EDUCATION

Workshop on curriculum
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — A two-day national workshop on revamping the curriculum of various polytechnics of the country begins at the Technical Teacher Training Institute here tomorrow. The workshop on curriculum development will be inaugurated by Dr K. Balaveera Reddy, Chairman, All-India Board of Technical Education.

During this workshop, deliberations will be made to make the curriculum of the polytechnics compatible with the latest technical developments all over the world due to computerisation, automation, miniaturisation and the evolving world of information technology on different aspects of teaching and the learning procedures in the polytechnics.

As a result of these developments, the technical man power profile at different levels is undergoing changes. The experts in the field of technical education say that this will ultimately affect the training of technician engineers who are the backbone of shop-floor operations and management. During this workshop, about 100 delegates from all over the country will deliberate on issues like designing competency based curriculum. Besides various other issues, extent of information technology and computer applications to be incorporated in the curriculum will also be determined.

Hostel residents for better facilities
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — There is something about university life that day scholars will never know. The way the hot cup of steaming tea is served in the TV room of the hostel when you are watching your favourite TV show huddled closely with your friends in winters, those hectic beginnings to the day, the crowd in the bathroom, the wait for the aloo ka paranthas in the canteen and that run to the Department. It’s all that you miss when you leave the university hostels and remember the days you spent there as the best days of your life.

Despite many complaints, ask any one who has been living in the hostel for more than a year, and he will say be in love with the life here and does not want to leave after the course is over.

What does the hostel provide? “It’s our home for these two years and if we are allowed by our parents may be more.” And what do they like the most about the life in the hostel? “Oh the freedom, the sense of responsibility and the realisation that we are on our own,” says an enthusiastic group of newcomers to the hostel.

How is the food? “The food is OK but leaves a lot to be desired,” agree everyone. It is generally believed that the food at the girls hostels is slightly inferior to the food at the boys hostels. Even in boys hostels, there is a difference in the quality of food served. The boys hostels number 3 and 5 are running a cooperative mess along with the contractor mess. Boys in these hostels feel that the cooperative mess food is better as it involves the boys themselves in the process of getting the food cooked. “We have volunteers working under a mess committee who go and buy the raw materials themselves and supervise the cooking process. So the end result is better. And the cost is divided among the students.” says Rajiv of the Psychology Department, an inmate of hostel number 5.

The biggest benefit the boys hostels has from the cooperative mess is during the time when the session ends and the contract mess closes and the boys run around outside managing their meals. The cooperative mess works in these periods too and is a big boon to a hostel resident during exams. But is the cooperative mess more expensive? “Yes there is a difference but it is not very large. May be Rs 100 a month more but the quality of food is better.”

What about other facilities? There is a perpetual complaint about the water shortage in the hostels. “In the mornings if you are not an early bird you will have to go to the department without a bath,” says Aradhana, an inmate of Kasturba Hall. “It seems cleanliness of bathrooms is the next biggest problem these hostels are facing. “What is required is a strict schedule of sweepers and safai karamcharis to keep the bathrooms clean. It is the most hated part of the experience of staying in the hostel,” says Amangurbir, another inmate. It seems that the sweepers are supposed to clean the rooms and the corridors but this is done only at the boys hostel. “At the girls hostels cleaning of the rooms by the safai karamcharis is not done and even if someone gets it done you have to pay a monthly sum,” says Bhawna Sood, an inmate of Sarojini Hall.

“The geysers do not work and in winters we use rods and then the electricity bills are exorbitant. There are few geysers,” says Deepa, an inmate of Kasturba Hall.

In Sarojini Hall some floors have geysers in the bathrooms while others have one each on the whole floor. Here again, the top floors have ceiling fans while the lower floors have the table fans on the side wall. Those on the top floors have problems of leaking roofs during the rainy season,” says Minu Maninder, an inmate of the hostel.

There have been demands at the boys hostels for better equipped gymnasiums and parking places which can accommodate the growing number of cars.

COURTS

HC order on Senate poll
By Our Legal Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed holding of election to 15 Panjab University Senate seats from the registered graduates constituency as per the schedule of election announced by the university, but directed not to announce the results of the same till the pendency of the writ petition filed by Dr Ajaib Singh, one of the candidates for the election, who had filed a writ petition challenging the order of the Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh, debarring him from contesting the election. The Bench reserved its judgement on the writ petition.

The order was pronounced by a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice Amarbir Singh Gill and Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal, after hearing arguments of counsel for the parties for three days. The Bench had earlier stayed the operation of the order of the Vice-Chancellor rejecting the nomination papers of Dr Ajaib Singh on the ground that as per the provisions of the Panjab University Act, he was not eligible to contest the election of the Senate.

The objections against the nomination of Dr Ajaib Singh were raised by two other candidates and one voter, Dr B.M. Singh.

Earlier to this the nomination papers of Dr Ajaib Singh were accepted by the Returning Officer but the Vice-Chancellor of the university, in appeal, had ordered that under Regulation 8 of the Election Regulations, Panjab University Calendar, he was not eligible to contest.

During the arguments raised on behalf of Dr Ajaib Singh, it was contended that Regulation 8 of the Election Regulations was ultra-vires Section 38 of the Panjab University Act which provides that any question regarding the eligibility of a person is to be referred to the Chancellor and, therefore, the Vice-Chancellor had no power under the Act to declare the petitioner ineligible. Rebutting the above arguments on behalf of the university, it was contended by the counsel that Section 38 provides only a post-election remedy by way of an election petition whereas the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to reject the nomination papers was an act which formed part of the election. He submitted that Regulation 17 (8) provides that any objections against the decision of the Returning Officer to entertain a nomination paper or regarding validity of nomination shall be decided by the Vice-Chancellor within five days of the decision of the Returning Officer. According to him, the Vice-Chancellor had correctly exercised his jurisdiction because, according to him, the Panjab University Act provides that an wholetime employee of the university, who is not on teaching side, cannot seek election to any of the bodies of the university.

Ranjit Bajaj case

Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar of the High Court today directed Mr Ranjit Bajaj, son of an IAS couple, Mr B.R. Bajaj and Mrs Rupan Deol Bajaj, to be present in the court on September 25 in connection with a contempt case pending against him, in the High Court.

The High Court had earlier issued a suo motu notice for contempt to him for the alleged violation of the order of the High Court in connection with prohibiting the use of tinted glasses in a car driven by him.

Today counsel for UT, Chandigarh, told the court that the car which Ranjit was driving that day was having a fictitious numberplate. Taking serious note of the matter the judge summoned Ranjit in the court.

Bail plea rejected
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C Godara, today dismissed the bail application of a Palsora resident in a kidnapping case. It was alleged that Ranbir Singh had kidnapped Rajni with the help of his wife in July and kept her at Nasria village. It was also alleged that the accused had compelled the girl to marry 40-year-old Abhilash and a relative had tried to rape the girl. Counsel for the accused argued that the girl had gone with the accused with consent. The judge observed that the accused had committed serious crime and, therefore, could not be granted bail.

Bail in cheating case
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — Budhi Singh released on bail by the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge in a cheating case. The complainant, a manager of a Mani Majra bank, had alleged that the accused was working as a clerk and did not submit Rs 1.5 lakh which he was supposed to submit to the bank. The accused was released on furnishing a bond for Rs 20,000 and surety in the like amount.

CULTURE

Gwalior gharana exponent to perform in city
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — In the coming few days the city will witness a recital by a great exponent of the Gwalior gharana of Hindustani classical music. Laxman Krishnarao Pandit, who represents the oldest tradition and is the fifth in an unbroken lineage of legendary musicians, will be here on September 16.

The vocalist will be here on an invitation by the Department of Public Relations and Cultural Affairs, Haryana. He will perform at Tagore Theatre.

Laxman Krishnarao was born in a family of musicians on March 5, 1934. His grandfather, Pt Shankarrao Pandit, was a direct disciple of the founders of the Gwalior gharana — Ustad Haddu, Nathu and Nissar Hussain Khan. His father Padma Bhushan Krishnarao Shankar Pandit, trained Panditji right from his childhood days in khayaal, tappa, tarana, ashtapadi and thumri.

The accuracy of his notes is legendary and his khayaal gayaki is unparalleled. He follows the Gwalior gharana tradition faithfully. He has, however, gained tremendous significance in the form of a guru and has produced some great disciples, including his daughter, Meeta. He has also been associated with the faculty of Music and Fine Arts, Delhi University, as professor.

He is a gifted composer and has presented a popular serial on music appreciation, Prabhati, for television. He has worked with All India Radio as a producer of music programmes. Apart from that he is a serious scholar and is currently busy in documenting the styles and compositions of his gharana, with a view to preserving the same for posterity. Panditji has to his credit several thousand concerts, radio and television performances in India and abroad.

Self-expression through sculptures
By Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 13 — When it comes to self expression, there is no medium better than art. This feeling gets redefined after a visit to the ongoing sculpture workshop at the Government College of Arts, Sector 10, where about 20 students are busy laying hands on clay — realising, creating and recreating their ideas.

Guiding the bunch of artists from the third and the fourth year of the college is an experienced sculptor who is credited with none less than an award for designing the President’s Plaque for HUDCO in 1990. In just three days, Delhi-based Kirpal Singh has already established a strong rapport with the team of students he is supposed to guide. And what most students have liked about him is his sense of honesty when it comes to art.

Says Sakshi, who is working on a reclining human figure in clay, “He is encouraging the freedom of thought, and is helping us shed inhibitions. There is no restriction of medium. While most of us are making the basic armature with clay, later we will all cast the image in any medium as per our taste: fibre glass, cement, metal or plaster of paris.”

Independence is the focus of creation here. Says Kirpal Singh, “Self expression must have credence over everything else. An artist must not consciously guide himself and he should also not feel fearful about his imagination. Anything can be beautiful, provided you have the sensitivity to view it. “

An MFA from the Delhi College of Arts, Kirpal has been working mainly in clay, terracota, and metal, but as far as specialisation goes, “my favourites are fibre glass and I use very few tools. Natural is preferred,” says the sculptor who is currently guiding the students on various human forms, from intricate to well laid-out ones.

The first day of the workshop was all introductory. Says Gunjeet, another student, “He was concentrating on the concept of liberty. Anything which lies shackled cannot be art because it will not reflect beauty. We are being taught that the purpose of art is more than just commercial. It has something to do with self realisation.”

Admitted the visiting sculptor, “Meaning in art is significant. That does not mean that one is creating with an intention to bare his heart to those viewing his creations. All it means is that any work of art should automatically find social relevance. It should be so true to life, and so honestly created that people can’t help but identify with it, no matter how vague it come across to be. Novelty is also very important.”

Kirpal himself began as a novice in the field. His life took a turn for what he calls “the best”, when one day he was asked by a professor in art to sculpt something. “I had come out with the figure of a child playing with a buffalo. The creation was instant, yet striking. That was when I decided to take the examination of fine arts. I had, however, little belief that I would pass the same.”

Art then took Kirpal places. From attending various group shows and winning several prestigious awards in sculpture (like the Rajiv Gandhi and the Indo-German scholarship) to guiding various aspirants, Kirpal has never looked back. He is about to hold his solo exhibition in Sridharni, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, and is working very hard for the same.

At present, however, his undivided attention lies with the students under his tutelage. And he wants to go back home with a satisfaction that he has been able to help those students transform their feelings into works of art.

The workshop, which is in full swing with the young artists creating armatures, may well be extended beyond Friday, for the students want to learn even more from Kirpal.