Students angry over fuel prices shut down Kathmandu

  Students in Nepal have shut down the capital with a general strike to protest price increases for gasoline, diesel and cooking fuel.

The strike closed schools and markets in Katmandu on Wednesday. The streets were quiet except for groups of protesters who chanted anti—government slogans. Police in riot gear stood watch but there were no reports of violence.

Students ordered the general strike after the government raised the prices of various fuels by an average of 10 per cent last week. The government has said the increases are necessary because the state-run company that imports and distributes fuel is facing massive losses.

The government has made it clear that despite the backlash, it will not reverse the price increases.

Talent reward exam for school students

The Hindu Students taking the FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam at Suguna RIP School in Coimbatore on Sunday. Photo S.Siva Saravanan. Around 1,200 students appeared for the talent reward examination conducted by FIITJEE Limited for students studying in Standards V-XI, across the country on Sunday. The exam was held at Suguna RIP School, Gandhipuram and Suguna PIP School, Kalapatty, here.

According to the organisers, the test was aimed at helping students eyeing IIT-JEE entrance, National Talent Search Examination and NTSE, Science Olympiad, board exams and other competitive exams, to asses their performance.

The participants would be given feedback on their performance and guidance and suggestions to prepare better.

Students in Standards V-IX had objective papers in science and mathematics, and intelligence quotient (IQ) and a subjective paper on science and mathematics. Students in Standards X and XI had objective and subjective papers on physics, chemistry and mathematics and an objective IQ test.

The test was held in different sessions from 9.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

According to Kalyan Kumar, executive director and Head Corporate Communication FIITJEE, the exam will motivate and guide the students to choose the right study materials, relevant books and provide other academic assistance.

Award and scholarships will be awarded to the top scorers. Cash awards will be given to students scoring first three positions in all the classes.

Around 290-490 rewards will be provided to students. The gifts also include fee waivers for courses in FIITJEE. The test was held at 150 centres across India. Results will be announced from January 4 to 19.

'Detained DU students to be readmitted in 2012'

Confusion is the buzzword in Delhi University (DU) colleges, with the administration failing to give out a clear message on different colleges following different rules for students who fail to meet the minimum attendance. However, there seems to be a ray of hope for the 300-odd students who have been detained.

Delhi University Students' Union president Ajay Chhikara said JM Khurana, dean of students' welfare, has assured students that they would be readmitted next year.

This comes as a big relief for those students, who are being told by colleges that they will have to compete for a seat all over again next year.

"The dean has assured that all students who are not allowed to sit for exams this year will be readmitted. This is the most we can do as 40% attendance is the minimum a student should have," said Chhikara.

The dean refused to comment as the rattled university administration has issued a gag order for all officials, hence, increasing the confusion about different colleges following various admission norms.

Colleges like Ram Lal Anand (RLA), Satyawati and Ramjas have not detained students at all.

While principals of RLA and Satyawati colleges say they never got any notification that asked them to detain students in the first semester, Ramjas teachers feel that everything is in limbo and all students are appearing for exams as the college did not get enough time to tabulate the attendance and inform students in advance.

It's not only the college authorities, the obscurity has enraged students too. "No one at colleges like Hindu and Ramjas has been detained, even though many had attendance below 40%. This is discriminatory," said Kritika Verma (name changed), who studies at a prominent south Delhi college.

According to university experts, the only solution that students have is filing a petition in court. "The future of students is not in safe hands as the university does not care about them. There is no clarity on the road ahead and no one in the administration is bothered," said a senior official.