50 per cent dip in pass percentage in 3rd sem at Anna University 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

Published Jan 10, 2018, 6:19 am IST

 ‘Newly introduced minimum pass marks affect performance’.



The additional controller of examinations in Anna University declared the odd semester (3,5 and 7) exams results on Monday.

Chennai: In the first exam after the introduction of minimum pass marks under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), the pass percentage of students from prestigious four campuses of Anna University has gone down to 50 per cent in the third semester.



Earlier, the Anna University had introduced a minimum pass mark of 50 per cent under the relative grading system which was introduced along with CBCS to improve the academic standards at the university departments.

The additional controller of examinations in Anna University declared the odd semester (3,5 and 7) exams results on Monday. The cream of students who have joined with the College of Engineering, Guindy, Alagappa College of Technology, Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) and the School of Architecture and Planning fared poorly in the third semester exams. Apart from MIT, other campuses registered less than 50 per cent pass in November/ December 2017 exams.

Out of 1,192 students from CEG campus, only 553 of them cleared the third semester registering 46.39 per cent pass. In Alagappa College of Technology of 484 students only 217 have cleared (44.83 per cent) and in MIT campus, of 815 students only 423 have cleared the exam (51.9%). The School of Architecture and Planning students registered the least pass percentage with only 19.82 per cent clearing the exam.

During the previous year, third-semester students have achieved around 80 per cent pass percentage under a relative grading system which had no minimum pass marks.

“The minimum pass marks have definitely affected the semester results. Students have not adapted to the minimum pass marks under the CBCS and relative grading system. Their performance will surely improve in the coming semesters,” said Professor S.Srinivasalu, additional Controller of Examinations, University Departments, Anna University.

He also said the fifth-semester students have performed well in the exams. The fifth-semester students have recorded above 64 per cent. But SAP students fared poorly even in the fifth-semester exam as only 16 per cent of students have passed the exam out of 123 students.Some professors said that the third-semester results will be less always as the students appear for the exam in their relevant branches. “The unfamiliarity of topics makes it hard for them,” they said.

The seventh-semester students who wrote the exam under non-CBCS system has gotten better results with above 81% of students passing the exam.

One of the senior faculty members at Anna University, said while improving the quality of education we should not mind the pass percentage going little down. “Earlier, when the pass percentage was only around 50 to 60 the university has produced quality engineers,” he said.

The special arrear exam under the CBCS method will be conducted in February.
Along with the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), the university has introduced the relative grading system for the students at four university departments, including the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG) and Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chrompet in 2015-16.

Under the relative grading, the pass mark was not a fixed one. The students will be awarded the grades based on the collective performance of the class.
While the pass percentage of the students have improved significantly under the new system in the last two years, the professors have complained that the standard has gone down. There were also complaints that some students outsmarted the relative grading system by joining hands with other students.

Nurses from Tamil Nadu eligible for foreign jobs in UK and Ireland through OET 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Jan 10, 2018, 6:32 am IST

Nurses and Midwives from Tamil Nadu can now appear for OET exams and thereby register and practice in the countries like UK and Ireland.



The test ensures work-ready English language skills in other countries by testing the students on language proficiency.

Chennai: The Occupational English Test (OET) is now accepted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), UK and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) as proof of English proficiency for overseas-trained nurses and midwives for registration purposes. Nurses and Midwives from Tamil Nadu can now appear for OET exams and thereby register and practice in the countries like UK and Ireland.

The OET is offered by Cambridge Assessment English, which is a part of the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment, for healthcare professionals. NMC and NMBI have announced that it will formally recognise OET for overseas-trained nurses and midwives for registration purposes from 02 January 2018.

The test ensures work-ready English language skills in other countries by testing the students on language proficiency.

OET is recognised across 12 health care professions - Dentistry, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology and Veterinary Science. OET test venues in Chennai, have exam dates available for every month.

Stating the significance of OET, T.K. Arunachalam, Regional Director, South-Asia, Cambridge Assessment English said, “English plays a major role in the workplace in most countries around the world and is extremely important for professionals in the healthcare sector. OET is a standardized English test, which has been developed for this industry exclusively. The recognition and acceptance of the test in the UK and Ireland open up a world of opportunities for the nurses seeking to work in these countries”.

Apart from NMC and NMBI in UK and Ireland respectively, health care boards and councils in Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Singapore also recognise OET for accepting healthcare professionals.

TN bus strike: Palanisamy announces Rs 750 cr for retired workers 

DECCAN CHRONICLE / PTI

Published Jan 10, 2018, 6:05 pm IST

The unions say the govt had not made any announcement on Rs. 5000 cr debited from the salaries of current workers.



Palanisamy recalled the state government's various sops, including diesel subsidy and financial assistance of Rs 5,138.57 crore, given between 2011 and 2017 to the state-run transport corporations. (Photo: PTI/File)

Chennai: In an effort to pacify striking transport corporation workers, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday announced that Rs 750 crore would be released this week towards retirement benefits, with Chief Minister K Palanisamy  urging the agitators to withdraw the seven-day-old agitation.

Making a statement in the state assembly, he said the amount would be given before Pongal festival (January 14) and it would benefit those who retired up to November 30, 2017.

Settlement of pending dues is one of the key demands of the striking workers.

Palanisamy recalled the state government's various sops, including diesel subsidy and financial assistance of Rs 5,138.57 crore, given between 2011 and 2017, to the state-run transport corporations, whose poor financial health has
been cited as a reason for the pending dues.

"I am happy to announce that the Amma (late chief minister J Jayalalithaa) government will provide Rs 750 crore towards pending (dues) for those who retired up to November 30, 2017. This will be provided before Pongal festival," he said.

With the said amount, the government had so far disbursed Rs 2,147.39 crore towards retirement benefits for the transport employees, he said.

In 2017-18, the AIADMK government had given Rs 291.99 crore to serving employees toward DA arrears, the chief minister said.

"Therefore, with most of the demands of the transport corporation staff being accepted, the workers should immediately withdraw their strike in the interest of the people and return to work," he appealed.

The transport unions, however, did not budge from their stand and decided to continue with the strike saying that the CM's announcement was no way near to their demands.

It said that the government had not made any announcement on Rs. 5000 crores debited from the salaries of current workers.

"The government has not made any announcement on Rs. 5000 crores debited from the salaries of current workers but not remitted towards the social security schemes including provident fund, credit society and LIC," Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation CITU state president A Soundararajan was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.

The employees owing allegiance to 17 trade unions, including those affiliated to the DMK and the Left, are on an indefinite strike since January 4 after talks related to wage agreement issues with the government failed.

While the government has offered an increase in the wages by 2.44 times, the unions are demanding a 2.57-time hike. The strike has affected commuters across the state.

Tamil Nadu bus strike to continue

Sureshkumar | TNN | Updated: Jan 10, 2018, 19:11 IST



Trade unions like the CITU and the LPF have been on strike since Thursday evening.

CHENNAI: The standoff between the Tamil Nadu government and the workers of the state owned transport corporations continues, as the latter on Wednesday refused to withdraw the strike unless the settlement signed by the government with 'minority unions' accepting 2.44% wage hike is kept in abeyance.

Both the LPF and CITU have categorically informed a special bench of the Madras high court headed by Justice S Manikumar that there is no scope to withdraw the strike unless the government agrees to suspend the settlement signed and resumes the negotiation.

"If the government is not bothered about public interest, we too are not bothered about it," counsels representing the unions said to the court.

The court wanted the unions to temporarily withdraw the strike, by accepting the settlement already made and keep the dispute over 0.13% pending. "You must come forward to serve people during the Pongal season. How can you continue strike," the court asked.

However, refusing to accept, the unions asserted that the strike is not only legal but also justified.

Expressing displeasure over the continuing impasse, the bench adjourned the issue to Thursday, expecting the unions to come up with an unconditional solution.

Teachers Recruitment Board scam: Techie surrenders in court

toi | Jan 10, 2018, 10:30 IST



CHENNAI: A 37-year-old computer engineer with a Noida-based private firm surrendered before a court in Ponneri on Monday in connection with the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) scam that was busted recently after the marksheets of many candidates shortlisted for the interview were found to be forged.

Shaik Dawood Naser appeared before the magistrate and submitted a representation through his lawyer saying that he was surrendering before the court as police were searching for him in connection with the scam.

The magistrate remanded him in prison and asked police personnel to produce him before the magistrate court in Egmore on January 12. Court officials informed sleuths from the cybercrime wing of the city police about the techie's surrender.

Police said Naser worked as a programmer for the Noida-based Datatec Methodex Private Limited at its branch office in Chennai. Police had earlier arrested a cab driver Ganesh, 28, of Anna Nagar, for collecting a bribe from one of the candidates promising to get him a job through TRB.

The complainant Uma, who is the TRB member-secretary, had mentioned in her petition that Naser and Ganesh were involved in the manipulation of data.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that more people in the Teachers Recruitment Board and the private firm had colluded in the scam. "A few more big fish were involved in the scam and we are probing further to gather evidence against them," said a police officer.

The marksheets of at least 230 students were forged for which the scamsters may have collected Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh from each candidate, said a police officer. Though the racket involved candidates from all the districts, a majority of them are from Salem, Erode, Cuddalore and Namakkal.

The victims who failed to make the shortlist for the interview process have formed a Facebook group where they posted the details of the candidates who had qualified with forged marksheets.

ஆண்டாள் கட்டுரை: 'தினமணி' வருந்துகிறது

By - ஆசிரியர்  |   Published on : 10th January 2018 11:44 AM  | 

தமிழுக்கு உரமூட்டிய தகுதிசால் முன்னோர்களை வளரும் தலைமுறையினருக்குக் கொண்டு செல்ல வேண்டும் என்கிற உயரிய எண்ணத்துடன்தான் 'இலக்கிய முன்னோடிகள்' குறித்த கட்டுரைகள் "தினமணி'யில் தொடர்ந்து வெளியிடப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. இந்தக் கட்டுரைகளின் வாசிப்பும் அதன் தொனியும் எத்தகையவை என்பதை இளம் தலைமுறையினர் அறிவதற்காகவே, முதல்நாள் கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து வாசிக்க அடுத்த நாள் 'தினமணி'யில் கட்டுரை வெளியாகிறது.

கவிஞர் வைரமுத்துவின் 'தமிழை ஆண்டாள்' கட்டுரையை ஆண்டாள் அவதரித்த ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்தூரை அடுத்த இராஜபாளையத்தில் அரங்கேற்றியதன் காரணமே, ஆண்டாளின் பெருமையை தூக்கிப் பிடிக்க வேண்டும், அவரது தமிழ் ஆளுமை உரக்க ஒலிக்கப்பட வேண்டும் என்பதற்காகத்தான்.

கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து தனது உரையின் தொடக்கத்திலேயே ஆண்டாள் அவதரித்த மண்ணைத் தொட்டு வணங்குவதாகக் குறிப்பிட்டே தொடங்கினார். ஆண்டாள் குறித்து உயர்வானவற்றைப் பதிவு செய்த அவரது கட்டுரையில் அமெரிக்க ஆய்வையும் சுட்டிக்காட்டியது தவறு என்கிற கருத்து முன்வைக்கப்படுகிறது. அந்தக் கருத்தை தமிழர்களின் கவனத்திற்கு கொண்டுவர வேண்டும் என்பதுதான் தனது நோக்கமே தவிர, அந்தப் பதிவின் மூலம் யாரையும் புண்படுத்துவது நோக்கமல்ல என்று அவர் விளக்கம் அளித்திருக்கிறார். அந்தப் பதிவு பலருடைய உணர்வுகளை புண்படுத்தியதற்காக வருத்தமும் தெரிவித்திருக்கிறார்.

'தினமணி' நாளிதழைப் பொறுத்தவரை தமிழையும் ஆன்மிகத்தையும் ஒருசேர தூக்கிப் பிடிக்கும் நாளிதழ். இந்தக் கருத்து "தினமணி'யில் வந்திருக்க வேண்டாம் என்கிற பலருடைய ஆதங்கம் புரிகிறது. தவறுதான் என்பதை ஏற்றுக்கொள்கிறோம். ஆண்டாளை தமிழ் தெய்வமாக, பக்தி இலக்கியத்தின் உச்சமாக, வணக்கத்திற்குரிய அன்னையாக 'தினமணி'யும் கருதுகிறது.

கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து இது குறித்து விளக்கம் அளித்து வருத்தம் தெரிவித்துவிட்டாலும்கூட, 'தினமணி'யின் மூலம் அந்தக் கருத்து பதிவாகி இருக்கிறது என்பதால் வாசகர்களுக்கும் ஆன்மிக அன்பர்களுக்கும் வருத்தம் தெரிவிப்பதிலோ, மன்னிப்புக் கோருவதிலோ எங்களுக்கு சற்றும் தயக்கம் இல்லை. "தினமணி' வருந்துகிறது!

தமிழக அரசின் ஏ, பி பிரிவு ஊழியர்களுக்கு பொங்கல் கருணைத்தொகை வழங்குக! ராமதாஸ் வலியுறுத்தல்

By DIN | Published on : 10th January 2018 11:53 AM

தமிழக அரசின் ஏ, பி பிரிவு ஊழியர்களுக்கு பொங்கல் கருணைத்தொகை வழங்க வேண்டும் என்று பாமக நிறுவனர் ராமதாஸ் வலியுறுத்தியுள்ளார்.

இதுகுறித்து அவர் இன்று விடுத்துள்ள அறிக்கையில்,  தமிழக அரசுத்துறைகளில் பணியாற்றும் சி மற்றும் டி பிரிவு ஊழியர்களுக்கு பொங்கல் மிகை ஊதியமாக ரூ.1000 வழங்கப்படும் என அறிவித்துள்ள தமிழக அரசு, ஏ மற்றும் பி பிரிவு அதிகாரிகளுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்டு வந்த ரூ.1000 மிகை ஊதியம் இந்த ஆண்டு முதல் ரத்து செய்யப்படுவதாக அறிவித்துள்ளது.

தமிழக அரசின் ஏ மற்றும் பி பிரிவினர், பல்கலைக்கழக மானியக்குழு/ அகில இந்திய தொழில்நுட்பக் குழு/ வேளாண்மை ஆராய்ச்சிக் கழக ஊதிய விகிதம் பெறுபவர்கள், அனைத்திந்திய பணி ஊழியர்கள் ஆகியோருக்கு பொங்கல் மிகை ஊதியம் வழங்கப்படாததற்கு தமிழக அரசின் சார்பில் காரணங்கள் எதுவும் கூறப்படவில்லை. இந்தப் பிரிவினர் அதிக ஊதியம் பெறக்கூடியவர்கள் என்பது தான் அரசின் இந்த முடிவுக்கு காரணமாக இருக்கக் கூடும். இது தான் காரணம் என்றால் அதை ஏற்க முடியாது.

ஏ மற்றும் பி பிரிவினரும் இப்போது தான் அதிக ஊதியம் பெறுகிறார்கள் என்று கூற முடியாது. அதிகாரப் படி நிலையின் மேல்மட்டத்தில் இருப்பவர்கள் அதிக ஊதியம் பெறுவது இயல்பானது தான். அதன்படி தான் இவர்களும் அதிக ஊதியம் பெறுகின்றனர். இதை கடந்த கால அரசுகளும் அறிந்து இருந்ததால் தான் இவர்களுக்காக சிறப்பு மிகை ஊதியம் என்ற தனிப்பிரிவை ஏற்படுத்தி அடையாளத் தொகையாக ரூ.1000 வழங்கி வந்தன. 30 ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக இந்நடைமுறை தொடர்கிறது.

சிறப்பு மிகை ஊதியத்தை ஊதியத்தின் அடிப்படையில் இதுவரை இருந்த அரசுகள் பார்க்கவில்லை; இனியும் பார்க்கத் தேவையில்லை. மதங்களைக் கடந்த தமிழர்களின் திருநாளான பொங்கல் விழாவில் குழந்தைகளுக்கு பெற்றோர் தரும் பரிசைப் போன்று, அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு அரசு தரும் பரிசாகவே இதை பார்க்க வேண்டும். எனவே, ஏ மற்றும் பி பிரிவு அதிகாரிகளுக்கு சிறப்பு மிகை ஊதியம் கிடையாது என்ற முடிவை மாற்றுக் கொண்டு ரூ.1000 சிறப்பு மிகை ஊதியம் வழங்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.