 |
|
| Tuesday,
September 24, 2002,
Chandigarh, India
|
|
||||
|
|
PAU Kisan Mela on September 24 Ludhiana, September 23 This is the fourth Kisan Mela in the series of such melas organised by the PAU to educate the farmers about the new agricultural technologies. The earlier melas organised by the university at Rauni (Patiala), Ballowal Saunkhri and Ludhiana got an overwhelming response from the farmers. The last kisan mela in the series will be held at Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur, on September 27. The unique features of these events are: agro-industrial exhibitions, field demonstrations and question-answer session, besides, provision of diagnostic services, sale of seeds, and sale of farm literature. |
|
The teachers and the taught The student community is still very respectful to the teachers. It has all the regards for them and has full faith in their teachings. But lately there have been some disturbing instances that have made me take stock of things afresh. During the course of my teaching in the colleges, spread over a little more them three decades, I had encountered certain unsavoury situations. But luckily no student of mine misbehaved with me or in any way treated me disrespectfully. On the contrary, I have regretted many a time for being too harsh to some of them or giving them punishment disproportionate to their faults. Still there is no denying the fact that I, too, had faced certain embarrassing moments in my teaching career. Once a student of mine threw a paper ball towards girls sitting at a short distance. It hit a girl on the shoulder and fell into the lap of another one. Both of them were taken aback. I at once pointed my accusing finger at the erring student and told him to leave the class. I further told him to see me after the period was over. When he met me he pleaded not guilty. I immediately called the girls who had been hit by the ball. They flatly denied having been hit or something. I was greatly astonished at such a turn of events, but my past experience of dealing with young persons cautioned me not to press the matter further. Students are generally idealists and they consider their teachers role models. They feel bamboozled when the teachers belie their concepts of right and wrong. Once I favoured a girl student by raising her marks from 22 to 25 in the December test. The reason was that she had stood first in two other subjects but her failure in English could nullify her achievement in other fields. I scrutinised her paper cursorily and found that I could afford to be liberal to the extent of three marks. I gave her the pass marks and made the relevant change in the award list. But I could not reconcile myself to this aberration on my part. My compunction compelled me to announce in the class the next day that all students getting 22 marks had been given three grace marks. Disciplinarian I had been all time, while I also endeavoured to prove that ‘the example is better than the precept’. I could not allow one or two students to copy in the examination hall while reprimanding others for doing so. Nor could I mark a student present when he was absent from the class. Good intentions, however, do not always bring good results. In a college I found myself at the receiving end, while the defaulter had a walk over. I shared the teaching work of a class with a colleague of mine and met it for three days in a week. At the end of the session, a student fell short of 40 lectures which could not be condoned by any higher authority. I reported the matter to the office and the student concerned was informed that he would not be allowed to appear in the annual examination. The preparatory holidays had started when I received one day a registered letter from some local lawyer. He had made full use of the legal jargon while accusing me of being harsh and vindictive to his client by willfully marking him absent for so many days. His argument rested on the premise that the other lecturer, who had shared the teaching work of the class with me, had not reported any shortage of lectures in this case. I was piqued to learn all this and confronted the lecturer concerned in a very polite manner: How so, sir ? ‘Nothing unusual on my part’. What do you mean ? ‘I never take the roll call, hence no student falls short of lectures’. But this is wrong, isn’t it ? ‘What wrong... ? I never miss my class but at the same time I don’t bother if some of them miss my lectures’. I still wonder if such an attitude can save the teachers from being assaulted by the taught when they are caught napping. Perhaps the parents too can enjoy sound sleep if no adverse remarks about their wards are conveyed or their misdeeds reported to them one way or the other. But then to which direction are we leading the younger generation in the domestic as well as academic fields ? N.S. Tasneem
|
|
Students
exhorted to shun drugs Ludhiana, September 23 In his presidential address, he expressed concern over alarming increase in the consumption of drugs and intoxicants among the youth. Quoting extensively from the Guru Granth Sahib, he called upon the youngsters to seek solace in the teachings of the Gurus and shun all types of addictions. The SGPC chief admitted that youngsters were under tremendous pressure to perform and in the process even a small disappointment can shatter the self confidence of a promising youngster. In such cases, students with low self esteem take recourse to drugs and intoxicants to achieve the feel good state. To curb this menace, it was necessary to steer them towards spiritualism and the Sikh way of life. He said as per figures released by the WHO, more than 40 lakh persons had died due to tobacco consumption. This figure will rise to more than 85lakh by the year 2020.The figures for people dying of other addictive substances is much higher, he pointed out. Mr Badungar said the SGPC had chalked out elaborate programmes to propagate the message of the Sikh gurus in the country and abroad. Seminars were being organised in schools and colleges in the state which included the events held at the Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mata Ganga Girls College, Kota, Babbar Memorial Khalsa College, Garhshankar, besides the present venue. He said the topics were as varied as the role of Banda Bahadur in the Sikh History, the status of women in the Sikh community, the importance of seva in Sikhism and the challenges before women in today’s world. He said this was just the beginning and all out efforts were being made to project the right image of Sikhs and the message of the gurus among the people, he pointed out. Mr Badungar also released three books on Sikhism authored by Dr Dalvinder Singh Grewal of the Dharam Prachar Committee on the occasion. Eminent scholar Dr Prabhjot Kaur in her address said another major reason for the rising drug abuse was the breakup of the joint family system. Children feel deprived of the constant love and affection that was available in the joint family system. Hence, they seek refuge in drugs since both the parents are working and have a limited interaction. The need of the hour is to have a joint effort to reassert the old family values which have been lost over the years owing to the march of materialism, she added. In his address, Dr Sarbjeet Singh of PAU said as per an estimate there were more than 35 lakh addicts in the country while more than eight lakh persons die of related causes each year in India. This comes to 2, 000 deaths everyday. According to a survey by the university, more than 66 per cent of the village children have started consuming gutkha. One of the suggestions forwarded by him was to stop consumption of liquor at all social functions. There was also a need to keep a lookout for stalls that sell such intoxicants to youngsters. he added. Principal Harbhajan Singh of the Sikh Missionary College was of the view that the present ills plaguing us were the fallout of deserting the Sikh way of life which lays emphasis on invoking the blessings of the guru, hard labour and sharing the fruits with our less fortunate brethren. Prof Balwinderpal Singh of the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle said it was unfortunate for Sikhs that nearly 40 - 45 percent students in schools and more than 60 - 65 per cent college students of the community are apostate. He said the influence of cable TV and a misplaced sense of trying to ape an alien culture blindly were major contributors to the rising practice. The increasing tendency of patronising self-styled babas were also to blame for the downfall. Others who presented their views on the occasion included Prof Rupinder Singh Khalsa, Proh Harmit Singh, Prof Balwinder Singh Kanpur, Dr Gurbaksh Singh, Dr Kharak Singh Mohali, former speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, Mr G.S Sangowal, Mr S.S Bhai Rupa, Dr Manjinder Kaur, Mr S.S Gill, Mr D.S Bedi, Prof Kanwaljit Singh, Mr G. S Gill, Principal Jaswant Singh and Principal Parinder Kaur Sekhon. |
|
Vidhayak
contest concludes Samrala, September 23 Following are the results of various contests: Shabad Gayan —Mandeep Kaur and party (Ist), and Gurdeep Singh and party (2nd); War Gayan: Gurjeet Kaur and party (Ist), Qawishri: Manpreet Kaur and party (Ist); Poem recitation: Amrinder Kaur, National Public School, Samrala (Ist), Rupinder Kaur, GHS, Ottalan (2nd) and Rajni Rani, GGSS, Samrala (3rd). Second and third day: Eqanqi contest: ‘Mitti Da Bawa’, GSSS, Samrala (Ist), Gaganpreet Singh, GHS, Kotla Shamspur (2nd) and Sandeep Singh, GSSS, Behlolpur (3rd). Declamation contest: Manpreet Kaur, GGSSS, Machhiwara (Ist), Sipri Rani, GGSSS, Samrala (2nd), Ram Dass, GSSS, Behlolpur (3rd); Geet and Lok Geet contest: Sunita Rani, GGSS, Samrala (Ist), Gurchetan Singh, GSSS, Machhiwara (2nd), and Ranjodh Singh, Punjab Public School, Ropalon (3rd); Gattaka contest: Boys Secondary School, Machhiwara (Ist), Government Girls School, Machhiwara (2nd), and GHS, Ropalon (3rd); Maulik Likhat Muqabale: Arinder Kaur, GSSS, Samrala (Ist), Poonam Grewal of GHS, Otalan (2nd), and Sanjiv Kumar, GSSS, Machhiwara (3rd). Prof Hamdardvir Nausheharvi, Mr Harnek Singh Dharni, Mr Balwant Singh Panesar, Mr Paramjeet Singh Kharak, Ms Santosh, Ms Paramjit Kaur and Mr Suriya Kant Verma were judges of the contests. Principal Swaran Singh presided over the function. Dr Gulzar Mohamad Goria was the stage secretary. |
|
Contest
on Bhagat Singh’s birth anniversary Ludhiana, September 23 Giving this information to the press, Mr Jaswant Zirakh, general secretary of the manch, said the manch was committed to upholding the scientific ideas of the martyr, since his ideas were still relevant today. Prof A.K. Maleri, president, reiterated that the manch was attempting to take the message of the martyr to the common people by organising cultural activities, holding seminars and conferences. On this occasion, eminent personalities who showed exemplary courage in challenging the system will be honoured. Saru Rana, a student of Punjabi University who came forward against the former VC of Punjabi University, Patiala, for sexual harassment, will be honoured. Nisha Kaura, who exposed the system of recruitment in the government schools by writing a letter to The Tribune in the column ‘Letters to the Editor’, will also be honoured. |
|
Koshish-2002 results Ludhiana, September 23 In software development, a DOS-based mail system created by MCA-(I) students was declared first. “Tower of Hanoi”, a teaching aid, developed by the team of BCA (final) got the second prize, while “Online lottery system” developed by students of BCA (II) won the third prize. Eight teams had developed the software which included software on the tune of “Kaun Banega Crorepati”, “Binary Tree” and “Triano”. JAM (just a minute) was organised in two rounds. The first round saw battle of 24 students. The second and final round involved six students looking for a range of verbal errors made by the opponent. The final standing showed Gautam Sikri of MBA (I) on top with Shaifalli Khanna of MBA (II) and Charanjeet Singh of BCA (II), clinching second and third positions, respectively. Dr K.N.S. Kang congratulated the winners and said that the event would continue throughout the week till September 28. In all, 37 events would be organised and the competition will see 12 teams fighting for the trophy. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
