HC stays G.O. requiring deemed varsities to obtain NOC for agriculture courses

HC stays G.O. requiring deemed varsities to obtain NOC for agriculture courses

30/09/2020

Mohamed Imranullah S. CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Tuesday stayed the operation of a Government Order issued on July 28 directing all deemed universities to obtain no objection certificates (NOCs) from the government within six months for conducting agriculture or allied courses and not to admit new students until such NOC was obtained.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh granted the interim stay on petitions filed by SRM Institute of Science and Technology and Vellore Institute of Technology challenging the G.O. on the ground that the State government had no authority to force the deemed universities to obtain NOCs from it.

Senior counsel G. Masilamani and Chitra Sampath told the court the G.O. had been passed by referring to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations of 2004 and 2016, though all deemed to be universities across the country were now actually governed by the UGC (Institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations of 2019.

Mr. Masilamani contended that the regulations in vogue do not require the deemed universities to obtain NOCs from the State government. Central Government Senior Panel Counsel B. Rabu Manohar, representing the UGC, also told the court that there was no necessity for institutions deemed to be universities to obtain clearance from the State governments.

He brought it to the attention of the court that an association of self-financing agricultural colleges had already filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the government to implement the G.O. and prevent all nine deemed universities, that were offering agriculture and allied courses, from admitting students this year. The UGC had prepared a counter affidavit to that petition taking a stand that the government had no role to play in conduct of agriculture and allied courses by deemed universities, he said.

Jipmer won’t conduct MBBS entrance test from current year

Jipmer won’t conduct MBBS entrance test from current year

Admissions will be made through NEET, says director

01/10/2020

Special CorrespondentPUDUCHERRY

The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) will not conduct the MBBS entrance examination from the current year, with the admission process being handled by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate-General of Health Services, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

In a press note, the Jipmer Director made it explicit in the wake of rumours circulating in relation to admission counselling for MBBS seats that from the current year, Jipmer’s own MBBS entrance test had been discontinued and all admissions at the institute would be made through the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Hence, counselling for the candidates who have qualified in NEET 2020 would be conducted by the MCC.

The allotment of seats on the Puducherry and Karaikal campuses would be done as per Jipmer’s existing policies for reservation and domicile regulations. The details are available on the Jipmer’s official website www.jipmer.edu.in

MD/MS admissions

In keeping with a communication from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, admissions to the postgraduate courses (MD/MS/DM(6 years)/M.Ch (6 years)/MDS) at Jipmer, Puducherry, for the January 2021 session will be made through a Combined Entrance Examination for Postgraduate Courses at Institutes of National Importance (CET-INI), along with those for seats at the AIIMS, New Delhi, PGIMER, Chandigarh, and NIMHANS in Bengaluru.

The test will be conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, on November 20 at several centres around the country. Interested candidates are advised to visit the website, www.aiimsexams.org for online registration (the last date is October 12).

All applicants are required to visit the website regularly since all subsequent corrigenda, addenda and updates will be available there.

No convocation

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the safety of all stakeholders and to abide by the restrictions imposed by the Central and Puducherry governments under the Epidemic Act, Jipmer will not conduct its annual convocation this year.

All degree certificates will be sent to the registered addresses of the students.

All the eligible students have to register themselves in the format available on the Jipmer website.

T.N. decision cancelling arrear exams not right’

T.N. decision cancelling arrear exams not right’

G.O. declaring all students as passed without an assessment is against Act: AICTE

01/10/2020

Mohamed Imranullah S. CHENNAI

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has told the Madras High Court that an order issued by the State government on August 26, cancelling the arrear examinations for all arts and science, engineering and MCA students except those pursuing the final year of their course, was not in accordance with its guidelines.

In a counter-affidavit filed in response to a public interest litigation petition preferred by professor and former vice-chancellor of Anna University E. Balagurusamy, the AICTE said, “The Government Order declaring all the students as passed without an assessment by way of examination is against the AICTE Act.”

The counter, served on the litigant’s counsel, E. Vijay Anand, went on to state that the AICTE is a statutory body which has to lay down norms and standards for technical courses, curricula and physical as well as instructional facilities. It also prescribes the staff pattern, their qualifications and the assessment pattern for students.

“A degree cannot be awarded to a student who has failed in a large number of courses. This is not acceptable to industry too.

‘Against guidelines’

In view of the said G.O., all students, even those who have paid fees for arrear examinations, have been declared as passed, which is totally against the guidelines,” read the counter-affidavit signed by M. Sundaresan, southern regional officer of AICTE, on behalf of the council.

In his affidavit, Mr. Balagurusamy stated that he had chosen to file the PIL petition to save the quality of education, the future of students and the reputation of universities.

He said the government’s decision had demoralised meritorious students who had cleared all papers without any arrears.

“The G.O. will definitely lower the educational standards of students and universities,” Mr. Balagurusamy said.

Railway Board approves operation of 7 special trains

Railway Board approves operation of 7 special trains

Four will be intra-State, while three will go to Kerala

01/10/2020

Special Correspondent CHENNAI

After getting approval from the Railway Board on Tuesday, Southern Railway will operate four intra-State and three inter-State trains on a daily basis from Friday.

In a press release, Southern Railway said it would operate Nellai Express (Egmore-Tirunelveli), Podhigai Express (Egmore-Sengottai), Tejas Express (Egmore-Madurai) and Rameswaram Express (Egmore- Rameswaram).

Nellai Express will begin its first trip from Tirunelveli on October 2 and from Egmore on October 5. Podhigai Express will be operated from the city on October 3 and from Sengottai on October 4.

Similarly, Tejas Express will start from Egmore on Friday with the return trip slated for 3.15 p.m. the same day.

Rameswaram Express will start on Friday from Rameswaram railway station.

Southern Railway will also operate three inter-State trains to Kerala. These will be the Alappuzha (Alleppey) SF Express (Central-Alapuzha), the Ananthapuri Express (Egmore to Kollam) and the Karaikal-Ernakulam Express.

All of the trains, except the Tejas Express, have been proposed to be run on a daily basis.

‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ in State from Oct. 1

‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ in State from Oct. 1

01/10/2020

The Tamil Nadu government is set to launch the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Ration  Card’ scheme on Thursday. The scheme will allow  ration cardholders to collect their monthly entitlements from any public distribution system (PDS) outlet  in the State.

Neonatal screening is a must to rein in deafness, say doctors

Neonatal screening is a must to rein in deafness, say doctors

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

30.09.2020

Nearly 6,000 children in Tamil Nadu have been given cochlear implants to help replace a damaged inner ear free of cost. But several children continue to be deprived of the treatment due to delayed screening and parents consulting quacks.

Cochlear implants are provided under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme in the state.

Dr Mohan Kameswaran, senior ENT consultant and managing director of Madras ENT Research Foundation, said all hospitals that deliver babies must have compulsory screening for newborns.

Mandatory screening will identify 95% of cases who need a cochlear implant. “The test is simple and hardly takes five minutes. It can also be done by the hospital nurse,” he said.

The state has set up six satellite centres in rural areas so that families don't need to relocate to the city to get their child treated for hearing loss.

Senior officials from the health department also said that they have been raising awareness about the importance to screen babies within a month after they are born.

Silver ornament makers in Salem struggle to get biz

Silver ornament makers in Salem struggle to get biz

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com

30.09.2020

The shine of Salem’s silver ornament-making industry seems to have worn off during the pandemic-induced lockdown with orders dwindling, the economy taking a nosedive and less dispensable money in the hands of buyers.

The units in Salem employing nearly 80,000 people directly and indirectly have been facing financial issues for the past six months. “We usually get orders from New Delhi, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala, but since the lockdown we have hardly been getting any orders,” said M Govindan, one of the ornament manufacturers in Shevapet. The kuthuvilakku (lamps), kumkuma chimil (kumkum holder), silver pot, ankle chains, hip chains, metti (toe rings) are their usual bestsellers.

More than 1,500 silver ornaments manufacturing units have been functioning in Tirumalaigiri, Sivadapuram, Vedukathampatty, Panangkadu and its surrounding villages while more than 800 units are functioning at Shevapet, Annadhanapatty and Maniyanur areas in Salem. All these units have not got any orders since March 25. “Every day, each unit faces losses of up to ₹10,000,” said T Manikandan, another manufacturing unit owner from Sivadhapuram.

One of the workers, A Venkatesh, 38, said he used to earn nearly Rs10,000 a month, but has been without work for the better part of the year. “My income was zero during the lockdown period,” he said. With no other skills, Venkatesh had to take up a job as a construction worker to make ends meet when construction work was allowed in June. Though Venkatesh wishes to return to his silver ornament-making work once again, his employers have asked him to wait for another month. “I don’t have any other choice until normal work resumes at my unit,” he said.

According to Salem district silver ankle chains manufacturers, nearly five tonnes of silver trade was affected because of this lockdown and pandemic. “There’s no transport facilities to travel to other states and they also don’t have any option to reach Salem,” said M Parandhaman, a manufacturer, who said the present option of hiring a vehicle or taking flights will hike their production costs. The manufacturers have appealed to the state and Union governments to take steps to operate inter-state buses and trains so that trade can resume again

NOT ALL GLITTER: A file photo of workers at a manufacturing unit in Salem. Several such units have not received orders in past six months