The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Admissions
Some respite at last
Smriti Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25
For students seeking admission to city colleges, there seems to be some respite in store, at least for those applying to Government College, Sector 11, and the Government College for Girls, Sector 11.

In order to streamline the admission process and to avoid any inconvenience to the students, these colleges have introduced token system.

The Government College for Girls, Sector 11, has segregated the admission process in three steps for students seeking admission to BA (I), BSc (med and non-med). On the first day, only the students with more than 63 per cent marks will be entertained. “The students will be issued tokens and would fall in three different rows. Batches of 10 candidates from each row will be sent to the admission venue at a time. A tent, with sufficient seating arrangement, drinking water and fans, would be erected for the rest to wait. There will be three different committees sitting at three separately designated places inside the auditorium. Students of each row would move to their designated committee and the admitted students can deposit their fees at six computerised counters in the administrative block,” said Promila Kaushal, principal of the college.

Apart from this, helpdesks fitted with mikes for time-to-time announcements regarding seats, a silent video on the computer about the highlights and profile of the college, placards at all strategic places and cross points indicating the directions of the venues, photostat facility, an instant passport-size photograph facility, separate venue for hostel admission formalities and separate counter for hostel fee payment are the facilities being offered by the college.

Similarly, Government College, Sector 11, will issue tokens to students for smoothening the fee-depositing process. “To avoid any rush and inconvenience at the time of depositing the fee, tokens will be issued to the students. For rest of the system, we are still chalking out the details,” said principal of the college A.N. Garg.

When contacted, DPI (colleges) Raji P. Shrivastava said, “The process will reduce queuing in the first place. With this process, there will be graceful handling of an otherwise chaotic and tension-ridden process. It’s a part of the Chandigarh administration’s endeavour to ease inconvenience to public and provide all possible facilities to citizens.”

PU Notes
Date extended

The last date for the receipt of application forms for BA LLB (honours) five-year integrated course and LLB (three-year professional course) at Swami Sarvanand Giri Panjab University Regional Centre, Bajwara, Hoshiarpur, has been extended to June 29. The applications will be received only by hand at the Panjab University CET Cell in Chandigarh and admit cards will be issued on the spot. However, the date of the entrance test remains the same i.e. July 1.

Interviews: The interview schedule of the following departments of Panjab University is as under:

Hindi department: interview for admission to MA Part I - July 5 at 9 am at the department. The candidates are advised to attend the interview with all their documents in original.

Punjabi department: The last date to submit admission forms for MA Part I and II is June 29 (both regular and outsiders) while for diploma/certificate courses, it is July 23. The interviews for admissions to MA Part I, Punjabi, will be held on July 4 at 10 am while for MA Part II the interviews will be on July 17 at 10 am (outsiders only) in Arts Block No. 1 (first floor). All candidates are advised to bring all their original documents at the time of interview.

Dispatched: Roll numbers to all eligible candidates appearing in MEd (regular and correspondence) entrance test 2007, to be conducted by Panjab University on July 1, have been dispatched by the registered post. Those, who do not receive their roll numbers till June 27, can collect duplicate roll numbers from the university office (CET cell, Aruna Ranjit Chandra Hall, near post office) on June 28 and 29 during office hours after completing the formalities as listed in the OCET prospectus - 2007.

Results: Panjab University has declared the following results: BE (biotechnology) first semester, MA II (French), MA I (education), MA second and fourth semester (political science), BE (telecommunication and information technology) eighth semester. Other than this, the university has declared the results of MA I (English) and BSc II year. The results are available on the university website. The college principals are requested to collect detailed marks cards of their students within three days of declaration of results. — TNS

Training course on lake hydrology
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25
A five-day training course on the hydrology of lakes for sustainable human benefits being organised by the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, and Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Department of Geology, PU, began at the university here today.

The chief guest of the inaugural function was Prof R.C. Sobti, vice-chancellor, and was presided over by Dr K.D. Sharma, director, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee.

The objectives of the course is to acquaint field engineers, scientists, research scholars, managers, bureaucrats and other professionals engaged in work related to water resources with development and management, with particular emphasis on lakes. Dr V.K. Choubey apprised the participants about the technical programme of the course covering various aspects of lakes. Dr K.D. Sharma stressed on the need to conserve lakes and to prevent their pollution.

Prof Sobti spoke about uses and abuses of water resources in the country. The NIH director was invited by the university and other participating organisations to interact and bring out research proposals for collaborative studies in various branches of hydrology.

Bahuguna’s 3H formula — head, heart & hands
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25
The staff and students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 32, interacted with environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna on the school premises today. S.K. Setia, DPI (schools), presided.

The peace club of the school and Yuvsatta organised the programme.

Bahuguna informed about his formula of 3Hs (head, heart and hands). He said, “The survival of humans has become one of the biggest challenges for the world today. This formula will make this world a better place to live in.”

He said students must use their head for creative thinking, heart for compassion and hands for constructive work. Ahimsa was explained in detail.

Various personalities were honoured to promote cycling in the city. Prominent among those were J.S. Thakur from the department of community medicine, PGI, Satinder Dhillon, principal of Dev Samaj College of Education, R.K. Kohli, coordinator environmental studies, PU, Madhu Bahl, principal of KB DAV School-7, Saroj Sawant, principal of Moti Ram Arya School-27 and Anil Kumar, principal of Government Model Senior Secondary School-32.

From Schools & Colleges

Panchkula
EUROKIDS: Conclusion of the Eurokids Summer Fun 2007 was marked by a medley of heartwarming performances by children. About 300 children participated in the workshop. Principal Mona Verma lauded the efforts put in by centre heads Ashima Bhatia (Panchkula) and Priya Parmar (Chandigarh). She also thanked Rahul and Prashant, who taught the nuances of dance to their students.

Chandigarh
TIE-UP: The Desh Bhagat Group signed an academic association with the Waiariki Institute of Technology, a government of New Zealand undertaking situated at Rotorua, New Zealand, on Monday. Dr Zora Singh, chairman of the group, said the agreement will foster international understanding and friendship between the two countries and institutes. It will improve the knowledge, skills and experience of the students and the staff in areas related to applied business practices and principals, English, agriculture and computing. The eligibility for these undergraduate courses will be Class XII. The students will have a choice to complete the course in New Zealand. These courses will be accompanied by IELTS and courses for spoken English. — TNS

Bringing alive Waris Shah’s poetry
S.D. Sharma

Chandigarh, June 25
The elite city audience witnessed a rare sublime simplicity of Sufiana music as maestros from Pakistan brought alive Waris Shah's poetic elegance at a musical soiree organised by the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, here today.

The versatile duo of Ustad Khadim Hussain Warsi Khan and Husnain Akbar presented recitals of choicest episodes from 'Heer', the slumbering love legend immortalised by Waris Shah in the 17th century.

Husnain opened up the recital depicting the splendour of Heer, decorated with metaphors and similes. He was accompanied by professor Murlidhar Soni and Tejinder on the instruments.

The audience was treated to another spell by Ustad Khan who took centre stage to make a majestic presentation of the sequences relating to the marriage, desertion, reunion with Ranjha and later the tragic ending.

The soulful renditions came from the heart of the turbaned master Warsi, who modulated his voice to give meaning to the heartfelt emotions of Heer and Ranjha.

Earlier, Komal Singh of Mian Mir foundation introduced the artists while akademi chairperson Kamal Tewari honoured the artists.

Later, talking to the Chandigarh Tribune about his reverence for Waris Shah and religious passion for Heer, Ustad Warsi said "Almost all the conventional structures of music traditions have suffered substantial modifications to meet the changing taste of the people, but the traditional rendition of 'Heer' has retained its pristine originality as pioneered by Waris Shah". Ustad Warsi and his disciple Husnain run an academy, 'Bazme-E- Qalaam-E-Waris', with the aim to preserve and promote sufiana music.

On being asked what was so special about Heer, Husnain Akbar, who is pursuing a PhD in Punjabi literature said, 'Waris depicted secular love in mystic idiom with innate play of imagination, lifting his literary creation to spectacular heights, much more than his contemporaries”.