EDUCATION

Plan to make education job-oriented
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 24
The Punjab Government is giving a serious thought to making education in the state job-oriented. A review committee of the state government is studying courses taught in international universities with a view to adapting them to the domestic educational institutions.

Disclosing this here last night, Punjab’s Education Minister, Mr Harnam Dass Johar, said “a major overhaul in the educational system was being planned that would prepare students for self-employment after they pass out” of their educational institutions”.

The vocational courses offered in educational institutions had not served the desired results. Therefore, Mr Johar, said new vocational subjects and courses, which were available in international universities would be started here too, so that our students after completing their studies from the colleges could compete at the global level to get suitable employment.

Mr Johar was addressing a function organised at Kochhar market here.

The Education Minister said during the SAD-BJP rule, the total higher education system in the state was completely paralysed and most of the private colleges were on the verge of closure.

The Higher Education Minister said with the introduction of information technology on a large scale at all levels, enormous opportunities of education and employment had been opened for the students. He further informed that the department of Higher Education would also arrange seminars of representatives of the worldwide universities at Chandigarh and Ludhiana with a view to giving maximum information to the local students regarding the seats of different streams in these universities and the services of experts would also be availed to give authenticated and factual guidance to the students.

Mr Johar said the government was fully committed to looting out corruption.

The minister said ongoing development projects in Ludhiana city would be completed at a fast pace and work on all flyovers would also be speeded up. He assured that all municipal works would be given equal grants for development projects and providing basic amenities.

Mr Prem Mittal, Deputy Mayor, Municipal Corporation, addressing the function said the process of development in Ludhiana was on the fast track and projects of more than Rs 100 crore were in progress.

Among others who addressed the function included Mrs Sushil Gupta, Deputy Mayor, Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Mr Tonny Papoor, Mr Satinder Singh Jawaddi, Balkar Singh , Madan Lal Bagga, Raju Thapar, Sham Sundar Malhotra, Amarjit Singh Matharoo, Madan Lal Bagga (MCs), Mr PD Sharma and VK Rampal.

Medical Council for single entrance test
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
The general body of the Medical Council of India (MCI) has decided to recommend to the Union Health Ministry to organise single entrance test at the national level for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various medical colleges.

The council has further decided that a study group be constituted for the purpose whose recommendations be discussed at the national-level workshop.

According to Dr Livtar Singh Chawla, founder Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, and member of the MCI, the executive committee and postgraduate committee has suggested to the MCI to hold single entrance test for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions in various medical colleges of the country.

The two committees have recommended to the general body that the test be held at the national-level cumulatively each for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses, respectively, in a centralised manner.

Dr Chawla said here today that the national workshop would be held within three months and then final recommendations submitted to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

According to Dr Chawla, the 11-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court in its judgement has permitted private colleges to hold entrance tests. Besides, deemed and state universities can also hold their entrance tests.

There are as many as 205 medical colleges in the country, including 69 private colleges, besides four deemed universities.

The association has further decided that the students who have obtained medical degrees from foreign universities will be allowed to appear in any number of attempts instead of increasing the number of attempts from three to four to clear screening test for registration in India. However, the candidates will be required to pass all papers in a single attempt.

The association has further authorised the president to form a committee to review the regulations on curriculum, minimum standards required for starting a medical college, requirement of the teaching and non-teaching staff and requirement of equipment. The council further decided that a draft paper be prepared by the committee which should be circulated to all medical colleges, universities, state governments and members of the council.

The council also decided to delete the number of chances clause from the Graduate Medical Education Regulations. The students of the first professional MBBS examination were granted four chances to clear the examinations within three years. Now they will be able to avail themselves of any number of chances. 

Orientation programme in school
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
The Delhi Retreat Team is organising a week-long orientation programme for teachers and students of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar. On the fourth day today, Sister Vinaya, former Principal of Sophia Senior Secondary School, Ajmer, spoke about moral values, sex education and other common issues relating to students, including lack of confidence, ways to improve concentration in studies and combating mental stress and hypertension during examination. She asked students to develop a positive attitude towards life.

She said, “We are passing through a critical period. Our society is heading towards immorality, consumerism and materialism. This hankering after materialistic gains is making us more self-centred. We should tackle the situation wisely.”

Mr Mathew, coordinator of the team, said on Monday and Tuesday, there were programmes for Class X students. Programmes for Class XII students were arranged yesterday and today. Over the next two days there would be sessions for the teachers, he added. He said the thrust of the team members was to help the students keep a control on their emotions by way of meditation and music.

Dr Nelly played music for the students during various sessions. Sister Sobel, Principal, said the programme was a good effort in helping children tackle day-to-day problems.

Painting contest today
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
To encourage the skill in art among schoolchildren, Ms Bably S.Singh, an artist, will organise an inter-school on-the-spot painting contest at Malwa Senior Secondary School, Model Gram, here tomorrow.

Giving this information, she said the students would be divided into five categories. The first category will comprise students from Classes LKG, UKG and I; the second group will include students from Classes II, III and IV; the third group will have students from Classes V, VI and VII; the fourth group will include students from Classes VIII, IX and X; and the fifth group will have students from Classes XI and XII.

She said each school should send four students in each category and first, second and third prizes would be given each category. 

Appointments
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 24
Mr Ranjit Singh Rana, managing director of Rana Sugar Mills, Amritsar, and Ms Supinder Kaur Cheema of Chandigarh have been appointed members of the Board of Management of Punjab Agricultural University for a period of three years by the Governor of Punjab under the Haryana and Punjab Agricultural University Act, 1970.

A notification to this effect was issued by the Department of Agriculture, Punjab. Mr Rana will represent agro industrialists and Ms Cheema will represent women social workers.