike would have been an injustice with the students from financially weak backgrounds.

Says Vani, doing her BA, ‘‘The decision of the government is especially beneficial to the students who do not come from well-to-do families. The hike in fee would have stopped them from further pursuing their studies.’’

Gayatri, a BA student says, ‘‘When I read this news in the morning, I was very pleased. A hike in the fee would have deprived higher education from some bright but monetarily weak students.’’

Anchala, doing BA, says, ‘‘If education is made costly, several students will have to drop their studies thus causing a hindrance in their career.’’

Prabhjot Sandhu, in BA I, says, ‘‘I welcome the decision of the Pujab government. There are several other funds which the students have to pay and raising the tuition and admission fee would have created a burden on some financially weak students.’’

Ramandeep Singh, also in BA I, says, ‘‘It was a wise decision on the part of the government to stop the fee hike. If education is made costly, how will the youngsters from down-trodden families get a chance to progress in life.’’