Over 50% of dental PG seats still unfilled

Over 50% of dental PG seats still unfilled

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

11.11.2021

With just a day to go for admissions to post-graduate seats in dental medicine and more than half the seats remaining unfilled, the association of private medical and dental colleges on Tuesday appealed to the Dental Council of India and the government to reduce the cut-off percentile so that more candidates could become eligible for admission.

The colleges are also hoping that the November 10 deadline for admissions will be extended.

Roughly 10-12% of dental post graduate (MDS) seats have been going vacant every year since 2018. In 2015, there were no takers for almost 44% of seats, but the vacancies have reduced since then.

Of the 6,658 MDS seats for which NEET PG entrance was conducted, only 2,950 (44%) were filled as on November 8, pointed out a dental council member adding that colleges were hoping for a reduction in qualifying percentile as was done in earlier years.

“This year, out of 27,580 candidates who took the entrance, going by the qualifying cut-off 16,300 qualified. That’s a ratio of barely 1.5 candidates per seat. However, according to the government’s 2017 gazette notification, if the number of qualifying candidates in the respective categories is less than three times the number of seats or vacancies, the cut-off percentile will be automatically lowered to ensure that the number of eligible candidates will be at least three times the number of seats in each category,” explained Dr Keshav Agrawal of the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges. Hence, the colleges are expecting a reduction in the qualifying percentile. In 2019, the qualifying percentile had been reduced from 50th to 25.8th for general category, and from 40th to 15.8th for OBC/SC/ST.

Private dental colleges want NEET to be done away with as it is proving to be a barrier in filling seats despite lowering of cut-off, said a DCI member, adding that the council was not entirely happy about lowering standards.

The member added that despite a freeze on opening any more private dental colleges, there are over 27,200 BDS seats and 6,658 MDS seats. Out of the total MDS seats, less than 900 are in government colleges. Out of 320 dental colleges, less than 60 are government ones.

“There are way too many private dental colleges offering bachelor’s degree in dentistry (BDS) and MDS seats. This has led to a glut and most dentists have no job opportunities.

The jobs they get mostly pay very poor salaries, Rs 15,000-20,000 per month. In fact, most BDS graduates prefer to do post-graduation in disciplines such as hospital administration or public health as these offer more job opportunities and better paid options than investing in a far more expensive postgraduate degree in dentistry,” explained a BDS graduate who did a post-graduation in public health after failing to get a decent paying job as a dentist.

“The seats in non-clinical subjects such as public health dentistry, oral pathology and oral medicine are the ones that usually have no takers. We have proposed to the government to allow us to take BDS graduates to fill these seats so that there will not be a shortage of faculty in dental colleges in the future,” said Dr Agrawal.

Madras HC chief justice shifted to Meghalaya HC

Madras HC chief justice shifted to Meghalaya HC

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:11.11.2021

Bringing to an end the eventful tenure of Sanjib Banerjee as Chief Justice of the Madras high court, the Supreme Court collegium has recommended his transfer to the Meghalaya high court. Justice Banerjee was sworn in as chief justice just over 10 months ago — on January 4, 2021.

Though the transfer order is dated September 16, it was released officially only on Tuesday. The collegium also recommended transfer of Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, a judge in the Allahabad high court, to the Madras high court.

Justice Banerjee, who completed 60 years on November 2, has two more years of service left. From the 75-judge chartered high court, Chief Justice Banerjee is moving to a high court which at present has two judges.

In his 10-month stint as chief justice, Banerjee had penned several significant rulings. In April 2021, the first bench headed by Chief Justice Banerjee lambasted the Election Commission of India for failing to maintain Covid-19 protocols during campaigns for the Tamil Nadu assembly election and had said the “ECI should be put upon murder charges for being the most irresponsible institution (sic)”. He had also warned of stalling the election if protocol was not followed. Though the ECI went to the Supreme Court to expunge the observations made by him, the apex court had refused to oblige.

In July, the judge, while sitting at the Madurai bench of the court, chastised the state government for not booking anyone in connection with the Sterlite police firing in which 13 protesters were killed. “Can we kill people and throw money at them and say that our job is done?” his bench had asked.

Justice Banerjee has two years of service left. From the 75-judge chartered high court, he is moving to a high court which at present has two judges

Prayer of 12 years snuffed out in smoke-filled ICU

Prayer of 12 years snuffed out in smoke-filled ICU

Jamal Ayub & Sudeept Mishra TNN

Bhopal:11.11.2021

Raees and Irfana Ahmed’s 12-year prayer for a child was answered last week. They named him Rahil. After eight days of hospitalization, the baby was scheduled for discharge on Tuesday. The house was decked up for the homecoming.

A discharge sheet signed on Tuesday – but it was a death certificate. “I did not let my wife see our baby’s body. I could identify him but his skin had blackened due to the smoke that engulfed the ward after the fire,” said Raees, struggling to get each word out.

Raees is from Nasrullah Ganj in Sehore district, some 100 km from Bhopal. His first born was referred to the state’s largest tertiary care hospital in the state capital with breathing difficulties.

His mother was with the baby till around 8.30pm. The couple was excited and had made plans for the child’s homecoming. Then, disaster struck.

A fire broke out in the paediatric ICU, and the attendants and patients’ kin were ordered to move out. They resisted, pleading to be allowed to take their children to safety. But the security staff would hear none of it. Firefighting and rescue were to be left to the professionals.

Rahil’s maternal uncle, Rashid, told TOI that when the fire erupted, he had gone home to have dinner. “Irfana called me about the fire in the baby ward. I rushed back and went into the hospital building. It was dark and I tried to find my way with the help of a mobile torchlight. Only 4-5 hospital staff were present, along with seven to eight family members of the babies. Together, we rescued seven to eight babies and shifted them to another ward,” said Rashid.

Raees was all cut up on Tuesday as he waited to collect the little bundle at the mortuary. “My baby was going to be discharged. I should have been allowed to rescue him. After 12 years, when the Almighty finally answered our prayers for a child, he was snatched from us,” ,” he sobbed. “We are in deep shock,” said Rashid.

A newborn baby being shifted to another hospital after fire in Kamala Nehru hospital on Tuesday

Investigation Is Progressing: NTA Informs Kerala High Court In Alleged NEET- OMR Scam

Investigation Is Progressing: NTA Informs Kerala High Court In Alleged NEET- OMR Scam

Hannah M Varghese 8 Nov 2021 6:00 PM

The National Testing Agency (NTA), on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that it has initiated a probe into the alleged incident of manipulation in the NEET-UG OMR sheet.

Justice N Nagaresh after recording the same directed NTA to file its report soon. The matter will be taken up again on November 16.

When the petition came up for hearing, Advocate S Nirmal appearing for NTA informed the court that a Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of the Joint Director to conduct an investigation.

It was further informed that three eminent professors from IIT were also included in the Committee.

The court then enquired as to when the investigation will be over. The counsel replied that the Committee has heard the parties, including the petitioner. He added that the investigation was progressing and the report will be filed soon.

NTA made the submission on the petition filed by a candidate in the NEET UG 2021 exam, conducted on September 12, seeking a CBI probe into the alleged manipulation.

The petitioner alleged that in the OMR sheet, her signature was seen to be manipulated and the names of her mother and father were wrong. She further contended that the markings on the OMR sheet were not hers. It was added that her roll number in the numerical section did not tally with the bubbled portion.

The petitioner also raised serious doubts over the left-hand thumb impression seen in the OMR sheet. Based on these allegations, the Court had ordered a probe by NTA.

Case Title: Rithu Sibi v. Union of India & Ors.

No foreign funds for NGOs if purpose not declared: SC

No foreign funds for NGOs if purpose not declared: SC

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:11.11.2021

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said NGOs should not be allowed to receive foreign funds if the donor did not declare the purpose for which the money is to be spent and said the Centre has diluted the intent of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by not insisting on such a provision.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar said as per Section 8 of the Act, disclosure has to be made at the outset regarding the purpose for which a contribution has been made and asked the Centre to make its stand clear on the issue.

Section 8 says every person who is registered and granted a certificate or given prior permission under the Act and receives any foreign contribution, shall utilise such contribution for the purposes for which the contribution has been received.

Referring to the section, the bench said the purpose of the contribution has to be disclosed and only then would inflow of funds be allowed. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta contended that an NGO can use the fund for activities for which they are registered which could be social, cultural, religious purposes.

SEEKING TRANSPARENCY

HC: Things can be set right if one officer is sent to jail

DISREGARD FOR COURT ORDERS

HC: Things can be set right if one officer is sent to jail

BBMP Ordered To Raze Illegal Structure In Two Weeks

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:11.11.2021

Reiterating its strong disapproval of government officers’ tendency to take court orders lightly, the high court on Tuesday said the situation may improve if one officer is sent to jail for disobeying them, as a test case.

If one officer is sent to jail, everyone will fall in line, a division bench headed by chief justice Ritu Raj Awasthi orally observed after noticing gross delay and inaction on the part of BBMP in relation to demolition of an illegal structure in Sriramapura put up by a temple trust, despite a specific court order passed on February 5, 2020 to complete the task within six weeks.

The bench noted that the fourth respondent (Sri Ramachandra Swamy temple trust) has not moved any application for grant of time to undertake removal of the illegal construction and added it was the responsibility of BBMP to ensure the demolition.

“Counsel for BBMP informed us that a certain portion of the illegal construction has been removed. But some part hasn’t. We are surprised as to why the illegal construction has not been demolished. We direct BBMP to complete the demolition within two weeks, failing which its chief commissioner along with all authorities concerned shall be present before the court so that they may be proceeded against for deliberate noncompliance of the court order,” the bench observed.

On February 5, 2020, the court had recorded based on BBMP’s submission that the illegal structure consists of two parts — the first floor measuring 15.5 x 9.45 metre and sheet room which measures 4.7 x 7.4 metre. Though the Palike had claimed it needs to prepare an expenditure estimate and obtain sanction for demolition, the court had noted that since there is an order under sub-section (3) of Section 321 of Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, and another under Section 462 of the Act was passed on January 20, 2020, no further nod was required.

Docs remove 222 fibroids from 34-yr-old’s uterus

Docs remove 222 fibroids from 34-yr-old’s uterus

Woman Was Anaemic, Waited 1 Yr For Surgery

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:11.11.2021

A 34-year-old woman who suffered from acute pelvic pain for at least one year has got a new lease of life after doctors from the city removed 222 fibroids, totally weighing 2.2kg, from her uterus.

Media professional Ritika underwent a four-and-a-half-hour surgery on October 6, and doctors at Sakra World Hospital preserved her uterus. Ritika’s uterus was found to be enlarged (the size of an 8-month pregnant woman’s), causing a bulge in her lower abdomen.

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous, estrogen-dependent tumours, usually occurring at child-bearing age. They cause anaemia and in Ritika’s case, her haemoglobin level had fallen to 7 grams per decilitre as against the normal of 12 to 15.

Though she experienced typical symptoms of pain, excessive bleeding and abnormal menstrual cycles, she delayed consulting doctors due to Covid fear.

Dr Shantala Thuppanna, senior consultant, head of obstetrics and gynaecology, Sakra World Hospital, who operated on Ritika, said uterine fibroids are common in approximately 40-50% women. But only a few have symptoms. “In Ritika’s case, she was anaemic and faced heavy bleeding despite practising yoga daily and maintaining an active lifestyle. She had waited for about one year to undergo the surgery due to the pandemic,” said Dr Shantala.

During the operation, doctors found that the fibroids — of various sizes and shapes (one resembling a large cauliflower) — were located below the urinary bladder and were spread throughout the left side of her uterus. “The fibroids were near important structures in the abdomen, which made the surgery complicated as they appeared like bunches of grapes. We were able to remove all the fibroids in her uterus that appeared compressed in the MRI scan, without any complications,” explained Dr Shantala.

According to the doctor, uterine fibroids are made of muscle and fibrous tissue, and vary in size and shape. The symptoms include pelvic pain, abnormal menstrual cycles, and sometimes even abortion, premature delivery, bulge in tummy, and urine and motion disturbance.

“They sometimes go away on their own. However, when left untreated, these fibroids can grow in size and numbers, resulting in worsening of the symptoms and causing further complications, including anaemia and infertility,” she said, adding initial symptoms must not be ignored.

The media professional underwent a four-and-a-half-hour surgery on October 6, and doctors at Sakra World Hospital preserved her uterus. Though she experienced symptoms of pain, excessive bleeding and abnormal menstrual cycles, she delayed consulting doctors due to Covid fear