Rumour of question paper leakage
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Rumours of paper leakage haunted the candidates appearing for the Civil Services sociology main papers at Lajpat Rai Bhavan, the only centre in the city, today.

Rumour that paper B of sociology which had to take place in the afternoon, had leaked, caused anxiety among those taking the examination. Though no one at the centre had seen the “leaked paper”, the rumour boiled down to a “leaked question”. Students did concede that the morning paper A of the subject was very close to the guess paper given by an IAS study group of Patiala. This fact seemed to have given credibility to the rumour but the students informed that the said question was a subtopic in the syllabus and could not be a direct question.

After the paper, the question which had been leaked, was not found in the question paper at all.

Children of Class I performed a rhythm in dance item and class II children presented basic yoga exercises. Senior students presented karate and some students jumped through a ring of fire.

The chief guest, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), lauded the efforts of the students in presenting a colourful programme. 

Legal redress for students now
By Monica Sharma

CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Students facing any problem at school will be able to seek legal redress following the decision of the UT Administration to constitute the Legal Services Society in all the schools in the city. Students will have to move an application listing their grievances and advocates would be provided at state expense. The society would comprise five teachers and five senior students of all government and private schools, which will be headed by respective principals. 

The UT State Legal Services Authority, has been constituted under a Parliamentary legislation — the Legal Services Authorities act. This act is committed to provide competent, effective, inexpensive and timely legal assistance to needy like women, children, disabled people, industrial workmen, victims of trafficking in human beings, as refered in Article 23 of the Constitution of India, to a person having an annual income of less than Rs 50,000.

The benefits available include advocates at state expense, payment of court fee on behalf of eligible persons, expenses for documentation, expenses for summoning of witnesses, other incidental expenses connected with litigation and free counselling for resolution of disputes including matrimonial, rent service matters. All categories of civil, matrimonial, revenue, rent, including compoundable criminal matters, can also be settled through the Lok Adalat.

 However, the main aim of observing the Legal Services Society in all government, private and aided schools is to spread the message of access to justice for all, remarked Mr D.S. Saroya , DPI, Schools. Students are told about the setting up of this authority during the morning assembly and its use.

A representation of the independent school association, along with government school principals and heads attended the meeting today which was addressed by Dr B.B. Parsoon, Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority. To observe the Legal Services Day, an extempore would be organised on 10 fundamental duties given in Article 51 A of the Constitution of India and three surprise topics on which the students will speak for 2 minutes. At Government Senior Secondary School for Girls Sector 18, on November 9.

Admn invites bidders for computer course
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Private parties, in the field of computer education have been invited by the Chandigarh Administration to run a specialised computer education course in 67 schools and four government colleges in the city from the next session year, beginning April. The course will be for students of class VI and above in schools, and all college students of government colleges can participate. It will also be extended to the aided colleges at a later stage, said sources. In the colleges, there will be a separate stream for ISO certified courses. 

The course syllabus is to be finalised within this week and the private parties will be teaching according to the new syllabus. Other guidelines will also be laid down by the Education Department of the Administration and the private companies will be following these for teaching and laying down of new systems. The scheme has been finalised as the Administration found that it will be a big ask to first fill posts of teachers, then buy computer hardware and software and maintain them. The entire process would have been very time consuming and costly.

Now tenders are being invited and the bidding parties will be asked to quote their price on per child per month basis, says Mr Raminder Singh Gujral , Home Secretary-cum-Education Secretary. Meanwhile, sources in the department estimated that the cost will be no more than Rs 100 per month for quality computer education and about 60 per cent of the students in each of the schools and colleges are expected to enroll in the new course that will be optional .The terms and conditions for the private parties will be stringent. They must possess ISO 9001 certification with an annual turnover of Rs 3 crore. The companies will have their own computer hardware and software. The configuration of hardware and its latest upgrades will be incorporated in the terms and conditions. The Administration will also lay down the primary qualifications of the computer tutors employed by the companies.

The teaching material will be approved by the Director Public Instructions (Schools) and the curriculum will be updated on a regular basis. The successful companies will pay 10 per cent of the fee collected from students to the respective information technology funds to be maintained in each of the schools. The Administration had tried to get some company some time back also but the much needed ISO certification could not be produced by any of the bidders.

BE admissions
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Admission to the 30 seats of BE in information technology and the resultant vacated seats of engineering and architecture is scheduled to start on November 9 at Punjab Engineering College. The admissions will carry on till November 10. A list of the vacant seats available in various courses will be put up in the college tomorrow.

These admissions are being held on the basis of the CET held in May, 2000.