Govt app tells commuters to wait 19,280 minutes for MTC bus

Govt app tells commuters to wait 19,280 minutes for MTC bus

31.12.2025

 Omjasvin.MD@timesofindia.com 

Chennai : Booking an MTC bus ticket on the govt’s Chennai One App may put you in for a long wait — sometimes as long as 19,000 minutes, which translates to 13 days. Hyped as a platform on the lines of top cab aggregators to book tickets and track buses, the App was designed to enable passengers to book tickets on the go and view bus movement in real time. 

However, tech glitches and poor GPS integration have rendered the feature largely unusable. In the app, a bus on route 101 from Nerkundram to MGR Central was shown to arrive in 19,280 minutes. Another user booking from Rohini Theatre to Panagal Park (route 72) saw a wait time of 16,455 minutes, which is 10 days. While these buses came in less than 30 minutes of booking, commuters were left clueless while planning their trips. 

The problem was worse for the old whiteboard buses, where no live trackers appeared at all, leaving commuters in the dark about whether a bus was five minutes away or already gone. At MGR Central, commuters who booked ordinary fare services such as 28 from Egmore to Thiruvottiyur, said the bus movement was not visible at all in the App, and there was no information on when the next bus would come. K Sathish Kumar, who was waiting at the Old Central Bus Stand, said he waited for 30 minutes and then left by metro. 

The issue is that not all MTC buses are equipped with GPS trackers. Furthermore, some buses are not integrated with the App. While the new Ashok Leyland low-floor, ultra-low-floor, and EV buses are integrated with better GPS right from the start, the older rickety ordinary fare buses are yet to receive the upgrade. “There are 3,500 buses, and even a small wire cut in the GPS tracker may lead to wrong information showing in the app. These are glitches that will be addressed,” said Cumta (Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority) member-secretary I Jeyakumar. MTC joint managing director R Sundarapandian, who is the official spokesperson for the corporation, was not available for comment

No admission to SSN college of engineering from next year

No admission to SSN college of engineering from next year

 Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 16.12.2025

Chennai : Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar (SSN) College of Engineering in Chennai announced on Monday that it will not accept applications for admissions for the next academic year (2026-27). The college received approval for progressive closure from Anna University and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The premier college will be merged with Shiv Nadar University Chennai, which is functioning on the adjacent campus, in a phased manner.

 “SSN College of Engineering is no longer accepting applications. Please apply for similar programmes to the SSN School of Engineering at Shiv Nadar University Chennai (SNUC),” an announcement on the college website said. It also released frequently asked questions (FAQs) to clarify the doubts of parents and students who are enrolled in the college. 

“As of now, the SSN College has more than 4,800 students, including UG, PG students, and research scholars. These students will receive their degrees from Anna University as the closure will be progressive. There will be no new admissions from 2026-27,” a source in the college said. 

Students aspiring for admissions to BTech and MTech programmes in the SSN School of Engineering under Shiv Nadar University Chennai will have to take an entrance test and interview. SSN College of Engineering is an autonomous college under Anna University and fills 65% of its seats through online counselling, which is based on Class XII marks in maths, chemistry, and physics. 

These students pay ₹55,000 as tuition fees for govt quota seats. The tuition fees for BTech programmes at Shiv Nadar University is ₹3.5 lakh. However, the university announced that the fee structure for current students at SSN College of Engineering will continue as per the prevailing norms applicable to their batch. 

Further, it also

said faculty members will continue teaching until all students complete their programmes. “The academic norms as per the prevailing Anna University regulations will continue to apply if a student has arrears or backlog after the last batch graduates,” the college further said.

Madras HC says heirs of temporary staff not eligible for compassionate jobs It observed that the scheme of compassionate appointment is a special scheme and not a constitutional scheme.

Madras HC says heirs of temporary staff not eligible for compassionate jobs It observed that the scheme of compassionate appointment is a special scheme and not a constitutional scheme.

Madras High Court 

Express News Service Updated on:  14 Dec 2025, 9:11 am 

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has set aside an order of the central administrative tribunal (CAT) which had ordered the Southern Railway to pass appropriate orders on the application of the legal heir of a deceased temporary worker for a job under compassionate grounds.

A division bench of justice SM Subramaniam and C Kumarappan held that the scheme of the Union government for compassionate appointments does not provide for appointment to the legal heir of a temporary worker.

It allowed the appeal filed by the Southern Railway challenging the April 21, 2022 order of the CAT passed on the petition filed by D Marimuthu, whose father, a casual labourer, died on harness, seeking appointment on compassionate grounds.

The bench noted Clause 2 (B) Note-II of the scheme of Central government for compassionate appointments defines the eligibility of only the legal heir of “Government Servant” appointed on regular basis and not those working on daily wages.

Advertisement “The scheme itself is not applicable to casual labourers, therefore, the CAT cannot expand the scope of the scheme so as to provide a government job which is in violation of the constitutional principles and would infringe the rights of numerous eligible meritorious candidates, who are all longing to secure public employment by participating in open competitive process,” the bench said in the order.

It observed that the scheme of compassionate appointment is a special scheme and not a constitutional scheme. Such appointment is a concession and can never be claimed as an absolute right.

Marimuthu’s father joined the Southern Railway as a casual labourer on April 11, 1973 and his temporary status was confirmed on October 1, 1974.

He died on October 20, 1987. After a lapse of 16 years, he applied for compassionate appointment. It was rejected on the ground that the legal heirs of casual labourers are not eligible. He approached the CAT which directed Southern Railway to consider it; again, the application was rejected. He filed another petition and the CAT passed the order to check the family conditions and decide on the application. This order was challenged in the high court.

Cyclone may get close to Chennai coast on Nov 29’

Cyclone may get close to Chennai coast on Nov 29’

25.11.2025

B Amudha, deputy director general (addl charge), IMD, said two more atmospheric circulations may influence rainfall, one over Kanyakumari, which may trigger a low-pressure area over the region and adjoining southwest Bay and Sri Lanka on Tuesday, and another over the southeast Arabian Sea. 

“All three circulations may merge due to upper-air changes. We will have details in coming days,” she said. On Monday, weather models suggested the cyclone may move close to the Chennai coast on Nov 29 and 30, though forecasts differ on landfall with models showing the system crossing the AP coast or making a northward movement into the Bay of Bengal before weakening. 

On Nov 28, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Karaikal may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, while Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai may get heavy rain. 

On Nov 29, rain may spread to north TN, with Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpet, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Puducherry likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. 

Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet, Vellore and Karaikal may get heavy rain. On Nov 30, Tiruvallur may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, while Chennai, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Puducherry may get heavy rain. 

On Monday, many parts of TN recorded rainfall with Parangipettai in Cuddalore district recording 4.5cm, Kanyakumari 2cm and Nagapattinam 1.3cm till 7.30pm. Light spells of 3.4mm and 0.7mm were recorded in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam. 

Heavy rainfall over south TN in past few days has pushed up numbers, with at least 22 weather stations logging 10cm20cm in 24hours. Oothu in Tirunelveli recorded 23cm, Nalumukku 22cm, Sethiathope in Cuddalore and Kakkachi in Tirunelveli 21cm each, and Manjolai 19cm.

Digital bus passes to be out in 2 weeks, CUMTA issues detailed guidelines

CHENNAI

19.11.2025

Digital bus passes to be out in 2 weeks, CUMTA issues detailed guidelines

Chennai alone has about one lakh gold pass users, and CUMTA expects uptake to rise once the digital versions are introduced.

A bus passenger using the mobile phone to scan QR code from the conductor to buy ticket inside a MTC bus at Marina in Chennai.(Photo | P.Ravikumar, EPS)

C Shivakumar

Updated on:  19 Nov 2025, 8:06 am

CHENNAI: The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has issued detailed operating procedures for conductors, inspectors and transport officials ahead of the roll out of fully digital monthly passes for MTC buses. The new passes, available on the Chennai One app, are priced at Rs 1,000 for the gold tier and Rs 2,000 for the diamond tier.

Special Officer I Jayakumar said the passes will be launched within the next two weeks. “MTC currently issues passes at 54 locations. Now, commuters can access them from their homes,” he said. “We have also relaxed the validity of passes. The digital pass will be valid for 30 days from the date of purchase,” he added.

Chennai alone has about one lakh gold pass users, and CUMTA expects uptake to rise once the digital versions are introduced. Under the new system, frontline staff will check the digital pass displayed on the passenger’s phone, verify the photograph, and ensure that the correct category has been purchased. The gold pass will continue to be valid on all non-AC services, while the diamond pass covers AC buses as well.

The system relies on real-time validation: passengers must scan the QR code or OTP sticker displayed inside each bus upon boarding, enabling journey logs to be linked to the pass.

Officials have been instructed to confirm the scan and, if required, verify the bus number shown on the digital pass. Each pass displays a visible expiry date and a live timestamp to prevent misuse. CUMTA has also incorporated animated security markers that move when the phone is tilted, helping staff distinguish genuine passes from screenshots or static images.

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation dominates Chennai’s bus transport, operating a vast network of 2,421 km. MTC services carry an average daily ridership of 31.8 lakh passengers as of 2024, supplemented by mofussil and private services that extend connectivity to peripheral regions. The corporation operates more than 690 named routes and serves 5,608 bus stops across the city.

Govt doctors protest redeployment, demand more appointments in TN

Govt doctors protest redeployment, demand more appointments in TN 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 12.11.2025

Chennai : Govt doctors across the state on Tuesday held a protest, wearing black badges, raising slogans, and distributing pamphlets asking health department to appoint more doctors instead of redeploying them and forcing post-graduate medical students to work. “The govt has not created posts for newly opened hospitals in several places,” said govt doctors’ association president Dr K Senthil. “No doctors, nurses, or staff were appointed to run these hospitals. Doctors are forced to do double duty and this drastically affects patient care,” he said. While this has been happening for nearly two years, the trigger for Tuesday’s protest was a Nov 4 circular from the director of medical education Dr Suganthy Rajakumari asking deans of medical colleges to direct junior residents to attend transfer counselling. “Officials said a proposal was sent to remove the post of junior residents for service doctors. Post-graduate medical students will work as junior residents and qualified PG doctors will be moved to posts in newer hospitals. How can students take the place of doctors,” asked service and post graduate doctors association general secretary Dr A Ramalingam. Dr Suganthy Rajakumari said the govt was looking at relocating doctors from some medical colleges. “We are looking at increasing 500 PG seats in govt colleges. Staff from some hospitals are being relocated and posted as assistant professors so we fulfil basic requirements of the National Medical Commission,” she said. Deans have been asked to ensure staff strength in all hospitals meets norms prescribed by NMC. “If that is the case, bed strength should be 250, not 750 or 1,000,” said Dr Ramalingam. “Bed strength and outpatient flow have been increasing at all hospitals. The govt must increase strength, not decrease. Doctors treat patients, not beds or buildings,” he said. Doctors’ associations said there are about 12,000 doctors in govt medical colleges as against a requirement of 24,000. In addition to teaching and treating patients, doctors are forced to work in health camps, attend VIP convoy duty, sit for a medical board, and do court duties, said democratic govt doctors association president Dr P Balakrishnan.

Settle terminal benefits to ex-varsity staff: HC tells TN

Settle terminal benefits to ex-varsity staff: HC tells TN 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 05.11.2025

Chennai : Terming as alarming the non-payment of terminal benefits and pension arrears to former staff and their families of Madras University to the tune of ₹95.44 crore, Madras high court directed the state and the university to take steps to settle the arrears. Relying on a report filed by the state on the total terminal and pension benefits payable from Apr 2015 to Sept 2025, Justice N Anand Venkatesh said, “It is clear from the above that a total of 87 teaching staff, 249 non-teaching staff, and 129 family pensioners are yet to be settled with the terminal benefits, which runs to the total tune of ₹95,44,21,085. 

“The above figures are quite alarming and the finance secretary of Tamil Nadu govt must necessarily come up with a solution to settle the entire pensionary benefits to the teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and family pensioners,” the judge said. The secretary, while filing a status report on an earlier occasion, took a stand that they would continue to extend their cooperation and guidance to ensure that there is timely disbursement of the pensionary dues. This commitment that was expressed before this court shall be translated into action by immediately allocating funds for settling the entire terminal benefits, the court added. The observations were made on a contempt of court petition.

Withdraw T.N. Private Universities (Amendment) Bill: former V-C

Withdraw T.N. Private Universities (Amendment) Bill: former V-C

E. Balagurusamy

The Hindu Bureau

Chennai 27.10.2025

Former Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of Anna University E. Balagurusamy has urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to withdraw the recently introduced Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

In a letter to the Chief Minister on Sunday, a copy of which was shared with the media, he highlighted that the conversion of government-aided colleges to private universities would lead to the dilution of public control, uncertainty for faculty and staff, and possible withdrawal of government support. “The private university status can lead to a steep increase in fees, reducing access for students from economically and socially weaker sections who rely on affordable aided-college education,” he contended.

The State government on Saturday decided to review what Higher Education Minister Govi. Chezhiaan called the “Draft” Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, in response to pushback from teachers’ bodies and a section of MLAs. The Bill was passed by the Assembly on October 18. “The dilution of reservation policies and social justice measures threatens equitable access to higher education and undermines decades of progress in inclusive education,” Mr. Balagurusamy added, and 

urged the State to hold consultations with all stake-holders before introducing any amendments to the Act.

சென்னை, 4 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு பலத்த மழை எச்சரிக்கை

சென்னை சென்னை, 4 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு பலத்த மழை எச்சரிக்கை

 சென்னை, திருவள்ளூா், செங்கல்பட்டு, காஞ்சிபுரம், ராணிப்பேட்டை ஆகிய 5 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு வியாழக்கிழமை (அக். 23) பலத்த மழைக்கான ‘மஞ்சள்’ எச்சரிக்கை

தினமணி செய்திச் சேவை 

Updated on:  23 அக்டோபர் 2025, 4:17 am 

சென்னை, திருவள்ளூா், செங்கல்பட்டு, காஞ்சிபுரம், ராணிப்பேட்டை ஆகிய 5 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு வியாழக்கிழமை (அக். 23) பலத்த மழைக்கான ‘மஞ்சள்’ எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

இது குறித்து சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் புதன்கிழமை வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கை:

வடகிழக்குப் பருவமழை தீவிரமடைந்து வருகிறது. தமிழகத்தில் புதன்கிழமை காலை 8.30 மணியுடன் முடிவடைந்த கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் அதிகபட்சமாக புதுச்சேரியின் பெரிய காலாப்பேட்டை பகுதியில் 250 மி.மீ. மழை பதிவானது.

ஆழ்ந்த காற்றழுத்தத் தாழ்வுப் பகுதி: செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை (அக். 21) தென்மேற்கு வங்கக் கடலில் நிலவிய ஆழ்ந்த காற்றழுத்தத் தாழ்வுப் பகுதி, வடமேற்கு திசையில் நகா்ந்து, புதன்கிழமை காலை தென்மேற்கு வங்கக் கடலில், தமிழக கடலோரப் பகுதிகளுக்கு அப்பால் நிலவுகிறது. இது வியாழக்கிழமை(அக். 23) காலை 11 மணிக்குள் வட தமிழகம், புதுச்சேரி, தெற்கு ஆந்திர கடலோரப் பகுதிகளைக் கடந்து நகா்ந்து செல்லக் கூடும்.

இதன் காரணமாக, வியாழக்கிழமை (அக். 23) முதல் அக். 28 வரை தமிழகத்தின் பெரும்பாலான இடங்களிலும், புதுச்சேரி, காரைக்கால் பகுதிகளிலும் இடி, மின்னலுடன் கூடிய மிதமான மழைக்கு வாய்ப்புள்ளது.

‘மஞ்சள்’ எச்சரிக்கை: சென்னை, திருவள்ளூா், செங்கல்பட்டு, காஞ்சிபுரம், ராணிப்பேட்டை மாவட்டங்களில் ஓரிரு இடங்களில் வியாழக்கிழமை (அக். 23) பலத்த மழை பெய்ய வாய்ப்புள்ளது. இதனால், இந்த 5 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு ‘மஞ்சள்’ எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தொடா்ந்து வெள்ளிக்கிழமை (அக். 24) கடலூா், விழுப்புரம், செங்கல்பட்டு ஆகிய மாவட்டங்களிலும் பலத்த மழை பெய்ய வாய்ப்புள்ளதால் இந்த மாவட்டங்களுக்கும் மஞ்சள் எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மீனவா் களுக்கு... 

வடதமி ழக கடலோ ரப் பகுதி கள், அதை யொ ட்டிய தெ ற்கு ஆந்தி ரக் கடலோ ரப் பகுதி கள், புதுச்சே ரி யி ல் சூறா வளி க் கா ற்று மணிக்கு 65 கி .மீ. வே கத்தி லும், தெ ன் தமி ழக கடலோ ரப் பகுதி கள், மன்னாா் வளை குடா மற்றும் குமரி க்கடல் பகுதி களி ல் வி யாழக்கி ழமை (அக். 23) சூறா வளி க் கா ற்று 55 கி .மீ. வே கத்தி லும் வீசக்கூடும். அரபி க் கடலில்... தெ ன்கி ழக்கு அரபி க் கடலில் நி லவி ய ஆழ்ந்த கா ற்றழுத்தத் தா ழ்வுப் பகுதி புதன்கி ழமை கா லை கா ற்றழுத்தத் தா ழ்வு மண்டலமா க வலுப்பெ ற்று, அதே பகுதி களி ல் நி லவுகி றது. 

இது, வடக்கு- வட மே ற்கு தி சை யில் நகா் ந்து, செ ல்லக் கூடும். மே லும், தெ ற்கு அந்தமா ன் கடல், அதை யொ ட்டிய பகுதி களி லும் ஒரு வளி மண்டல மே லடுக்கு சுழற்சி நி லவுகி றது என அதி ல் தெ ரி வி க்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Bill passed to let TNPSC handle university staff hiring

Bill passed to let TNPSC handle university staff hiring

The Bill stated that the move would establish a more uniform, efficient, professional and transparent system for recruiting non-teaching staff at the universities.

Chief Minister M K Stalin speaking during the state Assembly session on Thursday.

Express News Service

Updated on:

17 Oct 2025, 8:51 am

3 min read

CHENNAI: The state Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill allowing the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) to manage the recruitment of non-teaching staff for 22 state universities. The Bill amends the TN Public Service Commission (Additional Functions) Act, 2022, which empowers the TNPSC to conduct recruitment for various government departments and undertakings. Until now, the recruitment for non-teaching positions in these state-run universities was managed by the respective university administrations.

The Bill stated that the move would establish a more uniform, efficient, professional and transparent system for recruiting non-teaching staff at the universities. It would also make it easier for job seekers from rural areas to apply for such positions, while relieving universities of the cumbersome task of conducting their own recruitment drives

Bill passed to extend tenure of SOs in rural local bodies

The Assembly also passed a Bill to amend the TN Panchayats Act, 1994, to extend the term of office of special officers (SOs) appointed to administer village panchayats, panchayat union councils and district panchayats till January 5, 2026, or until the first meeting of the local bodies after the general elections. While the rural development department had issued an order in this regard in July, the Bill was now passed in the Assembly.

According to the Bill, the government is finalising proposals to expand municipal corporations, municipal councils and town panchayats by including certain adjoining village panchayats in 28 districts. Only after the delimitation and reservation processes are completed after this amalgamation, elections for these rural local bodies can be notified. A total of 9,581 village panchayats, 314 panchayat union councils and 28 district panchayats are being run by the SOs.

The tenure of elected representatives of panchayats in these 28 districts expired on January 5 this year. As elections could not be conducted before that date, the government amended the TN Panchayats Act, 1994, to appoint SOs to administer these bodies until July 5. The Act was now amended to extend the tenure of SOs till January 2026 or until the elections are held.

Tender exemption clause of 1998 Act scrapped

The state government has moved to tighten its tendering system by scrapping the exemption clause in the TN Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998, that allowed select procurements to bypass the standard open tender process. An amendment passed on Thursday removes Section 16 of the law, which previously permitted direct procurement in limited circumstances such as emergencies, ensuring compatibility, or sourcing from state-owned or non-commercial entities. The provision also allowed purchases through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform without adhering to sections 9 and 10 governing open tendering procedures.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, Section 16 explicitly exempted procurements made through the GeM special purpose vehicle from the application of sections 9 and 10 of the Act. This exemption covered purchases through mechanisms such as rate contracts, online bidding, online reverse auctions and any other method notified by the government. The government said the exemption had become redundant as TN already operates its own e-procurement portal (tntenders.gov.in).

This apart, the Assembly on Thursday also introduced a Bill to amend the TN Dr Ambedkar Law University Act, 1996, which sought to amend relevant rules that disqualified the deaf-mute from holding authority positions in the university. The proposed changes also seek to update a penal reference in the Act to align with the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Assembly passes Private Universities Amendment Bill

Assembly passes Private Universities Amendment Bill

The Hindu Bureau. 18.10.2025

Chennai

The Assembly on Friday passed the Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, allowing for conversion of existing private or government-aided colleges into a new entity called ‘Brownfield University’, by altering the minimum requirement for contiguous land to establish such a facility. The principal Opposition party, the AIADMK, and some of the ruling DMK’s allies opposed the Bill.

While Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, necessitates a minimum of 100 acres of contiguous land to establish private universities, the amendment has slashed the minimum requirement for Brownfield Universities to 25 acres in municipal corporation areas, 35 acres in municipal council or town panchayat areas, and 50 acres in other areas.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Amendment Act, educational institutions operating in municipal corporation areas or municipal council and town panchayat areas found it tough to identify large expanse of contiguous land. “If the requirement of land is reduced in line with the Acts of private universities of neighbouring States, requests of eligible and deserving educational institutions may be considered,” the statement read.

New clause

A new clause was inserted, earmarking 65% of seats in Medical, Dental, Allied Health, and Indian Medicine courses at all non-minority private universities as government seats, while for minority private universities, half of the seats would be allotted to the government.

Section 37 of the original Act, which dealt with service conditions of employees, was also amended to include a clause stating that those employed in government-sanctioned posts in aided institutions “shall not be in any way less favourable than those which would have been applicable to them if there had been no such conversion”.

Another clause inserted into Section 55 stated that students admitted to a private college before conversion to a Brownfield University would be provided arrangements for instruction, teaching, training, and appearing for examinations, and their degrees would be conferred upon by the affiliate university.

In his reply to the debate on the floor of the House, Higher Education Minister Govi. Chezhiaan said the government was keen on protecting aided colleges for the benefit of students. He said if aided colleges were converted into private universities, they would lose the ‘aided’ status, and would stop receiving government grants. Explaining the amendments, he claimed these steps opened up possibilities to take higher education in the State to the next level.

AIADMK MLA and former Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan, CPI(M) MLA Nagaimaali, CPI MLA T. Ramachandran, and Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi MLA T. Velmurugan opposed the Bill. CPI(M), CPI, Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi, and VCK MLA Sinthanai Selvan said the Bill may affect reservation.

K. Selvaperunthagai of Congress backed the Bill.

ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியிடங்கள் அரசு பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையம் மூலமே நிரப்பப்படும் - மசோதா தாக்கல்

ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியிடங்கள் அரசு பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையம் மூலமே நிரப்பப்படும் - மசோதா தாக்கல் 

தினத்தந்தி அக்டோபர் 16, 11:29 pm 

இந்த மசோதா 22 பல்கலைக்கழகங்களில் ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியிடங்களை தேர்ந்தெடுப்பதற்கான சிறந்த முறையை வழிவகுக்கும். சென்னை,-

சட்டசபையில் அமைச்சர் கயல்விழி செல்வராஜ் தாக்கல் செய்த மசோதாவில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:-

மாநில அரசின் கட்டுப்பாட்டின் கீழ் அரசுக்கு சொந்தமான பொதுத்துறை நிறுவனங்கள், அரசு கழகங்கள், வாரியங்கள், அதிகார அமைப்புகளில் உள்ள பதவிகளுக்கு விண்ணப்பதாரர்களை தேர்வு செய்ய 2022-ம் ஆண்டு தமிழ்நாடு அரசு பணியாளர் தேர்வாணைய சட்டமானது இயற்றப்பட்டது. இந்த சட்டத்தின் நோக்கத்தை விரிவுப்படுத்தி மாநில பல்கலைக்கழகங்களின் ஆசிரியர் அல்லா பணியிடங்களில் ஆட்கள் சேர்ப்பதற்கான பணிகளை, தமிழ்நாடு அரசு பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையத்திடம் ஒப்படைக்கிறது. இது 22 பல்கலைக்கழகங்களில் ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியிடங்களை தேர்ந்தெடுப்பதற்கான சிறந்த முறையை வழிவகுக்கும். அதற்காக தமிழ்நாடு சட்டம் 14/2022-ஐ திருத்தம் செய்ய முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

https://www.dailythanthi.com/news/tamilnadu/non-teaching-posts-will-be-filled-through-the-public-service-commission-bill-tabled-ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியிடங்கள் அரசு பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையம் மூலமே நிரப்பப்படும் - மசோதா தாக்கல்

Tamil Nadu introduces Bill to allow existing private colleges to become universities

Tamil Nadu introduces Bill to allow existing private colleges to become universities

As per the draft amendment, 65% of seats in non-minority private universities and 50% in minority institutions will be earmarked as government seats.

Representative imagePhoto | Express Illustrations

Binita Jaiswal


Updated on:
16 Oct 2025, 8:54 a

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday introduced a Bill in the Assembly to amend the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, enabling existing private colleges, including government-aided ones, to be converted into private universities if they meet the prescribed criteria.

Under the existing Act, only greenfield institutions can be converted into private universities.

The proposed amendment introduces a new “Brownfield University” category, which allows the conversion of existing private colleges into universities, and a “Minority Private University” category that permits linguistic and religious minorities to set up and administer universities under Article 30 of the Constitution.

The government may pass the Bill during the current Assembly session that concludes on Friday. AIADMK MLA and former higher education minister K P Anbazhagan opposed the Bill at the introduction stage.

The seats in government-aided courses in all types of private colleges are presently filled as per the state’s reservation policies.

65% of seats in non-minority private univs to be earmarked for govt quota

However, as per the amendment, if such a college becomes a private university, reservation policies would apply only to medical, dental, allied health, and Indian medicine courses, not arts, science, or engineering. Even in the medicine and related courses, reservation will be applied only for seats earmarked as “government seats”.

As per the draft amendment, 65% of seats in non-minority private universities and 50% in minority institutions will be earmarked as government seats.

To protect the interests of staff and students, the Bill states that employees in government-sanctioned posts in aided institutions must not face service conditions less favourable than what was being enjoyed by them before the conversion.

Although it does not explicitly mention that the government will cease funding salaries, sources indicated that this is implied. The amendment also provides that students already enrolled under the affiliating university before conversion can continue and complete their courses in the same institution, with the new brownfield university responsible for facilitating this transition.

The Bill further relaxes the land requirement for setting up private universities. The existing norm of 100 acres of contiguous land is proposed to be reduced to 25 acres within municipal corporation limits, 35 acres within municipalities or town panchayats, and 50 acres elsewhere. If a proposed campus spans multiple local body categories, the requirement of the zone with the larger land share will apply.

Academicians opined that the amendment could encourage several existing colleges to upgrade themselves into private universities, offering greater flexibility and reduced regulatory restrictions. According to the State Higher Education Department’s policy note for 2025–26, Tamil Nadu currently has eight private universities, all established as greenfield institutions.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) has strongly opposed the proposal, claiming it could lead to the corporatisation of government-aided institutions and undermine equitable access. “The entire admission process will shift from merit-based to money-based, and both teaching and non-teaching staff could face job insecurity,” said K Raja, general secretary of AUT, urging the government to withdraw the Bill.

Brownfield university

Pvt colleges can be turned into univs under ‘Brownfield’ category, while minority institutes can become pvt univs under ‘Minority Pvt University’ category

தீபாவளி: மருத்துவர்கள் பணியில் இருக்க அறிவுறுத்தல்

தீபாவளி: மருத்துவர்கள் பணியில் இருக்க அறிவுறுத்தல் 

தீபாவளியையொட்டி துணை சுகாதார நிலையங்கள், மருத்துவமனைகளில் முதுநிலை மருத்துவர்கள் பணியில் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்று மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வுத் துறை அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது.

தினமணி செய்திச் சேவை Published on:  16 அக்டோபர் 2025, 1:24 am 

தீபாவளியையொட்டி துணை சுகாதார நிலையங்கள், மருத்துவமனைகளில் முதுநிலை மருத்துவர்கள் பணியில் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்று மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வுத் துறை அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது.

தீபாவளி பண்டிகையையொட்டி பல்வேறு முன்னேற்பாடுகளை மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வுத் துறை மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது. அதன்படி, பட்டாசு விபத்துகளால் ஏற்படும் தீக்காயங்களுக்கு உடனடி சிகிச்சை அளிக்க அனைத்து துணை சுகாதார நிலையங்களும் தயார் நிலையில் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்றும் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனைகளில் அவசர காலங்களைக் கையாளும் வகையில் ஒட்டுறுப்பு அறுவை சிகிச்சை நிபுணர்கள் கட்டாயம் பணியில் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்றும் மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வு துறை உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து, பொது சுகாதாரத் துறை இயக்குநர் டாக்டர் சோமசுந்தரம் கூறியதாவது:

கிராமப்புறங்களைப் பொருத்தவரையில் துணை சுகாதார நிலையங்கள், தீபாவளியையொட்டி நாள்களில் முழு நேரமும் இயங்க அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. குறிப்பாக, சிறிய அளவிலான காயங்களுக்கு உடனடி முதலுதவி சிகிச்சை அளித்து தேவைக்கு ஏற்ப 108 ஆம்புலன்ஸ் வாகனத்தில் மாவட்டத் தலைமை மருத்துவமனை அல்லது மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனைக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்க அறிவுறுத்தல்கள் விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

மேலும், 424 வட்டார ஆரம்ப சுகாதார நிலையங்களில், ஞாயிறு, திங்கள்கிழமைகளில் 24 மணி நேரமும் மருத்துவர்கள் பணியில் இருப்பது உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதேபோன்று தொலைநிலை மற்றும் மலை கிராம மக்களுக்காக 420 நடமாடும் மருத்துவ வாகனங்களும் செயல்படும் என்றார் அவர்.

Huge influx of devotees raises risk of stampede on Tiruvannamalai girivalam path in TN

Huge influx of devotees raises risk of stampede on Tiruvannamalai girivalam path in TN

Temple visitors recall multiple near-stampede incidents during holidays over past 3 years.


Thousands of devotees from across the country take part in ‘girivalam’ ritual held at the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai.(File photo)

B Anbuselvan

Updated on:

06 Oct 2025, 8:03 am

CHENNAI: Once a quiet town in northern Tamil Nadu, Tiruvannamalai has now become a potential hotspot for stampedes owing to the steady influx of devotees, particularly from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. With every inch of space occupied with devotees, the girivalam (pilgrimage walk) path, the Arunachaleswarar temple and Tiruvannamalai railway station are showing signs of becoming potential disaster zones. The temple which witnessed large gatherings only during Karthigai Deepam and the girivalam days until 2021, is now receiving massive crowds on weekends and extended holidays as well.

Regular visitors who spoke to TNIE recalled witnessing multiple minor stampedes on the girivalam path over the past three years, frequently leading to people fainting from dehydration and prolonged walking, particularly when Pournami falls on weekends or public holidays. Also, with the shortage of bus and train services to Tirupati and Chennai, Tiruvannamalai railway station becomes completely packed, and passengers encounter near-stampede situations every Pournami.

“It took nearly 11 hours to complete the 14-km girivalam in April 2024 when the crowd was estimated at around 25 lakh people. In at least four stretches, I found myself trapped in stampede-like situations as ambulances tried to make their way through the dense crowd to reach people who had fainted,” recalled Siva Bharathi, 43, a resident of Chennai. “After that, I no longer took my kids to Tiruvannamalai,” added Bharathi.

Officials from the district administration have remained tight-lipped about it, noting that it is up to the state government to take a policy decision on implementing crowd management measures at temple sites. “The chief minister announced that a standard operating procedure (SOP) would be framed for public events. It remains to be seen if the temple events during festival or non-festival days also will be covered,” said an official.

A temple official said, “Devotees can now offer worship in front of the Annamalaiyar sanctum from three rows at a time, instead of the previous two. This has significantly helped to reduce congestion. Drinking water facilities have also been increased,” said an official.

Tiruvannamalai town is accessible by nine major roads, with vehicles arriving primarily from Chennai, Vellore, Chengam, Bengaluru, Tiruchy, and other regions. In view of the growing crowds, the district administration has established temporary bus shelters at 25 locations on the outskirts of the town. Additionally, police have erected watchtowers along the girivalam path to monitor the movement of devotees and ensure safety.

The girivalam route narrows drastically — from 40 feet to about 20 feet soon after the temple — posing a stampede risk, said locals. “When devotees from three directions converge in front of the main Rajagopuram of the temple, a massive crowd builds up at the temple entrance. As they begin the girivalam, the stretch that narrows to 20 feet for nearly 300 metres becomes a potential disaster zone,” recalled S Sridhar, a devotee and resident of Tiruvannamalai.

According to MV Narasimman, a resident and activist from Tiruvannamalai, the influx of devotees is partly attributed to the influence of well-known Telugu spiritual orator Chaganti Koteswara Rao and YouTube channels emphasising that Arunachaleswarar serves as the Kuladeivam (family deity) for numerous Telugu families. “For Telugu devotees, Tiruvannamalai has become a must-visit pilgrimage spot, often combined with a visit to Tirupati,” Narasimman explained.

He further alleged that the recent gang rape of a woman by two police constables who intercepted a vehicle at a check-post serves as a stark reminder that the administration lacks a clear plan for crowd management.

S Naresh from Sannadhi street said, “Approximately, during the pournami girivalam, around 40% of the participants are devotees from Tamil Nadu, while nearly 60% are Telugu-speaking pilgrims. On regular weekends, Telugu-speaking visitors make up almost 95% of the crowd.”

A railway official acknowledged the overcrowding of trains and said the issue will be looked into.

Vijay fled, shows no remorse, says HC, sets up stampede SIT

Vijay fled, shows no remorse, says HC, sets up stampede SIT 

politi

Bus Involved & CCTV Footages From Incident Spot To Be Seized

 Sureshkumar.K@timesofindia.com  04.10.2025

Chennai : Criticising actorpolitician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) members for first causing a stampede that killed 41 people in Karur on Sept 27, and then abandoning their cadres and followers, Madras HC ordered aprobe by an SIT Friday. Citing two accidents involving Vijay’s campaign vehicle, which did not stop even after dashing against the bikes of his accompanying cadres, HC also ordered registration of a hit-and-run case against the politician. “Both the driver and the leader (Vijay) saw the accident but left the place without stopping... This court highly condemns the attitude of the party (TVK)... There was not even a remote sense of feeling expressed by the party taking responsibility for organising such an event. This only shows the mental state of the leader and the party,” Justice N Senthilkumar said.

 “The SIT will be headed by Asra Garg, IGP (north zone), and comprise Vimala, SP, Namakkal, and Shyamaladevi, SP. In addition, Garg is at liberty to select additional team members under any category/designation as he deems fit,” said the judge. 

All available CCTV footage from the place of the incident, and in particular CCTV footage inside and outside the bus carrying the head of the political party, shall be seized. The bus involved shall also be seized, the court said. “In both cases (campaign vehicle hitting two bikes), police have not registered an FIR for hitand-run. Court expresses its deep anguish and agony that even if no complaint is filed by the aggrieved, state has suo motu responsibility to register a case, bring the perpetrators of the crime on record, and make them face trial,” Justice Senthilkumar said. 

“Neither the politician nor his followers were there at the scene of occurrence after the incident. The President, the PM, Union home minister, CM of Tamil Nadu, and leader of opposition condoled the incident, and almost all political parties were there to rescue people. This court could not understand how the political party that organised the rally abandoned the scene of occurrence immediately after the incident,” the judge said. “The fateful occurrence resulted in the loss of 41 lives. 

Unfortunately, the organisers, right from the leader... vanished, leaving their own cadres, leaving their own followers, leaving their own fans in the lurch,” the judge said.

 “Such an irresponsible attitude of any politician or organisation cannot be taken lightly. The court owes its responsibility towards its citizens. It is unfortunate to record such leadership quality,” the judge said. The court was passing the order on a plea moved by P H Dinesh, of Chennai, seeking to restrain TN home secretary and DGP from granting permission for road shows to Vijay’s TVK or other political parties until guidelines are framed for such events.

NEET cut-offs for MBBS, BDS drop after 2nd round of counselling

NEET cut-offs for MBBS, BDS drop after 2nd round of counselling

SEAT MATRIX 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 03.10.2025

Chennai : At the end of second round of counselling for MBBS/BDS admissions, cutoffs in NEET-UG 2025 came down by two to four marks in govt medical colleges compared to first round, and up to 10 marks in govt quota seats in self-financing colleges. While the last mark for a student to get into a medical college (state private university) was 354, the cut-off scores in BDS dropped by up to 100-222 marks in round 2 of counselling.

At the end of round 2, cutoffs dropped in almost all categories, although there was no major difference in ranks. For instance, the OC (open category) cut-off for govt colleges plummeted from 650 in 2024 to 534 in 2025. In 2024, NEET cutoff for a student to get into any college in any category at the end of round 2 was 403 marks. In BDS, the cut-off was 245.

The drop in cut-offs doesn’t indicate an easing of admissions, experts say. “There is only a marginal difference in the ranks of students, though we see big differences in scores,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Students, including many repeat candidates, found the NEET 2025 tougher. Overall performance dropped across India. There was no perfect score, and the top score was 686,” he said.

Students who were allotted seats must join colleges of their choice before deadline, or they will have to take part in the round 3 of counselling for colleges of their choice. 

The National Medical Commission allowed St Peter’s Medical College Hospital to take 100 more students by increasing total seats to 250, while Vivekananda Medical College Hospital and Research Institute will add 50 seats. These seats, along with 50 more in BDS, will be added to seat matrix once the state medical university grants affiliation, said selection committee officials.

Another KGMU doctor resigns, set to join private hosp

Another KGMU doctor resigns, set to join private hosp 

BRAIN DRAIN

Mohsin  Usmani TNN 02.10.2025

Lucknow : With neurologist Prof PK Sharma submitting his resignation on Wednesday, King George’s Medical University lost another senior faculty member. Sharma will serve a threemonth notice period before joining a private medical institute in Alambagh. Prof Sharma cited personal reasons for his exit but said his years at KGMU gave him “immense recognition.” His resignation follows that of Prof Kshitij Srivastava from neurosurgery and Prof Adarsh Tripathi from the psychiatry department. The series of exits widened recently when four doctors — Dr Manu Agarwal (psychiatry), Dr Tanvi Bhargava (anaesthesia), Dr Ashok Kumar Gupta (plastic surgery) and Dr Karan Kaushik (cardiac anaesthesia) — resigned together.

They deposited three months’ salary in lieu of notice, which allowed immediate release. Dr Bhargava joined SGPGIMS, Dr Gupta moved to RMLIMS while Dr Kaushik and Dr Agarwal accepted a private hospital post. In the past month, KGMU also saw the departure of Prof Ajay Verma (respiratory medicine), who joined RMLIMS as head of department, Prof Srivastava, who shifted to a private hospital in Alambagh, and Prof Tripathi, who is serving notice. Senior faculty members have attributed the resignations to mismanagement and administrative lapses. Another factor is the pay gap. 

Salaries for govt medical teachers range between Rs 1.25 lakh at the assistant professor level and about Rs 3 lakh for professors. Private hospitals are offering salaries upwards of Rs 10 lakh a month, along with incentives. Faculty have also raised uniform pay across departments, which places super-specialists, despite longer training and heavier clinical load, on the same scale as non-clinical faculty. Meanwhile, the KGMU Teachers’ Association has sought govt intervention and demanded a policy should be framed for doctors trained in govt institutions.

ரூ.90 ஆயிரத்தை நெருங்கும் தங்கம்! ஒரே நாளில் இருமுறை உயர்வு!! சென்னையில் ஆபரணத் தங்கத்தின் விலை இன்று இருமுறை உயர்வு.

ரூ.90 ஆயிரத்தை நெருங்கும் தங்கம்! ஒரே நாளில் இருமுறை உயர்வு!! சென்னையில் ஆபரணத் தங்கத்தின் விலை இன்று இருமுறை உயர்வு.

தங்கம் இணையதளச் செய்திப் பிரிவு

Published on: 01 அக்டோபர் 2025, 5:05 pm

சென்னையில் ஆபரணத் தங்கத்தின் விலை இன்று(அக். 1) புதன்கிழமை இருமுறை உயர்ந்து புதிய உச்சத்தில் சவரன் ரூ.87,600-க்கு விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது.

தங்கத்தின் விலை நிகழாண்டு தொடக்கத்தில் சவரன் ரூ.57,200-க்கு விற்பனையானது. அமெரிக்க அதிபராக டிரம்ப் பதவியேற்ற நாள் முதலே, அவரது புதிய அறிவிப்புகள் எதிரொலியாக தங்கத்தின் விலை தொடர்ந்து உயர்ந்த வண்ணம் உள்ளது. அதன்படி கடந்த செப்.6-ஆம் தேதி ரூ.80,000-ஐ கடந்து புதிய உச்சத்தைத் தொட்டது.

கடந்த 23-ஆம் தேதி தங்கம் விலை சவரன் முதல் முறையாக ரூ.85,120-க்கு விற்பனையானது. தொடர்ந்து ஏறுமுகமாக இருந்த தங்கம் விலை, திங்கள்கிழமை காலை, மாலை என ஒரே நாளில் இரண்டு முறை உயர்ந்து சவரன் ரூ.86,160-க்கு விற்பனையானது.

அதைத் தொடர்ந்து செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை தங்கம் விலை மீண்டும் உயர்ந்து கிராமுக்கு ரூ.90 உயர்ந்து ரூ.10,860- க்கும், சவரனுக்கு ரூ.720 உயர்ந்து ரூ.86,880-க்கும் விற்பனையானது.

இந்த நிலையில், இன்று (புதன்கிழமை) காலை தங்கம் விலை ஒரு சவரனுக்கு ரூ. 240 உயர்ந்து ரூ. 87,120 -க்கும், ஒரு கிராமின் விலை ரு. 10,890 -க்கும் விற்பனை செய்யப்பட்டது.

தொடர்ந்து, இன்று மாலை வர்த்தகம் நிறைவடையும் தருவாயில், தங்கம் விலை மீண்டும் உயர்ந்தது. அதன்படி, கிராமுக்கு ரூ.60 உயர்ந்து ரூ.10,950-க்கும், சவரனுக்கு ரூ.480 உயா்ந்து ரூ.87,600-க்கும் விற்பனையாகிறது.

இதன்மூலம் தங்கம் விலை ஒரே நாளில் சவரனுக்கு ரூ.720 உயர்ந்துள்ளது.

வெள்ளி விலை எந்த மாற்றமுமின்றி ஒரு கிராம் ரூ. 161-க்கும் ஒரு கிலோ கட்டி வெள்ளி ரூ. 1,61,000-க்கும் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது.

38 KILLED IN STAMPEDE AT VIJAY RALLY

38 KILLED IN STAMPEDE AT VIJAY RALLY 

■ Deceased Include 10 Children

 ■ Murmu, Modi Condole Deaths

 ■ Retd HC Judge to Probe Incident 

News Of Missing Girl Triggered Panic In Crowd: Eyewitnesses Team

TOI Karur/Chennai : At least 38 people, including 10 children and 16 women, were killed in a stampede that took place when TVK chief and actor Vijay was addressing an election rally at Karur on Saturday night. Eighty-one people have been hospitalised. Witnesses gave different versions of what triggered the stampede; many said some disturbance in the crowd started as soon as Vijay opened his speech.The actor was heard appealing to the people and police to calm down. Ashmika, a 9-year-old girl, was missing, the public address system said. 

Vijay appealed to the police to help. He then cut short his speech and left the place. R K Nirmal, a native of Karur working in an IT firm in Chennai, said everything was normal until Vijay came to the campaign venue. “Suddenly, floodlights connected to a generator turned off. One woman started to search for her missing child. People panicked, and then everyone ran helter-skelter,” he said. 

Nirmal said he and a few others managed to evade the frenzy and save a few people. He saw some people trapped and stuck under vehicles. Another rally participant Ramesh V, recalled a moment that triggered panic in the crowd. “When Vijay sang the song criticising V Senthilbalaji as the '10-rupee minister', the crowd erupted. The energy shifted and suddenly the police began using lathis, and people panicked. 

Everyone started pushing forward, including parents holding babies. It was chaos,” he said. Compared to the previous campaigns of the TVK leader, Karur was the most disorganised event. Cadres and fans were standing right beside the campaign vehicle.

In a statement, chief minister M K Stalin announced an inquiry commission headed by retired judge Justice Aruna Jagatheesan to probe the incident.

CM orders ₹10L ex-gratia Stalin also ordered an ex-gratia relief of ₹10 lakh each from the chief minister’s public relief fund to next of kin of the deceased and Rs one lakh to each of the injured. “The loss of priceless lives has shaken the hearts of all of us. I express my deep condolences and sympathies to the families who face an irreparable loss,” Stalin said, ordering all those admitted to the hospital be given the best treatment. 

The chief minister also rushed to the Secretariat at night and took stock of the situation. Vijay had completed his rally in Namakkal district and was supposed to campaign in Karur district on Saturday evening. From morning, his fans and cadres from various parts of the state beyond Karur started assembling at Veluswamypuram, the location permitted by police for the TVK’s rally on Karur-Erode state highway. 

The 2 km stretch from Karur-Trichy highway roundabout to Karur-Erode highway was completely crowded. Many of those gathered were young girls, children and women