Virudhunagar tops in subsidised two-wheeler scheme for women 

Special Correspondent 
 
Virudhunagar, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST

The district topped in the State in giving away two-wheelers for women with subsidy, said Minister K. T. Rajendhra Balaji here on Saturday.

Speaking at a function in Thiruthangal to give away new two-wheelers for 315 women, he said that the State government had launched the ambitious scheme on February 24 in Chennai, marking the late leader Jayalalithaa’s 70th birth anniversary. During electioneering, Amma (Jayalalithaa) had promised to give two-wheelers for womenfolk with a subsidy. “Today, she is not alive. But, her party and cadre like me are here to fulfil her wishes. Our leader’s vision was that women should live with a pride,” the Minister said.

He further said that Virudhunagar district had planned a target of 2,790 two-wheelers to beneficiaries during 2017-18. So far, the district had achieved 1,657 vehicles.

The remaining would be achieved on time.

Thus, among the districts, Virudhunagar was on top of the table and thanked the officials for taking it to the people.

In his address, District Collector A. Sivagnanam said that the government had many welfare schemes for the needy.

The beneficiaries should ensure that their standards of living improved with such schemes. Using a two-wheeler makes women, especially, those working or self-employed to be independent.

Varsity gears up for NAAC re-accreditation 
 
C. Jaisankar Tiruchi, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST


A view of the Bharathidasan University in Tiruchi.B_VELANKANNI RAJ 

Online submission of Self Study Report allowed

With the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) allowing online submission of Self Study Report by the higher educational institutes round the year, the Bharathidasan University is gearing up to submit its proposal, seeking re-accreditation, in July or August.

Previously, the NAAC opened the window for online submission by educational institutions for accreditation just twice a year, forcing the institutions to wait for opening of the window. Considering the difficulties, it is said that the NAAC has cleared the bottlenecks and started receiving online submission any time.

It has brought a much needed relief to the Bharathidasan University, which is on its last leg of finalising the Self Study Report for submission. Seven committees constituted by Vice-Chancellor P. Manisankar, who is also the Chairman of Internal Quality Assurance Cell, to collect data and compilation, are believed to have been apprised of the need for accelerating the process so as to submit its proposal in July.

The committees, which have collected data on seven criteria such as curricular aspects, teaching, learning and evaluation, research, innovation and consultancy, infrastructural developments, student support services, governance and leadership, best practices, have almost completed the task on compilation of data. They have been advised to follow the higher educational institution manual and new guidelines on accreditation process.

Vice-Chancellor P. Manisankar told The Hindu that the University, which was re-accredited with 'A' grade by the NAAC in the previous cycle in 2013, had set a target to get A++ ranking this time. It had to score maximum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) on a four-point scale. Going by the existing strength on various components of seven criteria, it was certainly possible for the University to score maximum points.

He said that both teaching and non teaching staff members had been working well to prepare a flawless Self Study Report. More than 75% of works had been completed. Full fledged documents of academic and related activities would be generated shortly.

Checking, super checking and fine tuning of documents would be carried out subsequently.

Mr. Manisankar said that the proposal would possibly be submitted online in July. It had also begun works to showcase the infrastructure to NAAC team, which would visit after submission of formal proposal.

Sale of MBBS/BDS application forms from June 11 

Staff Reporter 
 
Theni, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST

Sale of MBBS/BDS application forms will commence in Government Theni Medical College near Gandamanur bypass from June 11, according to College Dean T. Thirunavukkarasu.

In a press release here on Saturday, he said that applications would be issued between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on all working days at the college. Last date for sale of application is 5 p.m. on June 18. Application can be obtained on submission of DD for Rs. 500 for government colleges and government quota seats in self financing medical and dental colleges and Rs. 1,000 for management quota seats in self financing medical and dental colleges drawn in favour of The Secretary, Selection Committee, Kilpauk, Chennai 10, from any one of the nationalised banks.

The SC/ST candidates can obtain forms free of cost on production of three photostat copies of community certificate for government quota seats in self financing medical and dental colleges. They have to pay Rs. 1,000 for management quota seats in self financing medical and dental colleges. The filled applications should reach the Directorate of Medical Education, Kilpauk, Chennai 10 or before 5 p.m. on June 19, he added.

‘Govt. staff to get PPO on last working day’ 

Special Correspondent 
 
Ramanathapuram, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST

‘Possible due to computerisation of Treasuries and Accounts Department’

Thenkasi S Jawahar, Commissioner, Treasuries and Accounts Department has said Service Records (SR), could be just a click away for nine lakh government employees and Pension Pay Order (PPO) could be given to an employee on his/her last working day thanks to the computerisation of the department at a cost of Rs. 288 crore.

Addressing the concluding session of the training programme for the first batch of treasury staff on data entry, digitilisation of SRs for paperless work here on Saturday, Mr. Jawahar said the department has set October 31, 2018 as the deadline for completing computerisation and training programme after which everything would be done online.

“The deadline will not be extended and CDs and printed bills will not be accepted after the deadline. The department would begin a paperless new era from November 1, 2018,” he said.

The computerisation programme, a first of its kind in the country has been jointly launched by the treasury and finance departments, he said adding “it is our own scheme and we (government employees and pensioners) are all the beneficiaries in the scheme.”

Describing SR as the ‘jathagam’ of every government employee, Mr Jawahar said hardly 10% of the nine lakh government employees had access to their SRs in the last one year.

After completion of programme, all employees could access their SRs and entries made in SRs by the click of a mouse, he said amid cheers.

Every time an entry was made in the SR, the concerned employee would get an SMS alert, he said. Details of the employees under different heads could also be accessed in real time by touch of a button, he said. This would be extremely useful for Human Resource (HR) management and panel preparation, he said.

The government has accorded the highest priority for providing infrastructure for the programme and the treasury staff should make use of it, he said.

The service records of nine lakh government employees and pension records of seven lakh pensioners have been computerised, he said. Collector S. Natarajan, Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meana, Wildlife Warden T. K. Ashok Kumar and A. Kabibu, District Treasury Officer were among others present on the occasion.

Kovai, Shatabdi Express trains delayed 

Staff Reporter 
 
COIMBATORE, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST

Due to the derailment of a goods train at Sevur near Katpadi on Saturday night, several trains proceeding towards Chennai and to other places from Chennai were diverted via alternative routes from Arakkonam.

Train No. 12676 Coimbatore-Chennai Central Kovai Express, scheduled to depart at 2.55 p.m. from Coimbatore junction, left at 5.30 p.m. Similarly, train No. 12244 Shatabdi Express to Chennai Central from Coimbatore Junction, scheduled to depart at 3.25 p.m., left at 6 p.m. on Sunday (June 10), sources in the railways here said.

Central grants for seven T.N. varsities, eight colleges 

Dennis S. Jesudasan 
 
CHENNAI, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST

Aimed at boosting infrastructure

Seven State-run universities and eight government colleges across Tamil Nadu have been identified by the Union Human Resource Ministry for financial assistance to the tune of over Rs. 400 crore for upgrading their infrastructure and stepping up research under the Rashtriya Uchchataar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

During a recent meeting of RUSA’s Project Approval Board in Delhi, the Ministry granted Rs. 50 crore each to Bharathiar University in Coimbatore; Annamalai University in Chidambaram; Anna University in Chennai, Madurai Kamaraj University in Madurai; and Bharathidasan University in Tiruchi for the promotion of research innovation and quality improvement. As announced by Alagappa University in Karaikudi last week, it would receive a grant of Rs. 100 crore to enhance quality and excellence.

Besides, the Human Resource Development Centres (HRDCs) in Madurai Kamaraj University and Bharathisadan University would be granted Rs. 3.5 crore each to conduct faculty improvement programmes.

Six well-performing colleges in the State have also been sanctioned Rs. 2 crore each for developing infrastructure. These are: the Government Arts College for Men and the Government Arts College for Women in Krishnagiri; the Government Thirumagal Mills College in Gudiyattam; Dr. Ambedkar Govt College in Chennai; Arignar Anna Government Arts College in Villupuram; and the Government Arts College, Dharmapuri.

Hostel facilities

Grants to the tune of Rs. 5 crore each has been sanctioned for seven institutions for providing hostel facilities to girls and SC and ST students. They are: the Government Arts College for Men, Krishnagiri; Sri Meenakshi Government Arts College for Women, Madurai; Rani Anna Government College for Women, Tirunelveli; Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli; Anna University, Chennai; Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai; and Annamalai University, Chidambaram.

Six well-performing colleges have been sanctioned Rs. 2 crore each for developing infrastructure

Five Chennai students among top 100 ranks in JEE-Advanced 

Staff Reporter 
 
Chennai, June 11, 2018 00:00 IST
 
(From left) JEE (advanced) top scorers Aniswar Srivatsa Krishnan, Andrews George Varghese, R. Raghu Raman, P. Grininath and C. Shriram at a function on Sunday.R. RaguR_Ragu
This will enable them to get admission into an Indian Institute of Technology

Five students from Chennai have secured ranks within the top 100 in the JEE (Advanced) exam, which will enable them to get admissions into Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

A student of Maharishi Vidya Mandir, P. Girinath, has secured the 51st rank.

“I’m very keen on studying in IIT-Madras and hope to pursue either electrical or mechanical engineering,” he said.

Stating that while he had started taking coaching in Class VII, he had been a part of the integrated programme of the FIITJEE.

P. Raghu Raman, who has secured the 56th rank, said that for the first time this year, the JEE (Advanced) was fully online.

“It was important that we got to know the online pattern ahead of the exam since many of us did take the offline test for JEE(Mains). We did several online practice exams and students taking up the exam this year too should familiarise themselves with the format,” he said.

Aniswar Srivatsa Krishnan, a student of Devi Academy, who had bagged the 21st rank in the JEE (Mains), performed well in the JEE (Advanced) as well and secured the All India 67th rank.

C. Shriram, a student of Maharishi Vidya Mandir also found a place among the top 100 with 74th rank.

Time management

Stating that time management and practice in solving longer questions was the key to cracking the JEE (Advanced), Andrews George Varghese, a student of Maharishi Vidya Mandir, who secured the 91st rank, said that the paper this time was lengthy.

“It is important that students work out lengthy problems as well as keep calm during the exam so that they can manage their time well,” said the student, who hoped to get into IIT-Bombay and study either computer science or electrical engineering.

He had gone through the FIITJEE integrated programme as well from Class IX.

FIITJEE organised an event to felicitate toppers in the JEE, NEET and Class XII board examinations.

Cash awards

Students who had bagged top ranks in the JEE (Advanced) were given cash awards.

As many as 18,138 candidates have qualified in the JEE (Advanced) after scoring above the cut-off and a total of 11,279 seats are being offered in the IITs across the country.

This is an increase of 291 seats compared to last year.

Nearly 1.55 lakh candidates had appeared in both the papers of the JEE (Advanced) after having qualified in the JEE (Mains) exam. From the IIT-Madras zone (comprising Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry), 3,595 students have qualified.