VIT’s entrance exam to include aptitude section

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is including an aptitude section in its computer based test ‘VIT Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEEE)’, starting with the 2020-21 batch, said a statement fr

Published: 08th September 2019 04:57 AM



By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is including an aptitude section in its computer based test ‘VIT Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEEE)’, starting with the 2020-21 batch, said a statement from the Institute on Saturday. The aptitude section in VITEEE will be in addition to subjects including Maths or Biology, Physics, Chemistry and English.

 The number of questions for the respective sections will be, Maths or Biology (40 questions), Physics (35 questions), Chemistry (35 questions), Aptitude (10 questions) and English (5 questions). There will be no negative marking. The sample question paper for VITEEE 2020 will be available on www.vit.ac.in soon.

JioFibre unlikely to disrupt market: Emkay Global Financial Services 

Competitors are already doing content tie-ups with OTT (over the top) apps and offering additional data to retain and attract subscribers. 

Published: 07th September 2019 06:55 PM



Representational image (File Photo)

By IANS

MUMBAI: Reliance Jio Fibre is unlikely to disrupt the market as the much-awaited pricing and offerings under various plans are not disruptive compared with peers, analyst firm Emkay Global has said. Lack of bundled cable TV offering restricts Jio from disrupting the market and might make it longer to achieve the 20 million subscriber target, the Emkay Global Financial Services said.

Competitors are already doing content tie-ups with OTT (over the top) apps and offering additional data to retain and attract subscribers. "At the current pricing of Jio, we expect limited churn for existing players. Further, we see a marginal impact on DTH (direct-to-home) operators and broadcasters," it said.

Premium content and FDFS (first day, first show) are available only for high-ARPU (average revenue per user) consumers, which should reduce the overhang on multiplexes. There is still no clarity on premium third-party OTT apps offered by Jio, says the report. "Based on current pricing plans and content offerings, we don't believe Jio will expand the market or lead to a huge churn. Our Jio estimates bake in 3 million FTTH (fibre to the home) subscribers in FY21. Progress on subscriber addition will decide disruption going forward," it says.

Jio's competitor Bharti Airtel has unveiled Airtel Xstream, a premium service under which it has segregated the plans and bundled them with user-engaging facilities, such as OTT platforms, live streaming of television channels and music streaming, along with unlimited voice calls, SMSes and the internet.

On the other hand, JioFibre is giving a 4K set-top box, 4K television set, zero-latency gaming, device security for up to five devices and free speaker to annual subscribers. Reliance Jio's broadband commercial launch at attractive prices could be a trigger point impacting incumbents in the broadband space, Motilal Oswal Financial Services said in a note.

Will TN govt help Anna University get Eminence tag?

Uncertainty prevails over Anna University getting the prestigious Institutions of Eminence (IoE) tag.
 
Published: 07th September 2019 08:43 AM |


Anna University (File Photo | EPS)

By Binita Jaiswal

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Uncertainty prevails over Anna University getting the prestigious Institutions of Eminence (IoE) tag.Though the state Higher Education department earlier assured that all measures would be taken to help the university get the IoE tag, the department now feels that the 50 per cent share rider set by the UGC would be a financial burden.

Higher Education secretary Mangat Ram Sharma told Express on Monday that he would meet the secretary to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). “We will decide further course of action after discussions with him,” Sharma said, adding that guidelines from the MHRD related to the IoE tag issue were yet to be received.

Higher Education department officials said that usually for most of the Central schemes implemented in the state, a major share of funds, almost 60 to 70 per cent, are provided by the Centre. But surprisingly for this IoE tag issue, the state government is being asked to bear 50 per cent of the share. “There is still no clarity over allocation of funds,” said an official.Anna University was recommended by the UGC empowered committee for getting the IoE status with a rider that the Tamil Nadu government should share up to 50 per cent of the Rs 1,000 crore that the varsity will receive under the scheme over five years.


In the list of the institutions granted the IoE tag, announced by the MHRD on Thursday, the IIT-Madras figured, but not the Anna University. Reports suggested that the MHRD had not got any communication from the state government on the Anna University issue. Hence, the absence of the university’s name in the list.

Meanwhile, Anna University Vice-Chancellor MK Surappa said that he wrote to the state government on Friday, seeking its support to help the varsity get the IoE tag.The Institutions of Eminence scheme has been launched by the Centre to empower higher educational institutions and to help them become world class teaching and research institutions.

Veteran lawyer and former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani passes away at 95

The superstar lawyer had argued many high profile and controversial cases and was one of India's highest-paid advocates.

Published: 08th September 2019 09:12 AM


Ram Jethmalani (File | PTI)

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Eminent jurist and former Union minister Ram Jethmalani passed away on Sunday at the age of 95, his family members said.

Jethmalani breathed his last at 7.45 am at his official residence in New Delhi, his son Mahesh Jethmalani told PTI.

Mahesh and other close acquaintances said Ram Jethmalani was not keeping well for a few months.


He passed away a few days before his 96th birthday on September 14, his son said.

Mahesh said his father's last rites will be performed in the evening at the Lodhi road crematorium here.

Besides Mahesh Jethmalani, the former Union minister is survived by his daughter based in the US.

His other daughter, Rani Jethmalani, died in 2011.

Jethmalani was the Union law minister and also the Urban development minister during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.

He also served as the Supreme Court Bar Association president in 2010.

He was born in Shikarpur in Sindh province (now in Pakistan) on September 14, 1923 and obtained a law degree at the age of 17.

Condolences have been pouring in for the late jurist.

Rain continues to lash city, suburbs 
 
Heavy to very heavy showers to continue: IMD

08/09/2019 , Bhumika Pruthi, Mumbai 


 
No respite: Heavy rain on Saturday does not keep these policewomen away from overnight duty on Marine Drive.Arunangsu Roy ChowdhuryArunangsu Roy Chowdhury

Moderate to heavy rains continued in and nearby areas on Saturday, even as Ganapati immersions were conducted on the fifth day. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy to very heavy showers in the next few days.

K.S. Hosalikar, Director-General of Meterology, IMD, tweeted from his official handle, “Latest satellite image indicated intermittent heavy showers to continue. It is Ganpati Visarjan Day in Mumbai and Maharashtra and at other places too. Take care while intense spells (sic)”.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recorded a total of 6,508 immersions on Saturday, of which 32 were from public Ganeshotsav pandals, 5,540 were household Ganesh idols and 936 were Gauri idols. As many as 1,109 of the idols were immersed in artificial lakes and no untoward incidents were reported despite the heavy rains and unfavourable weather conditions, civic officials said.

Mr. Hosalikar also tweeted that “Model guidance for 24/48 hours indicate enhanced rainfall activity including Mumbai and around, over west coast and Madhya Mah. Vidarbha also, Activity is likely to reduce tomorrow on west coast (sic).” The forecast for Sunday on the IMD Mumbai website, “Generally cloudy sky with heavy spells of rain likely to occur at isolated places in city and suburbs.”

Velankanni car festival draws a huge crowd

08/09/2019 , Staff Reporter, Velankanni

A sea of devotees gathered to witness the grand car procession, an important event of the annual festival at Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health in , on Saturday.

A row of seven illuminated cars, five shouldered by women while two, including the largest one - of Our Lady of Health, clad in a silk sari -were shouldered by men while devotees tried to get their best view of the procession, all while chanting ‘Mariye Vazhga.’

Bishop of Kottar Most Rev Nazarene Soosai presided over a concelebrated Holy mass earlier in the evening.

The procession started from the entrance of the main shrine around 8 p.m. and ended around 9 p.m. when the procession returned to the basilica, where the benediction was conducted.

Rev. Fr. P. Yagappa Rajarethinam, Procurator; Rev. Fr. S.A. Susaimanickam, Parish Priest and Vice-Rector; Very Rev. Fr. A.M.A. Prabakar; and other priests of the diocese participated in the event.

Coimbatore to get 50 new buses by September end

08/09/2019 , Staff Reporter, Coimbatore 


One of the 50 newly imported buses procured by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation in Pollachi on Saturday.

The city will receive 50 new buses by the end of September, an official from the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) confirmed here on Saturday.

Painted in bright red, these new buses will replace the semi low floor (SLF) buses currently plying on the roads.

Out of 50, a total of 20 buses have already arrived at Pollachi, the official said.

The buses have been upgraded to meet the Bharat Stage (BS) – VI emission standards as mandated by the Supreme Court of India. The buses will also have air suspension systems.

“All these buses will be equivalent to private buses in terms of quality,” according to the official.

The routes, fixing of number plates and other necessary approvals from the government are yet to be finalised, the official said.