UGC leaves it to VCs and state govts to decide on reopening of classes on campus

UGC leaves it to VCs and state govts to decide on reopening of classes on campus

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:06.11.2020 

The UGC on Thursday notified guidelines for reopening of higher education institutions, leaving it to the vice-chancellors (VC) and heads of the centrally funded institutions to take decision on resumption of physical classes on campus while respective state governments will have to take call with regard to state universities and colleges.

The guidelines on reopening of campuses, closed since March due to the pandemic, suggest a six-day schedule, reducing class size, setting up isolation facilities on campus and Covid-19 screening of students, faculty and staff, among other things.

The universities and colleges have been asked to plan the opening of campuses in a phased manner, with such activities that adhere to Covid-19 protocols, including social distancing, use of face masks and other protective measures. The commission said universities and colleges may consider breaking classes into multiple sections to maintain physical distancing and depending on availability of space, allow up to 50% of students on a rotation basis to attend classes.

“For centrally funded higher education institutions, the head should satisfy herself or himself regarding the feasibility of opening of physical classes and decide accordingly,” the guidelines stated, “For all other institutions, including state universities, private universities, and colleges, opening of physical classes to be done as per the decision of the respective state governments.”

“The universities and colleges shall only be allowed to open if they are outside the containment zones. Further, students and staff living in containment zones will not be allowed to attend the colleges ... The faculty, staff and students of the university and college should be encouraged to download ‘Aarogya Setu App’,” the commission said.

Full report on www.toi.in

WhatsApp launches ‘disappearing messages’ option

WhatsApp launches ‘disappearing messages’ option

Sindhu.Hariharan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:06.11.2020 

Amid recent concerns around privacy of WhatsApp chats, the messaging app now wants to give users more control over their conversations.

WhatsApp has introduced a ‘Disappearing messages’ feature for its chats, which is being rolled out worldwide across both Android and iOS starting Thursday.

When the feature is turned on in a chat, messages part of the particular chat will disappear after seven days, helping keep the conversation more private.

In one-to-one chats, either person can turn the disappearing messages feature on or off, and in groups, the admins will have the control.

Photos, videos and other media files shared in the chats will also disappear if this feature is enabled, but they will still be saved on the phone if auto-download is on.

In a significant move, the feature of disappearing chats also extends to the chat backups.

A spokesperson for the app told TOI that if a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup, but the next time they back up their chats, the expired message is removed from the backup. “But it will still be there between the time it expires and when a user next backs up,” the person said. WhatsApp said it decided to start with a seven-day window since the timeline “offers peace of mind that conversations aren’t permanent, while remaining practical so you don’t forget what you were chatting about.”

As per WhatsApp’s FAQ page, this won’t work if a user forwards the message to a chat window that has disabled the feature, or takes a screenshot of a disappearing message and save it before it disappears. Similarly, if you reply to a disappearing message by quoting it, the quoted text might remain in the chat even after seven days.

The concept of making digital conversations short-lived and fleeting was earlier popularized by WhatsApp’s rival Telegram and social network platform Snapchat, who have had this feature for a few years now.

Over 100 from TN, Pondy ranked among world’s top 2% scientists

Over 100 from TN, Pondy ranked among world’s top 2% scientists

Bosco.Dominique@timesgroup.com

06.11.2020

medicine. The report was based on a data-set of one lakh top scientists from 22 main fields and 176 sub-fields. Based on various indicators, mainly the impact of the scientists in terms of citations of their publications, the Stanford team has identified the world’s top 2% scientists.

Specialist doctors, researchers and teaching faculty from more than a dozen premier institutions Puducherry: More than 100 experts from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have featured in the top 2% of scientists worldwide, in a report by Stanford University. The Stanford report was published in the October issue of PLOS, a nonprofit and an open-access publisher empowering researchers to accelerate progress in science and including Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathiar University and Bharathidasan University in Tamil Nadu, and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) and Pondicherry University in Puducherry, are among the top 2%.

The list includes N Kumarasamy (virology) from Chennai Antiviral Research and Treatment Clinical Research Site, Jipmer director Rakesh Aggarwal (gastroenterology & hepatology), former Jipmer director S C Parija (tropical medicine) and S A Abbasi (strategic, defence & security studies) from Pondicherry University among others.

Kumarasamy is the chief and director of the centre at Voluntary Health Services (VHS) Hospital in Chennai, an advisor and expert panel member for WHO - ARV treatment guidelines committee and a clinical advisor to Clinton Health Access Initiative. Parija has two patents, authored 16 books and more than 350 papers both in the national and international journals of repute.

Actor Vijay denies entry into politics

Actor Vijay denies entry into politics

Chennai:06.11.2020 

Actor Vijay clarified on Thursday he had no connection with the political party registered by his father with the election commission of India and has urged his fans not to join or work for it just because the party was started by his father S A Chandrasekar.

The actor released a statement shortly after his father and film director S A Chandrasekar said a political party in the name of ‘All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam’ has been registeredwiththeElection Commission of India. “I got to know through the media that my father has started a political party. I statecategorically to myfans andthe public that I do not have any connection, directly or indirectly,withthe political party started by my father,” he said. He urged his fans not to join the political party just because his father started it. “I request my fans to not join the political party or workfor itjustbecause it was started by my father. I like to inform you that there is no connection between that party and our ‘Iyakkam’,” he said. TNN

MNM is third front in TN, says Kamal Haasan

MNM is third front in TN, says Kamal Haasan

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:6.11.2020 

The two-year-old Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has emerged as the third front in the Dravidian land, its president Kamal Haasan, claimed on Thursday. Pointing out that he would seek the support of his good friend and actor Rajinikanth, the actor-turned-politician said this would be only if the 71-year-old actor did not launch his own party.

Asserting that the MNM would be a serious contender in the 2021 polls, vice-president R Mahendran announced that Kamal would kick-start the election campaign on November 26 and 27 in Trichy and Madurai districts and would travel to Coimbatore and Salem districts on December 13 and 14.

“The party’s top priority is to weed out corruption,” Kamal Haasan said. “We will invite upright people (politicians) to be part of the party,” he said, adding that he got a lot of positive inputs from functionaries during a recent threeday meeting.

The party infrastructure has been strengthened and functionaries in 68,000-odd booths digitally connected. The party is in the process of selecting candidates, he said, asserting that “the voice of MNM” would be heard in the assembly after the polls. He would also be in the fray, he said.

Welcoming TN’s decision on the BJP’s Vel Yatra, Kamal said “Vellai (employment) is important now, not Vel”. Despite repeated questions, he refused to be drawn into the row over Manusmriti, saying, “It is not in practice now. So, it's not apt to talk about it.”

HC to hear plea to extend 7.5% med seats quota

HC to hear plea to extend 7.5% med seats quota

Madurai:6.11.2020 

The Madras high courton Thursday agreedtohear a plea which sought to extend the benefit of the GO passed by the state government providing 7.5% horizontal reservation for government school students who had cleared NEET for admission in medical courses, to the students of government aided schools as well.

On Thursday morning, an advocate I Pinaygash made the mention before the court to hear a petition filed in this regard. A division bench of justices N Kirubakaran andBPugalendhisaid that they would take up the petition for hearing on November 9, Monday.

The petitioner V Preethi, a resident of Tirunelveli district, stated that she had passed Class XII from a government aided school and had appeared for NEET exam.

She stated that most students studying in government aidedschools are alsofrom humble backgrounds aspiring to get into medical education. Hence, the petitioner sought to quash the GO for excluding aided students and sought to extend the benefit to them as well. TNN

Ensuring social distancing will be difficult, say colleges

Ensuring social distancing will be difficult, say colleges

UGC Releases Detailed Set Of Guidelines

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:6.11.2020 

The government has said colleges can reopen on November 16, but institutions are worried about ensuring social distancing on crowded campuses. Some plan to accommodate only science students in hostel, while others mull allowing only final year students on campuses.

The higher education department is yet to release any standard operating procedures, but the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday released a detailed set of guidelines for universities and colleges.

As per the guidelines, institution have been urged to reopen in a phased manner, not to allow more than 50% of the students on campus at any given point of time and to give preference to research scholars, postgraduates and final year students.

But, many colleges have more than 5,000 students in two shifts. Thomas Amirtham, principal of Loyola College which has around 10,000 students coming in the mornings and evenings, said it would be tough. “We conducted a survey among students and more than 60% of them are not willing to come back. Students from north-eastern states and outside the country may not be able to return in the absence of regular flight and train services,” he said, adding that the ideal time to reopen would be in January after the festival season.

The management of the college, which was a Covid care centre, is the process of being handed back the buildings from the corporation. “They [corporation officials] are in the process of removing the mattresses. After that, we will disinfect buildings,” he said.

Madras Christian College plans to allow only science students who need lab classes in hostels and in classrooms. “We have more than 8,000 students in both shifts and will finalise the plan after getting SOPs from the government,” said principal Paul Wilson.

He said the college also needs to set up a mini hospital or clinic to isolate the students with fever and other symptoms.

Ethiraj College for Women, with 8,200 students, wants only 50% of students on the campus at any given time. “The rest will attend classes online,” said principal S Kothai. The college is converting four-bed rooms to two-bed rooms in hostels and plans a fever ward.

Women’s Christian College principal Lilian Jasper said it would be difficult to accommodate all 70 students in a class at the same time. “We are thinking of getting third year students first.”

Guru Nanak College, with 8,400 students, plans only practical classes after reopening as theory classes were completed online. “It would be difficult to maintain social distancing during breaks,” said principal M G Ragunathan. He further said teachers would find it difficult to teach for five hours wearing masks.

Engineering colleges, which almost completed classes for students online except freshers, have a bigger challenge as many of their students are hostellers.

“Parents are not willing to send their wards to colleges in this situation. If a student gets infected, it could spread fast,” said RM Kishore, vicechairman, RMK Engineering College. Most colleges situated are in far-off places and canteens are necessary. “Canteens or hostels could become Covid hotspots. We cannot have full strength,” said B Chidambararajan, principal of SRM Valliammai Engineering College.