The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

GMSSS-35 inches ahead of its counterpart
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

Advantage GMSSS-35

Excellent academic results
Interaction among parents teachers-students
Emphasis on co-curricular activities
Teaching academies in the vicinity
Increase in population of southern sectors

Chandigarh, July 9
It has been a healthy academic tug-of-war between two government schools vying for the top slots for the last couple of years. This year, however, GMSSS-35 has inched just ahead of GMSSS-16 and bagged a “first” with the parents and students alike.

Admissions to the science stream in the school closed at 85 per cent with all seats exhausted, while GMSSS-16 remained one step short, closing their account at 83.6 per cent in the on-going admissions.

The reasons, though are not hard to find. While the school managed to make a mark in the recently declared CBSE results, having a number of toppers to its credit, the shift in preference is also a result of the school’s concerted efforts in forging ahead.

The Principal, Ms Khushinder Sharma, says, “We promote an environment different from other government schools. Our emphasis is primarily on promoting teacher-student-parent interaction to identify problems and work out solutions. Besides, we encourage participation of every student in co-curricular activities. Luckily, everything clicked together in this session and our hard work was rewarded. We are, now, number one.”

The school’s location, too, gives it the edge over the others. With most teaching academies located in the vicinity, students competing for various entrance examinations prefer the school to avoid wastage of time in shuttling between tuitions. The opening of teaching academies in Sector 35, 36 and 37 has proved to be beneficial for the school. In GMSSS-16, situated next to a small market, there is no such advantage.

In addition, with southern sectors coming up, the population, too, has shown a marked rise in these sectors. Resultantly, GMSSS-35, already among the top schools, has come under the spotlight with preference for schools closer home being a guiding force.

Meanwhile, the DPI (Schools), Mr DS Mangat, when contacted, said that the shift in choice was only momentary. “The first position keeps oscillating between the two schools since they are separated only by a narrow margin. We cannot claim with certainity that either school will hold on to their position in the successive year. A lot also depends on the hype created about a particular school at the time of declaration of results which tilts the already delicate balance in favour of one,” he added.

Admissions closed in five schools
Tribune News Service

Schools	Cut-off percentage
Science stream
GMSSS-23	59.6
GMSSS-27	56.2
Commerce stream
GGSSS-18	57.4
GMSSS-19	58.2
GMSSS-46	55.2

Chandigarh, July 9
Admissions to five schools in the science and commerce streams closed with cut-off percentage in these going below the first division mark of 60 per cent for the first time since admissions commenced to plus one classes of government schools.

Though the students continued to throng the admission venue, GMSSS-23, in large numbers, admissions to second divisioners also began with clear preference for the science stream.

In GMSSS-23, the cut-off percentage was 59.6 per cent, while GMSSS-27 was lower at 56.2 per cent in the science stream.

For the commerce stream, seats were exhausted in three schools. In GMSSS-18, the cut-off percentage was 57.4 per cent, for the government school in Sector 19 it was 58.2 per cent and 55.2 per cent in GMSSS-46.

‘Maintain quality in technical education’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9
Eighteen persons who have contributed significantly to the field of technical education were honoured today at Tagore Theatre at a function organised by the Punjab Unaided Technical Institutions Associations (PUTIA).

A souvenir titled “Techno Focus 2002” was also released by the chief guest, Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Minister of Technical Education and Industrial Training, on the occasion.

The objective of the souvenir is to provide a common platform to students, professional engineers, consultants, industrialists and others interested in technology to share their experiences and freely discuss and exchange ideas and concepts.

The souvenir is designed to address various aspects of emerging technology and related areas which confront decision-makers, corporate planners, managers, politicians and researchers.

Speaking at the function, Mr kaypee stressed the need to maintain quality of education. He said this was possible only through perseverance and discipline. He appealed to the managements and faculty of all technical colleges to focus on professionals who could deliver the goods.

Apprising the audience of the activities of the association, the president, Dr JS Dhaliwal, vice-chairman of SUS Engineering college, Mohali, said that PUTIA’s endeavour was to provide quality technical education.

He said that out of a total of 7000-odd engineering degree seats available in the state, the member institutes held 75 per cent of the seats. Even at the engineering diploma-level and in pharmacy, the number of seats had risen considerably. He lauded the decision of the government for including representatives of the association in decision-making bodies.

Earlier, students of various institutions presented a colourful cultural programme comprising songs and dances. Solo dance and song items and group dances marked the occasion.

‘Special’ students get certificates
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9
It was a proud day for 15 “special” students at class at their institute, Lifesteps Foundation in Punjab Red Cross Bhavan, Sector 16, here today, as they walked out armed with computer certificates.

Visually and hearing impaired, these students said they had never dreamt of possessing a computer certificate in view of their handicap and the expenses involved.

But Lifesteps Foundation made the impossible a reality by offering courses to disabled persons at subsidised rates and arranging for funds for those who could not pay even the minimum fee.

Said Ms Shalini Tewari, “While 12 students were disabled, three were from economically weaker sections. Ours being a charitable trust involved with providing computer literacy, we arranged for an instructor sensitive to the problems of the disabled and taught these students.''

Though no time limit had been fixed for the short-term courses since some students were slow learners, all were together awarded the certificates. She said that the idea behind running computer courses was to enable the disabled to join the mainstream with adequate knowledge of computers and equip them to compete with the rest.

“Each student was given individual attention since requirement of each student was different. While one student picked up a command in two days, there were others who took a week on the same thing. This meant going over a particular command again and again, taking that much more time to complete the same course,'' she added.

The students were taught basics of computers while some had enrolled for further study. The classes were held for two hours daily at the foundation's office. The chairperson of the Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board, Ms Kamlesh Gupta, was the chief guest.

This time, ITI impresses Jacob
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9
A pleasant ‘surprise’ awaited General Jacob when he paid a visit to the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Sector 28, today to see any improvement since his last surprise visit to the ITI on February 13, this year.

The institute, which was earlier in shambles with obsolete machinery ill-trained instructors, equipment lying packed in almirahs, presented a professional look. The drastic change was brought about after instructions were given by the UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), who had appointed a retired EME, Col. J.L. Bajaj, to carry out the required changes in the ITI.

General Jacob was apparently happy to find the students getting proper training and the equipment, which was lying unserviceable, being put to productive use. The carpenters workshop, which had hardly any equipment was now fully equipped with charts explaining various concepts. Similarly, students and instructors who had been idling their time during the last visit of the Governor were now fully motivated.

The Administrator appreciated the improvements in the workshops. Col Bajaj informed him that 20 out of the 32 machines had been repaired and other equipment had been made serviceable. All the plants and machinery in the workshop had been repainted and machines had been provided with three-phase electric connections. Old and obsolete machinery had been auctioned and working table and furniture of the workshops repaired.

Mr Vivek Atray, Director, ITI, who accompanied the Administrator, informed that new training models had been prepared. The ITI trainees were being trained by Audio-visual Films. He said a close liaison was being maintained by the ITI with local industries and many industrial houses in SAS Nagar and Chandigarh had come forward to help the trainees.

Mr Atray said trades relating to hand composing, were being phased out and diversification was being planned in radio, TV, electronic, mechanic tractor and mechanic motor. A new course in computer type setting and off-set printing would replace the hand-composing course. A full-fledged training and placement cell was being made operational to ensure the absorption of trainees in the local industry.

Counselling at CIET from Thursday
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9
Counselling will begin from Thursday for the first academic session of Chitkara Institute of Engineering and Technology located on the Chandigarh-Patiala highway, about 25 km from Chandigarh.

Developed by Chitkara Educational Trust over an area of 26 acres, the institute is one of the three engineering colleges to be opened in Punjab this year. The institute has been duly approved by the AICTE, New Delhi, and is affiliated to Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar. Admissions are made centrally by Punjab Technical University based on the merit in Common Entrance for Engineering College in Punjab, according to Dr Ashok Chitkara, chairman of the trust, who has 25 years of teaching in reputed institutes such as Panjab University. The first session will begin from August 5.

The Educational Trust was formed in 1997 and its board members consist of leading academicians from Chandigarh region. There are 60 seats each in the following Engineering branches for the first year: computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering and mechanical engineering.

"We want to relay the excitement that comes from being part of a community dedicated to creating one of the highly reputed Engineering Colleges of Punjab region. There are massive plans to build CIET as a unique place for learning, for serious academic stretching and for building relationships that you will value the rest of your life", said Mr Chitkara in a talk with TNS here today.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Pala murder case

CHANDIGARH: An anticipatory bail plea moved by two accused in a murder case of former Sarpanch of Khuda Ali Sher, Pala Singh, was dismissed by a local court today. The bail plea moved by the duo—Satpal and Gurdhian Singh— was dismissed by the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Lakhbir Singh.

The duo stated in the plea that the wife of the victim had mentioned their names in the FIR because of political rivalry. They claimed that both of them left their villages on June 30, 2002, at about 9 am so as to go to Hemkund Sahib.

Claiming that they were falsely implicated in the case, the duo stated that they were not connected with the crime in any way. As at the time of occurrence of the crime they were not in their village or even nearby places around their villages from June 6, till the evening of July 7.

Fake currency case

The bail plea moved an accused, Dinesh, in a fake currency note case was dismissed by a local court on Tuesday. As per the prosecution the police had recovered two fake currency notes of Rs 500 from the accused.

The police registered a case against the accused on June 22.

CULTURE

When fashion meets astrology
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 9
Learning about the traits of people’s personality through their zodiac signs had never been so much fun for the students of the National Institute of Fashion Technology. “Astral Mode”, a preview of the annual passing-out fashion show, made budding designers capture the essence of each zodiac sign through their creative imagination depicting the right colours, fabric and design to suit the personality as defined by the ruling star.

Astrology left it’s narrow geographical boundaries to merge into a wider international horizon as the students experimented with various forms — traditional, ethnic and Indo-Western. Over 100 students designers, under the guidance of 10 faculty members, took a selected audience, including a panel of judges and mediapersons, through the different moods and colours of 12 zodiac signs.

The sizzling show started with an introductory round where girls representing each of the 12 signs came up on the makeshift stage set up on the NIFD campus in sector 8. The stars were led by Aries — the leader of all signs — which featured bold black and white trousers, skirts and evening wears. However, there were no dearth of bright colours as the designers who were models themselves used bright accessories to make their statement.

The classic look of Taurus was beautifully done by a series of unconventional “lehengas” done in traditional motifs, while the duel nature of Gemini in calm blue and wild green fabric in asymmetric cuts everywhere spoke volumes about the imaginative power of the students. Cancer came under the banner ‘Kiss for a Rose’, Leo portrayed as ‘Survival of the Sexiest’ in flamboyant pink and black, Virgo as “Frozen” in pure white, Libra as “Barbies on the Ramp” and so on.

The show was rounded up with Pisces, which was code named “Abhisarika” for its sensual, dreamy and sentimental quality. Students created a rich collection of drapes in crepes, chinnons, georgettes, tissue and chiffon in deep blue and mauve with elabotare headgears, sequins, beads and feathers.

The show, provided an opportunity for young designers to show their creativity in in a unique way, different from the conventional ramp shows where beauty of the creations takes a back seat.

“The preview of the garments designed by the students was organised to give the judges a full view of the garments without adding any artificial means of beautification,” said one of the faculty members. “Usually, during the final show people get a fleeting glance of the outfits with most of the attention focused on the models”, she added.

The panel of judges included Ms Sukarma Sundra, the designer from Sukarma Collections, Ms Neelu Grewal, a beauty expert, and television personality Mrs Sabita Bhatti. The students who took part in the show comprised both two-year diploma students and one-year certificate students of fashion designing.