Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, February 9, 2007
For the students of Presidency College, it is déjà vu. After around five years, the college has again become a stage where the lead players are the progeny of the state’s top-notch Left leaders.
In 2002, the protagonists were Suchetana and Ajanta, daughters of chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and deceased party state secretary Anil Biswas respectively, who spearheaded SFI’s election campaigns and established the Left students’ union to victory at Presidency College for the first time.
This year, when the college goes to the polls on February 27, the SFI’s strength would be bolstered with the presence of Hiya Mukherjee and Saptarshi Deb, both active SFI members, playing significant roles. First-year students of physics honours and political science respectively, the former is the daughter of tourism minister Manab Mukherjee and the latter the son of housing minister Gautam Deb. What, however, remains to be seen, is whether history would repeat itself on February 27.
In the earlier occasion, while Suchetana was an avid SFI supporter, it was Ajanta who played the more active and important role. Although SFI continues to maintain that their organisational effort brought forth the victory for two consecutive years in 2002 and 2003, the fact remains that the SFI lost after Suchetana and Ajanta left.
SFI leaders at Presidency College feel they will win the election purely on merit, not with the appeal brought by the political backgrounds of Hiya and Saptarshi. “We will definitely win the elections this year, but it would not be because we have the children of two cabinet ministers in our ranks. Our ideology and performance is strong enough to make us sail through. Both of them are just like other first-year students and campaigning for the election because they are SFI members,” said college SFI unit secretary Dipendu Mukherjee.
SFI state president Sudip Sengupta agreed that it would be wrong to suggest that a Leftist students’ body would win elections riding on the shoulders of senior leaders’ children. “None of them has utilised their fathers’ names during campaigns. Earlier, while Suchetana was never actively involved and Ajanta emerged the leader, none of them had ever used their lineage. It would be wrong if extra importance is given to such students since everyone works for the organisation in the same spirit,” he said.
Saptarshi, however, has already grabbed the attention of the SFI state leadership because of his leadership qualities and popularity among students. “He has all the makings of a leader. We see a future leader in him,” Sengupta said. He pointed out that Saptarshi’s involvement went beyond being a senior Left Front leader’s son. A few days back, he met with an accident while putting up posters inside the college premises and ended up with a fractured leg and a broken jaw. “It just happened that I became an SFI member and for the time being I want to follow the instructions of my seniors,” he said.
Similarly, Hiya is busy running campaigns centred on Singur among her classmates. “We have received briefings from seniors and are acting accordingly. The real picture of land acquisition needs to be brought forth and we have already started working on it,” she says. Although Hiya said that she had no political dream, she is aware about what her union expects from her. Ask her if there is one thing that she would like to change about her college, and pat comes the reply: “Control of the students’ union.”
The reigning students’ body, Independent Consolidation, though confident about being reinstated, feels that the involvement of VIP children does make a difference. “We have had children of several senior leaders from various parties and they do manage to create a stir. We, however, know that talking about real issues will counter this effect. We have already started campaigning about the land acquisition issue and the SFI would have to fight us on this ground,” said IC general secretary Sayantan Saha Roy.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Friday, February 9, 2007
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Busy parents result in errosion of maral values in students
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, February 8
Who is to be blamed for the rash behaviour of a teenager? Is it his school, his parents or should the blame go to none other than the offender?
School are ready to share the responsibility, but feel that parents, of late, have become too busy with their own lives to give adequate time to their children.
South Point High School has taken serious view of Wednesday’s incident and has decided to review it to decide what action should be taken against the 5 Class XI students involved. “We are investigating the matter. At the same time, we will not allow the guilty to walk free. We will take a final decision after investigating the incident,” said Krishna Damani, a spokesman.
The school accepted its responsibility but, at the same time, felt that parents have to shoulder responsibility when the child is not at school. “I would not say that the school has no responsibility for its students’ behaviour outside the school boundaries, but at the same time, it is the duty of the parents to guide and take responsibility of their children when they are not in school,” Damani said.
Most teachers feel that with changing lifestyles and increasing work pressure, working couples often neglect their teenaged children. Parents do not deny this. “My husband and I are under tremendous work pressure. We hardly get to meet our teenaged child every day, though we stay in the same house,” said Sharbari Mullick, mother of a Class IX student of St James School.
According to some, incidents like the one on Wednesday are proof of teenagers’ value erosion. “The car does nor belong to the student. Neither had his school provided it. Even if his parents did not know about their son driving the car, how could they have provided a driving licence to him? We cannot blame the school for all the students’ activities. But the schools too can provide students psychological counselling and value correction,” said Anjali Razdan, principal of Laxmipat Singhania Academy.mou.hindustantimes@gmail.com
Kolkata, February 8
Who is to be blamed for the rash behaviour of a teenager? Is it his school, his parents or should the blame go to none other than the offender?
School are ready to share the responsibility, but feel that parents, of late, have become too busy with their own lives to give adequate time to their children.
South Point High School has taken serious view of Wednesday’s incident and has decided to review it to decide what action should be taken against the 5 Class XI students involved. “We are investigating the matter. At the same time, we will not allow the guilty to walk free. We will take a final decision after investigating the incident,” said Krishna Damani, a spokesman.
The school accepted its responsibility but, at the same time, felt that parents have to shoulder responsibility when the child is not at school. “I would not say that the school has no responsibility for its students’ behaviour outside the school boundaries, but at the same time, it is the duty of the parents to guide and take responsibility of their children when they are not in school,” Damani said.
Most teachers feel that with changing lifestyles and increasing work pressure, working couples often neglect their teenaged children. Parents do not deny this. “My husband and I are under tremendous work pressure. We hardly get to meet our teenaged child every day, though we stay in the same house,” said Sharbari Mullick, mother of a Class IX student of St James School.
According to some, incidents like the one on Wednesday are proof of teenagers’ value erosion. “The car does nor belong to the student. Neither had his school provided it. Even if his parents did not know about their son driving the car, how could they have provided a driving licence to him? We cannot blame the school for all the students’ activities. But the schools too can provide students psychological counselling and value correction,” said Anjali Razdan, principal of Laxmipat Singhania Academy.mou.hindustantimes@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Anglo-Bengali schools want govt recognition
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, February 7, 2007
West Bengal Nursery School Welfare Association (WBNSWA) demanded on Wednesday that all non-government Anglo-Bengali pre-primary Schools of the state be given government recognition and brought under the ambit of Sarva Siksha Abhijan (SSA).
The WBNSWA filed a deputation in this regard to Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi. There are around 17,000 pre-primary Anglo-Bengali schools in the state. “The primary government schools begin from Class I and students above five years are eligible for admission. The government should recognise our job of catering to this huge student population, below five years of age,” said Debiprashad Paul, general secretary of WBNSWA.
WBNSWA further claimed that the government-run schools are a failure and that guardians prefer to send their ward to Anglo-Bengali schools. “In order to attract students the government provides midday meal. Our fees are low and we cannot always cater to the growing demand. We do not want money from the government, but recognition would be welcomed,” said Paul. “We prepare the base of the students who shine brightly in Madhyamik and HS examination,” he added.
The teachers also want the Anglo Bengali Pre Primary schools to be brought under SSA. “If we are brought under SSA we too can teach students free of cost. The governor has understood our problems and has agreed to take up the matter,” said Paul.
Almost a decade back the state government decided to do away with pre-primary schools and shifted all teachers to the primary schools.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Kolkata, February 7, 2007
West Bengal Nursery School Welfare Association (WBNSWA) demanded on Wednesday that all non-government Anglo-Bengali pre-primary Schools of the state be given government recognition and brought under the ambit of Sarva Siksha Abhijan (SSA).
The WBNSWA filed a deputation in this regard to Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi. There are around 17,000 pre-primary Anglo-Bengali schools in the state. “The primary government schools begin from Class I and students above five years are eligible for admission. The government should recognise our job of catering to this huge student population, below five years of age,” said Debiprashad Paul, general secretary of WBNSWA.
WBNSWA further claimed that the government-run schools are a failure and that guardians prefer to send their ward to Anglo-Bengali schools. “In order to attract students the government provides midday meal. Our fees are low and we cannot always cater to the growing demand. We do not want money from the government, but recognition would be welcomed,” said Paul. “We prepare the base of the students who shine brightly in Madhyamik and HS examination,” he added.
The teachers also want the Anglo Bengali Pre Primary schools to be brought under SSA. “If we are brought under SSA we too can teach students free of cost. The governor has understood our problems and has agreed to take up the matter,” said Paul.
Almost a decade back the state government decided to do away with pre-primary schools and shifted all teachers to the primary schools.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Anti-ragging panel visits state
Mou Chakraborty,
Kolkata, February 6, 2007
Zero-tolerance to ragging. This is the message being disseminated by the anti ragging committee formed by the Supreme Court.
The seven-member anti ragging committee headed by R. K. Raghavan, the former director of CBI, was on a day’s visit to West Bengal. “We are quite happy with the situation here. The state government has taken a very proactive role and the situation can be further controlled if every institute has its anti ragging cell,” said Raghavan. Apart from the students and teachers, the team suggested the participation of parents in the proposed anti ragging cell.
The team went to Jadavpur University (JU) and interacted with the students and faculty. The team tried to find out what students mean by ragging and what is its content. Later in the day, the team met higher education department officials along with representatives from 16 colleges and members of various students unions.
The Raghavan committee suggested to the state to find ways to facilitative harmless interaction between the seniors and juniors. “The students told us that there are few incidents of ragging. We want the state government and the institutions to ensure that the interaction between the junior and senior students is done in a cordial manner. Mostly, the seniors mean no harm but it is due to their over enthusiasm that some incidents become big,” said Raghavan.
Answering why the team was not taken to ragging prone institutions like the Bengal Engineering & Science University (BESU), Shibpur but to JU, the additional chief secretary of higher education & science & technology department Asok M. Chakrabarti said, “Jadavpur once had a bad reputation for ragging, now it is a model of peace. We could have taken them to other places too, but since the team was on one-day visit they could not have travelled much.”
But Chakrabarti agreed that the state still has to sensitise students against ragging. “Though the reports of ragging have dropped considerably, but there are many incidents, which go unreported. We are creating an e-mail id to track such incidents,” he said. “The students cannot study in an environment where they are always fearful of seniors,” he added.
The anti ragging committee has already visited Guwahati and will now travel all over the country and then report back to the Supreme Court. If you want to report any incident of ragging you can e-mail to raging.edu@nic.in.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Kolkata, February 6, 2007
Zero-tolerance to ragging. This is the message being disseminated by the anti ragging committee formed by the Supreme Court.
The seven-member anti ragging committee headed by R. K. Raghavan, the former director of CBI, was on a day’s visit to West Bengal. “We are quite happy with the situation here. The state government has taken a very proactive role and the situation can be further controlled if every institute has its anti ragging cell,” said Raghavan. Apart from the students and teachers, the team suggested the participation of parents in the proposed anti ragging cell.
The team went to Jadavpur University (JU) and interacted with the students and faculty. The team tried to find out what students mean by ragging and what is its content. Later in the day, the team met higher education department officials along with representatives from 16 colleges and members of various students unions.
The Raghavan committee suggested to the state to find ways to facilitative harmless interaction between the seniors and juniors. “The students told us that there are few incidents of ragging. We want the state government and the institutions to ensure that the interaction between the junior and senior students is done in a cordial manner. Mostly, the seniors mean no harm but it is due to their over enthusiasm that some incidents become big,” said Raghavan.
Answering why the team was not taken to ragging prone institutions like the Bengal Engineering & Science University (BESU), Shibpur but to JU, the additional chief secretary of higher education & science & technology department Asok M. Chakrabarti said, “Jadavpur once had a bad reputation for ragging, now it is a model of peace. We could have taken them to other places too, but since the team was on one-day visit they could not have travelled much.”
But Chakrabarti agreed that the state still has to sensitise students against ragging. “Though the reports of ragging have dropped considerably, but there are many incidents, which go unreported. We are creating an e-mail id to track such incidents,” he said. “The students cannot study in an environment where they are always fearful of seniors,” he added.
The anti ragging committee has already visited Guwahati and will now travel all over the country and then report back to the Supreme Court. If you want to report any incident of ragging you can e-mail to raging.edu@nic.in.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Monday, February 5, 2007
Will clothes made of garbage be future fashion?
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, February 5, 2007
Think twice before you want to dispose your garbage. You might want to fashion stunning clothes out of them. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) students have done just that. They have exhibited their wares for the competition at Fashion Spectrum 2007, their annual fest.
Students made their creations using blister sheets, ribbon, plastic straw, plates and bowls. “We are trying to inspire students to channelise their creativity in a different direction. They can now make clothes which are also eco-friendly,” said Jayati Mukherjee, Design & Student Development Activity coordinator of NIFT, Kolkata.
Nightwear out of transparent blister sheets, lingerie made of plastic cups and plates were some of the exhibited items. “These clothes were not daily wear, but they will look great on the ramp,” said Durbamala Roy, winner of the competition.
Another prizewinner Aloke Singh, has made shoes out of newspapers. In fact newspapers can be used to make clothes. Newspaper is pulped and chemically treated. Then it is weaved with yarn to make garments. Like jute garments, newspaper yarn can provide a trendy new look.
Used clothes, small pieces of cloth thrown away while making garments, plastic products, ribbon, thermocol, carry bags, wires, yarn, clay and even bicycle tyres and moped inner tubes can be used to make garments. “If we present it professionally there is a market for such garments. People look for comfort and style, if we can provide both who knows these products can be popular too,” said Singh.
Raymond’s manufactures eco-friendly fabric out of bamboo shoots. Designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh is using fabrics made from wood pulp fibre for her fashion line. The time is ripe for venturing into virgin territory feels NIFT students. Moreover, by recycling clothes, there will be less pollution. The clothes would also be cheaper.
More than 10,00,000 tons of textiles are discarded every year. In fact, textiles make up about 3 per cent by weight of garbage in household bins. Eco friendly garments are bacteria free, non-allergic and can breathe, which means that they are comfortable.
“We want our students to explore the concept of eco-friendly garments. So much goes to waste and we do not even know their end use,” said Mukherjee.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Kolkata, February 5, 2007
Think twice before you want to dispose your garbage. You might want to fashion stunning clothes out of them. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) students have done just that. They have exhibited their wares for the competition at Fashion Spectrum 2007, their annual fest.
Students made their creations using blister sheets, ribbon, plastic straw, plates and bowls. “We are trying to inspire students to channelise their creativity in a different direction. They can now make clothes which are also eco-friendly,” said Jayati Mukherjee, Design & Student Development Activity coordinator of NIFT, Kolkata.
Nightwear out of transparent blister sheets, lingerie made of plastic cups and plates were some of the exhibited items. “These clothes were not daily wear, but they will look great on the ramp,” said Durbamala Roy, winner of the competition.
Another prizewinner Aloke Singh, has made shoes out of newspapers. In fact newspapers can be used to make clothes. Newspaper is pulped and chemically treated. Then it is weaved with yarn to make garments. Like jute garments, newspaper yarn can provide a trendy new look.
Used clothes, small pieces of cloth thrown away while making garments, plastic products, ribbon, thermocol, carry bags, wires, yarn, clay and even bicycle tyres and moped inner tubes can be used to make garments. “If we present it professionally there is a market for such garments. People look for comfort and style, if we can provide both who knows these products can be popular too,” said Singh.
Raymond’s manufactures eco-friendly fabric out of bamboo shoots. Designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh is using fabrics made from wood pulp fibre for her fashion line. The time is ripe for venturing into virgin territory feels NIFT students. Moreover, by recycling clothes, there will be less pollution. The clothes would also be cheaper.
More than 10,00,000 tons of textiles are discarded every year. In fact, textiles make up about 3 per cent by weight of garbage in household bins. Eco friendly garments are bacteria free, non-allergic and can breathe, which means that they are comfortable.
“We want our students to explore the concept of eco-friendly garments. So much goes to waste and we do not even know their end use,” said Mukherjee.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Friday, February 2, 2007
Nine-point grading in Madhyamik from 2009
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, February 2, 2007
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) will begin a nine-point grading system in Madhyamik from 2009. For Class VI to IX, however, the grading system will come into effect from this May.
“We will introduce grades from class VI to IX from the 2007-2008 academic session beginning in May. And when these Class IX students go to Class X, they will be the first batch to get grades in Madhyamik,” said WBBSE president Prof Ujjal Basu.
The WBBSE took the decision at its general body meeting on Friday. It also formed a task force that will decide on the modalities for introduction of the grading system. It will submit its final report by March 31.
The task force will also discuss terms of reference on various matters, like whether there will be marks along with grades or only grades and whether there will be a grand total. The highest grade, A++, will be accompanied by a remark. The lowest grade is yet to be decided. During summer vacation, teachers will receive training on how to award grades.
WBBSE will also review its exam regulations to facilitate changes. The teachers’ unions have suggested supplementary exams for students who fail in some subjects but score pass marks in their grand total. “We could promote these students to the higher class, give them special coaching in the subjects they failed and conduct a supplementary examination three months later. If they pass they will be promoted, otherwise not,” said Prof Basu.
The board will also review pass marks. Currently, students have to score at least 20 in each subject and 34 on an average to be declared ‘pass’ in a group. The board is thinking of bringing the pass marks down to 20.
The board also wants to start ‘cumulative report cards’ that will also state subject-wise marks and grades of the student in the previous class. “Preparing cumulative report cards is a laborious task but it would greatly benefit the students. The purpose of grading is to ease exam-related stress and ensure that students perform better. This cannot happen unless the teachers get to see how they have performed in the last few years,” said Prof Basu.
WBBSE will also deliberate on whether changes could be made to the academic session. They will also premeditate on whether promotion from class VI to VIII can be given on the basis of the grand total in the best four or five subjects.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Kolkata, February 2, 2007
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) will begin a nine-point grading system in Madhyamik from 2009. For Class VI to IX, however, the grading system will come into effect from this May.
“We will introduce grades from class VI to IX from the 2007-2008 academic session beginning in May. And when these Class IX students go to Class X, they will be the first batch to get grades in Madhyamik,” said WBBSE president Prof Ujjal Basu.
The WBBSE took the decision at its general body meeting on Friday. It also formed a task force that will decide on the modalities for introduction of the grading system. It will submit its final report by March 31.
The task force will also discuss terms of reference on various matters, like whether there will be marks along with grades or only grades and whether there will be a grand total. The highest grade, A++, will be accompanied by a remark. The lowest grade is yet to be decided. During summer vacation, teachers will receive training on how to award grades.
WBBSE will also review its exam regulations to facilitate changes. The teachers’ unions have suggested supplementary exams for students who fail in some subjects but score pass marks in their grand total. “We could promote these students to the higher class, give them special coaching in the subjects they failed and conduct a supplementary examination three months later. If they pass they will be promoted, otherwise not,” said Prof Basu.
The board will also review pass marks. Currently, students have to score at least 20 in each subject and 34 on an average to be declared ‘pass’ in a group. The board is thinking of bringing the pass marks down to 20.
The board also wants to start ‘cumulative report cards’ that will also state subject-wise marks and grades of the student in the previous class. “Preparing cumulative report cards is a laborious task but it would greatly benefit the students. The purpose of grading is to ease exam-related stress and ensure that students perform better. This cannot happen unless the teachers get to see how they have performed in the last few years,” said Prof Basu.
WBBSE will also deliberate on whether changes could be made to the academic session. They will also premeditate on whether promotion from class VI to VIII can be given on the basis of the grand total in the best four or five subjects.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com
Thursday, February 1, 2007
BESU students boycott classes over poor placement
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, February 1, 2007
Unhappy with placements, post-graduate students of Bengal Engineering & Science University (BESU), Shibpur, stayed away from the classrooms on Thursday and threatened to continue the boycott for an indefinite period if their problem is not addressed within a day.
Of the 225 post-graduate students, only 20 per cent have found placement till now. “While the university has already placed 97 per cent of the undergraduate students, why are they discriminating against the post-graduate students? We are more qualified and hence it is only natural that we should better placements than our juniors,” a post-graduate student said.
Registrar Bhaswati Mitra, professor in charge of students’ affairs Lieutenant Colonel A. K. Ghosh and professor in charge of training and placement Manash Shanyal met the agitating students, who sat on a dharna in the main lobby, but the students were not satisfied with the outcome.
The university authorities admit that the demand for placement is not unjustified, but plead helplessness. “It is true that post-graduate students are not getting good placements as compared to undergraduate students but then the market demand is higher for undergraduate students. We always try to ensure the best of placements for all student and we have assured the post-graduate students that all of them will be placed,” Mitra said.
Most companies who visit the campus for placements set 60 per cent marks in the Class X and XII examinations as one of the minimum eligibility criteria. It is here that most of the post-graduate students are disqualified. While the undergraduate students have to clear WBJEE for admission to BESU and therefore usually have 60 per cent marks in the Class X and XII exams, post-graduate students complete BTech or an equivalent exam, MCA, MBA or MSc and qualify GATE to study in BESU. Moreover some post-graduate students also cross the maximum age limit for job offers, which is 27 years.
“The post-graduate students forget that their department is only eight years old where as the undergraduate department is 150 years old. Most of us have scored above 60 per cent throughout our academic career while they have not,” said Abhigyan Bera, a fourth-year undergraduate student of BESU. “If the companies hire post-graduate students, they too have to spend less money on training them.”
The post-graduate students have sought a written assurance from the university that their placements will not be neglected. Or else, they would boycott classes indefinitely from Friday.
“We really do not know whether the students will boycott classes again from Friday because there has been no official communication from their end. Even on Thursday, they did not inform us before starting the agitation,” Mitra said.
mou.hindutsantimes@yahoo.com
Kolkata, February 1, 2007
Unhappy with placements, post-graduate students of Bengal Engineering & Science University (BESU), Shibpur, stayed away from the classrooms on Thursday and threatened to continue the boycott for an indefinite period if their problem is not addressed within a day.
Of the 225 post-graduate students, only 20 per cent have found placement till now. “While the university has already placed 97 per cent of the undergraduate students, why are they discriminating against the post-graduate students? We are more qualified and hence it is only natural that we should better placements than our juniors,” a post-graduate student said.
Registrar Bhaswati Mitra, professor in charge of students’ affairs Lieutenant Colonel A. K. Ghosh and professor in charge of training and placement Manash Shanyal met the agitating students, who sat on a dharna in the main lobby, but the students were not satisfied with the outcome.
The university authorities admit that the demand for placement is not unjustified, but plead helplessness. “It is true that post-graduate students are not getting good placements as compared to undergraduate students but then the market demand is higher for undergraduate students. We always try to ensure the best of placements for all student and we have assured the post-graduate students that all of them will be placed,” Mitra said.
Most companies who visit the campus for placements set 60 per cent marks in the Class X and XII examinations as one of the minimum eligibility criteria. It is here that most of the post-graduate students are disqualified. While the undergraduate students have to clear WBJEE for admission to BESU and therefore usually have 60 per cent marks in the Class X and XII exams, post-graduate students complete BTech or an equivalent exam, MCA, MBA or MSc and qualify GATE to study in BESU. Moreover some post-graduate students also cross the maximum age limit for job offers, which is 27 years.
“The post-graduate students forget that their department is only eight years old where as the undergraduate department is 150 years old. Most of us have scored above 60 per cent throughout our academic career while they have not,” said Abhigyan Bera, a fourth-year undergraduate student of BESU. “If the companies hire post-graduate students, they too have to spend less money on training them.”
The post-graduate students have sought a written assurance from the university that their placements will not be neglected. Or else, they would boycott classes indefinitely from Friday.
“We really do not know whether the students will boycott classes again from Friday because there has been no official communication from their end. Even on Thursday, they did not inform us before starting the agitation,” Mitra said.
mou.hindutsantimes@yahoo.com
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