The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Gandhian Studies Dept gets MP grant
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 24
The Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University, is one of the neglected and least talked about department in the university. Not many students want to pursue it at postgraduate level. But now the department has received a boost. It has received an MP grant of Rs 7.50 lakh for its expansion. The amount is being used in expanding the department building.

This new building will house more three rooms for the staff members. Besides, there will be a spacious library. The library which is housed in Gandhi Bhavan will be shifted to the department. The library stocks 5,000 rare books on Gandhi’s philosophy and also has rare pictures of Gandhi.

The department, established in 1965, is running a course in MA in Gandhian and peace studies with 20 seats. It is also offering PhD and M.Phil on the subject. It has also increased the seats of MPhil from six to 10 this time. Earlier, the department offered a postgraduate diploma in Ghandhian philosophy which was discontinued two years ago. Low strength of faculty members and lackluster response of students led to the discontinuation of the diploma. But this course is kept under abeyance and can be continued again if there are enough facilities and good number of students.

Dr M.L. Sharma, professor and Chairman of the department, said: “Students who get admission here are mainly those who preparing for the competitive exams. One good thing about our courses is that the students can get Junior Research Fellowships. At present, eight students are getting five-year fellowship.”

BA, B.Sc interviews on July 4
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 24
Government College, Sector 11 (GC-11), Government College, Sector 46 (GC-46) and Government College for Girls, Sector 42 (GC-42) are all set to come up with a joint software to simplify the admission process.

There will be five modules which will have a record of admissions, scrutiny of forms, list of selected schedules, fee structure and subject combinations. It will also keep the record of assessment of September and December examinations of the students.

Today was also the last date of submitting the forms in these colleges. At GC-11 the sale of prospectus was on for 24 hours. The students can come at any time and get prospectus at the entry gate of the college. The college had appointed a security guard to cater to the needs of the students.

This time GC-11 received very good response from girls for the course of MA (English), B.Sc (Biotechnology) and B.Sc (Computer Science). The scrutiny of the forms will be done on June 27. In all, the college has recorded the sale of 5,300 prospectus. The other two colleges are yet to give the final details.

For BA I and B.Sc I (non- medical and medical) walk in interviews will be held on July 4.

Urdu classes from July 1

The Chandigarh office of the Languages Department, Punjab, has informed that Urdu classes will commence on July 1 free of cost in collaboration with GGDSD College, Sector 32.

The classes will be held on the premises of the college only from 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm from Monday to Friday. Any person belonging to Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula can seek admission. Interested persons may contact the in charge Hindi/Punjabi cell, Mini Secretariat, Sector 9, from 9 am to 5 pm. They can also contact the Urdu teacher at GGDSD College.

LEISURE

City girl bags Daniel Pearl Prize

Alliance Francaise’s alumnus Nandita Vij, currently pursuing her Master in Journalism at the Sciences Po University in Paris, has received the Daniel Pearl Prize for excellence in journalism. Her award
winning article focused on the women in Punjab who have been abandoned by their NRI husbands.

A scholarship holder at the university, Nandita Vij has been selected by international agencies like France and APTV for her training. A BA (Hons) from Government Girls College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, Vij did her electives in French and sociology. In addition to her regular studies, she was a student of the Alliance Francaise in Chandigarh where she did Diplome Superieure and also passed her DALF examination.

The Daniel Pearl Prize initiated by the Wall Street Journal in partnership with Ecole de Journalisme de Sciences Po was presented to Nandita Viij at a ceremony held on June 10. In attendance were Raju Nasisetti, Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal Europe, among other dignitaries.

Back home in Chandigarh, Nandita Vij took up one of the programmes under EduFrance which is a Government of France agency established by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Education and the Secretariat of State for Foreign Trade.

The agency’s mission is to promote French higher education, chiefly by facilitating high quality study experiences in France for international students at all levels in all disciplines. Alliance Francaise in Sector 36 had an EduFrance desk. TNS

Fun and frolic at Shemrock school

Students of Shemrock Senior Secondary School, Sector 69, Mohali, at their summer camp.

It was a time of fun and frolic at Shemrock Senior Secondary School, Sector 69, Mohali, for children in the age group 3-12 yrs who participated in the summer workshop which commenced on June 1 and concluded yesterday.

To enhance personal skills, psycho-motor coordination, realization of potential, a broad spectrum of activities ranging from personality development, English speaking, art and craft, indoor games, folk dance and instrumental music was provided. This workshop laid special emphasis on personality development under the guidance of Ms Deepa.

English speaking was another need which the summer camp took care of. Children were encouraged to express themselves in English and training in grammar, voice modulation and proper pronunciation is being imparted. Carrom and table tennis are keeping the children engaged indoors. Ms Jagdeep, the craft instructor, kept the children occupied in pot painting, tile decoration and making use of waste. Playing casio, tabla, harmonium are the skills which were acquired under the guidance of Mr. Shravan. Mr Garibdas involved the children in the nuances of dances. TNS

Book on Chandigarh released

“We should welcome innovations and break free from the old mindset of resistance to change”, said UT Administrator-cum-Punjab Governor, Gen (Retd.) S.F Rodrigues while releasing a book, “The Chandigarh — An Overview”, written by Dr S.P. Gupta. He is former Professor of Economics and Development Planning, Haryana Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh.

Appreciating Dr Gupta’s work at a brief ceremony in Raj Bhavan, Gen Rodrigues said the book would go a long way in making valuable additions to city residents’ knowledge about Chandigarh. It would also help them in their efforts to establish a native approach to Indian problems. He said the author had rightly portrayed Chandigarh as a dynamic city.

Elaborating on his statement, the Governor referred to Jawaharlal Nehru’s statement during a seminar-cum-exhibition of Architecture held on March 17, 1959 in New Delhi. The Governor quoted him as saying: “The architect is obviously limited by his material. If technology gives us more materials and more power to mould those materials, new avenues open up for using them... We should not be afraid of innovations. I have welcomed very greatly one experiment in India, Chandigarh. Many people argue about it, some like it, and some dislike it. It is the biggest example in India of experimental architecture. It hits you on the head, and makes you think…” OC