Bharathidasan University yet to get a V-C

Bharathidasan University yet to get a V-C

Commissioner of Collegiate Education E. Sundaravalli is heading the panel in Bharathidasan University as well as Madurai Kamaraj University

C. Jaisankar

TIRUCHI  28.03.2025

The delay in appointing the new Vice-Chancellor for Bharathidasan University, one of the largest universities in the State in terms of its jurisdiction and the number of affiliated colleges, has caused concern in academic circles.

M. Selvam, who was the Vice Chancellor of the university for four years that included one year of extension, demitted office on February 5.

A three-member VC Convenor Committee was subsequently constituted to perform the duties of the Vice-Chancellor of Bharathidasan University. The Committee is empowered to discharge manyduties of the Vice-Chancellor until an appointment is made to the post.

Commissioner of Collegiate Education E. Sundaravalli is the Convener of the Committee. Syndicate members R. Sakthi Krishnan and V. Rajesh Kannan are the other two members of it. A

ll important files related to the day-to-day administration of the university are referred to them. Ms. Sundaravalli, who functions from Chennai, has to handle all files of the university in addition to her regular role as the Commissioner of Collegiate Education. Moreover, she is also the Convener of the VC Convenor Committee of Madurai Kamaraj University because of the vacancy of its VC.

According to sources, though Ms. Sundaravalli visits Tiruchi occasionally to oversee the supervision of the university, the officials have to make frequent visits to Chennai to get the files cleared as she has to handle her regular works too.

The jurisdiction of the Bharathidasan University extends from Tiruchi to Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. It has about 153 affiliated colleges. In addition to them, it has to handle all academic and non-academic activities of 38 departments.

A faculty member said that the VC search committee would normally be constituted months prior to the end of tenureof Vice Chancellor. However, even eight weeks after Mr. Selvam demitted office, the VC search committee has not been constituted yet. Going by the strong discord between Governor R.N. Ravi and the State government on including a UGC nominee in the search committees, it was observed that it would take time for the constitution of VC search committee to receive applications from the aspiring candidates for the post of Vice-Chancellor.

Madurai teacher selected for TN 'Best Chemistry Teacher Award'

Madurai teacher selected for TN 'Best Chemistry Teacher Award'

Meenakshi, who has also been working as a NEET coordinator for Chemistry in the district for the past five years, said he never teaches only the subject.

N Meenakshi Sundaram has beeen selected to receive Best Teacher Award for Chemistry subject during the science Day Festival 2025 on Wednesday. (Photo | K. K. Sundar, EPS)

Express News Service

Updated on:

26 Mar 2025, 9:29 am

MADURAI: N Meenakshi Sundaram, a Chemistry teacher working at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Othakadai, was selected for the state's 'Best Teacher Award'. The award will be presented during the Science Day Festival, 2025, organised by the Department of Higher Education, at Science City on Wednesday.

Meenakshi (58), who started his career as a Chemistry teacher in a private school in 1989, later joined a government school in 2010. Earlier, he had bagged the state-level Dr Radha Krishnan Award for the year 2022-23.

Explaining the selection criteria of the award, Meenakshi told TNIE that three rounds of interviews were conducted. After the first round, 29 teachers were shortlisted, and they were asked to appear for a written exam, followed by a personal interview.

Meenakshi, who has also been working as a NEET coordinator for Chemistry in the district for the past five years, said he never teaches only the subject. "I always make efforts to help my students develop interest in the subjects," he added.

It may be noted that the Department of Higher Education's Science city honours the best teachers from government, government aided and private schools across the state, who have excelled in Science subjects, every year.

Two-day bank strike deferred

Two-day bank strike deferred 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 23.03.2025

Ahmedabad : In a significant relief to people, the banking associations have decided to postpone the two day nationwide nationalised banks strike on March 24 and 25 after discussions with the central govt over their demands. Janak Rawal, general secretary of the Mahagujarat Bank Employees Association, said, “The conciliation meeting between the United Forum of Banks Union, Central Labour Commissioner (CLC), Indian Bank Association (IBA), and Department of Finance Secretariat (DFS) took place on March 21 in Delhi. It was a positive meeting, and another meeting will be held in the third week of April. In view of this positive development, it was felt necessary to postpone the strike for a month or two. Thus, our strike is postponed.” 

The strike was planned for Monday and Tuesday, and it would have resulted in a four-day bank closure. The unions are demanding adequate recruitment in all cadres, regularisation of temporary employees, implementation of a fiveday work week, and job security. They have also sought the withdrawal of recent govt directives on performance-linked incentives, amendments to gratuity limits, and a halt to outsourcing permanent banking jobs.

Students demand safety after medical intern is left injured in clash

Students demand safety after medical intern is left injured in clash 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 23.03.2025

Chennai : Two days after a medical intern at the ESIC Medical College and Hospital in KK Nagar was injured in a clash with the housekeeping and security staff, students —undergraduates and postgraduates — went on a protest on Saturday, demanding safety on campus. The protest, which began at 8am, lasted more than four hours. Students ended it after the management issued a four-page circular promising further inquiry into the incident and enhanced security for students. On Friday, the MGR Nagar police registered a case and arrested housekeeping staff member A P Balajeevagan, who was produced before a magistrate court and remanded in judicial custody. Hospital sources said the security and housekeeping staff stopped a food delivery agent from entering the campus at 11:30pm on Thursday as it was beyond “permitted hours”.

Following this, the intern who had ordered the food, Alfred, argued with Balajeevagan and five other security staff as one of the students recorded them. In the video sent to media, Alfred is seen asking who ordered them to prevent students from ordering food late at night. The arguments turned into a fistfight, and Balajeevagan was seen beating Alfred. Alfred was not available for comment. “Alfred has blunt injuries on his shoulder. He is being treated at the hospital,” hospital dean Dr Kalidas Chavan said. “Preliminary enquiries revealed the intern was beaten. We terminated the housekeeping and security staff. The agencies that employed them gave us a copy of the termination letters. We also filed a police complaint and initiated an internal enquiry into the incident. 

A three-member committee headed by the medical superintendent will inquire into the incident,” he said. The college had asked the security to not permit outsiders, including food delivery agents, on campus after 10:30pm for security reasons, he said. Senior professors said they counselled students and promised legal action against those who hurt Alfred. Meanwhile, students said the management gave them a copy of the letters from two agencies — Urekha Security Agency Private Limited, which terminated H Anwer Basha, R Durai Raj, S Uthirapathy, N Ramamoorthy, and S Durai from services, and from Alert Security Services, which relieved Balajeevagan due to “administrative reasons.”

Students struggle to get tatkal passport appointments in Hyd

Students struggle to get tatkal passport appointments in Hyd

Ashresh.Marupaka@timesofindia.com 21.03.2025

Hyderabad : The ongoing delay in tatkal passport appointments at Hyderabad’s Ameerpet and Begumpet passport seva kendras (PSKs) has raised concerns among those planning to pursue higher education or work abroad. With over three weeks of waiting already in effect, prospective students and educational consultancies are worried about missing the August intake window to foreign universities if they do not have their passports in time. 

Currently, the earliest tatkal appointments are available only in the second week of April. “Students, especially for the upcoming August intake, are going to decide now after the global scenario stabilises. For them, the first step is to go for a passport. If passport processing is delayed, they might miss this window,” says Arvind Manduva, a educational consultant. The situation has forced many applicants to explore alternatives, including travelling to smaller cities for appointments. “In Hyderabad centre, we do not have enough slots. They are taking up some other slots to places like Nizamabad and Karimnagar, and people have to travel there to get it done,” explained Sahas Yuvraj, another consultant. 

He shared a recent case highlighting the impact of these delays: “A UK-based NRI got married, but his wife does not have a passport. They are trying to apply with their marriage certificate, but no slots are available. They have been waiting for 3-4 days. Now they are forced to go for a change of plans.” 

‘Running at 75% capacity’ 

However, the Regional Passport Office has issued a clarification regarding the reduced appointment availability. Hyderabad’s Regional Passport Officer, Snehaja Jonnalagadda, explained, “We are in the process of system migration, because of which we have reduced the number of appointments. We are running at 75% capacity.” She assured that the situation is temporary and should improve soon. “We are rescheduling appointments and hope it will be solved in a week or two,” Snehaja added.

Key GOs missing on govt site, concerns over lack of access

Key GOs missing on govt site, concerns over lack of access 

GOs On Phone Bills & Leaves Uploaded Fast 

Koride.Mahesh@timesofindia.com 21.03.2025

Hyderabad : The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) department on March 12 issued two important Government Orders (GOs). One concerning the creation of Future City Development Authority, and the other pertaining to expansion of HMDA jurisdiction. These decisions were made by the Telangana cabinet earlier. However, these two significant GOs could not be found on the state govt’s website, ‘goir.telangana.gov.in’. Similarly, hundreds of GOs issued by various govt departments, such as the guidelines for Indiramma Illu, are also missing from the govt portal. 

However, officials promptly upload GOs relating to the payment of telephone bills, sanctioning of leaves, promotions, and sometimes, GOs involving central schemes and budget allocations. AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi had raised this issue of GOs and Budget Releasing Orders (BROs) in the state assembly a few days ago. 

He questioned how many GOs issued by various govt departments over the past year had been uploaded to the govt website. He even remarked in the assembly, “Don’t run the assembly as Gandhi Bhavan,” after his question was not addressed and was changed. Previously, public interest litigations (PILs) were filed in the Telangana High Court regarding the failure to upload important GOs on the govt website. 

Officials claimed that the practice of not making important GOs publicly available was initiated by the previous BRS govt, and the current Congress govt is continuing it. Now, departments classify the GOs as confidential and internal, before sending them to the officers or departments concerned. Sometimes, the GOs only come to light after several days or weeks when they are eventually reported by media. 

“The central govt uploads all GOs and orders immediately. Even the HC previously commented that when HC orders are uploaded to the website within 24 hours, why is the govt not uploading its orders? This attitude of the govt leads to a lack of transparency in the administration and fosters corruption,” said M Padmanabha Reddy, Secretary of Forum For Good Governance, who filed a PIL on GOs in the HC several years ago. 

He added that the state govt has not even filed a counter in this case. When the BRS was in power, the Dalit Bandhu scheme guidelines and the sanctioning of units to Vasalamarri were not made publicly available, which led to a case being filed in the HC. Interestingly, BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan, who was formerly with Congress, had also filed a PIL concerning the absence of GOs on the govt website, alleging that portal had been shut down a few years ago.

‘Two with criminal records selected for panel to choose VC’ HC ISSUES NOTICES

‘Two with criminal records selected for panel to choose VC’  HC ISSUES NOTICES 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 18.03.2025

 Bhopal : A division bench of MP high court issued notices to respondents in a petition charging that persons with criminal background have been selected in the committee formed to suggest a panel of names for the post of vice-chancellor, Indira Gandhi national tribal university. The court further said that appointment of vice chancellor will be subject to the final decision of the court on the petition. Ajay Mishra from Anuppur town in his petition said that a three-member committee has been constituted to suggest names for the post of vice-chancellor to Indira Gandhi national tribal university. The two names of the committee were recommended by the executive council of the university while the third name was chosen by the President of India. 

The two members recommended by the executive council have criminal cases pending against them, he said, praying the court that they be dropped from the committee. The union education ministry, vice-chancellor, registrar and three professors of Indira Gandhi national tribal university have been named as respondents in the case. The bench comprising chief justice S K Kait and Justice Vivek Jain, while asking respondents to give a reply to the petition within three weeks on an affidavit, said appointment of V-C of the tribal university will be subject to court decision on the petition.

Stay off roads to beat heat & disease Grabbing A Drink On Roadside In Summers Can Increase Risk Of Infections

Stay off roads to beat heat & disease Grabbing A Drink On Roadside In Summers Can Increase Risk Of Infections 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 17.03.2025

Chennai : The stifling heat may tempt people to grab a glass of lemonade or seasonal fruits sold on the roadside, but in summer these carry an increased risk of viral and bacterial infections that can lead to stomach infections, including acute gastroenteritis disorders, health officials warn. 

Doctors across the city say they see cases, mostly family clusters, of hepatitis A and E, typhoid, and gastrointestinal diseases, all caused by contaminated water and food. The public health department says epidemiological data shows contaminated food and water-borne diseases increase in summer. Cut fruits, with their exposed surfaces and high sugar content, are vulnerable to growth of bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, and warm weather can expedite this. 

“Fruits naturally spoil faster in hot weather. Cutting them accelerates this process, as the exposed flesh oxidises and decays,” said Dr P Sampath, joint director of public health (epidemics). “During summer, flies and other insects are more prevalent, increasing the risk of contamination. Poor hygiene practices, such as unwashed hands or unclean cutting surfaces, can also contribute to contamination,” he added. 

Summer fruits such as watermelon, pineapples, and citrus fruits are high in water content, crucial for staying hydrated. They are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health and immunity, particularly important in summer. 

“It’s important for children to eat a bowl of fruits every day. We recommend people buy whole, uncut fruits,” said paediatrician Dr S Balasubramanian. “We must teach children to wash them thoroughly. It is preferable to eat fruit that is washed and cut at home. This way, you know they are clean and hygienic.” 

Food safety officials, meanwhile, are holding discussions with vendors, asking them not to use chemicals to ripen fruit. “They pack chemicals such as calcium carbide in fruit boxes to expedite ripening. We have told vendors we will destroy boxes of fruits if we find them using unsafe artificial methods,” said designated food safety officer (Chennai) Dr P Satheesh Kumar. 

Officials are also asking street food vendors to ensure they buy fresh raw material in small quantities from authorised dealers and source clean water for cooking and cleaning. “Meat and dairy should be preserved at the right temperature, cooked food must be stored in closed containers, and food handlers must follow hand hygiene practices,” said designated food safety officer (Tiruvallur) Dr Subhash Chandra Bose.

 “We also tell people to ask vendors about the source of water and hygienic practices. They can also check for FSSAI licences on food carts and inside hotels. If there are issues, people must file complaints to prevent disease outbreaks,” he said.

VAO jumps int o pond with bribe money of ₹3,500, held

VAO jumps int o pond with bribe money of ₹3,500, held 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 16.03.2025

 Coimbatore : A village administrative officer jumped into a pond, with DVAC sleuths hot on his heels, with a bribe money of ₹3,500 on Friday night. The sleuths jumped in too and arrested him. He has been identified as M Vetrivel, 32, of Theni district, the VAO of Mathvarayapuram village in Coimbatore district. According to a DVAC source, an elderly woman named Marathal, a cancer patient, had applied for a legal heir certificate after the demise of her husband. “The VAO demanded ₹5,000 from her for arranging the certificate. The woman had paid ₹1,000 to the VAO last month. When the VAO demanded that the woman pay the remaining ₹4,000, she approached her sonin-law Krishnasamy, 62, of Mathvarayapuram. He came to us and we laid a trap by asking him to hand over chemical coated currency notes to the VAO.” As instructed by DVAC, Krishnasamy contacted the VAO and asked him to wait near Perur tahsildar office around 8pm on Friday. “Vetrivel reached the spot around 8pm. Krishnasamy met him and gave him the chemical coated currency notes,” the source said DVAC officials, who were hiding nearby, caught the VAO redhanded. But, he managed to escape on his motorcycle. “Vetrivel fell on the road. Before the sleuths caught him, he jumped into Perur Periyakulam. Once in the pond, he threw the notes into the water,” the source said. The sleuths could not trace the currency notes.

2 students killed as car rams truck

2 students killed as car rams truck 

07.03.2025

Chennai : Two college students died when the car they were travelling in rammed a truck near Urapakkam on the Chennai-Trichy national highway on Thursday morning. Three other students in the car sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment. The deceased were identified as Thanesh Reddy, 21, a third-year engineering student at a private college in Potheri, and Shreyas, 21, who was studying in Andhra Pradesh. Shreyas had come to visit Thanesh along with his friends Harini, 21, and Uma, 21. On Thursday morning, the group of five —Thanesh, his friend Mohammad, Shreyas, Harini, and Uma —were en route to Tambaram, with Thanesh driving. During their journey, a lorry in front of them suddenly stopped. Thanesh tried to brake but was unable to avoid a collision with the lorry. Thanesh and Shreyas died on the spot. Three other students, Harini, Uma, and Mohammad, 21, were taken to Chengalpet Govt Hospital.TNN

Tambaram residents oppose water deposit hike, demand rollback

Tambaram residents oppose water deposit hike, demand rollback

Activist Govindarajan told TNIE that the deposit hike is unjustified, particularly given the unreliable water supply and ineffective installation of water meters.

Unreliable water supply also affects the residents of Tambaram Corporation.(Photo | Express)

S Kumaresan

Updated on:

05 Mar 2025, 10:36 am

CHENNAI: The residents of Tambaram City Municipal Corporation (TCMC) have strongly opposed the hike in water connection deposit from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500.

They criticised the corporation for implementing the hike without a public consultation, placing an additional financial burden on middle-class and low-income households.

Several residents, along with activists, including SM Govindarajan, president of the United Federation of Residents Welfare Associations, have appealed to Chief Minister MK Stalin, Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru, and TCMC commissioner S Balachander through X to revoke the revised charges.

Although the deposit is refunded at the time of surrendering the service connection, it has caught those from financially backward families off guard, said residents.

Govindarajan told TNIE that the deposit hike is unjustified, particularly given the unreliable water supply and ineffective installation of water meters. The residents asked the corporation to ensure a regulated quantity and duration of supply before hiking the deposit. VS Jayaraman, another resident, said that he, along with several others like V Santhanam, had made several attempts to oppose the revised deposits but no action was taken.

Commenting over the issue, TCMC AIADMK floor leader G Sankar told TNIE that the issue was raised several times in the council but nothing was done to address the concerns of the residents before going ahead with the revised deposits.

Responding to the concerns, corporation commissioner Balachander told TNIE that the increase was made as per the corporation’s by-law. “Residents are not required to pay the revised charges in one go; they can opt for two or three instalments to ease the financial impact on them,” he stated.

HC orders against Tiruvarur dt collectors since 2023 for inaction against panchayat member

HC orders against Tiruvarur dt collectors since 2023 for inaction against panchayat member

Suresh Kumar

Mar 1, 2025, 0:56 IST

HC orders against Tiruvarur dt collectors since 2023 for inaction against panchayat member

Chennai: Madras high court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu chief secretary to initiate action against those who held the post of Tiruvarur district collector since March 2, 2023, for failing to take action against a panchayat ward member who had filed a false affidavit during the election to the civic body.

Every candidate who contests in an election, irrespective of their election, is liable to be prosecuted for suppressing information in their affidavits, a division bench of Justice R Subramanian and Justice G Arul Murugan said.

The court also censured the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) for submitting that only the govt officials concerned could pursue complaints of filing false affidavits by candidates. "This is a classic case where due to official apathy, a person who filed false information in an election affidavit not only completed his tenure but also escaped any consequence of criminal action," the bench said.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by D Sarathbabu. According to the petitioner, he lodged a complaint with the TNSEC in August 2021, alleging that district panchayat member S Papa Subramaniyan filed a false affidavit suppressing facts about the wealth owned by him and his family. The commission forwarded the complaint to the collector. An inquiry was conducted, and it was found that the district panchayat member suppressed details about his wealth in the election affidavit.

Seven months after the inquiry, a report was sent to the district SP to initiate criminal prosecution. The police submitted that for offences under Section 177 (furnishing false information to a public servant) of IPC, a complaint should be filed only by the returning officer concerned before the jurisdictional judicial magistrate. However, the TNSEC submitted that once the election is completed, such complaints could only be forwarded to the govt officials concerned.

Drunk UP groom garlands bride’s bestie, arrested

Drunk UP groom garlands bride’s bestie, arrested 

25.02.2025

Bareilly : A drunk groom’s mis step at his own wedding in UP — in which he mistakenly garlanded his bride’s best friend — set off a series of mishaps, ending with his arrest and the bride calling off the marriage, reports Kanwardeep Singh. It started as Indian weddings often do — with a delay. The groom, Ravindra Kumar, 26, was late, and when he arrived, he didn’t seem to be in a hurry, lingering with his friends, catching up over drinks.

‘Medical test confirmed groom was drunk’ 

The 500-odd guests at a house in Naughwa Bhagwantpur village in Bareilly stayed in their seats as the bride waited. The garland-exchanging ceremony — one of those formalities that takes only a moment — was about to begin. Then, Kumar turned to the wrong woman. It was just a second. A miscalculation. But in that brief pause, before anyone could intervene, he placed the ceremonial garland over the bride’s best friend. As confusion rippled through the crowd, he took the garland off and placed it around the neck of a male friend beside her. Then, to perhaps maintain a certain symmetry, he garlanded an elderly guest as well. There are moments when silence is more telling than noise. 

The wedding guests did not react immediately. They watched. The bride, Radha Devi, 21, did not. She slapped him and walked away. It had taken months of preparation. Omkar Verma, the bride’s brother, said the family had spent over Rs 10 lakh on the wedding. He had his own theory for why things had gone wrong. “They were unhappy with the dowry gifts. Maybe this was their way of humiliating us,” he told TOI. 

“And then we find out that he isn’t even a farmer as his family told us—he’s a truck driver.” At 4 am, a complaint was filed at Kularia police station. By morning, the wedding was off, and Kumar was in police custody. By noon, he had apologised. His family suggested the wedding should go on. Radha refused. 

Circle officer Harsh Modi—used to break-ins and thefts but less accustomed to cases of misdirected garlanding—kept his summary brief. “The groom was intoxicated. He misbehaved. His medical examination confirmed he was drunk. He was booked under sections of the Dowry Act.” 

Boy, 17, driving dad’s minivan mows down 53-yr-old woman Older

Boy, 17, driving dad’s minivan mows down 53-yr-old woman Older 

Man Arrested For Letting Minor Drive

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 24.02.2025

Chennai : A 17-year-old boy trying to move his father’s minivan parked outside their house in Kancheepuram on Sunday morning accidentally killed a 53-year-old woman. The older man was later arrested for allowing a minor to drive the vehicle. Police said the boy, whose father Rasa prepares snacks at home and delivers them to shops in his minivan, was trying to move the vehicle in front of their house on Gangai Amman Temple Street at 6.30 am when he lost control. The vehicle hit Saraswathi, who was drawing a kolam in front of her house, then collided with a pushcart and a scooter before stopping. 

A few of their neighbours rushed to help when the minivan trapped Saraswathi underneath. They lifted the vehicle off her, but she died on the spot. A team of the Sivakanchi police arrived, took the boy into custody for questioning and sent Saraswathi’s body to the Kancheepuram Govt Hospital for a postmortem examination. Investigations revealed that neither Rasa nor his son knew how to drive and hired a driver to deliver snacks. 

“The son occasionally tried operating the vehicle to learn driving,” said a police officer. Police suspect that in panic, the boy accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. They registered a case against Rasa for negligence and for allowing his minor son to operate the vehicle. Investigations continue. “We have been creating awareness about dangers involved in underage driving. But people continue to flout norms,” said the officer.

Runaway bride: Woman doc elopes with female friend on wedding day, family ‘fakes death’

Runaway bride: Woman doc elopes with female friend on wedding day,

 family ‘fakes death’

TNN Feb 19, 2025, 23:38 IST

Agra: The wedding bells were supposed to ring, and guests had gathered in UP's Muzaffarnagar on Tuesday. On what should have been a night of celebration, the bride-to-be vanished—just hours before the ceremony. The 26-year-old homeopathic doctor had stepped into a beauty parlour to get ready but never returned. What followed was a desperate cover-up, a fabricated death, and a search that led to Jhansi.

"To avoid embarrassment", family members allegedly told guests that she had died of a heart attack while being taken to Meerut for treatment and called off the wedding.

However, upon reviewing CCTV footage from the parlour, police found that the woman had left with her female friend on Tuesday. The next day, both were tracked down and detained in Jhansi.

New Mandi deputy superintendent of police Rupali Rao said that an FIR had been registered under BNS section 137 (kidnapping) based on the complaint filed by the bride's father on Tuesday. "Two dedicated teams were assigned to the case, and the woman was safely located on Wednesday. Her statement is now being recorded in court, and further legal action will be taken based on her testimony," Rao said.

Upset over thrashing by teacher, 14-year-old jumps to death from 4th floor of school building in Hyderabad

Upset over thrashing by teacher, 14-year-old jumps to death from 4th floor of school building in Hyderabad

23.02.2025

A 14-year-old student died by suicide after jumping from the fourth floor of his school in Hyderabad, following alleged corporal punishment by a teacher. The incident led to protests from the boy's family and student organizations. The police have registered a case against the teacher and the school management for abetment to suicide.

HYDERABAD: A 14-year-old student died by suicide after he jumped from the fourth floor of his school building in Uppal on Saturday morning. The boy took the extreme step after being allegedly struck by a school teacher.

Uppal police said that the 14-year-old jumped from the fourth floor of the Sagar Grammar School building during school hours. On hearing a thud, the school staff rushed out and found the boy in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The incident led to a protest, with family members and a few student organisations demanding action against the school teacher.

The boy's mother blamed the school's physical training (PT) teacher for her son taking the extreme step.

At around 9.30 am, the student was found playing with a CCTV camera on the school campus. On seeing this, the teacher got upset and allegedly smacked him besides reprimanding him. "Later, the boy, under the pretext of going to the washroom, went to the fourth floor of the building and jumped to death," Uppal inspector Election Reddy told TOI.

The alleged incident of corporal punishment took place in front of other students. "Perhaps, he felt humiliated since he was smacked in front of others," sub-inspector V Chiranjeevi said. Before taking the extreme step, the 14-year-old wrote a note in his notebook, expressing his apology to his parents. Police have recovered the material.

Based on the complaint given by the family members of the deceased, a criminal case was registered against the teacher and the management of the school on the charge of abetment to suicide.

‘Tough’ CBSE physics paper has students on tenterhooks

‘Tough’ CBSE physics paper has students on tenterhooks 

Even 1-Mark MCQs Too Complex, Say Students, Feel Out Of Depth & Time

Ramendra.Singh@timesofindia.com 23.02.2025 

Bhopal : This was the board exam or JEE-Mains? That was the feeling among the majority of students after the CBSE class 12 physics paper on Friday. And on Saturday, social media was buzzing with complaints of how tough and lengthy it was. Students complained that the paper was far too heavy on numericals and broke from the pattern of a balanced distribution of topics and complexity.

 “It is not a competitive exam, but a qualifying exam. All three sets were lengthy, complex and needed strong problem-solving skills. How many children in India can solve such a paper without private coaching? How many CBSE students in villages can afford coaching?” asked a school teacher, requesting not to be named. 

Several teachers told TOI that even the section containing one-mark questions included very complex theoretical concepts that required a deeper understanding and far more investment of time than the weightage merited. Students faced ‘unforeseen components’ and numerical problems that demanded extensive calculations, requiring careful time management. Many struggled to finish the paper in time. Most of those who could, didn’t get time to revise. 

“The examination pattern deviated slightly from previous years, catching students off guard,” said a teacher. Derivations got far less weitage that previous years. “The numerical questions, especially those carrying two marks, proved exceptionally difficult. Several MCQs were extremely complicated,” said a student, Samarth Kumar. Some students said that one of the MCQs was drawn from topics excluded from the syllabus. Education experts suggested that the paper's structure could have been more balanced. They emphasised that while challenging questions are necessary to differentiate between students’ 

capabilities, the overall difficulty level should have been more moderate. Some teachers felt that the paper reflected the need of the times and would help acquaint students with the toughness of competitive examinations.

Board exams: Secure answer sheets with white thread only or face action

Board exams: Secure answer sheets with white thread only or face action

TESTING TIMES 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 23.02.2025

Ahmedabad : A new rule has been implemented for the upcoming board exams: students are now required to use only the white thread provided by the Board to secure additional answer sheets. The use of any alternative thread types is strictly forbidden, and any violation of this regulation will be treated as a case of cheating, subject to severe penalties. 

The final exams for Class 10 and Class 12 students will begin on Feb 27. The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has released detailed instructions to ensure a fair exam process for all students. To assist students in adhering to the correct answering format, the board has provided specific guidelines within the question papers. Essential instructions will be printed on the second page of each answer sheet, and failure to comply with these directives may result in disciplinary action. Students must verify that the seat number printed on the first page of their answer sheet matches the seat number on the barcode sticker. Any discrepancies should be immediately reported to the invigilator. The barcode sticker must be affixed correctly, without any folds or damage, and students should refrain from making any unnecessary markings on it. 

Students are required to write their seat number both in figures and words at the top of the answer sheet and complete the roll number section on page two. A signature is mandatory after the barcode sticker has been attached. Answers must be written exclusively in blue or black ink. The use of other colours for underlining is not permitted. Students are prohibited from removing pages from their answer sheets or making corrections through overwriting. 

Any alterations in the answer sequence must be properly indexed. Lastly, students are instructed not to leave any blank pages in their answer sheets; any unused pages should be marked with a cross.

TN woman injured in e-scooter battery explosion dies

TN woman injured in e-scooter battery explosion dies

Arockiaraj Johnbosco  TNN

Feb 21, 2025, 21:23 IST

MADURAI: A woman, who suffered severe burn injuries after an electric scooter battery exploded a week ago, died in Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital on Friday.

The explosion happened in a poultry unit and piggery -- owned by Devadoss of Anaikudi in Tirunelveli district -- on Feb 15.

The victim, Jansi Papa from Idachivilai in Tuticorin, was working in his farm. Devadoss has two electric scooters which he used to charge in his farm. On Feb 14, he disconnected batteries from the scooters and took them to the chicken incubation room in his poultry farm. After charging them during the night, he decided to charge them again the following morning.

Police said Jansi Papa went to the incubation room the following morning, when one of the batteries exploded causing severe burn injuries to her.

She was rushed to Thisayanvilai primary healthcare centre, from where she was referred to Tirunelveli MCH as her injuries were severe. However, Papa died in the hospital on Friday not responding to the treatment.

The Thisayanvilai police filed a case and were investigating.

Madambakkam lake full of sewage, hyacinth

Madambakkam lake full of sewage, hyacinth

Feb 22, 2025, 04.01 AM IST

Chennai: Madambakkam lake, covering over 250 acres, once a drinking water source, is now sewage-ridden and marred by unchecked growth of hyacinth. Additionally, there is illegal dumping of garbage, including plastic and meat waste.

In 2024, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) floated a 10-crore tender to restore the lake and transform it into an eco-park, but nothing has changed. The issue was raised in a National Green Tribunal case. CMDA, however, is yet to submit updates on the project. Activists are now demanding that civic agencies drop their plan to build an ecopark.

“The lake should remain a lake instead of being converted into an eco-park. In recent years, many influential people have illegally occupied parts of the lake. They obtained 'patta' using their money and muscle power," said Mohan Srinivas, president, environment qwareness and protection association. “The agency must evict people who have occupied the area illegally,” he said.

Residents say they often see tankers illegally dumping sewage into the lake.

“This lake was once beautiful. We could have our morning walks around the lake,” said Vanitha S, a resident of Madambakkam. “We have seen it deteriorate over the years. Tambaram Corporation has taken no steps to protect it,” she said. In 2024, a team of scientists from IIT-M said the water was mixed with sewage, posing a serious threat to the fish and other aquatic species. To make things worse, waste collected from the area is dumped near the lake and is left to rot.

“We have complained to the Tambaram Corporation about the garbage issue, and we are waiting for them to resolve it,” said Murugesan R, a resident of Madipakkam.

CMDA assistant planner Priya R did not tell TOI why the work on restoration was delayed, but said, “Work is in progress and will be completed at the earliest.”