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Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Call to save asst. professor from alleged victimisation in Periyar University

Periyar University has placed an agenda to remove the assistant professor from service. File Photo

K. Prem Kumar, also general secretary of PUTA, was placed under suspension on March 5, 2022, for allegedly leaking the agenda of the Syndicate meeting to media

M. Sabari 20.11.2024

Salem

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) and Periyar University Teachers Association (PUTA) demanded an urgent intervention of the Tamil Nadu Government and Higher Education Department to save an assistant professor from victimisation in Periyar Varsity. The university placed an agenda to remove the assistant professor from service.

K. Prem Kumar, an assistant professor in the history department at Periyar University, and also the general secretary of PUTA, was placed under suspension on March 5, 2022, for allegedly leaking the agenda of the Periyar University Syndicate meeting to the media. Last week, the university circulated the agenda to the Syndicate members for the ensuing meeting on November 22 in which the university has placed an agenda to remove Mr. Prem Kumar from service.

AUT president M.S. Balamurugan said this was a clear vindictive action of the Periyar University administration. The university was continuously violating the rules. Within 24 hours of notice issued to Mr. Prem, he was placed under suspension. After 26 days of his suspension, the university preferred a sexual harassment complaint from a girl student and without following rules, the then registrar (in charge) personally lodged a complaint directly to police and Mr. Prem was arrested.

Later, the university constituted three internal complaints committees (ICC), contrary to the POSH Act and UGC regulations. Not satisfied with these actions, in the 113th Syndicate (held on May 18, 2023), the university placed an agenda to remove Mr. Prem from service and realising the illegality, the administration withdrew that agenda.

Again, in the 114th Syndicate meeting held on November 6, 2023, the agenda was placed by the university, but in a majority decision (10 out of 18), the agenda was rejected, terming that punishment was not proportionate to the charges and it was severe, Mr. Balamurugan added. Demanding urgent intervention in this issue, Mr. Balamurugan said the university again placed the same rejected agenda before the ensuing Syndicate on November 22. So the Tamil Nadu Government and the Higher Education Department should direct the ex-officio members of the Syndicate of Periyar University to act against the illegalities of the university administration and save the assistant professor whose future was in peril, the AUT president added.

PUTA president V. Vaithianathan said that keeping Mr. Prem under suspension for 33 months was illegal. Now, the university was trying to remove him from service. “We demand all the Syndicate members, especially Periyar University Association of Self-Financing Colleges (PASAM), which has four Syndicate members, to place their dissent on this agenda and save the assistant professor from this vindictive action,” Mr. Vaithianathan added.

Responding to the AUT and PUTA’s call, PASAM secretary K. Rajavinayakam said that on November 22, a meeting would be held with the PASAM executive members. “PASAM does not go against the welfare of a teacher. As of now, this is our stand and on November 22 morning, we will take a decision,” Mr. Rajavinayakam added.

Periyar University Vice-Chancellor R. Jagannathan was not available for comments.

Salem teacher faces action for taking part in event honouring EPS

The Hindu Bureau

Salem 20.11.2024

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Devising a foolproof system to ensure credibility of NEET

Recommendations suggested by a seven-member committee to reform the exam have met with mixed reviews as experts weigh in on the options to check pilferage and other malpractices

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesofindia.com 19.11.2024

Months after it was constituted, a high-level committee, headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, has proposed major reforms to the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) in the wake of this year’s paper leaks and exam irregularities. Experts claim the reforms were much needed to bring back the credibility in the examination system while advocating the need for multistage examination process and restricting the number of attempts and exam centres. The seven-member panel that submitted its recommendations on November 1, suggested some key recommendations, which include implementing a hybrid examination model where question papers would be transmitted digitally while students can use OMR sheets for answers.

This method while strengthening the security will ensure the release of exam questions closer to the start of the exams, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorised access. The committee further proposed adopting a multiple-stage format similar to JEE to manage the large volume of applicants, along with limiting the number of attempts to create a more equitable examination landscape. Presently, candidates are allowed to take the NEET UG exam an unlimited number of times. The proposed change is also expected to motivate candidates to prepare more competently for their attempts.

Further, to make the examination’s security more foolproof, the panel recommended reducing dependency on outsourced services and private test centres. The panel recommended that NTA should instead incre ase its permanent staff and the number of exam centres under its direct control. Currently, exams are essentially conducted in government-run institutions, with private centres used only when necessary. A key proposal from the panel involves the development of a ‘Digi Exam’ platform, which draws inspiration from the successful implementation of the Digi Yatra initiative at Indian airports. This platform is expected to leverage biometrics, including facial recognition technology, to facilitate secure candidate identification and authentication. By adopting this approach, the NTA can move towards a more effective and paperless process for registration, exam access, and remote testing. Going digital “The ecosystem should be developed in a phase-wise manner before implementing such measures as not all class XII students are tech-savvy or computer literate.

These initiatives should ideally be started at the NEET PG level,” says a senior faculty member from a Delhi-NCR medical college, sug gesting further the need to set up high-speed electronic printers at the exam centres to digitally print the question papers and minimise manual intervention. The centres should be owned and manned by NTA’s own employees who are adequately trained to manage the exam process. Further, in a high-stakes exam like NEET UG, a two-stage process, as per the recommendations, will eliminate a large percentage of candidates at the prelims stage, leaving the more serious candidates to compete for the final exam. “This will help improve the quality of candidates enrolling for counselling and college admissions. Additionally, the ratio of the number of seats to students will be reduced.

But multiple sessions for a single exam much like JEE does not give students a clear picture about the difficulty level of each session, nor are they convinced about the use of normalisation for calculating the scores which may invite controversy the way NEET PG 2024 did,” says the faculty. Highlighting some of the key outcomes of the hybrid mode of exams, Dr Amit Gupta, professor, De partment of Surgery, AIIMS Rishikesh, says, “It will check to some extent pilferage of question papers. At one go, the question papers will be displayed on screens throughout the country. Thereafter, students can write their answers on the OMR sheets if the exam is in pen and paper mode, and online if it is a Computer-Based Test (CBT). A uniform CBT format might be an issue in the remote and rural interiors due to uneven internet access, giving rise to technical glitches.” He further adds that the same hybrid format is used in the OSCE exam (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) by National Board of Examinations (NBE) to assess candidates’ clinical competencies and knowledge of medical procedures in postgraduate examination.

“The hybrid mode would face some issues like technological failures, insider collusion, or inadequate monitoring of exam conditions, which might persist if not carefully managed. Digitally transmitting question papers should have strong encryption and secure channels,” cautions Dr B Unnikrishnan, dean, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Multistage exam Since the number of candidates appearing for NEET exam far outweigh the number of candidates in any other national-level entrance exam, it would be better to have a multistage exam process, such as a NEET Prelims and NEET Main/Advanced just like JEE, says Dr Gupta, adding it will make the job of NTA easier and eventually lead to the smooth conduct of the examination.

Moreover, restricting the number of attempts will give all candidates a fair chance to crack the exam considering there is presently no bar on the number of attempts, Dr Gupta says. However, Dr Unnikrishnan reasons that limiting attempts might affect candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds. “Students who have access to better resources, coaching, and preparation might fare better, making it harder for those with fewer opportunities to compete effectively,” he say

Indian students in Nepal get licence to practice

Ayushi.Gupta1@timesofindia.com 19.11.2024

After several weeks of tussle, the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) issued an official notification declaring that all international medical students in the country are now eligible to obtain a licence to practice in local hospitals. The announcement comes as welcome news to Indian students planning to pursue medical education in Nepal.

In April 2023, the NMC had scrapped the licence to practice in Nepal for international students after the completion of MBBS course in the medical colleges. Following this, several Indian medical students had decided against studying in Nepalese medical colleges due to the lack of compliance with India’s Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021. With the recent NMC notification, students are relieved and are moving forward with their admissions.

The deadline to submit the course fees and complete the admission process is November 14, 2024. The official notification states, “The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) recognizes undergraduate degrees, including MBBS/BDS and equ ivalent courses with a minimum academic duration of 5.5 years, which includes a mandatory one-year internship. All foreign nationals are eligible to take the licensing examinations according to NMC Regulations. Upon passing the licensing examinations, foreign candidates can obtain a license equivalent to that of Nepalese citizens. This licensing procedure does not require a good standing certificate from the candidate’s home country council.” The notice also mentioned that NMC grants provisional registration to all MBBS/BDS students in Nepal during their internship period.

According to NMC internship guidelines, students must complete their internship in hospitals affiliated to their respective medical colleges. This provisional registration is at par with that of Nepalese citizens, allowing both Nepali and international students equal opportunities to practise medicine. The Global Medical Society (GMS), an association representing Indian MBBS students in Nepal, expressed appreciation for the recent NMC notice, which has provided reassurance to students from previous MBBS and BDS batches in Nepal.

EWS TODAY 18.11.2024

Private medical colleges want to hike fee, move Madras HC

The fee structure was maintained for 2020-21 by the panel chaired by by Justice K Venkataraman by taking into account the pandemic.

Express News Service

17 Nov 2024, 12:49 pm

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered notice to the government and the Committee for Fixation of Fee for private self-financing colleges on a petition filed by the TN Self-Financing Medical Colleges Association seeking increase in the fee for MBBS for 2022-25 academic years by revoking an order passed by the committee in this regard.

A division bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and PB Balaji on Friday directed the respondent authorities to file counter-affidavit to the petition and adjourned the matter by two weeks.

The petition noted that the committee headed by Justice NV Balasubramanian fixed the fee for MBBS for 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 as Rs 3.9 lakh for government quota, Rs 12.5 lakh for management quota and Rs 23.5 lakh for NRI quota by its order date June 6, 2017.

The fee structure was maintained for 2020-21 by the panel chaired by by Justice K Venkataraman by taking into account the pandemic. The association had sought the committee to revise the annual fee for UG and PG medical course for 2021-22 considering the increase in expenditure including salaries, delayed payment fees and other difficulties in running the institutions.

The committee fixed separate fee structures for government quota, management quota, NRI quota and NRI lapsed quota for 2022-23, which will be in force for three years, through proceedings dated October 15, 2022, it said. But, for the two state university private colleges, the fee fixed by the committee is higher than that of the self-financing medical colleges, it alleged.

The association said an average Rs 4.35 lakh has been fixed for government quota for self-financing colleges while Rs 5.4 lakh fixed for the same quota for the state university private colleges. There is disparity in other quotas too.

It sought the court to issue orders to quash the proceedings of the committee passed in 2022 and the consequential proceedings dated September 19, 2024 and direct the panel to fix fees afresh and allow self-financing colleges to collect fees on a par with state university private colleges.

2,553 doctors will be recruited through MRB, says Minister Ma Subramanian

To address this requirement, MRB issued a notification through newspapers, and received applications. Certificate verification process will soon be completed.

TN Health Minister Ma Subramanian(Photo | Express)

Express News Service

18 Nov 2024, 12:21 pm

TIRUNELVELI: TN government is in the process of recruiting 2,553 doctors through the Medical Recruitment Board (MRB), which will result in surplus doctors at government health institutions by early 2025, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Sunday.

Subramanian was in the city to inaugurate a pay ward at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) constructed at a cost of Rs 1.1 crore and a private hospital. “Government hospitals currently have a shortage of only 1,353 doctors, and there will be an additional 1,200 vacancies arising in 2026 across the state. In total, 2,553 doctors have to be recruited.

To address this requirement, MRB issued a notification through newspapers, and received applications. Certificate verification process will soon be completed. For the 2,553 doctor posts, a total of 24,000 applications have been received. We plan to appoint a company like TATA Consultancy to conduct online examination on January 27, 2025.

Once the recruitment process is complete, the 100% doctor-vacancy will be filled, leaving us with 1,200 surplus doctors. Apart from this, there are 2,250 vacancies for village health nurses across the state. When MRB was about to distribute appointment orders for the selected candidates, around 30 court cases were filed against it. We have invited the litigants for discussions,” Subramanian said.

Talking about the new pay ward at TvMCH, he said, “It comprises 18 to 23 private rooms equipped with facilities. After the DMK government took charge, similar facilities have been opened in nine locations.”

TN higher education secretary asks registrar to hold Bharathiar University senate meet

Sources said the secretary also stressed that the varsity should get a good ranking in all parameters and told heads of the departments to focus on skill-based training, exposure and placements for the students.

Bharathiar University (File photo)

Express News Service

17 Nov 2024, 12:57 pm

COIMBATORE: During his visit to Bharathiar University (BU) on Friday, Higher Education Department Secretary K Gopal instructed the registrar (in charge) of the university to take steps to convene the senate meeting which had not been conducted for the last six months.

Gopal also directed the university officials to prepare the audit reports for the 2022-2023 academic year in 10 days and be ready for the finance committee, syndicate and senate meetings.

A senate member and principal of Government Arts and Science College for Women at Puliyakulam, T Veeramani, the senate meeting was not conducted for the last six months due to the lethargic attitude of the university. “As per university norms, senate meetings should be conducted twice (June and January) in an academic year. During senate meetings, members would discuss the university’s audit reports,” he pointed out. He recalled that the last senate meeting in January was postponed when the issue regarding the university’s regulation on capping a principal’s tenure to 10 years was raised.

Monday, November 18, 2024

Why Stalin-EPS war of words is bad for Vijay

STORY BOARD ARUN RAM 18.11.2024

James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming said: Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence.

Three times Chief minister M K Stalin struck three times at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami in the past week. And this bout of aggression appears to be more strategic than impulsive. Into the third quarter of his third year as chief minister, Stalin has been selective in engaging the opposition in verbal duels. While his lieutenants took on that job, Stalin has confined himself to firing salvos at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union govt. And then, suddenly this rapid fire at EPS. This calculated acknowledgement of EPS as his prime rival shows Stalin is not just drawing the battlelines but also trying to define the warriors; that the others aren’t important. This, if it lasts till the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections, will be perfect symbiosis for Stalin and EPS.

This year’s general elections were a lesson for EPS as BJP – though vanquished at the end – stole the limelight, engaging the Stalin brigade so consistently that it almost looked like a DMK vs BJP battle. While Stalin’s intention is to divert attention from actor and TVK founder Vijay, EPS should be happy with the renewed media attention the chief minister’s remarks have brought on him. Not that Stalin was kind in his criticism. “Edappadi is speaking like some political leaders who lack decency and civility,” Stalin said on Nov 12. Two days earlier, he was more acerbic while responding to EPS’s criticism of govt schemes being named after ‘Kalaignar’. “Should we name the schemes after you,” Stalin asked EPS, “who crawled like a cockroach to become chief minister”. Edappadi showed he is no easy pushover, challenging Stalin for a one-on-one debate “without papers” (Udhayanidhi Stalin took the gauntlet, but EPS dismissed him).

The bout has relegated the others to the shadows. While Tamil Nadu BJP is in snooze mode as its president K Annamalai is on an academic sabbatical in the UK, NTK leader Seeman remains all sound and fury signifying little. The situation is more crucial for actor-politician Vijay. The only time Stalin reacted to Vijay, that too without taking his name, was soon after the Villupuram conference where the actor dubbed ‘Dravidian model’ as a façade for misgovernance. “Even some newcomers want to finish off DMK,” Stalin said, “but we don’t have the time to waste on them.” Vijay, however, cannot ignore Stalin.

The TVK founder has done the right thing by choosing DMK as his main rival. Now he will have to do the groundwork to prove that he is a mightier alternative to the ruling party than AIADMK or BJP. If Vijay is serious about making corruption an election plank in the 2026 election, he should get his party to document and expose it. This is easier said than done, for TVK would need much more than cheering crowds to challenge, if not unseat, a party with an age-old cadre base and a well-oiled election machinery. As of now, Vijay’s proclaimed policies are not any different from any of the Dravidian parties. The differentiator, however, will be his actions rather than promises. If he succeeds in exposing corruption, Vijay’s claim of being an alternative would look more credible. And to take it to the people, TVK needs some seasoned political minds, and that is something the party lacks now.

If Vijay merely joins the chorus of allegations without substantiation, Stalin will rather sit back and smirk. Like Napoleon Bonaparte said, never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. _arun.ram @timesofindia.com toi_arunram POKER

‘UGC will debar univs that are found violating PhD quality standards’ TALKING TO TOI

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is rolling out reforms in higher education including four-year UG degrees, an academic bank of credits and degrees with multiple entries and exits based on the National Education Policy (NEP). But some states including Tamil Nadu have not yet accepted NEP and are in the process of formulating their own State Education Policy (SEP). In an interview with A Ragu Raman, UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar discusses issues such as opposition to NEP, lack of funding to universities and the tussle between the Tamil Nadu govt and Governor on including UGC nominees in vice-chancellor (V-C) search committees.

Excerpts:  Tamil Nadu is undecided about adopting UGC reforms based on NEP, especially since it is drafting an SEP. Can states opt out of certain NEP provisions?

We are taking a collaborative approach to NEP implementation. For example, four-year UG programmes are optional and flexible. All states are expected to adopt UGC reforms because if they do not, students will suffer.

 UGC previously funded universities, including new faculty positions. The lack of such support is blamed for financial crises in state universities. Is there a proposal to support struggling state universities?

The primary objective of the UGC is to coordinate, determine and maintain standards in higher education. Until 2017, when the 12th Plan ended, UGC provided funding under various schemes. However, with the discontinuation of five-year plans and the establishment of Niti Aayog, most of these schemes were closed. We are reimbursing schemes initiated before 2017. State govts are responsible for salaries, pensions and infrastructure of state universities. For research infrastructure, central schemes under the National Research Foundation (NRF) are now in place. State universities need to collaborate with industry to generate funds as higher educational institutions flourish on multiple funding sources rather than relying solely on govt support. We are encouraging universities to work in this direction.

 Will UGC intervene to resolve the Governor-Tamil Nadu govt conflict over including UGC nominees in V-C search committees?

Due to this, many state universities have been functioning without V-Cs. A case is pending in the Supreme Court. Timely appointment of V-Cs is in the best interest of universities. There are some challenges and how they will be resolved is the responsibility of the state govt. UGC believes in the importance of appointing institutional heads without delay, as leadership plays an important role in making sure academic schedules are followed, admissions are done on time, a research ecosystem is maintained, and faculty appointments happen without delay. These processes are disrupted if there are delays in appointing heads of universities. UGC has requested state govts to prioritise this.

 Tamil Nadu’s state universities face a huge faculty shortage, with no recruitment in 10 years. The University of Madras operates with just a third of its faculty, and is facing a survival crisis. Faculty positions have already been sanctioned by the respective state govts. If these positions are not filled, how can universities ensure quality teaching, start new academic programmes, or strengthen their research profile?

We all aspire for our universities to be recognised globally and contribute to the social well-being of our country. This is possible only when universities have a head of the institution, regular faculty members and the ability to raise resources through various means. Strengthening universities should be a top priority for any state govt.

 How many foreign universities have expressed interest in establishing campuses in India?

We have received many applications. Several universities in the UK and Australia have shown interest in establishing their campuses here. The University of Southampton has established its campus in Delhi. In the coming years, I expect several more to materialise.

 How will UGC improve quality of PhDs? Is plagiarism still a big concern?

Plagiarism is one of the concerns. How students are admitted, whether universities are following PhD regulations by conducting entrance exams and interviews, how student progress is monitored, and whether scholars are encouraged to publish in highquality journals or develop products — these are issues that affect the quality of PhDs. It has come to our notice that some universities are not adhering to these standards and awarding PhDs with short durations and for substandard work. We have formed expert committees to identify such universities and examine their cases. If we find they have violated UGC’s PhD regulations, we will debar them from offering PhD programmes.

 UGC has set a deadline of Dec 31 for creating an academic bank of credits (digital platform that allows students to store, transfer and redeem credits across institutions). What is the progress?

The process is progressing rapidly. Some institutions have completed student onboarding, while others have reached up to 70%. All institutions must generate a unique ID for the academic bank of credits, upload marksheets and other certificates, and link them to the unique ID by Dec 31. This will provide students with access to digital transcripts, so they won’t need to carry original certificates. Email your feedback to southpole.toi@ timesofindia.com

Errors in TN post graduate medical admission merit list spark outrage

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 18.11.2024

Chennai : The state selection committee released the state merit list for postgraduate medical admission, loaded with errors, on Sunday with a disclaimer that it was prepared by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences and hence the board “may be contacted regarding any clarification in state rank list.” Some students with higher scores were ranked below students with lower scores on the management quota list. Similar variations were seen on the all-India quota and the state quota lists. “The list is extremely confusing. It reminded me of the NEET-UG 2024 scorecards where some students got the impossible 716/ 720 as NEET marks,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam.

“A student placed five ranks below another student in the state quota rank list was placed five ranks above the same student in the management quota list. This defies logic. No incentives were given to these students as they are nonservice candidates. I spotted at least 38 such variations between state and management quota,” he said.

NBE conducted NEET-PG in two batches on Aug 11 and declared results on Aug 23. The results came in percentiles instead of individual scores. This made it difficult for at least seven states including Tamil Nadu, which offers additional marks as incentives to in-service candidates. Tamil Nadu wrote to NBE seeking normalised marks so it could add incentive marks for counselling. This request was denied by the NBE. After discussions with the National Medical Commission, the apex body regulating medical education in the state, and NBE, it was decided that the NBE would release the merit list using incentive marks provided by the states. A fortnight ago, the state selection committee sent service incentive percentages (up to 30%) for all in-service candidates based on years of service and terrain to the national board. The state has already raised concerns about the discrepancies with the board.

“Revisions had errors too. That is why we released the list with a notice to candidates,” the official said.

Students and parents are fuming. “The state is as irresponsible as the centre. They released the notice only because they knew there were discrepancies. They should have fought for the scores or moved the court instead of washing their hands away,” said Manikandan R, whose nephew is awaiting MD/MS admissions this year.

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Is someone using your Aadhaar without your knowledge? Here is how to check

The Aadhaar card is a vital identification document for Indians. However, with the data connected to it, Aadhaar is also becoming a target for scammers. Here is a quick guide on how you can track whether anyone is misusing your Aadhaar.

Divya Bhati

New Delhi,UPDATED: Nov 15, 2024 17:09 IST

In Short Scammers are exploiting Aadhaar details to trick people There have been cases where scammers exploited stolen Aadhaar details for financial fraudsUIDAI allows users to track Aadhaar usage to prevent misuse

The Aadhaar card has become a primary identification document for Indian residents. This 12-digit unique ID is important for accessing government services, banking facilities, and telecom connections. While this document simplifies many administrative processes, the card is now also vulnerable to misuse if not handled with care. Due to the data connected to it, there have been many incidents in the past few years where fraudsters reportedly have exploited stolen Aadhaar details for financial fraud, identity theft, or unauthorised access to services. If exploited, victims may further face blocked services, financial loss, or legal complications due to activities carried out in their name.

But how can you check if your Aadhaar is being misused? While you cannot check directly, you can review where your Aadhaar number has been used in the past—for travel, stays, banking, and other purposes. To help people keep their Aadhaar safe and track its usage, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has introduced tools to help users monitor and secure their Aadhaar usage.

Here is a Step-by-Step Guide to help you monitor the usage of your Aadhaar number:

How to check Aadhaar usage history

1. Go to the myAadhaar portal.

2. Enter your Aadhaar number, captcha code, and click “Login With OTP.”

3. An OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number. Enter it to access your account.

4. Select the “Authentication History” option and choose the date range for the period you want to review.

5. Check the log and look for any unfamiliar or suspicious transactions. If you identify unauthorized activity, promptly report it to UIDAI.

You can either:

Call UIDAI’s toll-free helpline: 1947

Write your report and send it to Email: help@uidai.gov.in

How to lock Aadhaar biometrics

Meanwhile, UIDAI also offers the option to lock and unlock Aadhaar biometrics to prevent misuse. Locking your Aadhaar biometrics ensures that even if someone has access to your Aadhaar details, they cannot misuse the biometric information.

To lock your Aadhaar biometrics:Visit the Official UIDAI Website.

Navigate to the “Lock/Unlock Aadhaar” section.

Read the Guidelines and review the instructions provided on the page.

Provide Required Information: Enter your Virtual ID (VID), name, PIN code, and captcha code.

Click “Send OTP” to receive a one-time password on your registered mobile number.

Secure Your Biometrics: Use the OTP to complete the process and lock your Aadhaar biometrics.

Spl stray counselling round announced for MBBS, BDS

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 17.11.2024

Chennai : The Medical Counselling Committee under the Dir ectorate General of Health Services has announced a special stray round for medical and dental admissions across the country more than 10 days after it closed the admission process on Nov 5. The state selection committee will also conduct a special round for nearly 57 MBBS seats and additional seats. On Saturday, the revised schedule released by the central committee stated that counselling for seats under AIQ, central institutions, and deemed universities will be held from Nov 20. The results will be announced on Nov 23. Students must report to allotted colleges by Nov 30. The state counselling will begin on Nov 25, and the last date to join allotted colleges will be Dec 5. MCC is yet to release the seat matrix or rules for counselling, but officials in the state selection committee said Annaii Medical College and Hospital was allotted 50 additional MBBS seats. One seat in Stanley Medical College is vacant after the death of a student. In addition, six MBBS seats – management/NRI lapsed – in selffinancing medical colleges and 28 BDS seats, including four in govt medical colleges, are vacant after four rounds of counselling.

Reopening admissions, officials say, will be laborious and chaotic. “At least 7.5% of these seats from Annaii Medical College will have to be set aside for govt school students, there will be 25 seats for govt quota, and the remaining seats will be for management and NRI,” said a senior official at the DME. “Since there are govt and govt quota seats, we must allow students who already joined a choice to opt for the new seats. This means lots of movement between colleges,” he said. The DME will announce the regulations and detailed schedule for undergraduate counselling after discussions with health officials on Monday.

Pvt med colleges challenge MBBS fee structure

Chennai : The Tamil Nadu Self-Financing Medical Colleges Association has moved the Madras high court challenging the fee fixed for medical courses in private colleges for the academic year 2024-25 by the statutory fee fixation committee. Alleging discrimination on the part of the committee, the association said that while Rs 4.35 lakh was fixed as the fee for govt seats in private colleges and Rs 13.50 lakh for management seats, the fee for state private universities was fixed as Rs 5.4 lakh for govt seats and Rs 16.20 lakh for management seats. Admitting the plea, a division bench of Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice P B Balaji directed the state govt and the fee fixation committee to file their response in two weeks. According to the association, the order passed by the committee is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution as they discriminate between the fee fixed for self-financing private colleges and state private universities without any basis or reason

Fake faculty members row: AU makes Aadhaar-based authentication must 52K In Affiliated Engg Colleges To Resubmit Details For 2024-25 Before Nov 29

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 17.11.2024

Chennai : In the wake of the fake faculty members row, Anna University has made Aadhaar based authentication mandatory for all 52,000 faculty members in its affiliated colleges. It also asked colleges to resubmit faculty members' details for 2024-25 before Nov 29 on its portal which will accept the Aadhaar number only after fingerprint verification. “The Aadhaar numbers and biometrics are linked. So, they cannot give duplicate Aadhaar numbers. The process for existing faculty members is ongoing,” a source in the university said.

The university has asked for details including AICTE faculty ID and PAN. It also asked the colleges to procure fingerprint scanners from UIDAI. “All existing faculty members will get the ID. If they are shifting to another college, the colleges can use the ID. For registering new faculty members, they may have to physically come to the university to register their fingerprints.”

In a circular to all affiliated colleges, Anna University registrar J Prakash warned that institutions which do not submit the details by the deadline will not be considered for a grant of affiliation for the 2025-26 academic year. Following the row over fake faculty members, the university’s syndicate decided to debar the fraudulent faculty members from teaching in Tamil Nadu. It sent notices to around 1,000 faculty members from 2023-24 and 2024-25 who were shown working in multiple colleges. “Only 10% to 20% of faculty members turned up for the inquiry. In some cases, colleges which collected the Aadhar details for job interviews submitted those details for affiliation,” a source said. When the university enquired, those colleges claim that the faculty members joined and left their colleges, source added.

The university also sent notices to 295 engineering colleges on this issue Volunteers of Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, found that 353 individuals had been working in multiple engineering colleges for the 2023-24 academic year. Following this, an internal probe ordered by Anna University found that 2,000 faculty positions were shown with fake faculty members by engineering colleges for 2024-25.

T.N. orders merging of govt. data centre and pension directorate with treasuries dept.

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 17.11.2024

The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order to merge the Directorate of Pension and the Government Data Centre with the Treasuries and Accounts Department, under the administrative control of the Finance Department.

After the merger, the independent operations of the Directorate of Pension and the Government Data Centre would be carried out by the separate wings of the Treasuries and Accounts Department, a government order issued by Finance Secretary T. Udhayachandran said.

It was decided that the functional efficiency of the Treasuries and Accounts Department, the Government Data Centre, and the Directorate of Pension and Small Savings Department would be improved by restructuring them, the order added.

The Pension and Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) wing would perform the functions of the Directorate of Pension and the Government Data Centre, under the control of an Additional Director in the Commissionerate of Treasuries and Accounts. After the merger, the retained employees would continue to work on the same premises at the Perasiriyar K. Anbalagan Maaligai, under the control of the Commissioner of Treasuries and Accounts/ex-officio Director of Pension, the order added.

The Commissioner of Treasuries and Accounts would be the Budgeting, Controlling and Reconciling Officer, and necessary budget provisions would continue to be provided for the merged wings, it said.

The Commissioner of Treasuries and Accounts/ex-officio Director of Pension may send necessary proposals for further rationalisation of posts and functions of these wings, the order further said.

வரும் கல்வியாண்டு முதல்.. டிகிரி படிக்க இனி 3 வருசம் , 4 வருசம் தேவையில்லை.. யுஜிசி மேஜர் அறிவிப்பு

வரும் கல்வியாண்டு முதல்.. டிகிரி படிக்க இனி 3 வருசம் , 4 வருசம் தேவையில்லை.. யுஜிசி மேஜர் அறிவிப்பு

By Velmurugan P

Published: Thursday, November 14, 2024, 17:53 [IST]

சென்னை: யுஜிசி சார்பில் தேசிய கல்விக்கொள்கை-2020-ஐ நடைமுறைப்படுத்துவது தொடர்பாக தென்மண்டல அளவில் தன்னாட்சி கல்லூரிகளுக்கான ஒருநாள் கருத்தரங்கம் சென்னை கிண்டியில் உள்ள ஐஐடியில் நடந்தது . இந்த கருத்தரங்கில் கலந்து கொண்டு பேசிய யுசிஜி தலைவர் எம்.ஜெகதீஷ் குமார், மாணவர்கள் விரும்பினால் இளங்கலை பட்டப்படிப்பை முன்கூட்டியே படித்து முடிக்கும் புதிய முறை வரும் கல்வி ஆண்டில் அமல்படுத்தப்படும் என்று கூறினார். தேசிய கல்விக் கொள்கை (National Policy on Education) கல்வியை மேம்படுத்தவும் ஒழுங்குபடுத்தவும் மத்திய அரசு அவ்வப்போது உருவாக்கி வருகிறது. அந்த வகையில் முதல் தேசிய கல்விக் கொள்கையை 1968-ஆம் ஆண்டில் பிரதமர் இந்திரா காந்தி தலைமையிலான அரசு உருவாக்கியது. அடுத்ததாக இரண்டாவது தேசிய கல்விக் கொள்கையை 1986-ஆம் ஆண்டில் பிரதமர் ராஜீவ் காந்தி தலைமையிலான அரசாங்கம் வெளியிட்டது. அந்த கல்வி கொள்கை தான் தற்போது நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது. இந்நிலையில் மூன்றாவது தேசிய கல்விக் கொள்கையை 2020-ஆம் ஆண்டில் பிரதம மந்திரி நரேந்திர மோடி தலைமையிலான அரசாங்கம் வெளியிட்டது.

இந்த கல்வி கொள்கை இந்தியா முழுவதும் இன்னும் முழுமையாக நடைமுறைக்கு வரவில்லை.. இதை நடைமுறைப்படுத்த மத்திய அரசு தீவிர முயற்சி எடுத்து வருகிறது.ஆனால் இதில் மும்மொழி கொள்கை இருப்பதால் தமிழகத்தில் கடும் எதிர்ப்பு உள்ளது. அதேநேரம் மும்மொழி கொள்கை தவிர மற்ற பல்வேறு விஷயங்களை அமல்படுத்துவதில் தமிழக அரசு ஆர்வம் காட்டி வருகிறது. இந்நிலையில் பல்கலைக்கழக மானியக்குழு (யுஜிசி) சார்பில் தேசிய கல்விக்கொள்கை-2020-ஐ நடைமுறைப்படுத்துவது தொடர்பாக தென்மண்டல அளவில் தன்னாட்சி கல்லூரிகளுக்கான ஒருநாள் கருத்தரங்கம் சென்னை கிண்டியில் உள்ள ஐஐடியில் இன்று நடந்தது. இதில் ஐஐடி இயக்குநர் வி.காமகோடி மற்றும் தன்னாட்சிக் கல்லூரிகளின் முதல்வர்கள், பேராசிரியர்கள் உள்பட கலந்து கொண்டனர். இக்கருத்தரங்கை யுஜிசி தலைவர் எம்.ஜெகதிஷ் குமார் தொடங்கி வைத்தார்.

பின்னர் அவர் செய்தியாளர்களிடம் கூறுகையில், நமது இந்தியா மிக வலிமையான, தரமான உயர்கல்வி நிறுவனங்கள் இயங்கி வருகிறது. இத்தகைய கல்வி நிறுவனங்கள்தான் நாட்டின் வளர்ச்சிக்கு பெருமளவு உறுதுணையாக உள்ளது. இன்றைக்கு தொழில்நுட்ப ரீதியாக மிக வேகமாக நாம் வளர்ந்து வருகிறது. இதற்கு இங்குள்ள இளைஞர்களே காரணம். 2047-ம் ஆண்டு இந்தியா வளர்ந்த நாடாக வேண்டும் என்று இலக்கு நிர்ணயித்திருக்கிறோம். அதற்கு நாம் தொழில்நுட்ப ரீதியாக இன்னும் வேகமாக முன்னேற வேண்டியது அவசியம் ஆகும். இந்தியா பன்முகத்தன்மை கொண்ட நாடு. சமூக, பொருளாதார ரீதியில் நிறைய வேறுபாடுகள் இருக்கிறது. இத்தகைய சூழலில் அனைவருக்கும் உயர்கல்வி கிடைக்கச் செய்வது என்பது உண்மையிலேயே பெரிய சவாலான விஷயம் தான். தலைசிறந்த உயர்கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் ஏழை மாணவர்கள் சேர்ந்து கல்வி பயிலும் வகையில் பிரதமரின் வித்யா லட்சுமி கல்விக்கடன் திட்டம் கொண்டு வரப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. இத்திட்டத்தின்கீழ் ஏழை மாணவர்கள் எந்தவித பிணையும் இன்றி வட்டியில்லா கடன் பெற முடியும். இத்திட்டம் ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்கு வரப்பிரசாதமாக இருக்கும். உயர்கல்வியில் சேர ஆங்கில மொழி பிரச்சினை பெரும்பாலான மாணவர்களுக்கு பெரும்தடையாக இருக்கிறது. எனவே, அவர்களுக்கு தாய்மொழியில் உயர்கல்வி வழங்கப்பட வேண்டும் என்று வலியுறுத்தி வருகிறோம். ஆங்கிலத்தை தகவல் தொடர்புக்காக ஒரு மொழிப்பாடமாக படித்தாலே போதும். உலகில் முன்னேறிய நாடுகளில் எல்லாம் தாய்மொழியில்தான் உயர்கல்வியை வழங்கி வருகின்றன. மாணவர்களின் வேலைவாய்ப்பு திறனையும், சுயதொழில் ஆர்வத்தையும் மேம்படுத்த வேண்டும். அதற்காக அவர்களுக்கு திறன் சார்ந்த கல்வி அளிக்கப்பட வேண்டும். இதனை கருத்தில் கொண்டு தான் உயர்கல்வியில் பல்வேறு சீர்திருத்தங்களை மத்திய அரசு மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது. குறிப்பாக உலகில் வேகமாக வளர்ந்து வரும் புதிய தொழில்நுட்பங்களான செயற்கை நுண்ணறிவு, கிளவுட் கம்ப்யூட்டிங், எரிசக்தி பாதுகாப்பு உள்ளிட்ட துறைகளில் ஆராய்ச்சிகளிலும் நாம் சிறந்து விளங்க வேண்டியது அவசியம் ஆகும்.

சில மாணவர்கள் ஏதேனும் ஒரு தொழில் துறையில் சிறந்து விளங்குவார்கள். அப்படிப்பட்டவர்களின் தொழில் அறிவை அங்கீகரிக்கும் வகையில் அவர்களின் படிப்பில் தொழில் அறிவுக்கு குறிப்பிட்ட கிரெடிட் வழங்கலாம் என்று யுஜிசி கூட்டத்தில் முடிவு செய்திருக்கிறோம். அதேபோல், சென்னை ஐஐடி இயக்குநர் காமகோடி தலைமையிலான நிபுணர் குழுவின் பரிந்துரையின் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர்கள் இளங்கலை பட்டப்படிப்பை முன்கூட்டியே படித்து முடிக்கும் புதிய முறைக்கும், அதேபோல், படிப்பில் பின்தங்கியுள்ள மாணவர்கள் கூடுதல் காலஅவகாசம் எடுத்துக்கொள்ளும் புதிய முறைக்கும் யுஜிசி கூட்டத்தில் ஒப்புதல் பெறப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. இதன்படி மாணவர்கள் விரும்பினால் 4 ஆண்டு கால அல்லது 3 ஆண்டு கால இளங்கலை பட்டப்படிப்பை ஓராண்டு அல்லது 6 மாதங்களுக்கு முன்னரே படித்து முடித்துவிடலாம். அதேபோல், படிப்பில் சற்று பின்தங்கிய மாணவர்கள் தேவைப்பட்டால் 6 மாதங்கள் அல்லது ஓராண்டு கூடுதல் காலம் எடுத்தும் படிக்கலாம். இந்த புதிய முறை வரும் கல்வி ஆண்டில் அமலுக்கு வர உள்ளது" இவ்வாறு கூறினார்.