Yogesh Avasthi

Following cash for marks controversy in GSHSEB, GTU VC says random checking being carried to rule out any tampering Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, July 25, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201207252012072502420246da85ae3/GTU-too-snaps-ties-with-Nilpa.html ) Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has discontinued its contract with Nilpa Software Systems Private Limited, the agency which is facing a CID probe following its alleged involvement in “cash for marks scam” in Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB). GTU Vice Chancellor Akshai Aggarawl said that in the wake of controversy involving the agency, it has been decided not to give any more work to it. The agency has been involved in preparing the marksheets. “The agency no longer will be preparing the marksheets of the university. To rule out the possibility of any tampering with the marksheets, we have randomly picked up about 20 per cent answersheets and are comparing them with the...

Rs 3.40 cr earmarked for security system at Kalupur rly station will now be used for security enhancement of four other stations, too Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, July 16, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120716201207160219579069ea58ab2/Cash-crunch-hits-rly-station%E2%80%99s-security-plan.html?pageno=1 ) In the aftermath of serial blasts in Mumbai locals, the Railway Board had proposed an integrated security system for 55 vital railway stations, including Ahmedabad, to thwart terror attack on the world’s second largest rail network. But the cash crunch has not only delayed the project but also curtailed the original plan. Sources in the board said Rs 3.40 crore was earmarked for Ahmedabad. “The money allotted to Ahmedabad railway station will now be shared by four other stations: Vadodara, Godhra, Indore and Surat. The reduced budget will cut down the earlier proposed security measures. The original plan had allotted the same amount to other four stations, to...

Burglars also made off with the handbag belonging to divisional railway manager’s daughter travelling in Delhi-bound train on Thursday night; high level probe ordered Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, July 14, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=2&contentid=201207142012071402473542570c18515 ) Theft in trains is not news any more. But on Thursday night, thieves struck Swarnim Jayanti Rajdhani Express and made off with seven purses, including one that belonged to the daughter of Ahmedabad divisional railway manager. Riddhi Behal, 22, and her mother were travelling by A1 coach to Delhi. The train departed from Ahmedabad at 5.45 pm and reached Jaipur at 2.45 am. Soon after the train left Jaipur, a female passenger exclaimed that she could not find her purse. The commotion woke up the other passengers who began checking their belongings. Six others, including Riddhi, failed to find their purses. Ticket checkers and attendants searched the ent...

Securing admission to engineering or pharmacy is easy, pursuing it is not. After spending up to two years, many students realise this and drop out to join BSc Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, July 11, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=2&contentid=2012071120120711020234332ea851e58 ) » Ronak Dave from Amreli joined civil engineering at a Bhuj college under family’s pressure. After failing to clear maths paper in four semesters, he chucked engineering to pursue BSc at MG Science Institute in city. » Kamal Kishore went to Karnataka to study electronics and communication as his parents wanted him to become an engineer. After two years, he realised it was not his cup of tea. He came back to the city and joined CU Shah. » Prerna Chaudhary gave up civil engineering at Nirma Institute of Technology after struggling for fours semesters. She sought admission to BSc at CU Shah Science College after becoming aware of her aptitude. Faced with ...

A group of students have objected to the manner in which few candidates were disqualified; they protested after their pleas fell on deaf ears Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, July 10, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120710201207100149003312426d645/Prez-poll-at-St-Xavier%E2%80%99s-not-okay-say-students-.html ) Election to the post of president has become a bone of contention at St Xavier’s Loyola with a group of students refusing to accept the poll process stating that the teachers had pushed for ‘selection’ of the candidates. Till last year, councillors elected from each class would elect the president from among themselves, while this year only meritorious students with a certain percentage were allowed to contest the elections. There are five classes of standard 11 and five classes of standard 12 at St Xavier’s Loyola. For class 11, only those with above 85 per cent scored in the last exam could contest, while for class 12 students those with above 80 per ce...

Vastrapur resident Vishwas Joshi relives the travails of travelling in an AC 3-tier coach that was full of mosquitoes and cockroaches Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, July 09, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2012070920120709024538268d9b32e34/Roaches-infest-ErnakulamOkha-coach.html ) Curtains were joined by a thin wooden stick. Joshi developed skin infection due to cockroach and mosquito bites Little did the passengers of AC 3-tier coach knew what lay ahead of them when they boarded Ernakulam-Okha Express that reached city on Sunday morning. If mosquitoes and cockroaches were not enough, lack of ventilation ensured that they stayed awake two nights. Complaints to the travelling ticket examiner and the coach attendant fell on deaf ears and the passengers had no option but to suffer the 37-hour journey. “I am sharing our harrowing experience with you as I faced a situation which I don’t want someone else should go through in future,” said Vishwas Joshi, the...

Schools in the city overcharge parents for uniforms, trips and lunches, put pressure on family finances to rake in profit Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, July 07, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201207072012070702313503d04754dc/B-for-blackmail.html ) Most children are nervous about rejoining classes when schools open. But their parents are even more stressed as they count the cost of buying the back-to-school basics like uniforms, identity cards, school calendar and even the stationery. Schools are putting pressure on families to pay for over-priced uniforms and stationery by striking up exclusive deals with clothing companies and stores. Many schools also supply school diaries, identity cards and even books for which they charge as much as five times the market rates. Parents want to choose where to buy their children’s uniform from. Yet, almost nine out of 10 are forced to buy from “preferred suppliers” that are often expensive. Some even offer poor quality ...

Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, July 05, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201207052012070502124494029a2ddd9/GTU-ropes-in-independent-agency-for-course-evaluation.html ) To make its courses match with industry’s need, Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has decided to evaluate all its syllabi beginning with two-year-old MBA programme by an independent agency. For this, the varsity has approached Teachers University which has agreed to take up the project in amonth. Not just degree programmes, all diploma and certificate courses will also be reviewed by other independent agencies in a phased manner. “The first course the agency will assess is MBA. The evaluation committee will begin work in August and is likely to submit its report by January 30. During the process, the committee members will visit colleges and collect sample survey in a scientific manner. Based on the survey, a final report will be prepared and tabled before the university’s expert committee. ...

Though there are nearly 400 students in botany dept, the varsity has failed to provide them with a garden for study and research purposes Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, July 04, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=20120704201207040217378785e589f81 ) BOTANICAL OR ZOOLOGICAL? Cows and buffaloes can be seen at this garden Cows and buffaloes lazily graze on this lush plot. It is not one of the state’s fast-disappearing gauchar land, but Gujarat University’s botanical garden where these bovines have gained easy entry to. Over the past few years, the varsity spent crores constructing new buildings which now lie defunct. However, authorities turned a blind eye to this garden which could have been a rich resource of material for botany students. This, despite the fact that there are nearly 400 students in post-graduate and certificate courses offered by botany department. The current garden does not have any notable plant...

About 2000 passengers of Pune-Jodhpur Express and Mehsana-Ahmedabad Passenger train had a narrow escape when the express loco pilot overlooked the red signal near Shahibaugh and created a near collision Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, July 02, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=2&contentid=20120702201207020253318001b951e3c ) A major collision between two trains was averted near Shahibaugh railway bridge last week, when the loco pilot of Pune-Jodhpur Express did not notice the red signal and missed hitting Mehsana-Ahmedabad Passenger by a whisker. While the lapse, which could have played havoc with the lives of around 2000 passengers in both the trains, has left railways authorities red faced, it has raised serious questions over the tall claims of safety and high level of training being provided to drivers and other railways personnel in the Indian Railways. Though most of the passengers remained unaware of the close shave with death, hi...

The varsities will try to adopt syllabus equal in content and credit to smoothen admission process and ease administrative hassles Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, June 30, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=2012063020120630030855175ab4848da ) In was an attempt to provide students the freedom to choose what they want to study according to their interests and abilities. However, choice-based credit system in the state has turned into a hindrance than a boon for students. With each varsity implementing the system as per their knowledge and convenience, it is becoming tough for students to choose their desired courses or get into preferred universities due to difference in credits allotted to subjects. Taking note of this, the higher education department has decided to streamline the system offered by universities here. In a recent meeting of department officials and vice-chancellors of state universities held at Ahmedabad Man...