டாக்டர் கிருஷ்ணசாமியின் மகளுக்கு மருத்துவ சீட்டு கிடைத்தது இப்படித்தானா? சமூக வலைத்தளத்தில் பரவும் தகவல்

By DIN | Published on : 04th September 2017 01:17 PM |

 

சென்னை: அனிதாவின் தற்கொலை குறித்து எதிர்மறையான கருத்துக் கூறியிருந்த புதிய தமிழகம் கட்சித் தலைவர் டாக்டர் கிருஷ்ணசாமியின் மகளுக்கு, முதல்வரின் பரிந்துரையால்தான் மருத்துவ சீட்டு கிடைத்ததாக ஒரு தகவல் சமூக தளத்தில் வேகமாகப் பரவி வருகிறது.

அதாவது கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சியைச் சேர்ந்த முன்னாள் எம்எல்ஏ பால பாரதி, இது குறித்து சட்டப்பேரவையில் நடந்த ஒரு உரையாடலை தனது பேஸ்புக்கில் கூறியிருப்பதாகவும், அதில் டாக்டர் கிருஷ்ணசாமியின் மகளுக்கு, முதல்வர் பரிந்துரை செய்தே எம்பிபிஎஸ் இடம் கிடைத்திருப்பதாகவும் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனை ஏராளமானோர் பகிர்ந்து வருகின்றனர்.




அந்த பதிவில் கூறப்பட்டிருப்பதாவது,
சட்டமன்றத்தில் டாக்டர் கிருஷ்ணசாமி பேசிக்கொண்டிருந்தபோது அமைச்சர் ஒருவர் எழுந்து உங்கள் மகளுக்கு போதிய மதிப்பெண்கள் இல்லாதபோதும் முதலமைச்சரிடம் வந்து மெடிக்கலில் சேர உதவி கேட்டீர்கள்.

அடுத்த நிமிடமே அம்மா அவர்கள் மெடிக்கல் ஷீட் கொடுத்தாரே மறந்துவிட்டீர்களா எனக்கேட்க அப்போது கிருஷணசாமி நான் மறக்கவில்லை. அதற்காக இப்போதும் நன்றி கூறுகிறேன் எனக்கூறி முதலமைச்சரைப்பார்த்து வணக்கம்போட இந்த வணக்கத்தை வேறு எங்காவது போடு என்பதுபோல் வெடுக்கென்று முதலமைச்சர் முகத்தை திருப்பிக்கொள்ள.. டாக்டர் கிருஷ்ணசாமியின் சுயநலம் அப்போது சட்டமன்றத்தின் மேஜையில் அமர்ந்து சிரித்தது.

இப்படி புறவாசல்வழியாக உதவியைப்பெற்றுக்கொண்டவர் தம்மகளுக்கு ஒருநீதி அனிதாவுக்கு இன்னொரு நீதி என முழங்கி வருகிறார். தோழர் பிரின்சு, எம்எல்ஏ சிவசங்கர் மீது குற்றம் சுமத்துகிறார், பாஜக, அதிமுக வேடிக்கை பார்க்கிறார்கள். ஊடகங்கள் இந்த நியாயவாதியாரைத் தேடிப்பிடித்து அவர் கருத்தைக் கேட்கிறார்களாம். கேப்பையில நெய்வடியுதாம் என்று பதிவிட்டுள்ளதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது.


ஒரு தலித் மாணவி, கடும் போராட்டத்துக்குப் பின் தனது மருத்துவர் கனவு கலைந்ததால், மன விரக்தியில் தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டார். அவரது தற்கொலையால் தமிழகமே அமைதி இழந்தது. ஆனால், அவரது மரணத்துக்குப் பின்னால் சிலர் இருப்பதாக, அரசியல் ரீதியான கருத்துகளைக் கூறியதால், கிருஷ்ணசாமிக்கு எதிராக சமூக தளங்களில் ஏராளமானோர் கடும் விமரிசனைத்தை பதிவு செய்து வந்தனர்.

இந்த நிலையில், எளிமைக்கு உதாரணமாகக் கூறப்படும் முன்னாள் எம்எல்ஏ பால பாரதி தனது பேஸ்புக்கில் பதிவிட்டிருப்பதாகக் கூறப்படும் இந்த கருத்து, அவருக்கு எதிராக மிகப்பெரிய சர்ச்சையைக் கிளப்பியுள்ளது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

அனிதாவின் தியாகம்!

By ஆசிரியர்  |   Published on : 04th September 2017 02:21 AM  |  

'நீட்' தேர்வில் மதிப்பெண் பெறாததால் தனது மருத்துவப் படிப்புக் கனவு தகர்ந்ததால் தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்ட அரியலூர் மாணவி அனிதாவின் மரணம் அனைவரது மனசாட்சியையும் உலுக்கிப்போட்டிருக்கிறது. அவர் இப்படியொரு விபரீதமான முடிவை எடுத்தது ஆட்சியாளர்களுக்கு மட்டுமல்ல, நீதித்துறைக்கும் சேர்த்து அவர் அளித்திருக்கும் கடுமையான கண்டனம்.
மருத்துவக் கல்லூரியில் சேர்வதற்கு தகுதிகாண் தேர்வு வேண்டுமென்று உச்சநீதிமன்றம் முடிவெடுத்ததற்கு அடிப்படை காரணம், தனியார் கல்லூரிகளில் பெரும் பணத்தை நன்கொடையாகச் செலுத்தி, தகுதியில்லாத மாணவர்கள் எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். படிப்பில் சேர்க்கப்படுகிறார்கள் என்பதுதான். தனியார் கல்லூரிகளுக்குத் தரப்படும் நன்கொடைக் கலாசாரத்துக்கு முடிவு கட்டுவதுடன் நிற்காமல், நீதித்துறை அதிகாரத்துறையின் செயல்பாடுகளில் தலையிடத் தொடங்கியதின் விளைவுதான் இன்றைய நீட் குழப்பம்.
2011-இல் ஜெயலலிதா தலைமையிலான அ.தி.மு.க அரசு பதவியேற்றவுடன் தமிழகத்தில் சமச்சீர் கல்வியை கைவிட்டு தேசிய அளவிலான கல்வி முறைக்கு மாறுவது என்கிற முடிவை எடுத்தது. அதன்மூலம் இந்தியாவின் ஏனைய மாநில மாணவர்களுக்கு நிகராக, தேசிய அளவில் உயர்கல்விக்கான தகுதிகாண் தேர்வுக்கு தமிழக மாணவர்களும் தயாராவார்கள் என்பதுதான் தமிழக அரசின் முடிவுக்குக் காரணம்.
2011 ஜூலை 18-இல் சென்னை உயர்நீதிமன்றம் அந்த முடிவை நிராகரித்தபோது, தமிழக அரசு உச்சநீதிமன்றத்தில் மேல்முறையீடு செய்தது. அந்த மேல்முறையீட்டில் இன்றைய சூழலை தொலைநோக்குப் பார்வையுடன் தமிழக அரசு சிந்தித்திருக்கிறது என்பது வியப்பை அளிக்கிறது. அந்த மேல்முறையீட்டை உச்சநீதிமன்றம் நிராகரித்ததன் விளைவுதான், இன்று மருத்துவக் கனவு காணும் ஆயிரக்கணக்கான அனிதாக்களுக்கு அநீதி இழைக்கப்படுகிறது.
ஒருபுறம் உச்சநீதிமன்றம். இன்னொருபுறம் நாளும் பொழுதும் "நீட்' பிரச்னையில் எந்தவிதத் தெளிவான நிலைப்பாடும் எடுக்காமல் கண்ணாமூச்சி விளையாடிய மத்திய அரசு. "நீட்' தேர்வுக்கு மாற்றாக புதியதொரு திட்டம் தரப்படாததும், தனது வாதங்களை வலுவாக எடுத்துரைக்காமல் நீதிமன்றத்தில் கோட்டைவிட்டதும் தமிழக அரசின் குற்றம். மத்திய அரசு காப்பாற்றும் என்கிற நம்பிக்கையில் உச்சநீதிமன்றத்திலான வழக்குக்கு போதிய கவனமும் முக்கியத்துவமும் செலுத்தாமல்விட்டது தமிழக அரசின் மிகப்பெரிய தவறு.
மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிச் சேர்க்கை குறித்து சில தவறான புரிதல்கள் நிலவுகின்றன என்பதை அனிதாவின் மரணத்தைத் தொடர்ந்து புள்ளிவிவரங்களை எல்லாம் கூர்ந்து கவனிக்கும்போது தெரியவருகிறது. அரசுப் பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கு "நீட்' தேர்வால்தான் பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டிருக்கிறது எனக் கருதுவது மிகப்பெரிய மாயை.
கடந்த 10 ஆண்டுகளில் அரசுப் பள்ளியில் படித்து அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் சேர்ந்துள்ள மாணவர்கள் வெறும் 314 மட்டுமே. தனியார் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் சேர்ந்துள்ள அரசுப் பள்ளி மாணவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை 74. தமிழகத்தில் மொத்தம் 388 பேர் மட்டுமே கடந்த 10 ஆண்டுகளில் பிளஸ் 2 மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையில் அரசுப் பள்ளிகளில் படித்து, மருத்துவப் படிப்பில் சேர்ந்துள்ளனர். பல ஆயிரம் கோடி ரூபாயை கல்விக்காக அரசு செலவு செய்து விரல்விட்டு எண்ணக்கூடிய ஒருசிலரை மட்டுமே மருத்துவப் படிப்புக்கு அரசுப் பள்ளிகளால் அனுப்ப முடிகிறது என்பது பற்றி யாராவது கவலைப்பட்டிருக்கிறோமா?
அப்படியானால், மருத்துவப் படிப்பில் சேர்ந்த மாணவர்களில் பெரும்பாலானவர்கள் சி.பி.எஸ்.இ. பாடத்திட்டத்தில் படித்தவர்களா என்று கேட்டால், அதுவும் இல்லை. தனியார் மெட்ரிகுலேஷன் பள்ளிகளில் பிராய்லர் கோழிகளைப்போல மதிப்பெண் பெறுவதற்குத் தயாராக்கப்பட்டவர்கள்தான் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் அதிக மதிப்பெண் காரணமாக இடம் பிடிப்பவர்கள்.
"நீட்' மதிப்பெண்ணின் அடிப்படையில் இந்தாண்டு மருத்துவப் படிப்புக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடந்துமுடிந்துவிட்ட நிலையில், இனி மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை என்பது சாத்தியமில்லை. இனிமேல் தமிழக அரசு என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும் என்பது குறித்து அனைத்துக் கட்சித் தலைவர்களும் தமிழகத்தின் ஒட்டுமொத்த அதிகார வர்க்கமும் சிந்தித்து முடிவெடுக்க வேண்டுமே தவிர, இதில் அரசியல் ஆதாயம் தேட முற்படுவது தமிழகத்துக்கும் தமிழக மாணவர்களுக்கும் செய்யும் மிகப்பெரிய துரோகமாக இருக்கும்.
"நீட்' என்கிற தகுதிகாண் தேர்வு மட்டுமே மருத்துவப் படிப்புக்கு அடிப்படை என்று சொன்னால் அப்போது பன்னிரெண்டு ஆண்டுகள் ஒரு மாணவன் பள்ளியில் படிக்க வேண்டிய அவசியம்தான் என்ன? "நீட்' தேர்வு என்பது பள்ளிகளை முக்கியத்துவம் இல்லாமல் செய்து, தனியார் பயிற்சி மையங்களை ஊக்குவிப்பதாக அமைந்துவிடும்.
பிளஸ் 2 மதிப்பெண், தகுதிகாண் தேர்வில் பெறும் மதிப்பெண் இரண்டையும் சேர்த்து அதனடிப்படையில் மருத்துவத் தேர்ச்சி என்பதுதான் இதற்கு சரியான தீர்வாக இருக்கும் என்பதை இதற்கு முன்பே நாம் நமது தலையங்கத்தில் தெளிவுபடுத்தியிருந்தோம். அதேபோல அந்தந்தப் பகுதி மாணவர்களுக்கு அங்குள்ள அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் இடமளிக்கும் ஒதுக்கீட்டை கொண்டு
வரும் அதிகாரத்தைக் கல்வி பெறும் உரிமைச் சட்டம் தமிழக அரசுக்கு வழங்கியிருக்கிறது. அதை நடைமுறைப்படுத்தாமல்போனது நமது ஆட்சியாளர்களும் அதிகார வர்க்கமும் செய்த தவறு.
இந்தப் பிரச்னைக்கு முடிவு காண்பதற்காகத்தான் அந்த ஏழை மாணவி அனிதா உயிர்த்தியாகம் செய்திருக்கிறார் என்பதை நாம் மறந்துவிடக் கூடாது. நியாயமான முடிவு எட்டப்பட்டால் மட்டுமே அனிதாவின் ஆன்மா சாந்தியடையும்!

HC ORDERS;

Petitions seeking government medical college on gifted land dismissed

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI,SEPTEMBER 02, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 02, 2017 04:36 IST

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a set of public interest litigation petitions filed for establishing a medical college in Karur, observing that gift of the land for the college was made to boost land value and for commercial exploitation beneficial only to the donors.

A division bench of Justices K. K. Sasidharan and J. Nisha Banu said that the government’s decision to move the Karur Medical College and Hospital at Sanappirratti village was not malafide.

The bench observed that it was satisfied with the materials produced by the State for moving the college and hospital to a suitable site owned by the Karur Municipality.

It directed the State to establish the government medical college and hospital at Sanappiratti on the land allotted by the Karur Municipality. The Bench also directed that the land donated for the hospital by the petitioners be conveyed to the donors. The petitioners had filed separate writ petitions seeking the construction of the government medical college and hospital at Kuppuchipalayam on the land donated by them.

It was observed that real estate developers purchased a large portion of land and gifted a small potion of it to the Director of Medical Education with a view to adding value to the adjacent portions belonging to them.

SC girl unable to join BDS as college demands Rs. 2 lakh

Dennis S. Jesudasan

CHENNAI,SEPTEMBER 02, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 02, 2017 05:06 IST

National Commission for Scheduled Castes orders notice

A medical aspirant belonging to the Scheduled Caste (Arunthathiyar) community, who obtained a NEET score of 120, couldn’t take up a BDS seat in self-financing college during counselling because she was asked to pay up Rs. 2 lakh fee within 24 hours.

On receiving a representation from the girl and her father in Chennai, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes Vice-Chairman L. Murugan, who was in the city on Friday, said insisting on the fees violated a Government Order issued by the State. “I have directed a notice be issued to authorities seeking an explanation over the complaint,” he said.

S. Devaki of Periyanaickenpalayam in Coimbatore district stood 242 in her community ranking for medical admissions and could have taken a BDS seat during counselling on August 30.

“They said we had to pay Rs. 2 lakh within 24 hours initially to confirm our admission. Though we produced our community certificate and income certificate, she said if we cannot pay we have to give up my seat,” she said.

Ms. Devaki scored 483 out of 500 and has been aspiring to become a doctor. “I worked quite hard to become a doctor but now I cannot get an admission with the fee. We were told by some well-wishers that we need not pay fee, but the scene was different in the counselling,” the disappointed student told The Hindu.

Her father’s annual income is Rs. 90,000, much below the slab of Rs. 2.5 lakh. She and her father are camping in Chennai with the hope of getting help from somewhere.

According to a G.O. Ms. No. 92 dated September 11, 2012 issued by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of the State government, the authorities are not to collect fees from the students of these communities as it would be covered by the government under various scholarship programmes.

When The Hindu contacted Director of Medical Education A. Edwin Joe, he said, “You could ask them to submit a complaint before the Selection Committee and we would take steps to ensure that the self-financing college doesn’t collect fee as per the rules.”

State not to insist on original driving licences till Tuesday

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI,SEPTEMBER 02, 2017 00:00 IST




Enforcing rule:The licence of motorcyclist being verified near Egmore on Friday.M. VedhanM_VEDHAN 

 
Judge asks government to give up move as licence may get lost

The State government on Friday gave an undertaking before the Madras High Court to defer till Tuesday its instructions to motorists to carry their original driving licences and not just photo copies.

Advocate General Vijay Narayan gave the undertaking to Justice M. Duraiswamy during the hearing of a writ petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners’ Federation.

After recording the undertaking, the judge made it clear that the police officials should not ask for original licences from the motorists till Tuesday. He also directed the registry to tag the writ petition along with activist ‘Traffic’ K.R. Ramaswamy’s public interest litigation petition, on the same issue, pending before a Division Bench of the High Court and list both the cases before the Bench on Monday.

In the meantime, Mr. Justice Duraiswamy asked the AG to prevail upon the government to give up its decision to insist on original driving licences in view of the hardship it would cause to people.

Judge’s poser

When the judge wanted to know what could be done if someone loses his driving licence, the AG said they could make an application and get a duplicate. “Till then, they cannot drive the vehicles, isn’t it?” the judge retorted.

To this, Mr. Narayan said: “The possibility of loss cannot be a reason to permit violation of the law.” He contended that motorists were bound to carry original driving licences as per Section 130 of Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 as well as Rule 139 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules of 1989 though the latter permits for an alternative only during exigencies such as the licence having been confiscated by a court of law.

Preventing accidents

The AG also brought it to the notice of the court that the government had decided to insist on production of original licences only because the State had recorded the second highest number of road accidents in the country.

He said that a Supreme Court-appointed committee on road safety had taken note of the fact that many motorists were driving vehicles merrily with photocopies of either suspended or cancelled driving licences.

However, the judge said the government must tap technology and come up with solutions to find out the validity of driving licences at the touch of a button. “Now there is a mobile app to ascertain registration details of vehicles. Therefore, you can computerise the driving licence details too,” the judge noted. Referring to the insistence on driving licence even for purchasing motor vehicles, the judge wondered whether women would not be allowed to purchase heavy vehicles.

A host of lawyers, who were present in the court room during the hearing of the case, complained to the judge about the policemen having begun to harass motorists since Friday.

‘Vehicle keys snatched’

The writ petitioner’s counsel S. Govindraman alleged that law enforcers were snatching the keys of vehicles.

Advocate M. Purushothaman, representing an impleading petitioner, sought a direction to the State to consider his representation to issue three or more copies of original driving licence.

The possibility of loss cannot be a reason to permit violation of the law

Vijay Narayan

Advocate General

Medical Council of India suspends leading Orthopedic Surgeon for practicing without license 

Mumbai:  A leading orthopedic surgeon in Mumbai is now facing the wrath of the apex medical council, for continuing to treat patients with an expired license. The Medical Council of India has now suspended the said doctor for a period of 5 years. TOI reports the case of Mumbai’s leading orthopedic su...

Read more at Medical Dialogues: Medical Council of India suspends leading Orthopedic Surgeon for practicing without license

 http://medicaldialogues.in/medical-council-of-india-suspends-leading-orthopedic-surgeon-for-practicing-without-license/

Copyright 2017@ Medical Dialogues

Dancing can reverse the signs of aging in the brain 

As we grow older we suffer a decline in mental and physical fitness, which can be made worse by conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. A new study, published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, shows that older people who routinely partake in physical exercise can reverse the signs of aging in the brain, and dancing has the most profou...

Read more at Medical Dialogues: Dancing can reverse the signs of aging in the brain

 http://speciality.medicaldialogues.in/dancing-can-reverse-the-signs-of-aging-in-the-brain/

West Bengal allows AYUSH practitioners to practice Allopathy with riders,

 West Bengal: After deliberating over the issue of allowing AYUSH practitioners to prescribe modern medicine, the state government of West Bengal has now decided to give them a go ahead, permitting certain practitioners of the Indian System of Medicine to practice modern medicine, but with some ...

Read more at Medical Dialogues: West Bengal allows AYUSH practitioners to practice Allopathy with riders,

 Check out details http://medicaldialogues.in/west-bengal-allows-ayush-practitioners-to-practice-allopathy-with-riders-check-out-details/

Copyright 2017@ Medical Dialogues

MCI asks Medical Colleges to prepare for Inspections, make provisions for Videography 0f Courses,

MCI asks Medical Colleges to prepare for Inspections, make provisions for Videography 0f Courses,

 In respect to this year’s inspection of medical colleges by the apex medical regulator, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has recently issued a circular informing all the medical college authorities about the assessment preparedness for the medical admissions 2017. As per the circular, the Council 

Read more at Medical Dialogues: MCI asks Medical Colleges to prepare for Inspections, make provisions for Videography

 http://education.medicaldialogues.in/mci-asks-medical-colleges-to-prepare-for-inspections-make-provisions-for-videography/

Link Aadhaar number with BSNL mobile number

STAFF REPORTER

ERODE,SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 03:55 IST

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has asked its customers to link their mobile number with their Aadhaar number at the earliest.

A press release from the Chief General Manager,

BSNL, Erode, said that as per the government order, it was mandatory to link the mobile phone number with Aadhaar.

Customers could visit the customer service centres, retail outlets or franchises of BSNL for the purpose.

The release added that the service centre at Telephone Bhavan would function from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all days, including holidays.

Admissions open

for college

Admissions are open for the newly started Government Arts and Science College at Sathyamangalam here.

The principal in-charge, in a press release, said that applications were invited for admissions to B.Sc. Computer Science and B.Sc. Mathematics.

Applications can be had from the office from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, the release added.

STAFF REPORTER

Classes for MBBS, BDS freshers in government colleges to start today

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI,SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 03:43 IST

Long-drawn process:Vehicles parked outside the Omandurar Estate, where the counselling for medical and dental seats was held.K. PichumaniK_Pichumani  

Counselling for 34 medical seats and 640 dental seats was held on Sunday

Classes will begin on Monday for first-year medical and dental students in all government colleges, said selection secretary G. Selvarajan.

Server crash

On Sunday, the second day of the second round of counselling was held for 34 seats in self-financing medical colleges and over 640 seats in dental colleges.

Counselling was supposed to begin at 2 p.m. but as the server crashed for sometime, counselling was rescheduled for 4 p.m., officials said.

On Saturday, the second phase of counselling began with 10 vacancies in government medical colleges; 11 in Rajah Muthiah Medical College affiliated to Annamalai University; and 60 seats in the management quota in self-financing medical colleges.

There were 20 seats in the government dental college; 44 seats in Annamalai University and 420 seats in self-financing dental colleges. But when counselling began on Sunday, another 200 seats were added, the parents said.

By 8 p.m., all MBBS seats had been taken.

“Though counselling was scheduled for up to the 14,000th rank, when officials announced that all seats had been filled up, people left in droves,” said a parent, whose daughter had participated in the session.

Counselling for medical and dental seats in the State is expected to be completed by Tuesday, Mr. Selvarajan said.

Govt. offers Rs. 7 lakh solatium, but Anitha’s kin say no

C. Jaisankar

ARIYALUR,SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 05:17 IST

Offering solace:DMK leader M.K. Stalin consoling Shanmugam, the father of Anitha, who committed suicide over her inability to secure an MBBS seat.B. Velankanni Raj  

Her father refuses to accept any compensation from the State government until Tamil Nadu is exempted from the ambit of NEET

The family members of Anitha, the medical aspirant who committed suicide on Friday owing to her inability to secure an MBBS seat, have refused to accept Rs. 7 lakh in compensation announced by the State government.

According to sources, the deceased’s father, Shanmugam, politely refused to accept a cheque for Rs. 7 lakh, offered by Collector G. Laxmi Priya and Superintendent of Police Abinav Kumar, when the latter visited his house at Kuzhumur village in Ariyalur district on Sunday to offer their condolences to the bereaved family.

After offering floral tribute to Anitha, Ms. Priya consoled Shanmugam and his four sons. But when she handed the cheque to Mr. Shanmugam, he refused to accept it, saying he will not receive any compensation from the government until the State was exempted from the ambit of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) — the cause for which his daughter had fought until her last breath.

“We met the bereaved [family] members. They showed reluctance in accepting the compensation. However, we will wait for some more time,” Ms. Priya told The Hindu .

She said that she had also offered a government job to one of the family members. The nature of the job would be based on the educational qualifications of the beneficiary. “Necessary steps would be taken once they furnish the required information,” the Collector said.

Chief Minister Edapaddi K. Palaniswami had announced relief for the victim’s family after offering his condolences to them.

Mr. Shanmugam had earlier accepted a cheque for Rs. 10 lakh from DMK working president M.K. Stalin, when the latter visited his house to offer condolences on behalf of his party.

Meanwhile, M. Chandrakasi, Member of Parliament, Chidambaram constituency, and R.T. Ramachandran, MLA, Kunnam constituency, also paid a visit and offered condolences to the bereaved.

C. Jaisankar

A father remembers his beloved daughter, her shattered dream

C. Jaisankar

ARIYALUR,SEPTEMBER 03, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 03, 2017 04:20 IST

Shanmugam  

Neighbours too say Anitha was a role model for the entire village

Even as the State grieved for Anitha, it was her village that was the focal point on Saturday as hordes of residents used the occasion to vent their anger at the government for introducing NEET. For Shanmugam, 50, a daily-wage labourer at the Gandhi Market, the untimely death of his beloved daughter Anitha was probably the worst day of his life.

Anitha was a Class II student when her mother Anantham died in 2007. It was Periamma, 80, Anitha’s grandmother, who shouldered the responsibility of raising her and four grandsons. Mr. Shanmugam, with his meagre income, however, instilled and fostered the burning desire in his daughter to become a doctor.

“Despite our best efforts, we could not save my wife. If I had the wherewithal then, we could have saved her. It was then that I took a pledge to spend my earnings to make my daughter a doctor. But, this has shattered me and my family,” says Mr. Shanmugam, with tears rolling down his cheeks.

‘Well-behaved, studious’

Shell-shocked over her death, her relatives, teachers, friends and neighbours, who have gathered here, recall how she was well-behaved and, what the world has come to know by now, studious.

“Sometimes, she used to come to school little late as she had to complete her household chores. However, she was quick to pick things up. She was perfect in studies and discipline,” says Fr. K. Robert, former Headmaster of St. Philomenal Higher Secondary School in Kuzhumur, where Anitha studied up to SSLC.

P. Sekar, a neighbour, said the neighbourhood could never forget her. She was a role model not only among the Dalit students but also among others in studies.

Blaming the governments for the death of his daughter, Mr. Shanmugam said if Jayalalithaa was alive, she would not have allowed the Central government to impose NEET for medical admission in Tamil Nadu.

Despite our best efforts, we could not save my wife. It was then that I took a pledge to spend my earnings on making my daughter a doctor

Multiple court rulings haven’t curbed ragging: UGC

Shiv Sahay Singh
KOLKATA,SEPTEMBER 03, 2017 00:00 IST

Loud and clear:A file photo of students staging a protest against ragging in Hyderabad.G. Ramakrishna 

 
Study reveals that hostel residents are the worst-hit; the incidence is more in professional colleges, and a majority of the victims are male

Ragging in educational institutions is truly alive and kicking. Four out of every ten students admitted to higher educational institutions have been victims, a study commissioned by the University Grants Commission has found.

The study, titled ‘Psychosocial Study of Ragging in Selected Educational Institutions in India’, was done during 2013-14 in 37 colleges and universities across the country. It scrutinised the experiences of 10,632 students from different demographic profiles.

The study encompassed 13 colleges from the northern parts of India, 10 from the south, six from the east and eight from western India. The surveyed institutions included nine medical colleges, 11 engineering colleges and nine ‘degree’ colleges and universities.

“Analysis of the overall data reveals that almost 40% students admitted to having gone through some kind of ragging — 35.1% students faced mild ragging and 4.1% students were subjected to severe ragging. However, college-wise analysis shows significant variations in these values,” the study states. It not only highlights occurrence in terms of numbers and frequency but also deals with the prevalence of the practice irrespective of places, types of courses and gender divide. The study discusses causes and consequences.

The practice continues despite multiple judgements by the Supreme Court over the past two decades seeking to curb it. The court in 1999 and 2007 issued guidelines to curb ragging and felt the need again in 2009 to set up a committee of mental health and public health professionals to study the menace.

The study finds ragging is more prevalent among hostel residents at 45.9%, when compared with the 32.5% incidence seen among day scholars. The incidence was more in professional courses such as medicine and engineering — approximately 48.3% in medical colleges and 44.5% in engineering colleges. The figure is 28.8% for other courses. Instances of ragging was much higher among males.

Reported in media

The study examines ragging incidents reported in major media outlets between January 2007 and September 2013, and analyses 717 cases. The highest number of 97 was reported from Uttar Pradesh. The figure was 75 for Andhra Pradesh, 73 for West Bengal, 54 for Tamil Nadu, 48 for Kerala, 48 again for Madhya Pradesh, 42 for Maharashtra, and 35 for Punjab. “A total of 71 deaths due ragging was reported in that period. There were 199 cases of ragging that led to minor and major injuries to students, including 81 incidents leading to hospitalisation and causing permanent disability,” the report states.

According to the study, factors such as individual appearance, region of origin, language spoken, sexuality, and caste were factors involved in the incidents. About 20.7% of students who admitted to having been ragged said they were targeted for their looks and appearance. About 15.6% attributed it to their region of origin and 12.2% to their mother tongue.

The report states that the ability or inability to speak English often becomes a basis for discrimination and a factor in ragging.

The qualitative and quantitative data highlighted the fact that sexual harassment in the name of ragging is prevalent in some institutions. While 4% students admitted to having faced sexual ragging, more than 10% faced it in some institutions.

Harsh Agarwal, one of the authors, said there was remarkable variation in the prevalence of ragging across colleges and institutions. In some institutions the prevalence was as high as 75%, which pointed to the significance of institutional factors. “The response of a particular institution to ragging complaints and the attitude of the faculty [members] are the most important factors in influencing ragging,” Mr. Agarwal said.

Data collection was done between February 2013 and February 2014. Experts analysed the data in 2014 and 2015. Mr. Agarwal, Professor Mohan Rao, Dr. Shobna Sonpar, Dr. Amit Sen, Professor Shekhar Seshadri and Divya Padalia authored the 252-page report. It was submitted to the UGC in early 2016 and released on August 11, 2017.

Surveillance tools

Academicians and researchers said that during field visits it was observed that ragging was less prevalent in institutions that promoted a healthy interaction between teachers and students, and when there was a sense of community on the campus. Surveillance tools such as CCTV cameras proved to be ineffectual as they often induced a sense of complacency among administrators.

The researchers also noted some interesting anecdotes. In a medical college in Uttar Pradesh, the research team was having an informal conversation with a peon when a senior faculty member instructed him not to talk to the team. “The faculty member was afraid that the peon could reveal information pertaining to ragging,” the report states.

A girl student interviewed at a Delhi college said she was targeted because she was an ‘outsider’ and hailed from Bihar. Many students broke down while narrating their experiences. Many refused to talk inside the campus and quietly handed over their numbers so researchers could speak to them over phone.

33% enjoyed ragging

Curiously, of the students who admitted to being ragged, 32.6% said they enjoyed the experience, while 45.1% admitted to feeling bad only initially. Negative emotional experiences such as feeling angry was reported by 19.1% students, 12.1% said they felt helpless, and 8.6% felt ashamed and humiliated.

The researchers had a set of questions to assess the students’ level of support to ragging. The results show that 33.8% of students felt ragging helps build confidence and develop personality traits, and 34.8% felt it toughened them mentally. As many as 35.7% felt ragging prepares a student to deal with the harsh world outside.

“This normalisation of ragging is very dangerous, where the students are socialised into thinking that the world outside is a tough place and that a toughening-up exercise will help them succeed in this harsh world,” Divya Padalia, a co-author of the report, said.

800 BDS seats filled during spot allotment

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 04, 2017 05:11 IST

About 800 BDS seats in private self-financing colleges were filled on Sunday when the first round of spot allotment to the course drew to a close. As in the case of the MBBS allotment, 107 seats were transferred to the merit category from the NRI quota in 13 colleges for want of takers for the latter category. At close of counselling on Sunday, there were 26 NRI seats vacant in four dental colleges. These seats would be filled during a spot allotment to be held here on September 8.

Commissioner for Entrance Examinations M.T. Reju said here that even those colleges, which said they would go to court against the decision to shift the NRI quota seats to merit seats, cooperated with the CEE on Sunday.

However, some managements opposed the shifting of seats to the merit category which would fetch a lower fee. While the fee for the BDS merit seats is Rs. 2.9 lakh, the fee in the NRI category is Rs. 6 lakh.

NEET issue

Curious case of bar on government quota students seeking MBBS
By Siva Sekaran | Express News Service | Published: 04th September 2017 06:59 AM |

Last Updated: 04th September 2017 08:58 AM |

CHENNAI: CAN a student, who has obtained a seat in a professional course under the government quota during the previous academic year, seek admission in MBBS course after writing NEET for 2017-18?

This intriguing question has been raised before a division bench of the Madras High Court, recently. As per two GOs issued by the State government on July 28 and October 12, 2015, no such candidate can seek admission in MBBS course.

When a bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and Abdul Quddhose asked Medical Council of India (MCI) senior counsel to clarify the issue, he replied in the negative. No such restriction has been imposed by MCI, he said.

Holding that the matter requires serious examination, the bench ordered notice on writ appeals from two affected candidates, returnable in two weeks. Till then, the earlier interim orders directing medical colleges to keep one seat each vacant for the appellants shall hold good, the bench said and added that the duo will be granted admission subject to the outcome of the writ appeals.

According to advocate M Ravi, his clients Gayathri Swaminath and Kannan alias Sivakumar, natives of Puducherry, had obtained admission in BDS and in engineering courses, respectively, under the government quota. While the former joined the BDS course in 2015-16, the latter the engineering course during 2012-13. They both wrote NEET 2017 and emerged successful.

However, they were denied admission by virtue of the two 2015 GOs, which prevented candidates who had obtained admission under government quota earlier in any of the professional courses, from seeking admission in MBBS course.

Aggrieved, the two moved the High Court and a single judge — K Ravichandra Baabu — dismissed their plea. Hence, the present writ appeals. Ravi contended there was no provision in MCI Act to deny admission to suitable candidates in MBBS course, on this unsupportive ground.

Govt orders banned entry

Gayathri Swaminath and Kannan had obtained admission in BDS and engineering courses under the government quota a few years back. They wrote NEET this year and emerged successful, but were denied seats due to two GOs in 2015.