EDUCATION

Acute shortage of staff in govt colleges
Swarleen Kaur

Chandigarh, July 27
There is shortage of staff at four government colleges of the city. The problem is so acute that it has become difficult for the college authorities to start classes of the newly introduced courses. This is also causing resentment among the students who had taken the admission in the new courses to shape their careers. They are rather feeling cheated as they had pinned high hopes from the professional courses. Questions are being raised if there were no teachers then why did the authorities advertise about professional courses.

These colleges are Government College for Girls, Sector 11 (GCG-11), Government College, Sector 11 (GC-11), Government College for Girls Sector 42 (GCG-42) and Government College, Sector 46 (GC-46).

As many 30 teachers alone are needed for almost every subject at GCG-42. Teachers are required for economics, Punjabi and chemistry and other science subjects. One new unit has been added in the final of B Com and that also needs a teacher. In professional courses, including computer sciences, 40 students await teachers, and biotechnology students, which are also in strength of 40, are waiting for a teacher so that classes could begin.

Ms Upinder Mehra, Principal of the college, has written many times to the DPI in this regard but to no avail. “In almost every classroom there are 90 to 110 students, while there should be only 60 students. It is certainly affecting the studies and a lot of burden is being shouldered by the existing faculties”, she said.

The same scenario prevails at GCG-11, which needs nearly 25 staff members. There are no teachers for BCA and BBA courses and the proper session has not begun as yet. “We are trying to manage with the existing staff but when teachers are on leave, it becomes difficult to find their substitute. In many classes the strength of the students is touching nearly 100. With each passing day the problem is aggravating,” said the Principal of GCG-11 Mrs Manjit Kalra .

Administrator for quality education to poor
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 27
With a view to accessing quality education and knowledge to the disadvantaged sections of society, Gen(retd) S.F. Rodrigues, Governor of Punjab, today impressed upon the heads of privately-managed public schools the need to institute a transparent and responsive mechanism for ensuring 15 per cent reservation to the Economically Backward Children.

Presiding over a high level meeting of educationists, General Rodrigues emphasised that the public schools must seriously examine this issue and volunteer to contribute to the development of education in society as a whole, with a special focus on the weaker sections.

Referring to the example of Government Model High School, Sector 25, for its innovative programme for imparting vocational training to students along with academic education, General Rodrigues said that the Administration had planned to replicate this model in all 124 government schools of union territory and equip them with modern tools and techniques of learning.

Expressing concern over the rising number of accidents of school buses, General Rodrigues asked the principals to ensure the safety of children.

Besides the Home Secretary, Mr Krishna Mohan and DPI (School), Mr D.S. Mangat, principals of public schools who attended the meeting included St. Kabir School, DAV Public School, DAV College, Sector 10, St Stephen School, Sector 45, Vivek High School, Sacred Heart School and St John’s High School.

Protest against chairperson of History Dept
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 27
Activists of the Indian National Students Organisation held a protest outside the office of the chairperson of the History Department. They have alleged that the chairperson, Mr Surinder Singh, was forcing two students Amardeep Singh and Ashok Kumar, who have passed their first year in MA history, to take up the subject of histograpy instead of the subject of their choice, the Indian National Movement.

The students alleged that this was being done to save the job of a particular lecturer who might lose her job if any student does not opt for this subject. This was stated in a press note issued by the organisation here today.

COURTS

Tehelka case: court dismisses prosecution plea
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 27
The General Court Martial trying Brig Iqbal Singh for professional impropriety in the Tehelka case today rejected the prosecution’s plea to recall CBI Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr K. Y. Guruprasad, for producing record of the deposition made by the accused before the erstwhile Justice Phukan Commission of Inquiry.

The prosecution had earlier submitted that the record of the deposition was required as the accused had made certain confessional statements before the commission.

The defence had strongly opposed the plea stating neither had the accused made such statements nor was their any provisions under law to recall the witness under such circumstances.

The prosecution counsel, Mr Arvind Moudgil, requested that the court be adjourned as its next witness, Mathews Samuel, was not in proper medical condition to depose before the court.

The court, however observed that many opportunities had been granted to the prosecution for producing Mathews and it was now being given a last opportunity. The court directed the prosecution to produce its witness tomorrow. Mathews is expected to be examined tomorrow when the court reassembles.

The accused, who had earlier submitted a petition to the court’s convening authority, accusing the court’s judge advocate of hobnobbing with the prosecution, remarked that he was now convinced of the court’s impartiality.