Christ varsity holds virtual convocation

Christ varsity holds virtual convocation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:09.11.2020

About 7,150 students graduated from Christ deemed-to-be University at a virtual convocation ceremony held on Sunday.

The students were awarded bachelor, master, MPhil and PhD degrees in humanities, social sciences, science, commerce, management, law, education and engineering.

Professor Tyrone Pretorius, rector and vice-chancellor of the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, delivered the convocation address as the chief guest. “We need to harness compassion and empathy that we see the hardship the pandemic has brought us,” he said, urging the youngsters to fight social evils.

Rank holders attend PES University function

PES University also conducted its fifth annual convocation on Sunday with 2,032 candidates receiving the degrees. PhD holders and rank holders were invited for the event while others watched the proceedings online. Two candidates were conferred doctorate degrees and 14 gold medals and 59 silver medals were bagged by the graduates.

Justice Gopal Gowda V, former Supreme Court judge, said engineers have the responsibility of addressing problems specific to developing communities, including water provisioning, sanitation, power production, site planning, infrastructure and food production.

SAFE CEREMONY: About 7,150 students received degrees at the Christ deemed-to-be University convocation on Sunday

TIMES GIFT A SUBSCRIPTION

TIMES GIFT A SUBSCRIPTION

This Diwali, try a gift that spreads light, not fake news

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

09.11.2020 

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Diwali is all about spreading joy and giving your near and dear ones gifts that they’ll treasure. But instead of the usual chocolate and mithai hampers that add inches to your waist or blingy plated photo frames that are shoved into drawers and conveniently forgotten, a gift can be infinitely more meaningful.

“Times Gift a Subscription” presents an opportunity to gift a newspaper subscription to the people who matter the most to you. In an environment of social media noise, toxic debates, biased agendas and misinformation, it is a gift that symbolises the power of reason, reliable facts and trusted perspectives. The gesture has even more meaning on Diwali, the festival of lights. Diwali’s gentle flickering diyas are also lit in homes with the hope that it will dispel ignorance. What better way to dispel ignorance than to subscribe to The Times of India. Unlike social media which can be a purveyor of fake forwards, the paper’s credibility is unmatched. An army of reporters, photographers, designers and editors work hard to bring readers an array of national and international news reports that have been verified and carefully curated. They give the reader a choice to read and decide what the piece of news means to them. There is no attempt to shove down half-baked opinions and prejudices down your throat. No messages of hate and venom that lead to manipulated negativity and rage.

This pandemic has seen many things change. Grandparents have been deprived of loving hugs, parents have juggled laptops and chores while young ones learnt to live their lives through the screen. For much of the year, a dark cloud has cast a shadow on our lives. Yet a tiny sliver of consistency remains. Just as the sun continues to shine, and waves continue to hit the sandy beaches, so has The Times of India stood steadfast in this time of uncertainty, presenting an uncluttered perspective and a commitment to truth. Besides extensive reportage from across the country, the newspaper has well-reasoned and clearly articulated opinions, witty cartoons, and insightful graphics that can be a very useful gift for young impressionable minds. Most people hunched over phones and screens are watching material that only dulls the mind. There is hardly any critical questioning, nothing that agitates an inquiring mind or a scientific temperament. Would it not be so much better for a young person to be apprised of events by someone with experience distilling the overload of information than someone who is in the game just for a higher number of clicks?

But perhaps the most important reason for giving a TOI subscription would be to form a habit for life. Parents and elders work to instill values that will hold a young person in good stead for the rest of their life. The subscription is like a lifeboat that could keep an individual anchored towards the power of information.

In this festival of lights, let TOI be the shining light that brings you and your family knowledge and joy through the year.

Log on to giftsubscription.timesgroup.com and choose the publication, or, the combination of publications you wish to gift, and to whom. You can gift a subscription in these 7 cities: Delhi + NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Woman officer forgets phone in auto, gets extortion call for ₹60K

Woman officer forgets phone in auto, gets extortion call for ₹60K

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Surat:  09.11.2020 

Forgetting her phone in a hired auto rickshaw came to haunt a 58-year-old female government officer from the revenue department in the city who received an extortion threat from an unidentified man who demanded Rs 60,000 to delete her objectionable photos. She lodged a complaint in Cyber Crime police station.

The unidentified person said he will make her objectionable photos viral on social media. The accused suspected to have picked the phone the woman forgot in January 2020 when she went to a shopping mall on Dumas Road in the auto that she had booked online from a cab service provider. She told the police that the phone had her photos and videos. Police have zeroed in on the role of an auto rickshaw driver based on the FIR.

“We have identified a few suspects and after questioning the person responsible for the crime will be arrested,” said a cyber crime police official. On October 30 an unidentified person called her up and spoke in Hindi. After answering one call she did not pick up other calls and asked her son to talk to the man. The son requested the caller to stop the harassment. Later the caller started sending the woman her photos on the Whatsapp threatening to make these viral on social media.

The woman then deleted Whatsapp from her phone and her husband started the app on his phone with her number.

To reopen schools or not? States in dilemma

To reopen schools or not? States in dilemma

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

09.11.2020

Nearly half the academic year gone, the trade-off between access to education and safety during a pandemic has not been an easy one to negotiate across India. While some states have opened schools with an abundance of caution, the surge in cases right after despite the safety measures has made other states put their plans on hold.

Tamil Nadu, which had initially announced schools and colleges would resume classes from November 16, will seek the opinion of parents on Monday. Telangana is also holding consultations while Meghalaya will take a call later this month. Sikkim had earlier announced it would resume classes but has now deferred its plans.

The cautionary tale has been that of Andhra Pradesh, where 879 teachers and 575 students have tested positive for Covid-19 so far. While the teachers had all tested positive before school reopened on November 2, the students tested after. Schools have not been shut. But because of the spike in Andhra, neighbouring Odisha has shelved its plan to reopen schools gradually from November 16.

Covid forces Karnataka to suspend its outreach programme

For most states that did decide to reopen earlier, shutting down again is not on the cards. In Uttarakhand, for instance, 80 teachers from 23 schools in Pauri Garhwal district tested positive. After shutting the schools for five days so they can be sanitised, they will open again. In Haryana, three students at a government school in Narwana tested positive after schools reopened on November 2. After a few days’ gap, other students will be back on Monday. In Punjab, where four teachers in Fazilka district tested positive after going back to classrooms on October 19, schools will reopen but with “all precautions in place,” district education officer Sukhveer Singh Bal said.

It is only Himachal Pradesh, where 40 teachers have tested positive, and Mizoram, where eight students were infected, that schools with Covid cases have been shut again indefinitely. But can students afford closure? The online shift has made access a problem in rural and remote areas for children of migrant workers and those from underprivileged families. While states like Bihar and Himachal tried to get books across to students, the lack of guidance from teachers meant the gap could not be closed, especially for first-generation learners. “We are worried about our children. While they have shut things down for safety, how will our children study?” asked Khem Chand, whose daughter studies at Thunang School in Mandi.

With this in mind, Karnataka had launched an outreach programme, Vidyagama, for 47 lakh government school students. Teachers would meet children in small groups in places like parks, playgrounds or temples. By October 10, the government had to suspend the programme when Covid hit those attending — 34 children in Belagavi and Kalaburagi tested positive, a government school teacher from Moodabidiri died and another from south Karnataka got infected. The state has no plan to reopen schools anytime soon.

Full report on www,toiin

Absentees to write engg exam from Nov 17

Absentees to write engg exam from Nov 17

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.11.2020 

Around 21,000 engineering students who missed the final year online exams due to technical glitches and absentees will sit for supplementary exams from November 17 to 21.

Around 1.5 lakh candidates took an online proctoring test held from September 24 to 29. Of 4 lakh online exams, more than 10,000 students could not complete the exam due to glitches and many others were absent.

After getting permission from state disaster management authority, the university informed the candidates that supplementary online terminal semester exams for all university departments and degree programmes will be held from November 17. It said candidates who had technical issues due to internet connectivity, disruption of power supply and absentee candidates will be accommodated in the supplementary exams.

The 60-minute online tests are likely to have the same 30% weightage as the main exam. The university gave only 30% weightage to the online test while 50% weightage was given to pre-final semester and 20% weightage was given to internal exams. Students had more choices as they had to answer only 30 out of the 40 questions.

There was no announcement on the candidates whose results have been withheld for suspected malpractice cases. The university officials said committee enquiries are on and after going through the evidence they will take a call.

After virus spikes, states defer reopening schools

After virus spikes, states defer reopening schools

09.11.2020 

With nearly half the academic year gone by, the trade-off between access to education and safety during a pandemic has not been an easy one to negotiate across India. While some states have opened schools with an abundance of caution, the surge in cases right after despite the safety measures has made other states put their plans on hold.

The cautionary tale has been that of Andhra Pradesh, where 879 teachers and 575 students have tested positive for Covid-19 so far. While the teachers had all tested positive before school reopened on November 2, the students tested after. Schools have not been shut. But the spike in AP led neighbouring Odisha to shelve its plan to reopen schools gradually from November 16. Tamil Nadu will on Monday seek parents’ opinion on the matter. TNN

TN Covid deaths fall to lowest in 4 months

TN’s discharge rate continued to outpace its Covid-19 infection rate on Sunday when the state also reported 20 deaths, the lowest in four months.TN has 18,894 active cases. P 5

Shutting down schools again not on the cards

TN To Seek Parents’ Opinion On Reopening Schools

For most states that did decide to reopen earlier, shutting down again is not on the cards. In Uttarakhand, for instance, 80 teachers from 23 schools in Pauri Garhwal district tested positive. After shutting the schools for five days so they can be sanitised, they will open again. In Haryana, three students at a government school in Narwana tested positive after schools reopened on November

2. After a few days’ gap, other students will be back Monday. In Punjab, where four teachers in Fazilka district tested positive after going back to classrooms on October 19, schools will reopen but with “all precautions in place,” district education officer Sukhveer Singh Bal said.

It is only Himachal Pradesh, where 40 teachers have tested positive, and Mizoram, where eight students were infected, that schools with Covid cases have been shut again indefinitely. But can students afford closure? The online shift has made access a problem in rural and remote areas, for children of migrant workers and those from underprivileged families. While states like Bihar and Himachal tried to get books across to students, the lack of guidance from teachers meant the gap could not be closed, especially for first-generation learners. “We are worried about our children. While they have shut things down for safety, how will our children study?” asked Khem Chand, whose daughter studies at Thunang School in Mandi.

With this in mind, Karnataka had launched an outreach programme, Vidyagama, for 47 lakh government school students. Teachers would meet children in small groups in places like parks, playgrounds or temples. By October 10, the government had to suspend the programme when Covid hit those attending — 34 children in Belagavi and Kalaburagi tested positive, a government school teacher from Moodabidiri died and another from south Karnataka got infected. The state has no plan to reopen schools anytime soon.

Nor do Delhi, West Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand. Project officer of Jharkhand Project Education Council Sailesh Kumar Chourasia said, “Policymakers are also considering the number of festivals coming up which would mean intermittent closure in any case.” Sikkim had earlier announced it would resume classes but has now deferred their plans.

Three states, however, have decided to reopen schools but only for students appearing for the boards — Arunachal Pradesh will begin on November 16, Goa will resume classes from November 21 and Maharashtra will do so from November 23. Maharashtra’s unlock guidelines on October 14 had allowed 50% teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to schools. On Saturday, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray approved the plan.

Tamil Nadu, which had initially announced schools and colleges would resume classes from November 16, will seek the opinion of parents on Monday — they will be asked to pass a resolution in favour of or against reopening. Telangana is also holding consultations while Meghalaya will take a call later this month.

So far, only four states have managed to open schools without witnessing any surge in Covid-19 cases — Assam, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. “Deputy commissioners in each district have been asked to keep an eye on the situation,” Assam education principal secretary B Kalayan Chakravarthy said. In UP, where classes started October 15, students have been asked to turn up with written undertaking from their parents that they don’t have symptoms.

நான் ஜெயிலுக்கு செல்ல தயார் விஜய், விஷ வளையத்தில் சிக்கி இருக்கிறார் - எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் பேட்டி

நான் ஜெயிலுக்கு செல்ல தயார் விஜய், விஷ வளையத்தில் சிக்கி இருக்கிறார் - எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் பேட்டி

 

நடிகர் விஜய் விஷ வலையில் சிக்கி இருக்கிறார். நான் ஜெயிலுக்கு செல்லவும் தயார் என்று எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் கூறினார்.

பதிவு: நவம்பர் 08, 2020 04:45 AM

சென்னை,

தளபதி விஜய் மக்கள் இயக்கம் என்ற பெயரில் தனி கட்சி தொடங்கி உள்ள விஜய்யின் தந்தையும், டைரக்டருமான எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் அளித்த பேட்டி வருமாறு:-

விஜய் மக்கள் இயக்கம் என்பது நான் ஆரம்பித்த அமைப்பு. அதை அரசியல் கட்சியாக பதிவு செய்ய யாரிடமும் அனுமதி கேட்க தேவை இல்லை. விஜய் இப்போது உச்ச நட்சத்திரமாக மாறினாலும் எனக்கு குழந்தைதான். அவருக்கு என்ன நல்லது செய்ய வேண்டுமோ அதை ஒரு தந்தையாக செய்து கொண்டு இருக்கிறேன். எதையும் அவரிடம் கேட்டு செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று இல்லை.

ரசிகர் மன்றம் ஆரம்பித்தபோது அவரிடம் கேட்கவில்லை. அவருக்கு எது நல்லதோ அதை செய்கிறேன். அவருக்கு இதில் உடன்பாடு இல்லாமல் இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் அப்பா செய்தது நல்லதுதான் என்று பிறகு புரிந்து ஏற்றுக்கொள்வார் என்பது எனது நம்பிக்கை.

தனது பெயர், புகைப்படம் பயன்படுத்தினால் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று விஜய் கூறியிருக்கிறார். நடவடிக்கை எடுத்து என்னை ஜெயிலுக்கு அனுப்ப நினைத்தால் அனுப்பட்டும். அப்பா மீது பிள்ளை நடவடிக்கை எடுத்தால் அது வரலாறு. பெருமைதான். நான் நல்லதுதான் செய்து இருக்கிறேன். எதிர்விளைவு பற்றி சிந்திக்கவில்லை.

நான் வெளிப்படையான மனிதன். நான் ஆரம்பித்தது எதிலும் தோற்றது இல்லை. கடவுள் இருக்கிறார். சினிமா பாதிக்கும் என்பதால் அவரை கட்சியில் இணைக்கவில்லை. 10 வருடத்துக்கு முன்பே விஜய்யிடம் நான் அரசியல் கட்சி ஆரம்பிப்பேன் என்று கூறியிருக்கிறேன். அரசியல் கட்சி ஆரம்பித்து மக்களுக்கு நல்லது செய்ய நினைத்தேன். ஆரம்பித்து இருக்கிறேன்.

வருகிற தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடுவது குறித்து சிந்திக்கவில்லை. 8 மாதமாக திட்டமிட்டு இப்போது கட்சியை பதிவு செய்து இருக்கிறேன். தெரியாத ஒரு ரகசியம் இருக்கிறது. அதாவது விஜய் ஒரு விஷ வலையில் சிக்கி இருக்கிறார். அதில் இருந்து அவரை வெளியே கொண்டு வருவேன். கூட இருப்பவர்கள் குழி பறிக்கிறார்கள்.

நான் அவரோடு இருந்தால் பிழைப்பு நடத்த முடியாது என்று நினைத்து என்னை பற்றி தவறாக சொல்லி அவருடன் நெருங்க விடாமல் செய்கிறார்கள். நல்லவன் மாதிரி நடிக்கின்றனர். விஜய்க்கு விரைவில் உண்மை தெரியவரும். அப்பா நல்லதுதான் செய்து இருக்கிறார் என்று அப்போது உணர்வார்.

இவ்வாறு எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் கூறினார்.