Issue digital degrees in 7 days to students with urgent need: HC to DU

Issue digital degrees in 7 days to students with urgent need: HC to DU

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:08.09.2020

Delhi High Court on Monday gave DU seven working days to issue digital degree certificates to students who have already graduated and urgently require the document for taking admission in a foreign university or for employment.

“Getting a degree is an event for a student but it has really become a torture,” Justice Prathiba M Singh remarked, after being informed that 30,000 students have applied for digital documents but DU has been unable to comply with the court’s earlier order and was instead demanding physical copy of proofs.

The high court noted that there appeared to be a lack of coordination between Delhi University and its lawyers. It asked the university to place before it separately the timeline by when digital degrees will be issued on urgent and non-urgent requests. It said the students, who have already made urgent requests for a digital degree on DU’s website, shall again send an email to the varsity and attach any document stating the urgency, including admission in foreign university or employment purpose.

“For such students, digital degree certificates be issued within seven working days. Requirement for physical copy of the documents be removed with immediate effect,” Justice Singh said, pointing out that earlier it was informed by the Dean (Examinations) and Joint Director of Delhi University Computer Centre that all the data of students up till November 2019 was available with DU.

However, on Monday, DU submitted it had data of students only till 2017, which can be matched. “This is a completely messed up situation. There is no data of 2018 and 2019,” a surprised HC remarked.

30k  STUDENTS HAVE APPLIED FOR DIGITAL DOCUMENTS, COURT WAS TOLD

DU colleges to send seating plans to students in advance

DU colleges to send seating plans to students in advance

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  08.09.2020

Delhi University has issued guidelines to its colleges for holding the second phase of open book exams, which will start from September 14. The colleges have been told to adhere to strict social distancing norms and maintain a standard of hygiene as per government guidelines.

The colleges will also mandatorily ask students to fill a self-declaration form before allowing them entry to the exam centres. Staff members at the centres have been told to wear masks, carry thermo guns and ensure a gap between students’ seats during the exam.

“The college or department will have to manually take attendance from students with a signature, unique paper code of the paper, date and session of the exam; all while maintaining distance,” the varsity stated.

DU has also asked the colleges to send seating arrangements or plans to the students beforehand on their email IDs or WhatsApp numbers. Advisory notices about social distancing are to be displayed all around the campus.

For students, it is important to fill the mandatory selfdeclaration form, bring their own answer sheets and reach the exam centre on time. Students will also have to maintain social distancing and wear masks at all times.

The second phase of OBE will be held in a blended online/offline mode for those final-year students of UG/PG courses (regular and ex-students), including SOL and NCWEB, who either did not appear, or failed to submit their answer scripts in the first phase of the examination.

Allow only 5K pilgrims to Sabarimala, say experts

Allow only 5K pilgrims to Sabarimala, say experts

Rajiv.G@timesgroup.com

Thiruvananthapuram  08.09.2020

: An expert team of doctors, who conducted a study on averting the acceleration of Covid-19 cases during Sabarimala pilgrimage, has suggested that the devotees should be restricted to a maximum of 5,000 for the entire 42-day season starting November.

The experts say Covid-19 spread was controlled during Haj pilgrimage as they had cut down the number of devotees considerably. They have warned a huge spread if uncontrolled entry through virtual queue system is allowed.

The expert team headed by Dr K Rajashekaran Nayar, professor, global institute of public health, has said if the pilgrimage season is conducted unrestricted, disease importation can happen via pilgrims originating from states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

“We recommend a highly restricted event by reducing the number of pilgrims to 5,000 over the 42-day period and fully complying with Covid-19 mitigation principles while respecting the religious sentiments surrounding the event. This recommendation is based on the existing World Health Organization guidelines on mass gathering in general and based on the criteria used during the restricted Haj 2020,” said Nayar.

Full report on www.toi.in

NTA gears for pen-paper mode Neet-UG exams on Sept 13

NTA gears for pen-paper mode Neet-UG exams on Sept 13

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:08.09.2020

After a glitch free computer-based Joint Entrance Examination (Main), the next big challenge for the National Testing Agency (NTA) is the penpaper mode National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Neet-UG) scheduled for September 13 for which 15.97 lakh candidates have registered.

In order to ensure social distancing and crowd management, the agency has increased the number of centres by 1,314 to 3,860 this year. In the standard operating procedures (SOPs) accessed by the TOI, reporting time has been divided into four slots of 40 minutes each starting from 11 am with candidates provided individual time slots. During each 40 minutes a maximum of 90 candidates will be allowed entry. At the end of the exam two invigilators will escort 24 candidates to the exit gate and the next batch will be allowed to exit only after the invigilators return.

According to NTA officials while the majority of the centres will have around 360 aspirants, there are 210 centres where the number of candidates are 600 or more.

Apart from the centre superintendent and deputy superintendent for every 180 candidates there will be 30 invigilators, two water boys, two cleaning staff and four guards.

In case of centres with 600 candidates or more, there will be two gates for entry and the staff strength will also go up equivalently. During registration, the staff will be rotated every 50 minutes.

More than 9.58 lakh candidates registered for JEE (Main), which was conducted over a period of six days and 12 shifts. Neet-UG however would be conducted on a single day. Till Sunday, more than 14 lakh candidates have downloaded admit cards.

“Social distancing protocol would be the key challenge for which we are planning in detail. Assigning of duties and procurement of masks, face shields, gloves, sanitisers and foot stickers are to be completed by September 9. There will be three meetings from September 10 to September 12 for final checks,” said a senior NTA official.

In order to ensure social distancing and crowd management, the agency has increased the number of centres by 1,314 to 3,860 this year

No compensation for ‘loss of love & affection’ in accident deaths: SC

No compensation for ‘loss of love & affection’ in accident deaths: SC

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:08.09.2020

In a relief to insurance companies, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Motor Accident Claims Tribunals or high courts cannot grant compensation to the kin of the deceased for ‘loss of love and affection’ once it has awarded money under the head of ‘loss of consortium’.

New India Assurance Company, Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company and Oriental Insurance Company had challenged judgments of various HCs in cases arising from awards by MACTs with regard to compensation awarded to claimants under two heads — ‘loss of consortium’ and ‘loss of love and affection’.

While rejecting the pleas of insurance companies that compensation could not be additionally awarded under ‘loss of consortium’ head, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R S Reddy said since ‘loss of love and affection’ was included in ‘loss of consortium’, there was no justification to award compensation for ‘loss of love and affection’ under a separate head.

“It is, thus, now authoritatively well settled that no compensation can be awarded under the head ‘loss of love and affection’,” it said, adding that ‘loss of consortium’ could be paid to wife, children and parents of the deceased.

Quoting an earlier judgment, the bench said, “Consortium is to be taken as a compendious term, which encompasses spousal consortium, parental consortium as well as filial consortium. The right to consortium would include the company, care, help, comfort, guidance, solace and affection of the deceased, which is a loss to his family. With respect to a spouse, it would include sexual relations with the deceased spouse. Parental consortium is granted to the child upon the premature death of a parent, for loss of parental aid, protection, affection, society, discipline, guidance and training.”

Filial consortium is the right of the parents to compensation in the case of an accidental death of a child. An accident leading to the death of a child causes great shock and agony to the parents and family of the deceased. The greatest agony for a parent is to lose their child during their lifetime. Children are valued for their love and affection, and their role in the family unit.”

Justice Bhushan, writing the judgment, said, “The expression ‘compensation’ is a comprehensive term which includes a claim for damages. Compensation is by way of atonement for the injury caused. The claimant in a claim for award of compensation under Section 166 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, is entitled for just compensation.

The bench said ‘loss of consortium’ could be paid to wife, children and parents of the deceased

State buses run after 2 months, violation of safety norms rampant

State buses run after 2 months, violation of safety norms rampant

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy/ Madurai/ Coimbatore:  08.09.2020

After two months, Tamil Nadu State transport Corporation (TNSTC) across the state resumed inter-district bus operations much to the relief of people commuting between districts for work. Simultaneously, State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) resumed long-distance bus services connecting only Chennai from rest of the districts. While only 60% of the seating capacity was meant to be filled, complaints surfaced about social distancing violations in the state-run buses.

With about 930 buses in TNSTC Trichy region, TNSTC officials said that they were diverting available buses to routes on demand. The absence of private fleets on road is likely to favour TNSTC to fill the seats at least during peak hours. “We have not fixed any cap in operating the fleets. Based on the need, we regulate the available buses. Social distancing, facemask and sanitisation are being ensured in all our fleets,” a manager with TNSTC Trichy said. Buses bound to Thanjavur, Salem and Madurai from Trichy Central bus stand witnessed significant patronage. Social distancing, although ensured during the commencement of the journey, was hardly maintained during intermediary stops. “Trichy-Perambalur mofussil bus halted at almost all the bus stops in between. Passengers were jam-packed and some didn’t even wear facemasks,” R Kannan, a passenger from Srirangam, said.

Officials denying info under RTI Act must be sacked, says HC

Officials denying info under RTI Act must be sacked, says HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:08.09.2020

Public information officers (PIOs) who refuse to provide details sought under the Right To Information (RTI) Act must be shown the door, said the Madras high court on Monday.

Justice S Vaidyanathan, who made the observations, also directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue a circular to all its departments, public sector units and corporations warning PIOs about the legal consequences of not furnishing information under the Act.

“Nowadays, officials adopt the tactic of answering mechanically that the information sought is exempted under the Act, without actually ascertaining whether the information sought falls within the ambit of the said provision,” the judge said. “Such officers must be taught a lesson, and, in my view, they are unfit to hold the post of public information officer. They should be shown the door, so that it will be a lesson for other officers to act in accordance with the terms of the act, failing which they may also face similar or more serious consequences,” said Justice Vaidyanathan.

The judge passed the order while dismissing an appeal moved by Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) challenging the order passed by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission (TNIC). The issue pertains to an RTI application of P Muthian, a retired deputy collector, seeking information on vacancies in state government service for 2006, 2007 and 2008 and seats allotted to the backward community, particularly to muthuraja, muthriyar, ambalakarar and vanniya kula shatriar subcastes. Since TNPSC refused to provide the info, he had moved the TNIC, which passed an order in 2009 directing the TNPSC to give the information sought.

Justice Vaidyanathan said: “The apex court has held that even the office of chief justice will come under the purview of RTI Act, by observing that transparency does not undermine judicial freedom.”