Chandigarh, March 24
Activists of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) burnt an effigy of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof K N Pathak, at the Student Centre, Panjab University, here today.

They were protesting against the indifference of the university authorities to their demand for a rollback in hiked fee. The President of SOPU, Mr Dalveer Singh, said the authorities were taking advantage of the fact that students were busy preparing for their examinations and could not launch an agitation. “We will do whatever we possibly can to ensure the hike is not imposed upon us,” he said.

SFI activists stated that successive governments were equally responsible for the hike in fee since they were gradually reducing the grant to the universities and forcing them to be self-sufficient.

Mohali, March 24
The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) proposes to bar students from appearing as private candidates in the matriculation and senior secondary examinations. Nearly 1.35 lakh students will be affected if the proposal is cleared.

Sources say that there is already a general consensus in the PSEB to give the green light to the proposal and implement it from the next academic session. This step will be in line with the national polidy on education. Details of the proposal are currently being worked out by top PSEB officials. If the board goes ahead with the new scheme, students who are unable to appear as regular candidates in the examinations will have the option to clear the matriculation and senior secondary examinations through the board’s open school system.

According to sources, a meeting to discuss the issue was held here on March 18. Among those who attended the meeting were the chairman of the board, Prof Harbans Singh Sidhu, vice-chairman, Mrs Hardyal Kaur, Controller of Examinations, Mr Sukhwinder Kaur Saroya, Director, Academics, Mr Jagbir Kaur Brar, and Deputy Director, Open School, Mrs Pavitar Pal Kaur.

It was pointed out that most of the education boards in the country were not allowing students to appear privately in the examination. Only some states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal and some areas in the north east were allowing students to appear in the two examinations as private candidates. A number of students from the neighbouring states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh appeared in the PSEB examinations as private candidates. It was seen that students who appeared privately in the board examinations indulged in adopting unfair means far more as compared to regular candidates.

When contacted the chairman of the board told The Tribune here today that the economics and logistics of the proposal were being studied by officials of the board. He said the aim was to provide low-cost and systematic education at the door step of students who could not afford formal education. It would be a self-sustaining project though the work load on the board staff would increase.

Mohali, March 24
The Punjab School Education Board has cancelled the matriculation and senior secondary examination for some subjects held at 14 centres in the state following complaints of masscopying.

According to a press note of the board chairman Prof Harbans Singh Sidhu, cancelled the examination under Chapter 6 of the General Regulation of Examinations. The flying squads had recommended the cancellation due to mass copying and outside interference which affected the sanctity of the examinations.

While matriculation examinations conducted at 10 centres in the state have been cancelled, examinations at four centres have been cancelled in the case of the senior secondary class.

The board has cancelled the social studies matriculation examination held on March 16 at the following centers: SDM High School, Naraingarh — 2, Amritsar, Kamalia Khalsa High School (B-1), Kapurthala 12, Karmalia Khalsa High School (B-2), Kapurthala 13, Government Senior Secondary School (B-1), Kalanaur 1, Gurdaspur, and Government Senior Secondary School, Jabowal, Amritsar. The Punjabi-B examination held on March 11 at Government High School, Nausherawala, Amritsar, and Tagore Model Senior Secondary School, Nakodar 10, Jalandhar, (Roll No. 641283 and 641307 and 641151 to 641199) have been cancelled. The board has cancelled the mathematics examination held on March 7 at Government Senior Secondary School, Jindar, Gurdaspur, Punjabi A held on March 9 at Sialkot National Senior Secondary School, Gajibula, Jalandhar 67, and Science examination held on March 14 at Khalsa Amarjit Senior Secondary School, Dumeli-2, Kapurthala.

The mathematics examination of senior secondary class held on March 9 at MDSD Senior Secondary School (B-2), Kapurthala 7, and Government Senior Secondary School (B-1), Kapurthala 5, has been cancelled. The board has also cancelled political science examination held on March 12 at Arya Senior Secondary School, Basti Gujan (B-2), Jalandhar 30, and general Punjabi held on March 14 Government Senior Secondary School, Kanganwal, Sangrur.

Mohali, March 24
The Punjab Agriculture University Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, suggested yesterday that the Punjab Government should focus on oil seeds and pulses as diversification options.

Dr Aulakh was talking to mediapersons in the township yesterday during the inauguration of his camp office.

Stating that India had imported pulses and edible oil worth Rs 1,40,000 crore during last year, Dr Aulakh said it would not just benefit the state but also the nation if the Punjab farmer is encouraged to grow these crops.

Dr Aulakh also clarified that the Punjab farmer need not shift a way from wheat but should leave paddy cultivation for better alternative crops. “Paddy cultivation has been solely responsible for the poor state of agriculture in the state. It is a labour intensive and water intensive crop. The water tables in the state have gone down substantially. If paddy cultivation is allowed to continue like this, in a few years Punjab will become a desert,” he said. “Also the amount of power required for the crop is very high. Domestic users and industrial units are paying the cost for paddy cultivation,” he added.

Chandigarh, March 24
As many as 775 students were awarded degrees at the 33rd annual convocation of MCM DAV College, Sector-36, here today. Sixteen students were conferred their post-graduate degrees in Hindi, 36 in B.Com.(Honours), 35 in B.Com., 64 in B.Sc.(Vocational), 52 in B.Sc.(non-medical) and 50 in B.Sc. (medical). Meanwhile, 203 students received their degrees in B.A.(Honours) and 319 were awarded degrees for B.A.

Twenty-three special prizes were given to meritorious students for their outstanding achievement in academics. These included Megha Dhamija, who was first in PU in Psycho Hons., first in U.T. and first in college in B.A. III, Kriti Kuthiala, who was first in PU English Hons., Namrata Hasija, who was first in PU History Hons., Jasmine, who stood second in U.T. and second in college in B.A. III and Jyoti Sharma, who was third in PU and first in college in M.A.I.

Ritu Khosla and Mrinalini Sud were first in P.U. Political Science (Honours) and E-Commerce, respectively. Gurnoor Kang of B.A. I received a special prize for excelling in the field of sports. She has won accolades for the college in swimming and in international rowing.

The Chief Guest Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, gave away the prizes and delivered the convocation address.

He pointed out that “the conferment of a degree may not be considered as the culmination of the educational process. It is not the end, but perhaps the end of the beginning. The degree is only a license for further education. Education is a life long process which has to be all pervading.” He said that the role of the educational institutions in general and its products in particular became all the more important in this age of globalisation. Basic skills needed for the 21st century now went beyond reading, writing and speaking, and include information, media and technological literacy as well as critical thinking.

The Principal, Dr Puneet Bedi, read out the report, highlighting the activities and achievements of the college, while Justice A.L. Bahri, Vice-President, DAV College Managing Committee, proposed a vote of thanks.

Chandigarh, March 24
Class X students, appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education, today heaved a sigh of relief with their Board examinations concluding with the science and technology paper.

They emerged from the examination centres smiling, happy that the burden of the boards was off their shoulders. Satisfied with their attempt, most of them admitted that the boards were not the monster they were made out to be.

Says Sakshi Sharma,”We were terrified at the thought of the boards. However, having appeared for them, we have realised that they are like any other examination. The science paper was on the lines of our preparation, not too easy and not too tough, nothing out-of syllabus.”

With the examination over, the students are now readying for the month long vacation that lies ahead. While students wanting to opt for the medical and non-medical streams will shortly begin tuitions to go into the new class prepared, others have a host of activities lined up for the vacation.

For most of them, the festival of colours, Holi, ushered in celebration time. “All of us will get together at a common friend’s place and kick off our vacation with colours. We are going to party all through the day. We will make the most of it,” says Radhika Jain, appearing at the GMSSS-35 centre.

LEISURE

Gracy Singh graces Rose Garden

The Rose Garden in Sector 16 has never seen a gathering as thick as it saw today. Making a beeline for a glimpse of actress Gracy Singh were hundreds of visitors who stayed put on the site until the song sequence being shot was over and done with.

Gracy Singh has been in the city for a day to shoot for the film “Chanchal” which also stars, among others, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Bindu.

For some reason, the actress played hard to get this time around although she was extremely approachable last year. Today she concentrated on the shooting of a song sequence which featured other dancers in Punjabi exuberance. Being shot by Inderjit Singh, the film is being produced by Mukesh Tandon.

The strong point of the film is its fine lyrics by Arman Shahabi and music by Kuldip. Interestingly, on the camera is a former student of Government College of Art Ashok Behl who has to his name some other famous Bollywood projects as well. Known well in cinematography circles, Behl was busy capturing shots all day long. As for rest of the cast, it includes Swapnil Joshi, Milind Soman, Asrani and Sadhna Singh. TNS