CAP government colleges placement list

CAP body to issue first placement list
Karachi, Sep 17: The much-awaited list of candidates seeking admission to government colleges and higher secondary schools under the centralised admission policy (CAP) is being issued on Sunday.

Sources in the CAP committee, which prepares the list said that unlike the past practice of issuing gender-wise placement lists six faculties - science (pre-engineering and pre-medical), computer science, commerce, humanities and home economics - separately with a gap of two/three days, it was decided that placement lists of two and three faculties be issued simultaneously in order to avoid further delay in the commencement of first-year classes.

The sources said that the lists being issued on Sunday pertained to pre-engineering (male), computer science (both male and female) and home economics.

The candidates willing to seek admission to any of the institutions in which they have been placed will be given one week to complete the procedural formalities i.e. submission of admission forms and fee.

The new academic session for these students of the city's government colleges and higher secondary schools is expected to begin in the last week of this month, instead of Sept 10 as was originally scheduled.

The academic session of the students of remaining faculties - pre-medical (both male and female), pre-engineering (female), commerce (male and female) and humanities (male and female) - would being in the first week of October as their placement lists would be issued sometime next week, the sources said. Dawn

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BTech students
Karachi: The University of Karachi has advised the BTech students admitted to MSc petroleum technology in its evening programme in 2010 and 2011 to appear in the condensed semester courses and pass them for the MSc degree. They are required to deposit a fee of Rs5,000 per course by Sept 17. ppi

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Students refuse to buy marks
Karachi: In an unusual practice, the second-year students of Karachi University's Department of Mass Communications had been asked by their teacher to collect Rs4,000 each for a non-governmental organisation as part of their assignment. The collection of the money had been made mandatory, or else the students would lose fifteen marks each.

According to university policies, it is illegal for a teacher to grade students on the basis of submission of money.

The idea behind the assignment, according to the teacher, was to introduce practical methods of communication and give students hands-on experience of collecting Zakaat and Fitra'ah during Ramazan. For this purpose, students were given four slip books of one thousand each, and they were required to finish all of them before the submission date.

After the collection of money, the students were supposed to write a report on the activities of the NGO. However, a bespectacled girl of the class claimed that "the report is barely talked about. The prime concern of the teacher is money".

Out of around fifty students in the 'media and society' class, only a handful were able to collect the required money. The rest either refused or were unable to collect the hefty sum.

One student complained that collecting money was an easy way out for students who could afford it. "How will it help enhance our communication skills? The richer lot can manage this sum from their pocket money or they can simply ask their parents. I cannot."

Others were critical of making charity mandatory, which they say is "something to be given voluntarily". Students were also unable to answer questions from potential donors who asked if the money would serve Muslim children, as required under Zakat.

But there are some who believe that the money is going in the right hands and that students are just making a mountain out of a mole-hill. "It is for a good cause. However forcing students is not right. If students are skeptical about the existence of this NGO, they should research a bit and call the numbers given on the pamphlets. It is not as if their hands have been tied up," says a girl who has already submitted the money.

After much argument and consultation between the students and chairperson Dr Rafia Taj, the assignment was made optional and marks for it were reduced from thirty to twenty. Initially, the report and money collection carried equal marks. "However, after reduction, the report now carries only five marks," claimed one student.

Students who refused to collect the money would now be allowed to attempt two questions each in the upcoming final examination as compensation or conduct a survey. Others were given the option to take back their money if they wanted to opt for the alternative assignment.

Meanwhile, the teacher, Maheen Kashif, who is collecting funds for the National Institute of Child Health Management, said that she is not "forcing" students to give money.

"I don't understand what I am doing wrong. I am doing this for the love of charity. I am giving membership on the collection of money. Generally, membership is given on the submission of five thousand rupees. I am doing them a favour by giving them membership on any amount they are submitting."

The membership would entitle them to invitations to programmes conducted by the NGO and discounts to the network of clinics which it claims to have in the city.

However, students expressed no concern for the membership, "Frankly, I am not dying for the membership. I gave the money because it would buy me marks," said one.

The CEO of the NGO, Dr Afzal Ahmed, said that the university should not have any issues over the collection of funds since it was for a good cause, and denied claims about forcing students for collection of money.

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300,000 teachers complete Intel training
Islamabad: As many as 300,000 teachers from all over Pakistan successfully completed the professional development programme that enables educators to effectively integrate technology into their lessons to promote problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills among their students.

The professional development programme was organised by Intel. Commenting on the successful training of Pakistani Teachers under the Intel Teach Initiative, Intel Pakistan, Country Manager, Naveed Siraj, said, We invest in teachers so that they will inspire our students to be innovative, creative and prepared with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are imperative to our future. While we celebrate reaching the figure of 300,000 in Pakistan and 10 million teachers globally through Intel Teach, we continue to focus on developing the next generation by improving the quality of educational opportunities.

Globally Intel has trained 10 million teachers under the Intel Teach Initiative. Intel Teach started as a simple idea, in which education is centred on student learning through project-based experiences instead of lecture and memorisation.

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University management workshop
Islamabad: With an aim to share the initiatives of Higher Education Commission (HEC) with the university heads and seek their feedback for further improvement, the commission organised the first-ever orientation workshop for newly appointed vice chancellors-rectors.

The two-day workshop was organised under Modern University Governance Programme for University Management. A total of 25 vice chancellors who have recently joined their offices attended the workshop.

In his address to the vice chancellors, HEC Chairperson Dr Javaid Laghari emphasized that the role of a vice chancellor is very critical. A university leader is expected to develop an administrative team and become a role model for faculty members, administrative staff as well as students, he said.

While thanking the university heads for effectively participating in the workshop, he said that the feedback and suggestions put forward by them will be given due consideration. We believe that all guidance should come from the vice chancellors while HEC should act as an implementing authority, he said.

The chairperson expected that the programme would ensure the management system of universities is equipped with the best of leadership and governance tools, which will facilitate and support academia in the most efficient and effective manner. The programme will become a regular feature of HEC initiatives, he added.

The vice chancellors termed the activity very useful and productive and said that they have learnt many new things which they would like to implement in their institutions. They said that it has provided them a platform to interact and learn from each other s experience and urged the HEC to hold such activities on a regular basis.

Earlier, vice chancellor, University of Birmingham, and deputy vice chancellor, University of Wales, were also linked through video conferencing to discuss leadership and good governance in higher education institutions with VCs of Pakistani universities.

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MCE convocation
Risalpur: The 19th convocation of Military College of Engineering (MCE) was held here on Friday.

Rector NUST Engr Muhammad Asghar was the chief guest on the occasion. Lt Gen Muhammad Ahsan Mahmood, Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) Engineer-in-Chief attended the ceremony as the guest of honour.

Asghar while addressing the students said as long as people needed houses, buildings, roads, canals, dams, railways, they would need civil engineers. We are committed to provide all required facilities at the MCE to build this institute as a role model for engineering and disaster management studies.

Engr Muhammad Asghar further said that the population of Pakistan had trebled in the last 50 years to 178m today.

In the next 20 years, Pakistan would have another addition of 85m. We need 36m jobs to accommodate the youth in the next 10 years, for which the economy must grow at 6% a year, he said.

Later, one hundred and sixty six graduates received their degrees from the guest of honour, read a press release. The news

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