Pension revision in Kerala University in limbo

Pension revision in Kerala University in limbo

Majority of the 20,000 university pensioners in the state who would benefit from the order belong to the University of Kerala.

Published: 28th September 2021 07:14 AM 

By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The pension revision of former employees of the University of Kerala continues to be in limbo as the syndicate is adamant that the government should do away with its condition that additional expense arising out of the revision should be borne by the varsity using its “own funds”.

A recent meeting of the KU syndicate did not take up the matter for discussion even as other universities have started implementing pension revision. Even though the vice-chancellor of the University of Kerala initially issued an order for carrying out the revision, it was later cancelled citing fund crunch.

Majority of the 20,000 university pensioners in the state who would benefit from the order belong to the University of Kerala. According to sources, the university will have to shell out around `24 crore annually and also disburse `50 crore as arrears if the revision is implemented.

“The government issued the pension revision order taking into account that the university has `270 crore in its kitty as special fund,” said a source. However, it is learnt that the university has taken up the matter with the government and requested enhanced non-plant grant to meet the additional financial commitment.

Over the years, the revenue sources of universities have been dwindling. Distance education courses, a major revenue generating source for the varsity, have been badly hit following the government’s decision to establish the Sree Narayana Guru Open University (SNGOU).

High court directs govt to spot, deport overstaying foreigners

High court directs govt to spot, deport overstaying foreigners

Asks TN DGP to Establish A Separate Wing For Monitoring

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:28.09.2021

Flagging the menace of foreigners overstaying in India, and resorting to ‘nefarious activities’, the Madras high court has directed the TN director general of police to establish a separate wing in each district to monitor movement of foreign nationals.

Police should take immediate steps to deport foreigners found overstaying without a valid visa, said Justice M Dhandapani, adding that many illegal immigrants commit petty crimes just to stay back in India.

Justice Dhandapani directed the Union home ministry to consider bringing in a new law to prevent such illegal migrants from extending their stay citing pending court proceedings in India.

The judge was passing orders while dismissing a batch of anticipatory bail and bail applications moved by persons belonging to Sri Lanka, Nigeria, China, Iran and Bangladesh.

“The safety and security of a country lies in the proper implementation of the procedures relating to entry and exit of persons originating from other countries,” the judge said.

They are either overstaying within the Indian territory beyond the validity of their visa or have entered the country illegally without proper immigration/visa document.

“This is not a case in isolation, where, persons of different nationalities, under the guise of business/employment/tourist enter the country and overstay the visa period, without resorting to have their visa extended,” Justice Dhandapani said.

Many forms of crimes are perpetrated by such individuals, shaking the very economic stability, peace and tranquillity of the country. Such acts should be nipped in the bud, else the same would have major ramifications, not only to the economic stability, but also to the security of the country, he added.

“It is to be pointed out that day in and day out, the security of our motherland is being jeopardized due to the lethargic act of the governmental machinery in not adhering to the guidelines issued by the Union home ministry pertaining to deportation/ repatriation of the foreign nationals, who stay put in the country without any valid visa,” Justice Dhandapani said.

Not only the said individuals infract the law, by being in the Indian territory without any valid visa, many of such individuals misuse the stay and indulge in very many nefarious activities which are detrimental to the nation as a whole, the court asserted.

The court adjourned the cases to January 4, 2022 for the authorities to report compliance.

Justice Dhandapani directed the Union home ministry to consider bringing in a new law to prevent such illegal migrants from extending their stay citing pending court proceedings in India

Engg counselling: Competition fierce this year, experts ask students to list more choices for seat

PROCESS BEGINS

Engg counselling: Competition fierce this year, experts ask students to list more choices for seat

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.09.2021

With 5,000 more students competing for seats in top engineering colleges in the first round of counselling compared to last year, experts say it would be smarter for students to list more choices for better chances of a seat allotment.

General online counselling to fill 1.4 lakh seats in 440 engineering colleges will be conducted from September 27 to October 17. More than 1.3 lakh students are expected to take part in the four rounds of counselling this year.

As many as 14,788 candidates with cutoff mark range 200 to 186 will be called for the first round of counselling that began with fee payment on Monday. In comparison, only around 9,000 candidates took part in the first round last year. Candidates can update their choices on October 1 and 2 for the first round.

Experts advised students to prepare a list of choices well ahead of the schedule, enter their choices with college codes to avoid any confusion between colleges bearing similar names, and to avoid doing the step at browsing centres to avoid middlemen.

Career consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi said students can use last year’s rankings as a guide while choosing preferences. “The cut-off will have huge variation compared to last year. Students called for the first round need to give more choices as more students are competing in this band this year. Particularly, students with cut-off in the range of 186 to 192 should give at least 200 choices to get seat allotment,” he said.

He urged students to verify the college’s infrastructure, fees and placement details before listing it as a choice. “They should lock the choices only after several rounds of verification. They also need to confirm the tentative seat allotment to get provisional allotment,” he added.

P V Navaneethakrishnan, former director of entrance examinations and admissions, Anna University, said students should select a course based on aptitude and basic liking instead of peer pressure. To avoid getting confused with all the 60 or more branches available, he suggested grouping engineering branches into seven large groups. “Students need to consider potential job opportunities, pay packages, and prospects to study further before selecting a course,” he said.

He also asked the students to select colleges based on infrastructure facilities, quality of teaching, NAAC and NBA accreditation status and placements.

Angry over birth of twin girls, man kills wife

Angry over birth of twin girls, man kills wife

Hyderabad:28.09.2021

Upset at the birth of twin daughters, a man in Telangana’s Jogulamba-Gadwal district killed his wife in a fit of rage.

Venkatesh, an employee at the local mandal praja parishad office married Pavani Annapurna, 28, a few years ago and was blessed with a girl child, which police sources said irked him. Pavani, during her second pregnancy, gave birth to twin girls on September 22. “On Saturday night, Venkatesh picked up an argument with Pavani and strangulated her later,” police officials said. TNN

Don’t play football with lives of young doctors: SC to govt

Don’t play football with lives of young doctors: SC to govt

Says Reconsider Move On NEET-SS Question Pattern

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:28.09.2021

The Supreme Court on Monday accused the National Medical Council, National Board of Examinations and the health ministry of “playing football” with the lives of young doctors aspiring to do their specialisation by changing the pattern of questions for the NEET-Super Speciality Examination more than a month after notifying the exam date.

As many as 41 doctors through advocate Javedur Rehman had moved SC alleging that though the examination dates of November13 and14 was notified on July 23, the NMC/NBE issued a notification on August 31, arbitrarily changing the pattern of questions and subject-wise distribution of marks to jeopardise the future of young doctors. Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Shyam Divan said months of preparation for NEET-SS has been affected by the decision of the authorities to change the rules of the game much after the play has begun.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna came down heavily on NMC, NBC and the ministries of health as well as social welfare for arbitrarily effecting the change and asked additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, NBE counsel Maninder Singh and NMC counsel Gaurav Sharma to ask all the authorities involved in the change of question pattern to urgently hold a meeting and “put their house in order”.

Justice Chandrachud-led bench said, “We are putting you to notice: If we are not satisfied with the reasons for effecting the change in question pattern mid-way, then we will pass strictures against the authorities.”

When Singh said change was in the offing for a long time and the notification was issued as soon as all necessary clearances were received, the bench said, “The change in pattern could have been made effective from next year. The students have been preparing for months in advance. Why would you change rules of the game mid-way? Tell authorities that we are very dissatisfied with the way they are playing with the lives of young doctors.”

Put your house in order, SC tells Centre on NEET

Don’t treat the young doctors like footballs just because you have the power (to change the examination pattern). Hold a meeting this week and put your house in order. We will not permit you to play with the lives of young doctors,” the Supreme Court bench said, adding, “The pattern of preparation for any examination depends on the pattern of question papers. If you (authorities) change it midway, then it will leave many ruffled.” “Since 2018, a pattern of questions and subject-wise distribution of marks has been followed — 60% of questions from the area of specialisation and 40% from feeder courses. How could you suddenly make it 100% from the general medicine subject?” the bench asked.

The NMC counsel said that it was to ensure that not many seats in the super speciality courses go vacant. The reply, however, did not satisfy the SC, which asked for a better explanation.

SC: Forcible unnatural sex with wife a heinous crime

SC: Forcible unnatural sex with wife a heinous crime

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:28.09.2021

The Supreme Court on Monday said forcible unnatural sex with wife by husband is a heinous offence, especially as it had led her to commit suicide, and refused bail to the man who has been in custody for more than two years for allegedly demanding dowry, domestic violence and committing the offence under Section 377 of Indian Penal Code. A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli refused bail to one Pradeep, who is said to have tortured his wife by forcibly committing unnatural sex with her after her family failed to meet his dowry demands.

The CJI-led bench said Section 377 is a very serious offence and that the accused husband did not deserve leniency at the stage of investigation. “We do not know what the police are doing. You started demanding dowry. When her family could not meet those demands, you started harassing her. You circulated her private pictures and videos on social media and tried to blackmail her. Above all, you allegedly had forcible unnatural sex with her leading to her suicide. You deserve no leniency as this is a heinous crime.” When the petitioner’s counsel said that the man is a government servant and would lose his job if not granted bail, the bench said, “It is ok if such persons lose their jobs. You better stay in jail.” The petitioner was seeking regular bail in respect of FIR No 595 dated July 23, 2019 lodged by the victim’s brother at Bhiwani Sadar police station in Haryana’s Bhiwani district, under Sections 148, 149, 323, 377 and 306 of the IPC.

The deceased’s brother said the marriage of his sister with Pardeep (petitioner) was solemnised in 2011.

ID Act - Burden Is On Employee To Prove He Was Not Gainfully Employed After Dismissal : Supreme Court

ID Act - Burden Is On Employee To Prove He Was Not Gainfully Employed After Dismissal : Supreme Court: The Supreme Court on September 24 observed that whether a