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Showing posts from May, 2011

EMPLOYERS CAN VERIFY DEGREE CERTIFICATES OF GTU ONLINE

The tech varsity will upload these documents on its website from this year to cut down on recruiters’ time in verifying candidates’ credentials Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, May 30, 2011 (Pg-1) ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011053020110530011028342a2b86a6a/EMPLOYERS-CAN-VERIFY-DEGREE-CERTIFICATES-OF-GTU-ONLINE.html ) Gujarat Technological University (GTU) plans to upload scanned copies of degree certificates and final year marksheets of students on its website, so that the firms hiring them can verify the genuineness of the documents at the touch of a button. This will also discourage people from tampering with the documents. It will even cut down on the time taken by recruiters and varsities to complete the verification process which usually takes two to three months. GTU will conduct its first convocation around December. Nearly 4,500 MBA students of the first batch will be awarded degree certificates during the ceremony. These certificates will have security fe

Railway committee gives station a miss

Standing panel on railways arrives in city to look into catering service; visits Gandhi Ashram, BRTS control room. But what about Kalupur railway station? Your guess is as good as ours Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, May 24, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110524201105240232272438af19ec2/Railway-committee-gives-station-a-miss.html ) Have you always been served unpalatable food at the Ahmedabad railway station? Pile the blame on a committee formed to look into railway food but did not think it necessary to visit the station before deciding on ways to improve service. The members of the Standing Committee on Railways seemed to prefer the cool interiors of a five-star hotel they were staying in, than the hot and humid base kitchen at Kalupur station. Eight of the 13-member Standing Committee on Railways arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday. They were accompanied by their secretaries; two of them had even carted along their family members. During their day-long visit,

Visa hurdle grounds 540 GTU students

Yogesh Avasthi and Hemington James Posted On Friday, May 20, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110520201105200308136861aeda39c/Visa-hurdle-grounds-540-GTU-students.html ) » The students of technology varsity were to visit US campuses for a summer camp » Consulate cancelled the B2 visa granted and asked them to apply for J category » Insurance company to which students were directed says the programme is cancelled » GTU says it is trying to pull off the June 1-27 tour; now Canada camp is being planned The dream of about 540 Gujarat Technological University students to attend a summer camp at Oklahoma University (OU) and Kansas State University (KSU) in the US is all but shattered. Their own university failed to identify the right category of visa they needed. To compound their woes, the US consulate apparently changed its decision on the visa category the students needed to set foot on the US soil. They were advised to go for J category of visa, which may take up

Main Hoon ? Nah

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Shah Rukh is writing UPSC exam at L D Engineering. That is what the college staff believed on seeing his photograph on attendance sheet Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, May 14, 2011 (Pg-1 All) ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011051420110514031149930ddf1855c/Main-Hoon-Nah.html ) Authorities at the L D Engineering College experienced dard-e-disco in their dil when they saw who was going to appear for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam to be held on campus. The attendance sheet sent staff into a scramble as it listed superstar Shah Rukh Khan as one of the candidates. The three-day engineering service exam begins on Saturday. The authorities were checking the attendance sheet to fix seating arrangements when they came across SRK’s photograph opposite roll number 8375. The sheet — which has the candidate’s name, photograph and signature — had WERW written in place of a name. A scrutiny of the signature revealed it was penned by ‘Sunil Tripathi’. Requesting anonym

GTU to make 1st sem Engg, MCA syllabi easy to reduce failures

In the current syllabus, levels of difficulty are equally distributed across semesters. So, a first-sem student who fails in one or two papers finds it tough to clear backlog Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, May 09, 2011 (Pg-1) ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110509201105121851178988f427572/GTU-to-make-1st-sem-Engg-MCA-syllabi-easy-to-reduce-failures.html ) Gujarat Technological University (GTU) is restructuring the first semester syllabus of engineering and MCA courses to bring down the percentage of failures. As many as 50-55 per cent students fail in one or two subjects in the first semester, which they say is quite tough to crack. In the current syllabus, on a par with that of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the levels of difficulty are equally distributed across the semesters. Hence, it is highly unlikely that student who fails in one or two subjects in the first semester and gets promoted to the secon

MG bags project on Himalayan glaciers

Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, May 09, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201105092011050902594051116d9eff7/MG-bags-project-on-Himalayan-glaciers.html ) A research project on monitoring of the Himalayan snow and glaciers has been given to the Department of Geology of M G Science Institute. The project with an outlay of Rs 20.35 lakh, will be carried out for a period of three years beginning April 2011. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), which approved the project, handed it over to Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, which had earlier carried out phase I of the ‘Snow and Glacier Studies’ project. The SAC then forwarded the project to M G Science Institute. According to R D Shah, professor at M G Science Institute, who will be looking into the phase II project, there are many pockets in the Himalayas where glaciers are not just melting but new glaciers are also forming. “A lot more changes have been going on in the Himalayan regions. Therefore, it

Teachers’ fight eclipses future of 150 students

Students of N C Bodiwala Commerce College fail in internal assessment. Plea for grace marks go unheard as principal and teachers refuse to talk to each other, solve the issue Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, May 06, 2011  (Pg- 1) ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110506201105060218455173b73948b/Teachers%E2%80%99-fight--eclipses-future-of-150-students.html ) In-fighting among teachers and principal of N C Bodiwala Commerce College in Kalupur has left the fate of over 150 students hanging in the balance. Commerce students of first year, second year and third year are falling short of pass marks in internal assessment. Their plea for grace marks fell on deaf ears as the principal passed the buck onto teachers who assessed the exam papers. In turn, the teachers — who are reportedly at loggerheads with the principal and college management — claim grace marks can be granted only if the principal wills so. Internal score comprise marks for attendance and behaviour, as well as

Anyone can flick, tear, burn answer scripts kept at GU

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Mirror finds out how easy it is for a visitor to stroll into the departments on GU campus where answersheets of lakhs of arts, commerce and science students have been kept Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, May 05, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011050520110505031437491c2e7ef72/Anyone-can-flick-tear-burn-answer-scripts-kept-at-GU.html ) Gujarat University may spend Rs 6 crore to conduct exams every year, but keeping students’ answersheets safe is definitely not its priority. On Wednesday, Mirror found out that the answersheets can be accessed by any Tom, Dick and Harry since there are no guards to stop visitors from entering the rooms where these have been stacked. At places where there are, the guards do not know what they are guarding and therefore let anyone in. Every year nearly 3.5 lakh students appear for GU exams. Their answer papers are stored in different departments on GU campus. Even if a single answersheet goes missing, it could lead to a slew of administ

Bhadra aarti to go global

The temple’s soon-to-be-launched website www.bhadrakalimaa.com will webcast the daily aarti for devotees across the world Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, May 04, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201105042011050403352571466977f23/-Bhadra-aarti-to-go-global.html ) The famous Bhadrakali temple will now provide live streaming of the divine aarti on its website for devotees across the globe. The temple will be launching the site www.bhadrakalimaa.com in a fortnight. Believed to be as old as the city, the temple had a Rs 2.5-crore face lift last year. Most Amdavadis, especially those who have been living in the city since long, prefer to begin any auspicious work with a darshan at the temple. Thousands of people living outside the city often send in a chundli (a saree or stole for the diety) or a token in cash for Maa at Bhadra. Now, with the temple going hi-tech, devotees across the globe will be able to do online darshan. The video streaming of the live aarti on th

Return of the Bermudas at varsity library

Librarian forced to take back his diktat after GU VC takes him to task for not taking his permission before banning Bermudas and vests in library Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, April 28, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20110428201104280317281589c22db0/Return-of-the-Bermudas-at-varsity-library.html ) Relief was apparent on the faces of students at the Gujarat University library on Wednesday evening after the ban on Bermudas, vests and tank tops imposed by the librarian was lifted by the vice chancellor. It was a victory of sorts for the students as they trooped inside the library in the evening wearing Bermudas. Incharge librarian Aswin Bhavsar had issued a notice that anyone wearing Bermudas, vests or tank tops will not be allowed on the premises. “Since it is the abode of Goddess Saraswati, it was not befitting to come here in Bermudas or vests,” said the library notice. The notice appealed to students to wear modest clothes and sit properly before it proceede

Rly passengers shunted to impress MPs panel

To get in good books of committee that visited station, RPF jawans wake up passengers sleeping in waiting room, stop children from having lunch Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, April 28, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201104282011042803011029176d0e763/Rly-passengers-shunted--to-impress-MPs-panel.html ) Passengers were left in a lurch when Railway Convention Committee visited Ahmedabad Railway Station at 10 30 am on Wednesday. The officials also visited Sabarmati diesel shed. For the past 10 days, the railway officials were seen on their toes, getting the station cleaned and prepped for the visit. The eight-member committee, comprised five Lok Sabha members and three from Rajya Sabha, was here to look into the facilities, basic amenities, security, cleanliness and so on provided to passengers at the station. The committee inspected CCTV camera control room, passenger reservation centre PRS, passenger waiting rooms and even toilets. During this process, many pass

Ban on Bermudas

Librarian’s diktat of banning ‘objectionable’ clothing at the Gujarat University library does not go down well with students who find casual clothes are more comfortable in summer while studying for exams Yogesh.Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, April 27, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110427201104270320318533179b535/Ban-on-Bermudas.html ) If you think that the Ahmedabad summer is a reason for you to roam around in casual Bermudas, colourful vests or tank tops, think twice before venturing into Gujarat University’s library. The Central Library which keeps open from 7 am to 1 am these days because of the examination season has issued a clear diktat: Anyone wearing Bermudas, vests or tank tops will not allowed on the premises. Not only does the library think it is immodest to wear Bermudas, it also warns of strict action against those who attempt to violate the rule. Since this is the abode of Goddess Sarasawati (the Hindu deity of knowledge), “it is not befitting to c

Pharma, software jobs for C U Shah students

As many as 82 students of C U Shah Science College were offered good pay packages Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, April 26, 2011 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201104262011042601463739453db205a/Pharma-software-jobs-for-C-U-Shah-students.html ) Nearly 82 TYBSc students of C U Shah Science College have been selected for jobs in companies like BioCon, Tata Consultancy Services, Zydus Cadila, Anil Group of Companies, Meghmani Chemicals and Finar Chemicals. As many as 163 students are appearing for the placement process that will be on till all the students are placed. BioCon, which is looking for medical representatives, offered a salary of Rs 2.16 lakh to Rs 2.4 lakh per annum. Tata Consultancy Services shortlisted students for networking and hardware department and made an offer of Rs 1.83 lakh per annum. The company’s learning programme – Ignite – facilitates a successful transition for science graduates to the software industry through learning and transformation. A