Attendees of professor’s funeral quarantine fearing virus

Attendees of professor’s funeral quarantine fearing virus

Residents of a quaint village in Tiruchy were on the throes of panic after news broke out that a person whom they bid final adieu recently was down with Covid-19. 

Published: 16th July 2020 03:54 AM 

By Express News Service

TIRUCHY: Residents of a quaint village in Tiruchy were on the throes of panic after news broke out that a person whom they bid final adieu recently was down with Covid-19. At least three hundred people from Vairichettipalayam village near Uppliyapuram attended the funeral of a retired professor on July 12. The 85-year-old professor died in the Tiruchy GH and the death certificate mentioned that he died of natural causes.

Following this a regular funeral was organized where hundreds gathered in violation of rules prescribed by the government. The following day, news broke out that he tested positive sending shockwaves among the residents. “We organised a regular funeral as doctors mentioned he did not die of covid. Only later did we come to know that he had a few symptoms and a swab test was taken during his hospital stay. We are scared if someone has contracted the virus as we were interacting with his family. The village chief is from the family.

The entire episode could have been avoided had officials announced his test result on time,” said a resident. As of July 14, Uppliyapyram had a total of 41 corona positive cases. Sources said all those who attended the funeral, including the ambulance driver, have been told to be in home quarantine and take a test if needed. District Collector S Sivarasu said samples were being taken from all those who attended the funeral. As of Wednesday, 60 samples were collected. “All of them are also being instructed to undergo isolation and efforts are being taken to prevent a new cluster,” he added.

Student moves HC against UGC order on final exams

Student moves HC against UGC order on final exams

A final year student has moved the Madras High Court with a writ petition on Tuesday challenging an order dated July 6 of the UGC

Published: 15th July 2020 06:55 AM 

The Madras High Court

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A final year student has moved the Madras High Court with a writ petition on Tuesday challenging an order dated July 6 of the UGC directing all the colleges and Universities to conduct final/terminal semester exams for the final year students in September.

The petition was filed by one Amjath Ali Khan. Among other things, the petitioner contended that the impugned order has singled out the final year students and mandated them to write the final/terminal semester by the end of September, while the entire semester exams for other year students was rescinded.

WBUHS VC attends guv’s online meet, others don’t

INTERFACE STANDOFF

WBUHS VC attends guv’s online meet, others don’t

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata:  16.07.2020

A state university participated in the virtual conference with the West Bengal governor on Wednesday while others chose to stay away, throwing up two faces of universities in the state.

West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS) vice-chancellor Rajendra Pandey had a direct interface with governor Jagdeep Dhankhar when VCs ofother state universities had cited service rules under West Bengal State Universities Act barring them from having direct interaction with the chancellor.

WBUHS is placed under the Bengal health department, and not higher education, and therefore doesn’t come under the Act, a state official said.

“The governor wanted updates on four issues, including holding ofexaminations in the pandemic situation. We told him our university is following all regulations, the Covid protocol, and holding examinations and publishing results. He also wanted to know about state quota for the NEET qualified applying for PG admission in state medical colleges. I cited him the Supreme Court ruling,” the WBUHS VC said.

After the virtual meeting, Dhankhar tweeted: “Had benefit of inputs from VC and Pro VC of West Bengal University of Health Sciences in Virtual Conference. Unfortunately other VCs in disregard of student interests failed in their duty to attend. Would never compromise student welfare.”

The governor had been insisting on interactions with varsity heads after UGC issued revised guidelines to state universities making examinations — pen-and-paper, online, hybrid — compulsory for final semester/final year students.

There was in fact an escalation in the standoff between Raj Bhavan and VCs after the officer on special duty (OSD) to the governor wrote to VCs on July 13 asking them to take part in the virtual meeting. “VCs and pro-VCs to attend the virtual meeting on July 15 in a state of preparedness and any disregard to this may result in violation of their conduct leading to consequences as per statutory prescriptions,” the letter had said. West Bengal Vice-Chancellors’ Council responded with “shock” at the letter.

The stalemate reached the CM, who wrote to the governor on July 14, saying “unseemly situations that are avoidable must be avoided. Their (VCs) non-attendance would be serious matter in law. Will send out a wrong signal to the country. Hope they get the right indication from the government.”

Dhankhar, however, went ahead with his plan. Hours before the meeting, he said: “VCs must attend virtual conference and desist from taking partisan stance.”

₹1L fine on 7 LU colleges for expired affiliation

₹1L fine on 7 LU colleges for expired affiliation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow  16.07.2020

: Lucknow University (LU) has slapped a fine on seven of its associated colleges for failing to apply for permanent affiliation after the temporary affiliation of the colleges expired.

It also cancelled the affiliation of a private management college whose affiliation was not approved by the executive council.

The decision was taken in the emergent executive council meeting called on Wednesday.

“The colleges have been fined with Rs 1 lakh for not getting timely affiliation done while affiliation of one college has been cancelled,” said a senior LU official.

Two of the seven affiliated colleges fined are government-aided.

Compulsory leave without pay for some AI staffers

Compulsory leave without pay for some AI staffers

New Delhi:  16.07.2020

Cash-strapped Air India has decided to send “redundant” employees among its 13,000-strong permanent workforce on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for six months or two years, extendable up to five years. Departmental heads and regional directors have been instructed to make their recommendations by August 15, based on an assessment of each individual in terms of suitability for the assigned role, competence, performance and health.

Employees voluntarily seeking to go on leave without pay will require approval on a case-by-case basis, “subject to the requirements of the company”. The Air India CMD will take a call on the lists compiled by the departmental heads and regional directors.

“No employee availing of the scheme will be permitted to take up jobs in government other public sector undertakings…. Employees taking up employment after availing LWP under the scheme or at a later date, in other airlines and allied services or in any organisation with which the company has dealings, should seek prior permission from the company...’’ the order said. TNN

Christ varsity goes ahead with exams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:

Christ (deemed to be) University conducted its online exam on Wednesday despite the state government sending an advisory to cancel the same for intermediate semesters.

The university said it will continue with the exam on Thursday as well. “We have still not received the letter. I have only seen it on social media. However, it’s only an advisory note and the state government cannot mandate as we are not under its purview,” said Fr Abraham VM, vicechancellor. “The response to our online exams has been excellent. It was 96.3% on Wednesday,” he added. The last test is on July 25.

On July 13, the Karnataka government sent a letter to Christ (deemed to be) University) and KLE Technology University not to conduct examinations for intermediate semester/year. It told the institutes to promote students based on the grading system consisting of 50% marks for internal evaluation and 50% for performance in the previous semester.

No intermediate semester exam, says KLE VC

Ashok Shettar, V-C, KLE Technological University, Hubballi, said there will be no end-semester exam for intermediate semesters and only internal assessments are being done as per UGC guidelines and the government notification. “Students will be promoted as per internal assessment and other guidelines set by the government in its order,” he said.

FEE WAIVER

The higher education department has announced that 50% of exam fee for the next semester (UG, PG and diploma) courses will be waived. This is after several students of intermediate semesters demanded that the fee they paid for the exams, which were later cancelled, be reimbursed.

Retired staffers, pregnant women called for virus duty

ManuAiyappa.Kanathanda@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:

Current and former employees of public institutions providing non-essential services are upset about the state government’s decision to press them into Covid-related tasks without considering their age or health status.

Using data from the Election Commission, local bodies have randomly asked employees who were on duty during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to join boothlevel committees being formed to conduct contract tracing and monitor Covid-19 patients. These employees include college lecturers. “The government has every right to summon us in this time of crisis, but it should at least consider our age and health status. Otherwise, it will only lead to problems,” said V Sidde Gowda, a member of the state government employees’ association. Gowda has comorbidity.

People with pre-existing conditions are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. Medical education minister K Sudhakar had earlier said that government employees aged over 50, suffering from comorbidity or with disability will be exempted from Covid-related work. Despite his clarification, staffers of government institutions have been roped into booth-level task force committees. Notices to report for training and duty have been sent to even employees who retired in 2019, pregnant women and those with comorbidities. “Staff members with physical disability have also been asked to fall in line,” claimed a member of the association.

A retired assistant professor of the University of Agricultural Sciences received a text message to join training. He is 63. Another lecturer, from Government Arts and Science College, said: “I suffer from acute diabetes and hypertension. Does the government really want me to attend training?” When some asked BBMP officials for an exemption, they were told to find a replacement.

Sudhakar said he would look into the issue: “I don’t know why they have picked government employees randomly. They should have verified their age and health status before summoning them for training. I will ensure that norms are followed.” Full report toi.in