UoH VC gets one year extension

UoH VC gets one year extension

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:23.09.2020

The Union ministry of education extended the tenure of incumbent vicechancellor (VC) of University of Hyderabad (UoH) Prof Appa Rao Podile  for a year or until a new VC is appointed, whichever is earlier.

His tenure was scheduled to end on Tuesday. Podile was embroiled in a controversy following the death of research scholar Rohith Vemula who died by suicide in January, 2016 following suspension from the hostel and alleged caste discrimination by the VC. His death had triggered nationwide protest against the central government as the UoH students had demanded resignation of the VC.

In 2019, under Prof Appa Rao Podile’s vice-chancellorship, UoH was recognised as an institution of eminence by the central government. Recently, it was also ranked among the world’s top universities by the QS World University Rankings 2021under his leadership.

New session of colleges, univs to start from Nov 1 -

New session of colleges, univs to start from Nov 1 - 

The Times Of India

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:23.09.2020

The 2020-21 academic session for freshers in universities and colleges, delayed due to the pandemic, will commence from November 1, the University Grants Commission has said.

Issuing the guidelines on academic calendar for the first year of undergraduate and PG students, UGC said that as a one-time measure, students will get full refund of fees on account of all cancellation of admissions/ migration of students, up to November 30 in view of the pandemic.

The guidelines have been recommended by an expect committee, set up for revising the academic calendar, and accepted by UGC.

The teaching process may continue in offline/online/blended mode. If there is delay in declaration of results of the qualifying examinations, universities may plan and start the academic session by November 18, UGC said.

As per the suggested academic calendar, first week of March 2021 will be a preparatory break and first semester exams will be conducted between March 8 and March 26, 2021. Thereafter there will be a nine-day semester break. The second semester exams will be conducted in August, 2021 and the new 2021-22 academic session will start from August 30, 2021. The new calendar has not made any provision for summer and winter breaks.

Full report on www.toi.in

‘Release compartment result expeditiously’

The UGC and CBSE have been directed to have a coordination meeting for the release of CBSE class 10 and 12 compartment exams which began on Tuesday, education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said. The directive came following concerns of delay in results hampering the prospects of undergraduate admissions for students. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court suggested that the CBSE declare the results of the compartment examinations expeditiously.

College students sit for exam in groups, share the answers -

College students sit for exam in groups, share the answers -

The Times Of India

Sambath.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Trichy:23.09.2020

Students appearing for online end-semester examination in groups and sharing answers among themselves are posing a big challenge to colleges in conducting the examination in a fair manner. Bharathidasan University, which admits that it has no mechanism in place to monitor it, has warned of serious consequences if students are caught resorting to such unfair means.

When the examinations started on Monday, students of the same class had gathered in groups of 10-12 at several places in Trichy city as well as rural areas.

As soon as the examination started, they downloaded the question paper and split questions among themselves. After searching for the right answers from internet and text books, they shared the answers among themselves through WhatsApp and wrote them down in their answer scripts. This was confirmed by some teachers as well.

“Students are not supposed to appear for the exam in groups which was clearly mentioned in the examination guidelines,” said BDU controller of examination S Srinivasa Raghavan. He clarified that it isn’t an open book examination and action will be initiated against such students found to be resorting to unfair means.

Students say they were apprehensive about writing the exam in isolation and came together to write the exam but eventually ended up indulging in this practice fearing low marks. Being the last examination in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, they see it as an opportunity to boost their overall percentage in the degree programme.

S Kishore, who secured an average 55% marks in the last five semesters of his undergraduate programme, wants to ensure that he secures not less than 60% marks. “With no academic activity over the last five months, we have lost track of the subject and it was difficult to recall everything without classroom revision,” he said.

The controller of examination of an autonomous arts and science college in Trichy city said they are giving priority to the safety of students by asking them to isolate themselves athomefor the exam. “We asked our students to appear for the examination in an honest and fair manner though there is no mechanism in place to monitor it. We wanted to utilize the web cam of the computer or front camera of the mobile phone for this, but it was ruled out as it consumes additional data and not all students can afford it,” said the controller.

As soon as the examination started, the students downloaded the question paper and split questions among themselves. After searching for the right answers from the internet and text books, they shared it through WhatsApp and wrote them down in their answer scripts

Nurses protest against action in body mix-up

Nurses protest against action in body mix-up

23/09/2020

Staff Reporter PALAKKAD

Nurses at the District Hospital here staged a protest on Tuesday demanding revocation of the punitive action against the nursing staff in connection with a recent mix-up of two women’s bodies at the hospital morgue.

They said some others, including the resident medical officer in charge of the morgue, were being saved by taking action against the nursing staff.

The body of a tribeswoman who died in mysterious circumstances at Attappady was brought to the District Hospital for postmortem.

The hospital staff mistakenly released the tribeswoman’s body to the relatives of an elderly woman who had died of COVID-19. The relatives cremated the body as per the pandemic protocol.

Deputy directors told to prepare micro plan for COVID-19 vaccination

Deputy directors told to prepare micro plan for COVID-19 vaccination

It will have age, gender-wise distribution of population and other logistical details

23/09/2020

The circular said the Central government would introduce a vaccine against COVID-19 in the future. File photo

Special Correspondent CHENNAI

The Director of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has instructed all Deputy Directors of Health Services to prepare a micro plan, at the level of health sub-centres (HSC), primary health centres (PHC) and districts, for carrying out vaccination against COVID-19 in the near future.

In a circular to all Deputy Directors of Health Services, the DPH said the Government of India was planning to introduce a vaccine against COVID-19 in the near future. In this connection, the Deputy Directors were instructed to advise the respective staff to prepare an HSC/PHC/district-level micro plan for vaccination.

According to official sources, any immunisation programme, usually, would have a micro plan, starting at the PHC level. The micro plan would contain the age and gender-wise distribution of population, requirement of vaccines and other logistics involved. Now, the DPH has instructed that such a micro plan be made for vaccination against COVID-19.

A public health official said work for preparing a micro plan had started. They also had a discussion with the Government of India on planning estimated requirements, storage, transport and human resources required.

Specific format

The micro plan should be prepared in a specified format, at the district-level, PHC-level and HSC-level health unit. It should include a list of Health Department staff, both government and private sector, staff of the Police Department, Revenue Department and local bodies.

The staff would include technical, non-technical and ministerial workers.

Ante-natal mothers, mediapersons, persons with diabetes, hypertension, cancer and other co-morbidities should be prepared. It also includes age-wise details of persons — 1-10 years, 11-19 years, 20-25 years, 26-35 years, 36-45 years, 46-60 years and above 60 years. The district-level consolidated micro plan should be sent to the Directorate on or before October 15.

Meanwhile, officials said the trial for the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, was likely to start soon.

About 300 volunteers were being enrolled for the clinical trials of the vaccine in Chennai.

IOB shifts staff as man alleges Hindi angle to loan denial

IOB shifts staff as man alleges Hindi angle to loan denial

23/09/2020

Special CorrespondentARIYALUR

The manager of the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) branch at Jayamkondam was transferred to its regional office in Tiruchi on Monday, following an allegation by a retired senior civil surgeon that the former refused to entertain his loan application as he couldn’t speak Hindi. The incident triggered strong reactions from leaders of political parties in Tamil Nadu, who condemned the alleged actions of the manager Vishal Kamble.

However, the bank authorities claimed that the loan application was rejected in view of the advanced age of the customer.

According to sources, Dr. C. Balasubramanian, 76, had approached Mr. Kamble a few days ago, seeking a loan for building a shopping complex near the bus stand in Jayamkondam. He had submitted the requisite documents.

Dr. Balasubramanian, who said he was a long-standing customer of the bank, showed some property documents to the manager for consideration of surety for the loan. However, the manager reportedly asked him whether he knew Hindi and allegedly refused to entertain his application, citing the “language problem”.

Kerala moots new proposals for salary cut, repayment

Kerala moots new proposals for salary cut, repayment

Aim is to raise funds in the wake of COVID-induced crisis

23/09/2020

T.M. Thomas Isaac

Special Correspondent THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The Kerala government has come up with new proposals on salary deduction and repayment of deducted salary of government employees and teachers to raise funds in the wake of COVID-19-induced financial crisis.

Three proposals were put forward by Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac at a meeting of office-bearers of employees and teachers unions through videoconferencing on Tuesday.

Instead of depositing the deducted salary from April to August this year in the Provident Fund account on April 1, 2021, the employees will be allowed to take loan for the deducted amount from banks and financial institutions in October. The government will repay the loan amount with interest and offer guarantee to the loan, provided they agreed to the new deduction proposal.

The other proposal was to deduct five days’ salary every month for six months from September. Those availing themselves of the offer will get more time for repayment of Provident Fund loan taken by them and Onam festival advance of ₹15,000.

Deducting one month’s salary through three days every month from September to March 2021 was the third proposal.

In the salary cut initiative from September, to be known as COVID-19 Income Support Scheme, the employees and teachers will get 9% annual interest till it is deposited in the PF on April 1, 2021.

Pro-UDF unions said they would go on strike if the government moved ahead with the salary cut.