CAMPUS
Admission over, students prepare to face
logistical nightmares 
Smriti Kak

With the new academic session barely a week away notice boards across colleges have catchy messages inviting students to join car pools and as paying guests. With the good old U-Specials being elusive and the irregular DTC buses not much of a help, students who don’t have cars or two wheelers are increasingly relying on car pools.

“Four of us come from Noida and it makes sense to pool than to slog all the way to the university campus,” said Preetha, a second year student.

“For some it might work out to be expensive, but for us it is reasonable as well as reliable, unlike the buses. Besides, a great way to make friends,” she adds.

As for accommodation, outstation students who are not lucky enough to get hostel accommodation, rooms available in localities around the campus are the only option. Landlords have learnt the art of advertising and have started offering “comforts” like “refrigerator, telephone and television”.

With barely 11 out of the 79 colleges offering hostels, it is up to the students to find themselves a place to call home.

“These rooms are like hovels with absolutely no comfort and yet we end up paying through our nose,” said Deepti Mishra, a college student who stays in Roop Nagar.

No coolers and poor sanitation apart, students also need to combat “bad food, nagging landlords and fear of the unknown”.

“Safety is always on top of our mind. We are always securing locks and staying alert”, adds Deepti.

It is perhaps in answer to these perplexities that landlords have now come up with the right accommodation that offers security with the “comforts” thrown in. But mind you, all this comes for a price.

Prof Menon appointed

The former Minister for Science and Technology, Prof. M. G. K. Menon, has been appointed the Chairman, Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Technology by the President of India, who is also the Visitor. Prof. Menon, who was the former Chairman, Board of Governors of IIT, Mumbai, has been appointed for a term of three years.

A scientist with a distinguished career record, Prof. Menon has held a number of prominent appointments including Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Member, Planning Commission and Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister.

Prof. Menon is also the recipient of the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan in recognition of his services to the nation.

Competence Centre launched

Industrial and Financial Systems (IFS) have announced the launch of a Competence Centre at MDI (Management Development Institute), Gurgaon. It is claimed that the centre is first of its kind and is directed towards creating awareness about the benefits of a component-based technology enterprise system.

Mr Mark Rabjohns, president, IFS Asia Pacific, said, “this new IFS centre at MDI, Gurgaon, gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the flexibility, speed and user-friendliness of our enterprise systems in real time.”

Component-based technology was invented by IFS and allows for a highly customised implementation of both standard and e-business applications on a strictly ‘as-needed basis’.

It gives the option of selecting any combination of components based on business priorities and budget constraints.

ICSI admission date

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) have announced September 30, 2003, as the last date for admission to Company Secretary Foundation Course.

Students having passed the 10+2 or equivalent examinations in Arts/Commerce/Science, except Fine Arts, can apply for the course. The prospectus would be available at the institute or through post.

Aptech in Uttaranchal colleges

Dehradun Aptech Computer Education, the flagship brand of Aptech Limited, has announced its selection by the Uttaranchal Government for its prestigious IT empowerment project- Shikhar.

Project Shikhar aims to provide IT training to students in 57 degree colleges across Uttaranchal and is estimated to benefit more than one lakh college students.

The MoU for the project was signed by Mr M. Ramachandran, Principal Secretary, Education, Government of Uttaranchal, Mr Amarendra Sinha, Secretary, IT and Mr V. Balasubramanian, executive director, Aptech Ltd. The Uttaranchal Chief Minister, Mr N. D. Tiwari, was also present on the occasion.

The objective of this project is to impart world class and job oriented IT education to the students of the degree colleges at an affordable cost.

Students across 57 Uttaranchal Degree Colleges will be able to study on Aptech’s critically acclaimed curriculum, ACCP World Programme, which is accepted globally and accredited by 15 universities world wide.

New courses in mass communication

IAAN School of Mass Communication, a Delhi based institute for training and research in the field of mass media, has introduced an array of new courses like MA in Mass Communication, MA in Advertisement and Public Relation and M.Sc. in Electronic Media Informatics. These newly introduced courses are affiliated to the Makhan Lal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal.

According to the managing director of the institute, Mr Anuj Garg, the M.Sc. course in Electronic Media and Informatics is first of its kind in the Capital.

The students are provided ‘proper exposure’ in the state-of-the-art-technologies and efforts are made to apprise the students with the latest developments in this arena, said Mr Garg. The new academic session will begin in August.

IT education

Oxford Software Institute has initiated a programme to tap the potential of bright students, who may be from financially weak background and unable to pay the market fees for IT education.

At a recently concluded event organised at the Preet Vihar center of the institute, the managing director, Mr Ramesh Aggarwal, announced that they would charge only a nominal amount from students unable to pay the full fee amount. The institute has diversified in other fields like personality development and career counselling.

Apart from the Preet Vihar center, the institute has four other branches at New Pusha Road, South Extension and Yamuna Vihar.

Technosmart from Videocon

The Kohinoor Technical Institute, which opened its branch in the Capital last year, is offering a high profile ‘Technosmart’ course designed by Videocon International. The course, modular in content, consists of classroom training, on field product service, customer relation’s management, personality development and focuses on management principles.

The course also includes a practical training package at its Aurangabad factory at the end of the course. It is claimed that the candidates are finally absorbed in the company at its various locations. The selection of candidates will be based on an entrance exam followed by an interview.

Inputs by Nalini Ranjan

Workshop at Bharati Vidyapeeth

Bharati Vidyapeeth’s Institute of Management and Research organised a faculty development programme on Linux administration and shell programming.

Faculty from various management institutions participated in the event, which included a hand-on-practical exercise on the concluding day.

COURTS

Dowry death: Life term for sisters
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 9
Two sisters have been sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the death of their sister-in-law in January 2000.

According to prosecution, the accused, identified as Neelam and Babita, residents of Baselwa Colony of Old Faridabad, had allegedly poured kerosene and set afire their sister-in-law, Yashoda. The victim was married to their brother Daal Chand in 1998.

It is alleged that Yashoda was being harassed for more dowry and she was finally ‘murdered’ in 2000, according to the complaint.

The Fast Track Court has also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on the convicts. The case had caused an uproar in the region and had got much media attention.