Number of seats in MBBS course increased to 4,000 in West Bengal: Mamata

Number of seats in MBBS course increased to 4,000 in West Bengal: Mamata

PTI | Oct 20, 2020, 05.17 PM IST

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the number of seats in the MBBS course has increased to 4,000 in the state with the addition of 250 seats in two medical colleges.

Banerjee had earlier underscored the need for increasing the number of medical seats in the state.

"I am pleased to announce that we now have 4,000 MBBS seats for Bengal's vibrant medical students with the initiation of the first MBBS batch in Purulia Govt MCH consisting of 100 seats & the addition of 150 MBBS seats in Gouri Devi Medical College," Banerjee said on Twitter.

Last year, minister of state for health Chandrima Bhattacharya had informed the assembly that the number of MBBS seats in West Bengal was 1,355 when the Trinamool Congress government came to power in the state in 2011.

Now, students can register to be a CA after Class X

Now, students can register to be a CA after Class X

Sindhu.Hariharan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.10.2020

In a move that would help aspirants turn chartered accountants six months earlier, industry body Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), as part of a new rule, has allowed students who pass Class X to enrol with the institute for the entry-level CA foundation course. Though registration is allowed after Class X, admission will be regularised only if the student clears Class XII.

Earlier, students could register for the course only after appearing in their Class XII examinations, and write the foundation exam only after a four-month study period. Under the new system, this study period can be completed while pursuing Class XI and XII.

Thus, students who appear for the Class XII examinations in February/March will now be eligible to appear in the CA foundation examination in May, and won’t have to wait for the November exams, ICAI said.

The new rule will help an aspirant become a CA faster due to the early admission, the institute said. The change follows the institute’s regular review of the examination system to make it more contemporary. “This will help students to prepare for the foundation course while studying in Class XI and XII,” said Atul Kumar Gupta, president of ICAI. “They would have time to update their knowledge and acquire requisite techniques to appear for and pass the CA foundation,” he said.

CA foundation exams are held twice a year — in May/ June and in November/December. This year, the exams will be held in December. The foundation course comprises four papers, out of which two are subjective and two objective types.

Industry trackers said the move will help catch aspirants young, and garner a firm commitment from the students’ community towards the profession of chartered accountancy, similar to engineering.

The new rule will help an aspirant become a CA faster due to the early admission

Hospital staff catch rats after viral video

Hospital staff catch rats after viral video

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Salem: 20.10.2020

The administrative staff and officials of Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital have started catching rats in the wards on Tuesday, after a video went viral on social media. “We have caught more than 100 rats in a day since Tuesday morning,” said an official.

A man, whose father was getting treatment at intensive care unit (ICU) in Salem government Super Specialty hospital block in the hospital, found rats freely running around. “I was in the ICU with my father since Monday morning and I had seen more than 20 rats running around the room,” said Raja (name changed). Talking to TOI, he said that the rats were also trying to bite the oxygen lines that were set up at the ICU.

When Raja informed about the rats to the nurses, they told him to adjust to the situation. Shocked over this lethargic attitude of the staff, Raja uploaded the video on social media.

10 MBBS final year students caught cheating in exam

10 MBBS final year students caught cheating in exam

Deepak.Lavania@timesgroup.com

Agra: 20.10.2020

Ten MBBS final year students, including one woman, were caught using unfair means in their ophthalmology exam on Khandari campus of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University on Tuesday. These students of a private medical college were caught by the university officials and police with a micro Bluetooth in their ears and amulets with SIM cards inserted into them around their neck. “The matter has been referred to the university’s committee for unfair means. Following an internal investigation, the committee will take suitable action,” varsity vicechancellor Ashok Mittal said.

According to the university officials, an invigilator in one of the classrooms heard a few students murmuring half an hour after the commencement of the exam. On observing one of the students for a few minutes, the invigilator found that the examinee was pressing an object on the chest, inside the shirt, repeatedly.

On suspicion, the invigilator went close to the student and asked him to show the object. The student rudely refused, claiming that it is an amulet related to his religious belief and cannot be shown to anyone else. The invigilator informed senior officials.

Agra varsity chief proctor Manoj Srivastava said, “As the matter was sensitive, following orders of the vicechancellor, we informed the senior officials of the police. Soon, the superintendent of police (city) along with his team arrived and the students were frisked. Ten students were found wearing a device in the form of amulets around their necks, which had an electric circuit and a SIM card inserted in it. And a micro Bluetooth piece in the ear. Using these devices, the students were writing down answers dictated from outside the exam centre.”

Full report on www.toi.in

UNFAIR MEANS: The students had micro Bluetooth in ears, SIM-inserted amulets around their necks and answers were dictated from outside

Consider dismissed police officer’s plea for reinstatement’

Consider dismissed police officer’s plea for reinstatement’

He was convicted of abetment to suicide of a woman

21/10/2020

Staff Reporter MADURAI

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has directed the State to consider on merits the representation sent by a dismissed police officer, who sought to be reinstated in service.

He was dismissed from service after a trial court convicted him of abetment to suicide of a woman in Thanjavur. However, the High Court had set aside the conviction. Justice Krishnan Ramasamy directed the State to consider the representation of the police officer on merits within four weeks.

The court was hearing the petition filed by C. Sethumani Madhavan from Madurai, who had joined service as a Sub-Inspector of Police in 1996. He was acquitted of the charge in 2019. He said as per the Police Standing Order 67 he should have been reinstated in service following the acquittal and had also sent a representation to the State in this regard, but there was no reply.

He said the failure to consider him for reinstatement was arbitrary and against the settled provisions of law.

Video of rats in Salem GH ward goes viral

Video of rats in Salem GH ward goes viral

21/10/2020

STAFF REPORTER SALEM

A video of rats running inside one of the wards at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital that was shared on social media is going viral.

The video shows rats running under beds and over oxygen supply pipelines in one of the intensive care units at the hospital.

R. Balajinathan, Dean, said large rat traps had been placed at various places in the ward to catch these rodents.

The authorities said there had not been any damage to the equipment.

Tamil Nadu hotelier booked for breaking COVID-19 norms as Rs 10-a-plate biryani offer goes awry

Tamil Nadu hotelier booked for breaking COVID-19 norms as Rs 10-a-plate biryani offer goes awry

Inspector Balamurugan made an alternative arrangement and ordered the food to be distributed to the destitute, poor and persons with disabilities.

Published: 20th October 2020 04:56 AM 

By Express News Service

VIRUDHUNAGAR: A promotional strategy of selling one plate of biryani for Rs 10 has landed a 29-year-old hotelier in hot water on the inaugural day of his restaurant in Aruppukottai on Sunday.

While Zahir Hussain (29), the hotelier, had expected a significant customer turn up, little did he imagine that hundreds would throng his shop, violating pandemic norms, eventually leading to his arrest.

Earlier, Zahir had put up a poster for the Rs 10-a-plate biryani, which offer was valid only for two hours, between 11 am and 1 pm on Sunday.

Sources said, by 10.30 am, several people had started lining up in front of the shop, which number blew up after the shop opened, leaving the road aswarm with people, many of whom did not wear masks or follow physical distancing.

The restaurant had prepared 2,500 packets of biryani, of which they sold nearly 500, by the time the Aruppukottai town police arrived at the spot and attempted to drive the crowd away, many of whom had waited at different spots, blocking most of the road.

Zahir was later taken to the police station and two policemen were stationed in front of the shop to prevent further crowding.

Inspector Balamurugan made an alternative arrangement and ordered the food to be distributed to the destitute, poor and persons with disabilities.

The volunteers arrived in a vehicle and took away the food.

An FIR was registered under Sections 188, 269 and 278 of the Indian Penal Code, read with Section 3 of The Epidemic Diseases Act and Section 54 of The Disaster Management Act against Zahir, who was later granted bail.

The shop was closed down for the day, but was not sealed and the owner has been warned not to attempt anything similar during the pandemic.