போலி பட்டச் சான்றிதழ்கள் விற்பனை யு.ஜி.சி., விசாரிக்க அரசு உத்தரவு

Added : ஆக 30, 2019 21:34

புதுடில்லி :சில பல்கலைக்கழகங்களில், போலி பட்டச் சான்றிதழ்கள் விற்கப்படுவது பற்றி விசாரிக்க, சிறப்பு குழு அமைக்குமாறு, யு.ஜி.சி., எனப்படும் பல்கலை மானிய குழுவுக்கு, மத்திய மனிதவள மேம்பாட்டு அமைச்சகம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.நாட்டின் பல பகுதிகளில், மோசடி கும்பல் ஒன்று, 'வகுப்புகளுக்கே செல்லாத மாணவர்களுக்கு, அங்கீகாரம் பெற்ற பல்கலையிலிருந்து, போலி பட்டச் சான்றிதழ் வாங்கி தருகிறது' என, சமீபத்தில், பத்திரிகைகளில் செய்தி வெளியானது.

இதையடுத்து, மத்திய மனிதவள மேம்பாட்டுத்துறை அமைச்சகம்,'டுவிட்டர்' சமூக வலைதளத்தில் வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கையில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:சில பல்கலைக் கழகங்களில், போலி சான்றிதழ்கள் விற்கப்படுவதாக வந்துள்ள தகவல்கள் கவலையளிக்கின்றன. இது பற்றி விசாரிக்க, உயர் மட்டக்குழு ஒன்றை, யு.ஜி.சி., அமைக்க வேண்டும்.இந்தக் குழு, மூன்று வாரங்களில், விசாரணையை முடித்து, போலி சான்றிதழ்கள் வழங்கும் கல்வி நிறுவனங்கள் மற்றும் நபர்களை கண்டறிய வேண்டும். விசாரணை குழு தாக்கல் செய்யும் அறிக்கையின் அடிப்படையில், கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்.இவ்வாறு, அந்த அறிக்கையில் கூறப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

SHRC seeks report into suicide bid by woman student
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:31.08.2019

The state human rights commission (SHRC) on Friday issued notice to the directorate of collegiate education (DCE) in Chennai seeking a report in connection with the suicide bid by a woman MPhil student after her thesis was rejected by her professor.

The commission asked the director of DCE to inquire into the matter and submit a detailed report within two weeks failing which it will proceed with taking action as it deems fit and proper.

The 23-year-old student of the Government Arts College in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district attempted to commit suicide by consuming acid kept in the college laboratory on Wednesday. The issue came to light on Thursday morning.

The college administration maintained that the thesis was rejected as it was incomplete and added that the professor had asked her to take an extension. The Kumbakonam East police station which was investigating the case said on Friday that the issue was settled amicably between the student and the professor and no case was registered.

REGION DIGEST

Check validity of MKU degrees, HC tells UGC

The Madras high court has asked University Grants Commission (UGC) to conduct an inspection at Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) to find out whether the degrees offered by the university are valid as per UGC regulations, and prosecute the officials if there were irregularities. The court also made some stinging remarks against the UGC for not acting against universities committing irregularities and cheating students. The court’s observations came while dismissing the petition filed by a woman challenging the rejection of her candidature by Teachers recruitment Board for appointment to the post of postgraduate assistant in History.

Retired cop held for illegal sale of liquor:

Madurai police on Friday arrested a retired police inspector for illegal sale of liquor bottles. According to sources, the Tallakulam police received a tip that a person at Iyer Bungalow in Madurai was involved in the illegal sale of liquor bottles from Puducherry. The arrested was Subbiah, 64, a retired police inspector.

DMK, AIADMK are our enemies, says MNM:

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) vice president R Mahendran on Thursday said that the very electoral plunge of MNM was as an alternative to both the DMK and the AIADMK, therefore both are our enemies.

National Inxtitute of Design

RTI activists urge TN to take petition filing online

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.08.2019

The Tamil Nadu government will have to respond to the Supreme Court on establishing a portal through which citizens would be able to file RTIs, after a plea was heard earlier this week. However, RTI applicants have been raising the demand for at least five years in the state, on the lines of what is available for central government departments.

The RTI activists have made a renewed demand for the same, but pointed out that the state government is loath to do it, as it would have to answer more queries from citizens. “Keeping the process manual is useful for government authorities as it can feign ignorance about receiving RTIs. Also, many people avoid filing RTIs as they have to go through the rigmarole of buying a court fee stamp of ₹10 or pay through demand draft, etc,” said Pavan K Gandhi, a law student and an RTI expert.

As per government statistics, the state’s various agencies received nearly four lakh RTI petitions in 2015. Ironically, this is the latest data put out by the TN State Information Commission (TNSIC), whose annual reports for the past three years have not yet been made public. Making it online would increase the number of RTIs filed, which the government doesn’t want, said TNSIC sources. “A former chief information commissioner, in fact, recommended this to the state government, which has not taken it seriously,” said a source in the agency.

In Tamil Nadu, only second appeals can be filed online now. The process of filing RTIs and first appeals is still manual. Compare this to central government agencies, where one can file RTIs on rtionline.gov.in and pay digitally. The first and second appeals can also be filed online. The tedious process of printing out the RTI on paper, arranging payment of ₹10 and posting it is avoided and citizens feel encouraged to file more RTIs.

This process is more organized and people don’t need to take pains to keep track of it, said P Nakkeeran, treasurer of Arappor Iyakkam, who has used RTI to bring to light many scams. “Public information officers would become more accountable if the system is online. Government doesn’t want it,” he said.

Madras university bans faculty from inviting students home

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.08.2019

In a precautionary step aimed at preventing incidence of sexual harassment on campus, University of Madras has banned its faculty members from inviting students to their houses. Any such act would amount to misconduct under the sexual harassment law, registrar R Srinivasan said in a circular issued to faculty members on Thursday.

“Students are directed not to stay at any faculty member’s house or tour with their guides at any cost unless special permission is taken from university authorities,” the circular said.

The university has said it wants to make the campus a harassment-free zone. “The university is a place of knowledge and no act of sexual harassment of any sort would be permitted inside the campus and any such act will be dealt with an iron fist,” the circular warned. Anyone subjected to such harassment should approach professor Rita John, head of the Internal Complaints Committee, from department of theoretical physics, or the registrar or the vicechancellor with a written complaint, it said.

Any girl student or woman faculty member threatened or harassed by any faculty member or student can directly walk in to the vice-chancellor’s room with a representation and immediate action will be initiated following an inquiry, it added. The university has asked all heads of departments to display the circular on notice boards.

But, some professors said the new rules could be misused by some vested interests. “A new academic session has just started. We wanted to give confidence to the students that the university has a redressal mechanism for harassment,” vice-chancellor P Duraisamy said.

He further said no sexual harassment complaint has been received from any student recently.

“As per the regulations, students cannot tour with their guides without permission from the university. But we will allow students as a group to travel on study tours or to attend conferences. They also can travel with their relatives,” he added.

Last year, to prevent exploitation of PhD scholars, the state government had issued fresh guidelines in the matter.


Madras University

Now, test your driving skills on virtual reality-based simulators

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:31.08.2019

For those who wish to refresh their four-wheeler driving skills, or corporates and school managements that want to ensure safe practices by drivers who carry their employees and students, the city has now got virtual reality-based advanced driver training simulators.

The simulators will be available at the Automobile Association of South India (AASI) on Anna Salai office, an 8-minute session costing ₹100.

The patented simulator was designed and developed by Chennai-based Red Chariots Technologies in three years. It is completely made in India and costs ₹8 lakh, a lot cheaper compared to foreign models, said V Vinod Gopal, director of the company.

The simulator helps drivers learn to anticipate adverse situations on roads and make safe decisions and also implement safe practices in their daily driving routines. “It is a combination of practical learning modules coupled with theory modules through an interactive e-learning quiz app,” a company release said.

“Just like flight pilots have to take refresher courses every six months, even those driving on the roads need this,” Vinod said.

The module is designed to reflect Indian roads, more specifically Chennai roads. For instance, the driver would have to contend with an ambulance or a big truck or a vehicle, which has pulled over to the side, Vinod said.

There are 10 modules; each one would have 40 parameters based on which the candidate would be evaluated. Points are deducted for changing lanes without indication, overuse of horns, not stopping to let an ambulance pass through, and disrespect of pedestrians.

The target audience is ambulance drivers, school bus drivers and MTC bus drivers, Vinod said, revealing that they are already in talks with the transport department.

After each level, trainees get detailed performance analysis reports on their strength and scope for improvement based on the rules followed, road etiquette adhered to and overall behaviour on the road. Based on this, they either qualify and graduate to the next level or are told to repeat the level after 24 hours, until they qualify.

WANNA TEST DRIVE? The simulators will be available at AASI office on Anna Salai. An eight-minute sess