Surender Sharma is a principal correspondent at Chandigarh. He covers Punjab and Haryana high court.
Articles by Surender Sharma
Good marks, yet no job? PU for soft skills help
Employability and soft skills have for long been a major hindrance to young graduates and postgraduates getting a job. Taking note of this, the Panjab University has decided to intervene and start non-credit (results do not reflect in grades or transcripts) courses from the 2014-15 academic session.
Updated on Apr 21, 2014 10:35 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
UIET drops three subjects from PG entrance test list
The University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) has dropped three subjects from this year’s Combined Entrance Test (CET) list conducted for post graduate courses. The examination is conducted by Panjab University for enrollment to various courses offered by 30-odd institutes in Chandigarh.
Updated on Apr 19, 2014 11:36 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Row between CCA, regulatory body masks deeper problems
There may be more to the wrangling between the Council of Architecture (COA), the regulatory body for all architectural institutes in the country, and the Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) than meets the eye.
Updated on Apr 16, 2014 10:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
PU asks UT admn to increase height of south campus boundary wall
With Panjab University struggling to ensure security at its south campus, the varsity has written to Union Territory (UT) administration to raise the height of wall between Bhaskar colony and the campus.
Updated on Apr 15, 2014 10:03 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Inclusion of NOTA in annual polls splits teachers’ body
While the recently held state assembly elections and the ongoing parliamentary polls may have given voters the right to reject all candidates, NOTA (“none of the above option”) has left the Panjab University Teachers Association ( P U TA ) a divided house.
Updated on Apr 14, 2014 09:12 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
AAP alleges BJP, Cong violated poll code using Twitter, Facebook
The social media war between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Gul Panag and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Kirron Kher is far from over. Days after Panag and Kher took digs at each other over their age, Panag in an indirect reference to Kirron and other BJP leaders accused them of violating the model code of conduct during polls by putting messages and pictures on Twitter and Facebook.
Updated on Apr 13, 2014 12:36 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Semester system: PU plans to hold senate meet in May
The Panjab University plans to hold a special senate meeting in May to clear the proposal of introducing the semester system in its affiliated colleges for undergraduate courses.
Updated on Apr 13, 2014 12:06 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Some back in wind, others unwind
After nearly monthlong electioneering, the candidates, whose luck was sealed by 4.53 lakh voters of Chandigarh on Thursday, heaved a sigh of relief from their hectic schedule. A day after polling to the 16th Lok Sabha, some candidates spent their entire day at home, while others went out on a shopping spree.
Updated on Apr 12, 2014 10:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Chandigarh: 17 in fray, but all eyes on actors vs ex-minister
Chandigarh has 17 candidates in the fray, but all eyes are on three: Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal, Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) Gul Panag and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Kirron Kher.
Updated on Apr 09, 2014 09:44 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Bansal pitted against a starry challenge
Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal was sailing through quite nicely till recently, but the Railgate scandal, in which his nephew was caught taking a bribe from a senior railway official, coupled with anti-incumbency has made the battle harder for him.
Updated on Apr 09, 2014 09:02 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
In starry battle, astrologers see winners on all sides
Who will represent the city in the 16th Lok Sabha? The million dollar question might yet be locked up in the minds of voters, but HT contacts the people who seem to know it all, the astrologers, for a peep into the possible future on May 16, the day the votes are counted.
Updated on Apr 08, 2014 11:43 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Omens, charms don’t seem to matter for our candidates
They would have many superstitions, but the top four contenders who have plunged into the Lok Sabha battle for Chandigarh seat claim to be atheist. Most of them say they offer prayers but do not believe in good or bad omens.
Updated on Apr 08, 2014 11:15 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
AAP fundraiser a good draw, raises an estimated 3.5 lakh
The Aam Aadmi Party’s fund raising dinner at a bar in Sector 26 on Monday evening drew a much bigger crowd than the organisers had ever expected. Sources said the party estimated to earn over 3.5 lakh. Seeing the brisk response, they had to place more orders nearly a hundred people had arrived till about 9.30 pm.
Updated on Apr 08, 2014 11:10 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
'Apolitical' Anil roots for Kirron as ‘right’ candidate
It was only ‘jhakaas’ ( excellent) what actor Anil Kapoor delivered as filmy dialogue while campaigning for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kirron Kher, but that too many could not hear.Kapoor, who reached the city on Sunday morning from Dubai to campaign for Kirron.
Updated on Apr 07, 2014 09:43 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Ear to the ground here, eye on national scene
From issues affecting their day- to- day life in Chandigarh to the country’s most debated political personalities, they have their views on all. Hindustan Times invited a group of youngsters — most of them first-time voters — to participate in an agenda discussion ‘Young India Votes’ for Chandigarh, on Saturday. Here are some key takeaways.
Updated on Apr 06, 2014 12:20 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma and Jyotsna Jalali, Chandigarh
Volunteer-driven party needs to strengthen roots
Even though the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got active barely three months ahead of the general elections in the city, it has projected itself as a ‘serious’ contender. The major credit for this should go to the limelight party convener Arvind Kejriwal has hogged at the national level by targeting all voters and by trying to portray the organisation as ‘different’ from the BJP as well as the Congress.
Updated on Apr 05, 2014 11:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Jannat Jahan: juggling between 3 kids and poll battle
As Jannat Jahan, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate from Chandigarh, enters a Ford Endeavour at her palatial Sector-35 house to leave for door- to- door campaigning on a breezy Wednesday morning, she stops and calls out to her domestic help, Urmila: “Don’t let her (Jahan’s one-year-old daughter) be alone. Ensure that the gate is closed.”
Updated on Apr 04, 2014 04:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
RSS workers to support Kirron’s campaign
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), traditionally known for staying in the background in elections, is playing a more open and direct role in the Chandigarh Lok Sabha poll. At least 700 RSS workers from the city and neighbouring states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Updated on Apr 02, 2014 01:45 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
For Congress, it’s a battle for survival
The Congress party, which has been sending Pawan Kumar Bansal to Lok Sabha from the city seat for the past 15 years, is facing a battle of survival in the upcoming elections. The party not only faces challenge of overcoming antiincumbency.
Updated on Apr 02, 2014 10:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Mayawati uses Godhra to attack Modi
Taking a dig at prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi in her rally maiden rally in Chandigarh in this elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati invoked Godhra riots and said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should be stopped from forming a government at the centre.
Updated on Mar 31, 2014 12:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Modi pitches for city as education, tourism hub
Coming out with a pitch to woo the city’s voters, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP)’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi focused on discussing his plans for the union territory at his election rally, here on Saturday. My victory as prime minister would only be complete when the BJP is victorious from Chandigarh (From left) BJP leader Satya Pal Jain.
Updated on Mar 30, 2014 12:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Gurpreet Singh Nibber and Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
In BJP regime, we'll not let jawans and kisans die: Modi
Making "save jawan, save kisan" his slogan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to two political constituencies (soldiers and farmers) in one go.
Updated on Mar 30, 2014 09:31 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Gurpreet Singh Nibber and Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Savita Bhatti deserts AAP, decides to remain ‘apolitical’
Days after Savita Bhatti opted out of Lok Sabha contest from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the wife of late comedian, Jaspal Bhatti, has now decided to desert the rookie party and remain ‘apolitical’. Though Bhatti could not be contacted.
Updated on Mar 26, 2014 09:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
PU students on tour left in lurch
250 students went on (PUCSC)-organised trip to Goa even as arrangements made only for 150; girls among those stranded at Goa station.Panjab University goofed up in making arrangements for students on an annual trip to Maharashtra and Goa, students have alleged.
Updated on Mar 13, 2014 10:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma
PU mulls branch sliding facility for engineering students
Panjab University (PU) is mulling providing facility of 'branch sliding' to its engineering students wherein they could opt for subjects of their choice in the second year.
Updated on Mar 11, 2014 10:48 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Computer Science Phd offered Rs 10 lakh annual package
The New Delhi regional centre of Lovely Professional University has offered a Panjab University Phd scholar in Computer Sciences an annual salary of Rs 9.6 lakh per annum at the just-concluded placement fair, Avsar of the university.
Updated on Mar 09, 2014 12:39 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Poor infrastructure plagues UILS course
While PU’s University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) has decided to conduct counselling for the second semester of the BCom LLB (honours) five-year integrated course on March 10 following a recent Punjab and Haryana High Court order.
Updated on Mar 05, 2014 11:11 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
Staff shortage: PU entrance exams under cloud
With just one programmer at its disposal, the Panjab University computer centre has expressed its inability to conduct the Combined Entrance Test (CET) and other entrance examinations for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Updated on Mar 04, 2014 12:31 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
BJP’s ticket aspirants make beeline for Delhi
With the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) central election committee meeting scheduled for February 27, all top three contenders for the city Lok Sabha seat of BJP - city unit chief Sanjay Tandon and former MPs Satya Pal Jain and Harmohan Dhawan - were camping in Delhi on Tuesday.
Updated on Feb 26, 2014 12:30 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh
PU sends proposal for 64-acre campus at Sarangpur
Panjab University has submitted another proposal to the UT administration for setting up its third campus at Sarangpur on the city's outskirts. A top PU official told HT that, according to the revised proposal, 64 acres of land have been sought for the new campus.
Updated on Feb 26, 2014 10:21 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Surender Sharma, Chandigarh