Aadhaar to be address and age proof for driving licence: Govt 

Press Trust of India, New Delhi, Feb 9 2018, 18:37 IST 
 


The draft notification to amend rules for driving licences proposes Aadhaar as one of the documents that can be submitted as address and age proof, the government said today. File photo

The draft notification to amend rules for driving licences proposes Aadhaar as one of the documents that can be submitted as address and age proof, the government said today.

It said the draft notification to amend the form of application for a licence to drive a motor vehicle and the form of driving licence, as prescribed in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, has been submitted to the law ministry for legal vetting.

"As per information received from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Aadhaar card has been incorporated as one of the options in the list of documents to be submitted by the applicant as proof of address and age," Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written statement to the Rajya Sabha.

"However, if an applicant does not have an Aadhaar card, there is a provision for submission of other alternative documents like passport, birth certificate, Life insurance policy etc," Prasad said.

He added that there have been instances of concerns being raised on the security of Aadhaar data.

"All the concerns raised regarding the security, have been dealt with and addressed by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Adequate legal, organisational and technological measures are in place for the security of the data stored with UIDAI," Prasad said.

He added that biometric information, including iris scan and fingerprints, is securely stored in an encrypted format UIDAIs Central Identities Data Repository.

Jet Airways launches 2nd daily flight to Singapore 

DH new Service, Bengaluru, Feb 10 2018, 0:18 IST 



Jet Airways on Friday announced a second daily flight from Bengaluru to Singapore, given the growing passenger traffic on the route.

The introduction of the second flight forms part of the airline's focus to strengthen its presence in Bengaluru, as its upcoming third hub, besides those in Mumbai and Delhi.

The new daily flight - 9W 26 - will depart from Bengaluru at 2.05 am (IST) and reach Singapore at 9.15 am (LT), helping corporate and business travellers. In the return journey, flight 9W 25 will depart from Singapore at 10.15 am (LT) and arrive in Bengaluru at 12.10 pm (IST).

Jet Airways has announced special introductory return economy fares from Bengaluru, starting Rs 11,768, and tickets can be booked from February 15 onwards. The inaugural fares are applicable for journeys starting March 15.

With the introduction of the second flight between Bengaluru and Singapore, Jet Airways' cargo capacity will double on this route to offer 5,000 kilos each way. From Bengaluru, the primary commodities uplifted for Singapore are perishables, flowers, garments, computer parts and accessories. From Singapore, the primary commodities being shipped are electronic goods and accessories, computer parts and peripherals.

MCI order barring NIOS students from NEET is discriminatory 

Prakash Kumar, DH News Service, New Delhi Feb 9 2018, 21:38 IST 
 


The NIOS called the MCI's decision 'unfortunate and discriminatory'.

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has termed the Medical Council of India's (MCI) decision to barring its students from taking the NEET from this year as unfortunate and discriminatory.

The medical education regulator's decision has "jeopardised" the interests of the thousands of meritorious students who have got a senior secondary certificate from the NIOS after clearing the class XII examination, a senior official of the open school told DH.

Around 2,950 students of NIOS registered for the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET) in 2017. Out of them, 2,710 students took the nation-wide test and 864 of them were declared qualified last year.

About 500 NIOS students also cleared the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) last year. Many of NIOS students have cleared JEE-Advanced and have got admission in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in the past, the official added.

"There is absolutely no reason to debar the NIOS students from taking the NEET when the MCI had already given recognition to our senior secondary (Class XII) certificates in 2012. It is not out of place to mention here that we evaluate the learners more vigorously than any other formal board," the NIOS official said.

The NIOS, which offers education up to pre-degree level through open and distance learning mode, follows the "same syllabus" for classes XI and XII as followed by any other board including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

While the board examinations conducted by the regular secondary school examination board covers the syllabus of Class XII only, the NIOS students take their class XII board examinations covering syllabus of Classes XI and XII both.

"Practicals are performed by the students in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Classroom training in Physics, Chemistry and Biology are also provided as personal contact programme only in the CBSE or state board affiliated schools," the official said.

The NIOS, set up as an autonomous body under the HRD ministry, is the only national-level organisation providing "educational access," from elementary to senior secondary, to all those who are outside the formal education system since 1979. Its operation was first started as "a project with in-built flexibilities" by the CBSE and later made an autonomous body under the HRD ministry in 1990 to carry forward the government's mandate.

"I am very pained with the MCI's decision. We made representations before the MCI but it's sad they have not taken care of our students. I am not speaking against the Government. It's about safeguarding the interests of our students. It's less privileged students who enroll with the open schools," the NIOS chairman CB Sharma told DH.

Bus fare hike: Suburban trains earn Rs 2 crore more 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Feb 9, 2018, 3:04 am IST

6,24,700 new passengers bought season tickets, generating revenue of more than Rs 2.53 crore. 


From the increased sales of non-season tickets, the Chennai division had earned Rs 1.93 crore more, suggests the data.

CHENNAI: With over 5 lakh passengers shifting their loyalty from buses to local trains, the Chennai division of Southern Railway has earned Rs 2.14 crore more revenue, thanks to bus fare hike.

According to a Southern Railway data, 73,93,154 passengers had travelled with non-season tickets during January 21 to 31 against 68,86,743 during the previous year. From the increased sales of non-season tickets, the Chennai division had earned Rs 1.93 crore more, suggests the data.

Meanwhile, 6,24,700 new passengers bought season tickets, generating revenue of more than `2.53 crore, which is `21.44 lakh higher than the previous year.The zonal railway also said that the Chennai division has been running 23 suburban special trains. Furthermore, a 12 car EMU rake is also being introduced in MMC - Arakkonam section to ease the congestion in trains, the zonal railway added.

CBSE lists Khammam, Ranga Reddy as Tamil Nadu cities 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

Published Feb 10, 2018, 8:00 am IST

CBSE mistakenly listed Khammam and Ranga Reddy on the Tamil Nadu list on its information bulletin for Neet exam. 


Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) mistakenly listed Khammam and Ranga Reddy, the two Telangana districts on the Tamil Nadu list on its information bulletin for Neet exam.

CHENNAI: In a mistake that can confuse both the Tamil Nadu and Telangana students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) mistakenly listed Khammam and Ranga Reddy, the two Telangana districts on the Tamil Nadu list on its information bulletin for Neet exam. As per the notification, this year the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Neet) exam for MBBS and BDS courses will be conducted on May 6. The application process commences on Friday and it ends on March 9.

In a move to reduce the number of students writing Neet in Chennai, the CBSE has added Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur in the list of cities which can host Neet-2018 exam, thereby increasing the number of cities from 8 to 10 in the state. In a goof up, the board has listed Khammam and Ranga Reddy on the Tamil Nadu cities list. The centre code for Tamil Nadu cities starts at 5115 and ends 5126. In between, Khammam (5118) and Ranga Reddy (5121) were listed as Tamil Nadu cities.

“Generally, students will be careful while filling up the exam centres. But, this simple mistake should have been avoided as some students from the state may choose one of these two cities out of tension. CBSE should immediately correct the mistake,” a school headmaster said. The headmaster further said it, not only affect the Tamil Nadu students, it might affect the students from Telangana as they could not find these cities on their list. Career consultant and analyst Jayaprakash A. Gandhi differed on the issue. He said, “The students generally fill their online forms with either their parents or teacher’s guidance. So, there is little scope for the mistake.”

On the exam fees, he urged the state government to reimburse the Neet exam fee Rs 1,400 which is high for government school students. “All the students cannot pay the amount and write the exam. So, the Tamil Nadu government should take steps to reimburse the exam fees for government school students,” he said. Last year, 88,000 from the state appeared for the exam. Around 11 lakh students from all over the country wrote the medical entrance exam. In case of any mismatch in the Aadhaar number, name, date of birth and gender, candidates will not be able to fill up the form.

Teachers Recruitment Board cancels exam for teachers 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

Published Feb 10, 2018, 7:20 am IST

In an expose on December 13, Deccan Chronicle carried exclusive reports on the scam. 


The Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) on Friday has cancelled the polytechnic lecturers’ exam following the recruitment scam in which nearly 200 candidates got qualified in the written exam with fake marks.

CHENNAI: The Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) on Friday has cancelled the polytechnic lecturers’ exam following the recruitment scam in which nearly 200 candidates got qualified in the written exam with fake marks. In an expose on December 13, Deccan Chronicle carried exclusive reports on the scam. The reports had sent shock waves among the candidates and the public. The police have launched a detailed investigation after receiving a complaint from TRB. The police have arrested 7 persons in connection with the scam and one person surrendered in the court.

The new notification for examination will be issued during the first week of May and examination will be conducted during the first week of August 2018,” TRB chairman K. Srinivasan said in a release. “The candidates who already applied for the exam have to apply again. But, they need not pay the exam fees and new candidates can also apply for the exams,” he added. TRB has published the results of polytechnic lecturers recruitment exam and also the list of candidates qualified for the certificate verification on November 7, 2017.

A few candidates had sent complaints to the Chief Minister’s Cell and TRB hinting a recruitment racket. Alerted by the petitions, TRB has launched a detailed internal enquiry and verified the marks of the candidates selected for certificate verification with their original OMR answer sheets. It was revealed that of 2,000 candidates who were called for certificate verification, around 200 candidates had qualified with fake marks in the written exam. Their original marks were inflated from 50 to 100 marks to make them eligible for certificate verification.

Each candidate allegedly has paid Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh to the touts. After the scam reports published by the Deccan Chronicle, the Teachers Recruitment Board has filed a police complaint against 155 persons. The probe by the police found that employees of a private company which was contracted for scanning the OMR answer sheets had tampered the results by inflating the marks for the candidates who paid the bribe to racketeers. The issue was closely followed by other media as well. The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court is also taken up the issue as the suo-moto case on January 30. TRB has conducted written exam for 1,058 lecturer posts in Government Polytechnic Colleges on September 16 last year and 1.33 lakh candidates wrote the exam.

In Trichy? You can go to this public toilet for one more purpose 

Deepak Karthik | TNN | Feb 9, 2018, 13:51 IST

 
A State Bank of India ATM room was opened on the premises of a public toilet near Thennur Uzhavar Sandhai in Trichy on Friday. 

TRICHY: A State Bank of India ATM room was opened on the premises of a public toilet near Thennur Uzhavar Sandhai in Trichy on Friday, as part of the city corporation's attempt to change people's stigma about using public toilets and also to monetise vacant spaces. 

SBI ATM rooms will be opened on 16 more public toilet premises in a month, covering all the four zones of the corporation.

Officials said the corporation would collect a monthly rent ranging between Rs 8,000 and Rs 11,000 for using each the 17 places.

Inaugurating the facility, corporation commissioner N Ravichandran said, "By renting out the space to operate ATMs, we can generate Rs 15.3 lakh per annum as revenue. Apart from the revenue perspective, people will not feel shy about using public toilets."

The corporation hopes to improve its position in the Swachh Survekshan ranking. Trichy was placed sixth on last year's ranking.