Vijay fled, shows no remorse, says HC, sets up stampede SIT

Vijay fled, shows no remorse, says HC, sets up stampede SIT 

politi

Bus Involved & CCTV Footages From Incident Spot To Be Seized

 Sureshkumar.K@timesofindia.com  04.10.2025

Chennai : Criticising actorpolitician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) members for first causing a stampede that killed 41 people in Karur on Sept 27, and then abandoning their cadres and followers, Madras HC ordered aprobe by an SIT Friday. Citing two accidents involving Vijay’s campaign vehicle, which did not stop even after dashing against the bikes of his accompanying cadres, HC also ordered registration of a hit-and-run case against the politician. “Both the driver and the leader (Vijay) saw the accident but left the place without stopping... This court highly condemns the attitude of the party (TVK)... There was not even a remote sense of feeling expressed by the party taking responsibility for organising such an event. This only shows the mental state of the leader and the party,” Justice N Senthilkumar said.

 “The SIT will be headed by Asra Garg, IGP (north zone), and comprise Vimala, SP, Namakkal, and Shyamaladevi, SP. In addition, Garg is at liberty to select additional team members under any category/designation as he deems fit,” said the judge. 

All available CCTV footage from the place of the incident, and in particular CCTV footage inside and outside the bus carrying the head of the political party, shall be seized. The bus involved shall also be seized, the court said. “In both cases (campaign vehicle hitting two bikes), police have not registered an FIR for hitand-run. Court expresses its deep anguish and agony that even if no complaint is filed by the aggrieved, state has suo motu responsibility to register a case, bring the perpetrators of the crime on record, and make them face trial,” Justice Senthilkumar said. 

“Neither the politician nor his followers were there at the scene of occurrence after the incident. The President, the PM, Union home minister, CM of Tamil Nadu, and leader of opposition condoled the incident, and almost all political parties were there to rescue people. This court could not understand how the political party that organised the rally abandoned the scene of occurrence immediately after the incident,” the judge said. “The fateful occurrence resulted in the loss of 41 lives. 

Unfortunately, the organisers, right from the leader... vanished, leaving their own cadres, leaving their own followers, leaving their own fans in the lurch,” the judge said.

 “Such an irresponsible attitude of any politician or organisation cannot be taken lightly. The court owes its responsibility towards its citizens. It is unfortunate to record such leadership quality,” the judge said. The court was passing the order on a plea moved by P H Dinesh, of Chennai, seeking to restrain TN home secretary and DGP from granting permission for road shows to Vijay’s TVK or other political parties until guidelines are framed for such events.

NEWS TODAY 03.05.2025

 

NEET cut-offs for MBBS, BDS drop after 2nd round of counselling

NEET cut-offs for MBBS, BDS drop after 2nd round of counselling

SEAT MATRIX 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 03.10.2025

Chennai : At the end of second round of counselling for MBBS/BDS admissions, cutoffs in NEET-UG 2025 came down by two to four marks in govt medical colleges compared to first round, and up to 10 marks in govt quota seats in self-financing colleges. While the last mark for a student to get into a medical college (state private university) was 354, the cut-off scores in BDS dropped by up to 100-222 marks in round 2 of counselling.

At the end of round 2, cutoffs dropped in almost all categories, although there was no major difference in ranks. For instance, the OC (open category) cut-off for govt colleges plummeted from 650 in 2024 to 534 in 2025. In 2024, NEET cutoff for a student to get into any college in any category at the end of round 2 was 403 marks. In BDS, the cut-off was 245.

The drop in cut-offs doesn’t indicate an easing of admissions, experts say. “There is only a marginal difference in the ranks of students, though we see big differences in scores,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Students, including many repeat candidates, found the NEET 2025 tougher. Overall performance dropped across India. There was no perfect score, and the top score was 686,” he said.

Students who were allotted seats must join colleges of their choice before deadline, or they will have to take part in the round 3 of counselling for colleges of their choice. 

The National Medical Commission allowed St Peter’s Medical College Hospital to take 100 more students by increasing total seats to 250, while Vivekananda Medical College Hospital and Research Institute will add 50 seats. These seats, along with 50 more in BDS, will be added to seat matrix once the state medical university grants affiliation, said selection committee officials.

NIRF to begin negative marking for dishonesty

NIRF to begin negative marking for dishonesty

Draft Norms For Univ Ranking Aim To Strengthen Internal Checks

Hemali.Chhapia@timesofindia.com 03.10.2025

Mumbai : Centre is rewriting the rulebook for India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), in what could be the sharpest overhaul of the country’s higher education rankings since their inception in 2015. For the first time, penalties are being formally stitched into the ranking methodology, signalling a tougher stance on research malpractice and misrepresentation of data.

The negative marking system will soon be declared. This year, the framework docked some marks from an institute’s overall score if published papers were retracted by academic journals. From the coming year, though, the consequences will be deeper and wider. Not only will universities be penalised for retracted work, but even citations of such tainted papers will draw heavy deductions in the research score — effectively broadening the circle of accountability.

The change is aimed at curbing what officials describe as a “weakness” in India’s research ecosystem. Papers withdrawn for plagiarism, duplication or manipulated data often continue to be cited, giving them a false academic afterlife. “Retractions damage the credibility of the system. And when retracted papers are cited, they really hold no meaning. And hence, such  instances need to be doubly punished with harsher negative marks,” said professor Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairman of the ranking committee. By extending penalties to citations, he  explained, govt is signalling zero tolerance towards dishonesty in academic output.

The revised rules will also push institutions to institute stronger internal checks. Universities that persistently accumulate lapses may face the ultimate penalty — being struck off the rankings  altogether. “While the final decision to debar institutes that continue to deliberately misrepresent has not yet been taken, the committee is serious about such cases and is likely to consider harsh  measures,” added Sahasrabudhe.

 “Rankings are signals to students, employers, investors of faith in an institution. To be rubbed off the table would mean more than a bruise to reputation; it may mean a shut door to opportunity,” said an official. NIRF evaluates institutions across five broad parameters: teaching and learning, graduation outcomes, research, outreach and perception. With over 8,700 institutions participating in the 2024 cycle, its results have become a widely referenced barometer for students, recruiters and policymakers.

Experts point out the higher education sector is at a crossroads: on the one hand, the country seeks a larger global footprint in research and innovation, and on the other, it must work to weed  out malpractice that risks damaging credibility. Sharper rules, they argue, are a warning and an opportunity. Universities need to invest in ethics training, plagiarism detection systems &  transparent review mechanisms, lest a single tainted citation pull down their standing, said

Walking 10 minutes vs 60 minutes:

Walking 10 minutes vs 60 minutes: 

Top neurologist explains the benefits 

TOI Lifestyle Desk / ETimes.in / Updated: Oct 2, 2025, 19:31 IST 

1 /7 Walking 10 minutes vs 60 minutes: Top neurologist explains the benefits

 ​Walking is one of the best ways to stay active. This simple exercise can strengthen the heart, improve brain health, boost energy, lower blood sugar, and may help prevent diseases and prolong life. But how long should you walk to gain these benefits?

2 /7 What are experts saying? Dr Sudhir Kumar, a top neurologist, has shared the miraculous benefits of walking. He has shared an evidence-based explanation of the benefits of walking. Interestingly, the benefits start from the first minute.

“Walking is among the simplest exercises, and can be done by most people. Walking is associated with multiple health-related benefits,” he said, in a post shared on X.

3 /7 What happens if you walk for 15 minutes? 

The best thing about walking? The benefits start from the very beginning. Within the first one to two minutes, heart rate and blood flow start to increase. The muscle warms up. By five to 10 minutes, you will notice your mood improving. The neurologist added that the benefits go beyond that, and you will notice your stress levels going down and energy levels rising. In 10 to 15 minutes, your blood sugar control will improve. This is more evident if you walk after having a meal.

4 /7 20-30 minutes

 Even short bouts of walking improve your health. So it is no surprise that long walks would add more benefits. If you walk for 20 to 30 minutes, you will start to burn more calories. This walk will increase fat metabolism and help you with weight management. Another striking benefit of walking for half an hour is improvement in digestion. Your gut will thank you if you form a habit of walking for 30 minutes after lunch and dinner.

5 /7 Walking for 30-60 minutes 

If you walk for 30 to 45 minutes, your mental health will improve. Yes, that’s right. Walking is not just for your physical health; it can also improve your mental wellness. According to the neurologist, when you walk for 30 to 45 minutes, your body will release endorphins, and serotonin will increase, which will help you feel better. The anxiety and rumination will decrease, and you will feel better mental clarit

6 /7 What would happen if you walked for 45 minutes to 1 hour? 

Well, a lot. You will feel a lot happier. How? Because dopamine and other ‘feel-good’ brain chemicals will start to increase. If you walk regularly, it will improve your cardiovascular and brain health. “So, start walking. Any amount of walking is better than being sedentary (not moving),” the doctor suggests.

7 /7 Start today So start your fitness journey today. It doesn't matter whether you walk 5 or 10 minutes. Because every step counts. Start small, and then slowly increase your steps and walk towards better physical and mental health.

ரூ.127 கோடியில் மேம்படுத்தப்படும் ‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலி

ரூ.127 கோடியில் மேம்படுத்தப்படும் ‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலி 

‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலியை ரூ.127 கோடியில் கூடுதல் வசதிகளுடன் மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக்கழகம் மேம்படுத்தி வருகிறது.

தினமணி செய்திச் சேவை

 Updated on: 03 அக்டோபர் 2025, 3:24 am 

‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலியை ரூ.127 கோடியில் கூடுதல் வசதிகளுடன் மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக்கழகம் மேம்படுத்தி வருகிறது.

சென்னை மாநகா் மற்றும் புகா் பகுதிகளில் மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக் கழகம் சாா்பில் 3,400-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட பேருந்துகள் இயக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. மகளிருக்கான இலவச பேருந்துகளுடன், பள்ளி, கல்லூரி மாணவ, மாணவிகள், முதியோா், மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு சிறப்புப் பேருந்துகள் இயக்கப்பட்டு வருவதால், நாளுக்கு நாள் மாநகா் பேருந்துகளை பயன்படுத்துபவா்களின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்து வருகிறது.

இதில், பயணிகளின் வசதிக்காக பேருந்துகளின் நேரம், வருகை உள்ளிட்டவற்றை தெரிந்துகொள்ள ‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலி தற்போது நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது. இந்தச் செயலியை லட்சக்கணக்கான பயணிகள் பயன்படுத்தி வரும் நிலையில், மெட்ரோ, மின்சார ரயில், மாநகா் பேருந்து உள்ளிட்டவற்றில் ஒரே நேரத்தில் பயணிக்கும் வகையிலான ‘சென்னை ஒன்’ செயலி சமீபத்தில் பொதுமக்கள் பயன்பாட்டுக்கு கொண்டு வரப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இது பொதுமக்களிடையே பெரும் வரவேற்பை பெற்றுள்ள நிலையில், ‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலியை கூடுதல் வசதிகளுடன் மேம்படுத்த சென்னை மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக் கழகம் திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக் கழக அதிகாரிகள் சிலா் கூறியது:

மாநகா் பேருந்துகளில் பொருத்தப்பட்டுள்ள ஜிபிஎஸ் கருவி மூலம் பேருந்தின் வருகை, புறப்படும் நேரம் குறித்தத் தகவல்களை செயலி மூலம் பயணிகள் தெரிந்துகொள்கின்றனா். ஆனால், குறைந்த எண்ணிக்கையிலான பேருந்துகளின் தகவல்களே இந்தச் செயலியுடன் இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இதனால், பயணிகள் கடும் சிரமத்துக்குள்ளாகி வந்தனா்.

இதைக் கருத்தில் கொண்டு தற்போது, ரூ.127 கோடியில் மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக் கழகத்தின் அனைத்து பேருந்துகளின் வருகை, புறப்பாடு உள்ளிட்ட தகவல்களை ‘சென்னை பஸ்’ செயலியுடன் இணைக்க மாநகா் போக்குவரத்துக் கழகம் திட்டமிட்டு அதற்கான பணிகளில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகிறது.

இந்தத் திட்டத்தின் ஒருபகுதியாக கிளாம்பாக்கம், தாம்பரம் சானடோரியம், தியாகராய நகா், கோயம்பேடு உள்ளிட்ட 600-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட பேருந்து நிறுத்தங்களில் இந்த டிஜிட்டல் பலகைகள் சோதனை அடிப்படையில் வைக்கப்பட்டன.

இது வெற்றியடைந்த நிலையில், அனைத்து பேருந்து நிறுத்தங்களிலும், இந்த டிஜிட்டல் தகவல் பலகையை நிறுவும் பணிகள் தீவிரப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன. இந்தப் பலகையுடன் பேருந்தின் ஜிபிஎஸ் கருவி, செயலி இணைக்கப்படும். இதையடுத்து அனைத்து பேருந்துகளின் தகவல்களையும் தெளிவாக தெரிந்துகொள்ளலாம். இந்தப் பணிகள் அனைத்தும் விரைவில் முடிக்கப்பட்டு மேம்படுத்தப்பட்ட செயலி பயணிகள் பயன்பாட்டுக்கு வரும் என்றனா்.

NEWS TODAY 02.10.2025