Jalandhar, September 3
The formal announcement of introduction of the grading system instead of the traditional custom of marking in class X in the CBSE schools from the current academic session has obtained a mixed response from 
students and parents. While some students and parents have heaved a sigh of relief, the move has left the toppers disheartened.

The CBSE was considering this move for the past some time in the wake of rising suicide cases among students.

Aimed at destressing students owing to rising competition, the move has received a thumping response.

“The very name of board examination makes you feel tense. Above all pressure and expectations of parents, society and teachers, to outshine everyone in the class also mount to a whole lot of burden on the student,” said Chetan Sharma, a student.

However, a majority of the toppers maintain that the decision is disheartening as it will reduce the spirit of competition among students. “The grading system will naturally bring every student at one platform. How can a student securing 95 per cent be compared to someone achieving 90 per cent marks in a class? A healthy competition among the students always brings out the best in the end,” maintained another student Amandeep Singh.

Talking to The Tribune, Ranjana Sud, Director of Vasal Education Society, looking after Cambridge International Schools, says although the move would indeed help in reducing the examination fever, at the same time it needs to be implemented properly.

“There are chances that the grading system would lead to chaos as students of one category would come under one umbrella. It is important to work out the grading system effectively, keeping in mind the future of the students concerned. Unless this system is chalked out properly, it will not bear the desired fruits,” she added.

Principal of Police DAV Public School Rashmi Vij termed this a beneficial decision. “It is a landmark decision. The move is a wonderful step towards making the board examinations easy for students,” she maintains.

Students also expressed satisfaction over the decision of class X boards to be made optional in all senior secondary CBSE schools from the next academic session. “It will be a great relief indeed as this would make examinations easy for us,” added Chetan. 

Jalandhar, September 3
The Board of Governors of the Punjab Technical University today gave a nod to various vital academic issues. The members passed a decision to offer a golden chance to the students who have lost their normal time to clear their pending examination to get a degree.

The decision will benefit nearly 160 candidates of 1995 to 1999 batches who have been long demanding that they be allowed to clear their backlog. The candidates of subsequent batches who had not been able to clear their degrees within the stipulated period, which is double the time of duration of the course, will also be able to avail the chance. Principal Secretary Tejinder Kaur said that the students would have to apply for taking the chance.

The board also approved scrapping of entrance tests conducted at the state-level for admission to BTech as well as MBA/MCA from the coming session. “The board accepted the move to do away with all state-level entrance tests for entry to professional colleges and instead facilitate the students to take admission on the basis of the tests such as AIEEE and MAT held at the national level. The final decision is to come from the Chief Minister to whom we will forward these recommendations”, the Principal Secretary said.

The members gave one-year extension to Dean Examination Dr N.P. Singh, who had been on deputation with the PTU from Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET). It also approved appointments of senior-level posts including those of registrar, deputy registrar and deans, which have gone vacant recently.

The board also agreed to start annual scholarship scheme for the rural students from this session onwards. “An amount of Rs 5000 per annum per candidate will be given to meritorious, rural students of PTU colleges from all streams. For the first year students, marks in class XII will be the criteria while for those in subsequent years, there should be no reappear.

“A total amount of Rs 25 lakh has been earmarked for the purpose. The students can apply for it through their respective principals”, Vice Chancellor Dr Rajneesh Arora disclosed adding that five years of schooling of the student in a rural school and a permanent residence proof of parents of rural area was a must.”

Jalandhar, September 3
A delegation of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) met DGP P.S. Gill today to ensure strict implementation of the SC guidelines while registering medical negligence cases against doctors.

Dr Yash Sharma, IMA president, presented a memorandum to the DGP demanding implementation of the guidelines issued by the apex court in the Jacob Mathew and Martin D’suza cases while dealing with the cases of alleged medical negligence against doctors.

The DGP was apprised of the unrest among the doctors in Punjab because of failure of SHOs in strictly implementing these guidelines. The delegation requested him to implement the Punjab Medicare Services Act, 2008, and take strict legal action against the persons and mobs that indulge in ransacking the hospitals and nursing homes in the event of the death of their loved ones.

Dr Sharma said Gill assured them that he would issue strict instructions to all the SSPs and SHOs to register cases against doctors only after obtaining a prima facie evidence of medical negligence as per the SC directions. The DGP said strict action would be taken against miscreants indulging in violence in hospitals. The members of the delegation included Dr R.S. Parmar, president elect, Dr H.S. Narang, honorary state secretary, Dr O.P.S. Kande, Dr G.S. Gill, both former state presidents.

Jalandhar, September 3
Jatinder Kumar, a resident of Mahla village, near Phillaur, who was tested positive for swine flu and is undergoing treatment at the local Civil Hospital, has put the district health authorities in a quandary.

The health authorities have identified 84 persons, including his family members, relatives and doctors, who came in his contact before his admission to the hospital. Jatinder has recently returned from Australia and had come in contact with scores of people.

Talking to The Tribune, Civil Surgeon Dr S.S. Walia claimed that Jatinder had developed various complications besides pneumonia in last over a week. His condition is improving ever since he was admitted to the Civil Hospital and was under continuous observation of doctors.

Dr Walia admitted that the over 84 persons who came in his contact had been identified. Members of the rapid action team of the district Health Department had identified the people who came in contact with Jatinder.

He claimed that the suspects have been put on Tamiflu, a medicine for the virus, and were under observation. Efforts were being made to locate certain more persons who came in contact either with the patient or with the suspects.

Apprehending spreading of the virus in Sodal Mela, where thousands of devotees have been converging every day, Dr Walia claimed that 12 teams of health officials had been put on duty round the clock. No case had been detected as yet.

Jalandhar, September 3
A special screening camp for intellectually-challenged children will be held at Prayas School, Maqsudan, on September 4 and 5. The camp is being organised by the Punjab Chapter of the Special Olympics Bharat and will be held as per the guidelines of the Special Olympics International.

The 12 state-level competitions will be held here on November 6 and 8.

S R Ladhar, Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, said such programmes were very useful for the welfare and development of special children.

He assured that the administration would provide all help and support for holding the meet and for the welfare of disabled children.

Suvira Aggarwal, chairperson of the state chapter of Special Olympics, said they have been working towards the welfare and development of such athletes for the past 14 years. New initiatives and best efforts were being made to bring maximum awareness among people, parents and such children by the districts through the state chapter, she added.

She said experts in physiotherapy and clinical volunteers from the DAV College of Physiotherapy will be screening and providing free consultation to special athletes drawn from special schools as well as Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan schools.

Dr Rajiv Prasad, Regional Healthy Athletes Manager, Special Olympics Asia Pacific, said the mission of the Special Olympics Healthy athletes, developed in 1996, is to improve the participants’ ability to train and compete in the Special Olympics. Fun and fitness is the comprehensive physical therapy component of the Special Olympics, the Regional Healthy Athletes Manager added. 

Jalandhar, September 3
Years back as a devoted student of music at Panjab University, Chandigarh, he would often dream of landing in the tinsel town and making it big some day. All he knew was devotion with conviction. It was this element of confidence which brought gradual recognition for him in the field of playback singing.

Meet Uvie aka Upinder Singh, a name synonymous to the youth culture. After working with the leading music companies, the singer recently launched his first-ever solo music album “Aa Bhi Ja” T-Series in Mumbai. The singer says, “The album offers a mix of songs from Sufi to classical-khamaj raag, Punjabi-Hindi fusion and romantic numbers.”

Uvie, who was in Jalandhar for a musical function, is now looking forward to the upcoming Hindi film, “Main Aur Mrs Khanna” starring Salman Khan, Sohail Khan and Priety Zinta. “I have paired along with leading playback singer Sunidhi Chauhan for a dance number. The film is scheduled for release in October,” he maintains.

Among his other upcoming releases are “Chhoti Si Baat”, in which he would be seen singing on screen for actors Karan Oberoi, and offbeat film titled “Banegi Apni Baat” starring Raghuvir Yadav and Rajendra Gupta. “The songs have an element of novelty in them,” he claimed.

Uvie, who was a chief assistant with music director duo Sajid-Wajid, worked for the film “The Killer” as well. “It was a learning experience working with them,” he says. A diehard fan of Sonu Nigam, Uvie has been working hard all these years to make his own identity in the music industry. “Fusion interests me a lot and I want to explore my talent in this field,” he said.

Uvie was also the pre-casting judge of Indian Idol (season four) and had a good time teaching the nuances of music to the contestants. Talking about life becoming a reality show these days, he said, “Reality shows might provide a platform to a budding artiste but most of the times the real talent fails to make it up to the top. But talent sooner or later makes headway.”

Earlier, he sang in the film ‘”hararat” starring Abhishek Bachchan and Hrishita Bhatt. He lent his voice for Sanjay Dutt in “Baghi”. “Though both these films were box office flops, the songs brought me recognition,” he says.

And his first memorable break? Prompt came the reply, it was a video break which came with the launch of “K-Factor”, a remix album. It was his remix song “Ye Dil To Aata Hai” which earned him accolades.

To a query regarding his name “Uvie”, the singer says it was the music director of “K-Factor” who asked me to change my name. A majority of the music directors and music companies mistook me as an elderly singer.