NEWS TODAY 17.09.2024

 

NEWS TODAY 16.09.2024

 

No printed texts for University of Madras distance education students

No printed texts for University of Madras distance education students

As the IDE was unable to publish books and give hard copies to students, it handed out soft copies due to which many students didn’t attempt the exam.

University of Madras(Photo | Express)

Binita Jaiswal

16 Sep 2024, 10:00 am

CHENNAI: Students of the University of Madras Institute of Distance Education (IDE) programme said that they have not received hard copies of their study materials for over a year. Varsity officials said that they couldn’t float tenders to select publishing firms as the vice-chancellor post remains vacant.

Students who took admissions in IDE courses last year are yet to receive hard copies of the books, but this did not deter IDE from conducting the semester examinations. As the IDE was unable to publish books and give hard copies to students, it handed out soft copies due to which many students didn’t attempt the exam.

“I am in the fourth semester now but I’m yet to receive my second semester books. There is a WhatsApp group in which we get regular updates about classes and examinations. In that group, we only received soft copies of study materials for the second and third semesters. It’s not at all feasible to take printouts of over 2,000 pages when I have paid a course fee of Rs 15,000,” said a student of Masters in Journalism at IDE.

IDE director says tenders floated, selection process in final stages

As, I found it difficult to study with material in PDF format, I did not attempt the last two semester examinations. It’s high time that the IDE provides us proper books,” she added.

For the past year, we have been requesting hard copies but all our appeals have fallen on deaf ears. IDE is a major source of income for the varsity. Despite collecting course and examination fees from us, they are not giving us books, which is unfair,” said S Dhamodaran, another student. Even though the admission season of IDE for the academic year 2024-25 began in July, students are yet to receive their books.

“Usually, students are given books for the first year at the time of admission. However, I am yet to receive my books. Every time I check with the officials, they say that I will receive the books within a week,” said K Shantipriya, a student who enrolled this year. Thousands of students enrolled in IDE have similar tales to tell.

Meanwhile, the varsity officials have attributed the problem to the absence of a vice-chancellor. “The contract of the previous book publisher expired last year but we were not able to call tenders to select a new one as there is no vice-chancellor to give nod to necessary approvals. The convenor committee, constituted to manage affairs of the university, hardly meets so it was difficult to get clearance from them,” said an official of the varsity.

IDE spends over Rs 50 lakh annually to publish the books.

However, Director of IDE S Aravindhan said things have been sorted out and by next week, the students will get the books. “As per the direction of the state government, we floated e-tenders to select the book publishers and the selection process is in its final stages. The syndicate body of the varsity will give the green signal following which we will immediately start the publishing work of the book,” said Aravindhan.

New AICTE format for MTech certificates to ensure clarity in qualifications

New AICTE format for MTech certificates to ensure clarity in qualifications

 Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesofindia.com 16.09.2024 

To ensure quality in technical education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recently approved a standardised format for postgraduate certificate courses. It has directed all institutions offering Master of Technology (MTech) to uniformly adopt the standardised format for issuing their certificates, starting from this academic year. 

The format clearly specifies the main branch of engineering, followed by the specialisation within parentheses. For example, if a student has completed his/her MTech in the field of Computer Science with a focus on Artificial Intelligence, the certificate should read: MTech in Computer Science (specialisation in Artificial Intelligence). The approach will not only bring uniformity across all institutions but also enhance the recognition and value of the qualifications conferred to students.

 Core area of expertise TG Sitharam, chairman, AICTE, says, “The primary reason for introducing a standardised format for MTech certificates is to en sure that the main branch of study is clearly reflected alongside the specialisation. This clarity is crucial for recruiters and other stakeholders, as it makes it easier and allows them to accurately understand the student’s core area of expertise. The format will also benefit the recruitment process for employers when hiring across states or from multiple institutions. It will simplify the process for employers by making it easier to compare and verify credentials along with the main branch and specialisation.” The process will simplify the selection process as in an era of interdisciplinary education, where specialisations often overlap, explicitly stating the main branch provides a clear foundation of the student's academic background. 

“This distinction not only enhances the transparency of the qualifications but also ensures that the candidate's knowledge in their core field is recognised,  giving them an edge in fields where interdisciplinary skills are becoming increasingly relevant,” added Sitharam.

Medical aspirants await state nod to 49 new colleges

Medical aspirants await state nod to 49 new colleges

Hemali.Chhapia@timesofindia.com 16.09.2024 

Mumbai : Even as medical aspirants queue up to find a seat, all eyes are on the chief minister’s office, which has a pending file requiring approval to start 49 colleges. These comprise a mixed bag of new institutes that offer a range of medical education programmes, including MBBS colleges, nursing institutes, physiotherapy, and naturopathy colleges.

 All these private institutes have completed several levels of inspection, including an inspection by the committees of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research. Sources said the institutes that received approval of affiliation from the MUHS include three MBBS colleges, one dental college, 19 nursing colleges, 18 of postbasic nursing, 14 of ayurveda, and two of homeopathy. The list of 49 includes some physiotherapy and naturopathy colleges as well. States across India are giving a green signal to their new colleges to start so that a larger pool of seats is available. With this year’s medical entrance test -undergraduate National Eligibili ty cum Entrance Test -having several top rankers and high scorers, the marks cutoff for entry to medical colleges has soared. 

“In most colleges, the difference in closing ranks between 2023 and 2024 in every round of admission has seen a huge gap of a 1,000-odd ranks. With the cut-off for general merit seats being high, students have been pushed to either opt for private colleges or choose another stream of medicine or take a year’s break and reapply next year,” said a principal. In Maharashtra, the scenario is no different. The MBBS cut-off in govt colleges in the open category stands at 642 in the first merit list; last year the corresponding cut-off was 587. In private colleges, too, admissions in open category seats closed at 602 in the first round this year. In 2023-24, gates closed at a score of 534. College managements said that despite the huge “rush and desperation” for a seat, the state is sitting on the file for new colleges. “As admissions are on, thousands of students can benefit from getting a seat if this file is cleared and colleges are given much-needed approval to participate in this year’s admission,” said a trustee of a college.

Students must have adequate information on med practice regulations in Georgia

Students must have adequate information on med practice regulations in Georgia

Several aspirants are being misguided as consultants withhold crucial Georgian government rules on the independent practice licence, which is granted after nine years of education in the country

Byline: Ayushi.Gupta1 @timesofindia.com 16.09.2024 

Medical students aspiring to study in Georgia must acquire complete information on the ground rules related to practising as a doctor after completion of the medical course. NMC has been continuously discouraging students from getting medical education abroad citing the substandard education quality.

However, several study-abroad agents/counsellors have been taking advantage of gullible students and their parents. They often withhold crucial information regarding the rules, regulations, and laws of foreign countries. These agents provide incomplete information, promising medical education that meets NMC guidelines in India, which may not always be accurate or reliable.

Innocent students and parents often realise the deceit only after they land in a foreign country and face difficulty in practising as independent doctors. 

In Georgia, any student completing Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a year-long internship is allowed to work as a junior doctor assisting a senior doctor. Most of them do not fulfil the criteria to appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE) and struggle to get a medical licence to practice in India. Sarvan Maharishi (24), Hyderabad, who wanted to study in a foreign medical college, told Education Times how he was misled into applying to a medical college in Georgia by an agent, where he paid a fee of Rs 2 lakh to the agency. Sarvan says, "I visited an education service agency in Hyderabad to get admission into a medical college in Georgia. I was unaware of Georgia's medical practice laws, which made it easy for them to deceive me." He was saved as he learnt about the regulations on the internet.

Knowing the Georgian law:

According to Georgian legislation, to take the postgraduate residency course and obtain the right to independent medical practice, one must pass the Unified State Certification Exam (Article 17, Law of Georgia on Medical Practice).

Santosh Biradar, a practising advocate from Hyderabad has been trying to create awareness about foreign medical education.

He said, "Medical colleges in Georgia provide a license for 'independent practice' only after a total of 9 years of education in the country. Agents claim that after completing a 5-year MBBS course (known as MD in Georgia) and an additional year of internship, the student would receive a license to practice. However, they withhold information on the independent practice licence, which is granted only after completing three years of residency and passing the National Post-Diploma Qualification Exam (NPDQE), in addition to the 5 years of MBBS and one year of internship."

Furthermore, it is concerning that the NMC does not recognise the junior doctor license provided in Georgia. On August 9, 2024, the Georgian Embassy in India notified Indian students about recent amendments made by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Youth of Georgia regarding the medical education system.

The notice stated, "According to Article 14 of the Law of Georgia on Medical Practice, graduates of the MD program (equivalent to MBBS in India), known as junior doctors, are authorised to perform the duties of a doctor. This is fully equivalent to an MBBS qualification in India. A junior doctor performs clinical duties under the guidance of a certified specialist. If a certified doctor is not available, a junior doctor can provide emergency medical care independently."

A senior official at the NMC, speaking on condition of anonymity, says, "NMC has been trying to train doctors through internship programmes and practical training. We want students to consider reappearing for the NEET UG and focusing on performing better in the entrance exam, rather than opting for foreign medical colleges where many countries do not follow NMC norms. 

These foreign graduates often lack the practical skills needed to treat patients independently and fail to meet the licensing requirements mandated by the NMC."

"For obtaining a licence to practise medicine in Armenia and Georgia, post-graduation in a specialised field is mandatory. Duration of postgraduation varies according to the specialisation course which may range from one to four years," reads an RTI response from the Embassy of India, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia, also holding Georgia in its jurisdiction.