EDUCATION

DUSU budget passed amid row
Sanjog Gupta

New Delhi, October 16
The Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) budget for the year 2002-2003 was passed today through a simple majority amid major controversy. The rival factions in the union held a disputed opinion with the NSUI contingent insisting on the adjournment of the union meeting while this stand was unacceptable to the ABVP group of six members. The main rationale for the stand taken by the NSUI contingent led by Ashok Basoya (Joint Secretary-DUSU) was the lack of time available to them for review of the budget presented.

Mr Devesh Mishra, Staff Adviser, DUSU, said, “The NSUI contingent came with a closed mind and did not want to resolve the issue. They had a singular objective-to adjourn the meeting.” Eventually, it was the staff adviser’s intervention – in the absence of a unanimous opinion – which led to the ratification of the budget. The opposing group was outnumbered by six votes to five. One member abstained. Mr Mishra said, “This was the first time in the past three years that we had to take the option of a simple majority otherwise we have always had discussions leading to the emergence of a unanimous opinion.”

The budgeted amount for DUSU disbursal is Rs 3,52,000 with major expense heads being the outlay on sports and cultural activities. Around Rs 2,50,000 of the anticipated expenses come in the form of students’ contribution passed on to the unions by the respective colleges. University funds and previous balances make up the shortfall of revenues with respect to the expenditure.

The budget was presented at the first Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) meeting, which include the four DUSU office-bearers and the recently elected 11-member Executive Council. The meeting was attended by 12 of the 15 members on the union. 

CAMPUS
Is 100 per cent FDI in education a 
reason to rejoice?
Sanjog Gupta

The government at the Centre is planning to introduce 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the education sector. Under the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS), the Union government had agreed at the WTO conference to allow FDI in the education sector by 2003.

This would imply that foreign educational institutions would be allowed to establish wholly owned subsidiaries in India, leading to a foreign education and certification for students. The move is aimed at increasing the number of foreign students pursuing higher studies in India, which stood at 7,000 in 2001, as well as retaining a proportion of the 48,000 Indian students going abroad each year.

The move will make foreign education/certification more accessible to Indian students as well as substantially reduce the costs involved for the student. The government is simultaneously attempting to allay fears on excessive commercialisation of higher education by limiting the nature of foreign institutions entering the sector through a condition that allows only registered societies and non-profit organisations.

But, is the announcement a real reason to rejoice for students or education providers?

Indian students, for a long time, have had access to foreign certification and education through various tie-ups.

Certification tie-ups such as the tie-up between University of London and ITM, which allow students to gain a degree from the university while studying in India, have existed for sometime now. Educational tie-ups such as the ones between Columbia University and Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore, entailing the provision of course content and teaching assistance by the premier American school for journalism to the Indian counterpart is also becoming a norm in the sector.

Also, reputed universities in the UK and the USA offer courses to international students through external education programmes rather than setting up shop themselves. Hence, the entry of institutions will be limited to smaller players. For the institutes, the announcement implies increased competition in a sector already facing a bottleneck due to an unprecedented mushrooming of private institutes. The only benefit accruing to them might be the additional avenue for capital.

Courses in media studies

The Film and Media School of Institute of Integrated Learning in Management (IILM) is launching an undergraduate course in journalism in collaboration with the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Ireland. As per the MoU signed between Dr Ahindra Chakrabarti, director, IILM and Dr Frank McMohan, director, Academic Affairs, DIT, the degree (Bachelor of Arts) will be awarded by DIT and the programme conducted in New Delhi will provide professional and multi-skilled practical training in print, broadcast and online journalism.

The tie-up will enable a large number of aspiring media professionals to get quality training and also provide comprehensive collaborative training in media impact and the interplay of media, politics and public affairs. The recruitment for the undergraduate course is likely to commence in August 2003. DIT is the largest higher education institution in Ireland with 22,000 students pursuing 85 programmes worldwide at various levels. DIT is a highly acclaimed institution for media training and offers nine undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various aspects of media.

The Film and Media School at IILM was established in 2002. Even though its foray into media education is at an infancy stage, the institute has already accumulated key laurels such as the collaboration with National Film and Television School, UK (a leading television training school) for the postgraduate course.

Business Outsourcing

Aptech has launched the first comprehensive programmes for the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector called ACPG. The programmes are aimed at fulfilling the growing need in the BPO sector for skilled professionals and encapsulates programmes in sales and marketing, financial accounting, banking and call centre (with 7 without accent training).

A growing number of multinationals, lured by the cost effectiveness and quality standards which Indian companies offer, are in the process of announcing plans of outsourcing their processes to India.

Already 15 global companies such as HSBC, Dell and HP have announced plans of opening offshore centers while several Indian companies such as Wipro and Infosys are also investing in the sector to offer their multinational clients a range of services.

Meanwhile, Aptech has added another laurel to its growing list of achievements by receiving certification from the Fiji National Training Council for its ACCP World Programme curriculum.

Aptech had opened its first center in Fiji about three years ago and since then, has trained several professionals.

The ACCP World Programme is a comprehensive programme designed in collaboration with industry leaders and consultants through the Technology & Academic Advisory Group of Aptech (TAG) and internationally renowned alliance partners like Microsoft, NetG, etc.

Aptech is a leading global player in IT education with a vast network spread across 2449 centres in 52 countries.

The curriculum certification comes as shot in the arm for Aptech as the courses approved by the certification authority in Fiji are recognised by educational authorities the world over, including those in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

Language proficiency

Inlingua’s first student to complete a language training course being awarded the certificate by Mr Siddharth Basu.

COURTS

Notice to Centre on working 
conditions of Delhi cops
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the central government on a PIL seeking implementation of the recommendation of the 1979 Police Commission report for improving the working conditions of the Delhi Police, especially its constables.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice A. D. Singh and Mr Justice R. S. Sodhi issued notices to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chief Secretary, Delhi Government, and the Commissioner of Delhi Police on the petition filed by advocate B. L. Wadehra, alleging failure of the authorities for not taking action on the report for all these years.The PIL sought a review of the working conditions and terms of employment, including the system of recruitment and promotional avenue of constables. It added that the commission had suggested a change in the existing system with regard to the changed needs of policing in the country and the importance of making constable a responsible functionary. "The constabulary should no longer be treated as a cadre meant only for duties of a mechanical character as visualised by the 1902 commission. ,” the petition quoted the report as having said.The PIL also pointed out that the staff which functions at the police station level largely determined the police image in the country. The constabulary constitutes a large majority of this staff and forms the foundation and base for the entire police structure, it added. In the revised set-up, a constable would thus be looked upon as a potential investigating officer who could be entrusted with higher responsibilities in field jobs as he picks up experience and rises further by promotion on the basis of his performance at each level. It, however, noted that the present position of the constable was a far cry from the position envisaged. It entailed long and arduous hours of work without facilities for rest and recreation, continuous employment on jobs under extreme conditions of stress and strain, both mental and physical, prolonged stagnation, constant exposure to criticism and ridicule by a demanding public, an inadequate pay structure with no compensation for the handicaps suffered on the job, low status and lack of involvement in planning and executing field jobs.

These all have telling effect on the morale of the constabulary throughout the country, it observed. 

CULTURE

‘Mamalas Seeds’: Women’s power 
comes to the fore 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
Navdanya and Diverse Women for Diversity inaugurated a unique exhibition of paintings by Bolivian artist Valentina Campos at the Arpana Art Gallery, Academy of Fine Arts and Literature here today.

Titled Mamalas Seeds - The Source of Life, the exhibition is an attempt by the artist to emphasise that women have been the seed-keepers across cultures and throughout history.

And the sacredness of seed has been symbolised as mother goddesses, the Mamalas, as so beautifully and powerfully expressed in the paintings and prose of Valentina Campos.

Valentina is a third-generation Bolivian artist. As an activist she works to rescue, protect and strengthen the culture and environment of native people by teaching models of self-sufficiency based on traditional practices.

She says, “Through my paintings, I rescue the traditional crops of the Andes by rescuing the mythology of the sacred seed.”

Says Dr Vandana Shiva, Founder-Director, Navdanya: “In this exhibition of paintings by Valentina, biodiversity, cultural diversity and women’s power have come together in a burst of creative energy.”

The evening also witnessed the opening of the Navdanya Art Cafe at the Academy of Fine Arts and Literature. The cafe will provide the goodness of organically farmed foods made out of lesser-known grain like Bajra, jowar, ramdana etc and naturally nutritious squashes and health drinks.Some of these delectable delicacies include ramdana cutlets, cookies of different kinds, squashes, mathis, whole wheat flour cake, ramdana namkeen, ramdana chikki, ramdana breakfast cereal to name just a few.

The cream of pottery on display
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
The Taj and the Buland Darwaza are being resurrected, right in the heart of the city and this time it isn’t by a monarch, but by those whose vision is to take Indian pottery and kitchen ware onto the world horizon and bring the world’s finest quality to the country.

Announcing the plans to hold an expo displaying Indian pottery and kitchenware, Mr M Zahid, Chairman and Managing Director of Z Exhibits told newspersons here today that the expo would showcase the best of pottery and kitchenware. “Our effort is aimed at serving everyone and developing relationship between countries and people to promote this sector,” said Zahid. The exhibition scheduled to begin on October 19 will continue till October 27. It will have more than 200 participants, both foreign as well as domestic.

The expo will bring under one roof, high quality pottery and kitchenware including glassware, giftware, statues and handicrafts made of ceramics. General pubic will be allowed during the second half of the day, while the first half has been reserved for the business visitors.