THE SCHOLARS’ AVENUEIIT KHARAGPUROCTOBER 26 2010

1

Casual Staff protests in campus!

Exclusive

he Inter IIT Aquatics Meet, Theld at Roorkee this year, was a successful one for the KGP contingent. The team won top honours in the Aquatics events and finished runners-up to IIT Kanpur in the water polo event.

The water polo team that had failed to qualify for the knock-out rounds last year had only two new faces, but their new coach breathed discipline into them. With a spirited lift in performance, our team went on to reach the finals , where we lost to IIT Kanpur by a solitary goal in a hard-fought encounter. The margins of victory speak for themselves: Delhi was drubbed 6-0, Madras 5-3, and Guwahati swept aside 13-2. After edging Bombay 6-5 (extra time) in the semifinals, we faced the veterans of IIT Kanpur who won 3-2 in a close finish. Captain Abhilash Sharma believes that i t was Kanpur ' s c o m p a r a t i v e l y aggressive tactics that

won them the day.

The Aquatics events also saw KGP putting up an improved show, winning Gold this year compared to last year’s Bronze. Chirag Fialoke finished first in all five of his races, with Darshan Varier bagging two Golds. The team won a Gold and a Silver medal in the relay events, putting IIT Kharagpur in the top spot. What made the difference this year was a strategic distribution of our swimmers in the various events so as to take advantage of our opponents' weaknesses.

The new aquatics coach, Mr. Ritesh Guchhait, son of the former

coach Mr. T. K. Guchhait, enforced strict discipline and punctuality upon the team while encouraging off-pool bonding between the members to raise camaraderie in the team. There were more practice sessions this year, in which individual and group tactics were perfected. Practice matches were organized against a professional state-level water polo team from Midnapore to hone our team’s capability to function well against strong and organized opposition. The solid bench strength added to its endurance, making sure that substitutions could be made without worrying about adversely affecting the team’s structure.

KGP Shines at Inter IIT Aquatics Meet The team felt that the presence

of a vibrant coach affected their performance a lot. However, the fact that procurement of new equipment and reimbursement is often delayed by bureaucratic hassles in the Gymkhana remains a c o n c e r n a m o n g i n t e r - I I T contingents. That other IITs have better facilities in place does nothing to improve the team’s morale. IIT Bombay has four dedicated coaches to KGP’s one. Other IITs are flown in or travel in AC 3-Tier, while KGPians are only given sleeper class reimbursement.

Four of the most experienced players in this year’s contingent are in their final year, and their absence

will surely be felt next time round. However The Scholars’ Avenue hopes that the team w i l l c o n t i n u e u n d e t e r r e d a n d emerge victorious in the upcoming edition of the event in home waters.

Flyover Outside Campus

www.scholarsavenue.org

lanes wide (around 7.5m) with or over 40 years, the work on F footpaths on either side. the flyover presently being constructed outside the Institute

About 30% completion of the campus had been subjected to construction work has been unjustified delays. Sources say that achieved. It is difficult to say when the cost of the project, now the flyover will be operational as underway, is being shared between information on the deadline isn’t IIT (25%), Railways (37.5%) and the available with the CWD, but other Public Works Department, State sources stated that the target has Government (37.5%). A letter of been set at 8 months. There may be acceptance was granted on 5th reason to be optimistic though, as February, 2009 to initiate the unconfirmed reports indicate that construction work. We spoke to the contractor for this job was Prof. Dhang, who heads the Civil r e c e n t l y r e p l a c e d d u e t o Works Department, on this issue. unsatisfactory performance. Prof. Dhang maintained that if the new He clarified that the project is contractors work diligently, the actual ly handled by Metro a few months. The two-pronged 24 crore INR. The main bridge will flyover could be ready by June next Railways, Kolkata which in turn road over bridge that will connect be about 880 m long and supported year. The Scholars’ Avenue hires a contractor. However, Prof. our campus to ‘Dhobi Ghat’ and by 35 piers while its 245 m long promises to follow the latest Dhang shared information on the ‘Little Sisters Restaurant’ is forked branch will be supported by developments, if any, and present technical specifications of the expected to cost the Institute about 1 2 . T he main bridge shall be two them to you in future issues.bridge that he hopes will be ready in

2 N E W S A V E N U E THE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² TUESDAY , OCTOBER 26TH 2010

TEAM SCHOLSAVE

Send letters to the editor at:

editor@scholarsavenue.org

ONLINE NEWS

To read these articles online and to

give your feedback on them,

please visit our website at

www.scholarsavenue.org. The

website provides the latest campus news through our coverage of events as they happen.

Executive Editors :

M a y a n k K e d i a , P a l l a v i

Jayannavar, Siddharth Prabhu,

Siddharth Singh

Editors: Abhirajika A, Amiya

Adwitiya,Arvind Sowmyan,

Ratan J S, Tiyasa Mitra, Vijay,

Sumeet Mohanty

Asst. Editors: Achyut Bihani,

Chirag Tibrewal, Deepesh

Kumar, Hridya Ravimohan,

Indra Saha, Mahtab Soin, Parth

Govil, Rishabh Poddar

Reporters: Abhijeet Tallavajhula,

A d a r s h M a t h e w , A j a y

Viswanathan, Debadrita Das,

Koulick Ghosh, Madhurima

Kumar, Pranav Rao, Pravin

Sharma, Sagnik Chakraborty,

Suvinay Seth

Dheeraj Golla,

Though Shaurya is intended to be a sports meet, there has been an attempt to broaden the appeal and make it more like a fest. This year ’s publ ic i ty campaign involved a series of interesting pre-events that have left everyone in anticipation. These included ‘In10sity’ - a slow cycling race, ‘Virtuoso’ - a T-shirt designing competition, both with prizes of Rs.10,000, and 'Right Write' - a c a s e - s t u d y c o m p e t i t i o n conducted in association with The Times Group. The winners of ‘Virtuoso’ were decided on the basis of the number of ‘likes’ the designs received on Shaurya’s Facebook page, making it a rather unique event.

Students can also test their luck with ‘Fortune favors the Fortunate’, an online lottery. Workshops, including one on Maratha Martial Arts, have also been planned during the fest.

This time, with a significantly

larger budget, an expected increase in the number of participating teams, pre-events, and even a separate Deco-team, the organizers are hoping to attract greater participation and change the perception that Shaurya is reserved for the sports enthusiasts only.

Ano the r commendab l e development has been their focus

on the social aspect. Shaurya has sponsored the sports budget of many a school around the campus to nurture local talent. However, due to the unavailability of accommodation in the common r o o m s b e c a u s e o f I l l u preparations, outstation teams will be accommodated outside the campus.

The going so far suggests that Kgp is indeed going to witness a Blitzkrieg (literally meaning sudden war) which, incidentally, is the theme of the pavilion.We convey our best wishes to the participating teams till then!

ports aficionados of Kgp will Shave a reason to rejoice as our annual sports meet, Shaurya, begins its third innings on 28th October. The three-day sports meet promises to provide a platform for Inter IIT players to benchmark themselves against other stalwart teams, and enhance sportsman spirit among students. This year, the eight main events in the offing are Football, Volleyball, Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Basketball, Table Tennis and Badminton. Of these, Athletics is a new addition, while the last three are open for girls. Cricket is not a part of the meet this time, since the grounds are being prepared for Inter-IIT 2011-‘12.

Shaurya 2010- The Battle Begins Again

echnology Adventure Society T(TAdS), since its inception in the year 2009, has intended to provide a unique platform for the students and faculty members of IIT Kharagpur to participate in various adventurous sports and vacations. Their latest trip comprised a six day tour during the Durga Puja holidays to the scenic Himalayan state of Sikkim.

After a bus ride to Kolkata and an arduous train journey, the contingent reached Gurudongmar Lake. A popular hotspot among tourists, it holds the record of having the world’s highest café. “Maggi and tea at a freezing temperature of -1 degree C was certainly galvanizing. We wanted to spend some more time in that serene environment. However, the low oxygen content in the air prevented us from staying there for more than an hour.” chuckles Ankit Madeshiya, Governor, TAdS.

The next stop was Yumthang Valley. Home to a number of hot springs, and offering a magnificent view of the Pauhunri and Shundu Tsenpa, this place dazzled the entire team. “Travelling through narrow roads sandwiched between deep

ravines and mountain ranges was something amazing yet immensely spooky,” adds one of the team members.

The idea is not to increase

d i v i s i o n s , b u t r e d u c e alienation,” is Uday Aghamarshan’s “message, his answer to what must be the biggest question on our readers’ minds concerning the newly formed Technology Telugu Dramatics Society (TTDS): What is the motive behind this venture?

The majority of the substantial Telugu population on campus does not speak English fluently and has scant knowledge of Hindi, which Uday believes leads to a limited participation in literary and dramatics based events. Clearing the language barrier and refining an accent acquired over a long period, even if accomplished, takes long enough for the students to miss out on being part of dramatics societies in their early years on campus (ETDS conducts auditions only for first years). Such a

lack of cultural opportunity might lead to a confined life. Acting and performing is, however, not new to the crowd. The huge movie industry apart, there are a good deal of quality Telugu plays to enact, says Uday, who has experience in professional dramatics. Skits had been held previously on a small scale at gatherings of the Telugu Cultural Association (TCA) and it was with the intention of “not just dramatics, but building confidence” that notices for auditions were put up. A whopping 225 people turned up.

The governors include Uday himself (captain of Patel dramatics), Sri Nitya Anupindi (HTDS) and Om Namassivaya, who co-ordinates activities. Prof. G.P. Raja Sekhar of Mathematics lends them valuable support. A workshop has already been conducted for the 48 selected first and second year students, with inputs

from ETDS and HTDS members. Presently, the source of funds is the interest generated upon contributions by members of the TCA. They’ve submitted an application (to be reviewed soon) so as to be recognized by the Gymkhana to lend gravity to the society. “It must be a sustainable activity and not seem like a temporary effort.”

But will developing a society where Telugus interact with only each other allow them to open up to the rest of the population? “I’d be happy to get 20% students out of their rooms and give them an opportunity to be more social and outgoing. My philosophy is not to make it a core Telugu society, and it is up to the future governors to keep it this way.” Two productions are planned for this year: one in mid-January and another in March. We’ll be there to cover them.

XTDS, X ∈ {E, H, B} ∪ {T}

Next on their itinerary was Yumesamdong . Better known as Zero Point and situated at an altitude of 15500 feet, it’s extremely close to the Chinese border. “The whole place has a unique feel. H e a d y , i n v i g o r a t i n g a n d

exhilarating, words fail to explain our experience. Also, we really enjoyed the snowfall there. It made our day,” recounts Ankit.

TAdS in Sikkim 2.0The expedition drew to an end

at Gangtok. The famed MG Marg was the center of attraction of the team for the rest of their time there, where they did a lot of shopping. “The whole trip turned out to be a wonderful experience for us. We were enthralled by the beauty and tranquility of the place. People there are so friendly. And despite the Puja rush, we conducted the trip without any major hitches. We will organize more such trips in future and, believe me; they will be even more exciting,” signs off Ankit with a wink.

NEWS AVENUETHE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² TUESDAY , OCTOBER 26TH 2010 3 would include options such as next year, and there is only an electronic noticeboard, website, understanding about who’s going to emails, Scholars Avenue, DC++, host future IITs and there’s no internal noticeboard, etc. guarantee as such. Officially, all we idway through his term as

know is that we are going to host the MVP, The Scholars Avenue Inter IIT next year. Beyond that, I attempts to catch up with TSA: You had mentioned in your doubt anyone can say for sure what’s Celestine Joseph on the progress proposal that you wanted to improve going to happen. I don’t know who’s made on his proposals, his take on t h e Gymkhana webs i t e by spreading these rumors.some campus buzz and his introducing a section for office

experience in general so far. bearers to share progress on their proposals. How is that going? TSA: Is the requisite infrastructure

required to host next year’s Inter IIT in place?VP: Right now, a section like that is TSA: Could you shed some light on

not there. It’s not much of an issue.how effectively your proposals have VP: Not yet. We had a proposal of been executed?renovating our football and hockey TSA: A lot of students aren’t really field but that was dropped as we felt aware of the Gymkhana website. VP: One of the main proposals was

lagging behind with respect to it might affect our practice. The What steps have been taken to to improve the working of the mess. internships. lights are still under construction, popularize the website?The HMC had already planned to

and construction of the synthetic provide training to mess workers TSA: What about the initiative tennis court is also underway. The and this was done over the VP: As soon as the website was up, Shubham Matah, the Ex-VP, had new Gymkhana is also under summers. Then, keeping in mind we published a notice on DC++ taken for having TnP representatives construction.student participation, I formed a 4- informing the students about the in every department?member committee to look into website. We also have a Facebook

TSA: In your last interview with us, mess related activities. They will page for the Gymkhana website.VP: This year too, we have you mentioned that you could basically analyze how things work depar tment representat ives implement Ankit Singh’s proposal in different messes and have the TSA: The Internal Notice Board on working in tandem with the too.best practices incorporated in all the Institute website is currently placement committee. We already halls. The committee would inaccessible to students outside the have department specific priority coordinate with the G.Sec, Mess of VP: As you probably must know, campus. Students outside the campus lists of companies to be contacted as all halls. We’re currently trying to Techfest is conducting an Energy who need important information like well as department brochures for generate a rating system on the basis Saving Competition among all IITs, shortlists for companies therefore miss many departments. of feedback procured by the and AIESEC has also taken this up. out. Do you think you can work on

students. They have proposed an Inter Hall making the notice board accessible TSA: Moving onto the next proposal, Energy saving event.from outside the campus with you had stated that you’d take care of authorization like a Username and the security outside the campus, Password? TSA: What has been the journey like install streetlights, etc. What have for you so far? Did your non core team you done in this direction? background affect you in any way?VP: There are reasons why the

notice board is accessible only from VP: Regarding security, I’ve within the campus. Besides, VP: In general, my experience so far constantly been in touch with the regarding the Institute website, I has been good. I’ve got good teams Police Inspector of our Gymkhana, cannot say anything. I don’t think it’s working under me and the who’s planted people outside the a big constraint for students. We can coordination with them has been campus, including plain-clothes work on this but I am not promising good. It’s really exciting because you men. They handle the security anything. get involved in a lot of stuff, and around the area. With regard to the everyday there’s one thing or the streetlights, we forwarded a other. I am working to get all my TSA: Our last VP, Shubham Matah proposal to the Municipality proposals implemented. We are also had initiated the Food Monitoring t h r o u g h t h e I n s t i t u t e working on various other things like Committee to keep a check on the Administration but didn’t receive a the TnP. This year we are planning hygiene in the eateries dotting the positive response from them. We’re to hold a Placement Drive in campus. Is there any update on that working on involving the railways association with ‘Communiqué’ and TSA: Has there been any progress on front?to help in putting them up. There is ‘The Scholars’ Avenue’ . So we will the Student Internship Committee?a consensus reached by the Director, be having a GD workshop , a CV VP: The person in charge of the wardens, and the Hall Council building workshop, and hopefully a VP: I had a talk with the Dean of mess student body is also involved Members of the various halls, to at Case Study workshop. We are also Alumni Affairs, and he’s in support with the Food Monitor ing least put up high mast lights at the planning to get in touch with placed of this idea. Right now, the idea is to Committee. We had a talk after DP entrance so that it is brightly lit up. alumni for assistance.have an informal group of students and I gave him 2 weeks to have a

working in collaboration with the committee in place.TSA: What do you think is an honest TSA: We had a really short DP Alumni Cell. They’d be responsible deadline? Vacation this time. What was your for contacting foreign universities, TSA: There is talk among students

role in the Calendar Meeting that reques t ing them to inv i te that some halls aren’t going to VP: Just before DP, the Registrar decides the academic calendar for the applications from our college. participate in Illumination this year. told me it’ll take around two weeks year?How true is that?to finalize this.TSA: Do you think the Internship

VP: This year’s calendar was decided Committee will be in place by the end VP: We had a meeting just before TSA: There was also talk of during the tenure of the last VP. I of this year? DP on 8th October in which all the electronic notice boards. Could you will be attending the meeting that halls participated and agreed to have elaborate? decides the academic calendar for VP: Yes, definitely. Il lumination. The rules for

the next year.Illumination were decided, and as VP: We contacted quite a few third far as I know, no hall is backing out.TSA: Considering the general trend, party vendors, a couple of which TSA: What are the major glitches you there are plenty of companies even came down to show us their have faced as VP?recruiting from branches such as CS, TSA: There is also talk that after boards. We had a meeting with Prof. ECE, EE, etc. Is there any focus to next year’s Inter IIT, which will be B.K. Mathur regarding this, but we VP: I wouldn’t call it glitches. You increase the number of companies hosted by IIT Kharagpur, there won’t were ultimately not satisfied with have to understand that you have to recruiting from Metallurgy, Mining, be any further Inter IITs due to the what they showed us. The give a little time for things to Agriculture, etc.? enormous investment required to gymkhana website has been up happen. I did not face a complete create facilities to host Inter IITs in since the semester started. It was roadblock of any kind.the new IITs VP: There are a number of down during the DP due to some companies that recruit students .glitches. Certain modifications are TSA: After all the work you do, do from all departments. Right now, as VP: You cannot just go by any being made to the website and it you get time to socialize?far as the placement team is rumor you hear. All IITs are should be up very soon. Right now, concerned, we’re trying to have as supposed to have the infrastructure we plan to float a survey, or rather many companies as possible that in place to host an Inter IIT. I don’t VP: Definitely. Other than the fact an opinion poll, which would tell us take students as interns. The think the new IITs will be an that I can’t play football as much as the most preferred method of Internship Committee will try to do exception. All you know about I’d like to, I’ve had no issues with my disseminating information. The poll the needful to help the students Inter IITs is who is going to host it social life.

TSA: Can you give details on the training program organised?

VP: More th an 80 cook s participated in the training conducted for cooks of HMC run messes. It was conducted in two sessions by the Institute of Advance Management, Kolkata in last week of June and first week of July. They were trained on sense of hygiene, kitchen management and cooking of some different types of food items. We will look into the possibility of having more sessions in future.

4 N E W S A V E N U E THE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH 2010

ONLINE NEWS

ith the return of WGoddess Durga to her Himalayan abode, this festive season is all ready to be lit up to mark the return of the blessed Rama after vanquishing Ravana. As the country awaits this auspicious occasion, all the halls of residence are gearing up to present yet another spectacle of craftsmanship, art istry, and creativity with the return of Illumination, aka “Illu” and its vibrant sister Rangoli.

Illumination is what defines the Kgpian’s Diwali, and it’s our tribute to the victory of Good over Bad. In a unique recreation of the welcome Ayodhya had prepared for Rama, Kgp is being decked up in life-like a r r angement s o f l ampl i gh t depicting scenes from Indian mythology and folklore. An integral part of every Kgpians’ life, Illu involves the collaborative effort of

all the students in a hall of residence in forming a theme and using lamps to bring intricate imagery to life on Diwali night. The competition to put together the most brilliant display of all is intense, and to be adjudged the winner by a group of enthusiastic professors is considered a matter of great honour. Last year, RK Hall sweetened their Diwali by enlivening the Samudra Manthan and winning the cherished pot of rosogollas.

Juxtaposing the grandeur of Illu is the magnificence of Rangoli, wherein the Kgp junta witnesses a show of dazzling designs that add

Hall secured top honours last year with their breathtaking d e p i c t i o n o f a pixelated view of M o t h e r Te r e s a comprising no less than a million little squares of colour.

Professors go from hall to hall, where guest reception teams guide them through the Illumination displays, where weeks of nightly toil culminate in an awe-inspiring display of lights that lasts for a few long minutes.

The Rangoli, painstakingly put together by students working in suffocating conditions for weeks on end, is finally displayed to admiring crowds of faculty and their families, as well as students from other halls. This dual show of resplendence forms an integral part of the unique culture of our institution.

he Franklin Pierce Center for TIntellectual Property at the University of New Hampshire School of Law strives to provide its students with the best possible legal education. It is a community of scholars, oriented towards the practice of law, who teach, learn and empower others to contribute productively to a global legal system. Students from around the world with diverse experiences engage in active, practice-based learning in small, cooperative and interactive learning environments. While traditional areas of law and emerging specialties are taught, the intellectual property law curriculum, one of the broadest in scope, is cont inual ly emphas ized and improved.

The Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property offers the only

interdisciplinary one-y e a r program in the United States. Their Masters of Intellectual P r o p e r t y ( M I P ) program is designed to

prepare students to meet the needs of working intellectual property professionals. The program focuses on the acquisition of both substantive knowledge and practical skills through innovative academic courses and internships with corporations, law firms and governmental agencies. The college has been ranked among the top 10 IP schools since 1992 in the U.S. News & World

Report (1992-2011).

The college boasts of a global network of over 5,000 alumni in more than 80 countries. Their large base of faculty members are experienced teachers who have been l i t i g a t o r s , c o u n s e l o r s , a n d transactional specialists in the full range of legal and business settings.

Externships at prestigious law firms and corporations like Boeing, Ford Motor, Motorola, General Electric, Shell Oil, Coca Cola, Microsoft, Time-Warner, etc. are provided to students on a regular basis.

Admitted applicants can avail substantial International Grants to help supplement their finances during the course of their education.

RY IIT Kharagpur Volunteer CChapter is in charge of conducting an Access Audit of IIT Kharagpur. They initiated the revival of the Committee for the Physically Challenged Students of the institute, headed by Prof. S. K. Som, Dean UGS. Their audit report will assist the institute in taking measures to ensure that it becomes accessible to all, as per Universal Design norms. An ‘Access Audit’ is the study to determine the ‘accessibility’ of buildings to everybody in society, irrespective of gender, age and physical disability.

This is the first time such an audit is being done for IIT Kharagpur. Such audits have been conducted in schools in major cities by various NGOs such as CRY, and also by various professional organizations in many offices of private firms, on request.

It shall be conducted for the complete academic complex and five nearby halls - RP, RK, BCR, SN/IG & MT. As this report will eventually be submitted to the Director, it has the potential of ultimately bringing infrastructural and strategic changes, which in turn will make access to the institute easier for all, especially PD students. Headed by Saptak Mohanta, Nikki Pathak and Himank Shankar, this team of 44 students expects to submit their report by the end of this month.

o the many students who Tconsider IITs to be a stepping stone towards an education abroad, a stringent regulation imposed on No-Objection-Certificate (NOC) comes as quite a disappointment. From this year onwards, NOC will be provided only for 3rd year B.Tech/Dual Deg. students and 4th Year Int. MSc students along with that for the DAAD scholars from any year. No NOC will be provided for winter internships as these do not f a l l u n d e r t h e a c a d e m i c curriculum. Second year students applying outside DAAD can also bite the dust. If an university accepts students without NOC, then they may go forward, at their own risk, and informing the TnP Cell is not required. Although most foreign universities do not require NOC, it is almost a necessity for obtaining the visa.

A FRESHER’S GUIDE TO ‘ILLU’

Interested in becoming an IP professional?

KGP’s Access Audit Initiative

Fighting for an FT?

B. C. Roy Launches Website

GC Updates

his year’s much publicized life when Jim Morrison was born mesmerized the audience and set some of the performances that TWTMS production took place again in Siddharth's cover of Love the tune for rest of the show. stood out. The evening came to an on 5th October. The venue was her madly followed by Nithin Morom and Kumaresh covered end with On the Turning away, a shifted from Kalidas to Netaji, the Nemani's Aqualung. Fans were then Pantera's I'm Broken and broke all customary Pink Floyd piece sung by new and improved sound system treated to the origins of rock with records for high decibel levels at Digvijay, and concluding with a working in its favour. True to KGP Johnny B. Goode and Sgt. Pepper's Netaji. Koulick’s solo at the end only brilliant solo by Vibhav. What was standard time, the performance Lonely Hearts Club Band. Hridya added to the delight. The rest of the notable was that many songs were started an hour late, although and Aparajita’s sung “You shook me show was a head banger's delight covered by the newly selected Shreyas's drumming fillers kept the all night long” and impressed all. with a playlist that included songs batch, signaling a bright future for audience shouting for more. Playing Hridya stole the show with her like Enter Sandman, Children of the the society. All in all, a highly to a packed audience, the first few lively performance of ABBA's grave, Open Car and Lateralus. entertaining production by WTMS performances started off shakily Gimme Gimme! Sayan Pramanik's Digvijay's soulful rendition of Take that kept the audience craving for with Netaji's acoustics playing energetic performance of Fear of the it Easy and a near-flawless more. Kudos to them.tricks with them. The show came to dark and Saakallya 's guitar November Rain by Kumaresh were

CAMPUS AVENUETHE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² TUESDAY , OCTOBER 26TH 2010 5

Casual Staff Protests in Campus

What the casual staff objected to (details from before the DP holidays)

1. Receiving a monthly wage taking into account 26 days of work. They demand a consideration of the full 30 days.

2. Not receiving documentation of the monthly amounts that go into each worker’s PF (provident fund) and ESI (Employee S ta te Insurance) account.

3. Not having received a puja bonus this year.

Extra benefits that accompany a permanent job under the HMC include LTC, medical benefits, 3.5-4 months off (during which casual workers receive no money) and others.

The HMC’s response (noted after the DP holidays)

1.The 26 day rule is a government rule which is adhered to by all government servants.

2. As regards PF/ESI, the HMC will receive information from the cont rac tor s , but prov id ing documentation to the workers is the contractors’ business.

3. In the words of the Chairman: “They have received a bonus.”

The minimum wage has been made a must since this session, and corresponding directives have been sent out to contractors.

WTMS Production: Rock Extraordinaire

6 CAMPUS AVENUE THE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² TUESDAY , OCTOBER 26TH 2010

ll ye hungry folks who avow Athat JCB canteen was your sole mode of survival, is it 2012 a little early? And those who claimed HJB Special Lassi was better than Irish Cream, has your Lassi-connoisseur-ship been brought to a grinding halt? After the rapid closure of both canteens, we at The Scholars' Avenue took a closer look at the circumstances behind the impasse, and as things currently stand, it appears that nocturnal dwellers of KGP are in for a rough patch for a good while longer.

As noted in our August 19 issue, the JCB canteen was shut down due to alleged constant misbehaviour on the part of the canteen owner. According to Pallab Datta, Hall President, JCB, the canteen owner incessantly failed to abide by the Hall rules, along with maintaining an unhygienic kitchen. He apparently rarely complied with the recommendations of either the hall council or the warden (which included renovation, better garbage disposal, changes in the menu, closing time and food rates). Moreover, the canteen was kept closed for the entire period between May and June without any prior notification, which resulted in a lot of distress for the JCB boarders as most of them stay in KGP during the summer vacations. The owner was warned in January and was kept under observation for 6 months, but when the water went over the head, he was asked to leave. A new tender will be released by the end of October, and the new canteen will be operational by the end of the spring semester. It will have a higher seating capacity, more distribution-cum-exchange counters and a renovated kitchen.

In the case of HJB, it appears

that contractual issues have led to the shutters of its canteen being pulled. The G.Sec. (Mess) and Hall President of HJB Hall have confirmed that the contract had expired, and a new tender could not be floated as the Hall Manager has fallen ill and is currently in Bangalore for treatment. The canteen owner has been asked to continue till the end of this month till the Warden (HJB) releases a new tender on 31st October, 2010.

Till further developments, we pray for you (and us) to be able to survive the desperate 2 AM need for JCB Maggi or HJB Lassi! Amen.

We're hiring! Are you any of the below?

©An enterprising first year eager to become a part of the most happening newspaper in West Bengal©A designer or artist with an eye for detail©A web dev who knows your <script language=“Javascript”>'s from your <?php>'s©A writer with a nose for stories©A grammar nazi with a nose for typos©A person who likes cake

Then you have reasons aplenty to work at TSA!

Venue:Technology Students' GymkhanaMonday, 1st November, 6 pm onwards

“All about learning” Food-a-holic Woes

The proud Captains with their Trophies

Continued from page 1

BH A A T A V E N U ETHE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² THURSDAY , SEPTEMBER 30TH 2010 7

The Inflatable Bandi: reason. “Sir, my cycle...” The rest of the story need not be told, you are shown the door for being rather

bold. If the prof was a student here, he probably tried the same ruse himself. If “Dude, you have a girlfriend?” it is difficult to find a good reason, we (who are committed to making your life “Err, yeah.” “Whoa!” Tired of here comfortable, we remind you) bring you something that makes the age-speaking the truth, you decided old reason good. Use our Indelible Grease Can.to fib a bit in order to secure that

surprised response from your Take 2:pals. So you began customarily “You are exactly...” <shuffling of the sleeve begins, but stops on seeing your ambling through lonely corridors condition> “...cycle giving trouble, hein? No problem, sit down.” You with that mobile in your hand, confidently take your seat, and the genuine grease marks on your limbs and your attention drawn at times clothes have done the trick.towards a stray pebble or brick in Our offering has become a hit with the politically active staff on campus, who a wall. So you made those absolutely love blacking out their opponents' mugs on each poster. We've expected Cal trips and received registered it as the Smear Effect.Judicious use is advised. Else, Take 3:understanding nods and nudges “What is this baboon doing in my class? Get out!”on giving petty explanations. Lest the delicately constructed The Registration Survival Kit:pretence comes crashing down if someone were to walk in on an announced meeting with the non-existent mate, we bring you: The Inflatable Bandi! The holidays were fun! It is only towards the end Perfect for instant damage control and duping the short-sighted, you can now that doubt takes seed in your brain, giving way to literally breathe life into the woman of your dreams. The model comes with full-fledged horror if you realize that you'll have the added benefits of being a patient listener to your rants and to register through the Dreaded fitting into pockets without being a load on them. Do be Demand Draft method. mindful of piercing the thing though, for it's ultimately full No matter how early you reach, an uninspiring queue of air: just like your claims. greets you. As time passes by, you are sucked into the human cauldron further. Fluctuations of frustration The Instant Tempo Generator: originating anywhere down the line are magnified into shock waves of bodies. Led by ill-tempered Cursing those juniors yet again for their lack of security personnel through a narrow corridor, almost talent and drive? When GC performance is asphyxiated, you pass through to the other side after lacklustre, when the conscripted labour is far from what seems like an eternity, effectively converted into a satisfactory, do you prefer to sink your head zombie (it may be added that this process is an alternate remembering your own glory days? Worry no more, preparation for the zombie-mode PSI).for here's presenting The Instant Tempo Generator: the The Registration Survival Kit was assembled after several perfected result of intense research (Bugs may have come experiments on Registration test dummies (graphic, really) close in Space Jam), it's made from a secret recipe whose and includes kevlar padding, an oxygen tank and other ingredients include rocks from an alien moon and drugs from indispensables. sand dunes. The capturing of the elusive driving force in a formula is possibly Special Offer: Early orders will receive a mace absolutely FREE!! Useful in clearing this era's greatest achievement. one's path.Chances of winning may seem bleak, but all you now need to do is administer the Generator. Accompanied by a tempo-shout, it makes for a potent The Red Eye Corrector:combination. The boys on the field may be lousy, but just wait for the incantation to sear their ears and the effect kicks in, ensuring victory! Developed in quick response to meet current Note: Results may vary. While the hall sod may require pounds of the Generator, demand. In this season of conjunctivitis those naturally disposed to respond to it feel its enhancements for days. when sunglasses are the very heighth of fashion, why sport a run-of-the-mill pair that The Indelible Grease Can: looks like one procured at a beach? The Red Eye Corrector is the coolest way to take the Take 1: affliction in your stride. Medically backed to “You are exactly... ” <shuffling of the sleeve to bring abstain from classes, you can now spend the watch in sight> “...fifty-nine seconds late. hours in your room before the mirror playing Explain yourself.” A few stupid blinks showing Matrix-Matrix (or Sivaji-Sivaji, if Rajni's how you're half-asleep, and you hit upon an your hero) with the shades on.ingenious, convincing and absolutely reasonable

No bad dubs, no cheesy presenters and no jarring music. Here are wonderful products that will find real-world application as per the illustrative examples in the descriptions. Go ahead, browse through the brochure and take your pick!

8 A D A V E N U E THE SCHOLARS’ AVENUE ² TUESDAY , OCTOBER 26TH 2010