Ludhiana, August 1
Oath-taking ceremony of passing out veterinarians of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University was held at the Silver Jubilee Auditorium here yesterday.

S.S. Singh, dean, College of Veterinary Science, administered the oath.

Speaking on the occasion, V.K.Taneja, vice-chancellor, impressed upon the veterinarians to serve society for poverty alleviation, especially in rural areas. 

Ludhiana, August 1
Satpal Sharma, an assistant administrative officer in the Punjab Agricultural University, has been reinstated after being “censured”. He has now been posted in the office of the Dean, Postgraduate Studies. His period of suspension would be treated on duty and three increments which had been withheld have also been released.

Sources in the university said the orders to this effect were issued yesterday.

Chandigarh, August 1
Setting a rare example in the history of student-teacher bond, hundreds of students from various disciplines of engineering of Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12 got together today in the cricket ground to kick start a unique campaign. They requested Vijay Gupta, director of the institute, not to leave the college.

In an emergency executive body meeting of Punjab Engineering College Old Students Association (PECOSA) held today, the executive body expressed deep concern on the magnitude of loss, which PEC and its students are going to face as a result of Dr Gupta’s resination. All the programs are still at an evolutionary stage and are in the process of documentation. Vikram Hans, president PECOSA said they would soon meet the Chandigarh Administrator and ask him to probe into the circumstances behind his resignation.

Vijay Gupta, an alumnus of IIT, Kanpur had announced his resignation on July 28 due to some personal reasons. Students put up a huge graffiti to begin a signature campaign in the college.

Around a thousand students signed the campaign citing various reasons pleading Gupta not to leave. The students were of the view that Dr Gupta had proposed, PEC should be given IIT status and the college was working towards the goal.

He was responsible for bringing the college to such a high academic scale. He played a major role in bringing out student’s charter, teachers manual and creation of academic council of PEC.

The students proposed to submit a memorandum to the governor and Chandigarh administration urging them to convince Gupta to withdraw his resignation. The further added that if the director doesn’t agrees, he should be asked to stay back till a new director from not less than an IIT institute joins the office.

In support of their demands students boycotted their classes today and propose to hold a candle light march in the coming few days.

Ludhiana, August 1
Admissions to the colleges are getting to a close shortly. Sciences and social sciences do not attract the students. The numbers have sharply declined in history, political science, sociology, public administration and even in psychology. It is surprising that subject like psychology is not attracting students.

Interestingly, the first priority for all the students - both boys and girls - has been management courses, commerce and computer application. These are considered to be imparting skills to get the jobs.

Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur, former pro-vice-chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University and senator of Punjab University, emphasises that it is the need of the hour as well as the government to take such an exercise wherein the urban and the rural youth can be provided best of guidance for training in skills.

The Punjab State Board for Technical Education and Industrial Training is not doing enough in this regard. No research is undertaken to identify the trades or skills which attract skilled hands.

Manju Chawla, principal, Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, said there is a mad rush for admission in commerce, BBA and BCA streams and the college is finding it difficult to cope with the demand.

She said they had got an additional unit of B.Com with 70 seats and one unit of BBA with 40 seats this year. She maintained that the trend was to go for job-oriented courses instead of humanities.

In the postgraduate courses, there has been a sharp decline in the languages as well as arts/MCom programmes. Professor Kapur feels that Ludhiana being an industrial and business centre has great need for such trained youth.

The Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College has also structured MBA programme for the engineering graduates from this session.

Prof Kapur has welcomed this programme and maintains that this is a right step and if pursued properly, it will give specialised training to the young engineers.

Ludhiana, August 1
There seems to be a difference in the opinion among Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) over today's call for dharna with one faction claiming it to be a great success while other group maintains that the call was given by a handful of teachers, whom they do not support.

The divided office-bearers of state PCCTU also admit since it was not a majority win for one particular group, there will be such acts between the two groups throughout this tenure.

Professor Kuldeep Singh, general secretary PCCTU Punjab, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune said the call was given in four districts including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala where Municipal Elections are scheduled for August 8.

"Though our demands are same but we do not support today's dharna organised at some of the colleges. Except for four colleges out of total 31 in the district, no one supported the call,” said Prof Kuldeep Singh.

He further added: Such actions must be approved in the executive committee, but today's dharna was no where in the agenda in last executive meeting. It should be organised systematically.

S.S. Hundal, president PCCTU Punjab on the other hand claimed that Prof Kuldeep Singh's group was a minority one. "We were in minority in the last PCCTU elections but never boycotted their actions or plans. Last executive meeting was conducted on July 22 where general secretary alongwith some other members boycotted our programme. Response towards dharna today has been tremendous and teaching community have supported us whole heartedly," said Prof Hundal.

Prof Kuldeep Batta, member of state executive (PCCTU) belonging to Hundal group, however said most of the colleges in the district including MTS College, Arya College, Jagraon, Guru Sar Sudhar participated in today's dharna.

"There is some difference of opinion which will be sorted out soon," said Prof Batta.