EDUCATION

Schools go in for image-boosting exercise
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, August 5
Political parties and business houses are not the only ones engaging advertising agencies for boosting their image. Jumping on the bandwagon are schools which are heading towards popularity on the wheels of ad agencies.

Yes — you may find it hard to believe but it is the latest trend. School authorities are fast approaching such organisations for projecting their institutes as the best.

‘’ Until a few years ago when studies were the only criteria for judging the competence of school authorities, word of mouth was enough. Those were the days when popularity or poor reputation of a school depended just on the performance of the students,’’ said a teacher. “That was long back. These days it is different. In today’s world, where show off is considered everything, a lot more than just performance is required’’.

She opines: ‘’Approaching the advertising agencies is kind of justified. You see, we believe in just one thing— how will people know if we do not tell them. That is the reason why we ask image-building organisations to project the activities undertaken by our students. We were doing it earlier also, but the effect was not so systematic. Most of the times, our teachers were not aware of the exact procedure. Otherwise also, they had little exposure in this field. Even the best teacher of English could not write a good press release. This is not all. Very few teachers had good relations with media. All this made us take a decision to engage professionals.”

She adds: “Our instructions to the agencies are clear. We don not want them to build our image on a foundation of lies. We hold functions, organise events and ask the professionals to tell public about the activity undertaken. That is all.”

The agencies engaged by these schools, too, are doing a good job. “We are, most of the times, consulted before the event is organised. This way, we can tell the school authorities how to make the programme unique and to ensure good coverage of the event. After the items to be included in an event are finalised, we issue press releases requesting for press coverage of the programme,” says Rajiv Kathuria, working with a local ad agency.

Their work does not end here. “During the functions, we make sure that media is given adequate attention and its members face no problem,” he reveals. “After the programme is over, we distribute ready-to-use press releases to the reporters.”

The agencies are also into designing brochures, pamphlets and even admission prospectus for schools.

Parents against Dev Samaj schools’ merger
Seek intervention of Admn
Tribune News Service

Ms Sharma adds: “The Chandigarh Administration must intervene as we have already submitted building plans and paid the fines. The Administration cannot allow misuse of aid given from the state exchequer. Besides this what will children do in mid-session as the school has been made to vacate the building. The Administration can appoint an arbitrator who can decide as to what portion of land was given to the model school.” Interestingly, the model school, which has now been closed down got its recognition in 1959, while the other school got recognition in 1961.

Students told to inculcate reading habits
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 5
A book exhibition and library-orientation programme was organised at Government College, Sector 46, here today, in an attempt to motivate students to frequent the library.

The Chief Librarian, Mr I.B. Verma, stressed the importance of such programmes which inculcate the reading habit among students. Lectures, a book exhibition and guidance to students on use of library were the highlights of the programme.

Prof H.R. Chopra of the Library and Information Science Department, Panjab University, delivered a lecture on how to make optimum use of the facilities available in the library. He advised the students to become library minded and make reading a habit.

In her address, the DPI (Colleges), Ms Varsha Joshi, congratulated the organisers of the function. She stated that reading books helped a man not only to become a professional but also a good human being.

While the Principal, Mr S.C. Nijhawan, welcomed the chief guest, the Vice-Principal, Dr R.K. Dixit, proposed the vote of thanks.

Interviews

Interviews for the certificate, diploma, advanced diploma course in Urdu will be held at the department on August 8 at 10.30 a.m., according to a press note issued by Panjab University.

Meeting

The general body of the Chandigarh Librarians Association met here on Monday to deal with problems and issues concerning the profession. It urged the Chandigarh Administration to grant them the gazetted status on the Punjab pattern who were given the status way back in 1995.

The general body also urged the Administration to grant senior scale and selection scale to all librarians who had completed eight and 16 years’ service, respectively. The librarians urged the UGC to extend the deadline for exemption from refresher courses from December 31, 2000, to 2003.

Meanwhile, the following were elected office-bearers: president — Ms Jaspal Kaur; senior vice-president — Ms Rekha Wadhera; vice-president — Ms Sharda Kansal; joint secretary — Ms Anjula Kapoor; general secretary — Mr I.B. Verma; and finance secretary — Ms Neelam Nagpal.

Complaint lodged against teacher
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 5
Parents of four handball players of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8-C, today lodged a complaint with the local office of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, saying a teacher of the school, P.S. Bedi, had passed a caste-based remark against their children.

The students in a plea before the commission alleged that Mr Bedi had insulted them on the basis of their caste in front of other school children as the boys had started going to another school for practice as the coach had been transferred. The teacher had first harassed the children and then insulted them, alleged the parents.

Demanding strict action against the teacher, the parents have said their children were being threatened with expulsion from the school. Copies of the complaint have been sent to the UT Administrator, the Home Secretary, the IGP and the SSP besides the DAV Managing Committee.

Day of fun for Old Age Home inmates
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 5
It was a day full of activities for the inmates of the Old Age Home in Sector 15 where about 32 students from St Kabir Public School organised a cultural function for the benefit of the elderly people. The function was organised by the aspirants for the ‘Bronze Medal’ under the International Award for Young People.

The students presented a medley of old Hindi songs and skits that instantly struck the right chord with the inmates, compelling them to join the youngsters at the dance floor. Various games were also arranged for them where winners were given special prizes.

The students also collected money by organising a fete at their school. The proceeds were spent on buying steel utensils and edible goods for the inmates.

The function was part of the social service activity for the International Award for Young People. The award was initiated by the Duke of Edinburgh Society in New Delhi.

“By interacting with the elderly people who have been displaced from their own homes, the students would learn traditional Indian family values and inbibe respect for the elders,” said Mrs Rekha Chandra, who headed the team of students. The students also plan to organise similar functions for the Institute for Blinds and contribute towards animal welfare through the People for Animal Society.

COURTS

PUDA told to pay interest amount
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 5
The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II has directed the Punjab Urban Planning and Development (PUDA) to pay interest on the amount submitted by a complainant with PUDA for the allotment of an HIG house under the 219-HIG houses schemes and cost of litigation for deficiency in its services.

The complainant, Pritpal Singh, a resident of Sector 43-B, had filed a complaint in the consumer court that he had applied to the PUDA Chandigarh for allotment of an HIG house under the 219-HIG houses schemes at Samrala Road, Sector 40, Ludhiana, and deposited Rs 91, 000 with them. He was allotted house number 1210, HIG allotment, on March 31, 1998, which was received by him on April 15, 1998. Immediately thereafter the complainant wrote to the authorities that he was no longer interested in keeping the allotment of the house and so he sought the refund of the amount deposited by him.

The complainant alleged that he failed to get the deposited amount despite repeated letters sent to the authorities concerned. The complainant had sought refund of Rs 91, 000 along with Rs 50, 000 as compensation for mental and physical harassment.The consumer court observed that PUDA had already refunded Rs 81, 900 to the complainant after deduction of 10 per cent of earnest money by cheque on December 7, 1999.

Therefore the court has directed PUDA to pay interest at the rate of 15 per cent per annum on the amount of Rs 81, 900 to the complainant from June 26, 1998, to December 8, 1999, along with Rs 300 as expenses of litigation.

Notice to car manufacturer
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 5
The Punjab State Consumer Disputes and Redressal Commission has issued a notice to Daimler Chrysler India Private Limited, Sector-15-A, Chikhali village, Pimpri, Pune, through its managing director and others (respondents) acting on the complaint filed by Goyal Impex and Industries Limited, 5/IV, the Mall, Ludhiana, through its managing director Mr Hira Lal Goyal for August 20.

The complainant had filed a petition under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 for issuing a direction to the respondents — Daimler Chrysler India Private Limited and Taipan Traders Limited — to refund Rs 9.88 lakh lying as excess deposite for a car (Mercedes-Benz C-180 (petrol)) valuing Rs 22.67 lakh sold by respondents, damages of Rs 5 lakh on account of sale of an old model, damages amounting to Rs 5 lakh for inconvenience, mental tension, breach of contract and deficiency in service, totalling Rs 19.88 lakh.

CULTURE

Bhagat Singh in animation game
A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 5
Do you wish to play the role of the legendery martyr, Sardar Bhagat Singh? You can actually do so now, thanks to what is claimed to be India’s first 3D animation game.

A Mumbai-based video game company, Mitashi Endutainment and Lumen Phon Multimedia, has jumped on to the Sardar Bhagat Singh bandwagon to cash in on the countrywide hype created by the release of three movies on the life and exploits of the legendery martyr from Punjab.

Priced at Rs.395, Bhagat Singh is India’s first ever 3D animation game where the player actually plays the role of Bhagat Singh and has to go about completing a mission that involves stopping a Bill from being passed in the Calcutta Assembly. The game opens with a short biography about Bhagat Singh, depicting his valour, leadership and his love for the country. Bhagat Singh is then assigned the task to kill Saunders, escape from Lahore, travel to Calcutta and stop a Bill that is against Indians from being passed in the Calcutta Assembly.

The mission starts with the assassination of Saunders. Evading the soldiers, the player needs to escape to the lodge in the darkness of Lahore, all the time avoiding the lethal bullets of enemy soldiers who leave no stone unturned to capture Bhagat Singh.

The player then reaches the lodge to meet Durgadevi in the morning who is a critical link for Bhagat Singh as she alone can guide him to Calcutta from Lahore. The entire city is on red alert with the news of Saunders’ assassinations spreading. Curfew has been imposed and the Britishers are drawing first blood by putting up posters across the city declaring ‘WANTED — Bhagat Singh — DEAD OR ALIVE’.

With great skill and valour the player has to fight his way through Lahore to take the train to Calcutta. He is now at the town square at Calcutta. The city has been imposed with curfew to catch Bhagat Singh. The main goal in this stage is to reach the terrace of an old building, collect the bomb from Bhagat Singh’s friend and march toward the Assembly to hurl it on the executive committee meeting.

Mumbai-based Mitashi Edutain-ment Pvt. Ltd. (www.mitashi.com) is a market leader in gaming consoles and other computer based novelties for kids in India. Their USP is making educational computer games available at very competitive prices. Mitashi’s product portfolio includes game consoles, computers and hand-held video games. They also have revolutionary products like the millennium computer which is an educational talking computer with lots of functions, including mathematics test, keyboard excellence, typing game, puzzle, game center, calendar, world dictionary, music appreciation, music composer, and various games for children.