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College teachers allege discrepancy
in PF benefits Chandigarh, December 21 The employees get their PF deducted at the rate of 10 per cent of the total salary minus the HRA. Employees in private colleges also get 10 per cent share, however, this calculation is made only on the basic pay. To quote an example, a university teacher retiring shortly will be getting about Rs 17 lakh while a college teacher who joined at the same time will be getting about Rs 12 lakh only. The Employees PF Act, 1952, clearly says that “ the basis of contribution to the salary share for calculation of PF includes basic pay, DA and retaining allowance, if any’. This was incorporated in the PU calendar in 1984. Pointing out the discrepancy, Prof Charanjit Chawla, a Fellow in the Senate, had pointed out that the colleges were governed by chapter VIII of the PU calendar (volume I). This has been not been applied in practice by the UT Administration or the Punjab Government for the private colleges. He said, “Not just at PU but in about 179 colleges of Punjab and UT employees had been victim of violation of the Act because till date their contributions were being calculated on the basic pay. He pointed out that the Law Ministry in 1997 had passed that the PF share be increased from 10 per cent of the salary to 12 per cent. This has, however, not been implemented in PU following a refusal by the Punjab Government and the HRD Ministry. Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, told the Senate that the university had proposed a change in the university rule regarding the increase in the share of contribution to the PF from 10 per cent to 12 per cent. This was, however, rejected by the government. He said the university would write to its affiliated colleges to deduct PF from the total salary minus the HRA. Principal P.S. Sangha, Sri Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, while talking to The Tribune reporter said the existing discrepancy made a difference of more than Rs 5 lakh between employees of the university and colleges after retirement. Moreover, neither the university nor the private college employees were getting pension. |
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Students display love for country Chandigarh, December 21 A musical extravaganza, which saw the coming together of cultures of various states of India through the medium of song and dance, made for an entertaining evening at the school. In a programme that was a blend of classical and western dance and music, the students enlivened the evening with their performance as they put their best foot forward to portray 1a colourful India. Starting with Ganesh Vandana, the items presented transported the audience through the emotions of love for the motherland in “Maa Tujhe Salaam,” patriotic fervour in “Janambhoomi” and the celebration of monsoon season in Haryana as peacocks danced to the joy of the village belles who joined in as folk music played in the background. There were glimpses of Punjabi culture as students performed to “Mai vari meri samiye” and vibrant folk dances of Rajasthan and Goa took the audience to the land of sand dunes and the coastal verve and vivacity. The Holi dance was a riot of colour as students whirled and twirled in their lehngas. The festivities continued late into the evening. Parents encouraged the students by applauding their efforts. Prizes were given to 150 students for excelling in the fields of academics, sports and cultural activities by Mr Dua and the First Lady of the UT, Ms Shobha Verma, chief guest at the function. Presenting the annual report, the Principal, Ms Madhu Bahl, traced the school’s achievements since its inception and informed the gathering that it started with just four classrooms and had grown to a strength of 1,750 student and 42 rooms in eight years. It had maintained academic standards, showing 100 per cent results in various examinations. Members of the DAV Managing Committee and others associated with the school were felicitated at the function. Ramgarhia school:
A ribbon dance followed by a flower show marked the beginning of the show. A Punjabi play “Jadon Jage Udon Savera” laid stress on adult education while “Geet Purane Andaaz Naye” was a foot-tapping performance by students of Class I. A qawali, a dance item and a play was among the other items. The chief guest, former member of Parliament Satya Pal Jain, gave away the prizes. The guest of honour, Ms Harpreet Babla, Councillor, Municipal Corporation, expressed her satisfaction with the working of the school. The Principal, Dr Manjeet Kochhar, read out the school report. |
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Science projects mark school fete Chandigarh, December 21 The class XI students displayed innovative projects like DNA test with modern technology and the role of bio-technology. The works on diabetes, AIDS and effects of pesticides by class X students was also appreciated. Jaspreet Kaur and Arun Kalia were adjudged the head boy and head girl, respectively. Other attractions of the fete were camel ride, face painting and tattoos. Mr D.S. Mangat, DPI, Schools, gave away the prizes to the winners at the fete. Cultural exhibition: An art and social studies exhibition on different cultures was organised at St. Peter’s School, Sector 37-B, here on Saturday. The cultures of Thailand, United Kingdom and Rajasthan were showcased in a
colourful and informative way. Christmas was also celebrated at the school. The function began with a solo dance by Saurabh Prashar followed by a dance. Students also presented a play on Jesus Christ. Annual function:
The annual function of St. Francis Xavier’s School, Sector 44-B was held on Sunday at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18. It was a riot of colour and
gaiety. Mr Satya Pal Jain, former MP, Chandigarh, was the chief guest.
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Scintillating show by St Joseph’s students Chandigarh, December 21 The school honoured 15 national players, 89 state-level players and 12 bhangra students. Following are the results of various spots events held in the school: 100m race — Class VI-boys — Sagrika 1, Manjit 2 and Adutipal 3; Class VI-girls — Sheeba 1, Nikita 2 and Nida 3; Class VII-boys — Navdeep 1, Abhimanyu 2 and Mukul 3; Class VII-girls — Navpreet 1, Gurleen 2 and Palak 3; Class VIII-boys — Rasik 1, Stanzin 2 and Deepak 3; Class VIII-girls — Sandhya 1, Amanjot 2 and Shabnam 3; Class IX-boys — Saurabh 1, Tulshai 2 and Avinash 3; and Class IX-girls — Mandeep 1, Sachi 2 and Shifali 3.
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Kids present fashion show Panchkula, December 21 Abhilash Sharma won the Best Student of the Year award. Holy Child School:
Fancy dress competition:
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Hamara
School National Model High School in Kharar started in 1985. It is being run by the National Educational Society and got affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board, Mohali, in 1988.
The institution, which strives to follow the motto “Nischey kar apni jeet karon”, aims to instil a sense of duty and discipline among students. Its objective is to mould children in such a way as to make them morally upright, intellectually well-informed, socially concerned and physically developed. The school now has a strength of 1,000 students and 35 teachers. Spread over 5,000 sq yd, away from the town’s traffic congestion, it caters to the needs of pupils from nursery to class X. Although the school compound is not very large, it provides necessary facilities to its students. These include multimedia education, science laboratories and computers. The admission structure is not complicated and the fee is also not a burden on parents. A majority of the students belong to the rural areas and special attention is given to their problems. Every possible concession is given to students from weaker sections, the aim of the school being to provide education to all. For weak students, extra classes are held on the campus. Unit and monthly tests are held round the year and the students are encouraged to take part in sports, inter-house activities and science melas. In a short time, the institution has achieved a high position in academics. Ravaljeet Kaur secured the second position in Ropar district in the class V examinations, conducted by the SCERT in 2000-2001, with 91.77 per cent marks. Last year (2002-2003 session), Harsimran Singh topped in Kharar with 88.92 per cent marks and was placed on the merit list while Rajwinder Kaur, with 86.92 per cent marks, was second in Kharar in the matriculation examinations of the Punjab School Education Board.
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Personal attention to every child must I am against private tuitions. I do not even favour day-boarding classes because we teach a student for six hours and also give homework. Self-study is the most beneficial. Extra classes are held near the examinations so that the students can seek the help of their teachers rather than going in for private tuitions. Tuition centres often had a large student enrolment which deprive students of personal attention. At most such centres, students merely completed their homework, which is a waste of time. The school has computer education from classes IV to X. In today’s world, it will be better if parents bought a computer for their children rather than a TV set for the family. A computer helps in the mental development of a student. Moral values are important. More stress has to be laid on this aspect. In fact, the institution had
prescribed a book on moral science for students of classes I to V, though it was not a part of the syllabi. The results of an institution show how good it is. Not much importance is given to colourful uniforms. What is important is how successful students were later in their lives.
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Of desert charms and rustic tunes Chandigarh, December 21 Arriving in Chandigarh for a presentation on an invitation from the Triveni Sangeet Sabha, Hayat Mohd Langa, the eldest among the five musicians, traced the romance between music and his ancestors. He talked of folk compositions in raga Bhairavi, mallari, kafi and pahari and also of the fact that Langas sing only on
ceremonies. Significantly, along with A.R. Rahman and Lata Mangeshkar, the Langas have been part of the patriotic hits like the Vande Mataram and Maa Tujhe Salaam. Much of the folk magic in these scores in draws on the musical repertory of Langas, who have even composed pieces on Mahatma Gandhi and Kargil martyrs. Proudly referring to his inheritance, Hayat Langa, informed, "We sing only on ceremonies — weddings, child birth, and festive occasions. Such is the respect we command that no wedding progresses till we have assumed our positions on the dais." The happy element in their presentation came alive when the Langas assumed the centrestage at Roraty Bhavan. Hanif Mohammad on Sindhi sarangi, Madan on harmonium, Mehboob on dholak and Khoju Khan, an eight year old dancing desert boy with the khadtaal, mesmerized the audience with the earthiness of their style. They began with "Kesariya baalma aao ni padharo mhare desh" and went on present Damadam mast kalandar. The Langas, differ in style from the Manganiyars, who, don't sing together. As Hayat Langa informed, "If 50 Langas were to share a stage, they will all sing together. We are also clearer in diction than the Manganiyars." Back home in Jodhpur, the Langas are passing on their legacy to many foreigners, who are learning how to play the morchan and almaju from the
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Ramandeep is ‘Ayur Face
of the Year’ Ramandeep, a student of NIFT, Chandigarh, won the title of “Ayur Face of the Year-2003” as a bevy of beauty braved the chill for more than three hours in the lawns of a hotel located on the Zirakpur-Panchkula road here. Kangna from Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, and Bhoomika from Ludhiana were adjudged first and second runners-up, respectively. The craze for the title, which ensures a foothold in the world of modeling and glamour, was evident last night when the girls put up a brave front to beat the chill even as a large section of audience was visibly freezing. With hope to be in the world of glamour, 18 girls from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir participated in the four-day beauty pageant organised by a herbal cosmetics manufacturing company in and around the city. After two rounds on the ramp, five finalists — Bhoomika (Ludhiana), Ramandeep, Rubina and Deepika (all from Chandigarh) and Kangna (Himachal Pradesh) — were selected by a jury of judges comprising Femina Ms India-2003 Nikita Anand, model and choreographer Priyanka Singh, beautician Sylvie, producer and actor Raja Bundela and brand manager of Ayur Herbals Parvesh Handa. The contestants were selected on the basis of their performance in Ms Body Beautiful, Ms Photogenic, Ms Beautiful Skin and Hair, Ms Beautiful Smile and Eyes, Ms Catwalk, Best Talent, Best Costume and Personality contests held in Chandigarh, Mohali and Ludhiana. Mr Dalwinder Singh Narang, CMD of
the company, who was the chief guest gave away prizes to the winners. A Russian dance troupe and Bollywood pop singer Mohini Singh enthralled the gathering. |
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Food Festival A healthy and nutritious mix of babycorn, rare mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, yellow pepper for the vegetarians. A choice of exotic prawns, lobsters, fish or chicken if you are non-veg. Stir-fry them at high temperature for a particular time to get just the right consistency and crunchiness. Add the special mix of imported Thai spices to get the required colour (red, green) of curry. Complement with fried rice or noodles. And your Oriental meal is ready. A little touch here, a bit of experimentation there. Adopt the style followed in Malaysia or Indonesia. Or the Philippines, if you prefer. There are also styles of cooking borrowed from the northern regions of Japan and Mongolia. The result - an exquisite Oriental fare ready to be lapped up. This is what Mr Neeraj Chaudhry, chef at Maya Palace, Sector 35, Chandigarh, has been churning out in the hotel kitchen for the fortnight-long Oriental Food Festival that is on at its restaurant. Armed with first-hand knowledge about the cuisine he picked up during his six-month stint in Bangkok when he was associated with the Taj, Neeraj is all set to win over the taste buds of Chandigarhians, specially those inclined towards Chinese khana. For example, there is this noodle soup that is sold in the streets of Thailand by hawkers. Rich in noodles and an assortment of veggies (or meat pieces, if you like) floating in the stock spiced up with imported herbs and masalas, a bowl of the soup gets you started on an interesting trail of starters, salads, sambal (prawn with chilli paste) and shrikaya custard (steamed coconut milk dessert). A special attraction is the mushroom and babycorn satey in which the two sauteed items are alternatively spiked on pointed wooden satey sticks and served with attractively cut onions and a broccoli flower. Slide each part down with a fork, dip it into the hot peanut sauce and pop it into your mouth. Or, check out som tum, a tangy and sweet young papaya salad. In the main course are a number of delicious delicacies. Lobster is steamed or stir-fried in your choice of sauce. A unique mix of curry, black bean, chilli garlic, black pepper, hot beans, ginger onion, sweet ‘n sour sauce and hot garlic, it comes for a cool Rs 550. Crab curry costs Rs 250 while stir-fried prawns with chilli paste will set you back by Rs 325. Interestingly called ‘Ants Climbing the Tree’, this is a spicy lamb mince treat served on a bed of fried vermicelli. For those relishing the greens, there is babycorn snowpeas and black fungus in hoisin sauce (Rs 125). It is a blend of Chinese cabbage, spinach and bean curd tossed in garlic and almonds. Or, the evergreen veg Thai curry (Rs 110). To go with these dishes is a range of veg and non-veg noodles and rice. On offer are jasmine steamed rice, chilli garlic noodles, Singapore rice noodles, meat rice, basil and chicken fried rice, among others. You can call for the disposable and hygienic wooden chopsticks for that added style. Top with the flat noodles sweetened with til and honey and garnished with slivers of almond served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. If you still have space in the tummy and time, take a sip of jasmine tea before calling it a day. Mr Naveen K. Singh, F & B Manager, says they have bought imported ingredients from the INA Market in Delhi for the right taste and flavour. They have also trained the waiters to take orders as per the requirement of the guests by guiding them about the properties of each item - whether it is hot, or sour or bland. Also, a Japanese woman’s mannequin at the entrance, a dragon occupying centre stage in the restaurant, and Chinese lampshades all add up to create the setting for the Oriental fest. Don’t miss the rose carved out of watermelon or the green plant etched from a pumpkin - a reminder of the fact that Thais are the best food carvers of the world. |
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Provocative
and stimulating — that's Agashe's theatre It's fascinating to follow the line of consensus which devout theatre persons draw with regard to the broader objectives of theatre. Only recently veteran theatre director Habib Tanvir had listed the critical role of theatre as being anti-establishment and pro-change. Today a lot of Tanvir's theory about theatre came alive in the stimulating interaction which one managed to have with Dr Mohan Agashe, the psychiatrist with an entertaining edge. In the city to grace the 18th Balraj Sahni Memorial Award Ceremony at Punjab Kala Bhavan today, Dr Agashe could not help talking about theatre as a tool for effective change, especially in a scenario where globalisation is threatening to throw societies out of balance. "Theatre may not directly cause change, but it is certainly a precursor for a change. Having done realistic theatre with children for so many years, I have learnt a lot about the nature of social change vis-a-vis theatre. I have concluded that the best therapy for the society would be the surgery of education under the anaesthesia of entertainment. Theatre must raise questions. It must impact people with such power that the length of the play notwithstanding, the effect of its character becomes almost eternal," said the actor, whose list of achievements is outstanding. A psychiatrist by choice and an actor by chance, Dr Agashe has been using his knowledge of medicine to uphold the significance of theatre. As he reasons, "It is well known that all major social movements have been, in one way or the other, been inspired by pieces of art or literature. There is no better example of potency of theatre than the fact that Freud's passion was fuelled by a piece of theatrical presentation," said Dr Agashe, further affirming his faith in the power of theatre to arouse interest, emotion and action. "Somewhere, sometime a part of this thought manifests itself as action. That's the result of good theatre," said Dr Agashe, who has long been involved in practicing socially relevant theatre in Maharashtra, which patronizes theatre like education. Recounting the theatre movement, with repeated references to Balraj Sahni, Dr Agashe also struck an interesting comparison between the obligations of actors in the past vis-a-vis contemporary times. Referring to a particular incident in which filmmaker M.K. Abbas had to seek special permission to bring the Balraj Sahni out for his shooting, Dr Agashe said, "Even today our actors go to jails, but for what reasons?" Coming back to the issue of dedication in arts, Dr Agashe again talked of artistes like Balraj Sahni, who nurtured acting not as a profession but as a passion. "If young Balraj Sahnis come forward and think, we may have some hope. To all those who are conscientious enough to admit that not all is well with our times, I would like to mention that theatre is essentially a social art. It is the only art versatile enough to blend the elements of all other idioms that dominate the world of entertainment. We don't need actors. We need social workers in the garb of actors." |
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Hostel is where heart is Sunlit rooms, private balconies, huge windows with beautiful curtains, this is the not the description of a designer home but is the face of a modern day hostel. Gone are the days when a mention of hostels conjured images of pigeonhole, claustrophobic structures where students were herded together and had to bear tasteless food and struggle for a bucket of hot water in winters. Now the stress is on comfort and home-like atmosphere. The recently built girls hostel at GGDSD College, Sector 32, is one such place if one goes by the responses of the 42 girls staying there. The first thing that strikes one about the hostel is its open, friendly architecture that allows light to filter into every room, giving it a healthy and cheerful glow. “This is the first time I am staying away from home. I joined this hostel with a lot of apprehensions. But the facilities and the environment here allayed them and now I’m enjoying every minute of my stay here,” says Neha Thakur, a student of BSc I hailing from Shimla. “I’ve only gone home thrice since I joined and that too during holidays,” adds her roommate Harveen Kaur Sodhi, student of BCom I from Ludhiana. The hostel has 10 dormitories and the number of students in each room varies according to the size of the room. The Reading Room of the hostel is open 24 hours. For the fitness conscious
girls the recreation room is equipped with exer-cycle, jogger, stepper, twister and a German make table tennis table enabling the girls to play and workout to keep fit. There is also provision for badminton, basketball and various board games. “Both, academic and recreational needs of the students have been taken into consideration. A number of activities aimed at sharpening the intellectual, analytical, cultural and organisational skills of the students are held throughout the year. Whether it is a
heaven to herald the new session or cultural activities like Freshers’ Nite, inter-hostel
quiz, in-house discussions on pertinent topics or personality development seminar, the events calendar takes care of everything,” says Pooja Sareen, warden of the hostel. A unique feature of the hostel is the sandhya aarti performed every evening. ‘‘At SD College we are committed to providing value-based quality education. Accordingly, the activities at the hostel also aim at encouraging students to embibe high values and develop their innate talents. We make sure that students’ all round intellectual, moral and cultural development takes place,” says Dr A.C. Vaid, Principal of the college. “Whatever we charge from the students is returned to them in the form of facilities. We have provided steel almirahs and box beds to each student. The furniture is modern and fitted with locks to allow students to safeguard their valuables. Curtains, too, have been provided in every room. Students are even allowed to keep PCs in their rooms,” adds Dr Vaid. Alisa, a student of BCA I, who has come all the way from Thailand says “Staying so far away from one’s family is very difficult but the friendly atmosphere here has helped me to settle down quickly. Recently, my grandmother visited me from Thailand and was very impressed with the facilities and ambience of the hostel.” . “It is indeed our second home,” affirm Jaishree and Shabina , students of BA II and BCA III, respectively, who chose this place instead of the PG option. Here we have a right balance of discipline and freedom, they aver. And if one goes by the happy voices resounding in the hostel, it certainly sounds like a home full of people, celebrating the simple joy of being together. |
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It’s my life
MY name is Kartik and I am a Class VIII student of Bhavan Vidyalaya. I started learning Hindustani classical music when I was six years old under the guidance of Guru Pandit Shyam Das Mishra from the Gwalior Gharana in Patna. I love music and want to touch great heights and bring honour to my guru, to my school, my parents and the city. I also want to study well and do engineering. In singing, I have won many awards and merit certificates. In 2002, I was the runners-up for the Rafi Award in the junior section organised by the Yaadgar-e-Rafi Society. I stood first in the Singer No. 1 competition organised by Lions Club, Chandigarh. In 1997, I was awarded the Merit Care Award by Ashear for Hindustani classical vocal music in Patna. In 1999, I got the first prize in Hindustani classical in the junior section from the Siti cable, Hisar. In 2001, I was stood first in the light classical bhajan competition organised by the Maharashtra Mandal on the eve of Ganesh chaturthi in Chandigarh. As told to Chitleen K. Sethi |
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Classroom teaching is important. Personal attention for every child is must. No student should feel ignored, especially if he or she is weak in studies. A teacher should be well-acquainted with the family background of student. Notes about the work of a student should be sent to his or her parents in a language they are acquainted with. Every child should be made to feel that teachers are involved in his or her activities.