EDUCATION

PEC students get degrees
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
Two hundred students of Punjab Engineering College (PEC) were awarded bachelor’s degrees at the institute’s 32nd annual convocation organised here today. The Adviser to the UT Administrator, Mr Virendra Singh, who was the chief guest, delivered the convocation address.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Singh said that in addition to technical knowledge, management skills and knowledge of economic aspects of engineering are a must to be successful in today’s world. Engineers should also be able to gain the confidence of policy-makers by proving that they have the capability to find practical solutions to the country’s problems.

Ruing that not much innovative research work is being done in institutions, he exhorted the students and faculty to bring about a change in this trend. He also emphasised the need to have a long-term perspective for development and realistic assessment of manpower requirements in various fields.

The Administrator’s Gold Medal for Overall Outstanding Performance was awarded to Yugal Nauhria (metallurgical engineering), while the Administrator’s Gold Medal for Overall Sports Performance was awarded to Vaibhav Dhawan (electrical engineering). The Miglani Memorial Gold Medal was awarded to Hanish Singla (computer science and engineering).

Those who were awarded gold medals for standing first with honours in the BE examination conducted by Panjab University include Himanshu Raj (aeronautical), Ranjiv Gupta (civil), Hanish Singla (computer science), Paramjit (electrical), Ashima Aggarwal (electronics), Apurv (mechanical), Yugal Nauhria (metallurgical) and Gagandeep Singh (production).

Prize distribution function: The annual prize distribution-cum-valedictory function of the Government College of Education, Sector 20, was organised here on Saturday. The UT DPI (Colleges), Mr Dilip Kumar was the chief guest on the occasion.

Hundred students were given prizes for excellence in academic, sports and co-curricular activities. A cultural programme was also presented by students.

In academics, the college roll of honour was awarded to K. Lavanya, while the college colours were awarded to Ritu Jetley. In sports, the college colours were awarded to Bindu Gupta, Punita Vadhera, Pardeep Kumar, Bharti and Sonia Gill.

SIE plan for adolescent education
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 26
The teen population of the city can look forward to a brighter horizon as the State Advisory Committee meeting of the State Institute of Education (SIE) on Thursday approved a plan for adolescent education in city schools. About 35 schools in Chandigarh are going to benefit by this plan on adolescent education which is likely to be executed from July 1.

Though adolescent education under the Population Education Project has been a major concern of the SIE for the past few years, the focus this year has shifted from training the schools teachers to handle adolescent programmes to direct dealing with the students themselves.

The project involves constructing question banks, teaching the target group role playing, preparation of adolescent corners in schools, group discussions on various problems and issues, debate and counselling on one-to-one basis other than skill development among the target group.

“We just got approval from the State Advisory Board today and we will be executing all provisions of the plan from the beginning of July,” said Dr Saroj Saini, Director of the SIE. After this approval, the institute stands to receive Rs 3,92,000 from the Human Resource Development Ministry, Government of India.

This is also the first time that the Human Resource Development Ministry, Government of India, has taken over the Population Education Project from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the earlier funding agency for such activities. “Now that the mater rests with the Central Government, things are going to be bit different from the previous year,” according to a source from the SIE.

For example, a major addition in the plan for adolescent education is the introduction of a research methodology which will help evaluate the effectiveness of all activities listed under the scheme. “Everything will be done according to the national norm set for adolescent education and tight monitoring will be maintained throughout the project period,” said the source.

The major beneficiaries of the scheme will be the schools of rural areas in and around Chandigarh and also the labour colonies of the city. “The 35 schools earmarked for this purpose will receive Rs 1,000 for carrying out one of the five listed activities while 20 out of them will get Rs 5,000 for carrying out all five activities,” said the Director.

The activity which is compulsory for all target schools is the creation of an adolescent corner so that students benefit from the latest information displayed in that particular corner. Besides, the SIE plans to involve the teachers of the school to do counselling for problematic children suffering from various physical and psychological problems in their respective schools.

‘Cancel allotment of land to private schools’
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, April 26
Residents of Phase XI here have demanded that the allotment of land to private schools in the area be cancelled and the same be reserved for constructing a government senior secondary school.

Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Amrik Singh, municipal councillor, said the site measuring about 6.25 acres near the government high school had been reserved by PUDA for a senior secondary school. But it had now been allotted to three private schools. Apart from this, two more sites in the same area had also been allotted to private schools.

He said in the planning of the town, PUDA had reserved 13 sites for senior secondary schools out of which eight had been allotted to private educational institutions. There was only one government senior secondary school in the town. The future of the high school in Phase XI was in danger, as according to the recently announced elementary educational policy there would be a separate school for classes IX and above. But there was no land available in the area where a government senior secondary school could be constructed.

Mr Amrik Singh said 15,000 people lived in LIG houses in Phase XI who were not financially very sound. As such they could not send their children to private schools where the fee structure was very high.

He said in Chandigarh there were three government schools in every sector. Apart from having a number of colleges the city also had medical and engineering colleges. But in SAS Nagar there was only one college. The residents had been demanding a separate college for girls.

Prof B.S. Thakur dead

Chandigarh, April 26
Professor B.S. Thakur, former Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Panjab University, died at Panchkula today following a heart attack. He was 71.

An expert in the field of broadcast journalism, Professor Thakur held a masters degree in journalism from Wisconsin, USA. Besides teaching journalism, Professor Thakur had also authored ‘Impact of the radio on our villages’ and had been contributing articles to newspapers and magazines. His cremation today was largely attended. A condolence meeting will be held in the Department of Mass Communication, PU, on April 28 at 12 noon. TNS

Workshops by British Council Library
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
The British Council Library, in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, will organise a series of workshops on English. The idea is to benefit members of the library and help them understand the language better. According to the manager of the library, Mr Sushant Banerjee, 150 participants have enrolled for each workshop on the first-come-first-serve basis.

The first workshop in business English has been designed especially for corporate executives, where the emphasis will be on writing skills like learning to write elegantly, effectively, practically and purposefully. This will also cover correct grammar and its application. The workshop on business English will be held on April 28.

The second workshop will be on grammar for teachers. This workshop will also cover articles, subject-verb agreement, correct use of tenses, prepositions, clause structure, tenses and word order. This workshop will be organised on April 29.

The third workshop on English for all, to be organised on April 30, will deal with all basic aspects of the language and its correct and refined usage. The three workshops will be conducted by a single resource person. In charge of the affairs will be Ms Brinder Aulakh, Director, Regional Institute of English (RIE).

HC notice to PU controller of exams
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice of motion to Panjab University’s Controller of Examination Sodhi Ram asking him to show cause why proceedings be not initiated against him for alleged violation of orders passed by the court on a petition filed by a student.

The petitioner had earlier claimed that he was allowed to appear in BA part-II examination, following which he submitted his form and deposited the requisite fee. However, the petitioner was issued a provisional roll number by the Controller with a stipulation that he could appear only in one paper unless a fresh examination form was submitted.

Beant case: another witness deposes
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 26
Over-consumption of butter by clients is what made a witness in the Beant Singh assassination case recall the persons involved in the case while deposing before the judge in Model Burail Jail here today.

The witness, Narain Dikshit, manager with Parbhat hotel in Agra, stated that he recalled that the persons stayed in the hotel as they had eaten half kilogram butter with stuffed “paranthas”.

Giving details, he informed the court that in 1995 two persons had stayed in the hotel and a Sikh gentleman came there to met them. Then the three over-consumed the butter with “paranthas”.

He added that later the CBI had visited the hotel and he had identified the photograph of the Sikh gentleman who had visited the hotel. 

Western Film Review
Cashing in on Potter hype
Rajiv Kaplish

Chandigarh
Chris Columbus is a film potter. His wheel has spun round once again and given shape to “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (Kiran), the second film on the magical exploits of a boy at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter, confronts a dark force lurking in a chamber under his school with the help of his best friends, Ron Weasly (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Watson ( Emma Watson).

But this is not a steamy pot of food. It contains a staple diet which has been served with the sole aim of cashing in on the hype surrounding the Harry Potter series.

More violent and seamier than “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, this venture, at times, appears to be unfit for impressionable minds. Scenes like the one in which Potter spears a serpent with a sword bring to the fore the hitherto unseen dark side of his character.

No wonder, therefore, that this reviewer was not able to spot many kids among the audience. The film has its moments though in the humorous antics of Kenneth Branagh as the self-adoring teacher of defence against the dark arts and Rupert Grint as Potter’s jittery companion.