Anna University allows two colleges to start engineering courses in Tamil

Anna University allows two colleges to start engineering courses in Tamil

While Erode Sengunthar will offer 60 seats in Mechanical Engineering stream in Tamil medium, Rathinam Technical Campus will teach Computer Science Engineering in the regional language.

Published: 03rd September 2021 05:38 AM 

Anna University (File Photo | EPS)

By Binita Jaiswal

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Decks have been cleared for Erode Sengunthar College and Rathinam Technical Campus, to start Tamil medium engineering courses, after finally receiving necessary approval from Anna University (AU) on Thursday.

While Erode Sengunthar will offer 60 seats in Mechanical Engineering stream in Tamil medium, Rathinam Technical Campus will teach Computer Science Engineering in the regional language. The All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) had granted approval to both colleges long back but both were in dilemma over starting the courses this year as they did not receive requisite permission from AU — their affiliating university.

The colleges were worried over the delay in getting permission from AU as the last date for applying for Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) ended on August 24. Sources said AU was hesitant to grant approval as it doesn’t have sufficient study material in Tamil to provide these colleges. Besides, they were worried that a number of seats might fall vacant as there could only be a few takers for the courses, and placement issues may also ensue.

However, both the colleges are relieved after getting approval from AU. The permission has come late but the colleges are confident of filling up their seats. “We had surrendered the Tamil medium seats to Directorate of Technical Education (DOTE) earlier and had informed that we will admit students only after getting AU approval. Now, DOTE has also postponed the release of rank list for engineering admissions to September 14. All these will favour us,” said V Venkatachalam, principal of Erode Sengunthar college.

‘Several enquiries’

B Nagaraj, principal of Rathinam Technical Campus, said Computer Science stream is in much demand and they are receiving a good number of enquiries for the Tamil medium course. “We won’t face problems in attracting students,” he said

Three students, 3 teachers test +ve in TN since school reopening

Three students, 3 teachers test +ve in TN since school reopening

Contacts Tested, Classes Continue

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

04.09.2021

Trichy/Coimbatore/Cuddalore:

Three school students and three teachers have tested positive for Covid-19 so far in the state since schools reopened on Wednesday. They included two girls in Ariyalur, another in Namakkal and two teachers handling higher secondary classes in Cuddalore.

Among the two Ariyalur girls, one is a Class XII student and hosteller at Annai Lourd higher secondary school in Varadarajanpettai. As she developed mild upper respiratory infection (URI) symptoms, she gave her swab for RT-PCR test at Jayankondam GH on September 1. As the result came positive, she was moved to Jayankondam GH for further care. However, she had attended classes on Thursday. In the other case, a Class IX girl, a day scholar at Nirmala girls higher secondary school, had higher body temperature during thermal scanning at the school on Wednesday. She subsequently underwent RT-PCR test and tested positive even though she had no other symptoms. She did not attend classes on Thursday.

The Class IX student who had been undergoing chemotherapy in recent years, was asymptomatic and was admitted to Ariyalur government medical college hospital. The district health department has collected more than 60 samples from the primary and secondary contacts of the two girls including family members, classmates and teachers. Hostels and school managements were told to ensure the screening process further, she said. The schools have closed the classrooms and blocks used by these students. Officials said the schools will continue to function and students will be accommodated in the unused classrooms.

In another case, a Class X student from Namakkal who attended classes on Wednesday tested positive when her Covid test result came the next day. “All the 300-odd students and teachers underwent test to check for the virus spread. While none of them were found to have contracted the virus, alternative arrangement was made for the students to continue classes from Friday,” said Namakkal DEO A Balumuthu.

In Cuddalore district, two teachers handling higher secondary classes at Jawahar matriculation HSS in Neyveli tested positive for Covid-19. The teacher along with others gave swab samples before the schools reopened on September 1. Their test results which were announced on Friday returned positive following which the school management requested the students who were in contact with the teacher to isolate themselves. A trained graduate teacher posted at Venugopalapuram government GHSS in the district also tested positive. Health officials said the teacher, who started attending school from September 1, was resting in the staff room on Thursday. She complained of nausea and vomiting and was isolated immediately. She and her daughter had given swab samples a day before the school reopened.

One of the cases was caught during thermal screening at a school. A RT-PCR test showed that the student with higher body temperature was Covid positive. She had no other symptoms

Maruti recalls 1.8 lakh cars sold from 2018 to ’20 for faulty unit

REPLACEMENT TO BEGIN FROM NOV

Maruti recalls 1.8 lakh cars sold from 2018 to ’20 for faulty unit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:04.09.2021

Maruti Suzuki on Friday announced a recall of as many as 1.8 lakh cars sold between May 4, 2018, and October 27, 2020, to replace a faulty motor generator unit. The cars being recalled are certain petrol variants of Ciaz sedan, Ertiga utility vehicle, and SUVs Vitara Brezza, SCross and XL6.

Maruti said that the replacement of the affected part shall begin from the first week of November. “Till then, customers are requested to avoid driving in water-logged areas and direct water spray on electrical/electronic parts in vehicle.” The change of faulty parts will be undertaken free of cost, the company said, adding that customers will receive a communication from dealerships regarding the exercise.

“Recall campaigns are undertaken globally to rectify faults that may be potential safety defects. In the interest of customers, Maruti has decided to voluntarily recall the affected vehicles for inspection/replacement of motor generator unit, free of cost,” the company said.

Announcing recalls must for auto companies: Government

It added, “Affected vehicle owners would be receiving a communication from Maruti authorised workshops.”

The company said that customers of suspected vehicles can also visit the ‘Imp Customer Info’ section on the company websites www.marutisuzuki.com (for Ertiga and Vitara Brezza) or www.nexaexperience.com(for Ciaz, XL6 and S-Cross) and fill in their vehicle’s chassis number to check if their vehicle needs any attention.

While previously it was voluntary, the government has now made announcement of recalls mandatory for vehicle manufacturers in case they notice defects that are generic in nature.

Penalties have also been stipulated with regards to the exercise. Previously, there used to be instances where vehicle companies would avoid calling out generic defects, fearing impact on the branding.

HC notice to cops over plea to examine Sasi, EPS

HC notice to cops over plea to examine Sasi, EPS

Kodanad Case: Police To Reply By Sept 27

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:04.09.2021

The Madras high court has ordered notice to the Nilgiris police on a plea by three accused in the Kodanad Estate murder-burglary case seeking to examine former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, and former general secretary of AIADMK V K Sasikala before trial court.

Admitting the plea on Friday, Justice M Nirmal Kumar observed that the petitioners had not produced any materials to show why Palaniswami, Sasikala and others must be examined by the trial court. The court then adjourned the plea to September 27 for the police to file its counter.

According to D Deepu, M S Satheesan and A Santhosh Samy, all accused in the case, the sessions judge of the Nilgiris had taken up the trial even during the peak of pandemic situation and the court hall and campus was crowded with police, accused, advocates, politicians and presspersons. “In the above circumstances, we filed a petition before the sessions court seeking to permit us to examine Palaniswami, Sasikala, J Eelavarasi, V Sudhakaran, the then Nilgiris district collector Shankar, the then SP Murali Rambah, AIADMK state office-bearer Sajeevan, manager of Kodanad estate Natarajan, and Sunil, a resident of Gudalur,” the petition said.

On April 30, the sessions court passed an order partly allowing the petition, permitting them to examine only manager Natarajan, they said. Therefore, challenging the trial court order, they have moved the high court.

The petitioners alleged that the trial court had failed to note that it was the right of the accused to lead witnesses on his side in order to substantiate his case. “The court has failed to note that one of the main charges in the case is Section 396 (dacoity) of IPC wherein the material object secured from the accused by investigating officer is nothing but a Rhinoceros miniature made of glass which is unacceptable, and obvious that the police have attempted to fill the lacunae and acted in a biased manner in order to save the skin of some person under priority,” they alleged.

Colleges plan online classes for freshers from Sept 3rd week

Colleges plan online classes for freshers from Sept 3rd week

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.09.2021

Several colleges in the city plan to start from the third week of September orientation and bridge courses online for first year students, many of who are not eligible for vaccination.

Physical classes for second and third year undergraduate students and postgraduate second year students began on September 1, with vaccinated students allowed to attend classes on a rotation basis. The process of admissions for the 2021-22 academic year is on the verge of being completed.

“Most of the first year students are in the under-18 years category who may not be vaccinated. So, we will not call them to campus. We are planning to start classes for first year students only in online mode from September 16,” said Lalitha Balakrishnan, principal of MOP Vaishnav College for Women. The college will begin with orientation and communication skills training. “The bridge course will be conducted from October 1. After conducting an assessment, we will pay more attention to students who are not up to the mark during the bridge courses,” she added. Psychological counselling will be given to students to overcome pandemic related stress.

DG Vaishnav College in Arumbakkam plans to start orientation for first year students online after September

15. “Students will have to attend at least15 days of orientation and bridge courses online. We have asked heads of departments to find experts to conduct bridge courses for science stream students,” said principal S Santhosh Baboo.

Ethiraj College for Women and Women’s Christian College has also planned such courses for first year students.

Principle Of Equal Pay For Equal Work Cannot Be Applied Merely On Basis Of Designation: Supreme Court

Principle Of Equal Pay For Equal Work Cannot Be Applied Merely On Basis Of Designation: Supreme Court

LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK  1 Sep 2021 10:54 AM

Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy

The Supreme Court observed that the principle of equal pay for equal work cannot be applied merely on basis of designation.

In this case, the court had to examine the claims made by Private Secretaries (Grade-II) ("PS-II") employed in the Eastern Central Railways (Field Office/Zonal Railways),for parity in pay with their counterparts working in the Central Secretariat Stenographers Service ("CSSS")/Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers Service ("RBSSS")/Central Administrative Tribunal ("CAT").

Interpreting the Sixth Central Pay Commission report, the court noticed that the aspect of disparity between the Secretariat and the field offices was a matter taken note of by the Commission itself while making the recommendations. "Yet to some extent, a separate recommendation was made qua Secretariat Organizations and non-Secretariat Organizations. Once these recommendations are separately made, to direct absolute parity would be to make the separate recommendations qua non-Secretariat Organizations otiose. If one may say, there would have been no requirement to make these separate recommendations if everyone was to be treated on parity on every aspect", the court observed.

One of the contentions raised was that as a result of parity being given up to the level of Assistant (which would put them in the grade of Rs.4200 (later Rs.4600)), they, being one post higher, would automatically have to get one higher grade. The bench rejected the contention noticing that the report stipulated that parity would need to be absolute till the grade of Assistant and beyond that "it may not be possible or even justified to grant complete parity because the hierarchy and career progression will need to be different taking in view the functional considerations and relativities across the board."

"We are fortified in the view we are seeking to adopt in interpreting the aforesaid paragraphs of the Pay Commission by the observations in Union of India v. Tarit Ranjan Das, where it was opined that the principle of equal pay for equal work cannot be applied merely on basis of designation. While dealing with the 5th Pay Commission recommendations with respect to functional requirements, it was held that there was no question of any equivalence on that basis. The said case dealt with Stenographers of the Geological Survey of India. While observing that as a general statement it was correct to state that the basic nature of work of a Stenographer remained by and large the same whether they were working for an officer in the Secretariat or for an officer in a subordinate office; it was held that Courts ought not to interfere if the Commission itself had considered all aspects and after due consideration opined that absolute equality ought not to be given", the court said.

Case: Union of India vs. Manoj Kumar ; CA 913-914 OF 2021

Citation: LL 2021 SC 409

Coram: Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy

NEET PG 2021 : NBE Allows Two Pregnant Candidates To Change Centre; Supreme Court Disposes Writ Petition

NEET PG 2021 : NBE Allows Two Pregnant Candidates To Change Centre; Supreme Court Disposes Writ Petition: The Supreme Court was informed on Thursday that the National Board of Examination has granted the