EDUCATION

US fellowships for PAU scientists
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 24
Mr Rajandeep Sekhon, a scientist working in PAU's Rice Research Station, Kapurthala, has been selected to be the recipient of a Life Sciences Consortium (LSC) fellowship of Pennsylyania State University (USA), according to a communication received from Dr Melv in L. Billingsiey and Mr Richard Frisque, co-directors, Graduate Education of the university.

The fellowship has been awarded to Mr Sekhon in recognition of his outstanding academic record, research experience and strong letters of recommendations from scientists of international eminence. The letter from Dr Melvin L. Billingsiey and Dr Richard Frisque has described Mr Sekhon as an individual with the potential to achieve great success. This fellowship carries a 12 month stipend of $17,508 beginning with the fall semester of 2002 and a grant-in-aid to pay for his fall and spring tuition, with a provision for an increase of 4% every year. The academic excellence of Mr Sekhon has been specially recognised by giving him an additional $ 2000 supplement for 2002-03.

Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU , Dr G.S. Nanda, Director of Research, Dr K.S. Sekhon, Dean, Postgraduate Studies, and Dr Piara Singh Gill, Director of Rice Research Station, Kapurthala, have felicitated Mr Sekhon for his achievement and have hoped that this will provide inspiration to other students also to compete at the international level. Dr Hari Singh Brar, president, PAU Teachers' Association, has said that this recognition has proved beyond doubt that the academic standards of Punjab Agricultural University are at par with the international standards.

Seminar on biotechnology
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 24
To provide an insight to the students and their parents on the scope of biotechnology as a career, a seminar was organised at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School last evening.

Dr D.R. Satija, Senior Bio-metrical Geneticist and placement counsellor at Punjab Agricultural University, was the resource person. He presented a slide show on various advancements in biotechnology and job avenues available after the course. He also discussed about various graduate and postgraduate courses in the subject available in India and abroad. Besides, he told about the various job opportunities and the growing scope in the field.

Ms Amarpreet Kaur, a biotechnology teacher who has recently come from New Delhi after attending a five-day workshop, spoke about the course content and various practical sessions that would be undertaken. Ms Shelly Ahuja, career counsellor in the school, also spoke on the subject. Ms Anuja Kaushal, a biology teacher, told the students as to how the subject would help medical and non-medical students. 

‘Academics conference ill-timed’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 24
The proposed educational conference on ‘Excellence in academics’ being organised at the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Model Town, on July 26 is being viewed as highly ill-conceived and ill-timed by the teaching community here.

The conference is to be attended by 230 principals from colleges of Punjab be presided over by Mr N.S. Rattan, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Mr Khushal Behl, Education Minister, Punjab, will be the chief guest and Ms Nisha Sharad, DPI (Colleges), will be the guest of honour.

The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) have launched a struggle against the pension notification issued by Mr N.S. Rattan on July 9 claiming it to be a bundle of negative features depriving the teachers of their share in CPF, gratuity and commendation for getting pension.

On the first day of the conference the teachers from the colleges affiliated with Guru Nanak Dev University will be burning copies of notification signed by Mr Rattan and holding protest dharnas in front of the DC’s office.

Commenting on the situation, Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, former president of the union, said ‘‘It was highly incongruous and unfortunate that the same persons, who have done incalculable damage to higher education and brought to naught a decade long struggle of teachers for implementation of pension scheme and 95 per cent grant-in-aid, would be honoured by some principals on the occasion.’’

Ms A.K. Bansal, Principal of the host college, said discussions would be held on ways to improve the quality of education in colleges.

She said principals from over 196 government and aided colleges affiliated to Panjab University, Guru Nanak Dev University and Punjabi University along with nearly 35 unaided colleges had been invited to participate in the conference. College managements and teachers would not be a part of the conference, she informed. However, Prof Sodhi opined that to think of excellence in education without involvement and participation of teachers was like living in a world of illusions.

Meanwhile, the members of district council of the PCCTU will present a memorandum to Mr Khushal Behl demanding withdrawal of notification issued by Mr Rattan, issuing of revised notification, immediate payment of Rs 18 crore for pending grants and Rs 21 crore for arrears due for the past three years.