Kerala HC Directs A Private School To Not Expel Students For Non-Payment Of Fees For Online Classes [Read Order]

Kerala HC Directs A Private School To Not Expel Students For Non-Payment Of Fees For Online Classes [Read Order]: The Kerala High Court, taking note of the rather distressing situation that has gripped everyone on account of COVID-19 restrictions, restrained a private school from expelling students, merely

UGC gives approval for B. Voc. and M. Voc. courses

 UGC gives approval for B. Voc. and M. Voc. courses

18/09/2020

 Staff Reporter Madurai

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has given approval to The American College Community College to offer four Bachelor of Vocation (B. Voc.) courses and four Masters of Vocation (M. Voc.) programmes.

The college was granted permission to establish a community college in 2015, according to a press release from Principal M. Davamani Christober.

The new courses

The new B.Voc courses that are given approval are Horticulture, Industrial Biotechnology, Data Science, and Health and Sanitation. The M. Voc. courses that are given approval are Aquaculture, Medical Lab Technology, Food Processing and Preservation and Media Technology.

A professor of the college said anyone who had cleared Class 12 examinations can apply for the B. Voc. courses.

“On completion of first year of B. Voc., they will be given diploma certificates. If they complete the second year, they will get advanced diploma certificates. This is an additional benefit,” he said.

These courses, which give importance to entrepreneurship, will be highly beneficial for the students. There is no age limit for these courses, said a press release issued here on Thursday.

Plasma donation begins at Salem GH

Plasma donation begins at Salem GH

18/09/2020

STAFF REPORTER

The Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital received its first plasma donation on Wednesday.

Though plasma therapy treatment is not provided at the hospital, it has been accorded permission to receive plasma donations from patients recovered from COVID-19 disease which will be used for plasma therapy treatment at permitted centres in the State. Hospital authorities said a doctor, who recovered from the disease, was the first donor.

R. Balajinathan, Dean, said that equipment worth ₹40 lakh has been set up at the hospital for plasma donation.

Doctors said donors must be within 18-65 years of age and should not be suffering from diseases. A patient can donate plasma from 14th day of testing negative for COVID-19 disease, doctors said.

Suriya will change his stance on NEET after results, says Annamalai

 Suriya will change his stance on NEET after results, says Annamalai

18/09/2020

 Staff ReporterCoimbatore/Namakkal

BJP State vice-president K. Annamalai on Thursday claimed that actor Suriya, who issued a statement condemning the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), will change his stance once the results of the test are declared.

He participated in the 70th birthday celebrations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi organised here. Speaking to the mediapersons, he said that the results of NEET will be the answer for Mr. Suriya as the questions this year were largely covered by the State board textbooks. He termed the recent suicides of NEET aspirants in different parts of the State as “unfortunate” and alleged that a “false image” of the test was constructed. Mr. Annamalai condemned the DMK and other Opposition parties for allegedly politicising this issue.

On a question regarding the 142nd birth anniversary of Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, Mr. Annamalai said that although Periyar was “a leader who cannot be ignored,” the BJP cannot agree with all his views. Regarding the AIADMK-BJP alliance, he said that differences within an alliance are “natural.”

The people of Tamil Nadu are in favour of the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) despite Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami asserting that only the two-language formula will continue to be implemented in the State, Mr. Annamalai claimed.

‘Stalin can’t stop NEET’

BJP State vice-president V.P. Duraisamy said that DMK leader M.K. Stalin will not be able to stop National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Speaking to reporters after taking part in the birthday celebrations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Namakkal, Mr. Duraisamy said, “NEET is conducted so that qualified candidates are selected for medical education.”

He said that the party would contest the byelection to Kanyakumari Lok Sabha 

Govt officials told to pay Rs 20K for deficiency in service

Govt officials told to pay Rs 20K for deficiency in service

TNN | Sep 18, 2020, 04.50 AM IST

Tirunelveli: The consumer grievances redressal forum in Tirunelveli district has directed the sub-registrar, tahsildar, corporation assistant commissioner and surveyor to pay Rs 20,000 as compensation to a consumer for deficiency in service by not providing patta transfer and not partitioning a property for which the complainant had paid the fees in September 2015.

Forum president K Devadass and members S Sivanmoorthi and M Muthulakshmi also directed the officials concerned to ensure that the patta transfer and sub-division work for which the petitioner approached the forum is done in a month’s time. The compensation includes Rs 15,000 fine and Rs 5,000 for legal expenses.

Advocate A Brammanayagam, who appeared for the petitioner Pathumuthu Joharal, 34, of Palayamkottai, said the petitioner paid Rs 23,225 for registering a piece of land in her name at the registrar office in Kokkirakulam, Tirunelveli, on September 4, 2015.

She also paid Rs 60 for name transfer but the process got delayed. A year after it was not done, she started legally approaching the issue and at this stage the papers moved from the office of the registrar to the tahsildar.

“The papers from the registrar office are to be sent to the taluk office, from where the tahsildar sends it to the assistant commissioner for Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli Corporation. It has to then be sent to the city surveyor. But all these did not take place and the petitioner suffered humiliation at various stages,” the counsel said.

Proof of customary divorce is valid in proceedings against bigamy charges: HC

Proof of customary divorce is valid in proceedings against bigamy charges: HC

TNN | Sep 18, 2020, 04.49 AM IST

Madurai: Observing that proof of customary divorce is a valid defence in departmental proceedings against bigamy charges, the Madras high court set aside the punishment imposed on a policeman.

The court was hearing the petition filed by Sudalaimani who joined service as grade II police constable and was subsequently promoted as head constable in 2008. During his service, the petitioner married Muthammal alias Muthulakshmi in 1996 and has two children. In 2007, the petitioner married Jeevarathinam, a sub inspector of police.

A charge-memo was issued to the petitioner over bigamy charges, and after departmental inquiry, he was demoted from head constable to grade one police constable in 2014, citing that he had violated rule 23(1)(b) of the Tamil Nadu Subordinate Police Officers Conduct Rules,1964.

Justice R M T Teekaa Raman observed that the core question to be decided in this case is that whether the plea of customary divorce is a valid defence in the departmental proceedings action initiated for bigamy. The judge noted that the statement by the petitioner’s first wife Muthammal assumes significance in view of the certain admissions made by her to the inquiry officer.

Muthammal had categorically stated that due to a misunderstanding, a customary divorce was held between them as per the customs prevailing in the community and the same was executed in writing as a marriage dissolution deed in 2003. The judge observed that Muthammal had not filed the complaint against the petitioner and it was Jeevarathinam’s brother who had given the complaint since he had a civil dispute with his mother.

The judge observed that disciplinary proceedings initiated for bigamy could have been maintainable even if second marriage is contracted with the knowledge of the first wife and even if third party gives a complaint. However, plea of customary divorce is a valid defence in a departmental proceedings initiated for misconduct of bigamy if the delinquent officer proves the execution of customary divorce, which the petitioner has been able to do so in this case.

The court set aside the punishment observing that the authorities had chosen to give a finding that the remarriage of petitioner with Jeevarathinam was not solemnized or registered in a proper manner.

People crowd Perur ghat on Mahalaya Amavasya

People crowd Perur ghat on Mahalaya Amavasya

TNN | Sep 18, 2020, 04.59 AM IST

Coimbatore: Large number of people thronged Perur ghat on Mahalaya Amavasya on Thursday, despite officials instructing them not to gather along the river bank.

Since people failed to heed to announcements in public address system to maintain social distancing, they were warned and sent away by police.

The district administration had urged people not to gather in places such as Perur ghat to perform rituals along the Noyyal river bank in view of the pandemic. On their part, authorities of Perur Patteeswarar temple, had asked people not to throng the temple or the ghat.

However, people came in droves to Perur and gathered near the Noyyal ghat, a traditional place where the rituals are performed for the dead.

People thronged the river bank, Vinayaga temple near the ghat and the Amman thoppu area, where they performed the rituals and made offerings to the departed ancestors.

After that, they gathered in front of the Vinayaga temple, ignoring social distancing norms. Police personnel, who were deployed to control the crowd, warned people not to throng the temple. When their warnings were not heeded, police sent them away.