The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

CAMPUS
DUTA–UGC tussle: Will the real winner stand up?
Sanjog Gupta

The Academic Council was convened last week to take a decision on the issue of teachers’ workload. Various proposals were heard, ranging from a straightforward increase in workload to an assiduous defiance of the UGC recommendation. The meeting lasted for nearly 12 hours, ending late at night, with 128 members trying hard to diffuse the dispute.

But the face-saver left many teachers, students, administrators, UGC employees, principals and scribes perplexed.

The final outcome was an increase in the duration of classes by five minutes, resulting in an explicit increase in the weekly workload by one and a half-hour for the teachers.

The decision seemed to safeguard the interest of the teaching community, but it was in fact an oblique attempt to avoid attrition and at the same time appease the UGC. A win-all situation.

However, a detached assessment provides an altogether different picture.

Even though students will now sit in classes for longer periods, teachers will continue to teach antiquated courses with archaic methods. Absenteeism among both students and teachers remains rampant and efficient teachers continue to rue the casual teaching habits of their peers, not bound by any sense of responsibility or accountability.

The UGC, given its depleting funds for higher education, had recommended the increase in workload, so as make the most of the existing infrastructure and funnel the funds for university development.

Their objective has been totally nullified by the creative manner in which the AC has handled the dispute. Now that the smoke raised by the dispute has cleared, will the real winner please stand up?

A lot of gas

The Indian School of Petroleum, a premier institute in the domain of Hydrocarbon Industry in India, organised the first annual conference and exhibition on ‘Understanding Natural Gas Business’ from October 4 to 5 at Hotel Taj Mahal. The conference addressed various aspects of the natural gas business, disseminating latest information pertaining to gas chain, supply chain management, the competitive scenario, gas use in power and fertilisers and certain financial issues. There was further discussion on the legal and regulatory dimensions of the industry with the participants hailing from the government, industry and academia.

The list of speakers at the conference included eminent dignitaries and renowned veterans from the industry such as Mr C.R.Prasad, chairman, British Gas (I) Ltd., Mr Rajeev Khanna, GM-Business Development, GAIL, Mr Ron Somers, CEO, Unocal Bharat Services Pvt. Ltd., and Mr Robert Thomas, MD, Gujarat Gas Company India Ltd.

The key note address for the event was delivered by Mr Prabir Sengupta, Director General, IIFT and former Petroleum Secretary. Through this conference, the Indian School of Petroleum provided the participants with an insight into the technical aspects of the industry.

Corporate citizenship

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India celebrated its foundation day with the release of two ‘guidance notes’.

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) celebrated its foundation day on October 4 with the release of two ‘guidance notes’ and a lecture on ‘Corporate Citizenship’.

The institute, established in 1968, had Mr Vinod Dhall, Secretary-Department of Company Affairs, attending the function as chief guest. He also released the ‘guidance notes’ on the occasion. Mr Dhall delivered the ‘Foundation Day Lecture’ on the role of ‘Corporate Citizenship’ in changing business environment, touching upon topics such as social development, government cooperation and ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR). The two ‘guidance notes’ were aimed at ensuring uniformity and consistency of corporate practices.

The agenda for the occasion also included lectures by Mr N.J.N Vazifdar, chairman, Secretarial Standard Board and Dr.S.P Narang, secretary, ICSI.

Risk (y) courses

Wigan & Leigh College, Delhi, has launched courses in Insurance Management and Visual Communication, which will be introduced in all its five centers from January 2003.

The Insurance Management course, the first postgraduate course in insurance in India, has been adopted from the Institute of Insurance, UK. The course in Visual Communications seeks to comprehensively equip students with skills required to work in an advertising agency.

The institute is also planning to introduce a new specialised course in Human Resources as part of the management course (PG Diploma in Management), which would provide the students with an opportunity to specialise from the first year itself. The inception of these courses has been an outcome of increased demand for qualified professionals in the insurance, advertising and HR sectors.

IILM graduates

The Institute of Integrated Learning in Management (IILM) held its 9th graduation ceremony of the Postgraduate Business School on October 9.

The ceremony was held on its campus in Rai School Complex and was presided over by Prof. H.P Dikshit, Vice-Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou ).

Paying for placements

Aptech Education Ltd. has introduced an innovative programme, suggestively christened the ‘Pay on Placement 33’ programme. The programme entitles the student to pay 67percent of the course fees at the time of enrolment and the remaining 33 per cent once the institute has secured placement for the student.

The offer is available to students opting for the two-year course and is devised as a placement assurance for prospective students. Since last year, companies such as GE Capital, Tata Infotech Education, Hindustan Times, Pentasoft. Ispat Alloys Limited, Peerless, Volvo India Limited and Usha Martin recruited from the institute’s ranks.

The premier institute in IT education has also launched the ‘ACCP World Programme’, which aims at training Indian students on globally relevant technologies.

The three year programme is attuned with the global IT industry and is conducted in a unique modular method, patented by Aptech as ‘AMEDA’, where the students have the flexibility to take up independent modules in case they do not wan to pursue the course for three years.

Aptech is also shortly planning to launch courses in Banking, Sales and Marketing for the ITES-BPO sector. With the sector growing at 15-20 per cent per annum, the course has been developed keeping in mind the vast potential in this sector.

Innovision 2002

Netaji Subhash Chandra Institute of Technology (NSIT), formerly Delhi Institute of Technology, is organising ‘Innovision 2002’ from October 10-12. The three-day event is aimed at adoption and development of new technologies in the IT sector.

The event, which promises to be an all India technical exhibition, will serve as a platform for the display of technical prowess and acumen amongst engineering students in India.

The event includes paper presentations, seminars, quiz shows, case studies and various other contests. The highlight of the event will be a robotic exhibition.

‘Our courses help students build
international careers’

Wigan & Leigh College (WLC), Delhi, is planning to expand the global operations of the 150-year-old UK based college by undertaking a South-East Asian expansion plan. Having an active presence in 32 countries, the college is now planning collaboration with institutes in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore so as to provide local students access to international education.

In an exclusive interaction with the NCR Tribune, Mr Vinay Parischa, director, Wigan & Leigh, spoke on the expansion plans of the college.

What kind of investment and effort has gone into this effort?

WLC is investing Rs 3-4 crores in developing its presence in South-East Asia, which is being shared equally between the Indian arm and our UK counterpart. The concept came about in 2000 and since then, we have been doing preliminary research into the feasibility of expanding to the region. The process is in its final stages now, as we expect to recruit students as early as August next year.

Our campuses will be set up in Malaysia, Thailand (Bangkok), Hong Kong and Singapore. Our sales teams will leave for these countries in December to forge tie-ups with companies for the apprenticeship programme, which is an integral part of our students learning process.

What are the courses that will be offered to the students in these countries?

Our research has revealed that there is a high demand for professionals in specific fields, where we enjoy a competitive advantage. We will offer courses in Management, Fashion Technology, Visual Communications and Media Studies, both at the postgraduate and undergraduate levels.

How does WLC plan to adapt its current curriculum to the scenario in these countries?

The local education system in these countries is in consonance with the foreign education systems. Therefore, adaptability is not an issue for us since we are a UK based college. Our curriculum is developed in UK and therefore, our courses are according to international standards.

Also, we are doing substantial research to design eight modules–four are country specific and four region specific–for the purpose of imparting specific skills which are in demand.

We will also provide English language training at the outset to improve the students’ proficiency in the language since the medium of instruction for these courses will be English and the language is not widely spoken in countries like Thailand.

How does WLC benefit from this venture abroad?

Our global presence enhances our ability to provide international know-how and knowledge to our students. Our courses are modified every six months and feedback from all countries, where we have a presence, is taken into account while enhancing the courses. This means that our courses are in tune with the international scenario and benefit students in building an international career. More specifically, for the Indian students, this provides an excellent opportunity for them to avail of placements in the South-East Asian region and provides access for indigenous knowledge.

Is WLC planning to expand in other regions of the world?

We are looking into the feasibility of expanding to Africa but for now, we are focussing primarily on South-East Asia. The expansion into Africa will happen only after two years or so.

COURTS

A Pandora’s box opens in Noida Lok Adalat
Parmindar Singh

Noida, October 9
It took the Noida administration 26 long years after its establishment to hold the first-ever Lok Adalat to help settle over 3,000 pending cases, some of which were quite unique. Many of the petitioners had already approached the courts, including the Supreme Court, to get justice. The results of the first Lok Adalat were, however, quite encouraging as 12 out of 100 cases were settled.

The Lok Adalat was set up on the specific instructions of the Chief Executive Officer of Noida, Mr D. S. Bains. Over 250 cases were presented before the secretary of the Lok Adalat, the Deputy Chief Financial Adviser, Mr S. P. Gaur. In the Lok Adalat held last week, 10 cases of industrial disputes and eight other cases were heard. The Chief Financial Adviser of Noida and Chairman of the Trial Committee, Mr Savtantar Kumar, had also heard the cases.

In one instance, Riazuddin of D-337 in Sector 10 had submitted a plea for the consideration of the Lok Adalat. Riazuddin, who had approached the apex court for regularisation of a plot, was told by the committee that his plot of land could be regularised if he deposited the newly fixed tax on a time-bound basis. On this, Riazuddin gave his consent to the committee.

Similarly, the case concerning Plot No. B-154 in Phase-II, which was allotted to Balkishen Gupta, was also presented before the committee. Mr Gupta also had filed a case in the apex court. He too was advised to deposit the regularisation fee and other taxes and then his plot would be regularised.

While Neena Chopra (A-48 in Sector 57) and Naresh Kumar (C-6, Sector 6) were told that they could be allotted industrial plots, the case of R. P. Mittal, an allottee of Sector 63, had put the Chairman of the Pro-Trial Committee in a fix. The authority had allotted an industrial plot, C-143 in Sector 63, to Mr Mittal in 1997, but the said land on which plot was situated was not under the authority's possession. Hence, he was allotted a plot (No. B-7 in Sector 63) in 1999. However, the authority was not in a position to hand over the possession of this plot too. When he was finally given the actual possession, the Noida administration had already recovered Rs 6 lakh as interest from Mr Mittal with effect from 1997 to date.

Mr Mittal now requested the committee to condone the interest amount. The authority then asked the allottee to inform them about the progress of the construction of the building on the plot.

If this was the fate of Mr Mittal, others like R. D. Sahni and S. S. Chaudhri were asked to give consent letters to the Noida administration that they would accept other buildings against their original registrations.

About half-a-dozen heads of departments from all departments concerned of the authority were present in the Lok Adalat, the next meeting of which is slated to be held on the second Saturday of November.

Ad hoc dental surgeons not to be removed: HC
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 9
Delhi High Court today restrained the Delhi Government from removing from service more than 20 ad hoc assistant dental surgeons employed in various government hospitals and dispensaries.

A division bench comprising Justices A. D. Singh and R. S. Sodhi issued notice, returnable on October 23, to the State Government on the appeal filed by the doctors challenging a Central Administrative Tribunal order dismissing their plea seeking regularisation of service.

Saying the petitioners’ prayer for regularisation could be considered in the light of the experience, the court ordered that in the meantime they should not be ousted from service.

The doctors, who were appointed in 1998 for a period of six months and granted subsequent extensions, had sought regularisation of service without undergoing fresh selection, after an advertisement for filling their posts was issued by the respondents in March 2001.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court today directed the Delhi Chief Fire Officer to list out deficiencies of his squad with respect to fire-fighting services.

Stressing that at least the Capital should be safe from fires, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice A. D. Singh and Mr Justice R. S. Sodhi ordered the fire chief to suggest ways to modernise the fire-fighting force.

Both the suggestions and the list were to be submitted in the court by October 25, so that the judges could know what were the impediments including financial constraints in the way of the fire service’s improvement.

The court was hearing a PIL, filed by advocate B L Wadehra, seeking implementation of a plan to create more fire stations in Delhi and a more efficient force.