EDUCATION

50 pc fee concession for PU staff wards
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15
Members of Panjab University Syndicate today approved 50 per cent concession in fees for wards of college employees seeking admission in various courses in the university under the NRI quota or NRI sponsored seats. The remaining amount of the fees will have to be paid out of the college development fund by respective college managements.

The three major issues, concerning the alleged irregularities in the accounts of the sports department, the show-cause notice served on Dr Surjit Singh Randhawa, principal of the SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur regarding an alleged fraud committed by him in changing his date of birth, and the initiation of disciplinary action against Mr J S Rathore, lecturer in commerce in the Department of Correspondence Studies, however, were deferred.

As far as the recently made faculty appointments are concerned, the syndicate approved the appointment of a professor and two lecturers in the University Institute of Engineering and Technology and the department of bio-technology. The remaining posts of readers and lecturers will be re-advertised. The syndicate also approved the promotions recommended by the vice chancellor.

The university's budget of Rs 96.57 crore for the 2003-04 financial year was also approved. The syndicate also a greed to have a separate account for the placement cell.

A resolution that various chairs of excellence instituted in the university be merged in their respective departments for the purpose of economic and efficient use of human resources and other budgetary provisions attached to the chairs, has been deferred..

A recommendation of the Board of Control in Law that the result of certain students who migrated from Kurukshetra University and were admitted to the third semester in the Department of Laws here, be declared by proportionately increasing their marks has also been approved..

The syndicate also approved introduction of post graduate courses in architecture and fine arts, with independent boards of study to be established in the disciplines concerned. Approval was also granted for starting a special diploma in fine arts for deaf and dumb as well as mentally challenged candidates.

The syndicate also approved the academic calendar of the teaching departments of the university and that of the colleges affiliated to it, which stipulates206 teaching days. Approval was also granted to start an additional optional subject on Introduction to Computer Science in colleges affiliated to the university. 

‘Indo-China ties improving’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15
Friendship between India and China is the need of the hour. Stating this while presiding over the annual Tara Chand Memorial Lecture, Dr Kewal Krishan, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, added that the Indians had a lot to share with and learn from the Chinese, especially in areas of population control, health and work culture.

The lecture was organised by the Panjab and Chandigarh unit of the Indo-China Friendship Association at Panjab University here today.

Delivering the memorial lecture, Mr H. S. Halwarvi, said India and China had multiplicity of relations since times immemorial. Besides some period of conflict, the two countries had many things common in their civilisations. The areas of cooperation and understanding between the two neighbours, particularly in trade and cultural exchange, had been improving, he added.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the association’s president, Major Jiwan Tewari, highlighted activities of the association and the contribution of Tara Chand Gupta in promoting the cause of friendship between India and China.

Plea to abolish Ph.D entrance test

Members of the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC), accompanied by some M.Phil students, today met members of the university syndicate and gave them a representation, seeking abolition of the Ph.D entrance test.

The PUCSC members stated that since admission to M.Phil course was already based on an entrance test, students aspiring to pursue Ph.D would have to appear for entrance tests twice. Further, M.Phil itself was a research-based course and in some cases the research undertaken during M.Phil was carried forward during Ph.D.

Making children game for maths
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15
In keeping with its ambitious programme of spreading scientific literacy in Chandigarh, the Centre for Education and Voluntary Action (CEVA) today invited a reputed Delhi-based resource person to demystify mathematics and highlight its interesting aspects to teachers and parents.

In the city today to conduct the first phase of workshops being organised by CEVA to enhance scientific temperament was Shaji, a resource person who has worked for several reputed educational institutions for the establishment of mathematics laboratories. Till today, he, along with his team, has facilitated easy learning of maths and science concepts by involving the students at a very basic level. The whole concept of his teaching revolves more around play and less around the academics of the subject in question.

A postgraduate in economics and also in journalism, Shaji has significant work to his credit. Unlike “high profile” social workers concerned more with publicity and less with result, Shaji has been based in a Delhi slum — Shakurpur. Intensively involved in the literacy campaign at the grassroot level, he has found himself in a position to better understand the educational needs of people, as also the manner in which they comprehend technical subjects best.

After working on literacy for a while he went out and teamed up with another voluntary worker Usha Menon to float a non-governmental organisation by the name of Jodogyan in Delhi. In its present form, Jodogyan is offering exemplary infrastructural support in the shape of innovative maths and science toys to help children understand the technical concepts better.

Apart from harbouring a small production and training unit for the above mentioned toys, Jodogyan is now also running a small school and has produced around 40 different kinds of teaching aids. As informed by Shaji, it markets 2500 books for children’s learning, employs 11 people, conducts workshops for parents and teachers. Till now Jodogyan has assisted the setting up of maths laboratories in several Delhi schools including Sardar Patel, Delhi Public Schools, Blue Bell and Sriram, Mother’s International and Kullachhi Hansraj.

Conducting the maths workshop today, Shaji informed the attending teachers and parents about the joy of learning with fun and activity. The focus was not so much on maths as a subject but on the beauty of its concepts which can be understood and tested through a series of games and puzzles. Mr Shaji introduced the interested learners to games, puzzles and toys for teaching maths and do away with the element of fear that shrouds the beauty of the subject.

Interestingly, Shaji has also worked as resident editor of People’s Science and was one member in the founding team of Scholastic India. He now spends most of his time in strengthening Jodogyan as a research base for maths and science learning.

Today’s workshop organised at State Library, Sector 34 was one among the many educational workshops being organised by Shaji. The current focus of his NGO is geometry, air pressure, heat and temperature.

Free coaching for needy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15
Free coaching classes for needy students aspiring to appear in medical and engineering entrance examinations are being started by Sikh Missionary College (Chandigarh Circle) in association with the managing committee of the Sector 34 gurdwara.

A statement issued here on Wednesday said the last date for receipt of applications would be March 29. An admission test would be held on March 30 and classes would commence on April 1. Admission forms are available at gurdwaras in Sectors 19, 34, 40, 46 in Chandigarh and Gurdwara Saach Dhan in SAS Nagar. Forms would be received only at the college’s office in Sector 34 gurdwara.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Suit against Badal: hearing on April 7
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 15
The hearing of a recovery suit filed against Mr Parkash Singh Badal, former Punjab Chief Minister, by Mr Jagdip Singh Chowhan, former Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations Department, was today fixed for ex-parte evidence for April 7 by UT Chief Judicial Magistrate C.L. Mohal.

Mr Chowhan stated that he was working as Deputy Director with the Punjab Information and Public Relations Department in Chandigarh in 1998. He alleged that Mr Badal, the then Chief Minister, had directed him to work for the election campaign of his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was contesting parliamentary elections from Faridkot constituency in 1998.

Alleging that as his promotion to the post of Joint Director and Additional Director, Information and Public Relations, was overdue, Mr Chowhan stated that he had to undertake the publicity campaign of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal.Mr Chowhan claimed that he had spent Rs 1,50,458 from his pocket for media coverage with the hope that Mr Badal would return it. Mr Chowhan prayed that a decree for the recovery of Rs 82,032 be passed in his favour, with costs and interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum.

DBA poll: Two candidates were declared unanimously elected in the District Bar Association (DBA) elections here on Saturday. Mr H.S. Awasthi, returning officer, said Ms Sarabjit Kaur had been elected joint secretary and Mr Harpreet Singh Hundal had been elected treasurer of the DBA.

33 cases settled at lok adalat
Tribune Reporters

Chandigarh, March 15
A sum of Rs 52 lakh was awarded as compensation at a special lok adalat organised to settle accident claim cases at district courts here today.

A member secretary-cum-judge ,Permanent Lok Adalat, Mr Sant Parkash, said MACT cases were settled by four benches set-up in the courts of the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh, Mr J.S. Kler, Ms Sneh Prashar, Mr Tejwinder Singh. Mr Sant Parkash added that a total of 33 cases were settled and a sum of Rs 52,29,500 was awarded to claimants.

A special lok adalat was also organised under the supervision of the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla, in collaboration with the State Legal Services Authority.

Mr Justice N.K Sodhi, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman of the UT State Legal Services Authority, visited the benches and took keen interest in getting some of the ticklish cases settled.

KHARAR: A special lok adalat for the disposal of cases relating to traffic challans of Kharar and Mohali is being held at the judicial complex here on March 29 at 10 am. This was stated by Mr Ravinder Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rupnagar-cum-member secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, in a press note. 

Sabar Koti casts spell
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 15
The rich melody of Punjabi folk filled the atmosphere at the Plaza Carnival in Sector 17 here today as folk singer Sabar Koti and his group performed for more than an hour, presenting hit numbers from their old and new albums.

Starting the programme with Bulle Shah’s ‘Ranjha Ranjha karde mein’, Sabar Koti switched to popular numbers from his recently released album ‘Lehnga’, including ‘E mausam rang badala’, and ‘Tera ambra te’, which drew a thunderous applause from the audience. He also rendered the famous ‘Heer’ and a few ghazals on request.

Sabar Koti, initiated to the richness of the Patiala Gharana of classical music from his childhood by his father and guru Sri Amar Nath, has been performing on stage since a nine-year-old. Later, his talent had been honed under the tutelage of Puran Shah Koti. Sabar Koti hails from Jalandhar.

With more than 13 music albums to his credit, Sabar Koti passionately believes in what he does. “All the craze about rock and pop music will come and go, but the richness of folk will always be there. People who appreciate good music will always remain faithful to their folk heritage,” he says. A few of his famous albums — ‘Gulabo’, ‘Mundra Wala Jogi’ and ‘Rab Khair Kare’ — have managed to revive the love for folk among the younger generation.

In today’s programme, dances were presented by Amandeep Singh, Ankita Sharma and Rupinder Kaur and a group dance was performed by students of the Government College of Art. Costume characters mingled with the crowd and distributed sweets. The artists’ corner, where sketching and tattooing went on, did brisk business. The carnival was organised by the Centre for Carnival Arts in collaboration with The Tribune and the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.