EDUCATION

Xeroxed notes make you bundle up
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, March 11
You have missed classes and not studied the entire year. Now, when examinations of colleges and university are approaching, you plan to get the photocopies of the notes of “serious” students, who have wasted their time in attending classes. No problem.

For a few hundred rupees you can get the documents xeroxed. However, before you go to the market with that precious little bundle of documents, listen to what expert educationists and psychologists have to say — photostat notes only increase anxiety and uncertanity among students.

No wonder, a number of school and college teachers here, after consulting psychologists, are writing to the education authorities, urging them to explain the position to students. They say that either you study throughout the year, or copy the notes yourself instead of getting them xeroxed.

“Getting xeroxed notes is convenient, even if you have to wait in a queue in shops that offer special discounts to students for this job. Nevertheless, this practice among students should be discouraged even at the time of examinations,” says Ms Kavita Singhal, a socio-psychologist.

She says, “You will be constantly tense if you simply get the notes photocopied, till the time you go through these properly.

The sight of so many unfamiliar pages in front will prevent you from concentrating, so, you will not be able to do a thorough study at all.”

Schoolteacher Ms Vandana Dewan says that a better way is to read the notes first, jot down the points and elaborate the answers in your own language. “At this stage, you may not have enough time to write down all notes, but, that way, you may at least go through the notes once,” she says.

“Reproducing the answer in your own language make the examiner believe that you have not mugged up the notes, but understood the subject.”

Ms Tanya, a schoolteacher, says, “Another thing that you should do before you read the notes is to flip through the pages several times over.

This creates familiarity with the letters and characters on the pages. Soon, you will feel that you are not handling something strange, which will make your job easier. You will absorb important facts when penning down the points.”

So students, it is time for you to say goodbye to photocopied notes and begin serious study.

Infighting among teachers makes students suffer
Exam put off on last day
Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, March 11
Over 150 students of Class XI of the local Government Degree College were shocked when they reached the college campus to appear in their last paper of the final examination, and were sent back to their houses by some teachers as the papers scheduled for today had been postponed.

There was chaos on the campus when the examinees of science, commerce and arts were told that their papers would be conducted on March 13 now. Notices regarding the postponement of papers were displayed on the notice boards and even pasted on the doors of the examination halls.

Sources in the college revealed that due to infighting between two groups of the college teachers, one group, associated with the College Teachers Counsel, decided to postpone the papers and displayed a notice on Saturday afternoon when all students had left the college after appearing in their respective examinations. However, the second group stuck to the earlier schedule of examination and asked the students to take the examination.

In the ensuing confusion and controversy, teachers of both groups exchanged heated arguments and finally the students had to go home without taking examinations. All this happened in the absence of the officiating Principal of the college, Mrs Manohar Kaur.

As many as 176 examinees — 83 in arts, 47 in commerce and 46 in science streams — were to appear in papers of different subjects today. Today was the last paper of all streams of Class XI.

Mrs Nirmal Jaswal, Deputy Registrar of College Examination, alleged that some teachers of the College Teachers Counsel displayed the notices (for postponement of papers) without discussing the matter with the Registrar of College Examinations, thereby misleading the Principal. Moreover, the students were not informed in time.

However, Mr Joshi made it clear that the papers were postponed till March 13 because of a large strength of examinees in Class XII (evening session). The college was lacking sufficient space to accommodate the number of candidates and for that rooms were required, said Mr Joshi.

The college Principal, Mrs Manohar Kaur, and Mr Rakesh Garg were not available for comments. 

PU plans diploma in journalism
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
Panjab University is planning to commence a postgraduate diploma in journalism and mass communication from the forthcoming academic session.

The proposal comes up for consideration at a meeting of a special committee shortly. The members of the committee include Mr Sanjay Wadwalkar, chairman of the Department of Mass Communication, Mr Hari Jaisingh, Editor of The Tribune, Prof Bal Krishan, Dr Gurmeet Mann, Mr Jayanth Pethkar and Mr L.M. Sharma, besides others.

The proposal sent by Dr Ujjagar Singh Sehgal, chairman of the Department of Correspondence Studies, in an official note said, “Keeping in view the fact that the Department of Mass Communication is offering Masters degree in mass communication, it is proposed to start a postgraduate diploma in journalism and mass communication. Punjabi University, Patiala, and Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, are already running the course very successfully”.

The course intends to provide guidance, understanding and basic skill needed for those interested in journalism. The course is intended to be of one-year duration.

According to the proposal, a graduate in any discipline will be eligible to join the course. The course will largely be managed by a guest faculty, competent and experienced persons. The department proposes a fee of Rs 4,472 ( Rs 1,375 as tuition fee and Rs 3,097 as other charges).

The medium of instructions will be English only. However, candidates will have the option to attempt papers in English, Hindi or Punjabi mediums. Students will have to submit their practical assignments within 10 days of the last written examination. The minimum marks required in each paper will be 35 per cent while the candidate should have a minimum of 40 per cent in aggregate, the proposal reads.

Another committee has unanimously reiterated the earlier decision to start a B Ed course through correspondence. The course, however, needs a formal approval of the NCTE.

It has also been decided that diploma in statistics be restructured and re-designed from the next academic year. The committee also discussed the possibility of starting a post-matriculation diploma in library science through correspondence.

Art college comes to life with ‘Renaissance’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
Students of the Government College of Art, Sector 10, carried a lot of spirit on their shoulders today. After the gap of last year which saw some interruption in conducting the colourful college fest, Renaissance, the campus was brimming with life again this morning. And as the day approached its end, the activity, set rolling by the first Chief Architect of Chandigarh, Mr M.N. Sharma, got more exciting.

The occasion was 'Renaissance II' (the first fest held in 2000 was called Renaissance I) and the day was full of events. Right from the making of posters, collages, compositions and floats to the painting of college floor — the schedule of the two-day art festival was packed with life. Each category was fiercely contested by the participants from many local colleges, including some private outfits like the NIIFT, SAS Nagar.

The floats of Ebony and Coke which greeted visitors right at the entrance of the college were interesting. So was the wooden gate created for entering the real pace of activity : the den of art, as some students called it. A portion of the campus had been segregated from the rest of the college to house all activities concerning arts — both as in paintings as also in dances and music.

Where the commercial stalls were given out for Rs 4,000 each, some stalls were also given to college students interested in exhibiting their creations. These had been subsidised at Rs 1,000. These stalls attracted a lot of visitors, so did the ones put up by the four departments of the Art College — painting, sculpture, graphics and applied arts. Managed by students, these stalls gave away information on activities of the respective departments. The special stall by CITCO was also highly frequented, along with the stall by Pizzaria.

In all, about 50 students from different colleges participated in various competitions. This celebration culminated in rewards. The following is the list (in order of merit):

Floor painting: Vidushi (IInd year painting Government College of Art), Gaurvi Mehndiratta, (Fourth year painting, Government College of Art), Jyoti, (NIIFT, SAS Nagar).

Collage making: Arun Chauhan, NIIFT, SAS Nagar, Hargun (first year, GCA), Kapil Kharbanda (fourth year painting, GCA)

Composition: Surpreet Kaur (GCA), Rishi Chanana (fourth year, GCA), Avinash (IInd year, applied art, GCA)

Paint your face: Sikander Singh and Sonika (GCA), Varinder and Anita (GCA), Neha Sehgal (GCA)

Folk song: Sukanya, (NIIFT, SAS Nagar), Parminder (GCA), Pooja Jain, (GCA)

Poster making: Sukriti Vadhera (GCA), Anamika Mehra (GCG, Sector 42), Deepti (Govt Home Science College)

Floats: Deepali, RajivSubba, Injella Singh, Deepika from GCA; Anita Kherwa, Varinder Kaur and Rajesh, from GCA; Sonika Sharma, Sikander, Neha, Madhuri from GCA

Among the various inter-college competitions, float making attracted maximum response from the public. All entries were judged by a panel of experts comprising Mr Shiv Singh, Mr R.C. Singla, Mr R.D. Lohtia, Ms Asha Sharma and Mr Madan Lal. .

The prizes to the above winners will be given tomorrow at 5 pm.

Schools get a good deal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
The Chandigarh Administration has linked the price of school land to the floor area or covered area.

Owners of a coming-up school will, now, need not pay up for all the area. They can decide to utilise just 50 per cent of the covered area and pay for that. Later, when, the institution expands, school authorities can pay up the balance.

If 1 acre has been allotted for a school, the owners would have to pay about Rs 90 lakh. If they use just 50 per cent of the covered area, the cost comes down to Rs 45 lakh. The Administration notified the land rate for allotments to educational institutions on leasehold basis, here today.

As per the notification, Rs 1,800 per square yard for a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.5 and Rs 900 per square yard for a minimum FAR of 0.25 in urban areas have been fixed. For a maximum FAR of 0.5 and a minimum FAR of 0.25 in the outside-urban-area grid (resettlement colonies or villages), land rates of Rs 1,000 per sq yard and Rs 500 per sq yard, respectively, have been fixed.

For the FAR less than 0.5 and more than 0.25, it has been decided to charge the premium proportionately. In case of an increase in the FAR within five years of allotment, a proportionate land rate shall be charged at the original allotment rate. If the FAR increases after five years of allotment, the prevailing proportionate land rate shall be charged.

Seminar on IT
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
A two-day national seminar on instrumentation and information technology for the disabled is beginning at the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) in the city on March 22.

Information technology to reduce disability in terms of physical and mental capability, profession, financial freedom; how IT can address individual problem of locomotor, speech and hearing, visual and mental disabilities; role of telemedicine distance education; bringing the disabled together through IT network; to reduce gap between the disabled, social organisations, government agencies, policy planners, R & D institutions through IT.

Seminar on Harappa
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
The seminar on ‘Vedic-Harappan relationships: new perspectives’ conducted by the department of Ancient History Culture and Archaeology, Panjab University, concluded here yesterday. Dr D.K. Handa presented a paper highlighting the various towns referred to in literature with particular reference to towns and cities in Haryana and their relation to the Harappan culture.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
FCI contractors can sue DC on curbs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
Taking up a petition filed by four Moga district residents challenging the orders passed by the Deputy Commissioner restraining them from constructing plinths for the Food Corporation of India, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today granted them the liberty to sue the DC, besides certain other respondents, by proving that his orders were illegal resulting in financial losses.

Delivering the verdict on a bunch of petitions filed by Mr Mukand Singh and three other residents of Nihalsinghwala a tehsil, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Ms Justice Bakhshish Kaur, observed in the court that they were prima facie satisfied that the DC did not have the jurisdiction to restrain the petitioners from carrying on with the construction.

The petitioners had contended that the DC, for reasons best known to him, had directed the Station House Officer of a police station on the telephone to restrain the petitioners from carrying on with the construction. In his order on November 13, 2000, the DC had stated that the place was not suitable for the construction of the plinths, the petitioners had added.

Review rule on remarks in ACRs

The High Court has ruled that the government should reconsider the feasibility of resetting its instructions, directing that adverse remarks of doubtful integrity might not be recorded in the annual confidential report of conductors if there were just one or two instances of fraud, involving amounts of less than Rs 50 each.

In a ruling on a petition filed by Dalel Singh against the state of Haryana, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice J.S. Khehar, observed: “We feel that the government should reconsider the feasibility of resetting these instructions as they do not patently serve any public purpose”. The Judges further observed: “The competent authority is well within its jurisdiction to make appropriate entries in the annual confidential report on the basis of the general assessment”. Finding no merit, the Judges also dismissed the petition.

Date set for order on ex-Jathedar

Mr Justice Nirmal Singh of the High Court on Monday fixed March 14 as the date for orders on a petition for the grant of anticipatory bail filed by the former Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh, in a case registered after his daughter-in-law’s death in May 1997.

The alleged victim’s brother, Amarjit Singh, had alleged that his sister was killed for dowry, while the Jathedar’s family had described the death as accidental. Saranjit Kaur’s body was found in a tank opposite the Jathedar’s residence.

RI for two bank officials
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh March 11
The Special CBI Judge at Patiala has sentenced two bank officials to rigorous imprisonment for up to three years and fine up to Rs 13,000 on the charge of demanding and accepting a bribe from clients.

According to information received here, M.L. Chhabra, manager of the State Bank of Patiala’s branch at Brana in Lakhoo, near Panipat, and the bank’s cashier, M P Jindal, had been caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 to release bank drafts. Following a complaint, the CBI laid a trap for them and booked them under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

They have been sentenced to three years’ RI and fined Rs 5,000 each for criminal conspiracy under Section 120 of the IPC. In addition, they have been sentenced to two years RI under Section 7 and to three years’ RI under Section 13(2) of the PCA along with a fine of Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 each, respectively. The sentences shall run concurrently.

DISTRICT COURTS
Sukhbir’s complaint case adjourned
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 11
The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal, today adjourned for April 20 a criminal complaint case filed by former Punjab Chief Minister’s son Sukhbir Singh Badal against the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, Capt Amarinder Singh.

Mr Sukhbir Badal had filed a complaint against Capt Amarinder Singh for allegedly defaming him and his family through the publication of the “defamatory” advertisements in newspapers before the assembly elections.

Claiming that the contents of the advertisement were false, malicious and contrary to the facts on record, he had added that the same was issued to mislead the public in the hope of getting votes and to lower Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s esteem, to defame him and to damage his saviour-of-farmers image.

Meanwhile, Mr Sukhbir Badal had also filed a reply in the complaint by Capt Amarinder Singh for quashing of a defamation complaint filed against him and it was also adjourned by the Magistrate for April 20. The complainant had alleged in the reply that the application moved by the opposite party for the quashing of a defamation complaint was not maintainable with the motive to have political mileage. Therefore, the application deserved rejection with exemplary costs.

Jain remanded: Amresh Jain, Deputy Commissioner, Customs and Central Excise, Ludhiana, and Arun Kumar Singla, Inspector with the Customs and Central Department, were today remanded to judicial custody by a local court. Meanwhile, the court has issued a notice for February 14 on the bail application moved by the accused, Arun Kumar Singla, in the case.

CULTURE

Salil, Aarthi captivate audience
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11
Salil V. Bhatt gave a Mohan Veena recital at Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, this evening. Making an identity distinct and yet quite like his father Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, the young musician garnered applause after every melody that he struck. Matching his calibre was Mahendra Dangi on the tabla.

The stage was set by evoking the beauty of ‘raga bageshwari’, which he played not only to his fill but also to the fill of the audience which kept wanting for more. He uncovered the mystic raga with ‘alaap’, followed by ‘jor alaap’ and then ‘jor jhala’. The rendering of the ‘raga’ was so good that the audience could not help clapping every now and then. He then flooded the Pracheen Kala Kendra auditorium with the delicate, yet robust ‘tihais’ in slow and then in fast tempo.

After Salil’s spell, it was danseuse Aarthi Shankar’s turn to keep the magic alive. She began with Pushpanjali, a composition by Adi Shankaracharya in which a saint pays floral tributes to Lord Shiva. She then danced on to another Adi Shankaracharya composition in ‘raga malika’ set to ‘aditaal’. The focus here was Ma Durga and her annihilation of the demon Mahishasur. The evening concluded with a recital ‘tillana’ in ‘raga paras’ set to ‘aditaal’. The sequence brought out Aarthi’s skills as a promising dancer.