Yogesh Avasthi

GTU drew up warning notices in September after 400-odd colleges were found short of teaching and technical staff. However, varsity officials have found no time in 4 months to sign and dispatch them Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Sunday, January 29, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2012012920120129232736953d0b5238c/Students-suffer-as-GTU-delays-notices.html ) Thousands of students saw a ray of hope when Gujarat Technological University (GTU) last June realised that several of its affiliated colleges were short not just on teaching staff but also technicians like welders and foundry operators. They thought their sufferings were over when GTU asked colleges to submit details of staff and infrastructure, then sent out teams armed with cameras to verify the data. Little do the students, who are waiting for GTU to act as a ‘sledgehammer’, know that the varsity officials have not ‘found time’ in four months to sign and send warning notices to errant colleges. The blunder, affect...

Fire brigade figures show that 498 men compared to 95 women have plunged into the Sabarmati since April 1, 2007; of these 141 jumped off Sardar Bridge; experts call for fencing all the bridges Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, January 28, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20120128201201280023068297c5230a2/Sardar-bridge-is-1-suicide-point.html ) More people jump to death from Sardar Bridge than any other place and a majority of them are young men, in the age group 20-30. While fire brigade personnel have been able to save 91 people in the last five years they are yet to receive any accolade officially. These are some of the figures that have emerged following a query under Right to Information Act with Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES). As many as 141 people jumped off Sardar Bridge and 103 off Vivekanand (Ellis) Bridge in the last five years, the figures show. The numbers have shot up ever since entry to Kankaria has got restricted due to the development...

According to a new norm which is set to come into effect from Feb 15, passengers Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, January 18, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2012011820120118024255326b5f46e4d/Carry-your-ID-proof-on-board-Rly-mandate.html ) If you have a train journey on the cards after February 14, don’t forget to take your ID proof along with your tickets. Because if you fail to furnish the ID proof, according to the railway’s new norm, you will be held guilty of travelling without ticket and will be penalised. Set to come into force from February 15, the newly introduced rule will be initially applicable to people travelling in AC and executive classes. “Earlier, the condition was applicable to passengers who book their tickets through internet or under Tatkal scheme. But now it is mandatory for AC and executive class travellers to keep their ID proof on board. The move is aimed at checking the practice of journey on transferred tickets,” said Sanjay Manocha,...

Travellers of Duronto make a hue and cry over supply of unclean, unironed bedsheets and pillows; train stopped thrice as passengers, attendants fight; rlys orders inquiry Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, January 17, 2012 ( http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=AMIR&showST=true&login=default&pub=MM&AW=1326900408469 ) Anon-stop train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai became a moving spectacle after passengers clashed with attendants over dirty linen. The incident happened on the Duronto train that left Ahmedabad railway station on Sunday night. Duronto runs thrice-a-week (on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). It leaves the city at 11.45 pm and reaches Mumbai at 6.15 am. According to a passenger, by the time the train reached Nadiad, people started making their beds. As the attendants started distributing the bedsheets, the pillows and covers, napkins and water bottles, the murmurs of discontent began. Soon the noises became loud and clear as more ...

Anand Niketan children re-write lyrics, setting 30 elements of chemistry to the hit song Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, January 16, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2012011620120116013036890c9bbf7e2/Kolaveri--gets-chemistry-right.html )                                           Madhav Joshi, Vrajesh Parikh and Hrushikesh Shah A Shilaj school has come up with a foot-tapping way of keeping students interested in science. As Kolaveri Di busts charts everywhere, students of Anand Niketan have tweaked its lyrics to include the 30 elements of chemistry. Said Class 8 student Madhav Joshi, “Seven students and teachers were going to a function in Gandhinagar when our jeep driver turned on the Kolaveri song. Its catchy tune caught our attention and we churned out some che...

A Bodakdev school wants to create a system whereby students of classes 6 to 8 take exams without the presence of a teacher in class Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, January 10, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20120110201201100242353429efb4d2f/School-shows-way-to-honest-GenNext.html ) Inspired by Anna Hazare’s slogan, “If you want to end corruption, it should begin with you”, a city school has initiated steps to inculcate honesty among its students. Prakash School in Bodakdev has set in motion a novel idea, which if it clicks can set an example for other schools to follow suit. As part of their pilot project, the school management wants to introduce a system whereby students take the school examinations without the presence of a teacher in class. The school, which follows the CBSE pattern, wants to introduce this system for classes 6 to 8 from the new academic year. Teachers will take a roll call of the students appearing for the examination and after distributing...

Third year students of the varsity will conduct the audit for small units and suggest changes for optimum utilisation of energy as part of their academic project Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, January 09, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120109201201090133154844ebd6140/GTU-to-conduct-energy-pollution-audit-in-state.html ) Students of colleges affiliated to Gujarat Technological University will conduct energy and pollution audit for small industries of the state as part of their academic project. The third year students from all branches of engineering, will work on Saturdays and Sundays, auditing and giving these industries alternatives to make optimum utilisation of energy and minimise pollution. GTU Vice Chancellor Akshai Aggarwal said, “Most of the small scale industries are not aware of the scarcity of energy. Neither are they aware of how a few small changes can help them in cutting down the consumption of energy and also help them financially. Our students...

After two months of waiting ten students of GTU, who had applied under RTI, were invited to view the answer sheets they had requested for Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, January 05, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120105201201050223092647d8736e7/GTU-students-shown-answer-sheets-under-RTI.html Finally, Gujarat Technological University has taken the necessary steps to make answer sheets available to the students. Ten students, who had appealed under Right to Information Act, were called by the university to check their answer sheets on Wednesday. Five of the students were of Bachelor of Engineering, one of Diploma Engineering, two of MBA and two students of Bachelor of Pharmacy. Overall, the university had to distribute 15 answer sheets among these students. A GTU source said, “Ten students had applied to see their answer sheets between September and October under RTI Act. But, we had declined the offer at that time. The applicants appealed and following the s...

Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi promises to crack down on doctors helping their children in medical examinations to ensure ‘free and fair’ results Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, January 03, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120103201201030200245933d13db76/GU-rap-for-docs-helping-wards-in-exams.html ) It is finally out in the open. Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi has admitted there are indeed some doctors and parents who try to help out their children and wards in their medical examinations and that it is a challenge for the varsity to ensure “free and fair” examinations for medical and dental courses. Parimal Trivedi on Monday said Gujarat University has now taken special steps to check this menace. As many as 1,500 students are appearing for the MBBS, dental and super specialisation examinations this year. Malpractices have been reported in the practical examinations in the past, which the vice chancellor said are being closely monitored. Th...