The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

UGC course must for promotion
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 30
A teacher holding a Ph.D degree is required to have attended either a refresher course or an orientation course for his placement in the senior scale.

The Education Department of the Punjab Government has forwarded this communication to the wings concerned. The government letter comes following a clarification sought from the University Grants Commission.

Earlier, it was compulsory for teachers to have attended only the refresher course for placement in the senior scale. In another letter of the UGC, it has been pointed out that “teachers who acquired PhD during service prior to January 1, 1996, and who were not given the benefit of any advance increments as per the earlier Career Advancement Scheme may now be given the benefit of two advance increments. These will, however, be applicable from July 27, 1998, onwards”.

The letter also says, “the UGC with the approval of Ministry of Human Resource Development had extended the benefit of two increments at the time of promotion as Reader or Lecturer (selection grade) to those teachers who had acquired PhD on or after January 1, 1996.”

Dr R.P.S. Josh, a fellow, in a letter to the UGC had pointed out that orientation courses attended by lecturers of private colleges were not taken into account in case a teacher shifted to a government college or a university. Dr Josh pointed out that there was every indication that the course would be considered as having been completed in case a teacher shifted from a private college to a government college.

Dr Josh has also sought information regarding “consideration of refresher course in environment study, women’s study, gender study and research methodology on a par with other courses”.

Montessori education for kids
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, November 30
Wonder Years Kindergarten, a venture of Besten Foundation, has entered into a collaboration with Kinderdine Montessori School of England, in order to provide a unique system of education for children under five years of age in India.

In a press note, Mr Amrit Pal Singh, Director of Besten Foundation said that they were laying the foundation of a comprehensive and complete education system which would incorporate the techniques of Montessori education.

He said that their education system incorporates gross and fine motor skills, social and emotional development, cognitive development, languages, creative and aesthetic appreciation and intellectual development. There will be no burden of books and children would be taught through various apparatuses and puzzles.

COURTS

Shortage of judges pushes up HC backlog
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 30
Pendency of cases is likely to go up with an increase in the shortage of judges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The number of judges has already decreased from 30 to 28 with the retirement of Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar and the transfer of another judge to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Two more judges will retire next month reducing the number to 26. The sanctioned strength is 40.

According to highly placed sources in the High Court, the problem of pendency would have been largely solved with the appointment of seven members of the Bar as judges, but till date nothing has been confirmed. Sources add that their names had been recommended for appointment, but had been referred back to the High Court for further comments and the matter is likely to be delayed by another six months.

Sources claim that civil cases dating back to the mid-80s are pending in the High Court, while criminal appeals against acquittals are pending since the mid-90s.

This is not all. As per a report recently released by the Press Information Bureau, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has the second highest number of dowry death cases in the country. As many as 842 such cases were awaiting disposal when the report was released in June. The Rajasthan High Court, with 926 cases, topped the list.

In an attempt to bring down the number of pending cases, the High Court, had earlier recommended the constitution of a special cell for chalking out a programme to list old cases on a priority basis. A committee of three judges had also suggested that “two officers of the Punjab and Haryana Superior Judicial Service may be appointed for the purpose”.

The committee had also suggested that the cases pending before the subordinate courts, in which the High Court had issued stay orders, “may be listed for hearing on a priority basis before all Benches on Fridays”. Two Benches could be left out of the process for deciding urgent bail matters.

CULTURE

Mesmerising colours capture gypsy spirit
Parbina Rashid

Chandigarh, November 30
The richness of Indian culture may spell different charms for different races but for Katarzyna Pollock, it is much more than just a novelty. A Sinti Gypsy painter from Berlin, Katarzyna has come to trace her roots and in doing so she has brought along a few paintings and replica of a few sculptures which she threw open for the public at a local hotel in Sector 46 here today.

“The name Sinti derives from the word Sindhi who had migrated from Northern India to various parts of Europe about 5000 years ago,” said Katarzyna. So it was the sense of belongingness to this place which motivated her to accept Creative Circle and India — Continental Cultural Association’s joint invitation to visit India and exhibit some of her works here.

True to her origin, Katarzina is full of colours. As you go through her works on “Ishi” — the Egyptian God of Music, “Half Jewish”, “Hare Krishna”, Egyptian God “Maat”, “Gypsy Woman”, “Angels Fighting” and many more , you cannot help but being mesmerised by the original colours of our ancient civilisations.

Depicting “Krishna”, “Garuda” and a few Indian motifs through the eye of an Gypsy, Katarzyna has predicted the richness and the love those mythological figures symbolise. “I have always been fascinated by the Indian culture ever since I was child and have done some research on it with the help of books and artefacts preserved in museums in various parts of the world,” she said.

Though generous in using bright colours in acrylic and oil, Katarzyna has not allowed the progressive nature of the civilizations get drawn in it. She has used symbols like wheels that symbolise progress and human forms with special emphasis on legs to show how much they have travelled in time to reach the present stage.

“I call this particular technique I have adopted to do this series ‘multi cultural’ technique, she said. Katarzyna has picked up bits and pieces from traditional art forms that include Australian aborigines, gypsies from Spain and Egypt, amalgamating the richness of different cultures and giving it her own unique signature that makes her work delightful to the eyes.

Born to a Polish father and a Russian mother, Katarzyna has been actively been associated with all forms of creative arts, including street theatres and painting. However, after working for Radio 100 in Germany for a couple of years Katarzyna has shifted her focus mainly to painting. “I would like to get together with my Indian counterparts and do some serious projects on my next visit ,” she said

Reshma regales once more
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 30
Gathering at the Chandigarh Club could not have asked for more of her melody. As the Pakistani folk singer Reshma held the fort today in the club, all visitors listened in attention. This was the second performance of Reshma in the city.

The songs she sung were the same old ones, but strangely they still sounded new. That is the magic of her voice which lends an amazing freshness to each number she picks up to render. The line of songs was similar — from ‘kithe nain na jodin to lammi judai’ and a bit of Rajasthani folk tinge here and there. Interesting to note was the wit of this woman, who wishes to seen herself on the big screen also. Although she has given the playback tracks for many Hindi films, she has not really acted in any. Ask her if she would mind taking a chance and she smiles. “No.”

Slum children add new meanings to theatre
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 30
The age-old folk tale “Sher aaya Sher aaya” may be the first lesson for speaking the truth for many of us, but when the story came out through the mouth of a bunch of street children in an improvised form, the tale became a lot more than just a lesson of truth. The play, which was staged at Punjab Kala Bhavan, under the aegis of Theatre Age here today, eloquently told us that there is talent galore even in the slums which needs a little bit of attention and proper nourishment.

“Natkhat Kanhaiya” the play which was staged by slum dwellers came as a refreshing change as the dialogues were in perfect sync with the characters, reflecting the simple pleasures those young hardworking children derived from whatever little opportunity they get. As the story unfolds with Kanhaiya (played by Balbinder) hatching mischievous plans to disturb others, one could not help but roar with laughter at his little pranks.

The plot thickens as Kanhaiya, a shepherd, ridicules the villagers for believing his lies only to realise later that honesty was the best policy. The contrast which the members of a “barat party”, which danced to the tunes of modern pop songs added a funny side to the play.

The play was written by Manjit Saini and directed by Ajay Rana. The cast which included Balbinder, Sandeep, Sujjan, Vinod, Sandeep, Rati, Vicky and Tony put up a good show.

The evening ended with Mr D.S. Saroya, DPI (Schools), appreciating the efforts of the children and emphasising on the need to bring those slum children to the mainstream population for a better future of the nation.

Earlier, Mr Zulfiqar Khan, President of Theatre Age, who has been working extensively with the street children appealed to Mr Saroya for a proper room so that Theatre Age, in collaboration with CITCO, could run a cooking class for them.