SC asks Centre if OCIs eligible to get K'taka govt seats

DH News Service, New Delhi, Jul 30 2017, 1:22 IST

Supreme Court has asked the Union government to explain if Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), who have cleared NEET 2017, are entitled to admission on government seats in MBBS/BDS courses in medical colleges in Karnataka.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and A M Khanwilkar granted time till Monday to Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha to take instructions on the issue.

A group of candidates, who are OCI card-holders and have passed NEET, approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Karnataka high court's judgement of July 7.

The high court had held that such candidates were not eligible to be considered under the category of government seats in view of a clear bar under government rules. The Union government's rules stated that no candidate would be eligible for admission to government seats unless he is a citizen of India.

It had rejected the candidates' plea that the rule was arbitrary and violative of Article 14 (equality) of the Constitution.

The OCI card-holders under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 are entitled to be treated on par with Non-Resident Indians, the high court had held. It directed for considering their admission in various categories, other than government seats, if they were eligible under the rules.

The Karnataka government has also maintained that these candidates were eligible for admission only under the NRI quota. According to rules framed by the state government, only Indian citizens were eligible to apply for government seats, it said.

SC lets 10 OCIs attend MBBS/BDS counselling in all categories

DH News Service, New Delhi, Aug 3 2017, 1:29 IST

Their admission subject to final outcome of case: Apex Court

The court put the special leave petition filed by the candidates for consideration on November 7 to adjudicate on the principle to be adopted by states for admission of OCI cardholders. Representational Image. DH photo.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed 10 Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) to participate in counselling to be organised by Karnataka on August 17 for admission to MBBS/BDS seats in all categories.

A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Dipak Misra passed an interim order, providing relief to candidates who challenged the High Court’s order of July 7. The HC had declared OCI card-holders who cleared NEET- 2017 eligible for admission to various categories other than government seats. The court took into consideration the policy adopted by Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other states for granting them permission.

“It is directed that the petitioners, who are ten in number, are permitted to participate in the second counseling which is going to be held on August 17. We are sure the State of Karnataka shall not deviate to follow the order in letter and spirit,” the bench, also comprising Justices Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar, said in its order.

“No High Court shall entertain any prayer of any candidate who had not approached the court,” the bench added.

Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, appearing for the union government, said the Centre had ended the discrimination between NRIs, OCIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). Once the candidates belonging to these categories cleared NEET, they were entitled for admission to only 15% seats in all-India quota, he said.

Narasimha, however, said the states were free to formulate their own rules in terms of the seats in other categories, including government seats.

Senior advocate Basava Prabhu Patil, representing Karnataka, said OCI candidates cannot be granted admission in government seats. Out of 10 petitioners, only nine are OCI cardholders. They have already participated in counselling and have been allotted seats. Seven of them had already accepted the seats, he said. “If these candidates are allowed admission in government seats, it would create chaos. The only difference for them is in terms of fees,” he said.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, representing the petitioners, submitted that OCI candidates must have access to all category of seats. He said the petitioners participated in the previous counselling as they did not have any choice.

The court put the special leave petition filed by the candidates for consideration on November 7 to adjudicate on the principle to be adopted by states for admission of OCI cardholders.

In the instant case, the court said the petitioners have to satisfy the eligibility criteria for participation in counselling. It, however, clarified no other candidates from OCI category would be granted the benefit of the order. The court said the admission of the 10 candidates would be subject to final outcome of the case.

Woman donates land for PHC

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

PUDUKOTTAI,AUGUST 05, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: AUGUST 05, 2017 04:59 IST

M. Rahamathunisha handing over the land deed to Pudukottai Collector S. Ganesh.Special Arrangements  

Officials in Pudukottai district were unable to acquire land for building

A Muslim woman’s gesture in donating her land for construction of a primary health centre at Melathaniyam village in the district has earned her appreciation.

M. Rahamathunisha, a resident of Melathaniyam in Pudukottai district, voluntarily came forward to donate her land measuring 74 cents at a time when the official machinery was unable to acquire a site for construction of the primary health centre. Since January 28, the health centre had been functioning at Melathaniyam in a community hall. Although funds to the tune of Rs. 60 lakh was allocated for the construction of a building, officials were unable to get the required land. On learning about their predicament, Ms. Rahmathunisha came forward and donated her land worth Rs. 1 crore.

She met Collector S. Ganesh and handed over the document. Appreciating the gesture, the Collector said the construction work would start soon.

Ready to include Urdu in NEET from 2018-19 session: Centre tells SC

At present, the test for admission into medical courses is being conducted in ten languages

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi   August 08, 2017 Last Updated at 17:30 IST

The Supreme Court today considered the submission of the Centre that it was willing to include Urdu as a language in the NEET, the common entrance test for admission into medical courses, from academic session 2018-19 onwards.

A bench, headed by Justices Dipak Misra, noted the submission made by Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, that it was not opposed to conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Urdu medium also from 2018.

"The exam for this academic session is already over. We can't put the clock back...The appeal is disposed of," the bench, also comprising Justice A M Khanwilkar, said.

The solicitor general had on March 31 told the apex court that a students' body seeking conduct of the NEET in the Urdu language had accused the Centre of being "communal".

The submission was made while referring to an affidavit filed by the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) through its national secretary Thouseef Ahamad.

The Centre had told the court it was not feasible to introduce Urdu as one of the mediums for the NEET from the current academic year.

At present, the test is being conducted in ten languages — Hindi, English, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, Bengali, Assamese, Telegu, Tamil and Kannada languages.

The court had earlier sought the response of the Centre, the Medical Council of India, the Dental Council Of India, and the Central Board of Secondary Education on the plea for making Urdu as a medium for the NEET 2017.

Inspired by Singapore zoo

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

MYSURU,AUGUST 09, 2017 00:00 IST


The open-sky amphitheatre at the Mysuru zoo has been inspired by the one in Singapore zoo.

About Rs. 2.3 crore has been spent on the construction of the amphitheatre, located next to Tandi Sadak, close to the service gate on M.G. Road.

Artwork on wild animals on both sides of the entrance aimed at spreading the message of wildlife conservation welcomes the visitors. What is appealing about this zoo’s amphitheatre is that it has a natural canopy — tall trees providing shade to the entire venue — which has a built up area of around 1,100 sq. m.

Ravikumar, a Mysuru-based architect, has designed the facility built to host a variety of events. The amphitheatre will be the new venue for all the zoo’s activities such as youth club events, wildlife-centric programmes, conservation education activities, screening of wildlife-based films, and in–house events.

Fly to Salem, Puducherry from Chennai

B Aravind KumarSunitha Sekar

CHENNAI,AUGUST 09, 2017 00:00 IST


Flights to Neyveli to begin in October; approval awaited for operations to Hosur which has a private airfield

From September, flying from Chennai to Puducherry and Salem will be possible as the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Civil Aviation Ministry takes off.

Both the Centre and State governments have big plans regarding the scheme. “It will revolutionise air travel as more and more people prefer to fly,” says P.W.C. Davidar, IAS, additional chief secretary, Transport Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Operations will first begin on the Chennai-Puducherry route, followed up by the Chennai-Salem route. “Already, the bids for Salem and Neyveli airports have been finalised. Hosur has got huge potential. It is a private airfield and the approval is awaited,” he says.

According to officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI), there are some obstructions in the approach at the Neyveli airport’s airstrip and a study has been conducted for the same.

“We plan to commence operations to Neyveli by the end of October at least,” an official says.

There will be special fares on these routes for at least half the seats (RCS fare). These seats will be priced at Rs. 2,500, AAI officials say.

Budgetary provision

The cabinet committee on economic affairs has given a budgetary provision of Rs. 4,500 crore for the RCS scheme to be implemented across the country. Also, AAI plans to invest Rs. 17,500 crore for capacity enhancement and upgrading infrastructure at various existing airports.

For instance, at Thoothukudi, the State has given 366 acres for the extension of the runway.

Also, AAI will expand both Tiruchi and Madurai airports in the coming months.

Under the RCS scheme, the State government will provide minimum land, if required, free of cost and free from all encumbrances for development of RCS airports. The VAT would be 1% or less on ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) at RCS airports located within the State for a period of 10 years.

Security provided by police personnel and fire and rescue services personnel will be offered free of cost by the State.

Electricity, water and other utility services will be offered at concessional rates, State government officials say.

Under the scheme, the airline could seek VGF (viability gap fund) in case there is a gap in cost of operations and revenues. According to sources, the approximate VGF commitment per annum has been worked out to be Rs. 211 lakh for Salem and Rs. 31 lakh for Neyveli.

While the tenure of the scheme would be 10 years, VGF support would be only for three years. The bid for Salem airport has been bagged by Turbo Megha (Trujet)-ATR78 and 36 RCS seats will be available on this route.

At Neyveli, the successful bidder is Air Odisha, which will operate 18-seaters in which nine seats will be available at RCS fares.

For Hosur, the VGF has been worked out to be Rs. 51 lakh but the bid has not been yet opened, sources say. RCS operations through helicopters are permitted only for remote/specified areas, officials say.

The scheme will will revolutionise air travel as more and more people prefer to fly

P.W.C. Davidar

Transport Secretary

One year later, no arrests in Salem-Chennai train heist case

Siddharth Prabhakar| TNN | Updated: Aug 8, 2017, 11:52 PM IST


Chennai: Exactly a year ago, railway authorities at Chennai Egmore station discovered that Rs 5.8 crore of soiled currency was stolen from a high-security coach of the Salem-Chennai Express through a hole sawed on the roof. Till date, no arrests have been made in the case, which was as daring as it is mystifying.

The train left Salem on the night of August 8, 2016 and reached Chennai the next morning. When railway and bank officials opened the sealed coach at Egmore station around 11am, they found that three boxes were broken and the notes missing. The case was transferred from Government Railway Police (GRP) to CB-CID.

Ironically, majority of the cash stolen was the old Rs 500 notes, which were demonetised in November by the Centre. One year on, there are still unanswered questions. It was theorised that the hole was sawed while the train was moving through the non-electrified Salem-Vridhachalam section. However, the possibility of the hole being sawed in the Salem or Chennai yard was also investigated.

The role of railway employees was not ruled out. CB-CID had questioned many employees with regard to the case. Sources in the department said the role of an inter-state robbery gang which specialises in theft of luggage has been zeroed in by the investigators. There is a strong Tamil Nadu link to the case, sources said.

"It was a well-planned and executed; not a one-off instance," a source said.

Special teams had visited at least five states including West Bengal, Kerala and Bihar in search of clues. Banks in various states were asked to keep a look-out, in case the soiled currencies were exchanged.