How many of us have grown up knowing teachers to be tyrants? For teachers, the divide with students is often more pronounced by the interference of parents who profess to know their children better. On February 24, ITC Classmate, hosted a discussion on the subject titled Principal, Parents and Children: Building a Relationship of Mutuality.

Chaired by Shashank Vira, CEO of Global Education Management Limited, the discussion tried to bring parents and teachers on a common platform towards improving the condition of students, the central stakeholders in the educational system. Around 150 principals from city schools joined in the session.

While Sandhya Srinivasan of the International Deaf Children’s Society, India, felt parents were responsible for inculcating basic principles in a child, S. Chakraborty, principal of La Martiniere School for Boys, agreed that the present system of education restrained students from exploring their creativity. Also present on the panel were K. Khullar, principal of Akshar School, and L.N. Balaji, head of Strategic Planning, ITC.

The panelists agreed on the need for greater student involvement, in the choice of what they are taught, as well as the method of imparting education.

The occasion also saw Biboswan Bose of Future Foundation School and Rakhi Chakraborty of Bridge International School, the regional winners of the Classmate Young Authors Contest 2006, being felicitated. Rakhi, whose story Planetary Woes got her the fourth position at the national level, said: “It was great to interact with people from 15 other states. But the best part was meeting author Ruskin Bond.”

Romila Saha

 

Quiz mania

The eastern zonal finals of the Tata Crucible Quiz , was organised at The Taj Bengal on February 20. The business quiz was hosted by quizmaster Giri Balasubramanium.

Around 200 teams enrolled for the contest, of which six made it to the semi-finals through a direct question round while two teams found their way in through a wild card round. Four of the eight teams went to the finals. There were three teams from Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and one from Institute of Engineering Management (IEM), Calcutta. After a tough session, it was IEM, Calcutta, that bagged the first prize.

Tasneem Sayeed,
Second yr, Heritage Institute of Technology

 

Sohini Debnath, a disciple of Rani Karnaa, performed at Gyan Manch on March 9. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Internet vs books

The American Center organised a debate competition in the UBI auditorium at the Book Fair on February 11.

The motion for the day was “Internet is the substitute for books and libraries.”

There were sixteen speakers from renowned city colleges. Each participant was allotted three minutes along with a minute extra to speak for or against the motion. Speakers for both sides were agreed on the one point that both books and internet were equally important necessities.

The best speakers for the motion were Debirupa Chakraborty, of Meghnad Saha Institute of Technology, and Tiyasha Roy, of Bethune College. Swati Garg, of Loreto College, and Vivek Kejriwal, of Globsyn Business School, held forth against the motion.

The event was moderated by Bhaskar K. Rajah, assistant public affairs officer, US consulate.

Stuti Agarwal,
First yr, Political Science, St Xavier’s College

 

Ways of democracy

The Department of International Relations of Jadavpur University organised a seminar on contemporary democracy and development on February 16. The topic of discussion was Democracy — Development: Issues Today. Educational institutions like Ashutosh College, St Xavier’s College, Bangabasi College, Jadavpur University, Lady Brabourne College participated in the discussion.

In the first session, there were papers on democracy- development, environment-development, democracy in Indian society and the election procedure in India. The next session focussed on application of democracy in countries like China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Russia, Africa, Bangladesh.

The speakers focussed on the scenario of democracy and its consequent development in countries such as China, Myanmar, Russia, Africa, the US, Bangladesh, Nepal.

THE DIARY

Cocoon

Living
In my cocoon,

Dreading contact with The intruding sun.
Disliking the cold shimmer of Expanding moon,
I sulk in my own sorrow.

Lost in myself
Like Narcissus.

I love to be in an absent pain,
To cry meaninglessly,
Shedding cold tears.

Till…
A drop of hot blood touches me.

It belongs to a dead farmer
Self-slain, a burdened man...

And I ask myself-
Can I stay in my willed cocoon?

Ridhima Tewari