The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

CAMPUS
PM’s proposal annoys DUTA
Smriti Kak

The Prime Minister’s suggestion to increase the fees and reduce subsidy on higher education has not been well-received by the teacher’s community. The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has expressed its displeasure over the suggestions mooted by Mr Vajpayee at a function organised to mark the golden jubilee of University Grants Commission.

Criticising the Prime Minister’s suggestions, the DUTA has pointed out that the “sweeping reforms” suggested would push the public funded higher education sector further into the private sector and thereby deprive it of its ability to fulfil its social responsibilities.

The Prime Minister’s proposal includes, increasing the fees, reduction in subsidy, making managers and professionals work as part time teachers in place of qualified teachers and making higher education in India attractive for sale to foreign students.

The DUTA has alleged that these moves are an indicator to push higher education into the private sector and reduce state investment. It is also being pointed out that with the decision to bring higher education under WTO and GATS by 2004, the moves to cut state subsidies are being accelerated. “We believe that the state should not shirk from its social responsibilities and should continue with state funding. The suggestions listed are unacceptable,” said Dr Jaswinder Singh, vice-president, DUTA.

With an aim to evolve a common all India platforms of demand and action, the DUTA is organising an All India Convention of Teachers’ on January 18. “The convention will provide an interface for the teachers, where they can discuss various issues related to higher education and also evolve a strategy to improve the working status of the teachers,” added Dr Singh.

Donations from ex-students

The Delhi University is looking at the ex-students to help the university boost its fiscal might. Taking a cue from the donations that its counterparts receive abroad, the DU is playing on the emotional chord of the former students.

With initiatives like the Alumni Heritage Card and the first alumni directory, the University is hoping to earn the goodwill of the students. Networking with these students may be a tedious job, but not when the University has set its sight on the prospective cash flow.

The Delhi University can boast of corporate giants, politicians, and actors among others. What with some students have earned a more than reasonable share of green wads, funds for the development of the university will surely give the university’s depressed purse a reason to cheer.

The university is banking on a heavy grant from an ex-student, who happens to be a corporate biggie. Here’s hoping that the rest of the alumni take a cue from this one.

Marketing Congress

The Institute of Marketing and Management (IMM) is hosting the 30th World Marketing Congress from January 9 to 11. The congress, ‘India and ASEAN; Partners in Progress’ is being sponsored by ONGC, State Government of Chhattisgarh, Alfa Laval, AICTE, HRD Ministry and Punjab National Bank.

Former Prime Minister I. K. Gujral will inaugurate the congress, which will be chaired by Dr Vijay Mallya. Mr Rajiv Sikri, Additional Secretary, MEA will deliver the keynote address from the government sector, while Ms Naina Lal Kidwai, VC and MD, HSBC Securities and Capital Markets, will deliver the keynote address from the corporate sector. Former President K. R. Narayanan will be the chief guest at the valedictory function.

Blood donation camp

NHRC Chairman Justice J. S. Verma inaugurating the blood donation camp in Noida.

A blood donation camp was organised at the Amity Campus in Noida in association with the Rotary Blood Bank. Justice J. S. Verma, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, who was present at the occasion said, “Blood donation makes a compassionate society. When the world is bonded by blood then there will be no bloodshed.”

Mr Sudharshan Aggarwal, president of Rotary Blood Bank, said, “It is a tragedy that in a city of 15 million people there is a shortage of 75,000 units of blood. Every minute someone, somewhere dies for want of the right type of blood group, whereas donating blood takes only a few minutes and can make a difference between life and death.”

He also pointed out, “Amity group of institutions with their 15,000 students can alone make up for 15 to 20 per cent of Delhi’s blood shortage.”

A new institute of acting
Nalini Ranjan

An affiliate group of the union financial corporation of America (films funding division), Indoscreen Film and Television Academy, has opened a state-of-the-art institute for acting courses in Model Town.

The academy offers courses related to film and television productions, like degree and diploma in film and TV acting, children’s acting, personality development, camera, lighting, video-editing, sound recording, TV serial and feature production and direction, choreography and make-up.

There is a special course of “Action and Stunt”. According to the managing director of the academy, Mr Raman Tandon, producer of a popular tele-serial ‘Kashish’, it is for the first time that an institute of its kind is introducing a special course on action and stunt.

He further informed that the faculty comprises stalwarts of Bollywood, like actor Manoj Kumar, producer director B. R. Chopra and Shatrughan Sinha (who is also in the advisory board). Subba Rao, former Dean of National School of Drama (NSD), is the course director of the institute. Two other professors of the NSD, Suresh Shetty and K. Srinivasan Rajendran have also been inducted in the faculty.

The rest of the faculty includes TV serial producer Arun Frank, action directors Hasan Raghuand, Mehbood Bakshi, well-know choreographer Habiba Rahman and Sharon Lowen, cameraman Basir Ali. “As far as the acting goes, the foundation for the acting talent depends upon good theatre background. Keeping this in mind, the students are being imparted practical and hands on training on all aspects of production to make them a better equipped artiste,” said Mr Tandon.

The institute has also set up a website, www.indoscreen.com. The artistes in all the categories can log on to the website and fill up the form online. The institute will select five faces on the basis of the work, talent and beauty every month, which will be displayed on the portal of the institute.

To promote natural talents, the institute is also organising ‘Indoscreen face of the Screen-2003’. The institute is also planning to open branches in Jalandhar and Chandigarh also.