Chandigarh, Monday, March 8, 1999
Chandigarh, Monday, March 8, 1999 |
|
|
 |
Government
must consult university dons WHAT role do the universities play in Punjab’s politico -administrative matters? How often does the state government turn towards university dons and take them into confidence in the planning process or involve them in obtaining an objective feedback and emperical evidence on its performance? Is the education system oriented to enable students cope with economic realities and earn for themselves once out of the portals of various educational institutions? These are some of the questions frequently raised in the academic and administrative circles in the universities of Punjab (perhaps, elsewhere too) which are being strangulated financially. The teachers in the universities and colleges affiliated to them are as much concerned about the plummeting standards of education, the changing academic and administrative atmosphere on the campuses as they are about weak political leadership and its continuous exploitation by the bureaucracy. The erosion in academic standards, dwindling finances and the rising graph of jobless youth perturbs the teachers, who are also parents. Within these “ autonomous” centres of learning, which are supposedly meant to ensure “universalised” education, havoc has been caused with waning respect for hierarchy and senior teachers losing interest in academics. The system of rotation of headship has added to the chaos in academic circles. Research is in name only. Obsolete methods, equipment, apparatus and technology are the bane of research workers, while the prohibitive cost of new technology has rendered pure research and basic research workers “uneducated”. Higher education is becoming meaningless. Nevertheless, there still are oasis of excellence. One does come across dedicated, devoted and serious teachers and research workers who continue to plough a lonely furrow. An interaction with faculty members at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Guru nanak Dev University, Amritsar, reveal that seldom does the government bother to involve the teachers in framing policies. The universities have talent. There are teachers who can provide the state with enough fodder on a variety of issues which concern the society as a whole. May these issues be political, administrative, academic, employment-related, dealing with financial matters and public sector undertakings or management of human resource. It came as a shock that at GND University alone atleast 50 per cent of the present teachers at the senior level will retire between 1999 and 2005. The state does not have, informed economist Dr R.S. Bawa, also GNDU Registrar, any data on human resource requirement in the next decades. There is no information data-bank as to the job placement possibilities of graduates and postgraduates who will pass out of various institutions in Punjab in different disciplines. Dr Bawa said unless there is proper planning, courses reoriented and education reinvented, Punjab will only add to the numbers in queue for jobs. What really concerns teachers like him and former Vice-Chancellors like Dr S.S Johl (he was Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala) is absence of “economic planning”. Vice-Chancellor H.S. Soch pleaded that Punjab must “involve” political analysts, economists, business and financial mangers and social scientists while preparing a blue print for the future. Likewise, Prof Subash Vaidya of the University Business School at Panjab University Chandigarh while talking of “money management in the state government” remarked there has to be few fundamental and conceptual changes so as to make the system of budgeting more effective. He was also opposed to the “March 31 syndrome”, the time period when in the last quarter of a financial year the government and its departments go on a “ purchasing spree ”just to show efficiency and efficacy and ensure the money does not “lapse”. More than Plan or non-Plan expenditure which bothers the governments Dr Bawa said it is the “unplanned” expenditure which can help in proper management of the state finances. Recently Punjab Finance Department has written to all Vice-Chancellors, indicating how the universities will be “financially squeezed” while the government will “respect” their “autonomy”. One does not deny financial constraints. But then there is no accountability in the bureaucracy when it comes to fixing responsibility on wasteful expenditure. The teachers in the universities feel that the government must refix its priorities. At the same time, the universities continue to follow the teaching, paper-setting, examination and evaluation system which needs “drastic” surgical changes and reorientation Teaching experience at present, teachers candidly admitted, was nothing but “teaching the same, unrevised un up-dated subject for decades”. The teachers are least bothered to refresh their knowledge or add to the learning-teaching process. Once a teacher becomes a professor, said a Vice-Chancellor, he loses all interest in academics. Punjab has a technical university in Jalandhar and underway in Faridkot is University of Health Sciences. There is also a proposal for a Veterinary Sciences University. Another institute of medical sciences is coming up in Jalandhar. The teachers feel rather than the “mushroom growth” of such institutions, the need is to “consolidate” the existing institutions and make them relevant to the existing socio-economic and politico-administrative system. The teachers in the state’s universities are unanimous on one point: unless far-reaching corrective steps are taken to re-invent the education system, the process of degeneration already in motion in the universities will gain greater momentum. Teaching and research shall have to be made purposeful. One wonders what future do the ordinary arts graduates and post-graduates will have once out of the universities and colleges? Do universities have an answer or a programme for such students? Dr Soch was candid: “There is neither a missionary zeal nor commitment visible in the teachers”. “One wonders”,
remarked a university teacher, “what role a minister
or secretary of higher education has in transforming the
universities whose administrative and academic erosion is
inevitable?” |
| campus |
Students’ Internet club HISAR: The Department of Communication Management and Technology of Guru Jambheshwar University here has launched a media consumer forum to establish healthy relations among newspaper readers, TV viewers and radio listeners. This was decided at a seminar held in the university recently in which several media experts participated. Prof B.K. Kuthiala, head of the department, said it was essential that the content of the media catered to real and specific needs of the audiences. In his keynote address, Mr Vijay Sehgal, Editor, Dainik Tribune, said for a newspaper, the reader is the supreme consideration because a newspaper is produced for the reader alone. He said certain laws in the IPC were framed by the British to curb the freedom of expression. These laws needed to be changed. He was also of the opinion that the Press Council should be given more powers to have enough teeth. Rajyakavi, Udey Bhanu Hans in his presidential address said that journalists should not give any colour to the news. He said the job of the journalist was to present the truth and it was essential that they maintained objectivity. Mr Ajit Singh from AIR, New Delhi, shared his reporting experiences in Kashmir during the peak days of terrorism. He was of the opinion that the audience have a keen desire to establish a live link with broadcasters. He said programme-makers should be sensitive to the needs and anxieties of the audience. *** The university has recently established a state-of-the-art Computer Centre for students and research scholars. The centre has more than 80 personal computers. The university bought 39 personal computers of very high configuration and heavy memory. They are loaded with the latest versions of Windows-98. With the establishment of the Computer Centre each student will get at least four hours of practice time on a computer per week. The acting Vice-Chancellor, Mr Dharam Vir, IAS, informed that the overall objective was to provide computer training to all students which would enable them to work on computers with specific reference of their subject and specification. He said soon a separate V-SAT was being established with the help of which a direct link with the satellite for the Internet facility would be available. The Vice-Chancellor also informed that an Internet club of students would be established. In due course each department would be given a separate Internet node. The computer centre had been established with a grant of Rs 20 lakh from the University Grants Commission, he said. *** The university has decided to nominate experts in various fields from various institutions of repute in the country to the Board of Studies. While three experts have already been nominated, the process for the inclusion of several others in these bodies has already been initiated. The Vice-Chancellor said Mr Rajender Gupta, a renowned management expert from the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon, had been nominated to the Board of Studies of the Department of Management Studies. Likewise, Prof Surender Prasad, a well-known experts of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, had been nominated member of the Computer Science and Engineering Department and Prof H.R. Kidwai, Director, Media Centre, Jamia Milia University, New Delhi member of the Department of Mass Communi-cations. *** The university library has been shifted to a new spacious building in Guru Jambheshwar Bhavan. The library remains open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Even during late hours one can see students busy making notes. To buy books for the library a ‘book fair’ was organised by the university. Books worth more than 15 lakh were to be purchased for the library. One of the senior teachers mentioned that since the university organise highly specialised and professional courses, the availability of proper books and reference material was a serious problem. A stall organised by the
Department of Mass Communications exhibiting more than
3,000 newspapers of different countries was the main
attraction. |
| career |
I am interested in doing a diploma in nutrition & dietetics. Could you suggest some recognised postgraduate courses. Seema Katyal, Ropar PG Diploma in Nutrition & Dietetics are offered by several universities:
Food & Nutrition and Nutrition & Dietetics is offered as a specialisation in most M.Sc (Home Science) courses. While the condition for college lecturership is minimum 55% marks in MA, I have 53% marks in this exam. However, after that I did my M.Phil & Ph.D. If I appear in MA again for improvement, will my Ph.D & M.Phil still stand valid. Please guide me. Dr Maan, Chandigarh I have specially checked up from the Deputy Secretary UGC, regarding your query. You can certainly reappear for MA to improve your scores since that is the base qualification for the UGC-NET (50% in case of SC/ST). Your M.Phil & Ph.D being subsequent qualifications acquired from a recognised university would doubtless stand valid. I am a final year student of Bachelor’s of Engg (Electrical Branch) and want to pursue my studies further so as to acquire a postgraduate degree in the field of computers. I would be grateful if you could provide me the details of Panjab University’s MCA programme i.e. notification for admission etc. Ranvir Singh, Chandigarh The Panjab University, Chandigarh’s MCA course is of 3 yrs duration. The notification/last date is March. Admission is based on merit in the entrance test and academic performance. The phone no. for the Centre for Computer Science & Application is 541441. Hostel facilities are available & eligibility is Bachelor’s degree with 50% marks with maths/stats as one of the subjects of B-Tech/B.Com. I am a BA degree-holder and keen to pursue Himachal Administrative Service. Could you please provide the details of this exam. Vijay Kumar, Kullu Haryana Public Service Commission, Chandigarh-160002, conducts Administrative Service Exams for the following Departments. 1. Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch & other allied services) Examination 2. Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch). 3. Excise and Taxation Officer. 4. Asstt Registrar Co-operative Society. 5. ‘A’ Class Tehsildar (Apprentices). 6. Asstt Excise and Taxation Officer. 7. Asstt Employment Officer. Persons selected for ‘A’ class Tehsildar (Apprentices), will be adjusted against permanent or temporary posts of Tehsildars after completion of training and passing the departmental examination. Qualifications: For No 3: Master’s degree in Arts/Sc or LL.B or B.Sc (Agr) or BVSc. For all others posts Degree. Age: 21-30 years on January 1. Relaxable for SC/ST, Ex-Servicemen etc. Subjects for examination Compulsory: English, English essay, Hindi, Hindi essay and General knowledge. Optional: Any three subjects: Indian History upto 1000 AD or Indian History from 1000 to 1707 AD or Indian History from 1707 to 1920 AD, History of Europe. (Only one of the two), Maths I, Maths II, Statistics. (Only two of the three), Economics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Philosophy or Psychology, Law (Criminal/Civil/Personal), Political Science, Geography, Agriculture, Geology, Sociology, Commerce, Public Administration Only one from the five: Persian, Sanskrit, French, Urdu, Hindi Literature. Written test is followed by interview for successful candidates. I am an MBBS doctor keen on going to the UK for higher education and training. Please give me some details about the qualifying PLAB tests. Do I have to take these in UK and what is the cost? Hans Raj, Katra Here’s a fantastic piece of news for you. Of late, the professional & linguistic assessment board (PLAB) tests are being conducted in India itself at New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai. India is the first country outside Britain where these tests are being conducted. The General Medical Council (GMC) which is the main professional body that licenses doctors and regulates their standards in Britain will conduct the entrance exam in India in partnership with the British Council. The next round of tests is scheduled for 2nd February ‘98. These tests are open to any doctor residing in India. The examination fee is £265 (about Rs 15,000). The PLAB examination will be held simultaneously in Britain and India. The GMC has sought the help of the Home Ministry to help maintain the confidentiality of the papers. However, the final part
of the PLAB examination for clinical and communication
skills still has to be taken in Britain. |
| deadline |
Applied Nutrition April 30 National Institute of Nutrition, (Indian Council of Medical Research), Jamai Osmania, Hyderabad-500007. ¬M.Sc (Appld Nutrition) Eligibility: MBBS or M.Sc (Biochem/Physiology). Application Form: Contact Director, National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai Osmania Post, Hyderabad-500007. (Tel: 7018234, Fax: 7019074, e-Mail:icmr@nin,ren.inc.in) Engineering & Technology March 31 Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608002 (TN) Entrance Examination ‘99 for: ¬BE: Civil, Civil & structural, Mechanical, Mechanical & Production, Electricals & Electronics, Electronics & Instrumentation, Comp Sc & Engg, Chemical Engg. ¬B.Sc: Agriculture, Horticulture. Eligibility: Higher Secondary. Selection Procedure: Entrance Exam: 13 & 14 May. Application Form: Send Rs 100/- by DD in favour of “The Registrar, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608002” drawn on Indian Bank/Bank of Madura or State Bank of India along with stamped (Rs 8/-) self-addressed envelope (35x15 cm). Government Jobs March 22 National Bank for Agricultural & Rural Development (NABARD), HRMD — Recruitment Section, Samruddhi Building, MIDC, Central Road, Pb No 19443, Marol, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093. ¬ Recruitment of Asst Managers in Grade ‘A’ (55 posts) & ‘B’ (8 posts). Selection procedure: Stage 1: Preliminary Exam. Stage II: Main Exam at 20 centers all over India. Details & Application Form: See Employment News dated Feb 27 — March 5. April 10 Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, C/o Head, Development Services Divn, Educational Consultants India Ltd Ed. CIL House, 18A, Sector 16-A, Noida-201301, UP. ¬ Recruitment of Trained Graduate Teachers, Primary Teachers, Music Teachers, Physical Educn Teachers, SUPW Teachers, Librarian & Drawing Teachers. Selection Procedure: Written Exam, Professional Practice Test etc followed by interview. Details & Application Form: See Employment News of Feb 27 — March 5. Medicine March 31 Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002 (TN) Entrance Examinations ‘99 ¬ MBBS/BDS/BPT/BOT/B.Sc Nursing & B-Pharma Eligibility: Higher Secondary. Those appearing for final exams may also apply. Application Form: Send Rs 100/- by DD in favour of “The Registrar, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608002” drawn on Indian Bank/Bank of Madura or State Bank of India along with stamped (Rs 8) self-addressed envelope (35x15cm). March 15 Bharati Vidyapeeth, Bharati Vidyapeeth Bhavan, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Pune-411030. All India Common Entrance Tests ‘99 1. MBBS/BDS/BAMS/BHMS (CET ‘99) 2. MD/MS (MEDPET ‘99) Eligibility: For 1) Indian Nationals born before Jan 1, ‘83 Pass in HSC/ICSE. 50% aggregate in English, Phy, Chem & Bio taken together. For 2) Indian Nationals who have passed MBBS and completed compulsory rotating internship before July 31, ‘99. Admission tests: 6th June at New Delhi, Indore, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Badodara. Application Form: Send Rs 550/- by DD in favour of “Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University” payable at Pune. Also available at counter in cash (Rs 500) at Bharati Vidapeeth’s Instt of Mgmt & Research, A-4, Rohtak Road, Opp Ordnance Depot, NH No 10, Paschim Vihar Extn, New Delhi-110063. Application deadline for MED ‘99 is May 15 and for MEDPET ‘99 is 20 June. Population Sciences March 21 International Institute for Population Sciences, Govandi Station Road, Deonar, Mumbai-400088 1. Master of Population Studies (MPS) (1 yr) 2. Ph.D in Population Studies (3 yrs) Eligibility: For 1: Master’s degree in any of the foll: Statistics, Maths, Eco, Psycho, Socio, Social Wk, Geo & Anthro. For 2: Master’s in Population Studies with 55% agg or NET in Population Studies conducted by UGC. Application Form: Send self-addressed, stamped (Rs 15/-) envelope (25x12 cm) to the “Assistant Registrar (Academic).” Scholarships March 24 BD Bangur Endowment Educational Scholarships ¬ Scholarships for Study Abroad Students pursuing doctoral courses in Science, Engg, Humanities, Medicine, Business Admin and other professional courses. Eligibility & Selection: Indian Nationals with relevant Bachelor’s degree. Age: 19 to 30 yrs. Shortlisted candidates will be introduced in Calcutta or Mumbai. Application Form: Send stamped (Rs 6/-) self-addressed envelope (15x25 cm) to the offices of the endowment C/o Graphite India Ltd 31, Chowringhee Road, Calcutta-700016, or C/o Carbon Everflow Ltd Bakhtavar (II Floor), Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021 along with bio-data outlining academic achievements, copy of score sheets, copy of letter of admission (if available), attested copy of birth certificate. March 15 M/o Human Resource Development, ES.3 Section, Dept of Education, A, 1/W. 3, Curzon Road Barracks, Kasturba Gandhi Marg New Delhi-110001. Scholarship for higher studies/research/specialised training in: 1. Chinese language & literature. 2. Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicines, 3. Political Science, 4. Zoology, 5. Economics, 6. Plant Breeding & Genetics, 7. Environmental Science, 8. Fine Arts (Painting & Sculpture), 9. History, 10. Fisheries, 11. Agronomy, 12. Sericulture & Botany. Eligibility: For 1: 2-3 years certificate/degree or diploma from recognised institutions. For 2: Degree in Medicine including traditional Indian Medicines with 60% agg and 2 yrs work experience. Others: PG in relevant subject and 2 years work experience. Application Form: See Employment News & leading newspapers for application format. Completed forms to be sent to “Section Officer” at above address. CARING (Career
Information & Guidance), New Delhi |
 |
 |
