The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Maths dept freshers welcomed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 1
A welcome party was organised by students of MSc (Second year), mathematics for their juniors at SCD Government College here at Ssahir Auditorium.

The function was presided over by the Head of the Mathematics Department, Ms Urmila Chhibber. Principal of the college, Mr D.S. Gill, was the chief guest .

Mr Gill was the Head of Department of Mathematics before becoming Principal of the college. The staff members of the department attended the function. Senior students welcomed the new students and presented a cultural programme.

The programme included shabad recital by Parneet Kaur, songs by Poonam and Parneet Kaur, group dances by Jasjeet Singh Kanj, Gurpreet Singh, Kulinder, Sartaj Singh, Aditi, Preet Kamal, Nitasha, Suman, skit by Sartaj, Jasjeet Singh, Kulinder, Pawan, Vaneet, bhangra and solo dances by Vaneet and Poonam.

From Schools
Benefits of balanced diet
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 1
A seminar was orgainsed by Food and Nutrition Department of Home Science College, PAU in connection with National Nutrition Week being observed at Baba Isher Singh (N) Senior Secondary Punjab School B.R.S. Nagar. Students of Class V attended the seminar . It was conducted by Dr (Ms) Paramjit Chawla and Dr (Ms) Ravinder Dhaliwal. They along with home science students staged a play about the importance of balanced diet. The school Principal, Ms Aneeta Kundra, attended the seminar and lauded the effort.

Declamation contest

A declamation contest was organised for students of classes VII , VIII, IX and X of KVM by Elite Jaycees in collaboration with an English daily here this morning. As many as 30 participants spoke on a variety of topics ranging from terrorism, Internet, quest for moral values and saving, environment in English, Hindi and Punjabi. The participants were judged for confidence, presentation, body language, fluency, gestures, eye contact by Varinder Datta and Harminder Singh.

The results were as follows: winner — Ravneet Singh; first Runner up — Ashish Nagpal; and second runner up — Shivam Bhalla. In girls category: winner — Sheeba Soin; first runner up — Samiksha; and second runner up — Aditi Sharma.

General knowledge CD released
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 1
A CD containing a quiz and self evaluation programme with more than 1000 GK questions has been prepared by young and dynamic Ahsaas Chawla, a student of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School.

His CD was released at a function held in the school by the Principal of the school, Sr Maria Lena. The Principal said she was very happy with the achievement of Ahsaas as his CD, Brain-o-Meter, would benefit other students.

While talking to this correspondent Ahsaas said, “Actually the idea of making a CD containing questions on general knowledge and subjects like science, mathematics, social studies and mythology came to me when I saw my father preparing in software on medical education as he is a doctor. I started my preparation by consulting a lot of books. I worked hard for two hours daily and prepared the questions in two months. My father, Dr Rajinder Chawla, took four months to get the software ready. He and my mother, Dr Neena Chawla, have really supported and helped me in making this CD. Today is the happiest day of my life as my CD was released in my school.

Telling about his CD he said through the CD, “One can become a quiz master as ‘Brain-o-Meter’ is a comprehensive software that provides the children a play-mate to help them prepare for GK competitions. The multiple play formats keep the excitation level high while the children brush up their knowledge and match their wits their friends and competitors.”

He added that the software was student friendly, had visual components and was suitable for 13-18 years age group.

When asked about his future plans, he said he would be upgrading the CD with latest questions every three months and would add music and visual rounds too.

Teachers to protest on September 5
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 1
As many as four teacher organisations namely Teachers’ Democratic Front, Adhayapak Dal, Government Teachers Union, and SCBC Adhayapak Dal will organise a Shikhya Bachao Rally on September 5.

Members of these organisations will take out a rally on Teachers’ Day to protest against government’s move to privatise of education.

The Nijikaran Virodhi Adhaypak Morcha district committee member, Mr Piara Singh Dhillon, Charan Singh Sarabha and Darshan Singh Rakba said the teachers would hold a protest rally at Dana Mandi on September 5. Teachers from other districts would also take part in the rally.

Mandi Ahmedgarh: The Private Aided School Teachers Union will launch a jail bharo stir observing Teachers Day as “black day” if the Chief Minister of the state did not invite the union leaders for discussion before September 5.

Mr Gurcharan Singh Chahal, president of the state body, revealed that hundreds of members will participate in a state level rally on September 5. The private aided college teachers union would also join the protesting school teachers, he added.

He alleged that the state government had been ignoring the genuine demands of private teachers, after coming to power.

Mr Chahal said teachers from all over the state would participate in the protest to be organised at Matka Chowk on September 5.

Mr Ramesh Kumar Sharma, general secretary of the union, criticised the political leaders for issuing statements in an irresponsible manner. “Even the Education Minister has been issuing and retracting statements regarding the phasing out of the grant during a period of 10 years.”

COURTS

SC judgement on sterilisation hailed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 1
The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has hailed the decision of the Supreme Court in which it has ruled that a doctor could not be held liable to pay compensation for a ‘failed sterilisation operation’ till any negligence on his part was proved.

Welcoming this decision in a press statement here today, Dr Hardeep Singh, president, and Dr Balwinder Kumar, registrar of the association, said the verdict would end undue harassment of PCMS doctors performing sterilisation operations under the National Family Welfare Programme.

They said sterilisation operations, under this programme, were performed free of cost in pursuance of family welfare programme and the state was spending 8 per cent of its annual health budget for this purpose by maintaining a large network of infrastructure and health manpower.