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Showing posts from December, 2008

Lax officials fail to renew GU students’ insurance policy

The state govt brought 3.86 lakh GU students under the umbrella of accident insurance scheme of New India Insurance Company last year By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, December 30, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2008123020081230031753922879ad1f9 ) Students of the Gujarat University, it seems, face an uninsured future once againThe Gujarat University (GU) students would miss out on the benefits of the insurance cover this fiscal if they meet with an accident as the laggard state government and varsity authorities failed to take initiatives to renew the scheme, which expired on March 31, 2008. The state government brought 3,86,000 GU students under the umbrella of accident insurance scheme of New India Insurance Company last fiscal. But a year on, neither the varsity officials nor the state government authorities recalled that it had to be renewed.The slip has disappointed the var

From rap to rudraksh

Rose Day and Chocolate Day are passe. Students of Sahjanand College enjoy a hatke experience on Sundarkand Day By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Sunday, December 28, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2008122820081228023012703fd5615b1 ) Ram dhuns and bhajans marked Sundarkand Day for collegians, who wore their uniform — the jeans — but with rudrakshThis is one day which even the Gujarat University vice-chancellor cannot object to. For when Sahjanand College decided to celebrate a day with a difference, they gave it a touch of the spiritual. Ram dhuns and bhajans marked Sundarkand Day for collegians, who wore their uniform — the jeans — but with rudraksh adorning their necks and wrists. Traditionally, it is considered auspicious to hold a recital of Sundarkand, a chapter in the Ram-Charit-Maanas penned by Goswami Tulsidas, on Saturday. So, college students were joined by faculty members on Sa

Only college in country to have a discotheque

St Kabir Institute has built a discotheque to ensure that students party without getting into trouble By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, December 27, 2008 at 03:17:07 AM (Ahmedabad mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2008122720081227031707845c28295b2 ) The discotheque at St Kabir Institute of Professional Studies has light and sound systems that are seen in popular dance venues in the cityFreshers’ parties — one of the few events that students look forward to — are often a source of headache for colleges, with reports of brawls and harassment being a regular feature. However, an educational institute in the city has found a way to keep trouble-makers at bay, and ensure that students are on their best behaviour even while dancing.The St Kabir Institute of Professional Studies (SKIPS) has opened a ‘discotheque’ in the basement of its campus on Drive-in Road. It is perhaps the first institute in the co

Naked truth of our school sports

Why a country of over 100 crore can’t produce Olympic champions? This pic gives you the answer By Charu Pant and Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, December 25, 2008 at 06:40:28 PM ( Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Cover%20Story&sectid=2&contentid=2008122520081225184028658d8c99ec5 ) This boy is no street urchin. He is a kho-kho player representing Gujarat in the National School Games and taking a bath in Delhi on Wednesday when the lowest temp was 9oC. To put things in perspective, the minimum temp in Ahmedabad on Wed was 15oCA day after Ahmedabad Mirror exposed how the Gujarat contingent of 126 students and 12 officials for the on-going National School Games was put up in just four filthy and dilapidated rooms of an under-construction school in Delhi (Shame Games, December 24), more horror stories of our kids’ suffering have come to the fore.While the Gujarat tennis squad of 30 players managed to sh

Move over burgers, pani puri now just a call away

Stall owner Vishnu Godpode interacts with customers on SMS, maintains a website and keeps track of bookings through customer identification numbers By Yogesh Avasthi And Dhwani Pathak Posted On Thursday, December 25, 2008 at 03:05:10 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2008122520081225030510376b63f589e ) Vishnu regularly updates his 500-odd customers about his servicesYears ago when his other ventures failed, Vishnu Godpode tried out the ‘pani puri’ business. He soon struck roots, refined the product, added value and took it to a new level. Today, Godpode takes orders on phone and keeps track of bookings through customer identification numbers.Located near HL commerce college, the outlet is called ‘IIM Mineralwater panipuri’. And Godpode’s product and business practices too live up to the hallowed name he has adopted. Like a trendy fast-food outlet, Godpode’s shop also boasts of a website

BSNL number goes for Rs 77,000

Telecom company earns Rs 10 lakh in revenue from sale of 337 ‘VIP’ numbers By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at 03:09:38 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=200812242008122403093817dc9591bd ) The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) seems to have killed two birds with one stone with its auction of ‘VIP’ mobile phone numbers. One, the plan to auction special numbers has stopped the blackmarket of such numbers. Second, it has helped BSNL earn some good cash without investing anything.The company auctioned 6,636 ‘VIP’ numbers in the Gujarat Telecom Circle in the recently introduced series: 94292 and 94293, on its website. Those interested in the numbers had to send an SMS, mentioning the number they wanted and the bid they were putting up for it. The auction that started on December 16 ended at 10 am on Tuesday. The company received 2200 SMSes, with 337 numbers bid b

Just not learning what they teach

Wi-fi networks of city’s elite educational institutes are unsecured and vulnerable to hacking by terror groups, find out AM reporters By Yogesh Avasthi and Deepti Singh Posted On Monday, December 22, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=20081222200812220232535646949dd22 ) At LD, AM reporter Yogesh Avasthi & Neelam Doctor sit outside one of the faculties and browse through its dial-up box (Bottom)These are city’s premier institutes. They churn out top class IT professionals. They have the brightest in the business, people who know the ins and outs of information technology, working for them. They know how to make networks impregnable and that is what students here learn. But these same organisations display exemplary laxity in securing their own wi-fi networks, making them open to abuse.Startling lapses in internet security were discovered at three elite institutes, LD Engineering Col

Freedom Struggle

Cover Story Freedom Struggle V-C promises rethink on ban on celebration of days on college campuses as students’ build up pressure By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, December 19, 2008 at 02:30:00 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : Cover Story : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Cover%20Story&sectid=2&contentid=2008121920081219023000800b9ac01d9 Just a week after issuing a diktat to the Gujarat University-affiliated colleges to ban celebration of ‘days’ on their campuses, Vice-Chancellor Dr Parimal Trivedi was scorced to do a rethink on his decision following students’ protest on Thursday.Reacting to Ahmedabad Mirror’s cover story that highlighted students’ anguish at Dr Trivedi’s decision, which they called dictatorial (Parimal spoilsport Trivedi, December 18), more students across GU-affiliated colleges came forward under the banner of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and shouted slogans against the V-C’s decision, on the University

Parimal spoilsport Trivedi

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Gujarat University Vice Chancellor bans celebration of days like Rose Day, Friendship Day, etc., on campus, but students send out a clear signal — they are determined not to let all the fun go out of college life By Yogesh Avasthi and Dhwani Pathak Posted On Friday, December 19, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror cover story & Mumbai Mirror) We’re not kids! With soft toys in their hands and thumbs in their mouths, these girls were not merely posing as kids, but sending a clear message to VC Parimal Trivedi (above right)Ahmedabad: Gujarat University vice-chancellor Parimal Trivedi’s latest diktat banning celebration of ‘days’ like Rose Day, Friendship Day, etc., in GU-affiliated colleges has had a contrary effect — students openly revolted against what they perceive as dictatorship and celebrated a sarcastic ‘Kids’ Day’ on the HL Centre for Professional Education college campus. On December 10, Trivedi released a circular to all GU-affiliated colleges, banning celebration of various days on

Hariom trust accuses GU of sitting on funds

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A trustee of the Hariom Ashram Trust alleged on Thursday that the university has ‘gobbled up’ lakhs of rupees meant for developing an encyclopedia By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, December 19, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) Nawal Kishore SharmaThe Hariom Ashram Trust has accused the Gujarat Univ ersity (GU) of sitting on lakhs of rupees that were provided for developing an encyclopedia. A trustee of the Hariom Ashram Trust, Gautam Patel, made the allegation at a meet at the HK Hall on Thursday.The meet, organised jointly by the trust and HK Arts College, was called to discuss the philosophy and life of a spiritual leader, Pujya Sri Mota. “Our trust gave lakhs of rupees to the university more than 30 years back to develop an encyclopedia on ‘Yantra Vidhya’,” Patel said while addressing the meet. “However, I don’t think any work has been done on the encyclopedia. The money is lying unused.”Patel said that the Hariom Ashram Trust had enquired about the encyclopedia project several times, but

Copyright on Gandhi’s books expires on Jan 1

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Any publisher — or individual — will be able to reprint Gandhiji’s autobiography and other literary works, without paying a royalty fee to the Navjivan Trust from next year By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, December 18, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirr0r) Gandhiji’s autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, has been published in 20 Indian languages and 25 foreign languagesIn an effort to popularise Gandhian philosophy, the Navjivan Trust will put the books written by Bapu in the public domain from January 1, 2009. The move will enable any publisher — or individual — to reprint Bapu’s works, including his autobiography, without paying a royalty fee to the Navjivan Trust.Mahatma Gandhi has written three books, My Experiments with Truth, History of Revolution in South Africa and Hind Swaraj, all of which will be put in the public domain. According to Indian laws, heir/heirs of a book can claim copyright and royalty for 60 years after the author’s death. The Navjivan Trust, which is heir to Gandhi

Mid-day meal scheme extended to class VIII

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Initially, the decision will benefit 20,000 students of 175 schools of Ahmedabad, G’nagar dists By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, December 17, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) The scheme has played a vital role in arresting drop-out rateThe Central government has decided to extend its Mid-Day Meal scheme upto class VIII. Presently, the scheme covers only primary students till class VII. The decision will be implemented in phased manner in June next year. Initially, around 20,000 students of 175 schools from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts will be covered under this scheme. Of the 175 schools, 50 are from Ahmedabad city, 93 from Ahmedabad rural and the remaining are from Gandhinagar district. A meeting of school principals in this regard was held recently.Officials in Education Department said: “Poor financial condition of the family leads to school drop outs, especially after class VII. We will implement this scheme in a few schools initially, and later on will cover other schools.”Th

Van Owner's nod to GLS sefty measures

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After schools, van owners pledge to adopt GLS’ plan that will ensure school vehicles adhere to guidelines set by the Gujarat High Court By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, December 13, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) The plan will be finalised on Dec 27 The Ahmedabad School Vardhy Association (ASVA), which has under its banner 4,000 vans and 6,000 autorickshaws that carry more than 1 lakh school children daily, has agreed to be a part of the Gujarat Law Society’s (GLS) plan to ensure kids’ safety o n school vans. The GLS executive vice-president and legal luminary, Sudhir Navanati, had proposed to institute a tripartite agreement for van owners, parents and schools to make sure school vans adhere to guidelines set by the Gujarat High Court in 2006 (GLS vows safe vans for kids, AM, December 9). Nanavati will also focus on autorickshaws carrying school children once he finalises the school vans problem. On Thursday, the ASVA top brass held a two-hour meeting with Nanavati, in which it pledged

Western Railways to chug on wind power

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WR waiting for Board’s approval of its Rs 70-cr plan to start wind farms to harness energy for its trains By Jignesh Barot and Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, December 12, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) The Railways’ turn from a loss-making organisation to a profit-churning one is the subject of management text-books. But it does not plan to rest on its laurels yet. Instead, it is mulling different ways to reduce maintenance cost, earn some carbon credits along with more moolah in the process! For this, the Western Railway is planning to start wind farms to harness energy to power trains. WR is looking for suitable locations in Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad divisions. “We need a site where the average wind frequency is around 25-30 km per hour. All three divisions share the Saurashtra coastal belt that enjoys heavy wind speed,” said Shyam Sunder Gupta, chief PRO of Western Railway.“The proposal has been tabled before the railway board. The Rs 70-crore pilot project will include seven windm

Our kids’ safety is our duty

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Leading schools ready to adopt GLS’ plan that will ensure vans carrying kids adhere to guidelines set by Gujarat HC By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, December 10, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) Reacting to the Gujarat Law Society’s (GLS) plan to institute a tripartite agreement for van owners, parents and its schools to ensure children’s safety in school vans, four prominent education institutes in the city have pledged to follow suit.On Tuesday, Ahmedabad Mirror had reported the GLS group’s executive vice-president, Sudhir Nanavati’s plan to involve parents, van owners and schools in a bid to make sure school vans adhere to guidelines set by the Gujarat High Court (GLS vows safe vans for kids). The agreement draft is now being sought by trustees of the H B Kapadia group, which governs more than 10 schools in the city, the Tripada Group, with three schools under its banner, Silver Bells High School in Bapunagar and the Nirman High School on C G Road. The fact that the agreeme

GLS vows safe vans for kids

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GLS will make sure school vans adhere to guidelines set by the Gujarat HC through a tripartite agreement between van owners, parents and school management By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, December 09, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) The GLS’ move will ensure the van owners dont carry more than 12 kids and the vehicle will be fitted with a fire extinguisher, safety door locks, window grills and a first-aid kit ONE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR DECIDES TO NOT RISK HIS STUDENTS’ LIVES EVERY DAY To ensure students’ safety on school vans, the Gujarat Law Society (GLS), which oversees the functioning of four leading primary schools in the city, has decided to bind van owners, parents and its own school management in a legal agreement. From the next academic year, the GLS, which has under its banner C U Shah Primary School, N R Primary School, GLS Primary School and K N Primary School, will make it mandatory for vehicle owners and parents to enter into a tripartite agreement with school manage

Now, CCTVs in all GU colleges

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Varsity announces new measures, including installing metal detectors, 24-hour security staff and daily I-card checks By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, December 09, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) The security measures will also enable university officials to keep a watch on all objectionable activities on campus, including ragging, demonstrations and indecent behaviour. A few colleges in the city have already begun installing CCTVs on their campusesAll colleges affiliated to Gujarat University will soon have CCTVs monitoring movement at entrances and other places on campus for security reasons. So, while any unauthorised entry onto the campus will show up on closed-circuit TVs, pranksters too are recommended to be wary of the new development. Vice-chancellor Parimal Trivedi said all 356 colleges, with a total student strength of 2,60,000, affiliated to GU will be equipped with the facility. He said the measure was being taken to ensure safety of students in the wake of increased terrorist a

Values to IT testing experts, Gujarat Vidyapith has it all

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Deemed varsity students conduct third-party audit of health department’s networking project By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, December 09, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) Gujarat Vidyapith, still famous for its values, has started making forays into the world of technology, and how! Its students, not faculty members, conducted third-party audit of a state government’s networking project and tabled a detailed report on its findi ngs last month.Usually, third party audits of the state government-run projects are conducted by senior faculty members of leading institutes like NIRMA University and Physical Research Laboratory. But the deemed varsity founded by Mahatma Gandhi bagged the tender for the second phase of the checking and certification of the campus-wide networking project in district hospitals. The state health department awarding the bid to Gujarat Vidyapith despite the deemed varsity’s declaration that its students would conduct the audit reflects the immense faith of the authoriti

GU to train students in anti-terror tactics

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In a first of its kind in India, the Gujarat University to introduce a counter-terrorism course in April By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, December 08, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) In a move that promises to turn the current education system on its head, the Gujarat University is all set to introduce in its curriculum a course dealing in counter-terrorism.The Mumbai attack of November 26 has proved — once again — how easy it is for terrorists to strike anywhere in India at will, thanks to ineffective information gathering units of our security agencies. The Gujarat University top brass has realised that not only is it foolhardy to depend solely on the security agencies for our protection, it is also imperative to act as fast as possible to draw a counter-plan. The need of the hour, according to the University’s vice-chancellor Dr Parimal Trivedi, is to train the young generation in dealing with terror “at a level slightly above basic.” Starting April 2009, the University will

PG-CET for aspiring docs likely

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Panel recommends PG-CET for medical students, though the state government is yet to take a final decision By Ojas Mehta and Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 03:14:38 AM The state inched closer towards a possible all-Gujarat post-graduate common entrance test (PG-CET) for its post-graduate medical students, after the committee formed to examine the feasibility of the common entrance submitted its report to Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas on Tuesday. The recommendations made by the committee favoured a PG-CET for medical students, said sources. The state government though is yet to take a final decision. The report split in two volumes runs into 400 pages and the panel has dealt with issues beginning from the All-India quota — both of MBBS entrance as well as PG Entrance Level. The panel headed by BJP MLA Dr Kanu Kalsaria stated that students want equal opportunitiesand are demanding a common admission system for all colleges. The committee emphasised that students

Terminal Torture

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FOUR AM reporters stood outside the airport on Tuesday and Wednesday trying to find an auto driver at the airport who would charge them according to the meter. They came away suffering from... Posted On Thursday, October 16, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) PASSENGER Shraddha DESTINATION Ashram Road FARE CHARGED Rs 100 ACTUAL FARE Rs 70Landing at Ahmedabad airport? No vehicle to take you to your destination? You are doomed.For years now, those flying into the city — and those who have come to see off a relative or a friend — are at the complete mercy of unscrupulous autorickshaw drivers outside the Ahmedabad airport in case they don’t have conveyance of their own. And the authorities are simply indifferent towards the citizens’ plight.Ahmedabad Mirror decided to highlight the sheer torture one goes through at the airport if he/she has to depend solely on autos to get to the destination. PASSENGER Yogesh DESTINATION Cama Hotel FARE CHARGED Rs 110 ACTUAL FARE Rs 90On Tuesday and Wedne

GU Dances to Govt's Tune

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Vice-chancellor gifts its GMDC grounds for govt’s Navratri festivities at a discount of Rs 11.5 lakh By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, September 26, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Dr Trivedi is not too bothered about the loss in revenueIt’s the season of discounts. And the state government has managed to land the biggest discount of all. It has hired Gujarat University’s ground for its Vibrant Gujarat Navratri Mahotsav-2008 for a measly Rs 1 lakh. The varsity usually charges Rs 50,000 A DAY as rent for the 60-acre plot adjacent to the GMDC building near Helmet Crossroads. During Navratri, all roads lead to this plot. Big-time organisers hire the plot to host famous garba singers like Devang Patel. It takes five days to pitch the tents and other paraphernalia to host a grand function. While the nine-day festival sometimes stretches to 10 days, it takes another five days to pull down the tents and clear the ground. The varsity charges rent for ea

IPL to arrive in city

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Gujarat Cricket Association has asked the Indian Premier League to allot two matches featuring Rajasthan Royals to Ahmedabad, confirmation to arrive within a week By Tapan Joshi and Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Sunday, October 12, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) The Indian Premier League (IPL) razzmatazz is set to make a ‘Royal’ entry into the city. Ahmedabad is likely to host two matches involving Rajasthan Royals in the second edition of the IPL Twenty20 competition, scheduled to begin in the second week of April. Confirming the development, Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) President Narhari Amin told Ahmedabad Mirror, “I told Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner of the IPL, that cricket-loving Amdavadis deserve a tournament like IPL in their backyard. Modi said he was aware about the craze cricket generates in Gujarat, and sounded very positive about the idea.” The Rajasthan Royals celebrate their victory in the first edition of the IPL. They are likely to play two matches in Ahmedabad durin

Education department wants schools to have a website...

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... even as the department’s own site was updated last in 2007! By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, October 18, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) The homepage of Lotus School’s websiteIn what is being laughed off as a year-end joke by teachers and princ ipals, the education department has directed all schools in the city to develop their own websites, while its own has not been updated since eons.Deputy education director Dr V B Bhesdadiya sent a circular to all secondary and higher secondary schools on Wednesday, stating that as per the Right to Information Act, it was mandatory for schools to have their own websites. However, the education department websites like gseb.org has a deluge of information that is irrelevant today. The site has not been updated since 2007.A principal from a Navrangpura school says, “The department must be spending lakhs of rupees on sending circulars to schools; we receive atleast three to four letters from them every week. If only they could update their own web

Lost in the web!

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AM conducted a survey of 100 schools in Ahmedabad district and found only 13 had their own websites By Yogesh Avasthi and Dhwani Pathak Posted On Saturday, October 18, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) In this age of Internet and blogging, many schools in the state still woefully lack computer facilities. Without Internet access, most do not even have a school website! Ahmedabad Mirror checked out 100 schools, in rural and urban areas, to find out whether the schools have computer facility, Internet connection, website, e-mail id and the frequency of e-mail s being checked. The results were surprising. Only 13 schools had their own websites!Some of the best schools did not have Internet facilities and a website. The staff lacked awareness about the difference between an e-mail id and a website. The survey sample included English-, Gujarati-, Hindi- and Urdu-medium schools. Of these 13 schools, including 5 in rural areas, had websites of their own. Ninety-two per cent had computers but 63 per cen

Cash worries for Colleges as GU sits on Rs. 1.5 Crore

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Money collected from students for cultural events lies unused while colleges struggle with budgets during GU youth festival By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, September 22, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) Host colleges end up spending lakhs from their own pockets during the youth festsThe Gujarat University is sitting on Rs 1.5 crore meant for cultural affairs, even as colleges hosting the on-going youth festival are crying for more funds to organise the event.Every year, colleges hosting youth festival are granted Rs 1.5 lakh (rural area) and Rs 1.25 lakh (urban sector) by the Gujarat University. The college hosting the final events in the youth festival get Rs 2.5 lakh.But host colleges end up spending almost Rs 5 lakh during the festival. And it’s not the University funds that are being used to organise events.The youth festival is organised exclusively from the students’ money. There are around 2.5 lakh registered students of the Gujarat University, who pay Rs 40 each per yea

Fake Fractures scam R.I.P March 14 - Sept 26

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By requesting a court to allow them to drop forgery charges against builders’ children who faked injuries to get bright boys to write class XII papers for them, the cops have confirmed our worst fears By Vijay Zala and Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Sunday, September 28, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror Cover Story) Justice has already been delayed in the fake fractures impostor writers scam, and now, the cops are making sure it is denied altogether.On Friday, the Gujarat University police, investigating the case, appealed to the metropolitan court to drop charges filed under Sections 467 (producing fake documents) and 468 (submitting documents knowing they are fake) of the Indian Penal Code against the accused, which includes class XII students Harsh Kotak and Komal Patel. Harsh and Komal — who faked fractures on their writing hands to engage brilliant students to write the ir chemistry exam on March 14 — are children of prominent builders Pravin Kotak and Sanjay Patel respectively.Harsh and Komal we

Fusion garba with sanedo in Swahili

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Ahmedabad-based music group is adapting sanedo lyrics in African language for the benefit of Gujaratis settled there By Yogesh Avasthi and Dhwani Pathak Posted On Monday, September 22, 2008 (Ahmedabad Mirror) Rajiv Awasthi and his troupe members rehearse their Swahili sanedos before leaving for AfricaThe garba is going Swahili. Not quite here in Ahmedabad, but in Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa.For years, music groups have been making a trip down to East Africa to cater to Gujaratis settled there. This year, they plan to perform in the local lingo, Swahili, for a larger audience. Taking the lead is N&N Entertainment Group, a city-based orchestra, which has adapted sanedo lyrics in the African language. Sanedo in anything but Gujarati is unheard of, but one city-based music group says there’s ample reason for the fusion. Rajiv Avasthi, lead singer of the group, says, “Two years ago when I first went to Tanzania, I added sanedo in garba songs. The crowds had never heard it before,