[NEET 2020]'Vande Bharat Flights Are Being Made Available': SC On Plea Seeking Examination Centres In Gulf Countries

[NEET 2020]'Vande Bharat Flights Are Being Made Available': SC On Plea Seeking Examination Centres In Gulf Countries: The Supreme Court on Thursday told petitioner(s) seeking allocation of Test Centres for NEET Examination in foreign countries that Vande Bharat flights for return to India are being made available...

TN engg students get real with virus, embrace virtual lab tests

TN engg students get real with virus, embrace virtual lab tests

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:16.08.2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it several challenges and some new opportunities too like the resuscitation of virtual labs project of the ministry of human resources development that had remained moribund for almost a decade. Though online classes have started, professional colleges were unable to conduct experiments without opening their labs to students.

The virtual labs project, which allows students to do their experiments remotely by using cloud computing, will also help them access video lectures, demonstrations and reference books. “Virtual labs are like simulators. All engineering experiments except chemical and biotech ones can be done in virtual mode,” said Sandeep Sancheti, vice-chancellor, SRMIST. The labs are essentially graphical front-end working in synchronization with a back-end consisting of a simulation-engine running on a server or actual measurement data or a remotely-triggered experiment. “Virtual labs are safer and better for experimentation. The students are doing experiments individually instead of groups where one or two will do the experiments and others will just measure the readings,” he said.

TESTING TIME: Virtual labs help students to do their experiments remotely by using cloud computing

Virtual experiments can be done 24x7

The virtual experiments can be done 24x7 instead of four or five hours in the regular mode. “Many institutes can come together and offer virtual experiments to their students to make it affordable. There is no limit for the number of attempts and they will get access to highend equipment,” he added.

He further said virtual labs can lead to virtual education and universities. “There are many tools for online classes and exams. If we develop effective virtual labs, it would give final push to establishing virtual universities,” Sancheti said. “We are sensitizing our staff to virtual experiments. We will allow our students to do virtual experiments from next week,” said RM Kishore, vice-chairman, RMK Engineering College.

Students have to do 12 to 15 experiments per lab course in a semester. The virtual lab project will cover most of the experiments.

“A student would get just one chance in a physical lab experiment. He or she can get a chance to do multiple experiments. It is free of cost. Anybody can join and access the website and do the experiments. At present, we are giving it as value-addition,” he added.

“In the present situation when students are not able to come to colleges and do physical experiments, virtual labs would offer them help. These labs can develop the curiosity of students. It will play an important role even after Covid,” said M K Surappa, vice-chancellor, Anna University.

National Institute of Technology, Karnataka in Surathkal is one of the pioneers in setting up virtual labs.

Many TN institutions have already approached the NITK for setting up and accessing virtual labs.

National Institute of Technology, Karnataka in Surathkal is one of the pioneers in setting up virtual labs. Many TN institutions have already approached the NITK for setting up and accessing virtual labs

As e-pass norms ease, vigilance up

As e-pass norms ease, vigilance up

16/08/2020

Staff Reporter

Madurai

Vigilance, monitoring and healthcare facilities will be ramped up in the district, in light of the State Government's announcement granting easier access to e-passes from August 17, said senior officials of the district administration.

District Monitoring Officer B. Chandramohan, said that officials of the health department and the district administration took part in a review meeting on Friday and they discussed the drop in COVID-19 cases and a plan to ensure sustained low positive numbers over the next two weeks. Collector T. G. Vinay said that they will be strengthening district borders at Kottampatti, Vadipatti and Kadavur and screening all those with symptoms.

“Since we will be approving the e-passes the previous day, we will have an approximate idea of the total number of people travelling into the district. We can station as many teams in these checkposts based on the previous day's data,” he said.

A source from the district administration said that currently, they receive close to 3,000 e-pass applications every day and approve roughly 34% of them.

The Collector added that they will continue to intensify fever clinics and encourage those even with cough and cold symptoms to regularly visit the clinics for testing. “We have found that masking and maintaining physical distance is important in containing the spread,” he said.

Deputy Director, Health department, Priya Raj, said that teams will be present at district borders for swab collection. Test results for them will be available within 12 hours, she added.

Home-quarantined advised to buy pulse oximeter, thermal scanner

Home-quarantined advised to buy pulse oximeter, thermal scanner

TNN | Aug 16, 2020, 04.52 AM IST

Thanjavur: District collector M Govinda Rao has instructed Covid-19 positive patients who have opted for home quarantine to have a pulse oximeter and a thermal scanner for their own usage. He also warned medical shops of stringent action if found charging exorbitant prices for the devices.

“People in home quarantine should have one oximeter to monitor their oxygen level being supplied to their brain and a thermal scanner to check body temperature frequently. If they find anything abnormal, they should immediately approach the government hospital for further treatment,” the collector said.

“If anyone is found selling pulse oximeter and thermal scanner at rates higher than the maximum retail price, action will be taken against the concerned medical shops by the district administration,” he warned.

A pulse oximeter costs between Rs 1,800 and Rs 3,000. Few companies are offering up to Rs 2,000 discount on the device. Likewise, a thermal scanner costs between Rs 1,500 and Rs 3,000, sources said.

The district administration has taken various measures to combat the spread of coronavirus in the district. People infected by the virus are sent to isolation wards established in Government Medical College Hospital in Thanjavur for treatment. This apart, three more Covid-19 centres have also been established in Vallam, Annai Engineering College in Kumbakonam, and slum clearance board building in Pattukottai.

As of now, around 100 people are under home quarantine in the district, health officials said.

SPB stable but remains on life support, say docs

SPB stable but remains on life support, say docs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.08.2020

Playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam, who was admitted to MGM Healthcare in Chennai, with mild Covid-19 symptoms, continues to be on life support. His condition is critical.

The 74-year-old singer was moved into the intensive care unit on Friday after his oxygen saturation dipped. He was admitted to the hospital on August 5. On Saturday, Dr V Sabanayagam, consultant and clinical lead, MGM healthcare, said the singer had been on life support in the intensive care unit for the past 48 hours but his condition is stable.

“He has been administered plasma therapy and the recommended medications such as remdesiver, steroids and medications to prevent blood clots. The life support is to help them breathe. He has been undergoing physiotherapy and frequently kept in a prone position to improve oxygenation. Doctors are monitoring his clinical parameters,” he said. SPB has been waking up from time to time. “He is aware of the treatment we are giving him,” the doctor said.

While visitors are not allowed, health minister C Vijayabaskar dropped in at the hospital along with senior government doctors to enquire about SPB’s health. “The chief minister is concerned about SPB’s health. The hospital explained his health condition and our medical team has also offered help to the treating team. I also spoke to his son who is now quarantined. We are hopeful he will recover,” he said. Policemen were posted outside the hospital for crowd management.

Earlier, the singer’s son, singer and film producer S P Charan released a video message assuring people that he was hopeful that his father would recover from the viral infection. “I have been receiving calls since the morning. Appa is stable now. He is responding well to the ventilator. His lungs are functioning better than they were yesterday. Doctors are confident he will pull through. But it will take time. ….Recovery will be slow,” he said, urging people to continue praying.

On Friday, the hospital announced there was a setback in the singer’s health. On August 13, his condition deteriorated and based on the advice of the expert medical team he was put on life support in the intensive care unit.

On August 5, the singer himself posted a video message on his Facebook page stating that he had tested positive for Covid-19 after showing mild symptoms. He said although doctors had advised him home isolation, he decided to get himself admitted to a hospital as he was concerned about the health of his family members. He requested people not to call him as he wanted some rest.



PRAYERS FOR RECOVERY

S’pore central bank buys 11% in ICICI Bank’s QIP for ₹1,662cr

S’pore central bank buys 11% in ICICI Bank’s QIP for ₹1,662cr

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai  16.08.2020

Singapore’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore has emerged the largest investors in ICICI Bank’s qualified institutional placement of shares picking up 4.6 crore shares for ₹1,662 crore, which is over 11% of the issue size. The second-largest investor is Morgan Stanley Investment Management with a ₹1,086 crore investment followed by French bank Societe Generale which has purchased 2.3 crore shares for ₹832 crore.

On Saturday, ICICI Bank announced that it has successfully raised ₹15,000 crore by issuing equity at the rate of ₹358 per share under a qualified institutional placement. The issue price was fixed at ₹358 per equity share, which is at a premium of ₹356 per unit. The bank’s board, which met on Saturday, approved the allotment of shares. The Issue opened on August 10, 2020, and closed on August 14, 2020. “The proceeds of the issue will be used towards strengthening the capital adequacy ratio of the bank and improve its competitive positioning and/ or general corporate requirements or any other purposes as may be permissible under the applicable law and approved by the board,” the bank said in a statement.

The Government of Singapore through GIC and the Monetary Authority of Singapore have been big investors in the Indian capital markets. In November, the Singapore government and its monetary authority had invested over ₹900 crore in Zee Entertainment Limited.

Indian lenders have been taking advantage of the ample liquidity in capital markets to issue equity and raise confidence capital to make up for any losses that might occur because of stress among borrowers due to the Covid-19 economic crisis. So far Indian private lenders have raised over ₹50,000 crore.

On Saturday, ICICI Bank announced that it has successfully raised ₹15,000 crore by issuing equity at the rate of ₹358 per share under a qualified institutional placement

Ex-AIADMK minister joins DMK

Ex-AIADMK minister joins DMK

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.08.2020

Former AIADMK health minister V S Vijay on Saturday joined the DMK in the presence of party president M K Stalin. He later unleashed a scathing attack on the present AIADMK leadership, calling it weak and subservient to the BJP government at the Centre.

“After the demise of former chief minister Jayalalithaa, there is no strong leadership in the ruling party. The dual leadership, which has scant regard for the party’s ideology, is hurting the party’s interests,” he said. The present leaders of the AIADMK are “puppets” in the hands of the BJP, he said.

“The Centre had usurped several of TN rights. Admissions in state-run medical colleges were usurped through NEET. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is not doing anything to protect the interests of the state. Leaders were keen on promoting their own political future,” said Vijay, who had joined the AIADMK in 1977. Vijay was health minister for 2.5 years in the 2011-16 AIADMK government. After Jayalalithaa’s death, he was in AMMK before returning to the AIADMK.