6 cases at Anna univ, 8 more in IIT

6 cases at Anna univ, 8 more in IIT

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

17.12.2020

Six hostel students at Anna University’s College of Engineering, Guindy, tested positive for Covid-19 even as eight more cases were reported from neighbouring Indian Institute of Technology–Madras. The case tally in IIT-Madras reached 191.

Tamil Nadu health secretary J Radhakrishnan, who visited both the campuses on Wednesday morning, said Covid-19 tests would be conducted for students residing on campuses across the state. “The positivity rate in Anna University is less than 1%. Most students who tested positive have undergone a battery of tests including blood profile, X-rays and CT scans. They are all doing well,” he said. Sanitation process has been initiated on both campuses.

The infection rate has been coming down steadily both in the city and the state. In the absence of a vaccine, people should continue wearing masks, he said. “Students cannot wear masks in dining rooms, and hence they must ensure they maintain social distancing. Colleges have been asked to offer takeaways for students. A few small mistakes will cause great danger,” he said.

While state has been fining people for not wearing masks, action will be initiated under the epidemic diseases act and the public health act if educational institutions do ensure people’s safety, he said.

Half-yearly exams cancelled for govt school students

Half-yearly exams cancelled for govt school students

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Salem: 17.12.2020

State school education minister K A Sengottaiyan on Wednesday announced that half-yearly examinations for students studying in the government and aided schools were cancelled. However, there were no restrictions for private schools to conduct online examinations, the minster told reporters in Erode.

Earlier, participating in an event for unveiling statues in the AIADMK party office and Panneerselvam Park, the minister lauded chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami for taking the government on the way shown by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa Citing a recent government order, the minister said the state has provided 3% reservation in government jobs for students who joined through sports quota.

On reducing syllabus, the minister said the students up to Class IX have to study only 50% of the syllabus and for Class X, XI, XII students, it would be 65% of the syllabus.

The minister said the school reopening date will be announced by the chief minister after consulting with parents and educationists.

DOING A CHECK: There are, however, no restrictions for private schools to conduct online examinations

Since Oct, DVAC arrested 33 govt staff for corruption

Since Oct, DVAC arrested 33 govt staff for corruption

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  17.12.2020

In the past two and half months, surprise raids across the state by Directorateof Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) officials has resulted in the arrest of 33 government staff for demanding and receiving bribe. According to an official release, 127 surprise checks were conducted state wide in government offices between October 1 and December 14, in which unaccounted money of ₹6.96 crore, 7.2kg gold, 9.8kg silver, 10.5 carats of diamonds and fixed deposits of ₹37 lakh were seized apart from documents.

Officials were arrested for receiving bribe amount as less as ₹1,000. In Chennai, a sanitary inspector with the city corporation, an estate officer with the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB), a junior assistant with the district revenue office were among those booked by the vigilance department.

Very recently, on Monday (Dec 14), DVAC officials raided the office and residence of Pandian, a superintendent in the state department of environment and seized property worth ₹1.37 crore. The officials found ₹88,500 in unaccounted money from thesuperintendent’soffice at Saidapet’s Panagal Maligai, where all senior environment department officials sit. Search at his residence in Saligramam yielded 3kg gold,10 carats of diamonds, fixed deposits of ₹37 lakh and 18 property documents.

A DVAC official said the superintendent is only a member of the clerical staff, but influential. “Top Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers were also wary of him.Hewouldthreaten totransfer other officials if they did not listen to him,” he said.

Other notable seizure by DVAC sleuths in the past two months was in Vellore, where searches for two continuous days at the office and residences of M Panneerselvam, a zonal officer with the state pollution control board, resulted in seizure of property worth ₹3.5 crore in cash, 450 sovereigns of gold and 6.5kg of silver.

Searches at a senior official in the registration department in Salem resulted in seizure of more than ₹1 crore worth properties.

A majority of raids were conducted at RTO (regional transport office) checkposts acrossthestate andin sub-registrar offices.

Unaccounted money of ₹6.96 crore, 7.2kg gold, 9.8kg silver, 10.5 carats of diamonds and fixed deposits of ₹37 lakh were seized in 127 raids

TN seeks nod to open two new dental colleges

TN seeks nod to open two new dental colleges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 17.12.2020

Tamil Nadu has sought permission from the Dental Council of India to start two dental colleges in Virudhunagar and Pudukottai for 2021-22 admissions. This is likely to increase the number of dental seats in the state by 200.

Until this year, the state had just one medical college – the Madras Dental College and Hospital in Chennai affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University with 100 BDS seats. “We will add 200 more seatstothe matrix if we get permission from the apex body,” saidhealthsecretary JRadhakrishnan.

Besides offering better and free oral health to people in rural areas, the proposed government colleges will help more studentstotakeup dentistry,he said. Every year, while all seats in government dental colleges are taken, many seats in self-financing dentalcolleges remain vacant. For instance in, 2017-2018, at least 265 seats in self-financing colleges were vacant and the following year it rose to  392.

In June this year, at the end of three rounds of counselling, more than 1,000 BDS vacant seats in self-financing dental colleges were vacant and the state selection committee extended phase-1 of the single window counselling for undergraduate dental admissions by three days. The committee said 417 of 1,070 government seats and 640 of 690 management seats were vacant. Some colleges have even agreed to convert some of their management quota seats into government quota to woo students.

Many students who cleared NEET decided to retake tests so they can get admissions in government medical or dental colleges. This is because the fee structure in self-financing dental colleges can go up to Rs 2.5 lakh compared to Rs 11,610 in Madras Dental College.

Government, however, thinks training more dentists and establishing facilities will help the government take tertiary dental care to people in the rural areas. “Several studies have shown tremendous improvement in public health with good oral hygiene practices.Diseasesin the mouthcan be an early indicator to several non-communicable diseases. New colleges will help us achieve this,” said director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu.

Several senior dentists say that this move will offer better career options to dentists. “Despite the shortage in the number of dentists, many don’t have adequate jobs. A small fraction of the population takes dental health seriously. Most people don’t make annual visits to dentists. Only strong infrastructure and government policy can change this,” said senior dentist Dr SM Balaji.

Pvt school student challenges quota for medical seats

 

SC allows AYUSH docs to prescribe govt-approved immunity boosters

SC allows AYUSH docs to prescribe govt-approved immunity boosters

New Delhi:  16.12.2020

The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that qualified AYUSH doctors can prescribe government-approved tablets or mixtures as immunity boosters for Covid-19 patients as per the directions in the March 6 order of the Ministry.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, however, said these doctors cannot prescribe or advertise them as a cure for Covid-19.

The order of the apex court was passed on an appeal filed against the August 21decision of the Kerala HC holding that AYUSH doctors shall not prescribe tablets or mixtures as cures for Covid-19, but only as immunity boosters. The Kerala HC order had asked the state government to use alternative medicine only as an immunity booster. AGENCIES

Educators tell pupils of professional courses to begin rigorous self-study

Educators tell pupils of professional courses to begin rigorous self-study

Ardhra.Nair@timesgroup.com

Pune:  16.12.2020

First-year students of engineering and other professional courses must start studying from Day 1 if they want to finish the syllabus well before the term-end examinations, teachers said.

Neither has the directorate of technical education nor Savitribai Phule Pune University announced any syllabus cut for professional colleges.

A S Marathe, dean of academics at Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, said every engineering student must have a a daily study plan, this year.

“With hardly any physical classes and less time, piling up everything for the preparatory leave would be a bad decision. Students must have a timetable, dedicate at least 6-9 hours a week for his studies and they must keep a log of it. Engineering is different from std XII and they must be prepared to cope with the diversity and depth of the syllabus,” he said.

Sukrut Deo of Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College said a new law student should focus on self-study this year. “We never recommend that law students use readymade notes. We suggest books and to make their own notes. This year, they should also study at home for at least three hours a day, beyond online lectures. The previous year’s question papers can be studied, but the latest updates and changes should also be checked. Law students must take guidance from their teachers for quick notes on case laws and judgments. They must use official websites like SCC Online, Manupatra, Lexis-Nexis, CLA Online for cases from the high courts and Supreme Court.”