Applications invited for the post of V-C in KSOU

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST

Karnataka State Open University, Mysuru, has invited applications for the post of Vice-Chancellor from eligible professors.

According to a release, applicants should have a minimum of 10 years’ working experience as Professor or equivalent post as per the guidelines of UGC and KSOU.

They should submit their application in triplicate, furnishing information such as educational qualification, research, academic and administrative experience in the specified format available atwww.ksoumysore.karna taka.gov.in, along with a self-declaration through the proper channel to the Special Secretary to Governor, P.B. No. 5033, Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru - 560001 by February 20, before 5.30 p.m.

Medical college asked to refund excess fees

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST

Committee comes down heavily on the Davangere-based private college

Coming down heavily on a private medical college in Davangere, the Admission Overseeing Committee (AOC) has asked the college management to refund the excess fee charged over and above the tuition fee stipulated by the government.

The committee, in an order last month, asked J.J.M. Medical College to refund the excess fee collected from students for two academic years with a 6% interest.

The committee has also raised objection against the college asking institution-quota students to pay Rs. 1.13 lakh from the first year towards clinical fees. The fees was allegedly collected by the college as the students have to utilise facilities in the district government hospital.

The order states that the college, instead of charging tuition fee of Rs. 77,000 as prescribed for a student admitted under the government quota, collected Rs. 1.54 lakh. Further, students who were admitted under the institutional quota, who were supposed to pay Rs. 6.32 lakh a year, had to pay Rs. 8.23 lakh.

B. Manohar, chairman of the AOC, said the college should refund the excess fee for second year students admitted for the 2017–2018 as well as 2018–19 academic year with a 6% interest within a month.

The committee has also said that the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) will be directed to impose a fine of twice the amount collected and make recommendations to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to withdraw recognition and affiliation granted to the college.

S. Sachidananda, Vice-Chancellor, RGUHS, said they were awaiting the government direction.

Despite repeated attempts, authorities at J.J.M. Medical College could not be contacted for their response to this development.

MOs for Rs. 17 sent to PM

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

THANJAVUR, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST

Members of the Federation of Thamizhaga Vivasaya Sangangal on Wednesday sent money orders for Rs. 17 each, addressed to the Prime Minister at the Head Post Office, Thanjavur.

Disclosing this to the media, the federation’s State vice-president Sugumaran said that 15 farmers had sent money orders to the Prime Minister to register their protest against the income support scheme announced in the interim Budget.

“The Union government had failed to heed our demand of waiver of crop loans availed by farmers from the year 2016. And also it had turned a blind eye to the M.S.Swaminathan recommendations for enhancing income of farming community. Instead they had announced the annual support scheme which will work out to Rs. 17 per day,” he said.

Two more chances to clear UG, PG arrears

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

PUDUCHERRY, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST



This will help those admitted from 2003-04 onwards

All undergraduate and postgraduate students (except MBBS course) of affiliated institutions of Pondicherry Central University have been granted two additional chances as a one-time opportunity to clear arrears from the 2003-04 academic year.

According to a press note from the university, Vice-Chancellor Gurmeet Singh had obtained the concurrence of the Academic Council at its meeting on October 16 for this proposal. It would enable students to clear their arrears and get a degree.

The Academic Council (vide resolution 2018.80.48) had resolved to grant two additional chances (May 2019 and November 2019) as a one-time measure to all the undergraduate/postgraduate students of the affiliated colleges (except MBBS) admitted from the academic year 2003-2004 onwards and who could not complete the courses within the prescribed time.

The notification of the examination will be put up on the university website shortly, the press note said. The online registration for examination will be enabled after the notification is published.

Interested students should check the university website regularly for any updates in this regard or be in touch with their respective colleges.

MKU to start new courses

Pon Vasanth B.A

MADURAI, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST



Madurai Kamaraj University officials said steps would be taken to start the new courses in the coming academic year.


Madurai Kamaraj University has decided to offer new masters courses in Anthropology, Psychology, Gene Technology and Biomedical Sciences. Resolutions to this effect were passed at the meeting of the university’s Syndicate on Tuesday.

According to officials privy to the proceedings, the Biomedical Sciences course will be offered in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. Similarly, the course in Psychology was likely to be offered in collaboration with M.S. Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation, university sources said.

Stating that steps would be taken to commence these courses in the coming academic year, officials said the existing faculty members and infrastructure would be adequate to handle the new courses.

Health Centre

The university had also decided to rededicate the health centre at the university with better facilities so that it could serve not only the staff members, but also people in rural areas around the university, a senior official said. “Everything is ready. The facility will be rededicated to the public within a few days,” the official said, adding it would be open from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Stating that there were a number of villages around the university, the official said the facility would be beneficial to the economically backward people from these villages as they could get basic tests for diabetes and hypertension done at a minimum cost of Rs. 10 to Rs. 20.

Stairs

Interestingly, 31 years after the installation of the statue of late Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, the university has taken steps to construct stairs to facilitate garlanding of the statue.

Until now, on important occasions, a wooden ladder would be brought on which the dignitaries would precariously climb to reach the top of the pedestal to garland the statue installed near the main entrance of the university.

The new Vice-Chancellor, M. Krishnan, had to do the same when he garlanded the statue before taking charge on January 2. Sources said a public sector bank had assured to sponsor the funds for this.

MKU gets tough on irregularities

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST



A committee, headed by a retired judge, will be formed to investigate complaints of corruption and other irregularities in the office of Additional Controller of Examinations in the Directorate of Distance Education of Madurai Kamaraj University.File photoR_ASHOK


Panel to review appointments, promotions made during Chelladurai’s tenure


Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) Syndicate that met on Tuesday passed a number of resolutions to initiate enquiries on complaints of irregularities. This has brought cheer to the lobby that has been campaigning to clean up the affairs of the varsity.

An important decision taken at the meeting was to constitute a committee to review all the appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff of the university and its constituents colleges, and promotions of faculty members made during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor P.P. Chellathurai, whose appointment was set aside by the Madras High Court.

This was the first Syndicate meeting after the new Vice-Chancellor, M. Krishnan, took charge last month.

Higher Education Secretary Mangat Ram Sharma, Law Department Secretary S.S. Poovalingam, who are ex-officio members of the Syndiciate, also attended the meeting.

A resolution was passed to form a committee headed by a retired judge to investigate complaints of corruption and other irregularities in the office of Additional Controller of Examinations in the Directorate of Distance Education, which is now held by M. Rajarajan.

Sources privy to the proceedings said many complaints were received against the office, primarily in relation to conduct of examinations and issuance of certificates. The enquiry committee would not include anyone from the university, sources said.

Harassment complaint

The report of the Internal Complaints Committee on a harassment complaint filed by a female research scholar against Head of the Centre for Film and Electronic Media Studies K. Karnamaharajan, which found the Professor to be guilty, was discussed at the meeting.

University sources, however, said the punitive action to be taken against him would be finalised after seeking legal opinion.

On a report on the issues prevailing in six constituent colleges of the MKU, sources said the Syndicate decided to review the qualifications of the Principals and remove them if they did not meet the criteria and instead depute Professors of the MKU or appoint retired Professors as Principals.

Court seeks review of govt. land assigned to educational institutions

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEBRUARY 07, 2019 00:00 IST

Rejects writ petition filed by Vellore Institute of Technology

The Madras High Court has directed the State government to review all old assignment of government lands to private educational institutions as well as other entities in the State and take steps to retrieve the properties if such assignments were found to be irregular.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam directed the Revenue Secretary to issue suitable instructions to all Collectors in the State to verify and review the assignment of government lands to private bodies and submit reports to the government.

The order was passed while rejecting a writ petition filed by Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) in 2005 seeking a direction to the State government to assign 41.92 acres of government poromboke land at Katpadi village in Vellore district in favour of the institution on payment of a reasonable consideration. Though the institution claimed that it was in occupation of the poromboke land, as well as other parcels of lands in its immediate vicinity, since its inception as Vellore Engineering College in 1984, the government refused to assign the property on the ground that it was required for construction of a government sports complex.

Additional Advocate General S.R. Rajagopal brought it to the notice of the court that the entire 41.92 acres of land had already been allotted to Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) for constructing a sports complex and encouraging the youngsters in the vicinity to participate in various sporting activities.

The entire 41.92 acres of land had been allotted to SDAT for constructing a sports complex