Doctors booked for forgery: DME to send report to Health Secretary

STAFF REPORTER

COIMBATORE, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 00:00 IST

The Directorate of Medical Education will report to the Health Secretary on the case registered against two doctors of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on charges of forging documents for the bail plea of accused in a drug case.

S. Usha, senior civil surgeon, and Mansoor were booked for offences including cheating and forgery.Another doctor named T.C.R. Ramakrishnan is also among the list of accused.

Director of Medical Education A. Edwin Joe said that the dean of CMCH had sent him news reports on the case registered against the two Government doctors.

“No disciplinary action has been initiated against the doctors as of now as they were not arrested for the charges. If arrested, they will naturally be suspended from service on completion of 48 hours.

Reports on the case will be sent to the Health Secretary,” said Dr. Joe.

The two doctors, M. Zakaria, counsel of the accused, and Mohammed Shahib, brother of the accused, were booked based on an order issued by C. Sanjai Baba, judge for Essential Commodities Act Court. The order was made after the court found that Zakaria produced forged documents before it along with the bail plea of Muhammed Shikas (22) of Saibaba Colony, an accused in an opioid drug case.

Shikas was arrested along with Joy Immanuel (28) of Begaluru, Sulfikar Ali (24) of Kuniyamuthur and Mohammed Anas (24) of Ukkadam in July this year.

Prisoners may soon get leave for conjugal visits

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 00:00 IST



Initiative expected to ease stress, help in reformation

The State could soon see the rollout of a novel initiative to ease the tension and frustration among prisoners who are languishing in various correctional facilities if the government approves a proposal sent by Additional Director General of Police and Inspector General of Prisons Ashuthosh Shukla.

Nudged by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, Mr. Shukla has suggested that they be granted leave so that they can undertake conjugal visits.

Said Mr. Shukla: “Recently, the court observed conjugal visits may lead to strong family bonding, and a few countries have already recognised this as the right of the prisoners. As part of reformation and correctional behaviour, we also suggested amendment of Rule 20 of the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982, so that conjugal visits can be treated as one of the grounds for leave.”

Authorities believe that conjugal visits may not only inculcate good behaviour among prisoners but also help fight cases of HIV and sexual offences which are quite rampant in prison campuses.

At present, prisoners get ordinary leave on the following grounds: to make arrangements for the livelihood of his/her family; for settlement of life after release; for admission of children in school or college; for construction or repairing the homestead; to make arrangements or to participate in the marriages of sons, daughters, full brothers or full sisters; for settling family disputes like partition and for undertaking agricultural operations like sowing and harvesting. They can also avail leave for other extraordinary reasons.

“We will add conjugal visit as a ground for leave in the Tamilnadu Prison Manual. We are also planning to introduce a video-conference facility for the interview of prisoners [by the family]. Such facilities will connect the prisons with the taluk office,” said Mr. Shukla.


We are also planning to introduce a video-conference facility for the interview of prisoners

Ashuthosh ShuklaInspector General of Prisons

From next year, commerce students can study sociology

Tanu Kulkarni

BENGALURU, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 00:00 IST



The idea is that sociology could give students insights into how the market functions, among other things.File Photo
Move welcomed by PU students and teachers alike

At first glance, commerce and sociology make strange bedfellows. One deals with economics, business studies and accountancy, the other, with human social relationships and institutions.

But sociology could give commerce students insights into how markets function and the importance of family structure in businesses. It is with this in mind that the Education Department has decided to offer pre-university commerce students the option of studying sociology from the next academic year. The Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) had received a representation from sociology lecturers on the matter. C. Shikha, director of the department, said the decision was taken based on the suggestions of an expert committee formed to look into the representation.

Starting next year, those taking commerce, besides studying accountancy and business studies, can choose sociology as one of two other subjects. Students in this stream have four core subjects and two languages.

The option of studying sociology will be useful as the commerce stream has the most strength when compared to other streams, said Ms. Shikha. “The demand also came from the sociology lecturers who said they did not have sufficient workload and had to teach only 10 hours a week,” she added.

The move has been welcomed by both lecturers and students. Several colleges — both government and private — have decided to introduce the subject for commerce combinations for the 2019-20 academic year.

“Concepts such as industrial relations, how the family structure is linked to business enterprises, and learning about markets from a sociological perspective, are important in the commerce stream. Commerce students must have a background in social science in order to grasp concepts in a more nuanced fashion,” said Purushothama G.S., coordinator, II PU textbook committee and sociology lecturer.

chit chat

“I thought I was going to lose my mind if I didn’t go to work”
Janhvi Kapoor, daughter of late superstar, Sridevi, and Boney Kapoor, talks about coping with grief and expectations

Rahul Gangwani  23.09.2018  TOI

Q. Pressure and expectations – currently these must be the most tossed around words around you. Right?

Yes, questions around these are asked. Like how do you feel with all these expectations being a star kid? ‘Pressure’ and ‘expectations’ float in my dreams as well. (Smiles) Main toh bindaas kaam kar rahi thi… abhi pata chala there’s no scope for silver. You’ve got to be gold in the first go. But I got this opportunity. That’s big deal for me. If this is a by-product of that chance, I’ll take it. I’ll work harder if I must the next time…if there’s a next time.

Q. Reportedly, your parents were taken aback when you told them you wanted to join the movies...

They thought I’d lead the lazy life. They were protective about me. Their attitude was that they’ve worked hard so I should have it easy. But I wanted a fulfilling experience from my life. I wanted to prove myself. My parents have made me so proud and happy. Now, I wanted to make them proud.

Q. You seem quite sorted for your age.

That’s another thing I’m particular about. I don’t want to take myself too seriously. There are people doing many more important things in life. I’m getting to do what I love – I’m lucky. I can’t act important. Kya ukhaad rahi hoon main yahan baith ke (what great work am I doing)?

Q. Please go on...

I like someone bringing me back to earth. During a film’s promotions, everyone makes you feel like you’re the most important person. They want to know what you’re eating, when you’re sleeping, what you’re thinking. But it’s all khokla (meaningless). It doesn’t mean anything. Your work is what matters. This just comes with the hype of the film. If it does well, maybe it’ll last longer. If not, then you need to go out and prove yourself again.

Q. Were you nervous when your mom attended the first day of your shoot?

I wasn’t nervous at all in front of Shashank (Khaitan) or the crew. But when Mom was on set, I was nervous. I was doing this to make her proud and didn’t want to give her any reason to say that you should’ve done it this way. She gave the first clap. She saw the take and was happy with it. She said a lot of wonderful things after seeing the rushes. The only advice she gave me was not to wear any make-up in the second half. She also asked me to put my chin down because sometimes it looks like I have a double chin.

Q. People on the set mention they saw two Janhvis during the shoot – before and after the unfortunate demise of your mother…

I guess I could understand the emotions in my character better. I had been through something emotional. It just gave me a new perspective. There’s a sense of responsibility now. I have my father, my sisters (Khushi and Anshula) and my brother (Arjun Kapoor) but there’s a sense of having to fend for myself. Because the way mom was, we never had to think for ourselves. She would think for us. I always knew someone was thinking of me. She did it more than a normal mother would. She was so hands-on.

Q. Are you emotionally settled now?

No. I haven’t got around the acceptance stage yet. It’s just that there hasn’t been time or I haven’t allowed myself the time to come to terms with everything. There’s a stage of denial that we’re all going through. I wanted to shoot the next day (after the cremation). But the shoot got cancelled. I was like, “No, I must go back, I need to be on the set.” I thought I was going to lose my mind if I didn’t do that.

Q. What are the things that you miss about her the most?

I’ve so many random memories of her. Every morning, we had this tradition. Dad, mom and I’d sit in the living room and discuss random things. Khushi would always be sleeping. Papa would bully mom and she would pull his leg... She’d force Papa to have around 10 juices.

I remember in our Chennai house, she’d play old AR Rahman songs. She’d place flowers all around the house. She’d go to Papa’s study and sit on his lap. She’d feed him. She’d make sure he ate well – things like prawn biryani and then she’d crib about his weight. She’d always be there to see off Khushi and me. She’d go to the fish market and buy fresh fish for us. I miss… these small things.

Q. Are things different at home now?

There’s a new family dynamic at home. We were always close to one another. But now we’re closer. Dad has been the mother in these last few months. He’s been so hands-on. It’s not just him, there’s a new family dynamic with Arjun bhaiya (Kapoor) and Anshula didi. They’ve been an immense source of strength and support. As a family unit, we’ve become much stronger. Even though we’re in a confused space, we’re protective of one another.



“ Dad has been the mother in these last few months. He’s been so hands-on. It’s not just him, there’s a new family dynamic with Arjun bhaiya (Kapoor) and Anshula didi

Main toh bindaas kaam kar rahi thi… abhi pata chala

There’s no scope for silver. You’ve got to be gold in the first go

Regular bedtime may boost your heart, metabolic health

TIMES OF INDIA 23.09.2018
Ever thought why a good night’ s sleep is incredibly important for your health? A new study has found that regular bedtime and wake time may help you revive yourself and boost your heart and metabolic health.

The study found that people with irregular sleep patterns weighed more, had higher blood sugar, higher blood pressure and a higher projected risk of having a heart attack or stroke within 10 years than those who slept and woke at the same times every day.

People with irregularity in sleeping pattern were also more likely to report depression and stress than regular sleepers, suggests the study, published in the journal Scientific Report.

“From our study, we can’t conclude that sleep irregularity results in health risks, or whether health conditions affect sleep. Perhaps all of these things are impacting each other,” said lead author Jessica Lunsford-Avery, assistant professor at the Duke Health in Durham.

For the study, the research team involved 1,978 older adults aged between 54 and 93. They used devices that tracked sleep schedules to learn whether even subtle changes — going to bed at 10:10 pm instead of the usual 10pm — were linked to the health of participants.

The study also tracked the duration of participants’ sleep and preferred timing — whether someone turned in early or was a night owl.

According to these measures, people with hypertension tended to sleep more hours, and people with obesity tended to stay up till late.

The team also found that people with irregular sleeping habit experienced more sleepiness during the day and were less active — perhaps because they were tired.

The researchers are planning to conduct more studies over longer periods in hopes of determining how biology causes changes in sleep regularity and vice-versa.

IANS

Diabetics can have fruits, tablets during NET: UGC notification
But Will Not Be Allowed To Carry Packed Food

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:23.09.2018

Diabetics taking up the National Eligibility Test (NET) can have fruits, water and sugar tablets in the exam hall, a recent University Grants Commission (UGC) notification has stated.

The UGC notification on NET 2018 states that diabetic students will be allowed to carry sugar tablets, fruits like banana, apple and orange, and transparent water bottles to the exam hall. “However, they will not be allowed to carry packed food like chocolate, sandwich and candy,” read the notification.

The NET exam is mandatory for aspiring assistant professors and junior research scholars. The test is slated go online this time and will be held in December. For the first time, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting NET on behalf of the UGC this year.

Candidates applying for the exam were surprised to see one of the entries that read, “Are you diabetic?” Taken aback, some of the students even wondered if they should get themselves tested for diabetes before filling up the application.

Prior to this, since 2016, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been allowing diabetic JEE applicants to carry fruits, water and sugar tablets to the exam hall to make sure candidates on insulin needn’t worry about a sudden drop in their sugar levels while writing the exam.

Given that there are chances of diabetic candidates suffering from a sudden drop in sugar levels, thus hampering their concentration and performance in exams, this notification by UGC will help such candidates overcome their limitations.

Welcoming the move, Dr Satish Kumar, endocrinologist, founder of Ameya Healthcare, who has long been advocating to make educational institutions diabeticfriendly, said UGC had taken a very important step.

“Many patients battling diabetes do not want to disclose their illness. Sometimes they suffer from low sugar levels when they are away from home, and this can turn out to be problematic. This step by the UGC is very positive. It might even encourage many diabetic candidates to appear for tough competitive exams. It should ideally be replicated by all examination boards,” he added.

Applications for NET 2018 can be filed only online; September 30 is the last date. The test is scheduled to be conducted between December 9 and 23, officials said.

The examination will be conducted in two shifts, from 9.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm. The exact date and shifts will be available by October 21on the NTA website.

Candidates applying for the exam were surprised to see one of the entries that read, “Are you diabetic?”

IIT Madras suicide: Student did not seek professional counselling

‘Combination Of Several Factors Led To His Death’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.09.2018

The one thing Shahal Kormath should have done about his angst has to have walked into the counsellor clinic on the IIT-M campus.

The 23-year-old, who ended his life in his hostel room on Saturday, had been doing a dual degree in naval architecture and had passed seven semesters without much trouble. But when his performance dropped in the eighth semester, he requested professors not to inform his parents. In the next semester, he did not improve and fell short of attendance. “Most students who join IIT clear very tough entrances. Most of the time there is a strong reason for performances to drop. His friends and he did not realise they wouldn’t be able to handle problems without professional help,” said director Baskar Ramamurthi.

When a system-generated mail about his poor attendance was sent to his parents with a copy marked to him earlier this week, he panicked. “We did not suspect anything because he has been speaking to his friends and brother,” Ramamurthi said.

Students said they were told not to speak to the media. “It is not one isolated incident that led to his death. It is a combination of many things including academic pressure, personal and family issues. Such deaths are extremely difficult to handle for his hostel mates and friends,” said a second year student, speakingon condition of anonymity.

Psychiatrists warn that suicides on campuses often happen in clusters.

“We call it copycat syndrome. One suicide can trigger many others...,” said Dr Lakshmi Vijayakumar, who was part of the task force appointed to investigate suicides in IITs and centrally-funded educational institutions. At least four students ended their lives at IIT-M in 2015-16. “Administrators should ensure it doesn’t happen again,” she said.

The first step to prevention, she said, was being open about the facts. When an incident is truthfully described there is less room for rumours.

And this should be followed with meetings where students are asked what they would do in similar situations. “This will give them the confidence to deal with problems or at least seek professional help.”

An IIT-M professor said they would hold a condolence meet where his friends and others would speak on how they would deal with the issue.

“We will also speak to his close friends individually. But overall, we will be telling students that they should not be scared or shy to ask for help,” he said.



Jamuna hostel where 23-year-old Shahal Kormath ended his life on Saturday