Dehradun, August 21
The recent missive by the higher education department to prominent government and private institutions regarding measures taken by them to curb ragging has had the desired effect.

A number of institutions have constituted anti-ragging committees, besides initiating other measures.

Secretary of higher education Rakesh Kumar has written to vice-chancellors of all universities in the state and heads of medical, engineering, paramedical, dental, homeopathic, BEd and other professional institutions in this regard.

All have been asked to furnish information regarding the number of ragging cases reported in their institutions since the start of the academic session and the action taken thereafter.

Since the institutions were asked to apprise the government about the steps taken to curb the menace, many have started highlighting the same through the media to dispel the impression that the problem continues to prevail in institutions across the country despite Raghvan Committee report and directions issued by Supreme Court.

A random survey of city institutions shows that besides anti-ragging committees, posters warning students against ragging have been put up on their premises.

University of Petroleum Studies has made students and parents give an undertaking in this regard.

Its registrar GK Tiwari says security guards have been hired from Delhi to monitor activities of the campus students. Dolphin Institute and Doon University are using posters to convey the anti-ragging message to students.

Shivalik College of Engineering on Shimla Road has installed CCTV cameras on its premises to keep an eye on seniors. College chairman Sunil Kumar Singh keeps a tab on student activities from the control room set up in his office.

The students have been told of the cameras fitted in hostels and the college canteen. “Besides trying to put across a strong message through posters, we have installed CCTV cameras to show that no student indulging in ragging can get away with it,” Singh added.

At DAV (PG) College, the biggest and oldest institution in the state, students have to submit affidavits pledging they will not indulge in ragging. Though it claims to have put up posters, these were nowhere to be seen in the premises.

Though incidence of ragging has not been negligible in Dehradun, the latest steps taken by the institutions show that they can no longer afford laxity in dealing with the problem.

“Anti-ragging committees have been constituted because it is mandatory to do so,” said principal of a private engineering institute who did not wish to be named.

For long-term effect, the institutions would do well not to allow any let-up in monitoring, lest the monster of ragging rears its head again.

The firmness shown by the apex court in dealing with the problem needs to be respected and followed by the managements instead of trying to push incidents of ragging under the carpet under one pretext or the other.

Roorkee, August 21
The only government girls’ college in the region is in a state of utter neglect. Government Girls Inter College at Ram Nagar here is being run from a two-room building which neither has basic amenities, nor adequate staff nor principal.

The college, with a strength of 40 students in both arts and science streams in plus one and plus two, is being looked after by an acting principal, who teaches all science subjects assisted by two teachers. Except for a clerk, the college has no other staff like a sweeper or watchman.

The college has no library, laboratory, canteen, computers or sports facilities. The college, which started functioning about four years back, is waiting to get an electricity connection. Students have to attend classes without fans during summer.

For drinking water, the staff and students depend on a handpump installed in front of the premises. In the name of furniture are mats spread on the floor of the two classrooms.

“Last year, a grant of Rs 30,000 was sanctioned for buying furniture but the bills for the same are yet to be passed. As soon as the grant is released, new furniture will be purchased”, said A Chand, college clerk.

The college does not have any boundary wall and its premises are a home to stray cattle. In the absence of a boundary wall, the college staff is unsure as to how much area the institute has, leaving it vulnerable to encroachments.

Shrubs and wild growth occupy a major portion of vacant land. To make matters worse, piles of garbage around the premises pose a health hazard.

Due to the indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned, the college strength stands at a mere 40.

There are only two teachers against 10 posts created initially. From this session, the education department has ordered that admissions be started for classes VI, VII, VIII, IX and X in the college.

“Seeing the pathetic conditions, no one seems interested in getting his ward admitted to the college. There were just four queries for admission in Class VI, but we were unable to admit any student,” said the staff. “We have written to the authorities about the problems but in vain,” lamented the staff.

Dehradun, August 21
Leaving her audience in a trance through soulful rendition of
‘bhajans’ comes easy to Sonia Anand, a popular classical and
light music singer from Doon.

Sonia would soon be adding another feather to her cap with
the release of a CD of poems by famous Hindi poet Girija
Shankar Trivedi.

“This will be my tribute to the departed poet who is my inspiration. Titled ‘Jyoti Rath’, the CD will be released by Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on August 22,” said Sonia.

It has been eight years since she started her professional singing career, but exposure to the business side of music began only after she became part of the ‘Sa-re-ga-ma’ programme in 2001.

“It was an experience that opened my eyes to the different aspects of a career in music. It all began at the studios of Zee Television.

“Earlier, I never bothered about asking for remuneration for my performances.

“ I had reached the final of the contest, which at that time was very tough,” said Sonia. But embarking upon a career in music wasn’t easy, as initially her family members opposed the idea. “I belong to an orthodox family and my parents were keen that I pick up a career in academics or medicine, but I had already decided.

“ I got support from my family only after people and friends started taking note of my singing talent,” she added.

A masters in music, Sonia is also working on her Phd from Kumaon university. Happy with the way her career is taking shape, Sonia said:

“This is the best time to be in the music industry; even small-town singers are managing to earn quite a bit. I take part in 15-16 performances in a month. But there are days when work may not come by.”

However, her tie-up with T-series and Mahajan Films ensures regular release of music CDs and the popular ones include ‘Chalo Bholey Key Dwar’, ‘Tikolya Mama’, ‘Jai Ma Yamuna’ et al.

Sonia has performed as many as 100 times across the country and even attended a workshop in Singapore and Kenya recently. She also has many awards to her credit.

Dehradun, August 21
DAV (PG) College may be the biggest college of the state in terms of the strength but very few prefer to participate in its student union elections.

Many students prefer to remain away from the election because of hooligans that happens during election time.

Out of strength of 30,000 just 8,000-9,000 students participate in this annual affair. Majority of these students are the freshers.

Every year a total of 10,000-12,000 students take admission in different streams and they form a major part of vote bank.

Yashavi Sharma a student leader of NSUI said, “Majority of students avoid getting involve into to college politics just because of scuffles that take place during election. It is mostly the first year students who participate openly in election. But this year the voting percentage is expected to go down further as the admission process is not over yet and the elections are round the corner.”

Another student leader Jaswinder Singh said that over the years standard of election has gone from bad to worst.

With students involving themselves more into anti-social activities this has also reduced the students participation in the election.

Vipin Rana MSc I students of the college said, “It is useless to get yourself involve in college politics. The student leaders may benefit for the election not us. Therefore, it is better to focus on studies and prepare for competitions”.