Ludhiana, April 4
A deputation of the Association of the Punjab School Education Board, Affiliated Schools, Punjab (regd) met Upinderjit Kaur, Education Minister, Punjab Government, Chandigarh under the presidentship of Rajinder Sharma. They narrated the difficulties confronted by the affiliated schools 
to her.

The education minister listened to the delegation and assured them to an due action to sort out the various problems like Punjab Private Schools Bill, infrastructure problems etc.

The delegation told the minister that affiliated schools of the state had played a prominent role in the development of the state. The Punjab Govt. has imposed a Punjab Private School Bill on the affiliated schools, while the schools affiliated to C.B.S.E./ 1.C.S.E. have been exempted from the proposed bill.

Moreover, it has been stated that the Punjab School Education Board requires over one and a half acres of land infrastructure for plus two classes in the city schools and three acres of land in rural areas schools. In the populated city areas it was not possible.

It has been requested that the Government should make norms for these classes flexible. The delegation requested to allow them to start the Evening Shift for the plus two classes.

The minister gave a patient hearing and assured the delegation to solve the various problems of the affiliated schools. The minister assured them that the problems of these schools would be discussed in the second week of the April.

Ludhiana, April 4
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, organised its first cultural evening at the open air theatre of PAU, here today.

DS Bains, IAS, financial commissioner, government of Punjab, was the chief guest.

The cultural programme started with the lightening of lamp by V K Taneja, vice-chancellor, GADVASU. It was followed by shabad gayan.

The programme included a variety of events such as skits, mimes, songs, group dances, malwai giddha, and bhangra.

Bains gave away the Awards of Honour to Jagwinder Jit Singh Grewal, an alumni of GADVASU and SDM Ludhiana (East). M.S. Grewal , coordinator, cultural activities, PAU, Ajay Kumar, swimming coach, PAU, Sukhnain Singh and Kewal Arora were also honoured.

The cultural evening concluded with the songs of noted punjabi singer Harjit Harman.

Ludhiana, April 4
Post-graduate Department of Commerce, Arya College, organised an adieu function, Rukhsat-2007 for the M.Com final year students last evening at the college auditorium.

Principal S.M. Shanna was the guest of honour. Students of M.Com presented various dance items and various titles were given to the outgoing class.

Nikhil was adjudged as Mr Farewell, while Deepika Sehgal was given the title of Miss Farewell.

Supriya and Shaify became the first and second runners up.

Other titles were as follows: Miss elegant- Geetika, best singer and dancer-Renu, Miss beautiful eyes-Impreet, Miss beautiful hair- Parveen, Miss graceful-Priya, Best dressed - Kanwaljot, Miss intelligent- Gurpreet, Miss beautiful smile-Jyoti, girl of the day-Swati, boy of the day-Maninder and Mr smart-Shiv.

The principal along with Prof H.R. Saini, head, PG Department of Commerce, and other faculty members were also present on the occasion.

Virk is Doraha unit president of PCCTU
Our Correspondent

Doraha, April 4
Sukhwinder Singh Virk was elected president of the Doraha unit of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, while Lovleen Bains has been elected as a secretary of the unit.

Williamjit Singh and Gursharan Kaur have been, respectively, elected as state delegate and finance secretary for the current session.

Assuring the responsible post of the president, S.S. Virk, thanked the unit members for reposing faith in his capabilities and sought the help and cooperation of the members in their future endeavours.

Kuldeep Singh, former president, Doraha unit and area secretary, Punjab University, expressed his gratitude towards the unit members for their active participation in the activities of the union.

He also expressed that the union is eagerly looking forward towards the actual fulfillment of their long, pending and genuine demands of the restoration of 95 per cent grant in-aid scheme, release of pension cum-gratuity and lifting of ban on recruitment with the appointment of Upinderjit Kaur as education minister and Manpreet Badal as finance minister of Punjab.

The recent statement of Upinderjit Kaur regarding the filling of 45,000 vacant posts in the schools is seen as a positive step towards the reformation of the education scenario in the state.

With the finance minister focussing mainly on health and education, the union was hopeful of getting assured financial benefits, which would definitely prove to be a welcome step, he added.

The union leaders said the manifesto of the joint alliance too stated the restoration of 95 per cent grant to the colleges and release of pension-cum-gratuity to the teachers.