PPSC civil judges exams | GCU resignations issue

Exams for civil judges: PPSC directed to accommodate under-35 candidates
Lahore, Mar 26: Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court has directed the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) to allow all candidates less than 35 years of age to appear in the examinations for civil judges-cum-judicial magistrates.

Earlier, the commission had allowed only the district attorneys and other lawyers attached with government departments having age of 35 years to appear in the examinations, while the age limit for lawyers having only private practice was 32 years. The examinations are scheduled for March 27.

The judge refused many candidates' request to postpone the exams because many of them had not been issued roll-number slips to date. The judge directed the commission to ensure participation of all candidates in the exams whether roll-number slips were provided to them or not.

Slips: The judge issued the directions while admitting for regular hearing different petitions by more than 50 candidates. A group of candidates wanted relaxation in age limit, others wanted more than three chances for exams, and a third group wanted to postponed the exams as they could not get roll-number slips.

Mushtaq Ahmad Mohal, counsel of petitioners Muhammad Aslam and others, submitted that the commission had fixed the upper age limit of 35 years for the practicing lawyers, while it had been curtailed to 33 in case of government employees.

He said it was a discriminatory rule and should be declared as null and void. He prayed to relax the age limit to put all candidates at par.

Arguing on the other petitions, he said under the judicial officers service rules, there was no restriction for the number of chances any candidate could avail. He said the commission at its own had restrained the candidates to availing only three chances of the exams.

He said the restriction was unwarranted by the law as any candidate, until the age of 35 years, could avail any number of chances.

The judge admitted the petitions for regular hearing with an interim relief to the petitioners to appear in upcoming exams. Daily Times

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GCU issues notices after en bloc resignations
Lahore: Registrar GCU has issued notices to the 31 staff members of the Computer Science Department (CSD) who have resigned collectively from their offices against the alleged ill attitude by the former. They said the registrar had asked them, "You may forward your decision to discontinue the contract job in your personal capacity through the Dean of Science and Technology for taking further necessary action".

In this regard, Director CSD Dr Majid Naeem said, "Resignations are not due to personal reasons but it is a question mark for the society for whom we sacrificed because the varsity management is unmoved by the problem and en bloc resignations".

He said they decided to resign after the completion of exams only to make future of the students secured". He said, "the varsity was in a hurry to taking and handing over the charge to the next administration only to avoid the expected involvement of senior government officials", while lamenting, he was expecting that the resignations would be prolonged by a month to be accepted as per agreement.

Dr Naeem said he stopped students not to protest over the issue and he was looking toward to the syndicate for taking notice of the issue. Otherwise, he would protest at different levels.

On the other hand, GCU spokesman has claimed that only six staff members of CSD have resigned, while rest of them have apologised to the VC saying that they were not aware of the consequences of the signatures on their resignation.

He said since the teaching and support staff of the Computer Science Department worked on contract basis, new contracts were signed after regular intervals. Accordingly, new contracts were signed recently with the teaching and other staff of the department, except the director who had reservations on the format of the contract, which was essentially a minor issue.

However, in keeping with his agitating tactics, he chose to a blow it up out of proportion by provoking other staff members of the department, misinterpreting and misreporting facts, pressurising junior staff, including peons etc, to sign a collective paper of resignation and (d) sending a false report to the electronic and press media to gain sympathy.

He said it was indeed unfortunate, especially when the real issue was personal rather than collective. He claimed that the staffers of the Computer Science Department had been misled to serve the personal interest of its former director. The Nation

Symposium on biological research and applications
Lahore: A three day symposium on "Future Trends in Molecular Biological Research and its Applications in Agriculture and Health" began at centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab on Wednesday March 25. The symposium was formally introduced by Prof. Dr. S. Riaz-ud-Din, Director National centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab. Dr. Sajida Hassan introduced the guests. The symposium was presides by the chief guest Ch. Waheed Sultan Ex- Director General Ayoub Research Institute Faisalabad, Dr. Shaheen N. Khan CEMB and Dr. Tayyab Hussnain CEMB. Dr. S Riaz-ud-Din introduces the CEMB and importance of new and emerging scientific activities.

He present the scientific progress made by molecular biology in past two hundred years and its future trends. He said that CEMB is providing the facility to exchange scientific ideas for cross fertilization under one roof. He said that evolution in biological research has led to revolution in molecular biology research. He told about the interaction between life scientist and physical scientist. He discussed the research projects, facilities and techniques provided to younger scientist by CEMB. In the session of "Medical Molecular Biology" Dr. Shaheen N. Khan CEMB, presented an overall progress of Medical molecular Biology Research at CEMB. She emphasize on the facilities provided by the CEMB in the field of Forensic Sciences, Biopharmaceutical, Genetic and infectious diseases. She told that CEMB is producing the Interferon for Hepatitis disease. She discussed the role of molecular biology to find out the genetically improved species of Pakistani horses, cattle and buffalo and research on different human genetic diseases like Deafness, Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), Cataract and Glaucoma in Pakistan. She also introduce the research work on production of regenerative medicine by using stem cell technology for repair of damaged organs like eye, cochlea, heart, liver, pancreas and skin. F.P Report

'Local varsities, HEC reviving sports'
Lahore: Various local universities are playing a vital role in reviving sports in the country by promoting sports activities with the collaboration of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Olympics Association of Pakistan President Syed Arif Hassan said on Wednesday.

He was addressing the 4th HEC Sports Award Ceremony at Bokhari Auditorium at the Government College University (GCU). He said sports aided the youth in promoting healthy activities. He appreciated the role of the HEC in this regard.

GCU Vice-Chancellor Dr Khalid Aftab said boys and girls should be encouraged to participate in sports. He said universities must admit students on merit. HEC Sports Division Director General Rahim Bukush Channa highlighted steps taken by the commission to promote sports in local universities. Daily Times

Education Department upgrades 33 schools
Lahore: The Schools Education Department has upgraded all 33 laboratory schools attached with the Government Colleges for Elementary Teachers (GCETs) to the English medium excellent schools category.

In primary section of these schools co-education classes will be held while at elementary level separate classes for girl students will be arranged.

According to a DGPR handout, these schools will start function on April 1 with the commencement of new academic year. According to School Education Secretary Nadeem Ashraf, the principals of GCETs will be controlling authority in all respects. English medium classes have been introduced in these schools for the subjects i.e. science, mathematics and social studies. The curriculum will be that of the Punjab Textbook Board.

The principals have also been authorised to introduce additional books for English and other subjects.

Free books and other relevant material for the provision of quality education have been provided to the schools.

In addition to that, the provincial government has also set up state-of-the-art labs for the trainees and students while the principals may start Hifz-e-Quran classes for the willing students. It is pertinent to mention that as 90 per cent students of B Ed and M Ed are female, therefore co-education classes in primary section of these schools have been started.

The principals of GCETs will coordinate with EDOs (education) for the provision of staff as per requirements of the schools. The principals will also arrange periods of subject specialists in excellent schools according to the yardstick of workload.

The principals of excellent schools have been authorised to use all the powers granted to schools councils of higher secondary schools including the recruitment of temporary staff, maintenance of building and purchase powers. GCETs funds may be used for these schools as well.

The upgraded laboratory schools of GCETs are: GECT, Kot Lakhput, Lahore, GECT, Kasur, GECT, Sharrakpur, GECT, Bahawalpur, GECT for Women, Bahawalpur, GECT, Khanpur, GECT, Chishtian, GECT Multan for women, GECT Rangeelpur, Multan, GECT Bosan Road, Multan, GECT, Sahiwal, GECT, Bahawalpur, GECT, Gujrat, GECT, Ghakhar, GECT, Narrowal, GECT, Lalamusa, GECT for Women, Lalamusa, GECT, Pasrur, GECT, Sargodha, GECT, Shahpur Saddar, GECT, Mianwali, GECT, DG Khan, GECT for Women, DG Khan, GECT, Kot Addu, GECT, Muzaffargarh, GECT, Islamabad, GECT, Rawalpindi, GECT, Talagang for Women, GECT, Jhelum, GECT, Faisalabad, GECT, Kamalia, GECT for Women, Kamalia and GECT, Chiniot. The News

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