Ludhiana, May 31
A general meeting of the Association of Punjab School Education Board Affiliated Schools was held here yesterday.

The members discussed the difficulties faced by affiliated schools of the state regarding the middle class board examinations held in March, 2007.

They said the students appearing in the middle standard examination had to appear in eight subjects whereas the passing criteria was considering only six subjects.

The additional two subjects marks were not counted in the final examination.

It was a waste of time, energy and money of the students by preparing the two additional subjects. The delegation had requested the education minister, Punjab Government, and the Chairman, PSEB, Mohali, that either these two subjects should be withdrawn or their marks should be counted in the final examination.

The delegation also discussed that passing percentage of VIII students should be lowered from 35 per cent marks to 25 per cent marks in the middle standard.

On the other hand, the internal assessment was not added to the final examination which meant it was just additional paper work for the schools, said the delegates.

They were of the view that internal assessment marks should be added in the final result or it should be stopped.

The books for the new sessions were not available at Punjab book depots. If the books were not available to the students, then how could they cope up with the studies, asked the members.

They alleged that classes for the new session had already begun but not a single book was available with the Punjab Book Department.

Ludhiana, May 31
Students in Punjab can now earn an American Management Degree without leaving the Indian shores.

Western International University (WIU), an accredited American University based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, now offers management education at its campus in New Delhi.

After completing their degrees in India, students will have the same academic and professional standing as students who complete their degrees from WIU in USA both in terms of progression to higher qualifications and job opportunities in the US.

According to the international enrolment manager of the university, Nathan Jones, their aim has been to bring quality American Management Education to students in India. WIU offers students, especially those from non-metro cities, the advantage of staying in India and earning an American Management Degree.

Doraha, May-31
The Canadian Institute for International Studies (CIIS) is organising an international seminar on ‘opportunities and challenges in managing Indian business’ at its Jalvehra, Fatehgarh Sahib, campus. Dr S.C. Vaidya, chairman, University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh, will be the chief guest at the seminar.

Prof Giuseppie Liberatore from Thompson Rivers University, Canada, Dr A.K. Vashisht from Panjab University, H.S. Sidhu, managing director of the Ludhiana Stock Exchange, and C.S. Nanda, chairman of the Committee on Financial Markets and Investor Protection, will present papers in the seminar. Dr D.R. Singh, dean, GNA-IMT, and Dr B.S. Bhatia, director, RIMT-IMCT, will chair the two technical sessions.

There is no registration fee for attending the seminar. The information brochure is available at the CIIS website www.ciis.ac.in. The consent for attending the seminar shall be mailed to seminar convener Gagan Deep Sharma at gsharma@theciis.org. For the convenience of the delegates, a CIIS counter will be established at the Sirhind bus stand, to guide the participants.

Ludhiana, May 31
As per the revised schedule received from the State Project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Authority, Punjab, Chandigarh, the 12-day teacher-training programmes for current academic session (2007-08) commenced with effect from May 30, 2007.

The teachers’ training programme will be held in three phases. Prof. Baldev Singh, officiating principal, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Jagraon, while giving details of the programme, said the training venue, school principals, block elementary education officers, block development and panchayat officers, training resource persons and the participating teachers of Ludhiana district had been finalised and the first phase of training had already commenced.

The second phase would start from June 13. The third phase of training would be held in two different months: from June 27-30 and from September 7-15. During this training programme, approximately 3,000 teachers would be trained. Everyday, there will be only five periods instead of six and the timings and daily duration have also been changed.

He said classes would be held from 8 am to 1.30 pm only. The participants will get only one tea break and there will be no lunch break. Prof. Baldev Singh, further informed that in Ludhiana district the training to all 19 Education Block teachers would be imparted at 23 training centres such as for Primary and Elementary Teachers at 12 centres, AIE and EGS at four centres and the Zila Parishad at seven centres. All training centres, participating teachers and resource persons have been informed through post and telephone and supplied with the revised training schedules and class time-tables for effective and smooth conduct of the teacher-training programmes.

Mandi Gobindgarh, May 31
A faculty development programme on “Quality Management Systems in Educational Institutions” was held on the campus of Desh Bhagat Institute of Management and Computer Sciences, Mandi Gobindgarh, to explain about the adoption of quality management systems.

The faculty development programme on quality education focused on the enhancement of teaching methodologies. There was a management game to talk about the importance of team-work.

A framework for the student feedback structure was based on brain- storming exercises. The faculty filled up, self- awareness forms, which helped them to know themselves better. It was an interactive and learning session.

Zora Singh, chairman of the Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes and Ms Shalini Gupta, Director, DBIMCS, presided over the workshop. They welcomed Yugal Nauharia, product champion of TQM System from Intertek Com., as the keynote speaker by presenting a bouquet.

In her valedictory address Shalini Gupta, Director, DBIMCS, thanked Yugal Nauharia for his thought provoking presentation about faculty development. She motivated faculty members to involve themselves in creative, innovative and value added activities, keeping pace with the fast changing global requirements. All faculty members participated in this FDP workshop.