BDU allows research scholars to get co-guide in nearby institutions

BDU allows research scholars to get co-guide in nearby institutions

TNN | Oct 10, 2020, 04.15 AM IST

Trichy: Liberalising its part-time PhD norms, Bharathidasan University (BDU) has allowed scholars employed in other states and countries to get a co-supervisor from a nearby government institution or university.

Usually, the guide has to appoint a co-supervisor at their place of work. However, many are unable to find a co-supervisor within their organisation.

Easing the norms will allow the candidate to look for co-supervisors from the same discipline in the nearby institutions and help them pursue PhD.

There are roughly 1,000 candidates who have registered for part-time PhD programme with the BDU.

“It was a long-pending request from students and supervisors as many candidates working in IT companies and other organisations could not find a co-supervisor of the same discipline with in their organisation,” said registrar G Gopinath.

He cited the example of a senior vice-president of Microsoft working in the US, who wanted to do PhD in BDU, but was unable to find a co-guide or co-supervisor, which was delaying the PhD programme.

Relaxation of norms will help the candidate approach a nearby government institution or university. The candidate needs to get a letter of official guideship from the respective university and it should be forwarded by the head of the institution. The co-supervisor should attend the departmental research committee (DRC) and doctoral committee (DC) meetings in person or through online.

A senior faculty from BDU said that easing of norms should not have been restricted to government institutions alone. “It would have been better had the BDU research committee considered reputed private institutions or universities for the candidates to look for his or her co-supervisor,” said the faculty member.

Research director S Muthusamy could not be reached despite repeated attempts.

IndiGo to charge ₹100 for check-in at airport

IndiGo to charge ₹100 for check-in at airport

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:18.10.2020

IndiGo passengers checking in at airport counters will now have to pay Rs 100 as convenience fee. The airline is the first Indian carrier to introduce such a fee to get more passengers to opt for web check-in as part of a nearcontactless travel experience.

With the country’s largest private airline in terms of domestic market share going down the fee way to discourage counter check-in, it is just a matter of time before most other carriers follow suit, civil aviation officials said.

“The check-in fee is applicable on all bookings, starting October 17. We are committed to take all precautionary measures for a contactless and hassle-free travel experience,” IndiGo said in a statement.

HK bars AI, Vistara flights for this month

Hong Kong has barred Indian carriers — Air India and Vistara — from flying there between October 17 and 30 after some passengers from India tested positive on arrival. This is the third time that Air India has been barred by Hong Kong for the same reason and a first for Vistara. An air bubble will also become operational between India and Bangladesh from October 28. Five Indian and three Bangladesh carriers will link Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai with Dhaka.

Full report on www.toi.in

In Kerala, 385 ‘absentee’ doctors, 20 nurses sacked

In Kerala, 385 ‘absentee’ doctors, 20 nurses sacked

Thiruvananthapuram:  18.10.2020

The health department has issued termination orders to 432 employees, including 385 doctors, citing unauthorized absence from duty. Health minister K K Shailaja said these employees, who were on the rolls, were removed from service following their refusal to report back on duty after their unauthorized absence for years.

“The government was forced to act tough and remove these doctors and para medical staff as the department can’t function efficiently with so many absentees. Those removed had refused to report back even after several reminders. Instructions have been given to authorities concerned to identify more regular absentees and take action against them,” she said.

The doctors removed from service include probationers and confirmed medical officers. Twenty nurses have also been removed from service. Others who were removed from the rolls include health inspectors, pharmacists, filarial inspectors, nursing assistants, dental hygienists, lab technicians, radiographers, optometrists, hospital attendants, record librarians, PHN tutor and clerks. TNN Full report on www.toi.in

4 govt school kids score above 500 in NEET

4 govt school kids score above 500 in NEET

Students Scoring Above 300 Double This Year

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.10.2020

For the first time in the last three years, four students from government and government-aided schools trained by the state-sponsored coaching programme have scored above 500 marks in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Vasuki from Coimbatore has scored 571 marks out of 720. Sakthevel R and S Naveenkumar St Joseph Higher Secondary School in Chengalpattu scored 552 and 527 marks respectively. Harish from Kovipatti scored 502 marks out of 720. All the students prepared with the help of an online test series by the school education department along with a private company.

The online coaching contained four hours of video lectures and four hours of practice tests everyday. Shathevel R said the revised textbooks and teaching at the school helped him to get high marks in NEET this year. "The online lectures have helped me to prepare the test during the lockdown," he said. Usually, the state board students would find the NEET questions tough. "Since most of the questions were covered by the new textbooks, I found the question paper easy," Shathevel said. His father V Rajendran is as a police constable at Thirukazhukundram police station and his mother Gowri is a housewife.

S Naveenkumar said he prepared with the help of an online test series. "Besides the online test series, I prepared with NCERT textbooks," he said. He started preparation only after his board exams were over and was happy to get 527 marks. His father Sundaramoorthy is a machine operator and mother Dhanalakshmi a housewife.

The number of students getting above 300 marks have also increased by two fold from 32 students last year to 89 this year. Fifteen students have scored between 400 and 500 marks this year.

Kilpauk Medical College Alumni Association has trained differently-abled students from government school this year. Of the 20 students trained and mentored by the association, three have qualified in the exam and are likely to get a medical seat.

N N Dharshana scored 157. "Since I studied in Tamil medium it was difficult for me to get preparation books in Tamil. There weren't many options as in English but I managed and was honestly surprised when the results came, " she said. Dharshana's father is a daily wager and mother a homemaker. "I'm the first in my family who wants to do MBBS. My parents were a bit hesitant at the beginning due to economic reasons, but if I don't get through counselling this year I'll apply next year. I'll keep giving it my best," she said.

No med counselling until NEET bill gets assent: Law minister

No med counselling until NEET bill gets assent: Law minister

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.10.2020

A day after the state government informed the high court that it would not issue prospectus for medical admission till a decision was taken by governor Banwarilal Purohit on the bill to provide 7.5% horizontal reservation to government school students who qualify Neet, law minister C Ve Shanmugam was more forthcoming on Saturday and said that the state would not hold medical counselling until the bill was given assent to by the governor.

The government sent the bill, which was unanimously passed by the legislature, on September 15 and since then there has been huge expectation among the Neet aspirants from government schools.

“The chief minister has taken a good decision that until the governor gives his assent to the bill, the medical counselling will not be held,” Shanmugam said in Villupuram. Shanmugam accompanied chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami while the latter visited Raj Bhavan on October 5 to persuade the governor to give assent to the bill. The government wants to introduce the quota in the current academic year itself.

In Pudukkottai, health minister C Vijayabaskar said that it was the chief minister who was instrumental in introducing the bill in the legislative assembly.

“We are confident of getting the governor’s assent to the bill, which was passed in the assembly,” said the minister, who has been facing the wrath of the opposition for Tamil Nadu students not getting exemption from NEET.

“It is the dream of our CM to get the students of poor families admitted in medical education and he is taking all efforts to get assent to the bill,” school education minister K A Sengottaiyan said.

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.