The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

PU wins inter-univ quiz contest
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
Twentythree years after Panjab University bagged an award at the Inter-University Youth Festival, it has regained its past glory with a team from a local college winning the first prize in a quiz during the recently held North Zone Inter-University Youth Festival in Allahabad.

While the achievement this year is commendable, the very fact that this was only for the second time in the past 20 years that a team to represent the university was sent to the festival has raised questions within the academic establishment about the functioning of the university’s Department of Youth Welfare.

University sources confirm that last time teams from the university had bagged prizes in the festival was in 1978, when they had taken part in over twenty competitions. Since then the university had been represented at the festival only once a few years ago, when teams had returned empty handed.

This year, a three-member team from SD College, Sector 32, comprising Preetpal Singh, Preeti Awasthi and Vikram Ramarajan, bagged the top position in the quiz. Besides them, two students of Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, Pooja Rishi and Aarti, also participated in light vocal, classical vocal and classical instrument competitions at the festival. Teams from 25 universities had Participated in the festival. The wining teams from this zone will compete at the All-India Inter-University Festival, scheduled to be held at Warangal shortly.

Selection of teams for the inter-university festival is made on the basis of their performance during the inter-zonal youth festival, organised by the Youth Welfare Department of the university. There are 112 colleges under the jurisdiction of the PU, which are divided into 12 zones for the purpose of competitions.

While the inter-zonal festivals had been held regularly every year, records show that no team was sent to represent the PU at the inter-university festival during the past two decades except on one occasion. Other universities located in Punjab have been sending teams to the festival regularly.

Non-participation of teams from the PU, which is a reflection on the state of affairs of the Youth Welfare Department, has also generated controversy and acrimony at various levels, including the university Senate. Sources said that “improper” nomination of judges for various competitions at the inter-zonal level during the past year was a major issue.

“With the total expenditure incurred by the department was around 20 lakh during the previous academic session and Rs 39 lakh the year before it, you can imagine the amount of money channelled into the department over the years. All that appears to have been a total waste,” a university functionary commented. While all preparations for organising inter-zonal festivals and preparing selected teams for the inter-university festival is the responsibility of respective colleges, the role of the department is coordination and providing subsidies.

The officiating Director of the department, Dr Surender Sharma, when contacted, declined to comment on the reasons affecting the department’s functioning over the past decades. “This year, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr K.N. Pathak, had taken personal interest in sending teams to the festival, he said. “Also, the university’s youth welfare committee had decided this year to directly appoint judges for zonal and inter-zonal competitions instead of leaving it to the local authorities as was the practice earlier,” he added.

PU law paper not from syllabus
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
Students of Panjab University’s Department of Laws have alleged that certain portions of third semester’s paper on Direct Taxation, conducted today, were not from syllabus.

In a representation forwarded to the department’s chairman, Dr Bal Krishan, the students affected have stated that two questions of 20 marks each and a sub-part of a question carrying 10 marks, were not from the syllabus prescribed for the semester. The paper was for 100 marks. The students have demanded that “reasonable” grace marks be awarded to them as compensation.

While the chairman was not available, a senior faculty member told TNS that the matter was being forwarded to the university’s Controller of Examinations, who would refer it to the experts concerned. The opinion of experts would be put before the department’s board of studies before a final decision on the matter is taken.

Prize distribution function
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
In the age of modern technology when every one is influenced by computers or cable TV, the programmes launched to promote book culture to motivate students is highly laudable. Stating this while presiding over the prize distribution function for competitions organised by the Chandigarh Librarians Association, the Joint Secretary Finance and DPI (Colleges), Mr Dilip Kumar, said even small efforts in this field would pay rich dividends in the long run.

Meanwhile, the inter-school and inter-college quiz, which was to be organised on January 16 and January 18, have been postponed. Fresh dates will be announced later on.

The results of various competitions, in the order of merit, are: best reader — Public schools (category-I): Jaskaran Singh; Pulkit Sharma; Rochan Kakar; Government schools (category-I): Ayush Awasthi; Piyush Bhardwaj; Public schools (category-II): Kartikey Sharma; Udit Dewan; Arindan Shah; Anand Vidur Puri; Government schools (category-II): Pulkit; Public schools (category- III): Divanshu Mohananey; Bhanuj Kappal; Himanshu Kaul; Government schools (category-III): Guneet Singh, Harneha Gulati; College students: Madhusheel Arora; K. Netu; Harpreet Dhiman.

Book and reference hunting contest — Public schools (category-I): Harsimran Singh and Bhanu; Abhishek and Utkaish; Government schools (category- I): Ayush and Piyush; Public schools (category-II): Varun and Karninder Singh; Anant and Pritish; Sahil and Lakashay; Government schools (category-II): Richa and Sadhika; Public schools (category-III): Anurag and Anubhav; Rohit and Simran; Rini and Kalsi; Public schools (category-III): Aman Gupta and Manish; and College students: Vikas and Madhusheel; Varun and Dharamveer; Preet and Bhawna.

Agitating students block traffic
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, January 17
More than 150 students of Government College here staged a dharna in front of the SDM’s office, blocking traffic on the road for over half-an-hour here today.

The students were protesting against drivers and conductors of the state transport buses plying in the township from nearby villages and townships for allegedly not letting them on these buses and at times not even stopping at their stops. The students alleged that they were being given this treatment as they were travelling on the student passes and the drivers and the conductors try and avoid stopping for them and taking them on their buses. ‘‘Since we are the non-paying passengers, we are left waiting at the bus stops,’’ said one of them.

Students also pointed out that at times they are forced to use autos or other buses where they have to pay money to reach college.

The students gave a memorandum of their complaints and demands to the SDM, Mr Darshan Singh Sandhu. When contacted, the SDM stated that he has decided to forward the memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, with a positive recommendation that the state transport authorities be directed to ensure that the bus conductors allow the use of buses for the students.