Campus notes: Indian Ocean Rim Assn conference

Kurukshetra: The International Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies (ICIPS) and Department of Economics, Kurukshetra University, recently organised a one-day international conference in the hybrid mode (online and offline) on “India and IORA: Pathways Ahead” in collaboration with the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA). Vice-Chancellor Som Nath Sachdeva, as the conference patron, said the event would explore different aspects of maritime security, trade, sustainable development, blue economy and disaster risk reduction. Paramita Tripathi from Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, as the chief guest at the event, said India, as the founder member of Indian Ocean Rim Association for regional cooperation (IOR-ARC), played a significant role in making it a dynamic and strategically important inter- governmental organisation. Dr Pragya Pandey from Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi, said the council aimed to promote the study of Indian and international affairs and to promote India’s relations with other countries through study. Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner, Republic of South Africa to India, New Delhi, said IORA was vital for maritime security in the Indian Ocean. VN Attri, Director, ICIPS, KU, presented the outline of the conference.

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Civil services, cybersecurity lecture

Kurukshetra: The Career Guidance Cell of Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa, organised an extension lecture on “Civil Services as a Career Choice and Cyber Security”. Pratik Agrawal, ASP, Kurukshetra, talked about choosing civil services as a career choice and motivated students to opt it as a career. He emphasised the selfless nature of the service and its contributions to national integrity. He elaborated how civil services provided one with an opportunity to serve the nation. He exhorted the youth to join the services. He also delved into issues of cyber-crime and ways to combat its threats. He shared his personal Telegram channel with students for guidance towards preparation of civil services. Principal Dr Kushal suggested that students use mobile phones minimally and carefully. He also shared examples how criminals were using technology to fool the common man. He explained how people could save themselves from such frauds. He warned the gathering about the increasing prevalence of ‘digital arrest’ scams. Ninety students attended the event.

Guru’s sacrifice remembered

Yamunanagar: Ikleen Kaur (BA sem-IV) and Khushboo Pandey (BCom sem-VI), students of Mukand Lal National College, Yamunanagar, have won consolation prizes at the inter-college declamation contest, held at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Karnal, to remember Guru Teg Bahadur’s sacrifice. The contest attracted presentations from students of 13 colleges in Haryana, emphasising Guru Teg Bahadur’s dedication to religious freedom and justice. For this achievement, officiating Principal Dr Anil Dhawan congratulated the students and also encouraged them to participate in more such programmes in future.

Students qualify UGC-NET

Kaithal: Three students — Shashi (batch 2022-24), Surbhi (batch 2020-22) and Madhu (batch 2021-23) — of the MA (English) course at Indira Gandhi (PG) Mahila Mahavidyalya have qualified the UGC-NET exam. Notably, Madhu has qualified NET for the second time. Ram Bahadur Khurania, President, Governing Body, congratulated the students, stating that their success had brought immense pride not only to the college, but the entire state. Principal Dr Arti Garg emphasised that the institution’s dedicated faculty played a crucial role in students’ success, enabling them to secure positions in university top-ten lists each semester, and excel in competitive exams.

Phonetics, English workshop

Yamunanagar: A workshop on “Phonetics and English Language” was recently organised by the Department of English and the Institution Innovation Cell of Guru Nanak Girls College. The workshop was conducted by Dr Jimmy Sharma, Associate Professor, Department of English, IIHS, Kurukshetra University. The workshop was held in two sessions. In the first session, the resource person covered topics “sounds of English”, “pronunciation”, “intonation” and “stress patterns”. In the second session, she used interactive methods, including audio-visual aids and group exercises. Academic Coordinator Dr Ritu Kumar said, “In an increasingly globalised world, proficiency in English language is crucial for success. This workshop is a step towards empowering our students with the skills required to excel in their chosen careers.” The workshop was attended by about 100 UG and PG students of the college.