Principal forces examination on students
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
Students of plus two (commerce) in DAV Public School, Sarabha Nagar, are a frustrated lot as their examinations have been advanced. Earlier, the students had got circular from the Principal, Mr R.S. Patial, saying that the half yearly examination of plus two (commerce) will not be conducted due to unavoidable circumstances. They were told to report in school on September 29 on normal timings. As per the earlier schedule, the examinations were to start from September 12.

It may be mentioned here that Mr Patial had suspended two boys of the class for speaking in Hindi on September 7. When the matter was reported in Ludhiana Tribune, he suspended the entire class on September 9 and issued the circular on the same date. The students thus did not prepare for examinations.

They were shocked when they were contacted by the school authorities to report in the school on September 24. There they were told that they had to take the examinations on September 26. This information was given to them by the in charge of the class.

Out of 56 students five students had also gone out of station. Parents of these students were contacted to pass on the information.

Many students did not do well as they were not prepared for examinations as it had been given to them in writing that the examinations would not be held.

The students were now worried that question papers are going to be set from the entire syllabus, taught so far.

In the morning assembly, before the examinations today, the students were told that if they do not fare well, strict action would be taken.

Now one examination will also be conducted on September 28.

Mr Patial was not available for comments.

No interview for head teachers’ post
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
The lack of proper sitting arrangements at the venue of interviews for the promotion of teachers has caused a lot of resentment among elderly teachers. Government teachers, who appeared for interviews for the post of 400 Head Teachers in Government Senior Secondary School (Boys), Jawahar Nagar here yesterday. Also expressed unhappiness over the cancellation of interviews, conducted in this regard, on May 14.

They felt the cancellation was totally unjustified. Many teachers also alleged that denying them the right to choose the station of their choice was an impractical decision.

The teachers criticised the criteria of not allotting them a city centre or a school within the five-km radius of the city. The Onkar Singh, a teacher in Government Primary School, Gopalpur, said the move was not practical as many posts of Head Teacher would remain vacant in many government schools in the city.

Mr K. Lal, a teacher in Government School, Silon Kalan, alleged that post of Head Teacher in city schools were purposely being kept vacant to accommodate influential candidates. “Earlier, the teachers who had joined service on or before September 30, 1977, were interviewed. But the interviews were later cancelled. Now for fresh interviews, only those who had joined the service before April 10, 1977, have been called. This has made all those who had joined the service between April 10 and September 30, 1977, ineligible for promotions,” Mr Lal said.

Several physically challenged teachers alleged that the authorities were not giving them any relaxation.

Despite repeated attempts, District Education Officer (Elementary) Harvinder Kaur could not be contacted for comments.

School board competitions over
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
The three-day district-level competitions, organised by the Punjab School Education Board, concluded yesterday. Competitions for the third category, classes IX to XII, were held in four schools in Ludhiana and one in Khanna and Bhaini Sahib.

Students participated in one-act skits, shabad gayan, poetry recitation, gidda and bhangra, besides tug of war and hop scotch.

Ramgarhia Girls Senior Secondary School won the first position in one-act skits. The second position was bagged by Guru Nanak Khalsa School, Gujjar Khan Campus, and the third position by Government School, Haibowal.

In likhik maulik competitions, the results are as follow: Rama, DAV School, Khanna, (I), Manisha, Harkishen Public School, Doraha (II) and Sakshi Sharma, Raikot Senior Secondary School, (III). All these competitions were held in Ramgarhia Girls Senior Secondary School.

Declamation contest: Monica, Government Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar Chowk, (I), Devinder, Lal Bhadur Shastri School, (II) and Sandeep, Government Senior Secondary School, Khanna, (III).

Painting competition: Harmeet, Government Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar Chowk, (I), Neelam, Putri Pathshala Khanna (II) and Anju, RS Model School, (III). These competitions were held in Government Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar chowk. Vaar gayan competition: Government Senior Secondary School (I), Government Senior Secondary School, Machiwara, (II) and DAV Model School, Khanna, (III).

Kavishree competition: Government School (I), Government School, Khanna, (II), and Ramgarhia Girls Senior Secondary School, (II). These competitions were held at Bhaini Sahib.

Bhagat Singh Manch to honour students
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
A meeting of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Manch was held on Wednesday to review the arrangements of the birth anniversary celebrations of Shaheed Bhagat Singh tomorrow. The manch is organising an inter-school declamation contest titled “Shaheed Bhagat Singh — his life and contribution to the freedom struggle.”

The District Education Officer has asked schools to send students to participate in it. The manch has also received good response from students of various colleges for the state-level essay writing competition titled “Philosophy of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and its relevance today.”

The manch president, Prof A.K. Maleri, and the general secretary, Mr Jaswant Zirakh, said the function would be presided over by Mr Ashok Singh Garcha, Chairman, Ludhiana Improvement Trust. The manch will also honour Anurag Gill of the Government College for Boys, Ludhiana, and Nisha Bhatti of Government Polytechnic, Jalandhar, for showing exemplary courage.

An exhibition of great warriors of the Ghadar Movement will also be displayed. Dr Harish Puri, Chairman, Dr Ambedkar Chair, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, will deliver a lecture.

Sixth day of Koshish-2003
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
Koshish-2003, the fourth inter-class literary-cum-cultural festival of Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE) entered the sixth day today. Wg-Cdr H.S. Gill, Chairman, Punjab Management Education Trust, Ludhiana, inaugurated today’s function.

Addressing the students and staff of PCTE, the chairman appreciated their efforts for organising such an event and stressed on personality development of students.

The first stage event held today was the Indian solo dance. Thirteen teams from various classes participated in the event. Flower arrangement, Western solo song, instrumental solo, Western group dance, choreography are the main events of the sixth day of the festival. In solo dance, Amanpreet of BCA final year won the first prize, Damandeep Kaur of MCA final year stood second and Raman of MBA first year bagged the third prize.

In the quiz competition, Gagan and Gurtej of MCA final year won the first prize, Gautam and Daman of MBA final year got the second prize whereas Manav and Abhishek of BCA final year and Simral and Sunil of MCA second year shared the third prize. In painting, Kamaljit of MBA first year won the first prize, Harkirti of MCA final year got the second prize whereas Anureet of BCA second year and Ankur Sood of MBA second year shared the third prize.

The seven-day festival will conclude tomorrow with a prize distribution function. The festival comprises 11 literary, 10 cultural and 10 fine arts events. Dr K.N.S. Kang, Director, PCTE, extended his best wishes to all participants and organisers on the occasion.

School celebrates Navratras
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
Finally the first Navratra has dawned today much to the delight of people as now they can rejoice and splurge on shopping. Even the schools have started celebrating navratras. The first school to celebrate Navratras is Love Dale Montessori School. A function was organised here today to give the students a taste of dandiya. Children had come dressed in traditional ‘chaniya -choli’ of Gujarat.

After performing puja of Goddess Durga, children performed dandiya on peppy numbers like ‘sabse bada tera naam sheranwali’, and Phalguni’s “maine payal hai chankai”.

Later, the schoolchildren participated in a ‘poem recitation’ contest. All children who participated in the contest were given tokens of appreciation. The children enjoyed the customary parshad of ‘aloo- puri and halwa’.

CULTURE

Sober musical treat today
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 26
“People of Punjab are more modern than people of London. We tell our children to watch Indian channels, but the way Punjabi videos are shot these days, with girls wearing skimpy dress, we feel embarrassed,” said Malkit Singh while talking to mediapersons here today. He had come to the city as part of the show to be staged on September 27.

He said people were getting tired of vulgarity in videos and they want a change. ‘Back to tradition’ is what they want, and that is why his new album ‘Chal hun’, depicting typical Punjabi culture, would be released next month.

For the first time three leading channels of the Zee Network — ETC Music, ETC Punjabi and Alpha TV Punjabi, are coming together to present the musical event. The programme will be held in Ludhiana on September 27,and is being organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Giving Malkit company will be stars like Surjit Bindrakhia, Shankar Sahney, Amrit Saab, Gulzar Lahoria, Nachhattar Gill and Gurkirpal Surapuri. The show will be anchored by Satinder Satti.

Hectic preparations are on at South City in Ludhiana to organise the event which will have a live audience of more than 10,000.

“I have always shared a special relationship with ETC Punjabi and it is the love of people of Punjab that motivated me to come here, “said Malkit Singh at a press conference today.

According to Mr Rabindra Narayan, president of ETC Punjabi and Alpha TV Punjabi, “This event is another step in our commitment to provide wholesome entertainment to the people of Punjab.”