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| Saturday,
February 22, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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CBSE move confuses teachers Chandigarh, February 21 “We read the report in a newspaper but it did not say much except this that the physics and the maths papers for class XII and the science paper for class X will have multiple choice questions,” said Dr Meenakshi who came to get more information from the regional office of the CBSE. “We tried to gather information from the school but no one seems to know the changes,” she added. Queries are pouring in and principals are being driven from pillar to post for information.” We have no information regarding the changes in question papers,” CBSE officials told parents and teachers. Mr Yog Raj Sachdeva Regional Director (CBSE), was not available for comment. “We spoke to the CBSE officials and they said they have sent some circular regarding the changes but so far we have not received anything,” Ms Sunita Kanwar, Principal of Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 21 said Sister Rose, Principal of St Anne’s School, Sector 32, said though she had sent a teacher to find out the details, nothing came of it. “This is the way the CBSE functions,” said a teacher who resented this move when the examinations were just around the corner. Though a majority of the parents and teachers welcomed the multiple choice pattern, they felt that the timing was wrong. “Even if the changes are effected this year, the students would not face much difficulty as the multiple choice system will reduce their burden. The step is positive one but unfortunately late,” said Ms Kanwar. To combat panic, the principals have chalked out some crash courses for the students. “Changes or no changes, we are inviting our class X students on February 26 to give them some kind of orientation course to prepare them,” said Sister Rose. “We are inviting our students for a special session on February 24 or 25 and if we have any solid information till then we will convey them to them and prepare them accordingly,” Ms Indira Dhingra, Principal of Government Model Senior Secondary School Sector 21, said.  |
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Science, maths will soon be fun Chandigarh, February 21 Aimed at making science and mathematics learner-friendly and fun, this programme, ‘Developing Science and Technological Literacy in Chandigarh’, will progress in various phases. Conducting the workshop in the city will be the Centre for Education and Voluntary Action (CEVA), that has already worked on a series of games and puzzles to help generate scientific interest in masses. The idea behind promoting these specially developed and acquired science games and toys is to spread scientific temper among the people of the city. The first step towards the implementation of this programme will be an informal meeting in Guru Harkishen Model School of Sector 38. The meeting, open to all, will be to look into problems being faced by people in areas of science and mathematics. The programme, in its first phase, will involve creation of research material, training of resource persons and developing of computerised activity bank, available in markets. Ms Harleen Kohli, a resource person in CEVA, said: “We want to develop a new method for teaching people and helping them develop scientific temper. We are going to use community theatre to make complicated scientific concepts clear to people. We will encourage them to play games, through which, we will make our point. His will help people acquire an attitudinal edge.” Handling the research for the programme is Ms Karen Haydock, a biophysicist, who has written several books on making science and technology easy for children. Meanwhile, CEVA is collecting resource material for the first workshop, which will be launched in few a days. It has also been in touch with organisations like Jodo Gyan and Eklavya. Ms Harleen said: “From these organisations, we have acquired scientific toys and games. We are using these in classroom situations and workshops.” CEVA has recently trained teachers of city schools to create resource material to make science and mathematics easy in classroom situation. The project, funded by UNESCO, is being implemented in many schools. |
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Govt school teachers
stage dharna Chandigarh,
February 21 Mr Suraj Mal, President, Haryana Rajkiya Adhyapak Sangh, presided over the dharna. In a press note the sangh opposed the provision of paid seats, quota for NRI’s, enhancement of fee and other charges. The lamented that the government was withdrawing its financial support for higher education and thus advocating self-financed courses in universities and colleges and other technical institutions. The leaders also demanded that the ratios of 60 students to a teacher be followed strictly. The sangh demanded free computer education and general education till graduate level and also sought the withdrawal of orders of handing over primary education to panchayats and local bodies. |
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Workshop on English Chandigarh, February 21 Starting with phonetics, Colonel Hattar gave valuable tips on grammar and the significance of right body language which is an important part of conversation. He got associated with broadcasting after retiring from the Army. He has also worked as a sports commentator and provided voice for various International Film Festivals and the Films Division of India documentaries. The workshop was attended by 110 corporate members and 40 individuals from Chandigarh and nearby towns. “There is a crying need for such workshops for Punjabis and so the British Library has taken up the task of organising two or three more workshops in the near future,” said Mr Sushant Banerjee, Manager of the library. Meanwhile, the library has added 350 more titles to the existing strength of its computer section and 200 volumes to its science and technology section, besides about 400 DVDs of old and new English movies with popular titles like ‘Robinhood’, ‘Prince of Thieves’, ‘Story of Total Eclipse’, ‘Born Romantic’, ‘Brave Heart’ among others. |
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Talk on effective teaching Chandigarh, February 21 The five common parameters accepted by the international teaching community were shared with the audience. The parameters were as follows: knowledge of subject, command of language (verbal and non verbal), attitudes and value frame, literary and teaching styles. The talk was followed by a question-answer session. Earlier, Ms Surinder Kaur Tangri, Principal of the college, welcomed the guests. The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr K.L.
Sodhi. |
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Cyber cafe in college Chandigarh, February 21 Appreciating the role of the college in promoting Sanskrit speaking among youth, Prof Anirudh Joshi, an eminent scholar from the Department of Sanskrit, Panjab University, who was the chief guest on the occasion said Sanskrit was mother of all languages and its rhythm was matchless. The college runs three six- month courses in spoken Sanskrit. It also runs free classes for senior citizens during evening hours. Dr A. C. Vaid, Principal of the college, said Sanskrit should be taught from class I so that students could learn the real significance of Sanatanists’ Sanskriti. The cyber cafe was inaugurated at the library by Mr Upkar Krishan Sharma, President, GGDSD College Managing Committee. “The basic aim of the centre is to
acquaint students with the Power of the Internet,” said Mr Sharma. Informing that the centre was having all modern facilities that included 128 Kpbs lease line, 17-inch coloured monitors, 10 computers with the latest technologies, Dr vaid said the cafe would remain open throughout the year from 7 am to 11 pm. A workshop on computerised accounting was also arranged at IT block. More than 70 students participated in the workshop that was conducted by Prof Ajay Sharma, Lecturer, Post-Graduate Department of Commerce. |
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National Science Day celebrations conclude Chandigarh, February 21 The second and the last day’s programmes, comprising poster-making, paper reading and quiz contest, was inaugurated by DPI (Schools) UT, Mr D.S. Mangat, the chief guest. Chief guest distributed prizes among the winners. The prize winners: paper reading: Smriti Verma Ist, Mansi Handa IInd, Arpan IIIrd. Poster making (junior section): Sneh Ist, Tripti IInd, Rupinder Kaur IIIrd. Senior section: Renuka Ist, Komal Sharma IInd, consolation prize Komalpreet. Quiz contest (junior wing): Sidharth Puri. (Senior wing): Mansi Handa, Amrik Singh and Archan Ist; Mehul, Sugandha and Aman Goyal IInd; Alok John, Viksit and Rohit
IIIrd. |
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Jacob lays stone of Aurobindo’s new block Chandigarh, February 21 Addressing the gathering, General Jacob asked the Chief Architect to ensure that the basement of the building had three feet elevation. He said the message of ‘the Mother’ and Sri Aurobindo was for all humankind and transcended religious beliefs and barriers. Calling upon the people to spread the message of the Mother, General Jacob said she was the divine “conscious force” that dominated all existence. He recalled that “the Mother” had once said: “I belong to no nation, no civilisation, no society, no race, but to the divine. I obey no master, no ruler, no law, no social convention, but the divine. To Him I have surrendered all, will, life and self: for Him I am ready to give all my blood, drop by drop, if such is His will, with complete joy: and nothing in His service can be sacrifice, for all is perfect delight”. Speaking about his association with the Mother, General Jacob said one of his colleagues Colonel Bhalla sought blessings of the Mother for 1971 war when things were not going the right way. He said it was with the blessings of the Mother, the Indian Army won the 1971 war. General Jacob said “the Mother” got the first lesson in occultism from a jewish couple 1906. The “Mother” met a Polish Jew couple, Max Theon and his wife, Alma. Both of them were living at Tlemcen, near the Sahara in Souht Algeria. Mirra, the Mother, spent about two years at Tlemcen, practicing occultism. Applauding the role of the local Aurobindo Society for its efforts to uplift the under-privileged especially for running slum schools, General Jacob said every citizen of Punjab and Chandigarh should come forward to help the society in this noble task. Prominent among those parent were Mr Varindra Singh, Advisor to Administrator, Mr R.S. Gujral, Home Secretary, Mr Pardeep Narang, Chief of Aurobindo Society and Colonel
Bhalla. |
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Pvt schools too want to introduce NCC Chandigarh, February 21 The NCC Group Commander, Chandigarh, Col Ashwini Sharma, said more schools were being encouraged to introduce NCC. Stating that the additional schools would have to be accommodated within the sanctioned number of vacancies, he said this would call for some restructuring. The changes would be enforced in the forthcoming academic session. The introduction of “open” vacancies was also on the anvil, whereby if a school did not offer NCC, a student could still enroll as a cadet and could be attached to the NCC troop of another school. NCC officers said the introduction of NCC in private schools was a relatively new trend in the city. Earlier, only government schools offered NCC to their students. As per information, 25 schools here were offering NCC out of which five were private institutions. The authorised vacancies for the Chandigarh NCC Group, which had four units, including a naval unit, an air squadron and a battalion each for boys and girls, had a strength of 4,000 cadets. Out of this, 2,000 vacancies were for the junior division meant for school students. The NCC officers said after private schools began approaching them, a case was taken up with the higher authorities to increase the authorised vacancies. The proposal, however, was turned down. Accommodating new schools would not be done at the cost of other institutes, they said, adding that if a school wanted to introduce NCC, it should provide a teacher who could be trained and appointed as an Associate NCC Officer and adequate space should be allocated for stores. |
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Blood donation camp
at Govt College Chandigarh, February 21 Inaugurating the camp, Mr. S.C. Nijhawan, Principal of the college, said the blood donation was a noble cause and greatest service to humanity. NSS volunteers of the college besides donating the blood, put their names on the emergency panel of donors of the PGI and Government Medical Collge and Hospital, Sector 32. |
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Bhangra beats set the mood Chandigarh, February 21 The main venue at the Law Auditorium remained packed to capacity for most part of the day. The crowd response was overwhelming in case of folk dances, particularly in the morning session. Bhangra beats had members of the audience dancing and clapping as well. Mr Gurchet Singh Bhullar, Minister in the Punjab Government, presided over the session. Lauding the efforts of students in organising a programme that encouraged group activity, he announced Rs 50,000 for the student fund. Also present on the occasion were Prof S.K.Sharma, Dean University Instructions, and Malwinder Singh Kang, president of the Panjab University Campus Students Council. Contests in the light vocal category were held in the afternoon and the venue once again was jam-paeked. In the evening, a cultural programme was presented by campus students. Punjabi singer Gurdas Mann would present a show tomorrow evening at the ground opposite the Students’ Centre. |
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FROM COURTS Chandigarh, February 21 The petitioner, Jagdish Chander, had filed a plea against the Union of India, the Central Secretariat, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Nirman Bhavan, the Adviser to the Administrator, the Secretary of the Department of Medical Education and Research and the Government Medical College through its Director Principal, Dr R.M. Joshi. While allowing the plea, the tribunal stated in its order, “All the adverse entries are directed to be quashed and expunged by the department. Adverse entries were recorded with malice and a vindictive mind. The cost of Rs 2,000 are also awarded to the applicant for this unnecessary litigation and the same shall be paid by Prof R.M. Joshi. Acquitted A local court on Friday acquitted two persons allegedly involved in a case of assault and trespassing. Kesar Singh and Manju were acquitted by the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal as the prosecution failed to prove the allegations levelled against them. The complainant, Sona Devi, had lodged a complaint with the Sector 36 police that she was staying in the house of Kesar Singh. On March 28, 1996, around 9.30 pm, Kesar Singh and Manju came there and assaulted her. They had even threatened to kill her. The police had booked the two under Sections 452, 506 and 323 of the
IPC. |
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HIGH COURT IN a public interest litigation filed before the High Court, MLA Vir Singh Lopoke on Friday challenged the on-line lottery scheme being organised, promoted and conducted by Zee group of companies. The MLA, in his petition, stated that the conduct of draw and awarding prizes amounted to “private lottery” and consequently it was bad in law. Taking up the petition, the High Court issued notice to the respondents, including the states of Punjab and Haryana, for March 26. |
When moments reveal a lifetime Chandigarh, February 21 The fourth Foto Show, as it is being called, boasts of absorbing works on the realm of the little-exposed field of photography. Some of the works like those by well-known artists from Austria, China, Singapore, Taiwan and Pakistan, hold the viewers' attention for quite some time. Wonderfully complementing the works of reputed lensmen are the frames developed by members of the friends of photography like the president Adit Agarwala, whose mastery over the medium is well reflected in Revival this other works also reflect his genius. Benu Sen's Rebirth and Ivy set out to reveal life at two diverse levels. In one there is hope and longing, in the other there is stark reality. Among other works are Misty Morning by Inderjit Premi who captures the romance of morning mist in his frames. KG Maheshwari's portraits are reflective of human instincts and attitudes. Yuan Xuejun has captured the emotional side of a life that can get bitter and hard. Windy Day by S Paul is true to life. So imposing is the effect of his work that the viewer is transported into the moment captured by the camera. Reflection by B.S. Sodhi and At the crossways by C. Rajagopal are beautiful in their own right, so is BSN Reddy's astounding frame which captures the beauty of a tiny manifestation of nature — a branch shaped like a sculpture. Subhash Sapru's work titled paratroopers on the Grand Canyons is a virtual celebration of photographic techniques. Neck and Neck by Deep Ram Bhatia and Solitary boat by Neatynder Khanna underline their worth as photo-artists of repute. In all, the show is impressive not only for its variety and diversity, but also for its quality and content. |
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Honour for city dancer Chandigarh, February 21 Avtar Singh, now working with the Punjab Financial Corporation, has been promoting the local talent abroad by way of conducting workshops and holding seminars on Punjabi dance forms like bhangra and other traditional forms. In 2000 Channa started his mission to spread the rich Punjab culture abroad, especially among foreigners, through the medium of joint workshops. Himself having attended advanced courses in contemporary dance, contact improvisation, choreography techniques, Channa is now planing to open a training outlet here also. |
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