‘Stick to 62 as retirement age for pvt. college principals’

STAFF REPORTER

COIMBATORE, JUNE 30, 2018 00:00 IST


The retirement age of principals of self-financing colleges is 62, not 65, the State Government has reiterated to the Bharathiar University.

State Higher Education Department Secretary Sunil Paliwal wrote to the University Registrar on June 27, 2018 reminding that the latter will do well to stick to the order the Government had issued in this regard, keeping the retirement age at 62.

Resolution

The Bharathiar University, based on its Syndicate Resolution 304 of May 18, 2018, had sent a letter to the Government urging it to revise upwards the retirement age of principals of self-financing colleges from 62 to 65.

Sources in the academic circles say the university alone is seeking the exemption as other State-run universities have been sticking to 62 years.

Responding to the letter, Mr. Paliwal had said that the Government had already directed the university in its letter dated March 24, 2018 to take necessary action to revise its resolution dated September 13, 2017 for continuance of the existing system of permitting the Principals age limit of 65 years.

The Government had then asked the University to abide Government Order 325, dated August 18, 2003, of the Higher Education Department and also the University Grants Commission Regulation, 2010.

‘Follow instructions’

The Government would like to reiterate its earlier instructions given in the letter of March 24, 2018 and “request the University to scrupulously follow the instructions.”

In his letter of March 24, 2018, Secretary Mr. Paliwal told the University Registrar that the Government had directed the registrars of all the universities and Director of Collegiate Education that no retired teacher after the age of 62 years be appointed in any statutory or even non-statutory position in universities/colleges.

Besides this, there was no specific provision in the UGC Regulations of 2010 on the retirement age of principals of self-financing colleges as 65years.

And, finally, Mr. Paliwal requested the university to report action taken based on his letter.

The academic circle sources here say that the University Syndicate has been repeatedly making the plea to the Higher Education Department because the increase in the retirement age by three years to 65 will help five to six principals out of the 90-odd principals of self-financing colleges.

Why can’t law students go to remote areas to study: HC

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JUNE 30, 2018 00:00 IST

Court refuses to stop inauguration of two law college campuses

The Madras High Court on Friday refused to restrain the State government from inaugurating two new campuses for the Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College here at Pudupakkam in Kancheepuram district and Tiruvalangadu in Tiruvallur district. Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the court that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami would be inaugurating both the campuses on Monday.

A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and V. Parthiban refused to pass any kind of interim orders on a batch of cases filed by a group of students opposing the proposal to shift the college, situated close to the High Court at present, to the two new campuses with immediate effect. After hearing the petitioners’ counsel, the judges simply adjourned the cases to Wednesday for hearing the government’s reply.

Age gap

Initially, the Advocate General told the court that a government order was passed on Thursday deciding to conduct the five-year law course at Pudupakkam campus and the three-year law course at Tiruvalangadu. He said it was being done because there was a huge age gap between those who took up five-year law course after completing schooling and those who studied three-year law course after completing graduation. Stating that the classes for the academic year 2018-19 would begin at the new campuses from July 9, he said that both the campuses had been equipped with hostel facilities to accommodate 600 students in each of them. He also said that the mess facilities were also ready and that the contractor for cooking food would be finalised soon. The judges were also shown photographs of the infrastructure available on the two campuses.

‘Unsafe for girls’

However, advocate N.G.R. Prasad, representing some of the petitioner students, contended that 60% of the strength of the college were females and therefore it would not be safe to force them to go to remote areas for their studies. He said the government was not justified in shifting the college that had been functioning near the High Court for the last 127 years. He said being closer to the High Court would help the students to interact with lawyers and attend court proceedings.

Stating that the college was being shifted just because the government wanted to avoid perceived inconvenience caused to it by some students who indulged in violence about a decade ago, Mr. Prasad said: “The decision has been taken for the convenience of the government and not that of the students,” he said.

Remote locations

Appearing for another group of students, Senior Counsel P.S. Raman claimed that the constructions at the new campuses were not yet complete and that the government was hurrying up with the inauguration. “The new campuses are in a remote place. There is nothing there. Not even a tea shop is there nearby,” he said. The counsel also pointed out that there was no direct bus facility from the city to the location of the two new campuses.

Advocate V. Raghavachari contended that the students had an emotional connect with the present building of the government college and therefore they should not be shifted. Not in agreement with the submissions, the judges said the focus should be on improving the quality of education provided by government law colleges and not on the quality of geographical location of those institutions.

Pointing out that a majority of the engineering colleges in the State were located in remote areas and that many students studied there, the judges wondered how the students who came all the way from their native districts in Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli to study at the government law college here could complain about shifting the campus from Parrys to Pudupakkam and Tiruvalangadu.

Not all Swiss bank money illegal: govt.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30, 2018 00:00 IST


Can’t assume 50% rise in deposits is black money: Goyal

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that the reported 50% rise in deposits by Indians in Swiss banks could not be presumed to be a case of black money parked abroad. He added that the government would start getting details on bank accounts of Indians in Switzerland from next year under a bilateral tax treaty, and strong action would be instituted against anyone found guilty.

The Minister was responding to news reports that money parked by Indians in Swiss banks rose to CHF (Swiss Franc)1.01 billion (Rs. 7,000 crore) in 2017. The surge reversed a declining trend over three years amid a “clampdown” on suspected black money stashed overseas.

In comparison, the total funds held by all foreign clients of Swiss banks rose only about 3%, to CHF 1.46 trillion, about Rs. 100 lakh crore in the same period, according to data released by the Swiss National Bank (SNB).

Blames Chidambaram

Citing reports, Mr. Goyal said 40% of the deposits was the result of the liberalised remittance scheme introduced by former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. As per the scheme, an individual could remit up to $2,50,000 per year, he said.

Replying to reporters’ queries, Mr Goyal said, “The data that you alluded to will come to us; so how are you assuming that this is black money or this is illegal transaction?”

“We will have all information if someone is found guilty, [and] the government will take strong action against them,” he said.

Almost exactly a year ago, in an address to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on July 1, 2017, Mr. Modi had highlighted a record 45% drop in deposits by Indians in Swiss banks.

Reacting to the reports, the Congress and other Opposition parties targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his claims of retrieving black money stashed abroad. The JD(U), a BJP ally, also expressed “grave concern” over the surge in Indian deposits.

Attacking Mr. Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “2014, HE said: I will bring back all the “BLACK” money in Swiss Banks & put 15 Lakhs in each Indian bank A/C. 2016, HE said: Demonetisation will cure India of “BLACK” money. 2018, HE says: 50% jump in Swiss Bank deposits by Indians, is “WHITE” money. No “BLACK” in Swiss Banks!”

‘Fell during UPA tenure’

The Congress said such deposits had fallen during the UPA regime. “Swiss Bank deposits fell during Dr. Manmohan Singh’s time, only to rise to record levels under PM Modi. The current increase of 50.2% post demonetisation is the maximum since 2004,” the party said on Twitter. “What happened to Prime Minister Modi’s promise of eradicating corruption and bringing back black money?” asked party spokesperson R.P.N. Singh.

Bank invites HC ire for denying edu loan on flimsy grounds

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.06.2018

Pulling up Indian Bank for rejecting an education loan application of a meritorious student on a flimsy ground that the college he had applied to had not maintained placement records, the Madras high court warned the bank that it would be constrained to impose ₹1 lakh as cost on the officials concerned.

However, after the bank assuredtheHCthathenceforthit would process such applications as per the guidelines set in the IBA Model Educational Loan Scheme, 2015, Justice S Vaidyanathan restrainedfrom imposing any cost.

S Naveen had secured 1,017 marks in higher secondary examination conducted by the state board in 2014-15. He joined Bachelor of siddha medicine and surgery in Sri Sai Ram Siddha Medical College & Research Centre, Chennai.

Naveen managed to source the initial tuition fee from his friends and relatives. For further payments he applied for education loan at the Arni branch of Indian Bank on March 28, 2016, with supporting documents. To his shock and surprise, on October 18, 2016, his loan application was rejected by the bank on the groundthathiscollegewas not maintaining placement records of its outgoing students.

Aggrieved, Naveen approached the HC. He contended if production of placement records is a pre-condition for granting students loan, then it would defeat the purpose of granting education loan. “The reason assigned by the bank cannotbe a groundto rejectthe petitioner’s application. The procedure for grant of loan requires production of necessary documents,whichthe petitioner has produced. The petitioner is a bright student and if education loan is denied to him, his education would be at stake,” Naveen’s counsel said.

Opposing the contentions, the bank submitted that no document has been furnished by the petitioner for sanctioning education loan, much less the admission letter and bona fide student certificate from the college. Hence, the bank was right in rejecting the request of the petitioner.

The judge said, “A reading of the counter would make it clear thateducation loan of the petitioner has been rejected only on the ground that no subsequent records have been furnished by the college and that cannot be a ground for rejection. If the petitioner is able to produce the documents required by the bank, then loan ought to have been granted to him naturally.”

NEET repeaters missing the cut want to take exam again
Call Up Coaching Centres In City For Training Purpose

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Chennai:30.06.2018

Now that NEET rank lists have been released, coaching centres have been receiving enquiries for coaching from repeaters who have failed to make the cut again. Some of the centres had received enquiries even before the rank list was released as the students knew what lay in store for them.


Sanjay Gaglani of Winners Academy said a number of enquiries came from students who had repeated NEET this year. “Some students insist that they want to get into medicine only and so they are keen on taking coaching again. They want to take the exam again even if it means a break of another year,” he said. However, these types of candidates are in the minority, say staff at coaching centres.

Career consultant and educationist Jayaprakash Gandhi said 5% to 10% of students – who were repeaters – have been enquiring about taking NEET again. “Some of these students are also enrolling into science group courses like biology, biotechnology, physics or chemistry and are enrolling for weekend coaching, while a few are opting for a full-year coaching as well,” he said.

While some students who didn’t make it in their first attempt are opting for engineering, there are also candidates who are opting to go with the break-year pattern.

City coaching centres, including Pioneer, Akash and Winners, reported that break-year students, especially from the state board, had managed to double their scores this time compared to their performance last year. “Students who secured marks in the 160-range last year have managed to get 300 and above this time. Those who got less than 200 are planning to take NEET again,” said Gaglani.

Meanwhile, a few schools in districts like Namakkal, Erode and Trichy are also conducting coaching and are trying to attract students who wish to take NEET again for training.

Training centres also say that with the new syllabus kicking in this year, changes are bound to take place after next year’s NEET. While next year’s NEET may be along similar lines, the year following that may see stiff competition as state board students would be preparing with the new syllabus for both Class XI and Class XII that may increase quality output of candidates appearing from state board schools, say experts.



Not many students from previous batches on Anna University’s rank list 2018

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Unlike MBBS rank list, there are not many candidates from the previous academic batch on Anna University’s engineering rank list.

“Only one student in the top 10 belonged to previous batch. All others completed their Class XII board exams only this year,” said a senior official from Anna University.

Also, only a handful from previous batches was present in the entire merit list based on which they are admitted to engineering seats through the single-window counselling, the official added.

This indicated that many medical aspirants, who took a break for a year to clear NEET, did not opt for engineering and preferred to attend medical counselling.

25 local trains cancelled tomorrow
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.06.2018

Due to line and power blocks from July 1 for construction of two new bridges between Vandalur-Guduvancheri and for construction of additional spans at a bridge between Ottivakkam-Karunguzhi on the Chennai-Villupuram section, following 25 suburban trains have been cancelled.

These trains are fully cancelled: The Melmaruvathur-Villupuram MEMU passenger scheduled to leave at 11.30am and the Villupuram-Melmaruvathur MEMU passenger scheduled to leave at 1.55pm.

The following suburban trains will be partially cancelled between Tambaram-Chengalpet/Tirumalpur/Melmaruvathur and will run only from Chennai Beach to Tambaram: The Chennai Beach-Chengalpet local trains scheduled to leave Chennai Beach at 3.55am, 4.40am, 5.00am, 5.20am, 5.55am, 6.30am, 6.45am, 7.38am, 9.00am and 9.35am; the Chennai Beach-Tirumalpur local scheduled to leave Chennai Beach at 7.05am; and the Chennai Beach-Melmaruvathur local scheduled to leave Chennai Beach at 8.25am.

These suburban trains will be partially cancelled between Melmaruvathur/Tirumalpur/Chengalpet-Tambaram: The Chengalpet-Chennai Beach local trains scheduled to leave Chengalpattu at 3.55am, 4.35am, 4.55am, 5.50am, 6.40am, 7.00am, 7.50am, 8.25am and 9.40am; the Tirumalpur-Chennai Beach local scheduled to leave Tirumalpur at 10.25am; and the Melmaruvathur-Chennai Beach local scheduled to leave Melmaruvathur

Pension to freedom fighters not charity: HC

Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com

Madurai 30.06.2018

: Granting pension to freedom fighters is not charity by the government but an honour conferred on them, the Madras high court has ruled.

The Madurai bench of the court dismissed a petition by the Union government that sought to reject the pension application of a freedom fighter, P S Periaiah, for a pedantic reason. Justice K Ravichandrabaabu also questioned the Madurai collector’s authority to reject the application outright when he was only expected to make a report or recommendation to the authority.

Periaiah, who was part of the Quit India Movement and the recipient of a pension under a state government scheme, had applied for pension under the Swathantra Sainik Samman Pension scheme of the Union government in 2013. The Madurai collector rejected the application, following which Periaiah moved the court, which ruled in his favour. However, at the age of 91, the freedom fighter died during the pendency of the petition, after which his heirs were made parties to the case.

Meanwhile, the central government challenged the court’s order to grant the pension on the ground that the petitioner did not fulfil mandatory requirements.

“Though two co-prisoner certificates were issued by the petitioner, one such certificate was issued by a person who had undergone the punishment only for five months and not two years as required by rules,” the assistant solicitor general of India, appearing for the government, submitted to the court.

Justice K Ravichandrabaabu, after hearing both sides, expressed concern over the hyper-technical stand taken by the Union government to reject the pension claim.

One of the two co-prisoner certificates produced by Periaiah, had been issued by A M Lakshmanan, a recipient of the central government’s freedom fighter pension. Lakshmanan had certified that Periaiah, who had been incarcerated in the Madurai prison from March 1943 to May 1946 was a bona fide freedom fighter.

No justification for rejecting plea: HC

The other person who issued the certificate was in prison for only five months. “Whether it is certified by one person or two persons, the factum of imprisonment will not change,” the judge said adding that the court finds no justification in the government and the collector rejecting the petition.

The court observed that the sufferings of freedom fighters cannot be looked with technically shaded colour glass to find out how the application can be rejected. “Relevant rules are framed only to achieve the object sought under the beneficial scheme and not to defeat the same on one reason or other.”

The court also gave its piece of mind to the government and the administrators on the sacrifice and the struggle of those who fought for the country’s freedom. “We breathe easy today only because those people volunteered to get their breath choked at the hands of those (colonial) rulers,” the judge said.