Jalandhar, August 19
Contrary to the lofty claims of the education authorities regarding the semester system in the Punjab School Education Board-run schools, it is likely that the system may take its toll over both studies and co-curricular activities of students.

Under the newly introduced system, the board has decided to conduct the class X and XII examinations in September and March every year.

The authorities had divided the syllabi of both the classes in the ratio of 40:60 and decided to conduct the examinations on the basis of this division.

The prevalent view among teachers and students is that the system neither gives students appropriate time for preparation for the first semester examinations nor for optimum participation in extra-curricular activities, including sports and science fairs.

“Besides the one-month-long summer vacation, thousands of students also participate in zonal and district-level sports and science fairs. However, this year, the enthusiasm of students to participate in such activities is missing and teachers too are passive to allow their students to go in for such activities,” said Gurmit Kotli, a teacher posted at Government School, Punia, Shahkot Block, Jalandhar.

The board had fixed July 14 as the last date for the admission and framed the date sheet from September 6. In this scenario, students admitted in July would have only around 60 days to cover 40 per cent of the syllabus.

In addition to this, teachers are finding it hard to complete the assigned syllabi, leave alone the multiple revision of the syllabus.

“Earlier, teachers started revision after completing the entire syllabus by December. Ironically, except the change in the examination pattern, all other affairs run unchanged. Teachers are involved in undue paper work and record maintaining exercises and it is really hard to teach students in this atmosphere,” said Bhupinder Waraich, a government teacher posted in Nawanshahr district.

On the other hand, Joginder Dass, DEO, Jalandhar, claimed that the semester system would not affect the quality of education and extra-curricular activities of students.

Krishan Kumar, Director-General School Education, Dr D.S. Dhillon, Chairman, and Suresh Tandon, Vice-Chairman of the PSEB, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Amritsar, August 19
With a view to achieving efficiency in teaching and research, Guru Nanak Dev University has decided to introduce the mid-term feedback and appraisal system, at a Senate and Syndicate meeting held today.

Under this system, teachers would set their goals contributing to high self-efficacy and the outcome expectancies would be valued during the session.

The combination of goal setting, information seeking and receiving feedback is being viewed for the realisation of goals, thereby resulting in enhanced classroom performance.

In another decision, Prof R.P. Bambah, former Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, and Prof Deepak Paintel, Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University, were co-opted as members of the Senate and Syndicate.

Similarly, Prof S.S. Johal has been co-opted from the Senate as member of the Syndicate. Prof Khem Singh Gill, former Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has been nominated as member of the Senate.

The Syndicate also approved to extend the dates of admissions to all those courses where seats were lying vacant up to August 25 with a late fee of Rs 5,000. The annual report for 2009 was approved by the meeting.

The Vice-Chancellor said Prof Richard R. Ernst, Switzerland, Dr Kurt Wuthrich, California, USA, and Prof Alexander Pines, University of California, USA, and Dr Dalip Kaur Tiwana, Punjabi University, Patiala, would be honoured with honoris causa degrees at the 37th annual convocation to be held on March 1, 2011.

The senators’ meeting held this morning appealed to the Punjab Government to enhance the grant of the university to 50 per cent of the total budget and sought another grant of Rs 20 crore to build a girls’ hostel.

The Senate approved a two-year MBA course with 50 seats at the university college, Jalandhar; BCA at Shaheed Ram Singh Pathania Memorial College, Niari; two-year MBA course in place of five-year MBA intergrated course at Amardeep Singh Shergill Memorial College, Mukandpur; change of name of the Department of Adult Education to Lifelong Learning Department and M.Tech (infrastructure planning) to master in planning (infrastructure).

The house approved the recommendation of the Syndicate to start co-education system at the Majha College for Women, Tarn Taran.

Jalandhar, August 19
All the three centres of the Northern Indian Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) in Punjab will shortly be able to offer degree courses to students.

As of now, the centres, situated in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali, are offering only diploma courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

This is the outcome of the decision of the state government to merge the three NIIFT centres in Punjab with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, run by the Ministry of Textiles.

Talking to The Tribune, S.S. Channy, Secretary, Industries and Commerce, said after the merger, the centres would run as autonomous institutes like IITs and IIMs.

He said that after the merger with NIFT, the NIIFFT centres would be able to offer degree course to the students.

He said that a bridge course would also be offered to the students of diploma course so that they could further pursue their degree in the same stream.

He said the quality of infrastructure would also be enhanced at all the three centres and would be upgraded at par with that of the NIFT, New Delhi.

Amritsar, August 19
A goldsmith, Sukhdeep Singh, a resident of Sohia Kalan village, was shot at and injured by four unidentified armed youths when he was returning home after closing his shop last night.

The victim was rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital where he was recuperating from the bullet injury that hit his leg.

The motorcycle-borne accused looted about 18 tolas of gold from him in the incident that took place near Birbalpur village.