EDUCATION

Decline in education standards worries UGC
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, February 17
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has expressed its concern at the decline in the standard of education in the colleges of Haryana, following a series of complaints made to it by the students.

According to a report, it has taken a serious note of non-observance of the norm of minimum teaching days in the academic session fixed by it and has repeatedly stressed upon the college authorities to give importance to this aspect also.

It has also asked the authorities to arrange a time frame policy for cultural and extra-curricular activities in such a way that the teaching work was not affected and the students were allowed to avail of the full number of teaching days. But in most of the colleges, the UGC norms are violated with impunity and the teaching work suffers the most and the students were critical of the college authorities for their failure to implement the norms of the UGC.

While the administration is saved from the daily protests from the students against the lack of facilities in the colleges, the teachers find it a good ruse to miss the classes. It also provides an opportunity to the erring teachers to keep the inconvenient and no-serious students in good humour. They are allowed to participate in the cultural and other events as well as in educational tours ignoring the merits of other students. In this game, while the non-serious students enjoy, the serious students suffer on this account.

It is alleged that the Students’ Aid Funds are lavishly spent by the college authorities to please their political mentors by inviting them to the functions and giving them costly gifts on such occasions. In several colleges, the government auditors found gross financial irregularities and they have reportedly asked the government to take disciplinary action against the erring authorities of these colleges. In some cases, it has resulted in the withholding of pension and other retiring benefits of some principals and teachers of government colleges in the state.

Such action has caused strong resentment among them as they have alleged that such action had not been taken so far against the principals and teachers of the privately managed colleges who are involved in lavishly spending of the funds.

It is high time that the government should take strict measures to curb this unethical practice going on in the privately managed colleges and force the authorities to pay adequate attention to the teaching aspect and impart quality and value-based education to the students to enable them to face the challenges of life in the present highly competitive world.

The management of the funds given by the UGC also needs drastic improvement to check the misuse by some colleges in the state.

The UGC gives liberal financial aid for the development of the colleges and improvement in the education but these funds are often misused and the preference given to the schemes, which are primarily aimed at making the life of the teachers more convenient. The schemes meant for the welfare of the students get less importance. Funds for holding remedial classes for the benefit of the students who are weak in studies remain unutilised since the teachers do not want to involve themselves in these projects.

Financial irregularities in the spending of the UGC funds remain unexposed in the privately managed colleges since these are not got audited from the government auditors. The managements of these colleges reportedly get utilisation certificates from the private chartered accountants who manipulate the accounts as per wishes of the principals and the managements of the privately managed colleges.

A high-level probe is likely to expose the irregularities and malpractices in the utilisation of the UGC funds by the privately managed colleges.

Board exam on, prohibitory orders being flouted
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, February 17
Contrary to the claims made by the district and police administration as well as the authorities of the Board of School Education Haryana, large crowds of people, mostly relatives and friends of the examinees, were seen roaming outside the examination centres set up for the annual middle school examinations by the board in the city and elsewhere in the district.

According to a report, the district and police authorities, however, failed to apprehend any one of them though they were assembled outside the examination centres in violation of the prohibitory orders promulgated under Section 144 Cr.P.C banning the assembly of five or more persons and carrying of firearms within the radious of 200 metres around the examination centres.

However, the officials of the flying squads caught red-handed five students while engaged in copying during the surprise checking at different examination centres in the district. Cases of using unfair means were sent to the board for taking action against these examinees.

This was despite the fact that all the superintendents of the examination centres had already taken a pledge not to allow any examinee to take to copying in the examination halls. The presence of two or one police constables at each examination halls.

The presence of two or one police constables at each examination centre has proved a totally failure to check the outside interference and this was the main cause of the assembling of huge crowds around all the examination centres both in the urban and rural areas of the district.

Teacher educators debate emerging issues
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 17
A two-week management development workshop for teacher educators from India and African countries conducted by the NCERT in collaboration with Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada, began here yesterday.

Scheduled for February 16-27, the workshop is aimed at developing a perspective among teacher educators in respect of emerging issues and trends, innovations, training and research, strategies, planning and management of both pre and in-service education. It also aims at sharing country specific strategies and modalities in teacher education. The ‘Programme Transaction Methodology’ includes thematic presentations-cum-discussion, panel discussions, discussions to share country experiences and group activities apart from field visits to educational institutions. The teacher educators and educational personnel involved in management of school and teacher education institutions from Gambia, Lesoth, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia and Uganda are taking part in the workshop, apart from teacher educators, educational personnel from various educational institutions from India Inaugurating the workshop, Prof. J.S. Rajput, Director, NCERT, and Prof. Mohan Menon, expert, teacher education, also released two new books published by the NCERT. These are ‘The Curriculum Framework of Teacher Education’ and ‘Action Research Handbook for Primary Teachers’.

DAV school holds overnight camp

Faridabad: With a view to develop spirit of teamwork, confidence and a positive attitude, the DAV Public School in Sector 14 here held an overnight camp for the students of the fifth standard recently.

A dramatic workshop, questionnaire about each student, yogic exercises, magic show, morning walk and various cultural events marked the overnight stay at the school premises. Mr S. L. Suri, Chairman and Dr. A.V Bhalla, principal of the schools were among those who were present at the inauguration ceremony. TNS

CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
A confluence of different cultures, music
Smriti Kak

Bageshree Vaze, who was recently in the Capital, is talented and vouching for it are a whole lot of people. Take, for instance, what Kim Hughes, Music Editor, Amazon.com, has to say, “It’s hard to imagine a more agile confluence of Eastern and Western sounds of traditional and modern instruments unfurl a jaw-dropping tapestry. No matter what language she’s singing in Bageshree communicates on the soul level. And it’s impossible not to be moved”.

And if you are seeking more proof there is Jowi Taylor, Global Village, CBC Radio One offering, “creating imaginary lands that lie somewhere between the old world and the new. Her voice soars above deep grooves and ancient melodic streams for a bird’s eye view of the future of world music”.

Born in Pune, raised in Canada, Bageshree Vaze began her training in North Indian classical vocal music under her father, Dr Damodar Vaze, in her teens. And in 2000 she began advanced music studies with one of India’s foremost vocalists, Veena Sahasrabuddhe.

And while she was “soaking up western pop, dance and electronica and developing her own unique musical vision”, she also began “extensive training in Indian classical dance”.

Her debut album ‘Bageshree’ has been released in India and South Asia by Crescendo Music and we are told that the singer has “started working on new material for a second album, and plans are underway for a second video”.

The debut album is a compilation of Bageshree’s “ musical influences and ideas” and “in blending Indian classical, American/English pop and Hindi film music elements, the album reflects and celebrates the confluence of different cultures, music and otherwise”.

Jewels for wedding

For the wedding season, Lalsons have lined up a specially crafted range of jewellery. Designed to give the bride a rich look, the jewellery comes with an equally lavish price tag.

Apart from the usual yellow metal, there are pieces in coloured stones, zircons and precious stones, including pearls.

Diwan Saheb’s special suit

Diwan Saheb has designed a “special three-piece suit” that can be worn on “cocktails, sangeet, wedding or the reception”.

And the speciality of this “special suit” is that it is made from 100 per cent Japanese Cupro, pure wool and terry wool variants. Colours are “corporate friendly, navy blue, grey and black” and the “suit has a white vest, having several dummy buttonholes on the front length of the waist coat”.

A special all-purpose suit from Diwan Saheb. 

His maiden album comes with full music & masti

After doing so many stage programmes in India and abroad, singer Ajay Bali has entered this glamorous world in a big way with his maiden video album ‘Mast Jawani’ under the banner of HMV. Almost all the musical channels like Etc and Lashkara are abuzz with his foot-tapping numbers from his solo album. In this album, he has broken the remix trend, which of late had left the music industry high and dry. The tittle song, ‘Mast Jawani Hai,’ and ‘Hai Mera Dil’ are not only peppy numbers but also make the adrenaline rush through your veins. All the eight songs have been sung in different moods. They are a blend of the real mirchi types with some melodious songs, perfect for playing in discotheques, including a quawali, which reminds us of the era of 70s.

Nalini Ranjan

Titan, Arrow bag awards

Mr Harish Bhat, COO, Tanishq (L), and Mr Bijou Kurien, COO, Watches Business, Titan Industries Ltd. (R), after receiving the awards.

Titan Industries walked away with two awards in both Jewellery and Timewear categories at the fourth annual Lycra Images Fashion Awards.

The forum also offers a platform to various retail brands which have been serving the needs of the fashion industry across the globe.