Tamil Nadu will apply for four more medical colleges, says CM

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:3.12.2019

Tamil Nadu will apply for four more medical colleges under a centrally sponsored scheme, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Monday.

The proposal for setting up government medical colleges in Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur and Kallakuruchi will be submitted to the Medical Council of India (MCI) along with the land parcels identified for each of these colleges, he said at a function organised by the health department to distributed appointment orders to doctors, nurses and physiotherpists.

The state has been granted nine colleges under the central scheme. In August, the cabinet committee on economic affairs approved setting up of 75 government medical colleges by 2021-22. The centre has proposed to partially fund the project as it wanted to increase the number of medical schools. Tamil Nadu, which has 24 medical colleges, proposed new colleges in two batches. In the first batch, six colleges were proposed in Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Ramanathapuram, Namakkal, Dindugal and Virudhunagar. Once decks were cleared for all the six colleges, the state applied for permission to set up colleges in coastal and tribal belts – Krishnagiri, Thiruvallur and Nagapattinam.

These nine colleges were expected to add 1,350 MBBS seats and create more than 9,000 jobs health professionals.Hospitals attachedtothese colleges will have 750 beds. Less than a week after getting clearance from the Union health ministry, the state has proposedcollegesin four more unserved areas. The move came after Union minister of state Ashwini Kumar Choubey told parliament that 49 colleges have been approved by the MCI in eight states. The centre had planned to give permission for 75 colleges across the country. While Rajasthan was permitted to start15 medical colleges, UP got granted 13 and Tamil Nadu bagged nine.

The state health department decided to make use of the vacant slots in the scheme to apply for more colleges. “We had planned for this long time ago. It is a policy decision of the state to have at least one medical college hospital in every district. Besides creating more MBBS seats we will be able to offer tertiary care facility to people,” said health minister C Vijayabaskar. Doctors and specialists such as cardiologist, neurologists and oncologists, will be able to work from underserved areas and backward districts, he said. “Having a tertiary care facility will help us beat the golden hour and reduce fatalities due to road accidents,” said health secretary Beela Rajesh, who will be presenting the proposals before the MCI technical committee.

Online registration for Neet ’20 begins

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:3.12.2019

Online registration for National eligibility-cum-entrance test (Neet) 2020 commenced on Monday. Students can register their applications at ntaneet.nic.in.

In the wake of Neet impersonation cases, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has made thumb impression mandatory at the application stage itself. It has also asked the candidates to upload postcard-size photograph with 80% of face coverage and ears visible on a white background.

NTA will conduct this year’s exam in pen and paper mode. Neet is scheduled to be held from 2 pm to 5 pm on May 3, 2020. Admissions to MBBS course in medical colleges across the country will be made through Neet.

As per the NTA’s announcement, the last date for registration is December 31. Neet (UG) 2020 will be held in 11 languages, including English, Tamil and Hindi. The three-hour exam will have180 multiple questions from physics, chemistry and biology.

Around 11,000 students from government and government-aided schools are being trained in 412 government-sponsored Neet coaching centres across the state. “This year, we are giving Neet coaching using a multi-pronged approach and utilising whoever is willing to give free coaching to our students,” school education director S Kannappan said.

EtoosIndia, an institute based in Kota, Rajasthan, is offering coaching at some centres, while trained subject teachers from government schools are holding classes in others.

School education department is planning to coach differentlyabled children studying in government schools with the help of doctors and medical students. Headmasters have been told to encourage and help medical aspirants in Neet registration.

திருவாரூர் மத்திய பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் மாணவி தூக்குப்போட்டு தற்கொலை போலீசார் விசாரணை



திருவாரூர் மத்திய பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் மாணவி தூக்குப்போட்டு தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டார். இதுபற்றி போலீசார் விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர்.

பதிவு: டிசம்பர் 02, 2019 05:10 AM

திருவாரூர்,

திருவாரூர் அருகே உள்ள நீலக்குடியில் தமிழ்நாடு மத்திய பல்கலைக்கழகம் செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது. இங்கு கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்டம் ஓசூரை சேர்ந்த முரளி என்பவரின் மகள் மைதிலி (வயது 19), ஒருங்கிணைந்த பி.எஸ்.சி. பி.எட். பட்டப்படிப்பில் 2-ம் ஆண்டு படித்து வந்தார். பல்கலைக்கழக விடுதியில் தங்கி இருந்த அவர், நேற்று முன்தினம் இரவில் உணவு சாப்பிட வரவில்லை என தெரிகிறது.

இதையடுத்து சக மாணவிகள் மைதிலியின் அறைக்கு சென்று பார்த்தனர். அப்போது மைதிலி விடுதி அறையில் தூக்கில் பிணமாக தொங்கினார். அவர் தூக்குப்போட்டு தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டதாக தெரிகிறது. இதனால் அதிர்ச்சி அடைந்த மாணவிகள் கதறி அழுதபடி பல்கலைக்கழக நிர்வாகிகளுக்கு தகவல் தெரிவித்தனர்.

பின்னர் நன்னிலம் போலீஸ் நிலையத்திற்கு தகவல் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது. அதன்பேரில் போலீசார் பல்கலைக்கழகத்துக்கு விரைந்து சென்று தூக்கில் தொங்கிய மாணவியின் உடலை கைப்பற்றி பிரேத பரிசோதனைக்காக திருவாரூர் அரசு மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனைக்கு அனுப்பி வைத்தனர்.

மைதிலியின் தற்கொலை தொடர்பாக அவரது நண்பர்கள் மற்றும் பல்கலைக்கழக பேராசிரியர்களிடம் போலீசார் விசாரணை மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறார்கள். மைதிலி தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டது குறித்து ஓசூரில் வசிக்கும் அவருடைய பெற்றோருக்கும் தகவல் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது. அவர்கள் உடனடியாக திருவாரூர் வந்தனர்.

மைதிலியின் உடல் பிரேத பரிசோதனைக்கு பிறகு பெற்றோரிடம் ஒப்படைக்கப்பட்டது. மாணவியின் தற்கொலைக்கான காரணம் குறித்து நன்னிலம் போலீசார் வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்து தீவிர விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகிறார்கள்.

பல்கலைக்கழக விடுதியில் மாணவி தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்ட விவகாரம் திருவாரூரில் பெரும் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது.

Gauhati Varsity Offered 21 Unapproved Courses, Gave False Affidavits To UGC: CAG

The Gauhati University has jeopardised the career prospects of nearly 74,000 students and collected Rs 39 crore as enrolment fees from them by offering 21 unapproved courses through its distance learning centre for seven years, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said in a report.

The findings of the CAG were tabled during the ongoing Winter Session of the Assam Assembly.

Guwahati:

The Gauhati University has jeopardised the career prospects of nearly 74,000 students and collected Rs 39 crore as enrolment fees from them by offering 21 unapproved courses through its distance learning centre for seven years, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said in a report.

The findings of the CAG, tabled during the ongoing Winter Session of the Assam Assembly, also says that the oldest university of the northeast had submitted multiple false affidavits to the UGC, assuring the commission that it will not start any new distance course without approval.

The CAG said that the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), with approval of the Distance Education Council (DEC), had recognised the Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) of the Gauhati University (GU) in August 2010 for offering eight courses for three years from 2010-11.

"It was specifically instructed that IDOL, GU shall not offer any other course through distance mode other than the eight courses," the report said, adding that later the approval was extended by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for five more years from 2013-14 to 2017-18.

The recognition was offered based on recommendations of the joint committee comprising the UGC, DEC and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), it said.

"Audit observed that IDOL, GU had offered 21 unapproved courses beyond the approved eight courses through ODL (open and distance learning) mode during the year 2010-11 to 2016-17," the CAG said.

It pointed out that the DEC and the IGNOU had clearly stated in July 2013 that courses offered by the GU through distance mode other than the eight approved courses were not recognised by the DEC and such degrees were not valid for jobs in central government services.

"Audit also observed that 73,912 students were enrolled in 19 courses out of 21 unapproved courses during the year 2010-11 to 2016-17 and the GU collected fees of Rs 39.06 crore on these unapproved courses," the report highlighted.

It said there was no admission in MSc-Mathematics and PGD-Insurance Management.

The CAG found the GU had submitted affidavits to the UGC "from time to time" assuring the commission that it will not start any new distance education programme "without prior approval of UGC", and in anticipation of recognition of such courses.

"As such, the GU submitted false affidavits for getting an extension of the recognition of IDOL," it said. On being questioned, GU replied in October 2017 and December 2018 that the unapproved courses were offered in anticipation of approval, but they were discontinued from the academic year 2017, the Auditor General said in the report.

"The reply was not tenable because the courses were offered without the approval of UGC and AICTE," the report said.

On being enquired by the audit, the UGC said in February 2018 that no university can offer programmes through distance mode without obtaining prior and specific approval from the commission, it said.

"Moreover, false affidavit submitted by the GU indicated that the university had not even approached for such approval," the report stressed.

The CAG said that the matter was reported to the government in August 2018, but no reply has come yet.

"The GU was offering unapproved courses risking the career prospects of the students as degrees under such courses were not valid for jobs in central government services," it added.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Karnataka colleges spent only 44% UGC funds

TNN | Dec 2, 2019, 06.08 AM IST

BENGALURU: While educationists lament lack of funds, the University Grants Commission (UGC) allocated Rs 19.8 crore to Karnataka colleges in the past seven years, but they utilised less than half of it, just Rs 8.8 crore.

Of the 513 colleges eligible for funds in the state, only around 200 used the allocation optimally. Government colleges account for huge sums of unutilised funds.

In reply to an RTI plea, UGC said the amount was released under three schemes — construction of women’s hostels, for sports infrastructure & equipment and general development assistance.

Colleges must return unused funds: UGC

While Rs 11.8 crore was announced as general development assistance, only Rs 6.4 crore was released and Rs 4.9 crore utilised. Under the Rs 5.4 crore allocated for development of sports infrastructure, only Rs 2.4 crore released and Rs 2.1 crore was used. Under the scheme to construct hostels, only Rs 1.7 crore of the total Rs 2.5 crore available was put to use. The amount released but unitilised has to be returned to UGC.

UGC sources said the released amount falling short of allocation is due to colleges not submitting plans and seeking funds.

While the time limit to utilise these funds expired in March 2019, the statutory body extended it to March 2020. However, officials don’t think there will be much of a change in the next three months.

The RTI reply also points out that UGC, time and again, apprised the department of collegiate education and state higher education council about allocation getting lapsed for lack of initiative from colleges.

“The reasons for the lapse vary but are mostly operational matters like frequent change of principals affecting timely completion of projects. The lack of good leadership is a major factor,” said an official of the higher education department.

In many colleges, teachers close to retirement are appointed as principals and they don’t want to take up new responsibilities. There are also no adequate teaching staff who can take up new projects. The bureacracy in construction agencies (also government bodies) makes it difficult for projects to start. All these lead to colleges not utilising the amount released,” he added.

Barefoot jogger does Bengaluru to Varanasi in 38 days

Six years after a near-fatal heart attack, Giridhar Kamath covered 1,850 km to promote fitness

02/12/2019, BISHWANATH GHOSH,KOLKATA

Long run: Giridhar Kamath averaged about 50 km a day, carrying just 1.4 kg in luggage. Special Arrangement Special Arrangement

Like many people, Giridhar Kamath decided in his early forties that it was time to get fit. In 2011, when he was 42, he began running — short distances at first and then challenging himself to the 10-km target.

Then, in 2013, he had a heart attack at the finishing line of a race.

But unlike many people, who might have given up running after this potentially-fatal episode, he merely changed his approach to running. “I moved to barefoot running from then on. It is one of the most natural modes of human movement,” says the Bengaluru-based Mr. Kamath.

And recently, barely weeks after his 50th birthday, he ran all the way from Bengaluru to Varanasi — a neat distance of 1,850 km — in one set of clothes, with a pouch and a hammock tied to his waist. “I have covered several ultra runs between cities and done races spanning 100 km to 800 km. But this is my longest run till date,” says Mr. Kamath, who set off from Bengaluru on October 2 and reached Varanasi on November 10.

Travelling light

The idea of travelling light came from a mendicant he had encountered during an intercity run from Puducherry to Chennai in 2018. “He was walking solo with no support or luggage, and he made me realise how easy it is to be light. I reached Varanasi in one T-shirt and shorts and just 1.4 kg of luggage, which also included my mobile phone and charger,” he says.

Mr. Kamath averaged about 50 km a day, and reached Varanasi in 38 days. The most challenging stretch was the forests of Madhya Pradesh.

“This segment took me three days to cover and I was compelled to have a crew car follow me for reasons of safety,” he said.

‘Contributory pension scheme not applicable to judicial officers’

Govt. directed to refund amount deducted from salaries

02/12/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

The High Court of Karnataka has declared that the contributory pension scheme, introduced for State government employees who joined service on or after April 1, 2006, was not applicable to judicial officers.

However, it made it clear that the judicial officers who joined service on or after that date could voluntarily opt for the New Defined Contributory Pension (NDCP) scheme by giving their consent in writing.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Mohammad Nawaz delivered the verdict last week while allowing petitions filed in 2013 by Vijaykumar Rai and several other judicial officers belonging to the civil and the district judge cadres, and the Karnataka State Judicial Officers’ Association.

The petitioners had questioned the application of the NDCP scheme to judicial officers who joined service on or after April 1, 2006. The scheme provides for employees’ contribution of 10% of basic pay and dearness allowance (DA) with matching contribution from the State government. And the government, in its notification issued on March 29, 2010, had made the scheme applicable to judicial officers who joined service on or after April 1, 2006.

While the petitioners contended that their pension was determined as per the recommendations of the two National Judicial Pay Commissions (NJPCs), as approved by the Supreme Court, the government claimed that it had the right to change the pension of judicial officers as they were also civil servants under the provisions of the Karnataka Civil Services Act, 1978.

“There is no manner of doubt that even the payable pension from judicial officers will be strictly governed by the recommendations of the NJPCs as accepted by the apex court. An order of the apex court dated July 26, 2010 records acceptance of the recommendations of the second NJPC, including recommendations in respect of pension, and notes that none of the States had any objection to accepting the recommendations,” the Bench observed.

Pointing to the State government’s notification on September 30, 2010 on the second NJPC, as per the apex court’s orders, the Bench said, “The State government, without seeking permission from the apex court, has no power to tinker with the quantum of salary and pension payable to judicial officers.” It stated that applying different yardsticks for payment of pension to judicial officers appointed before and after April 1, 2006 would be directly contrary to the directions of the SC.

The Bench also directed the government to refund the amount already deducted from salaries by the end of February 2020.