Latest news with #SCDGovernmentCollege
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Classroom to crisis: SC ruling on teachers' recruitment sparks protests
TNN Ludhiana: College teachers and librarians converged outside SCD Government College and Government College for Girls to protest against the recent Supreme Court decision to annul the recruitment of 1,158 assistant professors and librarians. The protest was held under the banner of 1,158 Assistant Professors and Librarians Front. According to the protesters, the recruitment process, initiated in 2021, was conducted in accordance with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms. Candidates were selected on merit after clearing a written examination. For the first time in over 25 years, appointments in Punjab's government colleges were made transparently and across all subjects, without any allegations of corruption or favouritism. The protesting educators emphasised that this recruitment brought new energy to the state's higher education institutions. Government colleges, which had long suffered from faculty shortages, began to regain student trust and saw increased enrolment offering an affordable and reliable alternative to the exploitative practices of private institutions. They argued that the Supreme Court's decision has created uncertainty not only for the appointed educators but also for thousands of students depending on them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo They pointed out that departmental lapses, not any fault of the candidates, led to the cancellation of the recruitment, and it is the educators and students who are now bearing the consequences. The protesters urged the state government to file a review petition before the Supreme Court and pursue available legal avenues to protect the future of the recruited educators and ensure stability in the public education system. Members of the Front stressed that their movement was aimed at defending the integrity and continuity of Punjab's higher education. "This is a fight for justice, for our students, and for the education system. We will continue our struggle through all democratic means," one of the teachers outside SCD Government College said. Expressing anguish and fear about their future, they said that the decision had led to uncertainty about their employment and cast a shadow on the future of higher education in Punjab. "All the selected candidates in this recruitment are highly qualified, and the recruitment was carried out in a completely transparent manner, based strictly on merit," Harjot Singh, one of the protesting members said. They urged the government not to relieve those already serving in government colleges and pursue the case of the 1,158 assistant professors and librarians at the highest level in Supreme Court. The teachers expressed dismay at the chief minister's failure to issue a statement in the matter. Jaspreet Sivian, one of the conveners of the front, said that the CM must immediately intervene and issue a statement about alternatives and legal measures the government was taking to safeguard their jobs. "We did our part. We cleared competitive exams, fulfilled all eligibility norms, and were appointed after due legal process. Now that the fault lies with administrative lapses, the government must tell us what alternative plans they have to protect our future. How will they shield us from losing everything?," another teacher said. The teachers announced that a state-level protest would be held outside the CM's residence in Sangrur on Friday and they would intensify the stir if the government did not announce any steps to protect their jobs.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
College admissions: Subject combination a tough nut for city students to crack
As college admission season picks up pace, many students are grappling with confusion and frustration over the limited subject combinations available at government colleges. Despite securing high marks and qualifying on merit, several students say they are unable to find courses aligned with what they studied in school or wish to pursue, and feel compelled to settle for unwanted subjects. Students waiting for seat allotment for admission into the new academic session at Govt College for Girls in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (Manish/Hindustan Times) A student seeking admission at SCD Government College said that while the state's online admission portal lists all possible subject combinations, the ground reality is starkly different. 'When we visit colleges, the subjects we want just aren't offered,' the student said. The problem is not isolated. A student from Arya College said the lack of counsellors leaves students directionless. 'We are forced to take whatever is available because there's no one to guide us,' the student added. Brij Bhushan Goyal from the SCD Government College Alumni Association said the issue hits humanities students hardest. 'Regardless of whether they studied under CBSE, ICSE or PSEB boards, humanities students often can't find their preferred subject combinations. It's unfair to those who have performed well. The higher education department needs to deploy trained counsellors online to help students make informed choices,' he said. College principals and educators attributed the issue to infrastructure and staffing constraints. They explained that subject offerings depend on available faculty and the need to balance workloads. SCD College principal Gursharnjit Singh Sandhu said the National Education Policy (NEP) has introduced flexibility with multiple subject choices, but its full implementation remains difficult. 'We are limited by our infrastructure and timetable capacity,' he said. Suman Lata, principal of Government College for Girls (GCG), echoed this concern. 'To offer more combinations, we would need to revise the timetable significantly. Students usually don't stay in college past afternoon hours, but I've proposed a five-day week with extended hours to allow more flexibility.' High demand for BCom, BA; BSc seats still available With the July 31 admission deadline nearing, many colleges have already filled their seats for popular courses. According to GCG principal Suman Lata, all seats in BA, BCom, BBA, and BCA are full. However, 40 seats are still available in the BSc non-medical stream, and 30 in the medical stream. At Government College (East), BCom and BBA courses are full, while the newly introduced BSc course has seen 20 students enrolled in its first-ever batch. SCD Government College has also nearly filled its BA and BCom seats, but BSc courses still have room. So far, only 96 out of 160 BSc medical seats and 118 out of 210 BSc non-medical seats have been taken.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Volleyball players seek indoor courts
Ludhiana: There is an urgent requirement for indoor volleyball courts in the district, players coaches and community are demanding for it. The need is more conspicuous as rainy season begins, which means missed crucial training days. Players and coaches say that nowadays indoor volleyball courts were a necessity to help them train consistently and safely throughout the year, and bring medals at international level, including Olympics. The demand, which has been long pending, has intensified as weather disruptions continue to derail practice schedules at the district volleyball training centre at SCD Government College. According to Gurjot Singh, an international volleyball coach, "Out of 365 days, we lose around 176 to weather disruptions, rains, extreme heat, or cold. That's nearly half the year gone. How can we expect to win Olympic medals without basic infrastructure like an indoor court?" Currently, over 40 volleyball players from various districts of Punjab, along with school students, train at the centre run by the district sports department. The number is expected to grow to more than 60. However, with only three outdoor courts available, adverse weather conditions halt training entirely. "This is an indoor sport. During rains, the risk of injury increases significantly. The ball gets heavy and court gets slippery when wet. In summers, players are exposed to heat-related health issues, and in winters, the cold makes practice difficult and unsafe," said Prabhjot Singh, a coach at the centre. He added that outdoor training limits a player's ability to grasp the indoor-specific skills of the
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Dist sees 61% candidate turnout in UPSC prelims
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the Civil Services Preliminary Examination on Sunday, attracting thousands of aspirants in the city. Out of 4,554 registered candidates in the district, 61% appeared for the Paper 1 examination. The exam was conducted at 15 centres across the city in two shifts: the first paper (9.30 am - 11.30 am) had 2,781 candidates, while the second paper (2.30 pm - 4.30 pm) had 2,766 candidates. The exam centres included institutions such as SDP College for Women, SCD Government College, Government Senior Secondary Schools at Cemetery Road, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Multipurpose School, Jawahar Nagar, Government College for Girls, Ramgarhia Girls College, Khalsa College for Women, Malwa Central College of Education for Women, and Arya Senior Secondary School for Boys. Among the candidates was a 23-year-old Aarti Sharma, who appeared for the exam at SCD Government College. Having prepared for two years, she described her first attempt as a balanced test of knowledge and reasoning. 'The general studies paper was of average difficulty. The polity section was fairly easy and had a significant number of questions. Other areas like modern history, environment, and science and technology also featured prominently,' she said. Aarti found the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), the second paper, slightly more demanding. 'The CSAT had a good mix of reasoning-based questions and mathematical problems,' she added. Shruti Mishra, another first-time candidate, echoed similar views. 'The general studies paper leaned more towards static general knowledge rather than current affairs, which was a bit surprising,' she remarked. 'In the CSAT, mathematics questions were slightly tricky, and the comprehension passages needed a very focused approach.'
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal stages stir, seeks ‘timely' justice
The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, has drawn widespread condemnation across the state. The Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal staged a protest, denouncing the terror strike and demanding justice for the victims. The protest led by state secretary Ayush Agrawal and state general secretary Sunil Mehra, burned an effigy symbolising terrorism. 'The entire world today stands with India against terrorism. Before murdering the innocents, the terrorists reportedly verified that they were non-Muslims, which exposes the barbarity and utter inhumanity of the attack. Terrorism has no religion, said Mehra. Similarly, SCD Government College alumni also condemned the attack. Former KV School principal Manjit Singh Sandhu called the incident disturbing. Brij Bhushan Goyal, the alumni association's organising secretary, recalled Kashmir's rich legacy of religious harmony and cultural coexistence and emphasised that the tourists' only fault was trusting the valley's calm. Alumni members also reflected on the contributions of their senior, NN Vohra, former governor of Jammu and Kashmir, who worked extensively to guide youth and uphold peace in the region. Adding to the voices of outrage, the Sikh Forum, a non-political organisation, strongly condemned the killing of 26 tourists. They demanded immediate action against the perpetrators and expressed concern over the timing of the attack, which coincided with the visit of the Vice-President of the United States to India. The group drew parallels to the 2000 Chattisinghpora massacre, where 35 Sikhs were killed during the US President Bill Clinton's visit to India. Congress workers also staged a protest outside Hata Sherjung by burning the Pakistani flag. During the protest, the Congress workers raised strong slogans against Pakistan and demanded that the central government immediately arrest the attackers and give them the punishment they deserve.
