Campuses wait to receive newcomers

CLOSURE TIME at Madras University is never what it means. There are always the `hangers on', the `dawdlers on' who are there `for something or the other'. And this time round they are talking about the `clash of the Titans'.

What on earth does it mean? If you are an `aware Madras University student', then you will know about the stalemate at the top most rungs of the University, that started with the issue of internet tenders. ``We all heard what is happening. The discord between the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor is old news here. Now it is rumoured that he has extended his `sick' leave.''

It turns out that the rumour is well founded. Mr. P. Kolappan, the Registrar has indeed extended his leave by 15 days. Though he was scheduled to take charge by May 25, he thought it fit not to. The only group that seems to have benefited from this skirmish is the lobby that has been campaigning against the appointment of IAS officers as Registrar.

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Last week, lightning (!) struck the internal telephone exchange of the Madras University. Ever since, there is not even a loud ring in the dark. The intercom has all but failed and it means heavy exercise for a lot of staff of the University. A number of people (mostly non-teaching staff) are now forced to climb up and down the stairs to contact colleagues in other departments and bring files.

``Earlier we would just pick up the phone and ask for files. Now we have to send an attendant running down everytime. It is really time consuming,'' the non-teaching staff say. They are happy, however that such a thing happened during the vacation. They also breathe a sigh of relief when they say that work has started to restore the equipment and the lines will come back to life `very soon'.

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Schooling over, a huge crowd heads towards colleges. Campuses await the newcomers, who come in all sizes, shapes and colours.

As always, leading the motley crowd will be this years' toppers. Compared to last year, the Higher Secondary results may be delayed by a few days this time. But some of the leaders have already been sighted. And they are the rankers in the TN Professional Courses Entrance Examinations (TNPCEE).

Wednesday morning, the TNPCEE results were published at Anna University. An eager crowd collected near the Examinations centre, looking up at the printed results. And each face that looked up the notice boards showed the personal effect on the teeny boppers _ some joy, a few disappointed and some steel plain. Parents joined in the emotions.

The Engineering group topper is Hemant Kumar of Chetpet, Chennai, who incidentally shares the highest mathematics marks with K. Sandeep of Royapettah in the city and P. Mohan Kumar of Kovilpatti.

K.Vasuki, the lone topper in Biology is from Kodambakkam. As for physical sciences, all three toppers too have emerged from the city _ Sriraghavendra, R. Yogesh Kumar and E.V.Satya Sai.

Among the aspirants for medical college seats, the topper is Prem Solomon of Royapettah followed by E. Anbazhagan from Neyveli and S. Gayatri from Dindigul.

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Whistle. It's half-time for vacation which means that college students have already had half a ball. While some had taken off to cooler pastures, others resigned to stay back to do some constructive work.

Like binding books, adventure trips around the sweltering city, checking out the new hotspots, mastering the art of window shopping, stationery shopping _ branded books, flashy pens, ethnic folders, floppies and other campus accessories _ sling bags, see-through bags, earphones for the walkman, fancy headgear, coolers and shoes for the academic year.

Then a few hours at summer camps, workshops, gymnasiums to hone talent and fitness besides sporting a new look for a new year. And needless to say, clothes! Do students need an excuse to buy clothes, anyway?

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While many will return to campuses from their vacation with an accent, due to trips abroad, trips to the airport or overexposure to television shows, there are a few foreign students picking up the Indian accent on academics.

Sheela Srinivasan, Kannan Kaliyaperumal, Ramesh Subramaniam and Mandeep Singh are students of National University of Singapore doing their Elective Posting at Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute.

``For the first time in our lives, we have come across of enteric fever, cases of peculiar skin diseases and advanced cases of illness,'' they say. The interaction between patients and doctors here in Chennai, is extra-ordinary, they believe.

Well, as the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

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(By Ramya Kannan, K. Ramachandran and Sudhish Kamath).

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