BITS AND BYTES
Ctoss for an IT career

Chandigarh: The UT Administration has taken the initiative to start the training programmes for the IT/ITES-BPO industry. The Ctoss (Chandigarh-Training On Soft Skills) modules to be imparted would cover communication skills, interaction skills and other industry-specific skills.

To create awareness regarding these programmes amongst the students, seminars will be conducted in the colleges wherein professionals from the industry would present an insight into the ITES industry and its career prospects.

The courses would be started in various colleges from August, 2004, in collaboration with the training companies. The common course content would be prepared by SPIC with inputs from the training companies and also prominent BPO companies. The fee structure for the courses to be conducted in the colleges will be lower than the fee structure offered by the companies on their own premises. Pre-training, mid-level and post-training assessment will be conducted by SPIC to monitor the quality and progress of training. TNS

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government is taking steps to boost Information Technology in the state, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Transport Raman Bhalla said here recently.

A number of reputed computer education centres would be set up apart from introducing computer courses in colleges, he told a seminar-cum-talent show, organised by the All India Computers Coaching Centre.

With a view to widening the scope for computer professionals in the state, the government had set up a software park at Rangreth, near here, and was contemplating setting up similar parks at Jammu and other places, he said.

Computerisation of public and private organisations was imperative for the accelerated development of every region, he added. PTI

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has ordered Delhi University to grant admission to dyslexic students under a three per cent quota for people with disabilities.

Disabled rights groups hailed the move, saying it would go a long way in helping students with dyslexia, a neurological syndrome that causes difficulties in reading, spelling and writing.

"So far, only people with physical disabilities were considered by Delhi University for the disability quota," the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) said in a statement.

The court issued its order on the basis of a petition filed by the DRG that highlighted the plight of a dyslexic student who was denied admission under the disability quota and asked to compete with general category students.

The court noted that though dyslexia was not specifically mentioned in the Disability Act, it could be included in the definition of disability. It said dyslexic students should be granted provisional admission on an understanding that they were entitled to be treated differently.

Dyslexia comes with one or more learning difficulties, including auditory processing, organisational skills or memory, though it may not affect a person's intelligence.

"People with dyslexia are recognised as disabled the world over, but (in India) they were denied the concession enjoyed by other disabled people under the Disability Act," the DRG said.

A proposed amendment to the Disability Act to include learning and other disabilities had been pending with the government for almost four years. IANS