What harm will learning Hindi do, Madras HC asks TN govt

 What harm will learning Hindi do, Madras HC asks TN govt

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Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

26.01.2022

Chennai: “What harm will learning Hindi do? Many have lost the opportunity of getting central government jobs without knowing Hindi,” the Madras high court said on Monday.

The first bench of acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice P D Audikesavalu made the observation while hearing a public interest writ petition seeking implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in Tamil Nadu.

Responding to the observation, TN advocate-general R Shunmugasundaram said, “The Tamil Nadu government follows two-language policy and not three-language policy as it would be overburdening students. ” Moreover, no one is stopped from learning Hindi in the state. “There are institutions like the Hindi Prachar Sabha where one can learn Hindi,” he added.

To this, the court said, “Learning is different from teaching”. The court then admitted the plea moved by Arjunan Elayaraja of Cuddalore and directed the state to respond within four weeks.

‘Learning only mother tongue won’t be helpful’

According to the petitioner, learning only a person’s mother tongue would not be helpful.

The language has to go hand in hand with other Indian languages, particularly Hindi and Sanskrit, he said.

“…the authorities must take concerted effort in implementing NEP 2020 and also in upholding the constitutional mandates and the directions of the Supreme Court,” the petitioner said. One has to shudder over what would be the consequence if every state would take a stand like Tamil Nadu, he added.

Actually, NEP does not impose either Hindi or Sanskrit. It only offers multiple languages and introduces a three-language policy with emphasis on mother tongue, he said.

“But considering the constitutional mandate and the judgments of the Supreme Court the state has to make Hindi compulsory and may be, Sanskrit optional,” the petitioner claimed.

Cold-wave conditions likely to set in from January 28-29

 Cold-wave conditions likely to set in from January 28-29

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23.01.2022

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Narela was the coldest station as the maximum temperature settled at 13. 5 degrees Celsius, eight notches below normal. Severe cold day was also witnessed at the Ridge and SPS Mayur Vihar. While Lodhi Road, Palam, Jafarpur and Ayanagar saw cold day as the maximum temperature was recorded at 14. 9, 14. 8, 14. 7 and 14. 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The met department has predicted cold day conditions at a few places for Tuesday and Wednesday. “Delhi saw a long spell of cold day conditions in parts of the capital from January10 to 21. However, the current spell will not continue for long as significant improvement is expected from January 27 as strong winds are likely to set in,” said R K Jenamani, senior scientist at IMD.

He added, “Six western disturbances impacted the region this January and a seventh one is expected to affect from January 28. Western disturbances led to cloudy sky, excess rain and cold day conditions. ”

The criteria for a “cold day” is when the minimum temperature is below 10 degrees Celsi-us and the departure of maximum temperature from normal is 4. 5 degrees or above. A “severe cold day” is declared when the departure of maximum temperature from normal is 6. 5 degrees or above.

Though January saw a long spell of cold day conditions, no cold wave was seen in this month so far. However, cold wave conditions may set in from January 28-29. “The minimum temperature is likely to dip from January 2829. The night temperature mostly remained above normal this January,” said Jenamani. A cold wave is considered when the minimum temperature is four or more degrees below normal.

The minimum temperature on Monday was reported at 8 degrees Celsius. Shallow fog was recorded in Delhi as the visibility was 700-800 metres at Palam till 9. 30 am. The visibility at Safdarjung was 800 metres from 5. 30 am to 7. 30 am.

Delhi’s air quality, meanwhile, continued to remain in the “poor” category with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 241. System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the forecasting body under the union ministry of earth sciences, said, “Relatively stable atmosphere and low mixing layer height has prevented settling of higher level dust to near the ground. AQI is likely to remain within “poor” category on Tuesday and the Republic Day as the impact of western disturbance has diminished. ”

City shivers on ‘severe cold day’, more ahead

New Delhi: Delhi shivered under “severe cold day” conditions at several places and “cold day” in the rest on Monday as the day temperature stayed below 15 degrees Celsius, with cold northerly winds sweeping the region and low clouds screening out sunlight, reports Priyangi Agarwal.

Safdarjung saw the first severe cold day of the season as the maximum dipped to 14.8 degrees Celsius, seven notches below normal. Similar conditions are expected over the next two-three days while a drop in night temperatures after January 27 is likely as Delhiites are in for cold spells till nearly the end of the month.

Nursing staff protest wait for Covid ex gratia

 Nursing staff protest wait for Covid ex gratia

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TIMES N EWS N ETWORK

25.01.2022

New Delhi: Hundreds of nursing staff at various state-run hospitals on Monday wore black ribbons to register their protest over “pending” ex gratia from the Delhi government for eight of their colleagues.

Nursing staff at Lok Nayak, GTB and DDU hospitals, and other Delhi government-run facilities took part in the “peaceful protest” to put forth the demands, said Liladhar Ramchandani, secretary general of Delhi Nurses Federation (DNF).

“It’s been a year since the Delhi govern-ment announced that any doctor, nurse, paramedical staff, sanitation worker and others who die in line of Covid duty, his or her kin will get a compensation of Rs 1 crore. Eight nursing officers have died, but ex gratia is still pending,” he added. There was no immediate response from the government.

In a letter to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on January 20, DNF demanded that it be paid in seven days or they would go on an agitation. It also listed the names and their hospitals. While four of them were employed at LNJP Hospital, one each was working at DDU, GB Pant and GTB Hospitals, and one with CDMO, Delhi Health Services.

Ramchandani said the protest would continue on Tuesday. If the demand is not met, all nursing officers will come out for two hours from January 27, but it wouldn’t affect patient care, he added.

44% students want changes in education due to Covid to stay

 44% students want changes in education due to Covid to stay

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Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

25.01.2022

New Delhi: 86% of Indian students think that access to digital content has changed the way they learn and 56% think that the way they study will not go back to how it was pre-pandemic. According to a survey, globally 44% of Gen Y and Gen Z respondents expect changes brought in by Covid-19 to become permanent.

A new EY report, ‘Are Universities of the Past Still the Future’, argues that universities in advanced economies are facing a number of existential issues in the wake of the pandemic. Based on EY’s analysis about the future of the higher education sector and 29 interviews with university leaders from the US, UK, India, Singapore and Australia, the report finds that universities will quickly need to adapt to a new reality due to demographic shifts, geopolitical challenges, changing workplace demands and high student expectations for a quality digital experience.

As per the report, changing attitudes and behaviours toward digital and emerging technologies present new opportunities for universities across the globe to reinvent learning delivery. The generation of students coming through are digital natives. While 77% of the of the Gen Y and Gen Z respondents to the global survey said that the way they use technology changed during the pandemic, this proportion is higher in emerging economies (88% in Indonesia, 86% in India and 85% in Brazil) as against 66% in Scandinavia and 67% in France.

Globally 45% of the Gen Y and Gen Z respondents think that the way they study will not go back to how it was pre-pandemic, which again is higher in emerging economies (56% in India and 55% in Brazil) as against Western Europe (32% in France and 35% in Scandinavia). According to the findings of the survey, “Universities are moving to make quality digital learning a part of their core offering. Some are partnering with online learning platforms. ”

Transfer counselling of govt teachers begins, over 57,000 to attend

 Transfer counselling of govt teachers begins, over 57,000 to attend

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TIMES NEWS NETWORK

25.01.2022

Chennai: More than 57,000 teachers and headmasters from government schools will attend the online transfer counselling which began on Monday. On the first day, 642 government higher secondary school headmasters applied to the counselling, 227 headmasters got transferred and 329 of them skipped and 89 were absent. The counsellingwill g o ontill February22.

Students from backward educa tional blocks, which have large teacher vacancies, might get teachers as the school education department identified 40 priority blocks. Teachers who opt for these blocksindistricts such a s Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram

, Krishnagiri, Kallakurichi will be given priority in counselling.

A Peter Raja of Tamil Na-du High and Higher School Headmasters' Association, said the department had shown all the vac ancies on the first day.

While 33,000 teachers, headmasters fromthe department applied to the counselling, 24,000 from the elementary education department applied for the transfer counselling

. "The counselling will be held purely based on merit and common guidelines. The priority blocks initiative will help fill vacancies in the educationally backward districts and remote places where teachers g enerally do not wish to go," an official from the school education department.

The department also will give preference to over 400 teachers who got p unishment transfers for participating in the strike during 2019.

Air India may be handed over to Tata Group by Thursday

 Air India may be handed over to Tata Group by Thursday

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Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

25.01.2022

New Delhi: Air India is all set to return to founder Tata Group either this week or next week. The handover could happen as early as Thursday (January 27) if the airline’s closing balance sheet as of January 20, 2022, supposed to be given to the Tatas on Monday, is accepted by them and they then make the upfront payment of ₹2,700 crore.

The date was conveyed to AI employees by the airline’s finance director Vinod Hejmadi. “The disinvestment of AI is now decided to be on January 27, 2022. The closing balance sheet (has to be) reviewed by Tatas and any changes can be effected on Wednesday…. The next three days will be hectic for our department and I request all of you to give your best in these last three four days before we get divested. We may have to work late in the night to complete the task given to us,” Hejmadi, a board member and a key architect of this divestment, said in a mail to finance department staffers on Monday as they will be required to work in this week of holidays.

AI’s new owner to take over debt of ₹15,300 cr

Meanwhile, the board of AirAsia India (AAIPL), in which Tatas hold 83.7% stake and which will be merged with AI Express, met on Monday. Parallelly, the airline shareholders led by AAIPL chairman and Tata Group’s president of defence and aerospace are learnt to have made a presentation virtually to Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran. The contents of this are not known. Air India and Vistara (51% owned by Tatas and 49% by Singapore Airline, or SIA) will continue to operate as separate full service carrier (FSC) till SIA agrees to have a merged FSC.

The Tatas have so far not commented on takeover preparations or plans for the airli- ne founded by JRD Tata 69 years ago. Unless there is a difference of opinion between the outgoing and incoming owners on the balance sheet that may require recalibrating the same, the Tatas will pay Rs 2,700 crore upfront and take over the airline. Apart from the upfront payment, the Rs 18,000-crore deal requires the new owner to take over AI’s debt of Rs 15,300 crore.

The Tatas have been assured 118 aircraft from Air India and AI Express’ combined fleet of 141 will be airworthy when they take over the Maharaja. The 23 grounded planes will need an expenditure of about Rs 1,800 crore on vital components and parts like engines that the new owner will need to incur.

Full report on www.toi.in

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