EDUCATION

DUTA’s white paper to expose ‘dictatorial’ functioning of VC
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20
Teachers of various colleges and departments of Delhi University (DU) today observed a strike to protest against the arbitrary and dictatorial functioning of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deepak Nayyar, and decided to effectively resist the same by launching a protracted movement.

The DUTA would soon come out with a white paper on innumerable instances of violation of the provisions of the Delhi University (DU) Act/Statutes/Ordinances/Regulations and would take up the same at appropriate levels.

In addition, the DUTA alleged that Prof Nayyar trampled the University regulations and norms in conducting the last meeting of the Academic Council (AC) on February 5, 2004, and EC meeting on February 10, 2004.

He refused to discuss the issues on which 19 Academic Council (AC) Members had submitted requisitions (on 10 January 2004), thus violating the mandatory regulation for discussing the requisitions with in 15 days. These requisitions relate to academic reforms in the university. Prof Nayyar crossed all limits of arbitrary functioning by treating as passed all the items of the Academic Council (AC) meeting of February 5 despite the fact that no business was transacted in this meeting, it alleged.

This also included new amendments in the Ordinances on Selection Committees and revised courses.

DUTA also strongly deplored the VC’s act in evolving his own arbitrary guidelines, without approval by AC and EC, for denial of re-employment.

In some cases, he has acted on whims and personal vendetta. The DUTA demands review of the cases where re-employment has been denied despite strong recommendations by college governing bodies.

The DUTA has given a call for the boycott of all college functions attended by Prof Nayyar.

The Extended Executive of DUTA (in which representatives of

Staff Associations of colleges would also participate) would meet on February 26, 2004 to be followed by the DUTA General Body meeting on March 3, 2004, to intensify the movement. Meanwhile, the DUTA will be holding a national convention on February 21 and 22, 2004, a March to the UGC on February 23, 2004 to protest against the UGC’s proposed Model Act.

Mathematics exam cancelled as copying continues unabated
Our Correspondents

Sonepat, February 20
The Board of School Education Haryana has ordered the cancellation of Mathematics paper in the middle standard annual examination at Rohat village in this district, following the mass-scale copying and chaotic condition prevailing at the centre. According to another report, the Board has also ordered the shifting of an examination centre of Rohna village due similar complaints.

The Chairman of the Board, Brig. O. P. Chaudhary (retd), expressed his unhappiness at the inefficient and unsatisfactory functioning of certain centres after inspecting the examination centres at Rohat, Rohna and Khanda villages in this district yesterday. Mr Chaudhary said that the cancelled paper would be held later. He said that action would be taken against the supervisors at of these centres by the Board.

He requested the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M R Anand, to send extra police force to the examination centre at Rohna village for smooth conduct of the examination.

Meanwhile, at least 10 cases of use of unfair means were detected by the officials of the flying squads at different centres in this district yesterday. Two such cases were detected at Sargathal and two others at Deepalpur village and one at Khanpur Kalan village.

The use of unfair means continued unabated at different examination centres, contrary to the claims made by the district administration as well as the Haryana Board.

Large crowds of people, mostly relatives and friends of the examinees, were also seen outside the examination centres, despite the promulgation of the prohibitory orders under

Section 144 Cr.PC by the District Magistrate, banning the assembly of five or more persons and carrying of firearms near examination centres.

Use of unfair means detected

Jhajjar: The ongoing middle examination in the district has exposed the hollowness of the claim of the district authorities to have made adequate preparation for a fair and free conduct of examinations. A large gathering of people at the examination centres continued despite all the police arrangements.

To make matters worse, the flying squads detected a large number of cases of use of unfair means.

According to reports from Bahadurgarh town and rural areas, the Bahadurgarh police arrested 28 persons for violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr.P.C.

Most of these people had gathered to provide materials for copying at government senior secondary schools and private schools in Bahadurgarh town.

The situation was more or less similar in other rural areas.

The copying menace was most visible during the Mathematics paper yesterday when five students were caught for using unfair means.

Exploring the minds of children on gender-based violence
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20
An exhibition of a visual journey into the minds of children on a critical human rights issue, violence against women, will be inaugurated by the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit at Habitat Visual Art Gallery, Lodhi Road, here.

The exhibition, “Touch”, is a visual exploration supported by some text of the linkages between art and violence against women. It is an articulation of the opinion of children from schools of Delhi of their understanding of the issue of violence against women. Project ‘Touch’ was initiated by UNIFEM, South Asia Regional Office, in association with Probir Gupta, an artist based in Delhi, as part of the global campaign, “Sixteen days of activism on gender-based violence”.

Project ‘Touch’ is an effort to sensitize and create awareness and consciousness amongst school going children on different forms of violence against women.

The art works in this exhibition are based on a series of interactions and experiences that these children underwent through project ‘Touch’ to sensitize them to the issue of gender based violence.

Proobir Gupta’s works have focused mainly on human rights violations and he has conducted five consecutive workshops on visual arts, dealing with designing, drawing, painting, sculpture and collage.

A number of schools participated in the initiative, including Birla Vidya Niketan, Blue Bells School, Delhi Public School, Fr. Agnel School, G.D. Goenka Public School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, JNU, Mother’s International School, Prayas, Rai School, Ryan International School, Sanskriti School, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, St. Mary School, Shri Ram School and Vasant Valley School.

The exhibition is supported by UNIFEM in collaboration with Zonta International. The exhibition is on from February 21-24, 2004.

Cooperation sought to check use of unfair means
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, February 20
The Secretary, Haryana Board of School Education, has appealed to the people to cooperate with the administration in its efforts to check the use of unfair means during the ongoing middle examination in the state.

Asking the people not to create disturbances, he said Section 144 had been imposed around the examination centres so as to check the menace of copying and use of unfair means during the examinations. He warned that the police would take action against those violating section 144. As many as 10 FIRs were lodged and 60 persons were arrested in Mahendergarh on Tuesday during the English paper examination.

Even as number of people were arrested for violating Section 144, three FIRs were lodged in Jhajjar and Rewari.