Yogesh Avasthi

Education dept sends out appraisal forms to assess performance of lecturers in govt colleges by Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, October 30, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=2&contentid=20091030200910300259295934d6d36b§xslt =) The state education department has initiated a move to appraise the performance of college lecturers with the aim of increasing quality of education and accountability among teachers. The department has sent out appraisal forms to all grant-in-aid colleges in the state and put it up on its website for lecturers to access, fill up and return to college principals. The measure was recommended by University Grants Commission long ago, but is being put into practice in Gujarat only now. Appraisals are voluntary for lecturers for now but will be made mandatory next academic year onwards. Sources said the education department felt the need to introduce the norm to access teachers’ performance for the purpose ...

Soon on YouTube: Animated science videos from GU By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, October 29, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=200910292009102902511779639e1d908 ) Gujarat University is experimenting with the art of teaching students science in the most effective way possible. It has come up with five computer-animated films on Zoology topics to strengthen students’ conceptual understanding of chemical processes at the molecular level. The 30-minute movies, made at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, are on topics: ABC of largest phytum - Arthropoda, structural organisation and classification of non-chordates, principles and salient features of animal classification, cell theory and diversity of cell size and shape. These will now be uploaded on YouTube by the varsity for the benefit of not only GU students but those from across the world. The videos will also be uploaded on the Gujarat University websi...

10 marks , set aside, objective, questions, GU, believes , new format , help , students , prepare , better , CAT, IIT-JEE, exams By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, October 27, 2009  (Ahmedaba Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009102720091027023349656a47c927d ) The Gujarat University has effected a revision in the marking system in college and varsity exams by setting aside 10 marks from every subject paper for objective questions. To begin with, the change will apply to science stream courses only i.e. BSc and MSc. The university registrar issued a circular on October 7 asking all affiliated colleges to implement the new measure in the final exam of the current academic year. Accordingly, the final exam result will be based on 30 internal test marks, and the 70-mark university exam paper which will consist of 10 mark objective questions. University sources said the aim is to train students in objective...

The new system will save money and time for railways while applicants will be able to check status of their cases online By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, October 26, 2009  (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=200910262009102602051146540fb28 ) Come 2010, the Ahmedabad railway division will handle RTI cases online to cut cost and time wasted in responding to queries of applicants at present. The initiative is aimed at bringing transparency in the process as well. Under the new system, railway authorities will scan RTI applications and forward them to departments concerned online instead of sending them through snail mail. The new process will reduce the average response time to RTI queries and help railways save money it spends on postage. A senior officer of the Ahmedabad railway division said: “Once the new system is introduced, people seeking information under RTI from any department or zone ...

M G Science Institute has undertaken a project with SPAC to study expanse and condition of coral reefs By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, October 24, 2009  (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20091024200910240303006565cb55a83 ) In a bid to save coral reefs in Gujarat coast from the threat of climate change, M G Science Institute has undertaken a detailed project to study their expanse and condition in association with Space Application Centre (SAC). Dr Alpana Shukla of M G Science Institute’s botany department is leading the three-member team of the three-year project “Global Coral Reef Mapping”. Two Junior research fellows, Dimpal Sanghvi and Richa Tiwari, would assist her in the research work. The research team will analyse remote sensing data, acquired through RESOURCESAT-I, for the estimation of aerial extent of coral reefs in the state’s coastal areas. Finally, they will table their findi...

Varsity aims to have a hassle-free processing system; to spend Rs 25 lakh over digitisation of archives By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, October 22, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009102220091022040020125b2c95171 ) Gujarat University is drawing an ambitious plan to take all its processes online in a phased manner. According to sources, beginning 2010, the external examination forms for its various courses will be available on the worldwide web. All the students will need to do then is download the form, pay up the exam fees at a particular bank and submit the form and the fee receipt to any of GU’s chosen centres. Gradually, degree certificate forms and eligibility forms will also be made available online. Also, till now, the University issued duplicate degree certificates on its letter pad, in case of any urgency. But now onwards, GU will have a template in place so that printo...

Colourful mosaic will beautify the station hall and depict city’s connection with the Mahatma; Navratri and tourist destinations will also find their place on these walls By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, October 19, 2009  (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009101920091019014522671fd4cea58 ) Have you ever been in a rush to catch a train only to be stumped by the sea of humans barring the way to the Kalupur railway station’s main gate? Your woes will soon be a thing of past if the Ahmedabad railway division’s proposal to beautify the Concourse Hall is accepted by the Western Railway. The Hall is where the ticketing counters are situated. The proposal was drawn up after a senior Railway Board official suggested that counters for unreserved and platform tickets be moved elsewhere to reduce rush in this area. Divisional Railway Manager Ashok Garud said, “The plan is to shift the ticketing counters...