Madras HC scraps admission, 65 postgrad docs lose degrees -

Madras HC scraps admission, 65 postgrad docs lose degrees -

The Times Of India

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:08.10.2020

In a strong message, the Madras high court on Wednesday scrapped the admission of 65 postgraduate medical students, who have completed their courses, in six Puducherry-based institutions. In 2017-18, admission to PG medical courses in Puducherry were conducted through CENTAC (centralised admission committee) based on PG-NEET marks, but these institutions admitted 65 students on their own.

“Mediocrity should never be encouraged, at least in medical education,” said Justice N Anand Venkatesh, adding: “It would be better even if some seats go unfilled and wasted rather than filling such seats with unmeritorious candidates.” It will lead to compromising the precious lives of the citizens of this country, he said. Justice Anand Venkatesh also imposed 5 lakh each as cost on six medical colleges/universities that had illegally admitted the students in the academic year 2017-18. The judge did not spare the high court too, and said, “this court also should take the blame for having taken such a long time to hear these cases and render judgment.”

Arrears: Can’t go against AICTE, says HC

Wondering how college students can be declared pass without exams, the Madras high court has said it could not take a stand that is different from that of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) which had already refused to accept the government order (GO) cancelling arrear exams in Tamil Nadu in view of the pandemic. P2

‘No place for misplaced sympathies’

The judge said, “On various occasions, the judiciary had shown misplaced sympathy on unmeritorious candidates through interim orders and that has proven to be counter-productive, more particularly when it comes to medical education.”

Seven institutions Arupadai Veedu Medical College, Vinayaga Mission Medical College, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Centre, Sri Lakhmi Narayana Institute of Medical Science, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College, Sri Venkateswara Medical College and Research Centre, and Pondicherry Institute of Medical Science & Research admitted 65 students on their own denying admission to students selected through the CENTAC. The colleges claimed that the students referred by CENTAC could not be admitted since they failed to pay the fee prescribed or never turned up for admission within the cut-off date. Subsequently, MCI issued orders cancelling the admission of all the 65 students admitted by the colleges on their own. Challenging the MCI order, the institutions and the students aggrieved have moved the court separately.

UGC declares 24 universities as fake

UGC declares 24 universities as fake

08/10/2020

Press Trust of IndiaNew Delhi

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday announced a list of 24 “self-styled, unrecognised institutions” in the country, terming them as “fake” with the maximum of them operating from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Delhi.

“Students and public are informed that currently 24 self-styled, unrecognised institutions are functioning in contravention of the UGC Act,” UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said.

The majority of eight of these universities are from Uttar Pradesh.

Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Maharashtra have one fake university each.

78 additional special trains to be run

78 additional special trains to be run

They are separate from about 200 planned for festive season: spokesperson

08/10/2020

New rides: The trains will mainly include AC Express, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Rajdhani and Shatabdis.File PhotoShanker Chakravarty

Yuthika BhargavaNEW DELHI

The Railways have decided to run 78 additional trains, taking the total number of special passenger services operational in the country to 388.

In a notification to all the zones, the Railways have asked that 39 pairs of trains, mainly AC Express, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Rajdhani and the Shatabdi services, “should be introduced as special trains from an early convenient date”.

A Railways spokesperson clarified that these trains were separate from the 200 festive passenger trains that they planned to run between October 15 and November 30 to cater to the festive season demand.

Tejas services to resume

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) announced plans to restart two corporate-run trains — the Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas Express and the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express from October 17, nearly seven months after the operations were suspended owing to the pandemic.

The IRCTC said this was being done to cater to the growing passenger demand due to the festive season.

Every alternate seat would be kept vacant to ensure the social distancing norm and passengers would not be allowed to exchange their seats once seated.

Additionally, use of face covers/masks would be mandatory for passengers and staff.

“All travellers will install the ‘Arogya Setu’ app and the same will be shown as and when demanded. Detailed instructions will be given to the passengers at the time of booking of tickets,” the IRCTC said.

Protection kit for all

All passengers would be provided a ‘COVID-19 protection kit’ that would comprise a hand sanitiser, a mask, a face shield and a pair of gloves. All would go through thermal screening and hand sanitisation before entering the coach.

“On getting approval from the Ministry of Railways to restart the operation of the two popular corporate trains, IRCTC is making all-round preparations to ensure that the trains, once started, match the expectation of people in terms of levels of services and safety and health protocols amidst the ongoing pandemic,” the IRCTC stated.

The coaches, including the pantry areas and lavatories, would be thoroughly disinfected at regular intervals, along with luggage and baggage of the passengers, frequently touched surfaces inside the coach and the service trays and trolleys.

The IRCTC said it had conducted an extensive training programme to educate and train the employees of Tejas trains to manage the operations and provide services according to the ‘new normal’ amid the pandemic.

Former CBI Director found dead

Former CBI Director found dead

08/10/2020

Press Trust of IndiaShimla/New Delhi

Former CBI Director and Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar was found hanging at his residence in Shimla on Wednesday evening, officials said.

Kumar, a 1973-batch IPS officer, became CBI Director in 2008, succeeding Vijay Shanker in the middle of the investigation into the Aarushi Talwar murder case. He was later appointed Governor of Nagaland. He was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of a private university in Shimla.

Those with suicidal thoughts can seek help and counselling by calling Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health at 011-4076 9002.

HC poser on arrear exams’ cancellation

HC poser on arrear exams’ cancellation

08/10/2020

Legal Correspondent CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Wednesday wondered how students of arts, science, engineering and postgraduate computer application courses could be expected to clear their arrears without writing examinations, when an expert body such as the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) had opposed such a move by the State government.

Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and R. Hemalatha said they would not hesitate to call for details such as the number of arrears that each student had in their course of study.

The judges were surprised over a government order (G.O.) issued on August 26, cancelling all arrear examinations citing the COVID-19 situation.

The observations were made during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition filed by E. Balagurusamy, 75, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, through his counsel E. Vijay Anand, as well as another PIL petition filed by advocate B. Ramkumar Adityan to declare the August 26 G.O. illegal and arbitrary.

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

The AICTE has already filed its response to the PIL petition and told the court that the government’s decision to cancel arrears was not in accordance with its guidelines.

On Wednesday, advocate V. Sudha, representing the UGC, sought two weeks’ time to file a counter affidavit.

Accepting her plea, the judges adjourned the cases to November 20.

Admission of 65 doctors in PG degree, diploma courses illegal, says HC

Admission of 65 doctors in PG degree, diploma courses illegal, says HC

‘It’s high time courts stopped showing sympathy for ineligible candidates’

08/10/2020

Mohamed Imranullah S.CHENNAI

It is high time that courts stop showing misplaced sympathy for ineligible candidates admitted to medical courses, the Madras High Court said on Wednesday while declaring as invalid the admission of 65 doctors in various postgraduate degree and diploma courses in May 2017. These candidates had now almost completed the courses and even written their final examinations on the basis of interim orders passed by the court.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh said a stern message must be sent to medical institutions which admit ineligible students through dubious methods, year after year, by taking advantage of the delay in the commencement of the counselling process and the deadline fixed by the Supreme Court for completing admissions.

“Every year, this court is able to see that there is a huge delay even to start the first round of counselling... It is not known as to whether such a confusion is created for any valid reasons or it is intentionally done to help the self-financing institutions to take advantage of the last minute chaos and admit candidates on their own,” the judge said.

He also imposed a total cost of ₹30 lakh on Arupadai Veedu Medical College, Vinayaka Mission Medical College, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Manakula Vinayakar Medical College and Hospital, Venkateswara Medical College and Hospital, and Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, all in Puducherry, for having admitted the 65 doctors in the PG courses in violation of the norms. The Medical Council of India (MCI) itself had directed the six institutions to discharge all 65 candidates.

However, they had approached the High Court and obtained an interim stay. While granting the stay, the court had obtained an undertaking from the students that they would not claim any equity if the writ petitions were taken up for final disposal after they complete their studies.

“Therefore, even though the dismissal of these writ petitions is going to cause great damage to their careers, it is something which is not totally unexpected,” the judge said.

HC seeks status report on AIIMS Madurai

HC seeks status report on AIIMS Madurai

08/10/2020

Staff Reporter Madurai

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to submit status report on the progress made in setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Thoppur in Madurai.

A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and B. Pugalendhi directed the Central government to submit the status report on November 5 on a public interest litigation petition filed by K.K. Ramesh of Madurai, who sought a direction to the Centre to expedite construction of the institute.

The petitioner complained that apart from building a compound wall at the site, not much progress was made in the project.

The Central government had held out assurance that the construction would be completed in 45 months, the PIL petition said