New IT rules don’t apply to us, Google tells HC

New IT rules don’t apply to us, Google tells HC

03/06/2021

Staff Reporter NEW DELHI

Google told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that the new Information Technology Rules 2021, which came into effect late last month, did not apply to the U.S.-based tech giant as it was a “search engine” and not a “social media intermediary” like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

On April 20, the High Court issued a slew of directions on a petition by a woman who claimed her photographs and images, though not in themselves obscene or offensive, were taken from her Facebook and Instagram accounts without her consent, and uploaded on a pornographic website with derogatory captions added to them.

Why not buy 100% vaccines if you get discount, SC asks Centre

Why not buy 100% vaccines if you get discount, SC asks Centre

Bench questions Union govt.’s logic that it is getting the sop due to bulk orders

03/06/2021

Krishnadas Rajagopal NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court has questioned the Centre’s logic that manufacturers are selling it COVID-19 vaccines for a hefty discount because it places bulk orders. The court then asked the government why it cannot buy 100% of the vaccines at a discount instead of leaving the States to fend for themselves.

“The Central government justifying its lower prices on account of its ability to place large purchase orders for vaccines raises the issue as to why this rationale is not being employed for acquiring 100% of the monthly CDL [Central Drugs Laboratory] doses,” a Bench, led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, noted in a 32-page order.

The Centre can buy vaccines for ₹150, while the States have to shell out between ₹300 and ₹600.

If the Central government’s unique monopolistic buyer position is the only reason for it receiving vaccines at a much lower rate from manufacturers, it is important for us to examine the rationality of the existing Liberalised Vaccination Policy against Article 14 [right to equality] of the Constitution since it could place severe burdens, particularly on States/Union Territories suffering from financial distress,” the court held.

It said the Centre, with a ₹35,000 crore budget to buy vaccines, has money to spare unlike the States which have suddenly been burdened with the task to cough up funds for vaccines. “The Union Budget for 2021-2022 earmarked ₹35,000 crore for procuring vaccines. In the light of the Liberalised Vaccination Policy, the Central government is directed to clarify how these funds have been spent so far and why they cannot be utilised for vaccinating persons aged 18-44,” the court ordered.

Central varsities wait for clarity on CUCET

Central varsities wait for clarity on CUCET

Consultation was held in March

03/06/2021

Priscilla Jebaraj NEW DELHI

With major school boards cancelling their Class 12 examinations, students looking to apply for college are now waiting for clarity regarding a new avatar of an old admission method — the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET). In March, about 45 Central universities were told that the National Testing Agency would conduct the CUCET this year for all aspiring students, but the pandemic may have cast a pall of uncertainty over those plans.

“We were told that the NTA would take over the conduct of the exam, and it would be used for all admissions, with separate tests for UG and PG courses... About 45 universities consented,” said the admissions director of one of the newer universities in southern India, who did not want to be named. He claimed that the older universities such as the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Delhi University (DU), Jadavpur and Shantiniketan were not so keen on a common entrance test, as they have their own admission processes.

However, the controller of examinations from one of the older institutions said all Central universities were on board. “All the controllers were unanimous that apart from a common entrance test, we should have a common counselling process as well, as is done for [engineering admissions via] JEE,” he said.

DU Vice-Chancellor P.C. Joshi told The Hindu on Tuesday that if the Education Ministry approves the use of the CUCET, that could be implemented, adding that the DU would not compromise on merit.

Officials at the Education Ministry, NTA and UGC did not respond to queries regarding CUCET 2021

Relief for engg colleges, worry for others

Relief for engg colleges, worry for others

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:03.06.2021

The state government’s decision to cancel the Class XII state board exams may prove a blessing in disguise for engineering colleges, where more than half of all seats went vacant last year.

However, for arts and commerce colleges, the decision brings the challenge of adding 1.25 lakh seats for the academic year 2021-22. This is to be done in anticipation of the large number of students who are likely to pass this year due to the cancellation of the Class XII board exams.

“Last year, some 34,000 seats at engineering colleges went vacant after the admission committee and the private colleges could not fill them. This year, more students will qualify for engineering courses due to which the number of vacant seats may fall substantially,” said an education department official.

This is expected to benefit private colleges which were left with more than 50% of all seats vacant last year, he added.

Approximately 1.40 lakh science stream students and 5.43 lakh general stream students were expected to take the board exam.

Wednesday’s decision applies to only regular students and the government is yet to take a call on ‘repeater candidates’, who number 1.25 lakh students for Class XII general stream.

Last year, about 3.71 lakh students took the Class XII (general) board exams of which 2.87 lakh cleared it and took admission in commerce and arts colleges.

“This year about 1.25 lakh more students are expected to apply for admission to arts and commerce courses. The education department will have to ensure addition of almost 1,000 divisions to accommodate the huge additional number,” said Jayvantsinh Sarvaiya, president of Gujarat State College Principals’ Association.

About 53,000 students of Class XII science (Group A) were expected to take the board exams this year. Students who have opted for Group A with mathematics can qualify for engineering courses after fulfilling other criteria. In comparison, there 56,000 students in this group last year of whom about 42,500 cleared the exams.

While the board is yet to announce assessment criteria for students, experts feel the overall number of students clearing Class XII and applying for college admissions will far exceed that of last year.

No clarity on GujCET

After the cancellation of the board exams, the government is exploring the possibility of holding the Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GujCET), the state-level exam is held annually for science students seeking admission to in degree engineering, diploma engineering and pharmacy courses in government, grant-in-aid and self-financed engineering institutions in Gujarat. “Unless there is clarity on GujCET, the college admission process cannot be initiated. Last year about 1.25 lakh students had taken the entrance test,” said a source in the Gujarat board. The merit lists for college admission were drawn up by giving 40% weight to percentile obtained by the candidate in GujCET 2020 and 60% weight to percentile obtained in the Class XII (science) board exams. TNN

Decision on JEE (Main) tests, NEET-UG next week

Decision on JEE (Main) tests, NEET-UG next week

New Delhi:03.06.2021

The government will review the situation next week before it is likely to finalise new dates for the remaining two JEE (Main) tests, as well as take a decision on whether NEET-UG could be conducted on August 1, reports Manash Gohain.

The ministry of education will also decide on the fate of the Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) after CBSE announces the assessment scheme for the class XII boards. Due to surge in Covid-19 cases in April, the April and May editions of JEE (Main) were postponed and registration of NEET-UG which were supposed to commence from May 1 was kept in abeyance.

According to a senior education ministry official, “A review meeting next week will assess the situation. Given the present situation, the NEET-UG is likely to be postponed.”

After the cancellation of the class XII exams, concerns are being raised by experts on expected disparities in school level evaluation across the country, as well as challenges that universities are likely to face in normalising the differences in results prepared by school boards.

1,000 govt employees died of Covid since March 2020: Assn

1,000 govt employees died of Covid since March 2020: Assn

ManuAiyappa.Kanathanda@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:03.06.2021

At least 1,000 fulltime and contract employees of Karnataka government have succumbed to Covid-19 and around 1 lakh workforce has been infected with the virus since March last year, according to informal surveys by employees’ associations.

“According to department-wise data collected by our association, 518 full-time employees have died of Covid-19 since last year. The total number of employees who have died of Covid-19 is well over1,000 if we take into account data provided by other associations which have contracted staff as members,” claimed CS Shadakshari, president of the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association (KSGEA).

Other associations are those of contract employees and workers, ASHA workers and anganwadi teachers who are not full-time government employees. Hence, they do not come under KSGEA.

Victims’ families yet to get aid

There are 6.5 lakh government employees. The government has offered Rs 30 lakh ex-gratia to kin of those who have died due to Covid-19 and jobs to dependents based on their education qualification.

“About 400 teachers have lost their lives, largely in Kalaburagi and Belagavi divisions. This is because many of them were sent on election duty,” said Karnataka Primary School Teachers’ Association president Basavaraj Gurikar.

Some of the deceased were in irrigation, rural development, panchayat, public works, agriculture, revenue and animal husbandry departments. At least 21 forest department personnel died of Covid-19.

Employee association members said kin of many employees were yet to get full benefits from the government.

› Belagavi village sees 86 Covid-19 deaths in May, P 4

Seniority Cannot Be Claimed From A Date When The Incumbent Was Not Borne In Service: SC [Read Judgment]

Seniority Cannot Be Claimed From A Date When The Incumbent Was Not Borne In Service: SC [Read Judgment]: 'The Law is fairly well settled in a series of cases, that a person is disentitled to claim seniority from a date he was not borne in service.'