EDUCATION

Girls outnumber boys on campus
Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25
As a significant indicator of the changing times, the total number of girl students on the Panjab University campus has outdone the number of boys in majority of the departments in the current academic year.

The humanities stream has 439 girls as against 410 admissions to boys. The social sciences have 491 girls against 303 boys; pure sciences have 693 girls against 400 boys; and fine arts have 53 girls against 31 boys. Interestingly, even the medical science stream has more girls than boys. There are lesser number of girls in technology-related admissions, University Business School, Education and Law Department.

The data has been compiled by the university in its proposal “For the status of universities with potential for excellence” submitted to the University Grants Commission. The PU is among eight universities short-listed for special grants under the scheme.

A senior professor said the figures were important indicators of changing social trends. Girls were definitely having a greater freedom of choice in taking up courses of their choice these days. That the number of girls who really made use of the university degrees in their lives was an area that needed a deeper study because of the prevalent social conditions. But one cannot deny the fact that there has been a definite development even on this front.

Even in the overall scenario, the university is witnessing a greater number of applications for admissions as compared to the past. There were a total of 12,443 applications for 3,222 seats in 1998-99; 15,325 applications for 3,521 seats in 1999-2000; and 16,415 applications for the current session.

One interesting aspect in the number of applicants is the increase in the number of students who seek re-admission. After completing one MA, they look for an alternate admission. A senior research scholar said: “The main reason for seeking re-admissions is to keep the hostel seats.

Those who are not interested in the hostel rooms are interested in availing themselves of the library and other facilities. This is because the prevalent education system does not guarantee job to a postgraduate. One has to appear in a number of entrance examinations for which one needs to be in continuous touch with the books, which is provided best on the campus”.

The university has witnessed a near consistent rate of drop-outs in the past three years. Nearly 12.5 per cent students dropped out in 1998-99; as many as 11.9 per cent in 1999-2000; and 11.2 per cent in 2000-2001.

The figures reveal that there are certain departments, which have been showing rather average results as indicated by the percentage of those who qualified. The prominent ones, according to the latest figures, include BSc showing 52 per cent of students who qualified; BSc (honours school) Physics had 48 per cent; BSc (honours) Mathematics showed 11 per cent; and MSc (honours) with 42 per cent. The Mathematics (honours) result in 1999-2000 was only 4.5 per cent.

On the positive side, BSc (Geology), BSc (Botany), MA (Physical Education), M Pharmacy, MBA and MSc (honours) in Biotechnology and Geology have shown 100 per cent results.

For a more transparent evaluation system, Prof K.N. Pathak has voiced his opinion of introducing an open evaluation system. “This enables a student to examine his answer sheet before the teacher finalises the marks. As a preliminary step, the concept will be introduced for certain postgraduate and BSc classes”.

Business School holds alumni reunion
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25
“Vision 2010—A Roadmap” was the theme of the papers presented at the Silver Jubilee Alumni Reunion of the Panjab University Business School here today.

The UBS Department honoured 13 students of the 1976 batch and another four M.Com. students of the same batch.

The two best papers on the theme were presented by students on the occasion. The winners included Rajat Kumar and Rohit. Two papers by the faculty members were presented by Prof P.P. Arya and Prof G.P. Rao.

In his paper on vision of the future, Rajat Kumar highlighted ‘extensive corporate interaction’. “Corporate leaders from global and Indian companies will be closely involved in developing the programme curriculum”, he said.

He also highlighted possibilities of tie-ups with top corporations to run customised programmes for their top management teams, taking cognizance of the social responsibility and making all efforts to “make UBS a storehouse of powerful ideas, innovative practice and lasting values”.

Rohit, in his paper, envisaged programmes for generation of more revenue by conducting management development programmes; organising more seminars and workshops and their complete coverage in regional dailies; offer management consultancy; and invite HR professionals to participate in admission procedure of the institute, besides others.

Divya Public School celebrates annual day
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 25
A cultural programme organised by Divya Public School, Sector 47, to mark their prize distribution and annual function at Lecma Theatre, Air Force Station, here came with a lesson that the richness of Indian culture has to be respected and preserved in every possible sense without being disrespectful to other cultures.

And to prove this point, the students showcased items from both Indian folk cultures to Western variety, which added colour to the function. A ‘Saraswati vandana’, performed by the senior students, set the function on motion, paving the way for the tiny tots to welcoming the guests in their innocent manner.

The bonanza continued as the students of Class I, II, III and IV danced to the tune of “Churi jo khanke”, moving on to a number of folk-dance songs from different corners of the world, which started from Bhojpuri dance and moved on to Rajasthani culminating finally in some beautifully-choreographed dance numbers from Brazil.

The item that stole the show was a Qawali presented by the senior students of the school. Conceived by Amita Verma, the Qawali was based on the arguments between American President George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden, which had much hilarity.

Another hilarious play, “Hasya Natika”, portrayed ‘men versus women after 20 years’. Though the enthusiastic students drew a rosy picture for the women in general, the bottomline of the play highlighted both men and women to be complementary to each other, which again was the theme of another play “Colours” staged by the junior students.

Earlier, welcoming the chief guest, Mrs Harjinder Kaur, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Mr. O.P. Goyal, president of the Divya Education Society, highlighted the achievements of the school. Mr Rattan Singh, Principal of the school, presenting an annual report urged the students to follow their peers who have made their mark in academic and other related activities at various levels.

Annual function of school
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, November 25
Technical and Vocational education should be introduced in schools to make the future generation self-employed. Stress should be given to job-oriented computer courses so that a majority of the students can get jobs in private firms. This was stated by Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance and Planning Minister of Punjab, at the annual prize distribution function of GS Memorial Public School here today. He said schools should provide quality education so that their students could compete.

He presented mementoes to students for their good performance in academics and co-curricular activities. He also inaugurated the new school building.

Ms Paramjit Kaur, Principal of the school, read out the school annual report. A cultural programme was presented by the students.

St Kabir School wins quiz contest
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 25
Children from various institutes participated in the third inter-school quiz competition organised by Portraits and Portfolios Art Gallery in Sector 17 here today.

The competition was conducted in four rounds — general round, personality round, sports round and history round. Among the participating teams St. Kabir School, Sector 26 made a clean sweep as the first second and third positions were bagged by the students of this school.

Sumant Arora was declared the winner of the contest followed by Nikhil in the second position and Ankit Goel in the third.

Another quiz competition for the general public was also organised at the same venue in which Mr Madhushil, a student of the Government College for Men, Sector 11, was declared the winner in absence of any competitors.

NCC units celebrate anniversary
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25
The 54th anniversary celebrations were held by NCC units of Chandigarh with much fanfare here today, with several activities being organised to mark the occasion. NCC cadets held an impressive aero and ship modelling show besides demonstrating their sailing and rowing skills at the Sukhna Lake this afternoon. A photo exhibition was also organised.

In the morning, cadets from different wings participated in an impressive march past held at the Central Polytechnic grounds in Sector 26. A friendly basketball match between NCC cadets and wheelchair-bound inmates of the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Home, Mohali, was also organised on November 23. About 30 cadets also donated blood at the PGIMER.

The Deputy Director General, NCC, Brigadier R.S. Kalha, in his address, felicitated all ranks, civilian staff and cadets of the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. He said the corps was doing well and its cadets were excelling in various walks of life. There were 96,282 enrolled NCC cadets, including girls, from 393 colleges and 695 schools in these states.

Raised in 1948 to provide the second line of defence, the NCC was the country’s largest youth organisation which aimed at promoting qualities of leadership, comradeship and character, besides motivating the youth to join the services, he said.

Workshop on CLIP held
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 25
A seminar-cum-workshop on a newly introduced system of school education was organised by Amravati Public School, Surajpur, at Himshikha near here today.

The seminar was organised in order to make people aware of the working of their school system — CLIP (Creative Learning Integrated Programme ). This system ensures that the students till Class III do not carry any school books or bags. Education is imparted in the school and a worksheet of each student is prepared on a weekly basis.

A large number of people attended the seminar, wherein teachers demonstrated how the system worked. The gathering was impressed and a number of people present there stressed that the system be repeated in other schools as well. 

Sports meet at Bhawan Vidyalaya
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 25
The junior sports meet of Bhawan Vidyalaya, Sector 15, was held here today. Students from nursery class to Class V participated in the sports meet and the cultural programme.

Mr B.S. Dhesi, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Haryana, was the chief guest on the occasion. After a series of events in athletics and other sports events, students presented a cultural show. Later, the chief guest gave away prizes to the winners in sports events and academic achievements.

COURTS

PUDA gets 93 lakh in recovery case
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 25
A local court granted an amount of Rs 93 lakh to the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) in a civil suit filed by it against ABN Amro bank for the recovery of differential amount of interest amounting to Rs 65,58,981.

The court decreed the amount with an interest at the rate of 12.5 per cent from the date of institution of the suit till the realisation of the amount. The amount calculates to Rs 26,76,710 up till October 31. The court also awarded a cost amounting to Rs 76,715.75, thus making a total amount of over Rs 93 lakh.

The court observed that the defendant bank cheated the plaintiff by investing the money of Rs 10 crore in some other transaction unknown to the plaintiff. The court also observed that the plaintiff misused the funds given to it for investment in the government securities at the rate of 17 per cent interest.

A spokesperson for PUDA informed that its predecessor organisation, the Housing Development Board, had made a short-term investment amounting to Rs 10 crore with ABN Amro bank in the year 1992, with the explicit instruction that the funds be invested only in government securities. The bank claimed that it had purchased Indian Railways Finance Corporation Bonds that carried an interest of mere 9 per cent per annum. He alleged that when the discrepancy was taken up with the bank, it sought to evade the issue.

CULTURE

Nasha rocks city with Western beats
Tribune News Service

Nasha has also performed at parties for international stars like Dogstar, No Mercy and UB 40. But his performance in Chandigarh today was a world apart. He said, “There is nothing more important for a deejay than his current audience. The Chandigarh crowd is great in responding to music.” That is perhaps why the party at this small joint in Sector 35 stretched well over five hours today.