Chandigarh, August 3
Mass exodus — that’s the only way to explain the “vanishing act” by foreign students from the city that has a fairly large number of educational institutions to its credit. They have virtually packed up their bags and shifted base, primarily to the South, though Yamunanagar, Amritsar and Delhi are still popular destinations for these students.

In the last few years the number of foreign students, most of whom come from various African countries, has dwindled significantly. It’s down to three in Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, in Government College, Sector 11, and nil in Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26.

Not so long ago, these colleges as also the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, were like melting pots for various cultures but it doesn’t hold true anymore. Plagued with expensive education, rising costs of accommodation, lack of professional courses and police interference has proved to be the city’s undoing. The few who are left behind are not very enthusiastic about their stay in the city.

“Panjab University doesn’t seem to have enough professional courses to offer to us. Besides, Chandigarh is an expensive city, not student friendly at all. That wasn’t the case in the early 1990s when the city had 2000-odd students. Now, the number of Africans in the city has reduced to just 20-30 students,” a student from Uganda says.

The students also grudge that city colleges and the university are completely out of tune with regard to courses that are in. “They continue to offer courses which are no longer in demand. For other courses, they charge exorbitant fee from us which makes it unviable for us to opt for these. Studying in the city is an expensive proposition,” an Iranian maintains.

The students maintain that they are also hounded by the police. “This is a small city and everybody knows everybody. The police keeps harassing us tabs and conducts regular checks. It is better to move out to bigger cities where cops are not following you around as shadows,” they say.

These students are also critical of the high rents of accommodation charged from them. “Just because we come from abroad, residents think we can afford to pay huge amounts. They don’t realise that most of us rely on self-financing while very few come here on scholarships. For a two-room set we are quoted rent as high as Rs 7,000. How can we afford this kind of money,” a Kenyan says.

All of these students, whichever country they come from, have their associations. The Embassy refers a newcomer to these associations which, in turn, handle all arrangements from stay to food to college. This way, the Embassy ensures safety of its citizen in a new country.

The principals of various city colleges admit foreign students are “missing” from their campuses but have neither evaluated the reasons nor have any inclination for the same. While the city joins the bandwagon of “favourite IT destinations” for worldclass organisation and opens its door to investment, it has practically shut its doors on foreign students. The city’s loss has been the neighbour’s gain.

While south is where most of them are heading for, a handful of them study University in Kurukshetra or Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar. For now, the few who remain behind are also losing interest in the city. From their talk, it seems retaining them, too, would be an uphill task.

Chandigarh, August 3
Fiftyfour students were awarded diploma and medals at the 40th convocation of the Indo-Swiss Training Centre, which was held at the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) here today.

The chief guest on the occasion, Dr Kota Harinarayana, Chairman of the CSIO, said the mantra of today’s competitive world was high technology.

“Only professionals have the scope to be placed in industrial sector or entrepreneurship but they always need to upgrade their skills”, said Dr Harinarayana.

Dr Pawan Kapoor, Director, CSIO, in his welcome address, gave an overview of the activities at the CSIO. He informed that the CSIO had a unique lab for research work in scientific and industrial fields.

Mr H. S. Gupta, Principal of the Indo-Swiss Training Centre, read out the annual report of the centre. The centre had produced 2,700 graduates so far and its already ISO 9001:2000 certified, said Mr Gupta. 

Chandigarh, August 3
The subject of environment studies, made compulsory for undergraduate students, has become a thorn in the flesh of various college authorities.

There is no teacher for the subject at four government colleges of the city. The Administration has failed to appoint teachers even though huge funds have been collected for the subject at Government College, Sector 11 (GC-11), Government College for Girls, Sector 11 (GCG-42), Government College, Sector 46 (GC-46) and the Government College for Girls, Sector 42 (GCG-42) .

It has been more than eight years since Panjab University made it mandatory for the students to clear the environment subject. Students, who fail to clear the environment paper would not receive their degrees. But the dilemma is while students are all eager to learn the subject, they have no teacher to guide them.

Last year, many students failed in the environment exam and, surprisingly, even toppers barely managed to pass. Last year, the varsity did not publish adequate question papers, which created utter chaos.

The examination consists of 50 marks and one has to get at least 17 marks to pass it . There is a need for specialised trained teachers for the subject, said a majority of students. Last year, many science students failed to clear it. The students have to attend at least 25 lectures of the subject. The students can appear for the examination once in three years.

A sum of over Rs 12 lakh is there in the balance fund of environment at the GCG-11. Dr Manjit Kalra, Principal of the college, has suggested to the varsity that the marks of the papers should be added in the degree, which would help in bringing seriousness about the subject among the students. Now the students get only a certificate, which says that the student has cleared the test. But if their marks are added to the degree, they would definitely pay attention as it help in improving their percentage.

Mr Pahlad Aggarwal, Principal of GC-11, said, “We have a sum of Rs 3, 37, 730 till July 30 and I have also written to the authorities concerned”.

Mr A.N. Garg, Principal of the GC-46, said, “I have already written to the authorities concerned. There is a balance of Rs 2, 54,000 in the Environment Fund. This session students will be charged Rs 180 and they have to pay in two installments of Rs 90 each. Nearly, Rs 1, 82, 810 will be collected from 1010 students in the end of the session.”

Mr Upinder Mehra, Principal of the GCG-42, refused to give the exact figure of the Enviornment Fund and said that Rs 180 would be charged from the first year students of different streams.

Mr D.S. Mangat, DPI, was not available for comments despite repeated attempts. 

Chandigarh, August 3
The hunger strike by students of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology supported by the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) entered its eighth day today. Two students, Shanta Kumar of Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) of fourth year and Somveer Mehra of Bachelor of Engineering (Food Technology) of third year, have been on indefinite hunger strike since August 1. Somveer Mehra was hospitalised yesterday and now Jaspal Dhillon (BE Chemical) has replaced him.

The students are demanding an internal assessment improvement chance. They are also demanding for a chance to appear for more than five theory papers (excluding regular) each semester.

However, Dr Daljit Singh, chairperson of the Department of Chemical Engineering, said an emergency meeting of faculty members had been called tomorrow to discuss the issue. 

LEISURE

Comment on woman’s predicament
S.D. Sharma

THE predicament of a woman and her fight for parity with the role by religious fanaticism and the feudal attitude landlord were brought alive by artistes of the Chandigarh School of Drama through three Punjabi plays directed by grand thespian Gursharan Singh at the Tagore theatre today.

The presentation was part of the twelfth cultural programme ‘Moh Maalve da-2005’ organised by the Maalva Cultural and Social Welfare society.

The opening presentation was a tribute to the woman. But the woman is still Bereft of ‘respect’ in our socio-cultural environment, rues the playwright in the well-enacted four sequences of ‘Ehasaas’ in the Nukkad natak style. Stuffed with verbal skirmishes, the play exhorts the woman to realise her potential and stand up to the dictates if male chauvinism.

Weaved in pastoral ambience, ‘Panj Kalyanai’, a dramatic adaptation of a story by Jagroop Singh Roop, depicts the menace of moneylenders in the rural areas. Awakened by the village schoolteacher, Nathu the villagers pick up courage to fight the system.

Yet another curse ailing the society rampant corruption and exploitation of the poor farm worker has been illustrated in ‘ Kamian da Vehda’. The choreography by artistes on the vibrant poetry of ‘Paash’ created a spell.

Kamaljit Kaur, Shikhadeep, Parminder, Bikramjit, Iqattar Sahota, Harpreet Judge, Sukhwinder and asha Saklani an alumnus of Indian Theatre, PU, formed the cast. The society honoured the Pandit Ramnik Sharma lit the traditional lamp. Mr Kiranbir Singh Kang was the chief guest.