Delhi HC To Hear Plea Challenging Reservation For OBCs In PG Courses In Central Educational Institutions, Tomorrow

Delhi HC To Hear Plea Challenging Reservation For OBCs In PG Courses In Central Educational Institutions, Tomorrow 

Akshita Saxena

10 May 2020 6:18 PM 

A petition challenging the provision of 27% reservations to the persons belonging to OBC category in post graduation courses in Central educational institutions, specifically in JNU, is listed for hearing in the Delhi High Court tomorrow. 

The petition has been filed by Advocate Nishant Khatri, through Advocate Dr. Subhash Vijayran, challenging an Office Memorandum dated April 20, 2008, issued by the MHRD whereby the above provision was introduced. 

The plea states that the law with regards to reservation for the OBC category was settled by the Supreme Court in Ashok Kumar Thakur v. Union of India, (2008) 6 SCC 1, whereby it was held that there shall be no reservation for OBCs in post-graduate courses. 

In the said case, the Supreme Court had upheld the validity of reservations in respect of persons belonging to the OBC category for admissions under the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006 but with two express caveats: 

· First, that the persons from creamy layer of OBCs would be excluded from reservations (unanimous decision). 

· Second, that OBCs would not be eligible for reservations in Post-Graduate Courses (decision by 3:2 majority). 

In this backdrop the Petitioner has contended that the impugned OM is "contemptuous" inasmuch as it is in conformity with the first caveat but not with the second one. 

The Petitioner has also contended that the OM is violative of Article 15(5) of the Constitution. He has submitted that the "special provisions" permitted under Article 15(5) are inter alia for Socially and Educationally Backwards Classes (SEBCs). 

"The conjunction used between the words "Socially" & "Educationally" is "AND". This means the classes of citizens have to be both socially as well as educationally backward to be eligible for reservations under SEBC quota. If a class is either socially or educationally backward but not both socially AND educationally backward, it is not eligible for reservations under Article-15(5) under SEBC quota," he has submitted. 

In this context he further pointed out that as per the majority judgment in Ashok Kumar Thakur case, "Once a candidate graduates from a university, the said candidate is educationally forward and is ineligible for special benefits under Article 15(5) of the Constitution for post graduate and any further studies thereafter". 

Accordingly the Petitioner has contended that impugned OM and the e-prospectus issued by JNU, providing 27% reservations to OBCs in its post-graduate courses, is unconstitutional being violative of Article 15 of the Constitution of India as interpreted by the constitution bench of the Supreme Court. 

Locus & CoA 

The Petitioner has submitted that he belongs to the Unreserved Category and intends to pursue his Post Graduation from JNU, which issued an e-prospectus last month as per the impugned OM thus, adversely affecting him. 

He has further submitted that the cause of action in the present case is recurring and continuing year after year till date, with all Central Educational Institutions implementing the contemptuous OM of MHRD. 

Accordingly, quashing of both the OM as well as the e-prospectus has been prayed for. 

சுறுசுறு... சென்னை; ஜவ்வாக மதுரை!

சுறுசுறு... சென்னை; ஜவ்வாக மதுரை!

Added : மே 09, 2020 23:17

மதுரை : மதுரை காமராஜ் பல்கலையில், 11 மாதங்களாகியும், புதிய பதிவாளர் தேர்வு செய்யப்படவில்லை. புதிய பதிவாளரை தேர்வு செய்ய, சிண்டிகேட் உறுப்பினர்கள் இடம் பெற்ற, தேர்வுக்குழு நியமிக்கப்பட்டது.

முதலில் நடந்த நேர்காணலில், யாரும் தேர்வு செய்யப்படவில்லை.இதையடுத்து, ஜனவரியில் இரண்டாவது அறிவிப்பு வெளியிட சிண்டிகேட் தீர்மானித்தது. ஆனால், இதுவரை வெளியிடப்படவில்லை. இதற்கிடையில், பதிவாளராக கூடுதல் பொறுப்பு வகித்த, சங்கர் நடேசனும் மே, 1ல் ராஜினாமா செய்தார்.ஆனாலும், இதுவரை, புதிய பதிவாளர் குறித்து, தேர்வு குழுவிடம், துணைவேந்தர் கிருஷ்ணன் ஆலோசனை நடத்தவில்லை. ஊரடங்கு காரணமாக, பதிவாளர் தேர்வு தாமதமாகிறது எனக், கூறப்படுகிறது. அதேநேரத்தில், சென்னை பல்கலையில், துணைவேந்தர் துரைச்சாமி பதவிக்காலம் முடிவதற்குள், புதியவரை தேர்வு செய்ய தேடல் குழு மே, 6ல் அறிவிப்பு வெளியிட்டு உள்ளது.

மதுரை காமராஜ் பல்கலை தரத்தை நிர்ணயிக்கும், 'நாக்' கமிட்டி வருகை தரவுள்ள நிலையில், பதிவாளர் பணியிடம் காலியாக இருந்தால் பின்னடைவாக இருக்கும். இதற்கிடையில், பல்கலை இன்ஜினியர் பணியிடம், பல ஆண்டுகளாக காலியாக உள்ளது. அதனால், ஜூனியர் நிலையில் உள்ள, சிவில் இன்ஜினியர் ஆனந்தகுமாருக்கு, 'எஸ்டேட் ஆபீசர்' என, புதிய பதவியாக, பொறுப்பு வழங்கப்பட்டது. முன்பு பேராசிரியர்கள் தான், எஸ்டேட் ஆபீசர்களாக நியமிக்கப்பட்டனர்.மேலும், பணிகளை முடித்த பின்பே அனுமதி பெறப்படுகிறது என, இன்ஜினியரிங் பிரிவில் நீண்ட நாட்களாக குற்றச்சாட்டு உள்ளது.

சர்ச்சைகளில் சிக்கிய ஆனந்தகுமாரை நீக்கி, மூத்த இன்ஜினியரை, பல்கலை இன்ஜினியராக நியமிக்க வேண்டும்.துணைவேந்தரின் தன்னிச்சை முடிவு! காமராஜ் பல்கலை பதிவாளர் பொறுப்பு வகித்த, சங்கர் நடேசன் ராஜினாமா செய்தார். இதை சிண்டிகேட் உறுப்பினர்களிடம் துணைவேந்தர் விவாதிக்காமல், 'ராஜினாமா ஏற்கப்பட்டது; விரைவில், புதிய பொறுப்பு பதிவாளர் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவார்' என்றார். ஆனால், 'சங்கர் நடேசனின் ராஜினாமாவை ஏற்கவில்லை' என, துணைவேந்தர் தற்போது தெரிவித்துள்ளது, தன்னிச்சை முடிவை காட்டுகிறது.

இதன் வாயிலாக, முன்னாள் துணைவேந்தர் செல்லத்துரை காலத்தில், பல்கலை வளர்ச்சியை பாதித்த முட்டுக்கட்டை செயல்பாடுகள், மீண்டும் அரங்கேறுகிறதா என்ற, கேள்வி எழுந்துள்ளது.

Extension of payment date for LT customers: Tangedco

Extension of payment date for LT customers: Tangedco

Also, in case of LT domestic consumers wherever billing is made under PMC due to COVID-19, the next reading will be taken only on the next due date.

Published: 07th May 2020 06:37 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Extension of time for payment of all Low Tension(LT) and Low Tension Current Transformer(LTCT) consumers whose due dates fall between March 25 and May 17, shall be granted up to May 22, without levy of additional charges, TANGEDCO announced on Thursday. 

An official statement by TANGEDCO said, LT industrial and commercial consumers who have been billed under Previous Month Billing (PMC) can make payment upto May 22 based on PMC or by way of revised bill for actual consumption by furnishing the self assessment reading. Also, in case of LT domestic consumers wherever billing is made under PMC due to COVID-19, the next reading will be taken only on the next due date.

As lockdown eases, AC mechanics in demand

As lockdown eases, AC mechanics in demand

The number of calls to the service centre has nearly doubled. “Normally, we would be allotted a maximum of seven to nine calls a day.

Published: 07th May 2020 06:37 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Manikandan, a 32-year-old AC technician, who works for an app-based home service provider said, “My phone has been ringing every ten minutes since yesterday, and I had been assigned 25 AC repairs and maintenance in a single day.” With the approaching summer, and the government allowing electricians to resume work, there has been a huge surge in service requests.

The number of calls to the service centre has nearly doubled. “Normally, we would be allotted a maximum of seven to nine calls a day. But, since the relaxation, we have been on our toes, and we hardly get a 15 minute lunch break now,” said Manikandan. The techinicians however, are working with the fear of catching the virus. He added, “Before we got back to duty, we were asked to do tests, and also given instructions to mandatorily use masks and gloves.” The customers are also given instruction to stay ina separate room while the technicians are at work.

However, availability of spare parts is what worries them. “Big shops selling spares haven’t opened yet, and hence, the dealers have started selling them at an increased price,” said another AC techinician at Velachery, adding that they sell this in the morning hours, secretly. Another hurdle is shortage of staff at hand, because most of the technicians had gone home before the lockdown kicked in. “In Mylapore, we have only three technicans. If we hire others privately, they charge us more,” said Muthuvel, a manager of an AC service centre. Adding to the misery is that certain gated communities have barred entry of outsiders due to the spread of coronavirus.

25 AC repairs were assigned to me in a single day, and my phone has been ringing every ten minutes, says an app based service provider

Virus keeps thousands sleepless

Virus keeps thousands sleepless

Youngsters, especially fresh graduates and techies, are among the most affected

Published: 08th May 2020 06:57 AM | Last Updated: 08th May 2020 08:13 AM 

By Omjasvin MD

Express News Service

The novel coronavirus may be the worst nightmare of infected people, healthcare workers and governments across the world, but it is depriving numerous others of a good sleep also. Anxiety about virus-induced job loss, placement delay and business slump are keeping many awake at the dead of night.Youngsters, especially fresh graduates and techies, are among the most affected.

“Mid April, our team leaders benched a few of us from projects temporarily. Since then, I am not able to sleep well. Sometimes, I stay awake the whole night worrying about sustaining my family,’’ says Ashwin Ravi (31), an IT employee in OMR.Those who just completed their dream courses are also spending sleepless nights.

“I paid Rs 7 lakh fees for the course but placements are yet to take off due to the lockdown. I am sleepless, worried about explaining the scenario to parents,’’ says a young journalism graduate, who did not want to be named.Medical and mental health experts say that sleep deprivation and insomnia are outcome of stress and it could have consequences ranging from short term to long term.

Dr Bhuvaneshwari Rajendran, a neurologist at Kauvery Hospital, says this is a period of uncertainty in the job market and many people are vulnerable.“This creates an undercurrent of stress and triggers change in cortisol and adrenaline levels. Our sleep cycles are severely affected in this period,” says.

Dr Bhuvaneshwari adds that lack of sleep disturbs the day and night cycles in individuals. “Change in blood pressure, heaviness in head, headache and rise in sugar level are some effects of sleep deprivation.’’

The neurologist adds that when people work from home, they tend to work ‘more’ and as a result, they expose themselves to too much artificial light. “This may lead to people having more vivid dreams.’’

Sahithya Raghu, consultant psychologist with Gleneagles Global Health City, points to a case of her client, a businessman with no medical history, having a cardiac arrest. “Since the lockdown, his funds were stuck somewhere. He had not been sleeping the whole night for two months thinking about it. Suddenly, on a fine day he ended up having cardiac arrest.’’

She says that all our glands function only in the night and sleeplessness may internally change the way the body functions. Minimal exercise can help in developing a good psychological health, she adds.

COVID-19: Uber India to offer free rides to healthcare workers, govt officials of Chennai Corporation

COVID-19: Uber India to offer free rides to healthcare workers, govt officials of Chennai Corporation

The free rides worth Rs 25 lakh was part of Uber's global commitment to offer 10 million free rides.

Published: 08th May 2020 07:10 PM 

For representational purposes (File Photo | Reuters)

By PTI

CHENNAI: Ride hailing major Uber India on Friday said it would offer free rides to healthcare workers and government officials of Greater Chennai Corporation engaged in COVID-19 related work under its UberMedic Service.

The free rides worth Rs 25 lakh was part of Uber's global commitment to offer 10 million free rides.

Uber said it was already transporting frontline medical workers in over 35 hospitals across 23 cities under the UberMedic," Greater Chennai Corporation has been working tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID19 across Chennai.

We feel privileged to be supporting them in these challenging times," Uber India and South Asia, operations and head (cities), Director, Prabhjeet Singh said.

To ensure hygiene while transporting, the drivers of UberMedic were trained in safety procedures and also provided with personal protective equipment and disinfectants, it said.

People requiring physio sessions hit

People requiring physio sessions hit

Some city hospitals offering exclusive physiotherapy sessions have also stopped the service, says S Janaki, a senior citizen who requires the sessions.

Published: 09th May 2020 06:01 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Patients requiring physiotherapy sessions are facing difficulties as the lockdown has deprived them of direct contact with therapists. Even though many physiotherapists are offering online or tele services, patients lament that the services are not effective.

N Madhavan, a retired government official who was advised to undergo physiotherapy after a recent open-heart surgery, says that his therapist declined to continue the service after the lockdown began.

Seaking to Express, Mohith Sesikiran, a physiotherapist who offers therapy to several clients across Chennai, says he has temporarily stopped visiting clients to ensure their safety as well social distance.

Some city hospitals offering exclusive physiotherapy sessions have also stopped the service, says S Janaki, a senior citizen who requires the sessions.

“The Tamil Nadu State Physiotherapy Council (TNSPC) and the National Physiotherapy Council has asked us not to open clinics, and to treat patients only in emergency cases,” says Mohith.