Redeployment of teachers criticised

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JANUARY 19, 2019 00:00 IST

Members of JACTTO - GEO staging a demonstration in Madurai on Friday.S. James

Hundreds of members of Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTTO-GEO) staged a demonstration here on Friday against School Education Department’s move to redeploy secondary grade teachers to kindergarten classes.

Stating that the move would be equivalent to demotion of these teachers, the protesters, majority of whom were women, urged the government to drop the move and instead recruit teachers for the kindergarten.

K. Neethiraja, district coordinator, JACTTO-GEO, said that there were thousands of qualified personnel trained on Montessori method of education, who are unemployed. “They could be provided employment instead of demoting teachers,” he said.

S. Jeyarajarajeswaran, another functionary with JACTTO-GEO, alleged that the ulterior motive of the government was to close down hundreds of schools and anganwadis and promote English as the medium of instruction instead of Tamil.

Stating that the teachers were refusing to accept the redeployment orders, he said that the issue would be a key demand during the indefinite strike called by JACTTO-GEO from January 22, 2019.

Students protest Anna varsity regulations

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI/VELLORE, JANUARY 19, 2019 00:00 IST

Up in arms:Students protesting against rules that allow them to reappear for an exam only after a year.R. Ravindran

The 2017 norms make exams more difficult to crack

Scores of students gathered outside Anna University on Friday demanding that the University withdraw the regulations it introduced in 2017.

The students were protesting against the regulations, after they found that they made examinations more difficult. Many of them had failed in the November-December 2017 semester exams, the results of which were published on Monday evening. A second-year student from a college in Vellore, with a score of 850 in Class XII, failed in the math paper in the third semester. “Usually only mathematics 1 and 2 papers, that we take in the first year, are tough. Math 3 is generally easy, but this time it was very tough,” he said.

“Since we can take only 24 credits, we will have only 12 credits in hand to accommodate arrears. If we fail in three or more subjects, how will we write all the exams, as we are given only three additional years to complete the programme?” he asked.

A drastic fall

According to him, in his college, the number of students who have passed all subjects in a year has fallen drastically under the new regulations. “This year, only 10 students have cleared all papers. Earlier, at least 100 students would have passed in all subjects,” he added.

Teachers from the affiliated colleges said fewer students had passed mathematics this semester. A teacher from a Coimbatore-based college said: “In the latest odd semester (3rd semester), compared to last year, there was a 15% drop in pass percentage in all math papers. Some students who are considered good have also failed.”

“The questions were of the B.Sc. Math level, which are difficult even for teachers to solve. A good student who can solve the entire paper would need four hours,” said a Chennai college teacher.

The affected students have also taken to social media, demanding a return to earlier norms. In Vellore, students from eight colleges submitted a petition to the District Collector.

‘Class of 69’ to visit MMC

STAFF REPORTER

CHENNAI, JANUARY 19, 2019 00:00 IST

The “Class of 69” will be visiting their alma mater, Madras Medical College (MMC), on January 20. Batchmates from all over the world are expected to take part in the reunion.

This was the MBBS batch that joined MMC in 1969. They have planned a visit to the Red Fort that earlier housed the Department of Anatomy on the MMC campus. They will be honouring professors on the occasion. The batch has contributed towards setting up of an e-library, a release said. Many from the batch have national and international achievements to their credit.

High Court orders job for pregnant woman

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, JANUARY 19, 2019 00:00 IST

Asks TNUSRB to frame suitable guidelines

The Madras High Court has directed Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) to frame guidelines for the benefit of women candidates who may not be in a position to compete with others in the recruitment process due to pregnancy or other physiological issues such as menstruation.

Justice S. Vimala issued the direction in a judgment delivered just days before her retirement. She allowed a writ petition filed by R. Devika who was denied the job of a Grade II police constable last year because she took 0.30 seconds more to complete a 100 metre sprint than the stipulated time of 17.50 seconds.

Pointing out that the petitioner was pregnant by eight weeks on the day of the physical endurance test and therefore she could not be expected to compete with others, the judge said, it was unfair to expect a pregnant woman to compete with other women. Women in need of special care must be provided special treatment, she added.

The judge referred to the special provisions provided by Delhi city police for pregnant women as well as those undergoing the period of menstruation and directed TNUSRB also to frame similar guidelines for future recruitments. In so far as the present petitioner was concerned, the judge ordered that she should be recruited with all attendant benefits.

Appreciating the petitioner, the judge said: “Pregnancy and child birth should not be considered as impediment for discharge of duty. The concession given to pregnant women should not be construed as a concession towards personal comfort of the women. Child birth should be considered as a contribution to continuity of generations without which the existence of the world is impossible.”

Govt. launches portal for pensioners

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JANUARY 19, 2019 00:00 IST

A pensioners’ portal, jointly developed by the Department of Treasuries and Accounts and National Informatics Centre was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam in the Secretariat here on Friday.

From the portal https://tnpensioner.tn.gov.in, details of monthly pension credited into the bank accounts, restoration of commuted value of pension, enhanced family pension, pension arrears can be accessed without approaching the Treasury/Pension Pay Office.

Pensioners can also download the details of submission of life certificate, additional entitlement for pensioners aged above 80 years, pension details for income tax purpose, nomination details and deduction made towards festival advance, new health insurance scheme and family security fund by entering their pension pay order number.

Government orders, clarifications, circulars and important forms regarding pensioners and their family are available on the portal.

Cabinet lays down ground rules for setting up pvt. universities

T. RAMAKRISHNAN

CHENNAI, JANUARY 19, 2019 00:00 IST

CM Palaniswami chairing a Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Friday.Special Arrangement

Prospective institutions should have 100 acres of land and a corpus of Rs. 50 crore

The State Cabinet has decided to lay down prerequisites for the establishment of private universities.

Those proposing to set up such institutions should have 100 acres of land and a corpus of Rs. 50 crore. This was decided at a meeting of the Cabinet on Friday, according to a source in the government. Last year, the Assembly gave approval for the formation of two private universities, one by SSN Trust and another by Sai Education, Medical, Research and Charitable Trust.

Industrial projects

Besides, the Cabinet gave its nod for 11 proposals of industrial projects, which would attract a total investment of Rs. 15,000 crore. Proponents of the projects and the government would enter into memoranda of understanding at the Global Investors’ Meet (GIM) next week.

With regard to the manufacturing sector alone, the Cabinet, in the last one month, approved projects, estimated to cost totally around Rs. 65,000 crore for getting subsidies. A senior government official said that the total number of MOUs to be signed at the GIM covering the manufacturing sector and other sectors is likely to be in the range of 150 to 200.

As for the political nature of deliberations, another source says that all Ministers have been advised to ensure that booth-level committees are in place in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Will wear helmet, min tells court
Madurai:19.01.2019

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Friday disposed of a petition against health and family welfare minister, C Vijayabaskar after he submitted an affidavit before it stating that he would not ride a motorcycle without helmet.

A division bench of justice K K Sasidharan and justice P D Audikesavalu had earlier taken cognisance of the photographs of the minister riding a two-wheeler without helmet and sought an affidavit from him after orally observing that safety applies even to the health minister. The court directions were in response to a petition filed by social activist ‘Traffic’ Ramasamy two months ago seeking action against the minister for violating court directions.

Ramasamy stated in his petition that the minister violated court orders. TNN