PG medical and dental seat aspirants anxious 

Staff Reporter 
 
Bengaluru, April 03, 2018 00:00 IST

Reason is the Supreme Court stay on notification issued by Karnataka

Postgraduate medical and dental seat aspirants from Karnataka are a worried lot as the seat allotment process has been put on hold after the Supreme Court stayed a notification issued by Karnataka.

The notification had made studying in the State for a minimum of 10 years mandatory for qualifying for government seats in postgraduate medical and dental colleges.

Students had written the Postgraduate National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (PG NEET) on January 7, as the test is the gateway to obtain government and government-quota seats.

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), which was supposed to announce the mock results for candidates on March 30, did not put it up as per the Supreme Court directions. Further, the real allotment process scheduled for April 5 is also not likely to take place.

A postgraduate medical seat aspirant said students were waiting for the verdict to put an end to the uncertainty. “I am completely pinning all my hopes on getting a government quota seat in Karnataka. This may happen only if the 10 years clause is retained,” the candidate said.

Another candidate added that she is in a dilemma as she has secured a seat under the All India quota and the last date to report to colleges is April 5. “I thought I would see the results announced by KEA to know if I have bagged a government seat in Karnataka and then decide if I should take the All India quota seat. But, now I will just have to pick the All India quota seat,” she said.

Medical Education Department authorities said they had expected the judgement to be pronounced on Monday, but it has not taken place. “We are racing against time as the last date to complete admissions for all rounds, including the mop-up round, is May 18,” an official said.

Ranking and Accreditation System for Higher Educational Institutions

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Development
02-April-2018 19:32 IST

Ranking and Accreditation System for Higher Educational Institutions

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) on 29^th September, 2015 to rank institutions across the country. The parameters for ranking broadly cover “Teaching, Learning and Resources,” “Research and Professional Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception”.

In India, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) does the institutional assessment and accreditation, while National Board of Accreditation (NBA) does programmatic accreditation of technical programmes and courses.

India Rankings 2016 and 2017 have already been released which are available at ‘https://www.nirfindia.org/Home’. India Rankings, 2018 is set to be released in the first week of April 2018.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued the Mandatory Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions, Regulations, 2012, whereby all eligible Higher Educational institutions are required to get themselves accredited.

To rationalize the expansion of courses in engineering / technical, management etc. and to bring quality in technical education, AICTE has made it mandatory to have NBA Accreditation for institutions seeking new courses / expansion of existing courses.

Ranking promotes competition among the Universities and drive them to strive for excellence. Government has also started a scheme called ‘Institutions of Eminence’ in which 20 institutions both public and private, would be selected on challenge method and they would be actively supported to come up in the global rankings.

In NIRF, to promote Research and Development in Higher Education, ‘Research and Professional Practices’ has been given the highest weightage of 40%, for ranking Universities.

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr. Satya Pal Singh today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

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NB/AKJ/RK/ Ranking and Accreditation System

Various identification mechanisms introduced on students’ certificates to promote uniformity and transparency

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Development
02-April-2018 19:34 IST

Various identification mechanisms introduced on students’ certificates to promote uniformity and transparency

The University Grants Commission (UGC) vide its letter dated 21^st March, 2017 has requested all the Universities to introduce identification mechanisms like photograph and Unique ID/Aadhaar number in students’ certificates. Such features are useful for the purposes of verification and curbing duplication. At the same time, they help in introducing uniformity and transparency within and across the system of higher education in the Country. UGC has also requested all the Universities to inscribe the name of institution in which a student is enrolled for a program of study as well as the mode of delivery (regular, part-time or distance). A copy of the letter dated 21^st March, 2017 is available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/8481300_UGC-letter-reg-identification-mechanisms-(2).pdf .

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr. Satya Pal Singh today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

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NB/AKJ/RK/ Identification Mechanisms

TN woman constable consumes alcohol in uniform; suspended 

DH News Service, Chennai, Apr 3 2018, 2:02 IST 
 

In a video that went viral on WhatsApp and other social media, a woman police constable in uniform was seen consuming alcohol along with a "colleague" inside a vehicle.

The video with a duration of more than a minute begins with the woman constable holding a glass and conversing with her colleague, who is not visible in the video clip, about their "drinking session" and ends with her taking another sip from the glass. The constable is seen fumbling and unable to open her eyes at one point due to the "influence of alcohol".

The police constable was identified as Zainab Nisha, working with the Saminathapuram police station near Palani in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. She was placed under suspension immediately after the authenticity of the video was established by the police.

"An inquiry has been instituted," a senior police official said.

Within minutes of the video surfacing, it was shared on thousands of WhatsApp groups and even on YouTube and Facebook. However, it was not clear when the video was shot. The incident seems to have taken place in a patrol vehicle. Police sources said since the lady constable is in uniform, immediate action was taken against her.

Plea to quash prospectus for PG medical courses in Tamil Nadu 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.
Published Apr 3, 2018, 3:40 am IST

They have all qualified Neet examination and have obtained various ranks.

The Health and Family Welfare secretary issued a prospectus dated March 15, 2018 based on the recommendations of the selection committee.

Chennai: A group of government doctors has approached Madras high court to quash a clause of the prospectus for admission to postgraduate degree and diploma courses in Tamil Nadu government medical colleges and government seats in medical colleges affiliated to the TN Dr MGR Medical University and Rajah Muthiah Medical college affiliated to Annamalai University for the 2018-19 session that excludes maternity and earned leave from the period of 'continuous service'.

Justice S. Vaidyanathan, before whom the petitions filed by Dr Aruna and six other doctors came up for hearing, adjourned it to April 3. Senior counsel P. Wilson, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that petitioners were all “in service” candidates working as government doctors. They aspire to undertake further studies in various PG courses.

They have all qualified Neet examination and have obtained various ranks. While so, the Health and Family Welfare secretary issued a prospectus dated March 15, 2018 based on the recommendations of the selection committee. Shockingly, in the said prospectus, “service candidates” for the purpose of allotment of seats in Clause 9 (a) (i) have been defined. It has completely excluded the services of female doctors who have taken maternity leave in the previous two years from being eligible to apply for seats.

The said action of the government was illegal and unconstitutional, Wilson added. He said the government also excluded those doctors who have taken 'earned leave' from the purview of continuous service. Earned leave was a right bestowed on doctors who have worked for a particular number of days in a year.

The government while giving the option to the petitioners of taking earned leave, has not put the petitioners on notice that the same would be excluded from the period of continuous service. If the government had given prior notice at the beginning of the year that the option of ‘earned leave’ will be considered as break in service, and equated to unauthorized absence, then the petitioners would not have taken earned leave.

He said availing of maternity leave was a constitutional right of women, falling under the right to health enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Availing of maternity leave was also recognized as a statutory right under the Maternity Benefits Act. Similarly earned leave was a benefit being conferred on in-service candidates in recognition of the work being done by them, he added.

Higher educational institutions in Tamil Nadu await NIRF rankings today 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN
Published Apr 3, 2018, 3:47 am IST

Over 4,000 institutions have applied with the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2018 in nine different categories this year. 


Enrolment of students also improved this year by 25 per cent in many our university departments.

CHENNAI: Higher educational institutions in the state are eagerly awaiting the third edition of the national rankings which is scheduled to be released by Union Ministry of Human Resource Development on Tuesday. Over 4,000 institutions have applied with the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2018 in nine different categories this year.

Apart from overall ranking of the institutions, the ranking will be awarded in eight different categories including universities, engineering colleges, medical, pharmacy, and architecture and law colleges. Using the same broad parameters, NIRF has added several new criteria such as total budget and its utilization, combined metric for quality of publications, university examinations and how many graduating students admitted into top institutions.

“We expect an improved ranking this year as our university performed better in three parameters including teaching and learning and research. Enrolment of students also improved this year by 25 per cent in many our university departments,” said P. Duraisamy, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras. The university has got 41st rank in the universities category last year.

“With more number of institutions joining the ranking process we are expecting tough competition this year,” he added.

Officials from Anna University are hopeful they could secure a top rank in one of the categories. “We have applied in five categories - overall category, universities, engineering, architecture and management. The research output is better compared to last year,” they said. Last year Anna University was ranked as the 6th best university and 8th best engineering institution in the country.

In the engineering category, IIT Madras got the top rank in two consecutive years. It is likely to continue this year as well. Totally, 37 colleges from the state were ranked among the top 100 colleges. Loyola college secured 2nd rank in the colleges’ category.

All for chicken curry: Man kills his cousin at marriage function in Hyderabad
By Express News Service | Published: 03rd April 2018 05:09 AM |

  HYDERABAD: A man, along with his friends, murdered his cousin after he was not served chicken curry at a marriage function in Hussaini Alam in the city on Sunday night. The deceased was identified as Anwar, a resident of Jamia Nizamia. The accused are Ashafq Ali Khan and two others. The police took custody of the three and questioned them in connection with the offence.

Inspector G Syamsunder said that an engagement function was held at Tariqat Manzil function hall Sunday night. Minutes before the function got over at around 1 am, Ashafq and his friends came to the function hall and demanded to be served chicken curry with food. “Anwar, Ashafq’s cousin, informed that chicken curry was over and requested them to have the meal with some other curry. Enraged over not getting what he wanted, Ashafq entered into a heated argument with Anwar,’ police said. During the argument, Anwar warned Ashafq to mend his ways asking him not to be a spoilsport at the function. Ashafq retaliated by saying that he and his friends were humiliated because they were not served chicken curry. He then came out of the function hall and called his friends over phone. Around five persons came from Kalapathar with lethal weapons.

They chased Anwar and then murdered him by stabbing, police said. When police arrived, they found Anwar in a pool of blood and shifted him to nearby hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. Another person was hospitalised with injuries. Police registered a murder case.