She is a staff reporter in Chandigarh. She covers schools and higher education.
Articles by Ifrah Mufti
Panjab University senate approves 5% fee hike, students continue protest
In spite of sustained student protests, Panjab University senate on Sunday approved 5% fee hike for all courses of university departments and its regional centres on Sunday.
Updated on Mar 28, 2016 10:26 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Student organisations gearing up to guide newcomers at PU
Though the new academic session at Panjab University will start after three months, students organisations can be seen gearing up to help newcomers regarding admissions. A majority of student organisations have started putting up the posters of their leaders, along with contact numbers, at different places on the campus.
Updated on Mar 26, 2016 10:10 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
‘Azaadi’ on PU campus: Kanhaiya-JNU episode stirs debate, ignites minds
Be it during a lecture, or while eating at Students’ Centre or even whiling away time in the open grounds, Panjab University (PU) students are these days engaged in heated discussions over the sedition case against Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar and all that happened before and after that
Updated on Mar 22, 2016 10:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
After ‘manhandling’ incident, students, authorities divided
As the video of the Sector-11 station house officer (SHO) abusing and manhandling students at Panjab University (PU) has gone viral, students have been protesting against the entry of cops on the campus.
Updated on Mar 21, 2016 10:28 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Chandigarh railway station among country’s top 10 in cleanliness
The Chandigarh railway station has been ranked sixth in cleanliness in a survey of 75 A1 category railway stations across the country. Stations with annual earnings of more than Rs 60 crore a year are classified as A1. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, conducted the survey titled ‘Cleanliness of Railway Stations’ that was released by railway minister Suresh Prabhu in New Delhi on Thursday.
Updated on Mar 18, 2016 01:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Despite Punjab govt guidelines, no new recruitment in aided colleges
Despite the guidelines issued by the Punjab government to colleges to fill up vacant posts of teachers in three phases, no new recruitment has been done since 2013.
Updated on Mar 11, 2016 10:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Jail changed traitor Kanhaiya: ABVP leader at ‘Truth of JNU’ meet
“A few days in jail changed the mindset of the traitor. One who was screaming slogans against India changed his statement from ‘Freedom from India’ to ‘Freedom in India’. This is complete misinterpretation,” claimed Sunil Ambedkar, national organising secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) here on Friday, about Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNU Students’ Union president who was released on bail in a sedition case on Thursday.
Updated on Mar 04, 2016 10:23 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Nod to Rs 100 refreshment charges per day for sports students
From the new academic session starting April this year, the Panjab University (PU) students who are into sports will be given Rs 100 a day as refreshment charges during their campus coaching camps and their dearness allowance (DA) has also been enhanced from Rs 190 to Rs 300 per day during outstation inter-college tournaments (outside Chandigarh).
Updated on Mar 04, 2016 02:38 PM IST
Hindustan times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Panjab University to digitise all exam-related documents
It is good news for those who had completed their graduation and post graduation from Panjab University (PU) before 2006 but could not get their degrees for some reasons.
Published on Mar 03, 2016 01:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Prabhu’s budget disappoints Chandigarh residents
Several proposals submitted by city MP Kirron Kher, such as a Garib Rath express from Chandigarh to Kochuveli, increasing the frequency of Kerela Sampark Kranti express, daily trains to Bandra , Patliputra, Haridwar, Dibrugarh, don’t find favour with rail minister Suresh Prabhu’
Updated on Feb 25, 2016 04:39 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
PU recommends changes in campus hostel fee structure
The fee structure, for the new session 2016-17, for Panjab University campus hostels may undergo changes that have been recommended by the committee that is incharge of updating the handbook of hostel rules.
Updated on Feb 25, 2016 03:24 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Stuck with Jat stir? Special Chandigarh-Delhi trains take the tracks
A special train from here departed for the Anand Vihar station for Delhi via the western Uttar Pradesh route at 4.30pm on Monday after all rail and road routes via Haryana to the national capital and beyond remained closed owing to the Jat community’s agitation for quota.
Updated on Feb 22, 2016 11:28 PM IST
Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Northern Railway, Haryana Roadways post losses running into crores
Cancellation of over 100 trains due to the Jat agitation in Haryana has caused the Ambala division of Northern Railways a loss of crores of rupees.
Updated on Feb 22, 2016 11:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Jat fire: Airfares burn through roof, Chandigarh-Delhi at Rs 26,000
With all other means of transport via rail and road closed following violent clashes in Haryana even on the strategic Chandigarh-Ambala-Panipat-Delhi route (NH-1), airfares from Chandigarh saw a massive spike from Friday night onwards
Updated on Feb 21, 2016 11:48 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Six years on, PU assistant professors wait for increment
Around 100 assistant professors at Panjab University (PU), who completed their PhD degree without course work before 2009, have been waiting to receive their higher qualification benefits in terms of increments, for the past six years.
Updated on Feb 20, 2016 03:40 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Shatabdi among 24 trains cancelled from Chandigarh, no relief in sight
The Jat quota agitation in Haryana, which resulted in army deployment and curfew in some areas, led to cancellation or abrupt termination of around 50 trains of the key Ambala railway division, including two Shatabdi Express trains and 22 others having a halt at Chandigarh, on Friday. In all, over 140 trains in the state were either cancelled or terminated ahead of their destination. Road transport was overburdened as a result. Till further orders, now, these trains would remain cancelled as there is no clear sign of the protest and track blockades being removed.
Updated on Feb 20, 2016 03:28 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
UT govt colleges demand new hostels, lifts and courses
More number of hostels on the college campus, ramps and lifts for physically challenged students on the campus, introduction of new courses for the students and gymnasium halls are some of the common proposals given by the city’s government colleges to the Chandigarh higher education department for the forthcoming budget.
Updated on Feb 19, 2016 12:57 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
9 yrs after losing limbs, Bant Singh awaits helping hand
Nine years after Bant Singh lost his arms and a leg in a murderous assault, the Dalit farm-labour activist and revolutionary singer of Jhabbar village in Mansa district continues to wait for the Punjab government’s promised compensation of 5 acres and a government job for wife.
Updated on Feb 18, 2016 02:57 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
State Higher Education Council to set up office in UT
The State Higher Education Council (SHEC), Chandigarh, will set up its directorate office in Sector 42. The SHEC has already received a preparatory grant of Rs 3 crore which will be utilised for setting up an office and will also provide training to the teaching and non-teaching staff of the city-based colleges.
Updated on Feb 09, 2016 11:31 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti
IRCTC rolls out two ‘Bharat Darshan’ packages for tricity
Giving an opportunity to tricity residents to travel to India’s famous destinations and visit religious and historical monuments, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced the launch of two ‘Bharat Darshan’ special packages.
Updated on Feb 08, 2016 03:45 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Railway budget: Chandigarh residents’ gravy train suggestions
Ahead of the Union Railway Budget, city residents have voiced their wish list asking for alarms in bogeys announcing the next station, post offices having rail ticket counters, online booking of unreserved ticket services and first aid facility at the Chandigarh station.
Updated on Feb 16, 2016 04:01 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
UT education council seeks Rs 218 cr infrastructural grant
State Higher Education Council (SHEC), Chandigarh, which was constituted last year to raise the standard of higher education in the city has written to the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) to approve a grant worth Rs 218 crore.
Updated on Feb 04, 2016 12:05 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Kirron writes to home ministry, demands reforms in PU senate
Nearly a month after the Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) had requested the secretary, higher education, Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), to put the senate elections on hold, member of Parliament from Chandigarh, Kirron Kher, recently wrote to the home ministry regarding the senate reforms.
Updated on Feb 03, 2016 03:12 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Private taxi unions running illegally at UT railway station
Over 50 taxis parked at the Chandigarh railway station are running without any permits and valid licenses since 2001. Surprisingly, railway authorities have never taken note of the same.
Updated on Feb 02, 2016 02:53 PM IST
HindustanTimes | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
UT to revive soft skills training in govt schools
With academic session almost coming to an end, the IT department of the UT administration has reintroduced the Chandigarh Training on Soft Skills (C-TOSS) programme in 87 government schools on Monday.
Updated on Feb 02, 2016 12:30 PM IST
HindustanTimes | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Cheating cases at Panjab University go down
Only 55 cheating cases were registered during the December 2015 semester exams held by the Punjab University across its 200 centres situated in the university and its affiliated colleges in the region.
Updated on Jan 30, 2016 11:49 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
From coterie to bypoll boycott, Capt fields tough questions from youth
At the show of strength of Congress youth wing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) on Thursday at Panjab University here, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh had to face some tough questions from youth, and to his credit, he did not duck any.
Updated on Jan 28, 2016 11:21 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
Sub-panels to write to PU on choice-based credit system
The sub-committees formed at the college and university level to give recommendations and suggestions on the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), a system that allows students to choose interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary, skill-oriented course, even from other disciplines, will submit their respective proposals to the main committee chaired by the dean university instructions (DUI), Panjab University, by this week.
Updated on Jan 28, 2016 12:34 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
CTU increases bus operation hours to facilitate commuters
The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) has increased operation hours of the bus service, focusing largely on the routes of Zirakpur, Derabassi and Kharar.
Updated on Jan 23, 2016 04:01 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh
PU’s foreign girls to live in international hostel too
The Panjab University (PU) has decided to accommodate its NRI/foreign girl students in the international hostel too, as it plans to offer them improved living conditions from the new academic session.
Updated on Jan 19, 2016 12:23 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh