Chandigarh, December 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has found fault with the process of selection and subsequent appointment of pharmacists by the Chandigarh administration. The appointments will now be made on the basis of merit list to be prepared afresh.

“It is learnt that the process of selection and subsequent appointment to the post of pharmacists in terms of awarding marks towards experience is flawed,” Bench of Justice Permod Kohli and Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa has ruled while dismissing the UT administration’s plea.

“The petition, being devoid of any merit, is dismissed,” the Bench added.

The Chandigarh administration and other petitioners had earlier moved the High Court against the Central Administrative Tribunal and other respondents challenging the order dated February 22.

The Tribunal, vide the order, had set aside the selection to the post of pharmacists “under the health department, Chandigarh administration.

The Tribunal had also directed the administration “to make appointments to such posts on the basis of a merit list to be prepared afresh.

An advertisement was issued by the UT health department on November 30, 2008, inviting applications for filling the posts in Group C in the payscale of Rs 4,550-Rs 7,220. Two posts were to be filled from the general category and one from the OBC category.

As many as 99 applications were received in the general category and 19 in the OBC category. After scrutiny, 45 applications were assessed to be eligible. Finally, 41 appeared before the interview committee on June 15, 2009.

After an unsuccessful candidate gathered information under the Right to Information Act, it became apparent that the selected candidate was awarded three marks towards experience.

The Tribunal set aside the selection holding that “the relevant merits of different candidates should not have been arrived at by giving any weightage towards experience.”

Taking up the administration’s appeal, the Bench ruled: “The criteria for the selection of pharmacists will clearly reveal that apart from assigning marks for basic qualification and interview, 15 marks have been earmarked towards experience.

“Towards such a parameter, it is stipulated that three marks shall be awarded for each completed year of experience. Admittedly, such a parameter towards giving weightage for experience was not stipulated in the advertisement dated November 30, 2008.

“As per the advertisement, the requirement, apart from the essential qualification, was to be registered as a pharmacist with the UT, Chandigarh Pharmacy Council, and for possessing a practical training of not less than 500 hours spread over a period of not less than three months out of which not less than 250 hours were to be devoted to actual dispensing of prescription. The advertisement nowhere laid down any weightage to be awarded towards experience.”

Chandigarh, December 10
The kho-kho team of Sharda Sarvhitkari School, Sector 40, routed Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, by 7 points in the match of 8th Challenger Kho-Kho Championship for Boys and Girls, being held, here today.

In the girls’ category, Government High School, Sector 46, defeated MDAV School, Sector 22, by 2 points.

Results:

Boys-MDAV-22 b Sharda Sarvhitkari School, Sector 40, by 17 points; Government Model School, Sector 41, beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46, by 2 points; Government Model School, Sector 46, beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 23, by 2 points; Sharda Sarvhitkari School 40 beat Government Model School 41 by 5 points; MDAV 22 beat Vidya Niketan 41 by 4 points; MDAV 22 beat Sharda Sarvhitkari, Sector 40, by 2 points; Girls-Government Model School 46 beat Government Model School, Sector 45, by 5 points; Government Model School, Sector 46, b MDAV, Sector 22, by 2 points; Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 45, beat Government Model School, Sector 23, by 5 points; Government Model School, Sector 46, beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, by 2 points; Government Model School, Sector 37, beat Sharda Sarvhitkari School, Sector 40, by 2 points.

Chandigarh, December 10
The team of Government Model Senior School, Sector 20, defeated host St Kabir School by 49-25 in the match of St Kabir Inter-School Basketball Tournament being played, here today.

For the winning side, Pinky top scored with 20 points while Divya scored six points for the team. Rupika (10 points) and Tanvi (4 points) were the main scorers for the loosing side.

In Girls’ category, Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, continued their winning spree and defeated St Anne’s Schools, Sector 32, by 41-26 points.

St Anne’s won the first set by 12-10. However, the GNPS team won next three quarters easily by 8-4, 11-5, 12-5. Jasmine scored 12 points while Amrinder was the highest scorer with 15 points.

For the rivals, Kensiya Kennedy (14 points) and Asmita (8 points) served St Anne’s.

In another match, Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, edged past St Xavier’s School of Mohali by 15-10.

Results:

Boys’-Tender Heart-35 (Aakrit Gopra 8) b St Xavier’s Mohali (Deepak 4, Amrit 6) 35-20; St Joseph’s School-44 (Jaskaran 8, Dikshant 8) b Gurukul Global School (Gagandeep 4, Shivangi 2).

Chandigarh, December 10
Putting themselves near to win, the Punjab team gained an important first innings lead against Andhra Pradesh on the third day of the ongoing Cooch Behar Trophy for Boys (U-19) elite (C), being played at the PCA Cricket Stadium, Mohali, today.

Andhra Pradesh bowlers bundled out Punjab’s batsmen on the total of 345 in 122.4 overs.

Earlier, continuing form their score of 275 for 5, the host team lost its sixth wicket on the same score, after medium pace bowler, B Ayyappa, snapped Sandeep Sharma. Next batsman, Mehjot Sodhi, along with Navneet Singh took total to 306 but Navneet Singh got caught by Naren, off pace bowler, Ayyappa on the individual score of 44-runs.

Later, Kamal Passi played a 20-run innings, while Mehjot Sodhi scored 27. For Andhra Pradesh B Ayyappa, Chandershekhar Nayudu 3 for 37 and D Naren Reddy took three wickets each.

While started their IInd innings, the opening pair of visitors added 102-runs before skipper U Sriram (51 off 179) got trapped by left-arm spinner Vinay Chaudhary. At the end of day, Sirkar Bharat had joined P Manayala and raised the score to 143 in 64 overs. P Manayala (74 off 160) and Sirkar Bharat (8 off 47) will open the team innings tomorrow.

Brief Scores:

Andhra Pradesh (1st innings)-241 all out in 78.2 overs.

Andhra Pradesh (2nd innings)-143 for 1 in 64 overs (P Manayala 74, U Sriram 51, Vinay Chaudhary 1 for 17).

Punjab (1st innings)-345 all out in 122.4 overs (Manan Vohra 109, Ankit Pursharthy 34, Sachin Sohal 36, Mohit Handa 56, Navneet Singh 44, Mehjot Singh Sodhi 27, Kamal Passi 20, B Ayyappa 3 for 80, Chandershekhar Nayudu 3 for 37, D Naren Reddy 3 for 6).

Chandigarh, December 10
The skaters Vedant Parashar, Adhiraj and Madhur Jain won the boys’ (U-4) quads event during the ongoing 1st Gurukul World Speed Skating Tournament, being held here, today.

In the Girls’ (U-4) quads event, Vrinda Goyal, Rakshita Pahwa and Pranya Nayyar won top honours in the event.

A total number of 200 skaters from the tri-city participated in the event.

Boys’ (4 to 6 years) quads-Nitansh Singla, Rudra Sharma, Karanvir Singh; Girls (4 to 6 years) quads-Kashvi Gupta, Aarushi Suri, Aayushi Aggarwal; Boys (6 to 8 years) quads- Raghav Vashishth, Aditya Dabas, Jashanbir Singh; Girls’ (6 to 8 years) quads-Vidushi Rawat, Aashna Sharma, Kavneer Kaur; Boys (6 to 8years) inline-Achintya Gupta, Aarav Nandwani ,Ansh Kumar; Boys’ (8 to 10 years) quads-Aryanpal Singh, Akshit Kharab, Aryan Dua; Girls’ (8 to 10 years) quads-Khyati Jain, Radhika Khokhar, Shivani Sharma; Boys’ (8 to 10 years) inline-Hardik Sethia,Harsh Sehrawat, Sanskar Bansal; Boys quads(10 to 12 years)-Vikram Singh, Angad Brar, Moksham Sharma; Boys (10 to 12 years) inline-Gaurav Bishnoi, Ojas Rastogi, Gurjot Singh Gosal; Boys’ (12 to 14 years) quads-Ketan Bassi, Akash Rana and Manraj Singh.

Chandigarh, December 10
Ace player Sabrang Sandal overcame Rasbeg Singh and Manik Singh routed Shindhanth Chug in the qualifying match of Boys’ (U-12) category, during the St Stephen’s School CLTA-AITA Talent Series Tennis Tournament, being held at CLTA courts, here today.

Sabrang defeated his opponent by 8-1 while Shindhanth lost to Manik by 8-4.

In Boys’ (U-16) group, Sultan Singh Atwal beat Anmol Rattan Kamboj 8-2 and Kabir Manrai overcame Rishabh Sharma 8-5.

Results:

Boy’s (U-12)-Akshit Chabra b Lakshay Vora 8-5; Chiraz Singh b Yuvraj Singh 8-7(4); Chaitanya Chaudhary b Rohan Mittal 8-7(5); Manveer Sohi b Raghav Chadha 8-5; Adesh Bansal b Nitin Dheer 8-0; Ritik Mohapatra b Sumant 8-0; Kanav Khurana b Dhananjay Singh 8-4; Bhavesh Aggarwal b Jaskaran Singh 8-3; Anirudh Ishan b Sehaj Sidhu 8-7(4); Surat Mohan Nagreta b Navneet Singh 8-2; Amitoj Sachdeva b Bhavuk Kukreja 8-3; Shreyas b Rabsahaj Puri 8-5; Vikshit Verma b Savneet Bajwa 8-3; Boys’ (U-16)-Karandeep Singh b Jagdeep Singh 8-3; Sachit Malhotra b Harjasleen Singh 8-6; Mayank Sharma b Ramanjot Singh 8-1; Rupesh Khokhar b Vaibhav Pathan 8-0; Mritunjay Badola b Akhil Bansal 8-6; Yogesh Dogra b Subham Gulia 8-4; Ravjeet Singh b Ankit Khosa 8-0; Sagar Bains b Mayank Gupta 8-2; Raghav Talwar b Abhimanyu Rozra 8-2; Abhijit Singh b Durgesh Agarwal 8-3; Adhhyan b Aman Pandoh 8-0; Lakshay Bharti b Ayush Grover 8-2; Parasdeep Singh Virk b Anumanat Singh 8-2; Abhishek Sardana b Prateek Bhandari 8-6.

Chandigarh, December 10
The women team of Sports Complex 46, routed YFC 27, while the team of SGGS 26, overcame GSSS 26, during the ongoing match of Chandigarh Senior State (Men and Women) Volleyball Championship. In the first match, YFC, Sector 27, went down against the wining side by 8-25, 25-18 and 25-16 while SGGS, Sector 26, thrashed SGGS, Sector 26, by 25-09 and 25-11 to move into the next round.

Results: Men-Khalsa-30 b YFC Club-27 (25-21, 25-12); Chd Police b Sports Complex-42 (25-11, 25-14); Khalsa-30 b Sports Complex-46 (25-19, 25-20); Athletics Club b Sports Complex-46 (25-16, 25-12); Sports Complex 46 b YFC Club-27 (22-25, 25-14, 25-16); Athletic Club b YFC-27 (25-10, 25-12); Chandigarh Police b GSSS-26 (25-11, 25-14).