The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Poor response to computer course
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 10 — Ninety candidates for 90 seats. This was the unusual situation at the entrance test for the postgraduate diploma in computer sciences and applications conducted by Panjab University in its affiliated colleges held at the Khalsa College for Women here today.

Out of the 102 candidates who had sent their applications, 90 appeared for the test. Three colleges were given affiliation by the university for the course. These include two local colleges, the Khalsa College for Women and Kamla Lohtia S.D. College, while the third one is R.S.D. College at Ferozepore. Each of these colleges has 30 seats. If all candidates manage to qualify the test, they would straightway get admission to the diploma course.

The reason for low response is said to be the delay in the date of test and the admission process.

Lecturers to follow UGC notifications
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 10 — More than 70 members of the Punjab Government College Teachers Association from 35 colleges assembled at Government College here today.

This was their first meeting after the last elections. The meeting was presided over by Mr Jaipal Singh and Mr Balwinder Singh, President and General Secretary, respectively, of the association.

The members of the association resolved to follow all the notifications released by the UGC recently. They said the government was misinterpreting these notifications. While the UGC guidelines stated that workload for every lecturer should be 40 hours per week and their availability in college or university be five hours a day, i.e., 30 hours a week, the government was insisting that they should stay back in the college for 40 hours a week.

They said according to UGC notifications, all lecturers were required to devote 16 hours to teaching, whereas they were devoting two hours more than that. They said they would not mark their attendance twice a day, as per the new instructions of the government. They added that they were marking attendance of students in registers and signing there, which was proof of their presence in the college. When absent, they were signing leave slips.

The members also decided to demand raising retirement age to 62 years. While private colleges and universities had specified the retirement age of 60 years, their retirement age was kept at 58 years.

They further said the government had specified that all lecturers must take refresher courses within this year, but courses for some subjects were not being offered and all those who were required to take the course were not being accommodated. They demanded that 600 posts lying vacant in the colleges must be filled soon and if some part-time teachers were appointed, they should be paid Rs 8000.

CULTURE

Mela Chhapar da, dooron wajan maarda
From D.B. Chopra

LUDHIANA, Sept 10 — Ever been to the biggest rural party of Punjab? There are no invitations, nor any announcements for the big event; yet the ancient Gugga Mari here is visited by lakhs of devouts towards the fag end of the month of Bhadon.

For three days on the trot, beginning the 28th of Bhadon every year, this party of mainly rustic people generates non-stop fun. Yes, that is Mela Chhapar that will begin on Sept 12.

Legend has it that once upon a time a woman was plucking cotton bulbs in a field as her infant lay under the shade of a kikar tree. The woman got so busy with her chore that she forgot about the child for quite some time. When she realised her oversight, the woman rushed to the tree. A big serpent had its huge hood spread over the child thus shielding it from the scorching summer sun. As soon as the serpent saw the approaching mother it vanished.

That was the beginning of snake worship at the site where later a Gugga Mari came up. Those who cannot bring their cattle to receive the blessings of Gugga Pir in body, bring their tethers instead which are placed in earth dug up by the hands of the devout in front of Gugga Mari.

The mela is known for its universal appeal. It has been aptly said that Mela Chhapar da, dooron wajan maarda — meaning, the fair of Chhapar beckons you from far.

Of late, the mela is being exploited by unscrupulous variety show organisers in connivance with the police. All that these variety shows, organised as cultural programmes, have to offer is display of vulgarity in varying proportions. These of course are great favourites with the young rural folk and tipsy merry-makers looking for instant fun.

The conferences which are organised by almost all political parties on the second day of the mela are, however, losing the pull they had until a few years ago. But despite the general antipathy towards politicians, a breed of men still exists that make it a point to listen to leaders of the day.

Extraordinary presence of the police for the past some years has been marring the spirit of the mela.

This year the mela would be a unique one for the unprecedented security measures that would throw the normal mela life out of gear.

The ancient village today is developing fast. The government middle school has been recently upgraded and shifted to the new premises near Gugga Mari. The vast barren area in front of the school, which is being used as playgrounds by the village boys, if developed can be a boon for the sports in the area.

The village sarpanch, Mr Zora Singh, is proud of the achievements of the village. The village has its own waterworks now. Three anganwari centres are also being run at the village.