Amritsar: Seminar on environmental concerns

Amritsar: A two-day national seminar on “Mapping the Social and Environmental Concerns for Sustainable Economic Development” was organised by the University School of Financial Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University, in collaboration with the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala. Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor, presided over the inaugural session. Dr Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala was the guest of honour. Dr Manjit Singh, highlighted that growing population has led to over utilisation of resources and thus research and knowledge creation on sustainability is of vital importance. He pointed that seminar like this is an opportunity to rebuild the value system by imbibing sustainable practices in our daily lives. Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu listed various initiatives taken up at the campus of GNDU in relation to sustainability as plantation of 47,000 trees, use of e-vehicles as mode of transportation, recycling of waste using solar energy etc. Some facts and statistics on environmental degradation, malnutrition and child mortality were presented and the need to collaborate on achievement of 17 sustainable development goals was highlighted.

DAV students bag top positions

Students of BVoc Web Designing and Development (IT) have brought laurels to the institution by securing five merit positions in the university exams. Aniket Nischal scored 332 marks out of 400 and stood first in the university, while Harman Sharma bagged the second and Piyush Sharma third position in semester V exams by scoring 326 and 325 marks, respectively. Principal Amardeep Gupta said the college results had been stupendous in this session. Deepak and Ankush Kumar secured the fourth and fifth position in the university exams. Principal Gupta along with Prof Vikram Sharma, head of computer science department, felicitated the students and applauded the diligent efforts put in by the students and adding to the prestige of the institution.

Meet on competency-based education

Bhavans SL School organised a workshop on competency-based education. Conducting the workshop, Shabnam Sharma, Principal, DDIS School, Amritsar, interacted with the teachers and Principal Anita Bhalla. She said that competency-based education is only formal education but skill development of students according to their ability and pace provides opportunities to move forward to develop, ability and capability, skills, knowledge and attitudes that enable a person to function in real life helps. The responsibility of intellectual, mental and emotional development rests with the teachers. Continuous technological development has increased modernisation and students are becoming self-centred. Antisocial behaviour, tension, non-cooperation, egoism, gender discrimination are increasing. In pedagogical plan to get solutions to problems, 21st century education skills critical thinking, creative, leadership, media and technical skills, scientific approach along with teaching moral values is mandatory.

National Science Day celebrated

SciRox-Science Club of Guru Nanak Dev University in collaboration with the Department of Physics celebrated the National Science Day recently. The event was supported by Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh. Prof Sarabjot Singh Behl, Dean Academic Affairs, motivated the students to take the challenges and explore new horizons in the field of science. He advised students to develop scientific temperament as well as skills to achieve their goals. Prof Atul Khanna, head, Department of Physics, welcomed the guests. Prof Jatinder Kaur, mentor, SciRox Club and head, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, briefed about the event and shared the activities of SciRox Club. The celebration of the day included the talks by two eminent speakers and competitions like science quiz, Rangoli and poster making. Prof Atul Khanna, head, Department of Physics, delivered a talk on “Raman Effect”, and presented the history of Nobel prize winning discovery of “Raman Effect” by Prof CV Raman in 1928. Prof Kartik Ghosh, Missouri University, USA and Fullbright Fellow in Department of Physics, delivered his talk on “Basic Concepts in Materials Physics” on the occasion. Students from different schools and colleges of Punjab participated in the event.