Railways cracks down on illegal ticketing software

19/02/2020,NEW DELHI

In a relief for train travellers, the Railways on Tuesday claimed that it had arrested at least 60 people since December as part of a crackdown on illegal software that allowed agents to book thousands of tatkal tickets within seconds of bookings being opened making it virtually impossible for genuine travellers to get Tatkal bookings.

Medical counselling process to have extra security features

Officials plan to take candidates’ thumb impressions, videograph procedure

19/02/2020, SERENA JOSEPHINE M.,CHENNAI

Identity crisis: Investigations revealed that a few students made use of impersonators to secure MBBS seats last year.R. Ragu

After last year’s State medical admissions were rocked by cases of impersonation, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) is all set to add security features to the counselling process this year.

Last year, investigations revealed that a few students secured admission to MBBS seats in government and private medical colleges by engaging impersonators for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The scam came to light in September, beginning with the case of a first-year MBBS student of Government Theni Medical College.

The student had reportedly engaged an impersonator, who appeared for NEET in a centre outside Tamil Nadu, attended the medical counselling in the State and completed the admission process at the college. The CB-CID police that is investigating the case have so far arrested at least seven students and their parents.

‘Not taking chances’

This year, the DME is not taking any chances, an official said.

“We are taking extra care this time. We want to check the genuineness of candidates and will be putting in place security measures at the counselling session that will be held by the Selection Committee. This will include facial identification, thumb impressions, latest photographs and Aadhaar card,” he said.

The counselling process will be videographed and the images of candidates will be captured and shared with medical colleges. CCTVs would be part of the security features to record the counselling process, officials said.

Latest photographs

Along with this, the thumb impression of the students would also be taken. Students would be required to bring in their latest photographs on the day of the scheduled counselling as officials said in the previous years, they came across candidates submitting photographs that were at least five years old.

“Through these measures, we will be able to keep track of who is attending the counselling and who is approaching the college to complete the admission process. We will share these details with the colleges for them to cross-check and confirm the identity of the student gaining admission,” he said.

MBBS students, docs slam move for exit test

TNN | Feb 19, 2020, 04.40 AM IST

Madurai: The National Exit Test (NEXT), proposed in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019 passed by Parliament last year, is facing opposition from medical students and doctors. NEXT or a common final-year MBBS exam is a key provision in the NMC bill for admission to postgraduate courses and also for obtaining a practice licence and is likely to be implemented by 2022.

“We have been opposing several sections in the NMC Bill ever since it was introduced in Parliament. It is being proposed to conduct at least two NEXT exams, one before internship for final year MBBS students and one after it. This will definitely be a burden for students who will be prone to burnout. Already, there have been many cases of medical students committing suicide,” said Dr Abul Haasan, chairman of IMA Junior Doctors Network and a senior paediatric surgeon.

The NEXT-1 exam, a competitive exam, must be cleared to do internship and its marks will also be used for PG ranking in counselling. According to the current proposal, NEXT-1 exam cannot be repeated if one clears it. “The current National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Neet) postgraduate (PG) exam can be repeated to improve our score to get our choice of seat. Getting a seat of our choice is already a herculean task. So, such an exam at the end of our final year will be a ton of pressure on us,” said an MBBS student from a private college in Madurai. On the other hand, the NEXT-2 exam after internship is more of a practical exam and needs to be cleared to get PG seat and licence to practice.

“Students have the option of working after finishing MBBS or going for PG. So, why do they need to clear the first NEXT exam and score well if they are not ready to go for PG immediately. Further, if they score less marks, it would still impact their PG admission in future ,” explained Dr Abul. He also said that the uniform exam does not consider the rural and urban divide. Since the multiple choice questions for the first NEXT exam are likely to be not just from the final year portions it will only be a burden for students, he added.

“We are open to suggestions but actually the current system is already a good enough system,” added Dr Venkatesh Karthikeyan, the state president of IMA Medical Students Network.

Times of India 19.02.2020

93-year-old Sivasubramanian is the oldest student to finish his masters from IGNOU
New Delhi:19.02.2020

“Family responsibilities kept me from pursuing my passion for studies, but at 87, finally, that opportunity knocked on my door,” said 93-year-old C I Sivasubramanian the oldest student at the IGNOU convocation on Monday.

Sivasubramanian received his masters’ degree in public administration at the convocation and his zest for knowledge was praised by HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ who called him a 90-year-old “youngster”.

“After finishing my school in 1940s, I wanted to go to college, but that meant either shifting to Trichy or Chennai. Both my parents fell ill and my relatives advised me against going because I had to take care of them. So, I got a job and started working,” he said.

Later, the family shifted to Delhi, and he got a job as a clerk in the ministry of commerce in 1940s. Over the years, he kept rising through the ranks, after appearing for various departmental exams, to finally retire as a director from the ministry in 1986 at the age of 58, but his one dream remained unfulfilled, that of becoming a graduate.

“In fact, I was offered an opportunity to be part of a programme in the United Nations. But since I was not a graduate, I could not go. During my tenure at the ministry, I even enquired about the correspondence courses available at Delhi University but then I was transferred and could not pursue them,” he said.

The nonagenarian wanted to pursue studies after his retirement but then family responsibilities and ensuring that his children got the best education meant that his dream was put on the backburner. He has three daughters and a son, all of whom have retired from prestigious positions.

However, an unlikely turn of events ended up steering him in the direction of his dream. “My wife was rendered bedridden when I was 87. I used to be by her bedside all through the day and my daughters would also come. One day, her physiotherapist said that he would leave a little early that day as he had to go to IGNOU to collect his form to apply for a course.”

“I asked him to find out whether I could also apply. He found that age is no bar at IGNOU and then I enrolled for the bachelors’ course in public administration even though I told my children, ‘I do not know whether I will be alive long enough to complete it’. After finishing my graduation, I enrolled for the masters degree,” he said. PTI

AGE NO BAR

CBCID summons 12 from same street who cleared TNPSC

Bosco.Dominique@timesgroup.com

Cuddalore:19.02.2020

CBCID sleuths have issued summons to 12 people hailing from the same street who had cleared the Group 2A examinations conducted by the Tamil Nadu public service commission in 2011 in a village in Cuddalore district to appear before the agency in connection with a probe regarding their involvement in malpractices to clear the competitive examination.

Much to the surprise of many, two siblings each from four families had cleared the examination. All the 12 hailing from a street in Keezhakku Ramapuram in Cuddalore district presently serve as revenue inspectors, commercial tax officers and deputy tahsildars in various districts of Tamil Nadu.

“We issued summons to the 12 people asking them to appear on February 19 but later decided to postpone the inquiry and conveyed to them to appear as and when asked to do so,” said an investigation officer.

An anti-corruption forum in the district accused the 12 of indulging in malpractices to crack the Group 2A exam with the help of two brokers immediately after the exam in 2011. The forum had charged that the brokers, with the help of tainted TNPSC officials, leaked the question paper of the Group 2A exam to their clientele, including the 12 people, after receiving a huge sum of money from them in 2011.

The CBCID registered a case and arrested the two brokers in this connection. But the agency failed to make any further progress in the case. The issue has resurfaced now after multiple scams in the TNPSC recruitment process were reported recently.

The candidates from Cuddalore district were also allegedly involved in Group IV exam fraud. The agency said four people from the district appeared for the Group IV exam from two centres in Ramanathapuram district. The agency has so far arrested three people from Cuddalore district in connection with the Group IV examination fraud.

Kovai bus drivers told not to talk to women seated next to them

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:19.02.2020

Government bus drivers in the Coimbatore region are baffled by a new rule. Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Coimbatore, has instructed them not to chat with women seated next to them.

Following complaints that drivers tend to get distracted because of such small talk, a circular on January 19 warned that departmental action will be initiated against those who violate the rule.

“All it takes is a fraction of a second (for an accident). So, it is better to avoid such ‘unnecessary’ distractions,” said a senior TNSTC official, requesting anonymity.

M Radhakrishnan of Inaiyum Kaigal workers’ union in Coimbatore said there have been instances when drivers didn’t halt at stops though conductors had repeatedly asked them to. “Some remain so engrossed in conversation that they resume driving without ascertaining whether passengers are boarding or alighting.”

Drivers on the other hand said such chat, regardless of gender, came as a muchneeded break. TNSTC driver D R Ramesh said that earlier a similar rule was introduced barring conductors from occupying front seats. Subsequently, it was repealed after night-duty drivers complained that they found it difficult with no one to talk to. “If talking to women is their problem, let them change the seating pattern,” he said.

Unlike in Chennai, local buses in Coimbatore have a different seating arrangement. While men mostly occupy the last six or seven rows of the vehicle, women occupy the front half of bus. So, if women don’t find seats, they tend to sit on the bonnet next to the driver.

A few people sitting on the bonnet is a common sight in most buses in the Coimbatore region, particularly those plying along Avinashi Road which is dotted with many women’s colleges, textile factories and of late professional workspaces.

A new trouble for TNSTC is that women passengers are either forced to stand near bus entrances in dangerous positions or skip overcrowded buses and wait longer for the next bus.

“If the government is so concerned about our safety and comfort, they should operate more buses, particularly air-conditioned buses with more seats,” said M Divya who works at BR Puram Industrial Estate. Coimbatore has only eight air-conditioned buses.

GAG ORDER