BJP backs Surappa over Anna univ IoE issue

BJP backs Surappa over Anna univ IoE issue

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.10.2020

BJP state president L Murugan has thrown his weight behind Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa, who has courted controversy by writing directly to the Centre regarding conferring the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status to the university. Murugan said the campaign against IoE status was built on utter lies as it would not affect the reservation system in any manner. Opposition parties were trying to draw political mileage out of the issue by misleading people, Murugan said.

Murugan’s support to Surappa has come at a time when the state government has condemned the vice chancellor for directly communicating with the Centre, terming the act indiscipline. The state government, fearing that the issue would provide fodder to the opposition on the eve of elections, has also said it was opposed to giving IoE status to the university.

The AIADMK’s ally, PMK, has condemned Surappa’s direct correspondence to the Centre. Despite the issue having the potential to cause political damage, the saffron party has chosen to bite the bullet and support Surappa.

Murugan said political parties were interfering in the freedom entitled to the university vice chancellor.

“The perception that special status (IoE) will affect reservation is factually incorrect. It will never affect reservation in any manner. Reservation is a constitutional right. It exists everywhere and it cannot be repealed by giving any special status to an institution,” said Murugan.

Centre opposes 50% super-speciality quota for in-service doctors

Centre opposes 50% super-speciality quota for in-service doctors

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.10.2020

The 50% in-service quota in medical super-speciality courses for government doctors is set to be another Centre-state tussle, as the Union government told the Madras high court that it was against the proposal.

Noting that the Centre was not in agreement with TN to provide 50% in-service reservation, and that he has received written instructions from the Centre to this effect, senior Union government standing counsel Subbu Ranga Bharathi sought time to file a detailed counter.

The submission was made on a plea moved by a group of government doctors seeking direction to TN government to notify 50% of vacancies for in-service candidates for admission to super speciality medical courses for the academic year 2020-2021 in institutions in the state.

When the plea came up for hearing before Justice N Anand Venkatesh, Tamil Nadu advocate-general Vijay Narayan submitted that the state is now in the process of assessing the total seats that are to be filled up in PG and also superspeciality courses. “The decision taken by the government will be reported in the next date of hearing,” Vijay Narayan said.

Recording the submissions, Justice Anand Venkatesh said, “The Supreme Court in Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association and others case has specifically traced the power of reservation of in-service candidates. Both the Centre and the state will have powers to enact a law with regard to providing reservation for in-service candidates in PG and super-specialty courses (as per the SC order),” the judge said.

“In view of the divergent opinions expressed by the Centre and state, this court has to necessarily hear the versions of both sides before passing final orders,” the judge said and adjourned the plea to November 9.

Earlier, advocate G Sankaran, representing the petitioner, contended that as per a SC order dated August 31, the state has legislative competence and authority to provide them a separate source of entry for in-service candidates seeking admission to PG degree courses.

Madras varsity students with arrears to get min pass marks

Madras varsity students with arrears to get min pass marks

Decision To Help 1 Lakh Candidates

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:18.10.2020

University of Madras on Saturday decided to award minimum pass marks for candidates with arrears based on a government order. The resolution, passed by the university’s syndicate, is expected to help at least one lakh candidates in affiliated and autonomous colleges of the university.

“Students having arrears who have registered for exam will be given minimum pass by moderation in internal as well external examinations wherever necessary. The sum total of internal and external marks, however, should not exceed the overall passing minimum,” the resolution said.

However, a student with zero internal marks needs to appear for supplementary exams, the syndicate resolution said.

The state government had waived the arrears exams for all students in view of the still raging Covid-19 pandemic. The government exempted the candidates who had paid the fees for the April 2020 exam from appearing except for final semester students. It also asked the universities to award marks based on a 70% weightage for internal exams and 30% weightage for previous semester exams.

When calculated, many students with arrears were found to have more marks than the students without arrears. The university then decided to give a minimum pass for the students.

There is a court case regarding the waiving arrears exams in view of Covid-19. Officials from University of Madras said the case is not binding on the university as it was not added as one of the respondents in the case. The Madras high court adjourned the PIL against cancellation of arrears exams for the students.

Further, the officials said final year students with arrears have not able to finish their degrees and given the present situation it is not clear when the university would be able to conduct the exams. “In case students want to increase their marks, they can write improvement exams when the situation improves,” they said. Of the 57,875 who appeared for the UG and PG exams in the partly online test last month, 99% passed. In the previous semester, around 70% passed.

The govt waived arrears exams, awarding 70% for internal tests and 30% for previous semester exams. But, some with arrears got more than those without arrears

Karur quack on run arrested at city bus terminus

Karur quack on run arrested at city bus terminus

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.10.2020

Police on Friday arrested a 41-year-old man at the mofussil bus terminus in Koyambedu for illegally practising medicine at Karur.

The apprehension by a team of the Arumbakkam police was based on a complaint lodged by the Tamil Nadu Medical Council. A court later sent Jayapandi, the accused who had been nabbed while waiting to board a bus for Karur, to the Central Prison at Puzhal. He had come to the city to meet a relative, a police officer said.

Preliminary inquiries by police revealed that Jayapandi had submitted his qualification documents to the state medical council in 2018 and sought a licence to practise as a ‘doctor’. However, during the verification the documents were found out to have been forged and the medical council authorities lodged a formal complaint with the Arumbakkam police.

A case was registered, but Jayapandi, of Vishwanathapuri near Aravakurichi in Karur in central Tamil Nadu, went absconding. Two weeks ago, the Madras high court had sought status report in this particular case, where the man had got forged documents in the name of Annamalai university.

During interrogation, Jeyapandi reportedly told police that he had received fake certificates for ₹25 lakh from three men identified as Selvaraj, Chidambaram Gautam and Martin in Trichy.

The Arumbakkam police registered a case under Section 466 (whoever forges a document or electronic record), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (whoever fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document or electronic record), 474 (whoever has in his possession any document or electronic record), 484 (whoever counterfeits any property mark used by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Officers who delayed pension of 99-yr-old must feel ashamed: HC

Officers who delayed pension of 99-yr-old must feel ashamed: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.10.2020

Censuring government authorities for making a 99-year-old freedom fighter run from pillar to post, and then finally to approach the court to get freedom fighter’s pension, the Madras high court has observed that officers concerned must feel ashamed of their act.

“This is a case where, a freedom fighter, at the age of 99, has approached this court, still with the fond hope that, before his last breath, he will get the recognition that he was a freedom fighter,” Justice R Suresh Kumar said.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by S Gafoor, a resident of Vyasarpadi, seeking direction to the central and the state governments to grant him freedom fighter’s pension from 1997 under Central Swatantra Sainik Samman Scheme.

Though belatedly, in 1997, the petitioner made a request to the authorities for the pension, it seems that in 1997 itself, the Centre directed the state authorities to inquire into the matter and forward their recommendation with necessary documents, the court said.

Thereafter, the petitioner appeared before the district collector concerned and completed all the procedures in 2015.

But still the matter rests with state authorities, especially the collector. It seems that no final decision has been taken to make a recommendation to the Centre to grant the pension, the court said.

“If these factors are true, this court feels that it is a case, where the authorities concerned to be ashamed of their inaction, as a freedom fighter, at the age of 99, has approached this court to get recognition and pension,” the judge said.

Noting that the matter must be decided as soon as possible considering the age of the petitioner, the court directed the state authorities to file a status report by November 6.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by S Gafoor seeking direction to grant him freedom fighter’s pension from 1997 under Central Swatantra Sainik Samman Scheme

Chain-snatching lands him in too many troubles

Chain-snatching lands him in too many troubles

18/10/2020

S. SundarMadurai

Nothing went right for the cargo autorickshaw driver S. Raja Mohammed (29) on his reported maiden attempt to snatch gold chain near Melur on Friday.

First, he chose a head constable to snatch the gold chain. Secondly, the anxious bike rider lost his mobile phone in his attempt to pull the chain. To add to his misery, he lost control of the two-wheeler and dashed against another vehicle only to be caught by the public.

Raja Mohammed of Kidaripatti followed T. Vidhya, 42, head constable, attached to District Crime Branch in Sivaganga district while she was returning home at N. Perumalpatti near Melur.

When she came near Ganapathipuram, the man managed to yank her six sovereign gold chain. The man did not know that he had targeted a police personnel as she was in her civvies. She raised an alarm. It made the thief anxious. His mobile phone fell down. He hardly crossed some 100 metres, his motorbike dashed against a vehicle. He fell down and fractured his left hand. He tried to run away but he was caught by the people.

“The alarm raised by the victim drew the attention of the people and that helped us to nab him,” Inspector of Police (Melur), S. Charles, said.

Even if he managed to flee from the scene, he would have been apprehended as his mobile phone and number plate of his vehicle had fallen down at the scene of crime.

The Melur police recovered the gold chain and seized the two-wheeler. Interrogation revealed that Raja Mohammed had resorted to make quick money as he had fallen in debts. After being provided first-aid at the Government Hospital in Melur, he was sent to remand on Saturday.

Use student funds to pay salaries, DU colleges told

Use student funds to pay salaries, DU colleges told

Principals, Teachers Say Order Illegal, Ask Govt To Reconsider

Mohammad.Ibrar@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:17.10.2020

The directorate of higher education has asked Delhi University colleges that are fully funded by the state government to use Student Society Fund (SSF) within two weeks if they can’t pay salaries to teaching and non-teaching staff due to a special audit and non-release of grants-in-aid. However, teachers’ and principals’ associations have again called the suggestion “illegal”.

In the order dated October 16, the colleges have been asked to use SSF till the audit is complete. This “has been done in the past”, it claims. The colleges had objected to a similar suggestion made by education minister Manish Sisodia last month.

Six of the 12 colleges fully funded by Delhi government are facing the audit for “financial irregularities” and haven’t paid salaries for over six months.

Hem Chand Jain, principal of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College that is undergoing the audit, said he would forward the order to DU to know if the order was binding.

“If this order is implemented, students will be deprived of funds for various activities. I request Delhi government to not ask us to do this as it would amount to cheating students,” Jain said. “We have only Rs 9.28 crore in our SSF, which would be enough to pay only three months’ salary.”

Jaswinder Singh, SGTB Khalsa College principal and president of DU Principals’ Association, said a principal was earlier removed for transferring funds. “CM Arvind Kejriwal should intervene and not force colleges to do something illegal.”

DU Teachers’ Association said using SSF was unacceptable. “Delhi government is pushing the burden of salaries on parents and students. Even in the past, if colleges were forced to use SSF for such purposes, the money was always returned to it.”

Balram Pani, dean of colleges at DU, said, “Colleges cannot use SSF. The order is not binding and the matter is already in court.”

Delhi government claimed the DDU College lawyer had told court they had paid salaries from SSF in the past. “When the judge asked him if they are allowed to do so, they said they need an official permission from the directorate of higher education,” it said.

However, Jain claimed “our lawyer said college can take loan for not more than a month from the fund”.

0 6  COLLEGES OF DU ARE FACING AUDIT