The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

PAU develops new brinjal variety
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 5
A high-yielding brinjal hybrid ‘BH-1’ developed by the Department of Vegetable Crops, Punjab Agricultural University, has been identified for cultivation at the national level during the 20th All-India Workshop of Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops held at Kerala Agricultural University, Vallanikkara, Thrissur.

Dr Amrik Singh Sidhu, Director, Regional Station, Fardikot, who is heading the team of vegetable breeders for the crop, said plants of ‘BH-1’ were medium in height and compact. Foliage was green and fruits were oblong, plumy and shining purple, he said. Giving its advantages the scientist, said the variety was early fruiting with first harvesting after 52 days of transplanting.

COURSES
PTU offers dual degree option
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, July 5
Now you can graduate in fashion technology and bio-informatics at the same time. Punjab Technical University has for the first time given a dual degree option to all its students.

The new option had come with the introduction of an array of graduate, postgraduate, diploma and certificate courses through distance education programme in several new streams, including bio-informatics, hospital management, operation theatre technology, clinical microbiology, medical laboratory technology, bio-technology, multimedia technologies, media, advertising and journalism, cookery and catering, hotel management and tourism, conference and event management, beauty technologies and cosmetology, fashion technology and interior designing.

While earlier the university was allowing the students to join two diploma courses or one diploma course along with one degree course at a given time, this year it has given the students an offer to opt for two degrees at the same time.

These degrees could be graduate or postgraduate, thus enabling the students to save at least two or three years. The classes have to be held for just two hours for six days a week and the timings have been set in a flexible manner from morning till evening, further adding to the convenience of the students.

Four study centres have been screened at Ludhiana for running the new courses. The courses related to hotel management and tourism would be offered only in the Ivanna Institute of Technology and those pertaining to para-medical technologies would be available at Sushruta Institute. Courses in fashion and beauty technologies would be available at three institutes, including the Ivanna Institute of Technology, Guru Nanak Institute of Designing Technology and Malwa Institute of Professional Studies.

Talking about the new courses, Ms Manmeet Sodhia, in charge of the Ivanna Institute of Technology, said that courses had much scope and almost cent per cent placement chances. She said that for the hotel management courses, she had tied up with several hoteliers of Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Chandigarh where the students would be sent for training from time to time. She said that during the training, the students would also be paid stipends.

Ms Sodhia said in the absence of adequate staff trained in cookery, catering and hotel management in the city, majority of the hoteliers here are being forced to employ at least 50 per cent untrained staff. She said hoteliers gave a very good response when they were told about the introduction of advance courses in the stream and ensured placements for them. Besides, she said that they also agreed to present guest lectures from time to time.

Dr H.S. Gurm, Vice-Chancellor of the university, also is quite optimistic about the new courses. He said last date of submission of forms would be July 20 and counselling would be held on the next day. When asked about the number of seats for each stream, he said the seats would vary from centre to centre according to facilities, members of staff and accommodation available with them.

School complex inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Amloh, July 5
should come forward and donate for the construction of school buildings in their respective villages as the government alone cannot afford to provide the requisite accommodation for schools.

These views were expressed by Mr Baldev Singh Sidhu, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Fatehgarh Sahib, at the inaugural function of a middle school complex at Sounti village, 1 km from here, on Friday. The new building, fitted with a tubewell, contains five classrooms, verandah and toilets, besides a playground.

The ADC praised the gram panchayat for getting constructed the school infrastructure at a cost of Rs 7 lakh under its supervision. He appealed to villagers to donate one room each in their respective schools.

Mr Sidhu appreciated the achievements of the school and awarded mementoes to Pushpinder Singh, Harjinder Kaur Annian for securing first position in class VIII in the year 2001 and 2002, respectively. Jagdeep Singh and Amrinder Singh were also awarded for securing second position in the District Science Fair.

Twentyfive ceiling fans were donated by school teachers and some members of the villages. Mr Nirbhai Singh and Mr Pargat Singh, both sarpanches of Sounti and Annian villages, Ms Achhra Devi, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Amloh, and Mr Rattan Pal Singla, Headmaster of the school, spoke on the occasion.

Trust to introduce vocational courses
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 5
Under the Direct Central Assistance Scheme of the Ministry of Human Development, New Delhi, the Bharat Vikas Parishad Charitable Trust, Punjab, will introduce several new vocational courses for the physically challenged and those from economically weaker sections of the society.

Giving this information, Mr B.R. Maria, secretary of the trust, said new courses would include those in fashion designing, textile designing, soft toys and leather goods, fabrication of hosiery and leather goods, garment manufacturing, embroidery and needle work, beauty culture, computer application, computer maintenance, refrigeration and AC repair, TV and radio mechanics, house wiring and motor winding, food preservation, hand flat socks and knitting dyeing and calico printing.

Mr Maria said the training courses and training material would be provided free of cost for which applications have to be submitted by July 10.

5-hr stay must for lecturers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 5
a written communication to the principals of all government and aided colleges of Punjab, the Director of Education Department has directed them to ensure that all lecturers stay in the college for at least five hours daily. He has asked the principals to get affidavits signed by the lecturers so that they abide by the rule.

Reacting to this letter, college lecturers have demanded that if increments, benefits and facilities are provided according to the UGC norms they would start adhering to the rule. Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, former president, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, said it was a good step.