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Chief
Khalsa Diwan pops idea of a university, Badal casts it in stone
WSN Network
Amritsar: Certain things in Punjab are done with the typical
casualness, irrespective of how important the issue is. WIthout any
public debate and without even a cursory mention in the media,
suddenly an organisation as important as the Chief Khalsa Diwan
announced a new university, no less, and within minutes the Chief
Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, laid the foundation stone for the
venture.
The university idea was popped suddenly on the concluding day of the
62nd All India Sikh Educational Conference dedicated to the
tercentenary celebrations of Gurgaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Granth
Sahib, held at Sri Guru Harkrishan International School, and there
was much talk and suggestions about Chief Khalsa Diwan and Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee trying to set up educational
institutions in border areas, when the announcement of the
university overshadowed the conclave.
But it seems it was only the turn of the Sikh civil society leaders
and opinion makers to get surprised, for the CKD had even kept a
foundation stone nicely engraved and well veiled. Badal announced a
grant of Rs 10 lakh for the new university and a similar amount for
the Chief Khalsa Diwan.
Badal said the CKD University would cater to the academic needs of
students from rural areas by providing them higher education at
nominal costs.
“Many states still lag behind academically and proper planning would
help attain hundred per cent literacy across the country,” said
Badal, after laying the foundation stone. He added that though the
foundation stone was laid here, the university is likely to come up
at a suitable location somewhere in Punjab and efforts were being
made to identify a site.
He impressed upon the need to attune the students of schools and
universities to social realities and economic changes. He added that
quality commercial, technical, agricultural, professional and
job-oriented education should be imparted, but due consideration
should be given to building the personality of students as well. “It
has been deeply felt that along with bookish knowledge, there must
be good training of the mind of the students so that they work as
disciplined soldiers,” he said.
In a statement which should surprised anyone remotely connected with
the educational scene in Punjab, Badal said his "government was
trying its best to impart education to the underprivileged on par
with students from the affluent strata." That no one has noticed
these efforts is something did not bother Badal one bit.
Currently, the best that the state has heard is the hare-brained
idea of splashing Rs 75 crore on some wild entity called "Adarsh
schools", the best that Badal could come up with as a mode of
providing quality education to "poor and intelligent students."
Satyajit Singh Majithia, president of Khalsa College Governing
Council, exhorted the CKD members and office bearers to rise above
petty differences and continue to serve the nation.
Charanjit Singh Chadda, president of Chief Khalsa Diwan, said
well-coordinated initiatives would be undertaken to make the
university of Chief Khalsa Diwan a world-class institution.
Among other present at the occasion were Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Health
and Family Welfare Minister; Gulzar Singh Ranike, Animal Husbandry
Minister; Rajmohinder Singh Majitha, Member, Rajya Sabha; Raminder
Singh Bularia; Anil Joshi; Dr Dalbir Singh (all MLAs); Rangeel
Singh, former education minister, Jammu and Kashmir; Dr Santokh
Singh, vice-president, Chief Khalsa Diwan, and Harminder Singh,
resident president, were among others present on the occasion.
Incidentally, the Chief Khalsa Diwan has played a major role in the
field of education historically. In fact, since the very inception
of Chief Khalsa Diwan, it were the efforts of the intellectuals
associated with the CKD that the way was cleared for the Sikh
Gurdwara Act, Sikh Marriage Act and the setting up of the Khalsa
College at Amritsar.
7 November, 2007
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