The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

‘Legislation needed to streamline exam system’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29
Panjab University needs to draft a legislation pertaining to various aspects of the examination system in order to streamline the system, said Dr Amrik Singh, a former Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, in his inaugural address at the seminar on “Setting on question paper — quality and format” organised by Panjab University at the ICSSR Complex here yesterday.

Dr Amrik Singh said not just the PU, but majority of the universities lack in adequate legislation for uniformity in the examination system. Greater care needs to be taken about the imparting information about pattern of question papers to the students and teachers much in advance, he added.

The former VC said school boards in majority of the cases had carried out intensive training programmes in the 1960’s the results of which are visible even of today. An example was the system in Bihar. Majority of the universities there were a year or two behind schedule, while the Bihar board declared results on time.

Reacting to the recurring problem of out of syllabus question papers, he said in a decision recently, the Supreme Court had issued a strict warning to the universities to refrain from this practice in routine. Infact such acts need to be penalised, he added. Dr Amrik Singh said another aspect of the examination in universities, which needed to be strengthened, was providing knowledge to teachers about ‘ how to examine?’ There were questions which merely check the knowledge, others check application of knowledge or a feedback on the issue. Each answer has different yardsticks in evaluation about which the universities should prepare a handbook for the teachers.

He said the Board of Studies should prepare 2-3 model papers which should be circulated to the paper setter before his assignment of papers was accepted.

Panjab University had a set of 6,762 question papers pertaining to all categories of examination in an academic year. Of the total 3,481 question papers pertained to annual examinations and 3,281 papers pertained to supplementary examinations. The university offered 25 bachelors level courses and 32 masters level courses (first and the second level, each). The university offered a total 585 courses.

Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, in his presidential address said the designing of syllabus was of paramount importance. He stressed that modules in regard to number of questions to be attempted and the kinds of questions should be precisely mentioned in the syllabus.

A panel discussion was chaired by Prof G.S. Gosal. The panelists included Principal A.C. Vaid, Principal Tarsem Raj Bahia, Principal P.S.Sangha, Dr R.D.Anand, Dr Rabinder Nath Sharma, Dr Manjit Inder Singh and Dr Sahib Singh Bhayana. Prof Paramjit Singh, registrar, delivered the welcome address.

Dr Sodhi Ram, Controller of Examinations, proposed the vote of thanks. He highlighted some of the difficulties and discrepancies persisting in the question papers leading to complaints by students.

Kids perform Raas Lila to mark Janmashtami
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29
Janmashtami was celebrated with gaiety and fervour in educational institutions of the city, here today. Speeches and cultural programmes marked the day.

‘Lord Krishna’ was present every where at Gandhi Samarak Bhavan, Sector 16, dancing with his ‘gopis’, laughing, talking and enjoying the slight drizzle outside.

Students of playclass till class I of Blue Bird Model School, Sector 16, celebrated Janmashtami with a fancy dress contest and came dressed as characters from the life of Lord Krishna while those from class II to V were dressed as freedom fighters, Bhagat Singh being the clear favourite.

The programme began with songs and ended with a Raas Lila staged by the children.

At Ajit Karam Singh International Public School, Sector 41, it was day of fun and frolic. Students were told about the birth and life of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Tiny tots of nursery and KG classes went to a nearby temple to witness the life of Lord Krishna through ‘jhankis’.

The students carried fruit and flowers to offer at the temple and returned with the Lord Krishna’s message of “Do thy work, leave the rest to God”. The seniors put up a colourful show presenting songs and dances highlighting Krishna’s life.

The kindergarten wing of JP Bal Niketan Public School, Sector 37, dressed up in multi-coloured, lively costumes, the girls representing ‘Radha’and the ‘gopis’ while the boys came attired as Lord Krishna. They sat on swings and performed ‘dandia’ on stage. The children were told about Lord Krishna.

At GGDSD college, students presented bhajans and speeches highlighting the importance of divinity and good deeds. Pandit Vasudev Sharma lit the lamp and told the students about how good conquers evil.

Students presented bhajans while Deepankar Sharma, another student, spoke on the power of Shri Krishna and his role in the legendary war of Mahabharata.

Tiny tots dress up as Radha, Krishna
Our Correspondent

Children of Aanchal Preparatory School, SAS Nagar, present a ballet at ISKCON in Sector 36, Chandigarh, on the occasion of Janmashtami.

SAS Nagar, August 29
Janmashtami celebrations were held in different schools of SAS Nagar here today. The students of Spring Valley Public School came to the school dressed up as Lord Krishna, Radha and Sudama.

Students were acquainted with different aspects of the life of Lord Krishna. Aarti was held and later prasad distributed.

Students of Aanchal Preparatory School, Chandigarh and SAS Nagar branches gathered at ISKCON in Sector 36, Chandigarh, to celebrate the occasion. The celebrations began with chanting of ‘’Hare Krishna’’ by tiny tots.

Bhajans were sung by all students. Ballet was also presented by students depicting Krishna, Narad Muni, Satyabhama and Rukmani. Students were also explained about the rituals performed in temples and significance attached to them.

Similarly, students of DAV Public School came to the school attired in colourful dresses personifying Lord Krishna and other characters. Traditional ballet “Main nahin makhan khaeo” was also presented by students.

NIIFT fashion workshop
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, August 29
A fashion make-up workshop was organised at the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) here today.

The workshop was organised by Ms Vandana Sexana, Group Head with Hindustan Level Ltd (HLL). It was conducted by Avleen Khokkar, leading cosmetologist and skin care specialist from HLL.

Designing and construction of garments are important part of the fashion designing curriculum at NIIFT here. Garments are modelled by students themselves. In today’s workshop emphasis was laid on the use of right make up to enhance the overall appearance of garments.

Ms Khokkar explained and demonstrated the art of fashion make-up, the various hair-do’s, the use of different cosmetic products and techniques and the future trends.

She said every skin was different and for proper care different cosmetics were needed. Aviance had come out with skin care products that were weather specific, skin specific and age specific. The cosmetics were available in earthy tones keeping in mind the Indian requirements.

Ms Khokkar highlighted fashion make-up using consumer products. She laid stress on that different looks could be created by using different make-up. Four students were chosen to demonstrate how different looks — hot, pink and sultry, Indo-Western, fresh like morning dew and sultry Indian with a tough of gold — could be created. In all students found the workshop informative and beneficial.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Commutation of pension one-time benefit
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a significant judgement, today held that commutation of pension was one-time affair and was allowed for enabling a retired employee to meet his major commitments, including acquisition of a house or the marriage of a child.

The orders were pronounced on a petition filed by 12 employees who had retired from different departments in the state of Punjab. In their petition, T.R. Singla and others had earlier sought directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents to enhance the value of commuted portion of pension already paid to them on the basis of instructions dated July 21, 1998.

After going through the documents and hearing arguments in the case, Mr Justice Jasbir Singh of the High Court ruled: “This benefit is one-time benefit like gratuity and leave encashment. Once the option of commutation of pension has been availed of, there is no justification for subsequent commutation being allowed merely on account of revision in pension”.

Referring to the current case, the Judge further ruled: “It is necessary to mention that vide the instructions, the commuted portion of pension has been increased from one-third to 40 per cent of the basic pension. In this manner, a retiree will get more in lump sum. By extending period of restoration by three years, no injustice appears to have been done to the pensioners by the government....

Dismissing the petition, the Judge concluded: “The provisions regarding commutation of pension are optional. It is for the employee to opt for the same or not. It is necessary to move an application to get this benefit. If any of the retiree feels that this provision is not beneficial, he may opt out of the scheme and in that event he will continue to get his full pension throughout his life”.

FIR quashed

Allowing a petition filed by a Hoshiarpur-based advocate allegedly found sitting with a brothel owner during police raids, Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohunta of the High Court has quashed the first information report registered against him.

Delivering the verdict, Mr Justice Mohunta observed: “As per the allegations in the FIR, the petitioner was merely sitting outside the house with the brothel owner. At the time of the raid by the police, the petitioner was neither offering money to the owner or to any other girl in the premises and no person was accepting the same”.

In his petition, the advocate had earlier sough the quashing of the FIR registered at Sadar police station under the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls (Prevention) Act of 1956.

Single-Judge ruling

Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the High Court on Thursday ruled that in cases where a judgement was pronounced by a single judge without noticing the legislative amendment, the same could be given effect to, and the implementation of the unammended provision would not continue to be binding.

The orders were passed on a petition filed by a Budhlada-based firm seeking the quashing of orders of summoning issued under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. The Judge, after hearing the arguments in the case, observed: “There is no doubt that if a single Bench disagrees with the earlier view of another single Bench, the matter has to be referred to a Division Bench. But where a single Bench has given a judgement without noticing the legislative amendment, the same could be given effect to....”

Status report

A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the filing of a report on the status of Gandha Nallah in Ludhiana after it was stated that strict instructions would be issued against the throwing of garbage in it by the sanitation employees.

Issuing the directions, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Kiran Anand Lall, observed: “Additional Commissioner of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation Subhash Dua and Executive Engineer with operation and maintenance cell A.K. Gupta are present in person.... They have stated that they would issue strict instructions that litter and garbage shall not be thrown in the Gandha Nallah by the sanitation employees and would rigorously enforce the same. They further assured that cleaning of the nallah would be undertaken on continuous basis and all efforts would be made to keep the area clean”.

The Judges added: “Counsel for the petitioners has stated that all the residents of the area — New Shivaji Nagar — were prepared to give an undertaking that in future they would not throw litter on the road or in the nallah and submitted that the Municipal Corporation may be directed to ensure that the sanitation employees do not throw garbage in it and the same is cleaned on continuous basis”.

The Judges concluded: “In view of the statement of Mr Dua and Mr Gupta, we adjourned the hearing of the case to October 23. A fresh status report on the status of Gandha Nallah should be filed at least seven days before the next date”.