Rift in BVM management
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, May 29
Fissures seem to have appeared in the managing committee of Bhartiya Vidya Mandir (BVM), with one of its senior members and former founder president, Mr M.M. Vyas, abstaining from a meeting organised by the management today to take stock of the situation following the resignation of Mr Ashok Setia, Director of the school.

Mr Vyas said he did not attend the meeting as he felt that vested interests and a non-academic culture had crept into the institution that had been started with a noble mission.

Mr Vyas, who had a long tenure as the president of the committee, regretted that personal interests were being given preference over the institution’s welfare. He alleged that most of the members of the managing committee were non-academicians.

Referring to the resignation of the Director and the subsequent protest by students, Mr Vyas said Mr Setia had been associated with the school for a long time and after superannuation, the management had felt the need to continue with his services on a fixed honorarium. said due to the non-academic approach of the managing committee, Mr Setia felt sidelined and thought that resignation was the only way out.

Mr Vyas said the students had a genuine grievance since they respected Mr Setia, who had been their teacher. Mr Vyas was upset over these developments as he felt that the institution’s noble mission had been betrayed.

Meanwhile, students and teachers continued their dharna outside the school office demanding that Mr Setia be re-instated, even though the management had declared summer vacation.

Mr Mitra Sen, president of the trust, in a press note, stated that Mr Setia had voluntarily offered to resign and the management was adamant on its stand to accept it. He said while the school was closed since May 15, extra classes had been started for weak students but these were being stopped for the time being.

In a memorandum issued by the school trust president to Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, the trust sought his intervention in dealing with the agitation. The president stated that vested interests were trying to exploit the situation by instigating students and teachers.

In a related development, the staff and students issued separate memoranda of demands to the school management. The staff demanded the reinstatement of Mr Setia, no interference of the management in school affairs, dissolution of the present management committee and the constitution of a fresh one, authorising principals for taking decisions and full grades to computer teachers working in different branches of the school.

The students, too, demanded the reinstatement of Mr Setia. They also urged that there should be no hike in school fee and that all bank deposits should be utilised for their welfare. 

Summer camps in India and abroad
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
“Beat the heat and cool off at a summer camp, is the latest trend,” says Rupinder Singh, who has been back after attending an activity-based programme and a trekking trip at Manali. He said the students were from different schools, but during their week-long trip they became friends and had a great time. He said the activities during the camp included nature walks, trekking, angling and bird watching. “We had never thought that bird watching could give us so much pleasure,” he said.

Beston Foundation has not only been taking students to Manali, but also to the UK. According to the director of the foundation, “World is a small place today, thanks to the wonders of science. The internet, television and communication system have increased the awareness levels of young minds. Indian children today know the latest happenings and trends all over the world. They make friends on the Internet. All this is fine but are they able to actually share their experiences with children from various parts of the world, understand different cultures and religions and integrate into the global society.

Now they can even go to the UK to attend summer camps. According to Mr Pragati Gandhi, of Beston Foundation, “These trips provide an excellent opportunity to young children to have an international exposure, which will go a long way in helping them to become independent and confident adults. These camps help them to become self-confident and enhance their social awareness.”

The foundation would be taking groups of 15 students each to England during May and June. Students in the age group of 12 to 16 years could attend these camps, he said.

The sole motive behind organising such camps is to help them derive maximum pleasure during summer vacation. Through various activities, they will learn more about themselves and others and develop greater self-esteem and better communication,” he added.

3 city students for Olympiad camp
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
Three plus two students from Ludhiana have been selected to attend the national level Olympiad camp to be held from June 4 to June 10. These include Brijesh Takkar, a student of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School at Sarabha Nagar, Navneet Kaur and Mohit Gogia, both students of DAV Public School.

While Brijesh and Navneet have been selected to attend the camp for biology students to be held at Mumbai, Mohit has been screened among physics students who have been invited at Pune. The students will undergo an orientation camp, following which a written test would be conducted. The qualifying students will finally be chosen for the international Olympiad.

Brijesh said he was not able to devote much time for the Olympiad as he was busy taking entrance tests to various medical colleges. He said he certainly was quite enthusiastic about the camp as it gave him a good opportunity to interact with students of his group who come from all parts of the country. He said his selection was based on two rounds of tests conducted first in December and then in January.

Mohit Gogia, however, said that he would be forced to miss the camp as the dates clashed with entrance test to Delhi Engineering College (DEC). He said while the camp was scheduled from June 4 to June 10, the entrance test was scheduled for June 8. He said his priority was getting admission to a good college. He said that he had already cleared the IIT screening test and had appeared for the final written test held on May 25. He said that his fingers were crossed till the final results of the IIT were declared on June 20. He said that he had also appeared for AIEET exam conducted by the CBSE and the results were awaited by June 15. Earlier, Mohit had topped in his school among the non-medical students with 87.8 per cent.

Navneet Kaur said she was much excited to go to Mumbai to attend the national-level camp. She said she hoped that the camp would be a good learning experience for her. She said that at this point of time when she was preparing for various entrance tests, she too was not able to devote much time for the Olympiad. She said she would be taking up Punjab PMT and tests for admission to CMC, Ludhiana, and AIIMS. 

Feast for art students
Kala Seva Society to hold workshops
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
In its bid to provide first-hand knowledge to students pursuing performing arts, the Kala Seva Society will hold a series of workshops, “Kala Sangam”, in which eminent artists will teach students in their respective art forms.

Through these workshops, stress will be laid on building “guru-shishya” relationship. Eminent gurus from different fields are being invited to teach and guide students.

The Vice-Chancellor of the PAU and chief patron of the society, Dr K.S. Aulakh, at a press conference today said the society had worked hard to get renowned artists to hold the workshops from June 2 to June 14 at the Government College for Women. Workshops would be conducted in dance, calligraphy, pottery etc.

The following artists will conduct workshops in various performing arts: Prathibha Prahlad will conduct workshops in Bharatnatyam. Dinesh Lakhanpal will perform on his guitar and casio. Anis Siddiqui, who has been teaching the art of calligraphy regularly from 1984, has been roped in for students interested in calligraphy.

Renowned tabla as well as Pakhawaj player Fateh Singh Gangani, son of late Guru Kundan Lal Gangani, will impart training in the two instruments to the students.

The students will get a chance to learn from sitar maestro Pt Debu Chaudhuri, who is the creator of eight new ragas and author of three books and several monographs.

Bhola Khuleri, master of various dance forms like bhangra, luddi, jhummer, jindua, harvest dance, would provide training to interested learners from schools and colleges.

Dr Satish Kant will hold a workshop in literature and poetry.

Bashir Khan will teach tie and dye whereas photography workshop will be conducted by Rakesh Sayal. Training in vocal music would be imparted by Mohan Singh and Sukhdev Singh Namdhari and pottery workshop will be conducted by Giriraj Prasad and Shaym Prasad.

Mr Navin Talwar, president of the society, said students of the city would have a chance to learn from some great artists.

Bonfire, dances mark end of NSS camp
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
Students of Master Tara Singh College lit a bonfire to celebrate the successful completion of the 10-day NSS camp that they attended at Government School, Ladhowal.

The students staged a play depicting camp activities. They performed gidda and bhangra with great enthusiasm and held tappa competitions. They also staged plays on drug addiction and illiteracy. Narrating their experiences during the camp, the students said they had learnt many useful lessons.

The chief guest was Mr Balbir Singh Sahota. He appreciated the good work done by the girls for the uplift of villagers during the camp.

Ms Madanjit Kaur Sahota, Principal of the college, Mr Swaranjit Singh, chairperson, and the parents of students were present on the occasion.

PAU entrance test schedule
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
Punjab Agricultural University has announced the schedule for admission to various undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The Common Entrance Test (CET) for BSc (Agriculture) and BVSc and Animal Husbandry will be held on June 26.

The entrance test for admission to the MBA course will be held on June 20 and group discussion for the same will be conducted on June 22. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, said yesterday that more than 2,000 applications had been received for admission to undergraduate courses of BSc (Agriculture), BV Sc and Animal Husbandry.

Dr Aulakh said the admission procedure to different undergraduate and postgraduate courses had been streamlined. All admissions would be made through the entrance test except the diploma courses and PhD programmes. Dr S.S. Chahal, Controller of Examinations, PAU, said 296 candidates were seeking admission to 20 seats in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme. Almost similar number of applications were received for these programmes last year, he added. Dr Chahal said after screening the applications, admit cards for the MBA programme would be issued by June 9.

PSU march against anti-student policy
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
Activists of the Punjab Students Union today condemned the education policies adopted by the Congress regime. To protest against the anti- student policies of the government, the students held a protest rally from Punjabi Bhavan to secretariat. They submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anuraag Verma.

The spokesperson of union, Mr Harmeet Zirakh, said Captain Amarinder Singh ‘s government had been taking anti-student decisions, which in turn, had created a number of problems for the student community.

He said the government had decided to close certain ‘trades’ in ITI like surveyor trade, nursing, knitting, stitching and embroidery. The government closed these trades on the basis that there were not enough students in these courses. But in reality, these courses were very popular and, infact, there was a waiting list of students further course.

The PSU district president, Mr Manminder Rattan, said 750 posts of inspector were lying vacant and government was not recruiting new staff. He said the steep hike in fee structure would cast a heavy burden of Rs 45. 85 crore on students and affect over two lakh students.

COURTS

Lawyers against shifting to incomplete complex
Rajneesh Lakhanpal

Ludhiana, May 29
Resentment prevails among lawyers against the proposal of shifting of courts from the old courts complex to the new judicial complex in the Mini-Secretariat here without the completion of lawyers’ chambers.

Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi, administrative judge of Ludhiana district, had told District Bar Association president Harish Rai Dhanda at a meeting that keeping in view the dilapidated condition of the courts in the old courts complex, these courts should be shifted to the new judicial complex, which had been completed. Mr Dhanda had shown his inability on the ground that it was not possible for lawyers to shift without the completion of lawyers’ chambers there.

Mr Justice Sodhi had then proposed that three floors of the new judicial complex could be given to lawyers till the lawyers’ chambers were completed. Following this, Mr Dhanda convened a meeting of the general house here yesterday. He apprised members of the Bar of the proposal.

Most of the lawyers opposed this proposal and stressed that there must be simultaneous shifting of courts and lawyers’ chambers. Mr S.K. Pathak, Mr Balwinder Goel and other lawyers said they were not ready to shift till the completion of lawyers’ chambers.

Members of the Bar were of the view that they would not get proper accommodation even if three furnished floors of the new judicial complex were given to them. They felt that they would not be able to interact with clients properly.

They resolved that the chamber committee, comprising senior members of the Bar, would meet Mr Justice Sodhi and District and Sessions Judge Baldev Singh and inform them that shifting without the completion of lawyers’ chambers was impractical. The committee would then inform the general house about the developments, following which a final decision would be taken by the Bar body.

Mr Dhanda, Mr B.P. Singh Gill, Mr T.P.S. Dhaliwal, Mr K.R. Sikri, Mr H.L. Sethi and members of the committee visited the new judicial complex yesterday. The Punjab Government had failed to release Rs 1.4 crore as grant, resulting in delay in the completion of lawyers’ chambers. If forced to shift, the lawyers might strike work.