SC reserves verdict on states’ power to cancel final exams

SC reserves verdict on states’ power to cancel final exams

States Say It’s Easy To Evaluate With Past Exam Sheets, Internal Assessments

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:19.08.2020

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on the question whether state governments had power under the Disaster Management Act to cancel final examinations for award of degrees to college students even though the University Grants Commission has asked universities to conduct final examinations by September 30.

Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha and Delhi said the UGC could not have taken a unilateral decision to hold final examinations, turning a blind eye to the Covid-19 pandemic which is accounting for over 50,000 new infections daily.

Though there had been a push to empower students with laptops for years, the common refrain of these four states was that most students were from rural areas and did not have access to laptops. Giving examinations with mobile phones would be extremely difficult and connectivity and internet speed were perennial issues that could raise the level of anxiety among students and deprive them of doing well in the examinations, the states said.

Senior advocates and advocates general of these states argued that when no public transport was available and when state governments had been empowered under the Disaster Management Act to take strict containment action during the pandemic, holding final examinations would be endangering the lives of many.

They said past examination performance sheets of each student, along with internal assessments, were available with colleges and it would be easy to evaluate them on that basis and promote them without final examinations.

However, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah said when UGC guidelines, as shown by solicitor general Tushar Mehta, were binding on universities, the commission’s decision not to recognise degrees without passing final examinations would also be binding. Before reserving its order, the SC said the only question was whether state governments, in a pandemic situation, had power under the DM Act to decide when to hold final examinations, especially when they pleaded that many colleges had been converted into Covid-19 testing centres.

The bench refused to interfere in the ongoing final examinations in Delhi University colleges. Mehta said the UGC guidelines had given three options — online, offline or hybrid system of examinations for final year students.

He said around 300 universities had already conducted final examinations and another 400 were in the process of doing so. Mehta said the UGC had made a provision that if any student, for a genuine reason, could not appear in the final examination held before September 30, then she would be given one more chance.

THE FINAL SAY: When UGC guidelines, as shown by solicitor general Tushar Mehta, were binding on universities, the commission’s decision not to recognise degrees without passing final examinations would also be binding, the SC bench said

Class X girl commits suicide, leaves 18-page note for PM Modi

Class X girl commits suicide, leaves 18-page note for PM Modi

Maria Khan TNN

Bareilly  19.08.2020

: Upset with rising pollution, corruption and some other social evils plaguing the society, a 16-year-old girl allegedly shot herself dead on the eve of Independence Day in UP’s Sambhal district. Policemen tasked with the probe on Tuesday recovered an 18-page note penned by the Class X student before her death and addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the extensive letter, the minor girl has raised concern over rising pollution level, cutting down of trees and corruption in medical field as some of the triggers for her suicide. The girl also wrote that she always wanted to meet the Prime Minister (PM) in person and discuss these issues with him.

She urged the PM to curb the growing population, implement the ban on firecrackers during Diwali and chemical-based colours on Holi. She was also disturbed with problems faced by the elderly people. “I don’t want to live anymore in a place where children send their parents to old age homes,” she mentioned at the beginning of the note. Her family members said that as their daughter’s last wish, they will make sure that the letter reaches the PM and has appealed to the administration to take cognisance of it. The girl’s father, who is a farmer, said, “The suicide note is my daughter’s last wish. We want that the letter must reach the PM.”

Full report on www.toi.in

Parents, activists want more exam centres for Neet in state

Parents, activists want more exam centres for Neet in state

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.08.2020

To better maintain social distancing and prevent the spread of Covid-19, parents and activists in Tamil Nadu have urged the National Testing Agency (NTA) to set up more exam centres for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Neet) scheduled for September 13.

The Supreme Court order has finally put an end to the confusion over exam dates and many students are ready to take the test.

Samuel Rozario,a Neet aspirant in the city, said he has no issues writing the exams on September 13. “The uncertainty in exam dates has affected us. Now, we can prepare well after knowing that the exams will be held on the same date,” he said.

He added that competition is likely to be tough. “I used to get 500 out of 720 marks in mock tests and I am scoring 600 marks now. With all students having had more time to prepare for the exam, I expect an increase in the cut-off scores for medical admission,” he said.

This year 1.2 lakh students in TN have registered for the common medical entrance test. The agency had set up 560 exam centres in 14 cities in Tamil Nadu last year. Citing the Covid pandemic, activists and parents demanded exam centres in all districts and allotment of exam centres within native districts of the students so it is easier for them to reach the spot.

Ramadevi E, a parent hailing from Cuddalore district, said, “In the absence of public transport it may be tough for us to travel to other locations. Last year, we travelled but this year may be tough.”

Another parent Sathyamurthy R said he was scared to send his son to a crowded exam hall. “We hope NTA will ensure social distancing norms in the centres. We should have double or triple the centres or hold exams in two shifts,” he said.

G R Ravindranath, general secretary of Doctors’ Association for Social Equality said the Centre should consider cancelling the exam. “If exams are to be conducted, then they should allot centres within the district for students as transport, stay and travel will be a major issue. The testing agency should arrange for transport and provide masks and hand sanitizers at the centres,” he added.

Meanwhile, a few city schools said the NTA had approached them for conducting the exam. “They are looking for 500sqft rooms to maintain social distancing and looking for larger schools,” a principal said.

Activists and parents demanded that students be allotted centres in native districts as travel, stay and safety would be an issue otherwise. This year 1.2 lakh students in TN have registered for the common medical entrance test

Tahsildar lauded by CM throws biryani party, transferred

Tahsildar lauded by CM throws biryani party, transferred

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.08.2020

Kundrathur tahsildar S Jayachitra was transferred on Tuesday, a day after she threw a biryani party for her subordinates to celebrate being named the best revenue official for her efforts in fighting Covid-19 and being honoured by the chief minister. A video of the party, held in violation of lockdown norms, went viral on social media on Tuesday.

Jayachitra replaces P Ekambaram as special tahsildar of Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway Scheme. This is part of a reshuffle of 13 revenue officials as per orders issued by Kancheepuram collector P Ponnaiah.

About 100 people took part in the biryani lunch party which is believed to have taken place at the guest house of the PWD near Chembarambakkam lake. Most of the guests were revenue officials employed in the taluk including revenue inspectors, VAOs, assistants, deputy tahsildars and sub-collectors in addition to her friends. Jayachitra was among the three officers of the revenue and disaster management department across the state to have won the special award. When contacted, the Kundrathur police said they had not registered a case as they are yet to receive a complaint. TOI tried to reach the tahsildar for comment, but she was unavailable as was the district collector.

In June, a DMK functionary who threw a birthday bash with about 250 guests near Gummidipoondi later tested positive for Covid-19 and was booked under four sections. Two guests tested positive and two died of the viral infection.

TOO CLOSE: About 100 people took part in the lunch, a video of which went viral on social media on Tuesday

Relaxation only for e-pass; corpn’s home quarantine rules to continue Movements Of Those Coming To City Will Be Strictly Tracked

Relaxation only for e-pass; corpn’s home quarantine rules to continue
Movements Of Those Coming To City Will Be Strictly Tracked

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 19.08.2020

Residents of Chennai and thousands of others who are returning to the city should realise that the relaxation allowed by the Tamil Nadu government is only in terms of the epass.

The quarantine system followed by Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will continue to be as strict as it was. Those coming in to Chennai will have to quarantine themselves as per the existing rules and their movements will be strictly monitored by officials.

For instance, those coming to Chennai from other districts of the state and leaving the city within 48 hours will not have to follow the home quarantine rules. However, they would have to quarantine themselves when they return to the native district.

In case someone comes to Chennai and is not returning within 48 hours, they would have to undergo quarantine for 14 days. “A home quarantine sticker would be pasted on their residence,” a senior civic body official said. The address would already be provided when the person applies for the e-pass, the official added.

The corporation already has a strong home quarantine monitoring system using which they track several categories of people including those who are positive, contacts of positive patients, those tested and waiting for results and those who have returned from foreign countries, other states and other districts.

In fact, residents have been getting calls from the cyber cell of police if found venturing out of their homes, in a few cases.

There has been a huge influx of people into the city after the e-pass system was made simpler from Sunday. People wishing to travel between districts of the state just have to apply on the epass portal with their Aadhaar card or ration card details. No additional documents are required.

On Monday alone, the civic body issued e-passes to 14,355 people, official data showed. Of this, 11,608 were people who were returning from other districts of the state. Compared to this, when the e-pass regulations were strict till last week, only around 5,000 people were coming into Chennai on a daily basis, data showed.

This is obviously going to increase the workload and tracking mechanism for the corporation officials on the ground as the numbers are only going to increase everyday.

Corporation commissioner G Prakash said that this would be one area where systems would have to be followed strongly now.

However, officials say they are geared up. “We have a proper volunteer mechanism as well as tracking system which will help us ensure minimum lapses,” an official said.

There has been a huge influx of people into the city after the e-pass system was made simpler from Sunday. People wishing to travel between districts of the state just have to apply on the e-pass portal with their Aadhaar card or ration card details

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