Transfers of govt college lecturers flayed
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, January 1
The Punjab Government College Teacher’s Association is sore over government’s apathetic attitude towards colleges teachers.

Criticising the state government, the teachers alleged that the former was destroying the academic environment of colleges. On the one hand, the ruling party had stopped recruiting lecturers against vacant posts and on the other it was transferring some of them mid-session.

Prof Jaipal Singh, president of the association, said 40 per cent of the posts of lecturers were lying vacant in government colleges. Despite repeated requests, state government did not bother to fill these seats.

Further, Mr Jaipal added that five lecturers (two from SCD Government College, Ludhiana, two from Barjindra College, Faridkot, and one from Government Rajindra College, Bathinda) had been transferred to a new college at Guru Har Sahai.

“All these three colleges are just going on with almost 40-50 per cent vacant posts. To add fuel to the fire, these lecturers have been transferred to an almost non-existent college. These lecturers were taking classes of postgraduate students who would now suffer the most,” said Mr Jaipal.

The new college started at Guru Har Sahai was being run without even a single post of lecturer, Principal, other staff or any building.

About 25 students were admitted in BA I after the deadline (August 31) set by Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Prof Jaipal said, “PU authorities have tried to oblige the political masters by granting affiliation to a college, which has no lecturer, Principal or proper building. This will set a wrong trend of granting affiliation to profit-making private institutions to set up their own colleges by deputing their existing staff to new colleges”.

On behalf of association, Prof Jaipal has urged the CM to immediately cancel these transfer orders and sanction all posts for the new proposed colleges and recruit lecturers and principals to fill all vacant and new posts.

He said that PU should also withdraw its affiliation to a college without staff and building.

NSS camp concludes
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 1
A 10-day NSS camp, inaugurated by Ms Manju Chawla, Principal, Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Model Town, concluded here today.

Appreciating the efforts made by NSS volunteers, Ms Chawla motivated students to work for the upliftment of society. Programme officers, Ms Parveen Arora and Ms Jawinder Kaur, gave volunteers a brief description about the theme of the camp ‘Youth For Health’.

During the camp, the volunteers regularly undertook the cleanliness of the college campus and surroundings. They also cleaned the premises of adjoining Gurdwara Shaheedan.

The college tied up with the local Shri Krishna Charitable Trust Hospital to provide health check-up to slumdwellers of Ambedkar Nagar.

Doctors of the hospital gave tips to remain healthy. The doctors, including Dr Vikas Gupta, Dr Anshu Mittal, Dr Chandan Deep, Dr Nitlely Mander, Dr Dimple Dhingra, Dr Harminder Pal Singh and Dr Ahuja provided their valuable services during the camp.

Mr K.R. Tegta, Youth Officer from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt of India, inspected the camp and addressed the students. He was all appreciation for the camp and efforts of the volunteers.

Volunteers also visited Swami Vivekanand Old Age Home. They arranged a lunch for the inmates and provided them service of cleanliness. Bhartiya Yog sansthan organised Yoga classes.

Ms Veena and Mr Veer Bhan gave demonstration on Yoga. Members of the Tarksheel Society of Ludhiana organised a workshop against common superstitions.

Teachers’ protest rally on Jan 22
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 1
"Teachers cannot believe any statement of the Punjab Government as the meeting of the Cabinet held on December 27 failed to discuss problems of ETT teachers".

Stating this here today Mr Piara Singh Dhillon, convener, Nijikaran Virodhi Front and secretary, Punjab Government Teachers’ Association, said.

They had been demanding regular jobs for ETT teachers since a long time and had been struggling to get the demands accepted. To show their resentment, the teachers have planned a protest rally on January 22 in Patiala and at the rally, an effigy of Captain Amarinder Singh would be burnt.

Education fair on Jan 18
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 1
The 34th India International Education Fair will be organised in Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Jammu and Shimla.

The event featuring leading national and international education institutions will update students with numerous education and career options available within India as well as abroad.

The programme will be held in the city on January 18 and 19. The fair will be organised by Global Events and Expositions.

Jarkhar sports meet from Feb 3
Our Sports Reporter

Twelve top outfits of region will be taking part in the 20th edition of the Mata Sahib Kaur Gold Cup Hockey Tournament slated to be held from February 3 to 6 at Jarkhar village about 15 km from here.

According to Mr Jagroop Singh Jarkhar, chief organiser of the tournament, from this year, handball and athletics had been included in the three-day sports festival during which competition in all modern regular sports was being held.

Giving details of this year’s schedule, Mr Jagroop Singh said the Punjab State Handball Championship would be the main attraction of this year’s event. Besides, competitions in basketball, wrestling, volleyball smashing as well as volleyball shooting and Delta International Kabaddi Cup would be held.

The games’ torch run would start from the house of Padmashree awardee Prithipal Singh in Ludhiana and travel through the main markets of the city before reaching the venue at Jarkhar where international kabaddi star Palvinder Singh Cheema would receive it, Mr Jarkhar added.

“The construction work to build up the stadium at village would be completed by mid of this month and spectators would enjoy the games in the new complex this year,” Mr Jarkhar said.

The organising committee had resolved to honour former captain of the national hockey team Dhanraj Pillay with Surjit Singh Randhawa Award while former national coach Baldev Singh would be given Amarjit Grewal Award for his contribution in the promotion of hockey.

Mr Shamsher Singh Sandhu, famous writer and international kabaddi player Soni Sunet would also be felicitated for contribution in their respective fields, he said.