EDUCATION

Teachers’ march today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 25 — The All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (AIFUCTO) today announced a march to Parliament House tomorrow seeking the implementation of agreements made with the government in the past.

This was announced by Dr V.K. Tewari, national secretary of the AIFUCTO, at a press conference here.

The AIFUCTO representatives present included Prof B. Vijay Kumar from Hyderabad, Prof Charanjit Chawla, general secretary of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, Dr Sudarshan Gasso, general secretary of the Haryana College Teachers Union, Prof N.P.Manocha, finance secretary of the PCCTU and Dr Jagwant Singh, president of the local unit of the PCCTU.

One important point of argument was that “instead of pursuing a national development agenda, the NDA government was giving shape to a hidden agenda of enslavement through privatisation of education and commercialisation”.

Prof Vijay Kumar said that “the government had kept under wraps” the Ambani-Birla report which was “in fact a recipe for national destruction. The AIFUCTO rejects the report.”

The FEDCA, in association with the AIFUCTO, has demanded, among other things, the career advancement scheme (CAS) from January 1, 1996; proper super time scale for all professors; review of the decision to PhD as an essential qualification for the post of principal; review policy on autonomous colleges; and due scales for coaches and instructors.

Professor Chawla said that it was surprising that the government was “not honouring” its own commitments.

It was also pointed out that a rather long period of agitation seemed to have made no impact on the government.

PCCTU elections
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 25 — Elections to teachers’ bodies in 172 colleges for 2001-2002 will be held up to March 15.

The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) general secretary, Mr Charanjit Chawla, today clarified that only permanent/regular staff or those working on probation could become members of the union as per the constitution.

The PCCTU had directed the office-bearers of all 172 colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh not to enrol teachers working on a temporary, ad hoc, contractual and guest facility basis as members.

PU to revamp computer course
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 25 — Panjab University has decided to revamp the existing course structure and syllabus for the present course in Bachelor of Computer Science from the forthcoming session.

The university has also announced introduction of courses in Bachelor of Computer Application (honours) and the Masters in Information Science from the next session.

A four-membered core committee has been appointed by the university for dwelling on various aspects of the courses including the contents and the fee structure.

The committee includes Prof C.M. Behl and Dr A.K. Singla from the Department of Computer Application and Dr A.C. Vaid and Mr Tarsem Bahia in the principals group. Colleges are expected to apply for the course affiliation by March 15.

For inspection of colleges at least one member of the core committee is expected to be part of each visiting team.

The committee had been formed following agitation by students who were joined by their parents last year, asking for extension of the existing three-year BCA course as a four-year BIT (Bachelor of Information Technology) course.

Sources said the proposed fee for BCA (honours) was Rs 20,000 annually. The MIS students pay Rs 30,000 annually or $3000 if admitted under the NRI category.

The committee this time proposes a careful study of infrastructure and equipment. More strictness is expected for ensuring adequate facilities for students before giving affiliation for the course.

COURTS

ASI granted bail in dowry case
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Feb 25 — The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Ashok Kumar, today granted bail to the ASI of the Chandigarh Police, Ram Rattan. The case against the accused was registered under Sections 406 of the Indian Penal Code and the dowry Act on the complaint of, Mr Surinder Sharma.

The defence counsel argued that the accused had already joined the investigation and there was nothing to be recovered from him. The accused was granted bail on the furnishing bail bond worth Rs 20,000.

Judicial remand
The duo — Vikas Kumar and Raj Kumar, both residents of Sector 29, produced before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, on Saturday. The Magistrate sent then to judicial remand till February 26.

The case against them was registered under Sections 223, 225, 506, 34 of the IPC in the Industrial Area police station. Anil, the third accused in the case, was arrested on February 17 and had been in judicial custody.

Assault case
The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge on Saturday granted anticipatory bail to a resident of Patiala, in a case of criminal intimidation and assault. The case against the accused had been registered under Sections 323, 325, 452, 506, 147, 148 of the IPC.

The accused was granted bail on the furnishing bail bond of Rs 25,000.

Finance firm’s plea dismissed
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Feb 25 — The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, dismissed the appeal of M/s Lloyds Finance Limited, Sector 8, filed against the order of Consumer Forum-I. The Consumer Forum-I had directed the finance company to refund the matured amount of Rs 86, 250 with interest at the rate of 15 per cent per annum to the complainant.

The company had filed an appeal against the order of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal forum-I, for disposing of complaint case.

The complainant, Mr Napeena Singh, had filed a complaint in the forum-I, under Section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, for seeking refund of the principle amount of the fixed deposit of Rs 75,000 with interest at the contractual rate of 15 per cent per annum up to the date of maturity and at the rate of 24 per cent beyond the date of maturity till its actual payment. The complainant also prayed for a sum of Rs 15,000 as compensation for physical harassment, mental agony and financial loss.

The Bench comprising president Mr Justice K.K Srivastava, and member Mr P.K. Vasudeva and Mr Devinderjit Dhatt observed that the District Forum-I had rightly entertained the complaint case and held that there was deficiency in service on the part of the finance company. “There was no valid and legal justification for the finance company to withhold the repayment of the matured amount of the FDRs held by the complainant. The appeal is devoid of substance and merit dismissal. Resultantly, the appeal is dismissed.