The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

PCCTU seeks permanent solution to teachers’ problems
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers' Union (PCCTU) has welcomed the report of Dr S.S. Johal, Vice-Chairman, Punjab Planning Board, to resolve the problems faced by the employees of the non-government aided colleges in Punjab.

The union office-bearers — Prof S.S. Hundal, G.S. Kahlon, Dr V.K. Tewari, V. K. Sharma, Parkash Singh, Kanwaljit Singh, Surjit Singh — said it was for the first time that an attempt at comprehensive analysis and solutions had been made in Punjab on the proposals submitted by PCCTU. It was all the more important that well known economist and progressive educationist, Padam Bhushan Dr Johal had taken keen interest in solving the problems faced by staff. Dr Johal had even felt sad at the denial of UGC's mandatory benefits.

With a view to work out permanent solutions to the problems of about 15,000 persons (teaching and non-teaching) working in about 160 aided and unaided colleges, the union had been demanding auditing of the total income of each college from all sources, including fees, funds- as public trust. Similarly, the total expenditure of the college with respect to due salary of the whole staff, CPF and pensionary benefits on parity principle needed to be accounted for.

The union demanded terms and conditions of 95 per cent deficit grant-in-aid should be revamped and even substituted by the revolutionary approach of 100 per cent grant scheme against the salary and other genuine expenditures. Since the diversification of academic courses was essential to develop Punjab youth competently, so the new posts be included into grant system every year. The Punjab Government should also account for performance expenditure on sports, extra curricular, NCC, NSS and other youth related activities.

The PCCTU clarified that the new model with a new vision deserved strengthening of public-funded colleges without further shifting the burden on students and parents. There was no need to increase fee-fund structure as it was already back-breaking.

The union demanded that the report should be finalised in consultation with PCCTU and other organisations concerned.

Parents support KVM Principal
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
Coming to the aid of Ms Neena Khanna, Principal of Kundan Vidya Mandir (KVM) who had expressed her willingness to resign over a tussle with the school management, parents of students studying in the school have joined hands in her support.

In a press note, the parents said that some members of the management used unfair means to get the kids of their kin passed in the examinations and when this came to the notice of Ms Khanna, she protested. The parents said the Principal was honest and the management was bent upon terminating her services.

The parents urged other educationists to join hands with them to support the Principal.

They said that she had made all efforts to improve the school’s working but now she was being forced to resign for no fault of hers. They said she had an experience of 18 years in various army schools and other prestigious institutions, but a new Principal being brought by the management here was a simple mathematics teacher without any experience of any administrative post.

The parents said they had urged the Principal not to resign today. They said she was planning to resign on May 3. They said they would hold a demonstration outside the school on that day in protest against the management and in support of the Principal.

KLD College bags top positions in M.Com exams
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
Students of Kamla Lohtia SD College have once again made their mark in M.Com, 3rd semester results of Punjab University, Chandigarh. The first three positions in the district have been bagged by Kamla Lohtia College. Linki Verma has brought laurels to the institution by securing the first position in the district and 5th position in the university securing 1320/1600 marks.

Rupali stood second in the district and 8th in the university with 1300/1600 marks, Jinesh Jain stood 3rd in Ludhiana district and 11th in the university. Madhu Pathak, Sandeeep Kaur and Sheena got 8th, 9th and 10th position in the district, respectively.

Thus out of first 10 positions in the district, the students of Kamla Lohtia College scored six positions. Our of 28 students, 3 students got more than 80 per cent marks, 6 students got marks between 75 to 80 per cent, 18 students got marks between 70 to 75 per cent. The least score of the students is 69.8 per cent. Except one student, all have scored above 70 per cent marks.

BCM School gets nod for fashion studies
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has sent its approval to BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, for introducing a new course in fashion studies for its students of Plus One.

While two city schools had sent applications for starting the course, the board has given the nod only to BCM school till date.

The authorities of Kundan Vidya Mandir had also applied for the course but they have not received any approval.

The CBSE has directed the school to introduce the course as an elective subject from the coming session. Students from any of the three streams — medical, non-medical and humanities group — will be given an option to apply for the course as a fifth subject in lieu of other courses like physical education, music, computer education, bio-technology and web-designing.

Along with the approval, the CBSE has also dispatched some details pertaining to the syllabus, scope of the course, distribution of marks for theory and practical examination and periods allotted for various portions of the course. As per the directions received in the school, the theory portion will get a weightage of 70 marks while practical part will carry 30 marks.

The course content has been divided into four portions titled ‘Introduction to fashion designing’ carrying 10 marks, ‘Elements of designing’ carrying 20 marks, ‘Elements of garment making’ carrying 35 marks and ‘Introduction to fabric’ with a weightage of 35 marks.

The four portions of the course will have to be taught in 240 lectures. The number of lectures allotted to first and second portions will be 30 and 50, respectively. The third and fourth portions carrying same weightage will be taught in 80 lectures each.

Giving these details, Ms Paramjit Kaur, Principal of the school, said she felt that it would help the students who wanted to specialise in fashion designing after completing Plus Two.

Ms Paramjit Kaur said with an approval now in hand, the school would appoint a subject teacher as per the norms laid down by the CBSE. She said she was waiting for a book and manual from the board regarding setting up a laboratory for the purpose so that it could be ready by the first week of July. She said provisional classes for Plus One students had already begun in the school but the course would be introduced only after summer break when classes would begin in full swing.

Mr G. Balasubramanian, Director (academics), CBSE, during his recent visit to DAV Public School, had said the course would be introduced in 150 schools of the country in the first session. The course would be started in next 150 schools in subsequent years if it would get good response in the first year, he had said.

Workshop on motivation held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School organised a workshop on “Motivation for higher results” in the school conference hall. About 35 teachers and principals from leading schools attended the workshop.

Mr R.P.S. Luther, director, Associated Trainers and Management Consultants, was the resource person.

The workshop started with an invocation to “ignite the minds” of participants, which was followed by acupressure and laughing exercises.

During the syndicate discussion, “why” and “how” of motivation and positive attitude of motivating self were highlighted by Mr Luther. Questionnaires were also distributed among groups of participants to check their awareness about motivation.

A seven-point formula on “How to motivate self” was given by the resource person.

Nursery kids given freshers’ party
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
It was a day of fun and merriment for kids of Nursery Class of SAN Jain Model Senior Secondary School, Circular Road, as they were given a warm welcome here today. Kids came dressed up in bright-multi-coloured attires. Each one of them was presented a flower stick as they took the first step in the realm of knowledge.

The seniors of classes LKG and UKG presented a programme of various dance and music items.

Ms Vimal Kaushal, in charge of Nursery Class, and her team of teachers made suitable arrangements so that it turned out to be a memorable day for the little ones.

Lillete happy to raise ‘Womanly Voices’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
“I feel very happy to have directed the play, ‘Womanly Voices’. It has given me immense satisfaction to have directed three powerful stories written by women in different settings and periods. To convert stories into plays has not only stretched me but my cast too”, said theatre artiste Lillete Dubey, addressing a press conference here this afternoon before the staging of the play at Guru Nanak Bhavan. Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, president of the Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam, has brought the play to the city.

Lillete said she had read a book of short stories a few years ago and decided to dramatise three of the stories.

“Uttaran”, written the Wajeda Tabassum, focuses on class and caste differences. When it was first broadcast, it did get some opposition as fundamentalists did not like the way a Muslim girl behaved. The play has a Hyderabadi flavour.

Mahashweta Devi’s storey “Shishu” revolves round and honest officer who thinks he can change the system but fails.

Gita Mehta’s story “The Teacher’s Story” is taken from “River Sutra”. Salman Rushdie had included this story in an anthology of best 50 short stories. Lillette said this story was about a music teacher and set in a Sufi music background.

Actors Joy Sengupta, Suchitra Pillai, Neha Dubey, Zafar Karachiwala and Deepika are playing a total of 21 characters. In each story, every actor plays two or three roles. Zafar plays 11 characters, including that of a begum in a burkha. He has modulated his voice for the part and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lillete finds theatre to be the most satisfying medium as it gives an artiste the opportunity to express his or her feelings with no holds barred. Theatre is the most creative and fulfilling medium as a artiste gets fantastic exposure. Lillete has directed 19 plays so far, including “Dance like a Man”, the longest-running English play in India. Her 20th play will be “Zen Katha”.