EDUCATION

Panjab University revises dates of entrance test
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 22
Panjab University has revised the dates for conducting the entrance test for admission to Bachelor of Dental Sciences (BDS) course at Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences today. The test will now be conducted on July 10, instead of July 3 as decided by the university earlier.

Also the last date of submission of application forms has been extended from June 25 to July 4. The sale of application-cum-prospectus forms started on June 16 and the university is issuing on-the-spot roll numbers to all those candidates who are personally submitting the forms at a counter opened at the Gymnasium Hall at PU.

All those candidates who send their forms by post, will be delivered the roll number cards by post at their residences.

However, all those candidates who submitted their forms by post after June 30 will be issued roll numbers only on July 9 (one day before the entrance test) by hand at the new enquiry counter at PU between 9 am to 5 pm.

Commenting on the reasons for extending the dates of the entrance test, which the university is conducting for the first time, an official at the examination branch said that the move had been made to accommodate more applicants who were willing to take admission in BDS.

“So far we have received around 350 applications and we want that the numbers should increase and no candidate should miss out, especially when the university has taken a late decision of starting the dental course,” he added.

The BDS course has 100 seats, out of which two seats are reserved for candidates from the judge community of Hoshiarpur and 15 seats are kept for the NRI/NRI sponsored candidates.

The prospectuses are available at the SBI counter, PU, and the main branch of the SBI, Sector 22, Chandigarh, Civil Lines, Ludhiana and Parliament Street, New Delhi.

PU ecologist gets accreditation
Tribune News service

5,000 candidates take B.Ed test in city
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 22
The B.Ed test was conducted by Panjab University at 23 examination centres here today. Around 5,000 students took the test in the city. Most of the candidates who could not receive their roll numbers even today were allowed to sit in the examination hall after they produced the acknowledgment receipt of submitting the application form.

Some candidates, however, said officials were so busy accommodating candidates that they did not scrutinise documents in the examination hall.

“I did not get my roll number at my residence, so I came with a photograph and the acknowledgement card to the centre. I was allowed to sit in the hall but surprisingly my documents were not scrutinised,” remarked a candidate.

Most of the candidates had to face inconvenience as roll numbers failed to reach their residences in time. A large number of candidates had descended on the Panjab University campus to take their duplicate roll numbers cards.

Teachers hold dharna
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 22
On a call given by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) supported by the non-teaching employees’ union of non-government colleges of Punjab, the executive members of the two unions held a dharna in front of the office of DPI (Colleges) Punjab in Sector 17 today.

The employees demanded a policy regarding absorption of staff affected by shifting of Class XII, 50 per cent DA merger into pay, implementation of the Johl Committee recommendations and pension gratuity scheme.

Mr R.S. Brar, president of PCCTU said, “We welcome the statements of Chief Minister, Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, and Deputy Chief Minister, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal”. The staff reminded them that restoration of 95 per cent salary deficit grant and pension gratuity scheme of 1996 was part of the Congress poll manifesto.

Mr Jagwant Singh, general secretary, PCCTU, while addressing the dharna said the committee headed by Ms Bhattal had failed to hold a meeting during past one month which had caused resentment among teachers.

Summer camp concludes
Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 22
A summer camp, held at Tiny-Tots Foundation School, ended with stage show presented by children. The camp which started on June 1, was organised in association with Sarghi Kala Kender.

About 80 children in the age group of three and a half years to and 14 years from various schools of Mohali and Chandigarh participated in the camp.

“Tin Sawal”, a Punjabi play written by Gursharan Singh, was enacted by children. The play conveyed the message of respect for the elderly people.

Historical events connected with April 13 were presented in a beautiful belle. Dance items by the small children were an instant success.

Novelist and theatre director Sanjeevan Singh and principal of the school Harpreet Kaur encouraged the children and gave them prizes. 

50 teachers take part in training course
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, June 22
More than 50 primary teachers of Kendriya Vidyalayas Chandigarh region, have attended a 21-day inservice training course organised at Kendriya Vidyalaya Air Force Station high grounds located on the Chandigarh-Patiala highway near here.

The teachers participated in making of worksheets, cassettes, compact discs (CDs), puppets, apart from joining lectures, trips, excursions, demonstrations and discussions in the training course.

Mr D.K. Saini, Assistant Commissioner, KVS, Chandigarh region, who was the chief guest, inaugurated an exhibition arranged by the participants. Mr Saini also released a cassette, a CD and a consolidated version of worksheets for all classes and subjects of primary section.

An impressive cultural programme, organised by the participants, marked the valedictory function in the school, said Ms S.K. Bhatia, Principal of KV High Grounds. The principal also appreciated the resource persons, including Ms Hemlata of KV Chandigarh (No 2), Ms C Ummatt and Ms Neerja of KV High Grounds and Ms A Pathak of KV Chandimandir (No 1).

CULTURE

UT villages to get a taste of culture
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 22
Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi is prepared to shed the dead wood it has accumulated over the years. Starting fresh with a reconstituted team, akademi chairperson Kamal Tiwari has mooted certain proposals which will help reshape the cultural landscape of the city and its vicinity.

To begin with, the Akademi caretakers have decided to give all three forms of performing arts their rightful due. From this year onwards, the proposal is to hold festivals of theatre, dance and music not only in the city but also in the villages which have long been deprived of quality presentations.

Earlier, while convening the general council meeting, Kamal Tiwari had suggested that there was a need to widen the scope of performing arts and bring more people under the fold of music, theatre and dance.

“By holding festivals in villages, we can raise key social issues, address outstanding social concerns and entertain the masses. The akademi will support anyone interested in organising festivals in villages,” said Tiwari, adding that special dance, music and theatre workshops would also be conducted under the guidance of eminent gurus.

However, contrary to what some akademi members suggested, the general council decided not to hold regular workshops because the akademi is not a teaching institution.

Efforts will, however, be made to dig deserving talent and sponsor artistes who have suffered due to lack of financial support.

The annual grant of the akademi is Rs 2 lakh, which, it is felt, is not enough to carry out the tasks decided. In this regard, the akademi has decided to urge the state to exempt all cultural presentations of entertainment tax.

The akademi will now charge registration fees for all the seminars it conducts. “The idea is also to keep non-serious participants at bay,” said a member.

The future workshops of the Akademi promise to yield some revenue inasmuch as workshops for all urban participants will be “on charges”. Only rural participants will be allowed to attend free workshops. Another proposal is to conduct workshops for senior citizens.