News / Author / Ifrah Mufti

Ifrah Mufti

She is a staff reporter in Chandigarh. She covers schools and higher education.

Articles by Ifrah Mufti

‘Reading hall for girls in PU a much-needed step’

Girls students residing across Panjab University (PU) campus hostels have applauded the approval to utilise Guru Teg Bahadur Bhavan as ‘reading hall’. The decision by PU vice-chancellor professor Arun Kumar Grover comes after students had put their demand for the same.

Punjab University,Chandigarh(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 18, 2016 12:16 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti

PU students’ feedback system a farce

The student feedback system started with much fanfare last year to evaluate the performance of teachers at Panjab University (PU) remains a farce. Instead of allowing the students give the feedback online, so that can share their views without any hesitation, they are being made to fill in the forms in the presence of the teacher concerned.

Instead of making the system online, students made to fill forms in presence of teacher concerned .(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 18, 2016 11:04 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Joy for some, hard luck for others as Chd schools conduct Nursery admissions

Joined hands, closed eyes, crossed fingers, tears of joy, smiling faces and tensed moods were witnessed when top four city schools conducted draw of lots for nursery admissions on Friday.

cities

Updated on Jan 16, 2016 03:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByAneesha Bedi and Ifrah Mufti, Chandigarh

5-day-a-week plan in PU colleges: Punjab, UT not on same page

The proposal to run Panjab University-affiliated colleges five days a week has been received with cynicism in Punjab, even as institutions in Chandigarh have expressed their willingness.

cities

Updated on Jan 15, 2016 11:50 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti

Travellers face the heat on 1st day of train cancellation

The worst fears of commuters came to fruition on Saturday with the decision of cancellation of 22 trains passing or originating from Chandigarh (twice a week) coming into effect from Saturday with all 34 Volvo buses departing from Sector 17 to Delhi running overcrowded and private taxi drivers resorting to making a quick buck. Distressed passengers are paying between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,500 for a one-way trip to Delhi, almost double the Rs 2,500 in normal days.

Distressed passengers are paying between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,500 for a one-way trip to Delhi, almost double the Rs 2,500 in normal days.(Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 09, 2016 11:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Clear skies, no fog: Passengers want cancelled Shatabdi back on tracks

Considering clear weather conditions, and passengers’ demand, the Ambala division of Northern Railways on Thursday sent a proposal to the headquarters in Delhi not to cancel running of Shatabdi Express between Kalka and New Delhi during Tuesdays and Saturdays from January 9.

As per the schedule released on December 1, 2015, a total of 22 trains were cancelled anticipating foggy conditions in January.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 08, 2016 10:19 AM IST

HindustanTimes | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Special train, customised tour packages for city Students

Following a positive response to northeast tour for the Delhi University students, the IRCTC has planned to offer customised tours and packages for students of the city schools and colleges.

IRCTC has planned to offer customised tours and packages for students of the city schools and colleges.(HT photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 08, 2016 12:18 PM IST

HindustanTimes | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

City’s mean temperature up by 1.06°C since 1971

City Beautiful is getting warmer with considerable rise in night temperature over the years. Going by the data collected by the local meteorological centre, there is a rise of 1.06 degree Celsius in the

In 2015 the rainfall in city during the monsoons was 35% less than normal(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 02, 2016 11:24 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByBhartesh Singh Thakur and Ifrah Mufti

Homeless in city: Will 2016 be any different for them?

Despite the fact that the UT social welfare department has provided 10 night shelters across the city, for the convenience of the poor, many homeless people continue to sleep in the open.

Homeless people sleeping outside the PGIMER in Chandigarh.(Gurminder Singh / HT)

cities

Updated on Jan 01, 2016 11:45 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti / Nikhil Sharma

Getting best treatment at PGI, but shifting due to limited beds: Victim

Though deputy commissioner (DC) Ajit Balaji Joshi announced monetary relief to the injured and the family members of those killed following a liquor shop collapsed in Sector 26 on Monday, one of the survivors claimed he was struggling hard to get a bed at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER)

Pawan was among the four victims admitted to the PGIMER on Monday.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 30, 2015 11:07 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNikhil Sharma and Ifrah Mufti

Parking stands thing of past as cyclists struggle for space

Dedicated cycle stands at city markets, colleges and gardens are a thing of the past as cyclers are forced to lock their bicycles along railings, the bark of trees and iron gates.

The administration is now planning to introduce several programmes to encourage locals to visit tourist spots on bicycles(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 28, 2015 12:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti

237 challans issued in six months; trespass major violation

As per the data collected by the Ambala division of the Northern Railways on the number of penalties levied on defaulters on the Chandigarh railway station, a total of 237 cases have been registered in the past six months (from June till November).

cities

Updated on Dec 27, 2015 06:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Northern UT sectors bicycle-friendly, but southern areas unfavourable

While bicycle tracks in the city’s northern sectors are functional, its southern part reflects sheer ignorance on part of the municipal corporation when it comes to their maintenance. Some of the southern sectors do not even offer such tracks for cyclists, thus making it difficult for people to commute, even if they want, through bicycle towards their destinations.

Most bicycle tracks in Sectors 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48 and 49 are poorly maintained and damaged.(Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 27, 2015 11:35 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Pedalling on a treacherous path in tricity

Bicycle tracks don’t seem to be on the priority list of the Chandigarh municipal corporation. Most of these tracks, constructed to make city as cyclist-friendly, are dotted with potholes and are occupied by encroachers.

cities

Updated on Dec 26, 2015 11:21 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti

Railway staff to be trained in soft skills

Under its skill development initiative, the Northern Railways Ambala division has identified a training centre in Panchkula that will not be used to hone skills of the department employees but unemployed youth as well.

cities

Updated on Dec 23, 2015 01:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti

Railways unveils attractive tour packages for Shimla

As Shimla and its surrounding areas are already expecting a white Christmas and New Year, the railways has introduced pre-paid tour packages to Shimla. The packages include travel, food and stay. The railway officials said 50% of the seats had already been reserved. The package is available only for 10 seats.

The package is offering bookings in Kalka Shatabdi Express (12011) which will take the Chandigarh residents to Kalka railway station and from there they will have to board the connecting train, Himalayan Queen (52455) at 12:10pm.(HT FILE PJHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 22, 2015 11:34 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Missing Urdu: 10-member panel to study signboards in Chandigarh

A day after planning to conduct a study on the signboards across the city carrying directions in different languages, the Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) constituted a 10-member committee on Thursday.

The signboard outside the Sector 34 gurdwara carries its name in five languages-English, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Kannada.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 18, 2015 10:45 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Missing Urdu: Architecture college students to study city signboards

Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) has planned to conduct a study on the white cemented signboards in the city that carry directions in different languages.

Chandigarh College of Architecture students will make an analysis report, which will be submitted to the UT administration later, suggesting as to what could be done to bring back the language on the signboards.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 17, 2015 11:51 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Syndicate, senate elections wastage of time: PU V-C

In order to bring reforms in the governing body of the Panjab University (PU), the think tank, which was constituted two months back to improve the financial health of the Panjab University (PU), will now also contribute towards improving the structure of syndicate and senate.

Panjab University VC Arun Kumar Grover.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 17, 2015 11:52 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Chandigarh airport has international wings, fails to fly

Three months after the international airport was inaugurated with much fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11, Chandigarh still awaits aerial connectivity with any of the foreign country.

Chandigarh International Airport after the inauguration.(HT PHOTO.)

cities

Updated on Dec 14, 2015 10:14 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Urdu missing from Chandigarh signboards, admn clueless

Gone are the days when signboards across the City Beautiful carried directions in four languages — English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu — but with time, Urdu has disappeared from a majority of these signboards.

A few signboards on Jan Marg, Uttar Marg and towards Sector 5 still bear the directions in Urdu, though these are some of the signboards that were, probably, never repainted.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 08, 2015 10:50 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Exams on, visually-impaired at PU still struggling to get writers

Three days after the examinations have started at Panjab University (PU) and across its affiliated colleges, around 70 visually-impaired students in the city are still struggling to get writers to appear on their behalf for examinations.

It was last year when the controller of examinations, PU, had written to the director/chairpersons/principals, all affiliated institutes, departments and colleges of the university to make adequate arrangements to provide a writer for visually impaired/disabled students during the examinations, but the directions were never implemented.(HT Photo)

education

Updated on Dec 04, 2015 12:10 PM IST

Hindustantimes | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Govt nursery schools in pitiable state, DPI to conduct inspection

Broken swings, rusted slides, dingy rooms, peeling paint and cracks, the almirah filled trash and one attendant for a total of 180 pre-primary level kids are a few highlights of ‘government’ nursery schools in the city.

Parents are in for disappointment with the teaching environment government nursery schools have to offer.(Parampreet Singh Narula/HT file photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 21, 2015 06:23 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Irate PU senators to move HC over syndicate move on changing faculty

Some Panjab University (PU) senators are likely to move court against a syndicate decision that allows senators to change their faculties even a month after their two-year assignments expire.

In 2012 the Punjab and Haryana high court drafted a decision, which allowed change of faculties for senators “on” the expiry of two years of assignment and not “after”.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 28, 2015 11:25 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

PU senate proposes increase in earned leave of teachers

In what could be a big relief to university teachers, Panjab University senate has proposed to change the regulation of the PU calendar in terms of increasing the number of earned leaves at the credit of a teacher.

Panjab University senate has proposed to increase the number of earned leaves of teachers.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 28, 2015 10:58 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Railways offers subsidised pilgrimage packages

Come December and the railway will launch the ‘Bharat Darshan’ special trains and subsidised 12-day travel packages to destinations of religious importance. Officials say the travel packages have been planned keeping senior citizens in mind. The package will cost `9,960 per head, which would take car of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), transportation and stay.

The first train — Jyotirling Bharat Darshan Yatra — will depart from Chandigarh on December 14 and will be back on December 25.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 27, 2015 10:23 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

One year on, PU colleges divided over five-day teaching pattern

It’s been over a year that the issue of implementing five-day teaching pattern in all affiliated colleges of the Punjab University has been hanging fire despite the fact that the varsity vice-chancellor had agreed to it.

Despite getting vice-chancellor’s nod, the issue is still stuck up as principals of colleges in rural areas against the move.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 24, 2015 10:44 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

PU students’ council mulls grievance redress forum on varsity website

Aimed at to give a platform to the students to raise issues concerning the university, Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) plans to launch ‘grievance redressal forum’ on the varsity’s official website where student will be able to submit complaints, opinions and suggestions.

cities

Updated on Nov 23, 2015 02:55 PM IST

HindustanTimes | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

PU girl students set to get shuttle bus service at night

With examinations round the corner, the Panjab University (PU) has decided to provide bus shuttle services for girl students at night between the AC Joshi library and the girls hostels on the campus.

Bus shuttle services in Panjab University would be provided considering the safety of the girls.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 21, 2015 10:20 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Student leaders of Panjab varsity may contest senate elections

After many years of protesting and demanding to get a ‘formal’ representation in the senate, current student leaders at the Panjab University (PU) will be contesting the Senate election for the first time,

cities

Updated on Nov 20, 2015 12:51 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

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Ifrah Mufti

She is a staff reporter in Chandigarh. She covers schools and higher education.

Girls students residing across Panjab University (PU) campus hostels have applauded the approval to utilise Guru Teg Bahadur Bhavan as ‘reading hall’. The decision by PU vice-chancellor professor Arun Kumar Grover comes after students had put their demand for the same.

Joined hands, closed eyes, crossed fingers, tears of joy, smiling faces and tensed moods were witnessed when top four city schools conducted draw of lots for nursery admissions on Friday.

The proposal to run Panjab University-affiliated colleges five days a week has been received with cynicism in Punjab, even as institutions in Chandigarh have expressed their willingness.

Considering clear weather conditions, and passengers’ demand, the Ambala division of Northern Railways on Thursday sent a proposal to the headquarters in Delhi not to cancel running of Shatabdi Express between Kalka and New Delhi during Tuesdays and Saturdays from January 9.

Following a positive response to northeast tour for the Delhi University students, the IRCTC has planned to offer customised tours and packages for students of the city schools and colleges.

City Beautiful is getting warmer with considerable rise in night temperature over the years. Going by the data collected by the local meteorological centre, there is a rise of 1.06 degree Celsius in the

Despite the fact that the UT social welfare department has provided 10 night shelters across the city, for the convenience of the poor, many homeless people continue to sleep in the open.

Dedicated cycle stands at city markets, colleges and gardens are a thing of the past as cyclers are forced to lock their bicycles along railings, the bark of trees and iron gates.

As per the data collected by the Ambala division of the Northern Railways on the number of penalties levied on defaulters on the Chandigarh railway station, a total of 237 cases have been registered in the past six months (from June till November).

Bicycle tracks don’t seem to be on the priority list of the Chandigarh municipal corporation. Most of these tracks, constructed to make city as cyclist-friendly, are dotted with potholes and are occupied by encroachers.

Under its skill development initiative, the Northern Railways Ambala division has identified a training centre in Panchkula that will not be used to hone skills of the department employees but unemployed youth as well.

A day after planning to conduct a study on the signboards across the city carrying directions in different languages, the Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) constituted a 10-member committee on Thursday.

Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) has planned to conduct a study on the white cemented signboards in the city that carry directions in different languages.

In order to bring reforms in the governing body of the Panjab University (PU), the think tank, which was constituted two months back to improve the financial health of the Panjab University (PU), will now also contribute towards improving the structure of syndicate and senate.

Three months after the international airport was inaugurated with much fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11, Chandigarh still awaits aerial connectivity with any of the foreign country.

Gone are the days when signboards across the City Beautiful carried directions in four languages — English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu — but with time, Urdu has disappeared from a majority of these signboards.

Three days after the examinations have started at Panjab University (PU) and across its affiliated colleges, around 70 visually-impaired students in the city are still struggling to get writers to appear on their behalf for examinations.

Broken swings, rusted slides, dingy rooms, peeling paint and cracks, the almirah filled trash and one attendant for a total of 180 pre-primary level kids are a few highlights of ‘government’ nursery schools in the city.

Some Panjab University (PU) senators are likely to move court against a syndicate decision that allows senators to change their faculties even a month after their two-year assignments expire.

In what could be a big relief to university teachers, Panjab University senate has proposed to change the regulation of the PU calendar in terms of increasing the number of earned leaves at the credit of a teacher.

It’s been over a year that the issue of implementing five-day teaching pattern in all affiliated colleges of the Punjab University has been hanging fire despite the fact that the varsity vice-chancellor had agreed to it.

Aimed at to give a platform to the students to raise issues concerning the university, Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) plans to launch ‘grievance redressal forum’ on the varsity’s official website where student will be able to submit complaints, opinions and suggestions.

With examinations round the corner, the Panjab University (PU) has decided to provide bus shuttle services for girl students at night between the AC Joshi library and the girls hostels on the campus.

After many years of protesting and demanding to get a ‘formal’ representation in the senate, current student leaders at the Panjab University (PU) will be contesting the Senate election for the first time,

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