EDUCATION

IGNOU to launch diploma course in ‘radio prasaran’
Our Correspondent

Doraha, December 22
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will launch a postgraduate diploma programme in 'radio prasaran' shortly. The academic programme aims at responding to the fast growing demand of trained manpower in the field of radio broadcasting.

Dr Umesh Chandra Pandey, Regional Director of IGNOU for Punjab and Chandigarh , while talking to this mediaperson said the programme has been designed in such a way that trainees would not only be able to develop their creative skills in the area of writing for radio but also learn the skills in the field of presentation, management and broadcasting. A student graduate in any discipline will be eligible to take admission in this programme.

Dr Pandey said the programme has been designed by IGNOU with the involvement of Prasar Bharti and it would be notified soon for the academic session 2004.

Dr Pandey said the programme could be completed within a minimum period of one year and maximum of three years. The university has fixed a nominal fee of Rs 6,100 for this programme, which includes registration fee and examination fee also. IGNOU's study centre which have been proposed to be activated for the training programme include Panjab University, Chandigarh, Doaba College, Jalandhar, Punjabi University, Patiala, and MGDAV College, Bathinda.

Docs’ appeal to VC on pay scales
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 22
The doctors of Lord Mahavir Homoeopathic Medical College have appealed to the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, and the President of the Central Council of Homeopathy to intervene and save the institute from the high-handedness and indifferent attitude of the management.

The faculty members also condemned the statement of Dr Sekhon, Registrar of the university, that the university was not authorised to act against private managements. They said, “Before issuing such a statement, the Registrar should have studied the directions of Supreme Court asking the universities to prescribe and check qualifications, salaries and other service benefits provided by private managements to their employees.”

“If Panjab University can direct Homoeopathic Medical College, Chandigarh, to implement pay scales and service rules properly, why can’t it be done by Baba Farid University? The homoeopathic teachers are getting 16 per cent to 18 per cent of the recommended salaries,” they alleged.

Meanwhile, the state president of the Acupuncture Association of India expressed their association’s solidarity with agitating teachers. Dr Rajinder Singh, president of the association, said it was shameful that homoeopathic teachers were being given poor pay package by the management despite having sufficient funds. The management was violating human rights, he said.

Class III book riddled with errors
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 22
Vatavaran, a book in Punjabi , introduced for class III by The Punjab School Education Board this year, is full of errors. According to Mr Amrik Singh Talwandi , a state and national awardee teacher , it is a shame that the book has been jointly written by eight experienced teachers and still it has errors.

Mr Amrik Singh has been teaching in at Government School, Khodoor, for the past 28 years. He has authored 14 books mainly for children like 'Bala de bol', 'Ka Pahade'. “I think that the book has been translated from Hindi and for that reason many words have Hindi spellings,” he said.

The mistakes are on many pages beginning with page 10. The word sarir ( body) is written as ‘sharir’. On pages 19 and 20, instead of writing ‘rukh’ for trees, again Hindi word ‘ped’ has been used. On page No 29, ‘sankalap’ has been wrongly spelt. He said the ‘tippi’ should have been on ‘sassa’ but it has been placed on ‘kakka.’

On page No 39, the word should have been ‘gully ‘ whereas it is written as ‘gali’. On pages 91 , 137, and 139 common words like ‘basti, ‘raste’, and ‘mithai’ have been wrongly spelt. The most glaring error on page 139 is that ‘prabhat pheri’ is written as ‘pravant pheri’. On pages 91, 101 and 102 again words like ‘mitr’, ‘deshan ‘, and ‘vart’ have erronous spellings. The word ‘kooli’ has been written as ‘kulli’. By wrong spellings the connotations change dramatically, he said . Mr Amrik Singh has urged the board to correct the errors before the next session.

Seminar on child education
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 22
A one-day seminar on ‘New concepts in early childhood education’ was organised by the Ekta Mahila Shikshan Prashikshan Sansthan at Guru Nanak International Public School here.

The seminar was inaugurated by Ms P. Kahlon, director of the school. Introduction to the seminar was given by Ms Ramanjit Kaur, in charge of the NTT. Dr Mita, Ms Durga Sharma and Ms Suman, early childhood educationists at the sansthan, read papers on ‘Practical concepts in early childhood education’, ‘Child psychology and its relevance for teachers’ and ‘Teaching methodologies’.

Ms Avneet Bajwa, Principal of Guardian Angels Public School, Zirakpur, also presented a paper on ‘Coordination between parents and teachers’.

Ms Kuljit Kaur, chairperson of the Ekta Mahila Shikshan Prashikshan Sansthan, said the sansthan was India’s first and only ISO 9001:2000 certified Nursery Teachers’ Training Institute running. The aim of the institute was to open job prospects to women and make them independent. The seminar was organised in collaboration with HDFC Standard Life Insurance.

Students boycott exams
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 22
Protesting against the evaluation system, the Punjab Agricultural University Students’ Association (PAUSA) boycotted their examination held here today. Over 300 students from all five constituent colleges came out of their examination centre and took a round of the campus raising slogans against the university authorities. None of the PAU departments were able to hold any December tests today. Though no lockout was held, but the students did not allow the authorities to hold any kind of function on the campus.

Mr Sandeep Singh, president of the association, said examination conducted by other state agricultural universities were much more scoring than those conducted by the PAU. Thus, he said, the students from other universities were having an edge whenever some interviews were conducted for recruitment purposes.

Mr Gurbir Singh Bhullar, spokesperson, said the students did not meet the VC today as they wanted him to personally contact them. The students would again hold a rally tomorrow and continue their protest till their demands were met.

NSS camp at Malwa college
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 22
A 10-day NSS camp is underway at the Malwa Central College of Education for Women. The camp began on December 20. The chief guest at the inaugural function was Dr Rajan Isaac, Medical Superintendent and Director of Renal Services at Deepak Hospital, and Dr Roma Isaac, Professor of the Department of Pathology, Ludhiana.

Dr Rajan addressed the NSS volunteers and said they should have the real feelings and true spirit before indulging in a community-oriented programme. He said doing at least one good deed was better than a hundred good thoughts. He said personal hygiene, cleanliness and proper sanitation go a long way in preventing diseases. He stressed upon the importance of blood donation.

The projects to be undertaken during the camp are: cleanliness and beautification of the project areas, plantation and landscaping, teaching to weak students/children of financially weaker sections and motto writing (AIDS awareness, awareness of diseases, general health and hygiene).

Students, Santa and fun
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 22
A fancy-dress competition for students of various schools was held at the Ebony store here today. The theme of the competition was ‘‘Different Avtars of Santa’’. The participants dressed up as Santa Claus added colour to the competition. Three best Santas were given prizes.

Students of Tagore Public School, Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sacred Heart Convent School, Guru Nanak Public School, Kundan Vidya Mandir, Shemrock School and Pumpkin School participated in the competition.