Career hotline
Pervin Malhotra


DIARY

Campus scene
Defence personnel visit varsity
From D.S. Nandwal

Hisar: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has applauded the successes achieved by CCS Haryana Agricultural University were in agricultural research and extension education. Mr Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu, chairman of the committee, which paid a three-day visit to the University recently, described the university as a pioneer farm varsity and stated in the visitors book that the post-harvest technology and sub surface drainage system devised by scientists here were “marvellous”.

The germplasm as also the well-equipped collection of different varieties of cereal and horticultural crops especially caught their attention.

Prof J.B. Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, Dr B.L. Jalali, Director of Research, and senior scientists and officers of the university escorted the visiting members of Parliament to the research farm where they inspected the standing rabi crops grown under irrigated and dryland conditions.

The scientists explained to them the technologies applied in growing of different cereal and fodder crops. The kharif crops — cotton, bajra, pulses as also the medicinal plants — were shown to the distinguished visitors through crop samples and posters.

The distinguished guests also inspected the work on horizontal and vertical sub surface drainage system initiated by the university to tackle water logging and soil salinity.

The team comprising 19 members of Parliament and six senior officers from the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the department of Agriculture was led by Mr Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu, Chairman. At the horticultural farm, the visitors were impressed with the different varieties of guava.

The useful research and extension programme of the University has caught the attention of senior defence personnel of Indonesia, Oman, the U.A.E. and the U.S. A. high-level delegation from these countries paid a one-day visit to the university on March 16 and acquainted itself with the ongoing programmes in these areas.

Led by Rear Admiral Nirmal Verma of the National Defence College, the members of the delegation visited the biotechnology laboratory, veterinary and surgery clinic and held a dialogue with experts. They inspected the research work in progress in areas of agronomy, dryland, horticulture, plant breeding and sub surface drainage system. The Vice-Chancellor briefed the visiting dignitaries on the overall agricultural and rural development of the state.

This year’s two-day kisan mela organised by the Directorate of Extension Education of the university on March 16 and 17 succeeded in acquainting 25,000 farmers from Haryana and adjoining states with the latest techniques and technologies in agriculture, animal husbandry, home management and allied fields.

The main thrust of mela this year was “Integrated pest management in crops”. According to Dr R. Yamdagni, Director, Extension Education, the visiting farmers were apprised with the most effective and eco-friendly integrated pest management practices by the university scientists.

An agro-industrial exhibition was also put on the occasion in which 170 public and private sector agro-industries took part and displayed their products. There was a big rush at improved seed selling counters which the university had set up in collaboration with the Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC), the National Seed Corporation (NSC) and the Central State Farm (CSF). Literature brought out by the university was also sold worth Rs 50,000.

The scientists took farmers in groups to different sites and explained the technologies applied in raising various rabi crops.

Mr Jagan Nath, Minister for Agriculture, Haryana, inaugurated the mela. Dr B.S. Dahiya, Coordinator, Seed Technology Centre, of the university has been selected for the Sir Chootu Ram National Award for the year 1997-98 in view of his outstanding research in agriculture and rural development.

The award carrying a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a citation will be conferred on Dr Dahiya on the eve of the 11th Sir Chootu Ram Memorial Lecture to be organised at the university shortly.

Dr Dahiya is the first scientist of the university to be honoured with the award since its inception in 1986. He was selected out of 14 contestants.

The Alumni Association of Pakistan farm scientists has felicitated Prof J.B. Chowdhury, Vice-Chencellor of the university with the Mian M.Afzal Hussain Award. The award was presented by the secretary-general of the association, Dr Sayeed Ahmed.

Dr Ahmed who was here along with four other scientists — Drs Hafiz Abdul Qayyum, Rana M. Aslam Khan, Manjoor Ahmed Khan and Ijaz Rasool — said while presenting the award that this highest honour was being bestowed on Prof Chowdhury for his scientific acumen and lifetime achievements. Home Science Colleges in all agricultural universities in the country will follow a uniform UG degree programme of four years from the current session. A decision to this effect was taken at a two-day national workshop held at the university to finalise course curriculum for the home science degree.

Career hotline
by Pervin Malhotra

I am a class XII student interested in joining the defence services. Could you please give me the necessary information?

Abhishek Gulati, Udhampur

You can join the defence services either after finishing your 10+2 or after obtaining your degree. If you want to join straight after class XII, then you must seek admission to the National Defence Academy (NDA) or the Naval Academy (Executive Branch. Recruitment to these academies is done through an annual examination, which is usually held in April. The notifiction for the exam is usually out by mid-October. The last date for filling in the application forms is mostly towards November-end of the previous year.

The written exam consists of two papers, both of which are of objective type. Paper 1 is on Maths (300 marks) and Paper II is on General Ability (600 marks). The paper is further divided into two parts: Part A consists of question on English, and Part B consists of questions on General Knowledge — Physics, Chemistry, General Science, History, Freedom Movement, Geography and Current Events.

For joining the Air Force and Navy wings of the armed forces you need Maths and Physics at the 10+2 level. You have to apply to the Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi-110011 by sending the completed application form.

There are also certain physical requirements that you have to meet, which are specified in the notification.

I am an unemployed graduate with a farming background. I have heard that bee-keeping and mushroom cultivation can be lucrative propositions. Where can I get the knowhow and assistance to set up these ventures?

Amrik Singh, Chandigarh

The Punjab Governments’ Department of Industries and Commerce, Rural Employment Generation Programme of the Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) offers a golden opportunity for young people like you who wish to set up their own village industries, by offering an attractive margin-money scheme through nationalised and Grameen Banks. KVIC also offers the initial kit etc. for setting up the apiary.

For Mushroom farming contact the National Research Centre for Mushroom (ICAR), Chambaghat, Solan (HP). They are offering a 10 day workshop on Mushroom Production Technology for Entrepreneurs.

DIARY

Music-math link
A study published in the journal “Neurological Research” shows that after learning eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes and whole notes, second and third grade students at a school in South-Central Los Angeles scored 100 per cent higher than their peers at the school who were taught fractions using traditional methods. University of California at Irvine researchers, who conducted the study, devised their own test to assess an experimental curriculum they developed that incorporates piano lessons with a computer math game, reports Chicago Tribune. Though the curriculum has yet to be tested widely using national assessments, the study apparently is the first to test theories about the music-math link in a classroom.

Pesticide menace
Children exposed to pesticides in the womb or at an early age may suffer permanent brain defects that could change their lives by altering their behaviour according to a study published in the journal “Toxicology and Industrial Health.” Widely used pest-killing chemicals, in amounts routinely found in the environment in farm areas, seem to be capable of altering thyroid hormones, which control how the brain of a foetus or young child develops. Scientists say the study and other recent research support an emerging theory that pesticides may be negatively affecting the intelligence, motor skills and personalities of infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

Repetitive stress injuries
Children are learning basic skills, such as colouring and spelling, on computers every day. Yet experts say there have been few efforts made to ensure that children have appropriate furniture and equipment and proper training in posture and keyboard technique. There is concern among physicians, physical therapists and ergonomists that injuries, mirroring those sustained by adults in certain professions, are inevitable. A study done by a team of researchers from Cornell University (USA) observed third-, fourth-, and fifth- graders and found a striking discord between children and the equipment they used. The study, published in the journal “Computers in the Schools,” also found a marked lack of attention and commitment to correcting the problem. As a result, the children worked with craned necks, hunched shoulders and flexed wrists.