EDUCATION

CBSE gives them chance, PU doesn’t
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — A number of CBSE students who have been placed in compartment in the Class XII examination are finding it difficult to get admission in undergraduate courses of Panjab University.

The board and the university have different criterion for the minimum marks required to place a candidate under the category ‘eligible for compartment’. The university calendar says that a student should have secured at least 20 per cent marks to be eligible for the special test. The board accommodates even candidates with less marks.

Many principals say that a number of students in this category may lose an academic year. Students who pass compartment examination of the CBSE in August are also denied admissions by the university, which says that a student cannot pass two classes in one year.

On being asked if such students of the BA courses could take the examination for the next class, why should the Class XII students be denied a chance, a principal said the eligibility criterion set by the university were a hindrance.

There has also been a correspondence in the past, saying that the RL-category students of Class XII were not considered for admission. Mr P.S. Sangha, Principal of the Sector 26 Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, said the CBSE compartment-test results declared after August were not accepted by the PU.

Ms Mohini Sharma, Principal of the Sector 42 Government College for Girls, said, “it will not be wrong if we tell students who secure less than 20 per cent marks that they have failed. Otherwise, the university and CBSE should devise a common eligibility criteria. Major D.P. Singh, Principal of the Sector 46 Government College, said that such students may lose an academic year under these conditions. He said the difference in the eligibility criterion was affecting a number of students.

Ms Vijaya Lakshmi, Principal of the Sector 11 Government College for Girls, said, under these conditions, there was hardly any scope for such students to get a seat in good institutes. In her college, the cut-off percentage of marks for admission to the BA-I course has been 60. This high cut-off was also set in several other institutes of the city.

Students who want to join the BA courses can seek admission to colleges as private candidates for the first year and join the regular classes in the second year. However, students interested in joining science courses were at a loss, it was said.

Computer education in colleges
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, Sept 14 — The Punjab Government has decided to provide computer education to the college students and for this purpose Government College, Dera Bassi, has been selected.

This is the first college in the district in which the students of all the classes are being given computer education on the payment of Rs 125 per head through a computer institute. For this purpose 10 computers have been installed in the college.

The classes have been divided into five batches having 10 students each.

According to sources 90 per cent of the revenue generated by this process will be owned by the computer institute and the rest 10 per cent would be shared by the Punjab Government and the college authorities equally.

Conference
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — A press conference of the Independent Schools Association was held at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, here today. The basic agenda of the programme will be inaugurated by Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), Administrator, UT on September 16.

The theme of the conference will be the quest for the quality based education. The basic thrust will be how to dispense quality education in schools. Various problems of independent schools will be highlighted.

Workshop on curriculum development
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — Proper links between polytechnics and sources of recruitment have to be established to develop the maximum employment opportunities for students, observed Mr Yashpal Mahajan, Chairman, Board of Governors, Technical Teachers Training Institute (TTTI), while speaking at the inauguration of a national workshop on curriculum development here today.

The other prominent speakers included Dr Rupinder Gupta, Principal, Indo-Swiss Training Centre, Chandigarh, Mr Shamim Uddin, Secretary, Technical Education, Madhya Pradesh, Dr G. Babu Rao, Professor, TTTI, Chennai, Dr W.K. Sharma, Additional Director, Technical Education, Karnataka, Mr B.B. Krishna Rao, Secretary, Technical Education, Andhra Pradesh, and Mr G.N. Lone, World Bank Project Coordinator, Jammu and Kashmir..

Lalru students win quiz contest
From Our Correspondent

LALRU, Sept 14 — Students of Golden Public School, 3 km from here, have bagged the top positions in the Bournvita quiz competition held in Ambala cantonment.

More than 1,200 students from various schools in Ambala city and cantonment participated in this on-the-spot painting competition for three age groups.

Ruxil Sarkar, Chetan Chaudhary and Probhita Sarkar won the first positions in age groups, below seven years, seven to 12-years and 12 and above.

Pawan and Shreya will go to take part in a national level Bournvita quiz competition scheduled to be held in Mumbai on September 26.

IT regional centre inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Sept 14 — The Vice-Chancellor of Panjabi University, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, today called upon students to update their knowledge and skills to meet the new challenges being thrown by information technology.

Dr Ahluwalia, who was inaugurating the university’s Regional Centre for Management and Information Technology here, said in the rapidly changing world only those countries would have a say in the political and economic fields which kept pace with the changing needs of society and the economy.

He said it was the dream of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to bring about a computer revolution and the opening of the computer centre here was a step in that direction. The first one was opened at Jaitu last year.

The Vice-Chancellor said the university was working for the establishment of a law college at Faridkot and a B.Ed college at Bathinda.

Dr B.S. Bhatia, Registrar, welcomed the guests and Dr Kuldeep Singh Dhir, Dean, Academic Affairs, presented the vote of thanks.

COURTS

Directive to CMO in custodial death case
By Our Legal Correspondent

It was alleged that Mahindo was dragged in to the street by the police. The High Court had appointed a Warrant Officer, who was told that alleged detainee were arrested in a case under the N.D.P.S. Act. He was also told that the defence had been taken to Hoshiarpur for producing him in court on September 6. The detainees were remanded in police custody and during custody they were tortured. Consequently Chuhar Singh died on September 9 in the Civil Hospital while Ms Mahindo was being treated at the Civil Hospital for injuries.

Riar released on bail
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Chandigarh, Mr Gurpartap Singh Riar, was today released on bail by the UT Judicial Magistrate(1st class), in the defamation case filed by Ms Harjinder Kaur, former Deputy Mayor and Municipal Councillor, Chandigarh.

The non-bailable warrants against the accused, who had failed to appear before the court on last hearing, were issued by the Judge on September 12.

Today counsel argued that the accused was not aware of the exact date. The judge observed that the accused had no intention to remain absent from the court and released him on furnishing a bond of Rs 15,000.

Judicial remand for Gurmeet Kaur
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — Gurmeet Kaur, mother-in-law of cricketer Yog Raj Singh, was today sent to judicial remand by the UT Judicial Magistrate (1st Class) till September 27 in connection with adulteration in petrol.

The police had arrested the accused yesterday under Sections 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and the Essential Commodity Act.

CULTURE

Making magical images out of dull iron
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — There is much more to the creations laid out at the Art Folio than their visual appeal. As the eyes rest on delectable images created with skill out of wrought iron, a strange sense of mysticism dawns upon the mind. For each piece on display seems to have been inspired by mythology.

Harminder Singh, the man behind the show, admits: “Anybody can create a stool or a table or a candle stand. What matters is how much sense one has been able to inject into a particular piece of art. When I decided to come up with an exhibition of my works in iron grafting at the Art Folio, I wanted the visitors to know me as an artist more than as an industrialist that I am.”

Harminder Singh, the owner of Iron Art (that is what he calls his workplace in Industrial Area), has ventured into commercial wrought iron making very recently. But going by the maturity of his works, one can trace the history of his skill. “As a child it was clay which fascinated me. As an adult I was drawn towards wrought iron because I always felt very comfortable with the medium. I felt that I could express myself through iron,” says Harminder.

That he was serious about what he is making is clear from the fact that he has invested a lot of effort in each piece which he is showing up in the an exhibition which opened today at Art Folio till September 19.

The variety is immense and so is the range. Come to talk about quality, it is as convincing as the beauty of the concepts. The collection comprises almost anything the mind can conceive of — corner stands, candle stands, chairs of iron finished with cane and a variety of mirrors which draw special attention for the exotic element they portray.

There is one mirror which is accessorized with side stands and a bowl. The product priced at Rs 3,600 has been designed on order. Says Harminder Singh, “A young lady came asking for a mirror which can add flavour to her dull room. She said she had no space to keep a dressing table. Hence the product.”

Candle stands are based on interesting concepts. There is one which reflects the Adishakti and the critical balance, and yet another which is in the shape of Lord Ganesha. The price is nominal — Rs 250 each.

The most attractive of all products is the iron furniture with cane finish. “This idea is novel in the field. I am working on more such pieces and in the long run I would keep my focus on exports,” informed Harminder. Ganesha is the dominant theme in each work on show, and each piece carries a tag which bears the image of Ganesha. Explains Harminder, “The Ganesha's image comprises an elephant, a strong-bodied Lord, and a mouse in his feet. The three things signify intelligence, strength and perseverance. That is what I am striving for.”