LAHORE: Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata has assured that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) will provide technical assistance for the establishment of mechanical technology departments for three-year diploma of associate engineer at Tevta’s 18 government colleges of technology in Punjab.

Tevta Chairman Irfan Qaiser Sheikh after holding a meeting with the Japanese Ambassador said the Jica’s assistance would serve as a step forward in the development of industry in Pakistan.

After successful starting of center of excellence in mechanical and architecture technology at the Government College of Technology (GCT), Railway Road, Lahore, Mr Sheikh said Jica had assured provision of technical assistance for the state-of-the-art mechanical department at GCTs in Faisalabad, Gujrat, Layyah, Multan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Attock, Rahim Yar Khan, Taxila, Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhelum, Mianwali, Sangla Hill, Gujranwala and Government Staff Training College, Faisalabad.

Mr Sheikh said the Japanese ambassador had also promised cooperation in development of an organised system for on-job-training for Tevta trainees as well as job opportunities at Japanese companies in Pakistan.

GCU: The Government College University Syndicate has given a go-ahead to launch law degree programmes on varsity campus.

The law discipline will be the 28th postgraduate academic programme in the GCU.

The Syndicate in its 45th meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleequr Rahman has also constituted a four-member committee to formulate recommendations for law degree programmes as per the best international standards.

Prof Rahman told the syndicate that there had been a great demand by eminent lawyers and judges besides students to start law degree at the GCU, Lahore.

However, he said, the quality education should remain a top priority of the university.

He wished the proposed law department should become a centre of excellence in undergraduate and postgraduate law studies and research in the country.

The VC said the GCU was also concentrating on infrastructural development for providing facilities to students of new postgraduate programmes, adding he had added 26 new offices and classrooms to the university’s infrastructure in the last three years besides upgrading science laboratories and libraries.

He said the overall student strength of the GCU had increased from about 6,500 to 11,500 in a short span of three years. He said the university had also rationalised its academic and examination rules and regulations as per the international standards, and nobody would be allowed to deviate from the rules.

Impersonator: The Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education administration on Thursday caught an impersonator red-handed attempting an intermediate supplementary examination at board’s cluster centre on Lawrence Road.

The board’s supervisory staff caught Imran Baig for impersonating in place of candidate Rajab Saleem, roll number 111,691.

An unfair means case was registered against the candidate and an FIR against the impersonator.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2014