Jalandhar, May 24
Even as the Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced new courses for expanding the choice of subjects for the students at the senior secondary level, there are no takers for it.

While the CBSE specifies that the various courses in non-conventional spheres could help the students directly get better employment prospects, the local affiliated schools have said they could not take the risk with the careers of the students. They said they would opt for these courses only when passout students from other schools would be able to establish the worth of the courses in the market.

The new courses started by the board include elective subjects such as heritage craft, graphic designing, creative writing and translation studies and vocational trade in general health care. Citing reasons for not giving these options in their schools, the principals have said that such courses could only be introduced for the humanities students but the students were showing interest only in regular medical, engineering or commerce disciplines.“There is a need to create awareness among 
the parents and students about the emerging courses.

All that they see as of now is the pay package that the students from an engineering or a management college get,” said principal of Police DAV Public School Rashmi Vij.

She added that she was planning to start a course in biotechnology. “I got some survey done. Our teachers approached the faculty of colleges offering the course at higher levels. They reverted to tell us that it was a good option for teaching purposes. So, we are rethinking on the plan, for we have been made to believe that it was only as good as biology,” she added.

Principal of Swami Sant Dass School Harbhajan Kaur echoes similar views. “We too are dwelling on the matter. We have a management meeting in the summer break.”

“There has been a plan to start biotechnology next year. But we are not sure on that. All the course that the CBSE is introducing are meant for the arts students. The students are not ready to think beyond science and commerce,” she opined.Principal of Innocent Hearts School Kamlesh Bowry said her teachers had been attending seminars of the board on new courses and changes being made. She said she was yet to go through their details. “As of now, I think these course do not have much value,” she added.

Jalandhar, May 24
The hoteliers in the city have been directed to collect a copy of identity proofs like identity card, PAN card, voter I-card or driving licence, of the customers before they check in.

The directions were given by SP (traffic and security) Rakesh Kaushal during a meeting with hoteliers here today. The meeting was attended by nearly 50 owners of different hotels, restaurants and big dhabas.

The SP said identity proofs with only photographs could be used as records. Besides, mobile numbers and contact numbers of the customers who were given rooms on rent should also be collected.

He said the directions were given in the wake of recent spurt in militant activities, especially after the Jaipur blasts.

Kaushal directed the hoteliers to install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras in their hotels to keep a track of the visitors. The directions also include deployment of some persons at parking-lots to get vehicles parked properly. In case of emergency, hoteliers were asked to contact the concerned SHO, police control room at 9915716200, 9915716106 or 9872223456.

Batala, May 24
Things are not easy for this 59-year-old polio-affected senior lecturer of Baring Union Christian College as he has been ordered to give poll duty despite his disability.

Suresh Dogra, who is head of the department of English at the college, has been appointed polling officer for the gram panchayat elections to be held on May 26. He was asked to attend the rehearsals on May 21 and 23 at Sri Hargobindpur which is 30 km away from the town.

According to orders issued by the election commission, physically challenged persons, including visually impaired, deaf and dumb, should be exempted from the poll duty.

Talking to The Tribune, Dogra said, “I have been affected from the disease since the age of two and am severely handicapped. At the age of 59 when I am left with just a year of my services, I have been asked to do a task which I am unable to do. Besides, I have has always been exempted from the poll duty in my 36-year career.”

Interestingly, the electoral office had earlier cancelled Dogra’s duty after a representation from him. However, on May 12 he again got the orders to report at Sri Hargobindpur by the same office for attending rehearsals and election duty, failing which action would be taken against him.

Meanwhile, returning officer Jagir Singh said Suresh Dogra should forward a letter to him and he ensured that Dogra would be exempted from the duty.

Jalandhar, May 24
An eighth standard girl student of Paddi Khalsa village committed suicide as she could not pass her middle examination in the second consecutive attempt.

Confirming this, Goraya SHO Kailash Chandra said the girl Parveen consumed some celphos tablets as her recently-declared results showed that she had failed in the examinations.

A student of Government Senior Secondary School in Gohawar village, Parveen was rushed to Civil Hospital, Phagwara in an unconscious state but could not be saved. — TNS

Hoshiarpur, May 24
As many as 37 students of DAV Collegiate School, Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir), were injured when the mini-bus in which they were traveling overturned on a bridge at Rehlan village on Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway today.

According to the information, there were 43 students in the bus and they were on an excursion to Hardy’s World, Ludhiana. Suddenly near Rehlan bridge the driver of a speeding car applied brakes due to which the bus driver was forced to slam brakes and lost control over the vehicle. All the injured were shifted to the Dasuya civil hospital.