Read more at Medical Dialogues: Pharma D can now use DR prefix, Doctors cry foul https://medicaldialogues.in/pharma-d-can-now-use-dr-prefix-doctors-cry-foul/

Read more at Medical Dialogues: Pharma D can now use DR prefix, Doctors cry foul https://medicaldialogues.in/pharma-d-can-now-use-dr-prefix-doctors-cry-foul/

Read more at Medical Dialogues: Pharma D can now use DR prefix, Doctors cry foul https://medicaldialogues.in/pharma-d-can-now-use-dr-prefix-doctors-cry-foul/

Public Notice 29.05.2019

சிங்கப்பூருக்கு கடத்த முயற்சிசென்னை விமான நிலையத்தில் 64 கிலோ சுறா மீன் துடுப்புகள் பறிமுதல்


சென்னையில் இருந்து சிங்கப்பூருக்கு கடத்த முயன்ற ரூ.32 லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள 64 கிலோ சுறா மீன் துடுப்புகளை சுங்க இலாகா அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

பதிவு: மே 30, 2019 03:45 AM மாற்றம்: மே 30, 2019 04:12 AM
ஆலந்தூர்,

சென்னை மீனம்பாக்கம் பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையத்தில் இருந்து சிங்கப்பூருக்கு விமானம் சென்றது. முன்னதாக அதில் செல்ல வந்த பயணிகளை விமான நிலைய சுங்க இலாகா அதிகாரிகள் சோதனை செய்தனர்.

அப்போது சிங்கப்பூருக்கு செல்ல வந்த சென்னையை சேர்ந்த மதார்(வயது 25), மதுரையை சேர்ந்த ஷேக்மதார்(35) ஆகியோரது உடைமைகளை சந்தேகத்தின்பேரில் சோதனை செய்தனர்.

அதில் அவர்களிடம் இருந்த அட்டைபெட்டிகளில் சுறா மீனின் துடுப்புகளை மறைத்து வைத்து கடத்த முயன்றதை கண்டுபிடித்தனர். இதுபற்றி மத்திய வனத்துறை அதிகாரிகளிடம் விசாரித்தபோது, சுறா மீனின் துடுப்புகளை ஏற்றுமதி செய்ய தடை செய்யப்பட்டு உள்ளதாக தெரிவித்தனர்.

இதையடுத்து 2 பேரின் விமான பயணத்தை ரத்து செய்த சுங்க இலாகா அதிகாரிகள், 2 பேரிடம் இருந்தும் ரூ.32 லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள 64 கிலோ எடை கொண்ட சுறா மீனின் துடுப்புகளை பறிமுதல் செய்தனர். சுறா மீனின் துடுப்புகள் சீனாவில் மருத்துவ சூப்பாக பயன்படுத்தப்படுவதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.

பின்னர் மேல் விசாரணைக்காக பிடிபட்ட 2 பேர் மற்றும் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்ட சுறா மீனின் துடுப்புகள் மத்திய வனத்துறை அதிகாரிகளிடம் ஒப்படைக்கப்பட்டது.

தலையங்கம்

2–வது இன்னிங்சை தொடங்குகிறார் மோடி



இந்தியாவின் 14–வது பிரதமரான நரேந்திரமோடி 2–வது முறையாக இன்று மாலை பிரதமராக பொறுப்பு ஏற்கப்போகிறார்.

மே 30 2019, 04:00

இந்தியாவின் 14–வது பிரதமரான நரேந்திரமோடி 2–வது முறையாக இன்று மாலை பிரதமராக பொறுப்பு ஏற்கப்போகிறார். பொதுவாக ஆட்சியில் இருப்பவர்களுக்கு எதிரான ஒரு நிலைப்பாடுதான் தேர்தலின்போது காணப்படும். ஆனால், பா.ஜ.க.வோ கடந்த தேர்தலின்போது 282 இடங்களில் தனித்து வெற்றிபெற்ற நிலையில், இந்த தேர்தலில் 303 இடங்களில் வெற்றிபெற்றுள்ளது. இது ஒட்டுமொத்த இந்தியாவை மட்டுமல்லாமல், உலகத்தையே வியக்கவைக்கிறது. நரேந்திரமோடி இன்று மாலைதான் பதவி ஏற்கிறார் என்றாலும், பதவி ஏற்றவுடன் மிக மின்னல்வேகத்தில் செயல்படப்போகிறார் என்பதை பிரதமரின் அலுவலகம், தற்போது பல்வேறு துறைகளுடன் தொடர்புகொண்டு அடுக்கடுக்காக பல தகவல்களை கேட்கும் வேகத்திலேயே தெரிகிறது.

பதவி ஏற்பு விழாவுக்கு கடந்தமுறை சார்க் நாடுகளை சேர்ந்த தலைவர்களை அழைத்திருந்தார். இப்போது அந்த நிலைப்பாட்டிலிருந்து மாறி, ‘பிம்ஸ்டெக்’ என்று கூறப்படும் வங்காள விரிகுடா கடலின் ஓரமாக உள்ள வங்காளதேசம், இலங்கை, பூடான், நேபாளம், மியான்மர், தாய்லாந்து நாடுகளின் தலைவர்களையும், கிர்கிஸ்தான், மொரீசியஸ் தலைவர்களையும் அழைத்திருக்கிறார். இந்த பட்டியலின் அடிப்படையில், அவர் அழைப்புவிடுத்திருப்பதால், பாகிஸ்தான் இந்த பட்டியலில் வரவில்லை. இன்று பதவி ஏற்றதும், பிரதமர் அடுக்கடுக்கான நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுக்கப்போகிறார். அடுத்த சிலநாட்களில் முழுமையான பட்ஜெட்டை தாக்கல் செய்யவேண்டிய கட்டாயம் இருப்பதால், உடனடியாக பிரதமரும், புதிதாக பொறுப்பேற்கப்போகும் நிதி மந்திரியும் பட்ஜெட் தயாரிப்பில் மிகத்தீவிரமாக ஈடுபட வேண்டியநிலை உள்ளது. ஒவ்வொரு துறையிலும் அடுத்த 100 நாட்களில் நிறைவேற்றுவதற்கான திட்டங்கள் தீட்டப்படுகின்றன. பாஜ.க. தேர்தல் அறிக்கையில் பல அறிவிப்புகள் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளன. அவற்றையெல்லாம் நிறைவேற்றவேண்டும். முதல்கட்டமாக வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் பெருமளவில் உருவாக்குவதற்கான நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுக்கவேண்டும். தொழில்துறையிலும் வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் வேண்டும், வேளாண்துறையிலும் வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் வேண்டும், தொழில்துறையில் வேலைவாய்ப்புகளை பெருமளவில் உருவாக்கவேண்டுமென்றால், தனியார் தொழில் நிறுவனங்கள் ஊக்குவிக்கப்படவேண்டும். வெகுநாட்களாக தொழில் நிறுவனங்களின் எதிர்பார்ப்பான நிறுவன வரிகுறைப்பை மேற்கொள்ளவேண்டும் என்பதுதான் பொதுவான எதிர்பார்ப்புகள்.

விவசாயத்தை பொறுத்தமட்டில், கிராமத்தில் உள்ள விவசாயிகளின் பையில் பணம் இருந்தால் ஊரக பொருளாதாரம் உயரும் என்பது நியதி. எனவே, அதற்கேற்ற நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுக்கவேண்டும். 2022–ல் இந்தியா சுதந்திரம் அடைந்து 75 ஆண்டுகள் ஆகப்போவதை ஒட்டி, அதை இலக்காக வைத்து பிரதமர் நரேந்திரமோடி 1,000 நாளில் அவரது அரசாங்கம் நிறைவேற்றவேண்டிய திட்டங்களை எல்லாம் வகுத்து செயல்படுவார் என்ற நம்பிக்கை நாட்டு மக்களுக்கு நிறைய இருக்கிறது. கடந்த தேர்தலின்போது அவர் வெளியிட்ட தேர்தல் அறிக்கையில், ‘அனைவரோடும் இணைவோம், அனைவரும் முன்னேறுவோம்’ என்ற முழக்கத்தை வெளியிட்டிருந்தார். ஆனால், இப்போது அவர் பேசும்போது, ‘இந்த முழக்கத்தோடு அனைவரின் நம்பிக்கையையும் பெற்று’ என்ற வாசகத்தை சேர்த்திருக்கிறார். ஏற்கனவே தேசிய ஜனநாயக கூட்டணி எம்.பி.க்களிடம் பேசும்போது, ‘நமக்கு எதிராக ஓட்டளித்தவர்களும் நம்மவர்கள்தான்’ என்று கூறியிருக்கிறார். இது தமிழக மக்களுக்கு பெரிய நம்பிக்கையை கொடுத்துள்ளது. தமிழக மக்களின் எதிர்பார்ப்பான கோதாவரி–காவிரி இணைப்பு திட்டத்துக்கான முயற்சிகளை உடனடியாக தொடங்கி, தமிழக மக்களின் நம்பிக்கையை பெறவேண்டும். மொத்தத்தில், இந்தமுறை அவரது அணுகுமுறை வித்தியாசமாக இருக்கப்போகிறது என்பது தெள்ளத்தெளிவாக தெரிகிறது. அவரது 2–வது இன்னிங்சில் எத்தனை ரன்கள் குவிப்பார் என்பதை வருங்காலம் காட்டும்.

இன்ஜி., கவுன்சிலிங் விண்ணப்ப பதிவுக்கு நாளை கடைசி

Added : மே 29, 2019 22:40

சென்னை, இன்ஜினியரிங் கவுன்சிலிங்கில் பங்கேற்பதற்கான, விண்ணப்பப் பதிவுக்கு, நாளை கடைசி நாள். இதுவரை, 1.30 லட்சம் பேர் விண்ணப்பித்துள்ளனர்.தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்லுாரிகளில், நிர்வாக ஒதுக்கீட்டில், இன்ஜினியரிங் படிப்பில் சேர, தமிழக அரசின் கவுன்சிலிங்கில் பங்கேற்க வேண்டாம். அதேபோல், நிகர்நிலை பல்கலைகளின் படிப்பில் சேரவும், தமிழக கவுன்சிலிங்கில், கலந்து கொள்ள வேண்டாம்.ஆனால், அண்ணா பல்கலையின் இணைப்பில் உள்ள, இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்லுாரிகளில், முதலாம் ஆண்டு படிப்பில் சேர, தமிழக அரசு நடத்தும், ஒருங்கிணைந்த கவுன்சிலிங்கில் பங்கேற்க வேண்டும். 2018 வரை, அண்ணா பல்கலை நடத்திய கவுன்சிலிங்கை, இந்த ஆண்டு, தமிழக தொழில்நுட்ப கல்வி இயக்குனரகம் நடத்துகிறது.

இந்த கவுன்சிலிங்கில் பங்கேற்பதற்கான, 'ஆன்லைன்' விண்ணப்பப் பதிவு, மே, 2ல் துவங்கியது. மாணவர்கள் தங்கள் விபரங்களை, https://tneaonline.in என்ற இணையதளத்தில், பதிவு செய்து வருகின்றனர். நேற்று மாலை வரை, 1.30 லட்சம் பேர், தங்கள் விபரங்களை பதிவு செய்து, கவுன்சிலிங்குக்கான கட்டணம் செலுத்தியுள்ளனர்.ஒரு மாதமாக நடந்து வரும் ஆன்லைன் பதிவு, நாளையுடன் முடிகிறது. மாணவர்கள், கடைசி நேரம் வரை காத்திருக்காமல், தங்கள் விபரங்களை விரைந்து பதிவு செய்யும்படி, தொழில்நுட்ப கல்வி இயக்குனரகம் அறிவுறுத்தி உள்ளது.

தீயில் கருகியது 10 ஏக்கர் கரும்பு

Added : மே 29, 2019 23:17

ராஜபாளையம், ராஜபாளையம் அருகே தெற்கு வெங்காநல்லுாரில் திடீர் தீ விபத்தில் 10 ஏக்கருக்கு மேற்பட்ட கரும்பு கருகியது.தெற்கு வெங்காநல்லுார் ரோட்டில் நக்கனேரி செல்லும் வழியில் பெரியகுளம் கண்மாய் மற்றும் அலப்பசேரி கண்மாய் பாசன நிலங்களில் பல ஏக்கரில் கரும்பு சாகுபடி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. நேற்று இப்பகுதியில் திடீரென தீ பற்றியதில் 10 ஏக்கர் கரும்பு சேதமடைந்தது. மேலும் அருகில் உள்ள நெல்லித் தோப்பில் 20க்கும் மேற்பட்ட மரங்கள் கருகின. தீயணைப்பு துறையினர் தீயை கட்டுப்படுத்தினர். விபத்திற்கான காரணம் குறித்து தெற்கு போலீசார் விசாரிக்கின்றனர்.விவசாயி ரமேஷ் கூறுகையில், ''ஓர் ஆண்டு பாடுபட்டு விளைவித்த கரும்பு ஆலைக்கு அனுப்ப தயாரான நிலையில், தீ விபத்து ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. ஏற்கனவே தண்ணீர் பற்றாக்குறை, வெயில் போன்ற காரணங்களால் விளைச்சல் குறைந்துள்ள நிலையில், இந்த இழப்பும் சேர்ந்து மிகுந்த பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது,'' என்றார்.

பிசியோதெரபி படிப்பு 69 இடங்கள் நிரம்பின

Added : மே 29, 2019 22:48

சென்னை, முதுநிலை பிசியோதெரபி படிப்புக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கையில், 69 இடங்கள் நிரம்பின.தமிழ்நாடு டாக்டர் எம்.ஜி.ஆர்., மருத்துவ பல்கலையின் கீழ் செயல்படும், தனியார் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளில், முதுநிலை இயன்முறை மருத்துவம் எனப்படும், பிசியோதெரபி படிப்புக்கு, 800 இடங்கள் உள்ளன. இதில், அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டுக்கு, 40 இடங்கள் உள்ளன.இந்த படிப்புக்கு, 74 பேர் மட்டுமே விண்ணப்பித்தனர். இதற்கான கவுன்சிலிங், கீழ்ப்பாக்கம், மருத்துவ கல்வி இயக்குனரகத்தில், நேற்று நடந்தது. இதில், அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களுடன் சேர்த்து, 69 இடங்கள் நிரம்பின. மீதமுள்ள இடங்களை, அந்தந்த கல்லுாரிகள் நிரப்பிக் கொள்ள அனுமதி அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மருத்துவ மாணவர்கள் 107 பேர் தனியார் கல்லுாரிக்கு மாற்றம்

Added : மே 29, 2019 22:41

சென்னை, காஞ்சிபுரம், பொன்னையா ராமஜெயம் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரியில் படித்த, 107 மாணவர்கள், கவுன்சிலிங் வாயிலாக, தனியார் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டனர்.காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டம், மணமைநல்லுாரில், பொன்னையா ராமஜெயம் என்ற, தனியார் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரி செயல்பட்டது. 

இந்திய மருத்துவ கவுன்சில் விதியை பின்பற்றாததால், கல்லுாரியின் அங்கீகாரம் ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டது.இதனால், 2016 - 17 கல்வியாண்டில், இக்கல்லுாரியில் சேர்ந்த, 108 மாணவர்களை, ஆறு தனியார் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிக்கு மாற்ற வேண்டும் என, உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டது. இதற்கான கவுன்சிலிங், சென்னை, கீழ்ப்பாக்கத்தில் உள்ள, மருத்துவக் கல்வி இயக்குனரக அலுவலகத்தில், நேற்று நடந்தது;
107 மாணவர்கள் வந்திருந்தனர்; ஒரு மாணவி பங்கேற்வில்லை.இதில், 50 மாணவர்கள், சிதம்பரம், ராஜா முத்தையா மருத்துவக்கல்லுாரிக்கும், 10 மாணவர்கள், மேல்மருவத்துார், ஆதிபராசக்தி மருத்துவக்கல்லுாரிக்கும் மாற்றப்பட்டனர். மற்றவர்கள், காஞ்சிபுரம், கற்பகவிநாயகா; கோவை, கற்பகம்; சென்னை, தாகூர்; மதுரை, வேலம்மாள் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளுக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டனர்.

Visually impaired med aspirant gets reprieve

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedMay 30, 2019, 4:07 am IST

Stating that the benefit of the relief given by the single judge to allot a seat to Vibin shall be given effect to for the academic year 2019-2020.

Madras high court

Chennai: Madras high court directed the authorities to allot a medical seat to a minor student with more than 40 % visual impairment. The court pointed out that the notification issued by the Medical Council of India dated February 4, 2019 making persons with visual impairment of low vision and blindness equivalent to or more than 40 per cent ineligible to join the medical course, would operate prospectively and it cannot be given effect to retrospectively.

Dismissing the appeals filed by the state government and the Government Pudukottai Medical College Hospital in Pudukottai, a division bench comprising Justices Pushpa Sathyanarayana and T.Krishnavalli gave the directive and upheld an order passed by the single judge, directing the authorities to allot a medical seat to J.Vibin of Tirunelveli.

Stating that the benefit of the relief given by the single judge to allot a seat to Vibin shall be given effect to for the academic year 2019-2020, the bench directed the Selection Committee to pass appropriate orders in this regard immediately.

"Before parting with this matter, this court places on record its appreciation to the efforts put forth by Vibin to become a medical practitioner. Indeed, his tireless efforts are laudable and surely deserve appreciation. This court wishes Vibin to come up with flying colours in his endeavours", the bench added.

Vibin is a physically challenged student, having benchmark disability of visually impairment to an extent of 75 % as per certificate issued to him by the Government of Tamil Nadu. He has secured the requisite marks in the qualifying examinations and participated in NEET examination. Thereafter, through online counselling, he got selected and allotted to the Government Pudukottai Medical College Hospital.

When he went to the college, he was asked to produce Disability Certificate from one of the Disability Assessment Boards. Accordingly, he appeared before Special Medical Board (Madras Medical College) and it was certified that he was suffering from visual impairment to an extent of 90 % and hence he was not eligible for admission in Medical/Dental Courses as per MCI norms. He was denied medical seat in the college. Aggrieved, he approached the high court and a single judge had allowed the petition. Assailing the same, the state government and the college filed the present appeals.

Dismissing the appeals, the bench said Vibin was suffering from not less than 40 percent of specified disability, which means, he was a person with benchmark disability. According to the senior counsel for the petitioner, since Vibin was suffering from benchmark disability, he was entitled to claim a seat out of five percent seats, which ought to have been reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities, the bench added.

The bench said a similar question as to whether a person with benchmark disability of low vision can be denied the benefit of reservation for admission to the MBBS medical course came for consideration before the Supreme Court. As the recommendation of the committee formed by the MCI was not given statutory effect and the amendment proposed was only at secretariat level, the Supreme Court held that the petitioner therein cannot be denied of medical admission. Placing reliance on the provision (5 percent reservation) and the judgment of the apex court, the single judge passed the order. However, subsequently, the MCI brought an amendment by which the persons with 40 percent or more visual impairment were not eligible to join a medical course. The MCI issued the notification on February 4, 2019 in which it was stated that they shall come into force from the date of the notification. Hence, it goes without saying the notification would operate prospectively and it cannot be given effect to retrospectively, the bench added and gave the above directive.

Can’t bar candidates with learning disabilities: Madras high court

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedMay 30, 2019, 4:10 am IST

Bench said the Preamble of the PWD Act does not permit any deviation from the Act.

Madras High Court

Chennai: The Madras high court has observed that candidates with learning disabilities or any other disability should not be barred from entering the field of medicine.

"The principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (PWD Act) should be followed in their letter and spirit", said a division bench comprising Justices Pushpa Sathyanarayana and T. Krishnavalli.

The bench made the observations while referring to the recent amendment notified by the Medical Council of India, making the persons with 40 percent or more visual impairment ineligible for medical course.

Dealing with a case of a medical aspirant, who was denied seat on the ground that he was suffering from visual impairment to an extent of 90 %, the bench said the amendment would operate prospectively and cannot be given effect to retrospectively and directed the authorities to allot a seat to the petitioner.

While considering a question as to whether the 2019 amendment to the Medical Education Regulations suggested by the Expert committee was applicable to the case of the petitioner J.Vibin, the bench said in the light of the PWD Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the recent guidelines of MCI were unfair, discriminatory and unlawful.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2007was accepted and ratified by India by which it was mandatory to harmonise all its existing legislations in line with its provisions. Accordingly, the PWD Act was passed in 2016 and brought to force in 2017.

"The intention of the legislature was to move from a charity approach to a right based approach and safeguard the human rights of the Persons with Disabilities. As per the Act, any person with benchmark disability, i.e., minimum 40 % of a specified disability is entitled, as a matter of right, to avail the benefits under the PWD Act including 5 percent reservation in higher education", the bench added.

Bench said the Preamble of the PWD Act does not permit any deviation from the Act. While framing the guidelines, doctors with disabilities ought to have been considered. The competence of a doctor with disability cannot be assumed, as unless it was experienced one may not understand the same. If a person with visual impairment was already a doctor, it shall be possible for a blind person to be a doctor.

Dr.Y.G.Parameshvera of Karnataka was the first Indian blind doctor and practiced medicine and won several awards. It seems to be a difficult struggle for these blind men to achieve what they want. The petitioner is not the first blind doctor and he can learn from the experiences of others like him. Being blind need not destroy one's dreams", the bench added.

The bench said even most of the hospitals in the country were not disabled friendly. It was painful to note that no time allowance was given to persons with disabilities and they crack this tough competitive examination along with/on a par with others, the bench added.

Reproducing section 21 and 10 of the PWD Act, the bench said the MCI regulations denying reasonable accommodation was discriminatory. The MCI guidelines did not foresee the emotional impact of studying medicine with disabilities.

"The arbitrary sudden and unreasoned amendment to the notification is violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and also the doctrine of legitimate expectation. The subsequent amendment should not operate to the prejudice of the persons with disabilities, particularly, when the person (Vibin) had qualified and cleared the eligibility criteria", the bench added.

The bench said in the case on hand, the petitioner (Vibin) was given the benefit of joining the medical course in the ensuing academic year by the writ court and the same cannot be curtailed by any reason whatsoever, which was unsustainable in the eye of law and thrashing out his legitimate expectation.

SC allows wife of convict to live with in-laws’ family

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | PARMOD KUMAR

PublishedMay 30, 2019, 1:54 am IST

Quashes HC’s ruling on woman’s stay with Catholic community.

Supreme Court of India  30.05.2019

New Delhi: The Supreme court on Wednesday set aside the Madras high court order directing Ansar Nisha, a woman, to be kept in the custody of Madras Christian Council Social Service home even though she had expressed the wish to stay in her matrimonial home after she married a life convict Tajudeen.

Noting that Ansar Nisha is a major — 22 year old —and has expressed her desire to stay with the family of her husband, who is presently in custody, the vacation bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose said, “we do not see how the high court could have passed impugned interim order directing the appellant (Ansar Nisha) to be housed in the home at Madras Christian Council of Social Service,...”

Referring to the averments made before the court today, the bench in its order said, “It is quite clear that the appellant (Ansar Nisha) is clear of her intention to stay with her in-laws in their house and not with her parents. If that is so, we find no justification for the high court to pass the impugned order.”

Pronouncing the order, Chief Justice Gogoi said, “The appellant being a major would have a right to choose to stay in the house of her husband along with the relatives of the husband.”

Setting aside April 29, 2019, interim order of the high court, the top court today directed that Ansar Nisha, to be released from the home at Madras Christian Council of Social Service, where she is presently lodged. The high court by its April 29, 2019, interim order had continued the custody of Ansar Nisha with the Chennai based Madras Christian Council Social Service home till June 13.

The high court while continuing the custody of Ansar Nisha at Madras Christian Council Social Service home had said that it was open to the home to give her counselling. The high court had also permitted the mother and elder brother of Nisha to meet her.

The court also added that if the mother and elder brother of Nisha wanted to meet her, then they would have to first approach an all women police station at Perambur and only then, they can meet her in the presence of a police official.

Ansar Nisha had earlier filed a domestic violence against her mother and brother alleging that they have misappropriated 250 gms of gold jewellery given to her by her father for her marriage. She had also alleged that she was beaten up. She had further alleged that her mother and brother forcibly tried to marry her to a dumb man. The top court had on May 10 issued notice to Tamil Nadu government and Ansar Nisha’s family.

Couple running illegal abortion centre behind departmental store nabbed

Sources say action was taken after the Collector received a complaint from relatives of a woman who underwent an abortion at the illegal centre and developed complications.

Published: 30th May 2019 03:51 AM |

By R Sivakuma

Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A married couple was arrested by the Tiruvannamalai police on Wednesday for allegedly running an illegal abortion centre. Surgical instruments and medicines used at the centre, set up behind a departmental store on the Avalurpet Road, were seized.

Police say the centre has been functioning from the same place for the last five years. P Kavitha of Krishna Nagar was running the centre while her husband G Prabhu, who has a medical shop in the town, helped her manage the affairs, occasionally.

“Based on information, we raided the centre Tuesday night and seized some equipment. We believe there is an illegal abortion racket behind the centre. We are probing for further details,” said police superintendent Sibi Chakravarthy. Kavitha, a school dropout, allegedly had hundreds of clients, mostly unmarried women. She used the help of touts to get new patients. Police have found that Prabhu is not qualified to be a pharmacist, and his shop does not have a license. Later in the day, raids were also conducted at scan centres where the suspect had her clients scanned.


Sources say action was taken after the Collector received a complaint from relatives of a woman who underwent an abortion at the illegal centre and developed complications. Authorities, however, maintained the complaint was lodged by the Joint Director of Medical Services. This is the second such case to be reported from Tiruvannamalai.

Second case in the last six months

This is the second such case to be reported from Tiruvannamalai in recent times. Last December, another couple was arrested for the same crime.

5K guest lecturers getting paid just Rs 15K per month?

In January, UGC hiked their pay but the govt is yet to implement the wage revision

Published: 30th May 2019 04:08 AM |

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Guest lecturers of government arts and science colleges have not received any pay revisions in the last three years. Despite doing as much work as regular lecturers, about 5,100 guest lecturers working in Tamil Nadu get paid only Rs 15,000, without any scope for performance appraisal, alleged Venkatesan Thangaraj of the Tamil Nadu All Government College UGC Qualified Guest Lecturers Association.

In January, the University Grants Commission hiked the salary for guest lecturers in colleges and universities to Rs 1,500 per lecture subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000 per month. In February 2010, the UGC made a similar announcement and fixed the maximum pay for guest lecturers as Rs 25,000.

Despite these pay hikes existing on paper, the government is yet to implement them, said Thangaraj. “While the Kerala government implemented the order, the Tamil Nadu government has not implemented it. Guest lecturers in the State get paid only Rs 15,000 a month,” he said. The State had revised the salary from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a month in 2016.

Mangat Sharma, the principal secretary to the Higher Education Department, said that the department is working on regularising the jobs of the guest lecturers.”We are working on a more permanent solution. We are strategising ways to make them permanent employees,” he said. Express could not get comments from R Sarumathi, the director of Collegiate Education, despite repeated calls and messages.

A guest lecturer from Thiruvannamalai Government Arts and Science College, on condition of anonymity, said that guest lecturers work almost as much as or even more than lecturers appointed by the government. “Colleges use us to compensate for their vacancies. We teach equal number of hours as regular faculty members. We still do not get the pay mandated by the UGC.”

He added that lecturers who have cleared the National Eligibility Test as mandated by UGC get paid the same as unqualified guest lecturers.

Madras HC allows suspended government staff for US trip

Subbiah, an Assistant Executive Engineer with Sulur Sub-Division in Coimbatore district, was suspended on May 31, 2018, the day of his retirement, following certain charges.

Published: 29th May 2019 03:11 AM

Madras High Court 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has granted permission to a government servant, who had been suspended from service on the last day of his retirement and facing disciplinary proceedings, to visit Atlanta in the United States to participate in the house-warming celebration of his son.


Justice RMT Teekaa Raman, who granted the permission to K Subbiah, however, restricted the number of days to 45 only.

Subbiah, an Assistant Executive Engineer with Sulur Sub-Division in Coimbatore district, was suspended on May 31, 2018, the day of his retirement, following certain charges.

He moved the High Court with the present petition to grant him three months to go to Atlanta to participate in the house-warming celebration of his son, scheduled for June 13.

Passengers want timing to be revised

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUVARUR, MAY 30, 2019 00:00 IST

Passengers have welcomed the decision to operate Tiruvarur-Karaikudi and Tiruvarur-Tiruchi special services from June 1.

Welcoming the DEMU service from Tiruvarur to Tiruchi on Sundays, the Thanjavur District Rail Users Association has requested the Southern Railway to revise the timing in such a way that it leaves Tirvarur by 6 a.m.

The train would get good passenger patronage if it is made a daily service, its advisor A.Giri said. The taluk level rail users associations in Tiruvarur-Karaikudi section are happy over the introduction of DEMU service between Tiruvarur and Karaikudi but are upset over extended travelling time. The travel time of six hours might cause low patronage, they felt.

Train service to resume from Tiruvarur to Karaikudi

R. Rajaram

TIRUCHI, MAY 30, 2019 00:00 IST

In the newly laid broad gauge line from June 1; facility is created after a gap of over five years; journey time will be six hours

Southern Railway is set to resume service in the newly laid broad gauge line from Tiruvarur to Pattukottai via Tiruthuraipoondi and from there up to Karaikudi after a gap of over five years. But the journey time to cover nearly 150-km stretch will take six hours.

It announced on Wednesday operation of passenger special trains from Tiruvarur to Karaikudi and back from June 1 to August 30.

The new six-days-a-week service is scheduled to leave Tiruvarur Junction at 8.15 a.m. and reach Karaikudi at 2.15 p.m. The train will leave Karaikudi at 2.30 p.m. and arrive at Tiruvarur at 8.30 p.m. The trains would stop at 18 stations en route including Tiruthuraipoondi, Muthupet, Athirampattinam, Pattukottai, Peravurani, Aranthangi and Kandanur Puduvayal.

Southern Railway would operate a six-car Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) rake from Tiruvarur to Karaikudi with Travelling Gatekeepers on board in both directions. There would be four Travelling Gatekeepers each in the Karaikudi-bound passenger and in the one leaving for Tiruvarur.

The Tiruvarur - Karaikudi section accounts for 84 level crossing gates of which 23 are interlocked gates where gatekeepers would be present. The remaining 61 are non-interlocked gates and it is here the role of the Travelling Gatekeepers comes about. Because of manpower shortage the railway administration would be deploying Travelling Gatekeepers on board the passenger specials. The train would stop 30 metres ahead of an approaching non-interlocked gate and the Travelling Gatekeepers on board the front and rear side of the DEMU would alight and close the gate for the train to pass through. The train would again stop at 30 metres after crossing the non-interlocked gate for the Travelling Gatekeepers to board. This is the procedure that is to be followed in the section causing long journey time of six hours to cover the 150 km stretch from Tiruvarur to Karaikudi.

The Loco Pilots and the Travelling Gatekeepers have been familiarised with the route including the number of stations, interlocked and non-interlocked gates midway.

The Pattukottai Rail Passengers Association feels that duration of running hours was very long. It would desist many from travelling in the train up to Karaikudi, says G. Moorthi, secretary of the association. Instead of Travelling Gatekeepers, the administration could deploy persons on deputation at the gates which would reduce travelling time, he said. It would be a daunting task for the Travelling Gatekeepers as they would have to jump out from the DEMU and close the gate and again reopen it before boarding the train. He said the railway administration had operated train service from Pattukottai to Karaikudi with Travelling Gatekeepers but had withdrawn it later.

Besides, the DEMU rake would not have toilets.

IRCTC asks user to clear browser history to get rid of vulgar ads on app
New Delhi:30.05.2019

An Indian railways passengers support Twitter handle on Wednesday asked a user to delete his internet search history, responding to his complaint that “vulgar and obscene” advertisements popped up on IRCTC’s ticket booking app.

The Indian Railways Seva handle (@RailwaySeva), which was set up in December 2017 for passenger support, also educated the complainant that online advertisements depend on personal browsing history of a user.

“Obscene and vulgar ads are very frequently appearing on the IRCTC ticket booking app. This is very embarrassing and irritating,” the complainant wrote. The user also tagged official Twitter handles of the railways minister, IRCTC and railway minister Piyush Goyal’s office in the tweet made at 4.15 pm.

Responding to the complaint, the Indian Railways Seva tweeted, “Irctc uses Googles ad serving tool ADX for serving ads.These ads uses cookies to target the user. Based on user history and browsing behaviour ads are shown. Please clean and delete all browser cookies and history to avoid such ads.”

Cyber expert Jiten Jain said online ads largely depend on a users’ ad preferences and the kind of content browsed through a particular device.

“And the users themselves give Google the permission to show such ads when they agree to their terms and conditions while subscribing to its services. Although it is not 100%, because in some cases Google also puts forth some ads on its own online,” Jain said.

By 9.21 pm, the Indian Railways Seva’s tweet was liked by over 7,800 users and retweeted nearly 3,700 times. The handle generally provides support to railway users on queries related to timings, PNR issues or concerns with cleanliness or food on trains.

On its support website, Google states that ads should respect user preferences and comply with legal regulations, so it does not allow certain kinds of adult content in ads and destinations.

“Some kinds of adult-oriented ads and destinations are allowed if they comply with the policies below and don’t target minors, but they will only show in limited scenarios based on user search queries, user age, and local laws where the ad is being served,” it says. PTI

QUICK RESPONSE

2 AI planes fail to take off in UK, 600 flyers to Mumbai stranded

Naomi Canton

London:30.05.2019

Nearly 600 passengers travelling between London and Mumbai were stranded at a hotel next to the airport after two Air India flights did not take off two days in a row.

A total of 293 passengers from the 1.15 pm (GMT) Air India flight on May 28 spent the night at the hotel, whilst several hundred more booked on the same flight on May 29 were sent to a room in the hotel as their flight too was delayed. Passengers complained there was no information from Air India staff.

Albashi Baig, 24, a student in London, was flying home to be in hospital in Thane for his 60-yearold father’s cardiac surgery, taking place Wednesday night.

But his Tuesday flight was grounded and the same flight on Wednesday also did not take off. Almost in tears he told TOI how had had begged Air India to get him on another flight but they did not. “No one in Air India was picking up the phone and we went to the airport and they told me to buy a new ticket costing up to £1,800 (₹1.5 lakh) one way. I’m so upset as I wanted to be with my father to give support.”

Passengers were informed at 12.30 pm that the Tuesday flight was just delayed, but then at 6.30 pm were told to collect their luggage.

54% of health professionals not qualified enough: Study
Says 20% Of Adequately Qualified Docs Not In Workforce

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:30.05.2019

Around 54% of health professionals including doctors, nurses, midwives and other paramedics in India do not have required qualifications, whereas 20% of adequately qualified doctors are not in the current workforce, a new study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) shows highlighting concerns about a severe dearth of quality care across the country, particularly in the hinterland.

Pointing at a significant disparity between the number of registered health professionals and those who are actually practicing, the findings of the study show health workforce number around 3.8 million under the National Sample Survey (NSS). But this number is about 1.2 million less than the total number of health professionals registered with different councils and associations.

Of the currently working health professionals, around 25% do not have the required qualifications as laid down by professional councils, the study says.

The density of doctors and nurses and midwives per 10,000 population is 20.6 according to the NSS and 26.7 based on the registry data, reflecting a widening gap between demand and supply of health resources which is already in shortage.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Indian Institute of Public Health and the Public Health Foundation of India, was designed on a nationally representative cross-section household survey and review of published documents by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence.

“Distribution and qualification of health professionals are serious problems in India when compared with the overall size of the health workers. Policy should focus on enhancing the quality of health workers and mainstreaming professionally qualified persons into the health workforce,” the authors of the study concluded.

The level of required qualifications considered for doctors (allopathic, dental and AYUSH) was graduate or postgraduate in medicine; for nurse and midwife higher secondary with technical education in medicine or related field; and for others higher secondary with technical education in paramedical related fields.

The findings show more than 58% of all health workers are male. The proportion of males is higher in allopathic, AYUSH and dental categories, and lower in the nurse and midwife category. Around 80% of all health workers are in the 25–60 years age group.

Around 30% of all health workers, 15% among allopathic doctors, reported their educational level below the higher secondary level. Most of the health workers reported to be employed as regular wage earners (57%). However, as high as 63% of allopathic and 88% of AYUSH doctors reported themselves as selfemployed. More than 80% of doctors and 70% of nurses and midwives are employed in the private sector.

50-60 ministers, 8-10 from allies, likely to take oath with Modi today

Ahead Of Event, PM To Visit War Memorial

Akhilesh.Singh@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:30.05.2019

Narendra Modi will pay homage at the newly erected War Memorial at India Gate, followed by visits to Rajghat and Atal Samadhi Sthal, before taking oath on Thursday as Prime Minister for the second stint on the trot.

Modi’s visit to the War Memorial before taking charge in his second innings will only testify the ruling party’s nationalist agenda, one of its key planks in the Lok Sabha polls. A visit to the Gandhi memorial has been customary for most leaders. Modi will also be at the memorial dedicated to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the founding fathers of BJP.

Top party leaders spent the whole of Wednesday deliberating on who will make the cut for the Modi cabinet as also the portfolios. BJP president Amit Shah had two rounds of meetings with the Prime Minister, each lasting over three hours, for the second consecutive day.

Shah’s 11 Akbar Road residence turned out to be the destination of all senior leaders of BJP just as Gujarat Bhavan was in 2014, where Modi had put up.

Besides Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Arjun Ram Meghwal called on Shah. Principal secretary to PM Nripendra Misra and additional principal secretary to the PM PK Mishra also met the BJP chief, possibly to discuss arrangements for the gala oath-taking ceremony.

Sources said Shah may join the Modi cabinet and a few others from the party organisation may follow suit. Sources said some of the leaders who have been part of the campaign and internal strategy teams may be rewarded for the hard work after the party’s thumping victory.

Sources said at least 50-60 ministers will be sworn in on Thursday, including 8-10 from NDA allies, and there might be another expansion soon as the maximum strength could be of 81ministers, which is 15% of the strength of the Lok Sabha.

Increased representation from states like West Bengal and Odisha is quite likely and larger number of MPs from Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana, where assembly polls are due later this year, are likely to make it to the Council of Ministers.

President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to ministers at the function which will be attended by heads of government and representatives from BIMSTEC countries besides Prime Minister of Mauritius and President of Kyrgystan, who is also the chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

State chief ministers, including those running non-BJP governments, and captains of industry will be among the few thousand guests at the swearing in function. Several overseas friends of BJP, including from the US, Australia, Germany and the UK, have been invited.

Week after quashing case against IPS officer Sait, HC recalls a part of order
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.05.2019

A week after quashing corruption case proceedings against the DGPrank IPS officer Jaffer Sait, and also allowing him to ‘withdraw’ a related case pending before another court, a vacation judge of the Madras high court recalled a part of the order pertaining to withdrawal of the other case.

“The oral order, which was dictated in open court with regard to withdrawal of the 2016 petition, is hereby recalled. The 2016 petition may be posted before the regular court along with memo filed by counsel for petitioner dated May 23,” Justice P Rajamanickam said on Wednesday.

On May 23, Sait had moved the vacation judge to quash the criminal case filed against him for the alleged loss caused to Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) in connection with allotment of a residential plot in his wife's name under the Government Discretionary Quota (GDQ). Since 2016 another petition made by him seeking to quash the chargesheet filed in the case has been pending before another court.

On his part, Justice Rajamanickam first quashed the criminal proceedings against Sait and then went on to allow Sait’s counsel to withdraw the case of 2016 vintage, pending before another judge. Now, about a week after the delivery of the order, Justice Rajamanickam recalled only that portion of the ruling wherein he had allowed Sait to withdraw the 2016 petition.

In effect, while the case against Sait stands quashed due to the May 23 order, the 2016 petition has been rendered infructuous. It, however, needs to be mentioned before the judge concerned and withdrawn formally by Sait. The May 23 verdict quashing the proceedings of the criminal case cleared the roadblock for the Tamil Nadu government to consider Sait for the post of state DGP, as the two-year fixed tenure of incumbent T K Rajendran ends on June 30.

In his quash petition, Sait submitted that recently the state government had initiated the process of appointment to the post of Head of Police Force (HOPF) and a probable list of IPS officers with his name in the second place had been sent to the selection committee.

In his petition, Sait apprehended that the pending criminal case before the special court for DVAC cases, even after it had become redundant with the passing of sanction declining order by the competent authority, would prejudice his chances before the selection committee. He further submitted that he had no role in the allotment of residential plot and no pecuniary advantage was obtained in the allotment, either by him or his wife.

Pointing out that allegations made against the petitioner in the final report filed by DVAC show that the alleged offences were committed by him in discharge of his official duty, the judge said, in such case previous sanction from the central government was required.



TROUBLE LOOMS: DGP-rank IPS officer Jaffer Sait

Anna University to summon NRI students

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.05.2019

A day after placing four professors under suspension for a marks-forcash scam, Anna University has decided to summon nonresident Indian (NRI) students suspected to be involved in the racket for inquiry.

“During preliminary inquiry we found evidence for involvement of additional controller of examinations officials. But, the university is yet to ascertain the extent of the scam. To gather more evidence, the university would summon all the students who were found to be involved in the malpractices,” professors privy to the inquiry told TOI.

If found guilty, the degrees awarded to these students might be cancelled. “At least, a few hundred students could be involved in the malpractices,” professors said.

Looking into anonymous complaints, the university’s three-member committee found evidence for malpractices in semester exams. Some with more than 20 arrears cleared them at one go through malpractices in 2017. The varsity has suspended - former additional controller of examinations (ACOE) S Srinivasalu, and deputy controllers of examinations K Selvamani, from the department of computer science, K Kulothungan, from the department of information science and technology, and Pugazhendi Sugumaran C, from the electrical and electronics engineering department — for their alleged role in the scam.

“The racket was not limited to just these four. It was a bigger network operated by middlemen. They used lower level staff, professors and some students as brokers to lure students,” professors said.

Some NRI students, who pay ₹21 lakh as course fee for the four-year degree, are admitted with lower cut-off marks since the qualification is just 45% in physics, chemistry and maths subjects. “For many students, $1000 is not big money. The rich students with more arrears were targeted by the scamsters,” a professor said.

The university provides 5% quota each for Children of Indian Workers of Gulf Countries (CIWGC), Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Foreign National categories. It is over and above the 60 seats per batch admitted through counselling. Nearly 400 seats are available in CEG, MIT and AC Tech colleges for NRIs, foreigners and CIWGCs. However, said not all the seats would be filled. Last year, 270 seats were taken under this quota through a separate counselling.

P Tamilporai, former additional controller of examinations, K P Mani Anand, former deputy controller of examinations and R Sivakumar, an assistant professor, were recently sacked for their involvement in a similar revaluation scam in 2012.

TNSTC conductor who slakes passengers’ thirst

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | R. VALAYAPATHY

PublishedMay 29, 2019, 3:15 am IST

Call it sympathy, empathy or whatever, after issuing tickets to all passengers travelling by the TNSTC bus, Thirugnanam turns a hospitality man.

Thirugnanam giving water to some passengers during a trip. (Photo: DC)

Pudukkottai: Over-worked crew members in the state-owned Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) long-distance buses are not really known for any courtesy, leave alone their irritable behavior with bus commuters.

But one conductor wishes to make a difference, as apart from issuing tickets he takes on the responsibility of supplying water to passengers travelling in the route he currently serves- Madurai to Thanjavur via Thirumayam and Pudukkottai- both ways.

This good Samaritan-conductor, Thirugnanam (45), hailing from Thirupuvanam in Sivaganga district, sees reaching water to travelling passengers as a little service he can do.

Call it sympathy, empathy or whatever, after issuing tickets to all passengers travelling by the TNSTC bus, Thirugnanam turns a hospitality man. He goes around the bus, asking every passenger whether they need water and promptly hands out water bottles to those who need them.

Talking to DC, Mr. Thiruganam said in the last 12 years he has been working as.TNSTC staff and serving as conductor on the Madurai-Thanjavur route for the last three years.

His shift typically begins at around 2 pm every day and goes on till 2 pm the next day, roughly the time taken for one trip between Madurai and Thanjavur both ways.

"On an average over 700 passengers board our route daily and I found many struggling to find water during travel; so, realizing their difficulty, I collect 20 PET bottles of water at Madurai and Thanjavur bus stations daily before the journey commenced and thus supply more than 60 litres of water to needy passengers every day," says Thirugnanam.

"Service to people is service to God," says the humble bus conductor, thanking the Almighty for giving him "such a wonderful opportunity to serve the needy".

Even as passengers appreciate his extra services, you never know, Thirugnanam could become TNSTC's 'brand ambassador' tomorrow.

State should enhance medical facilities for its employees: Madras high court

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

Published  May 29, 2019, 5:53 am IST

The judge said Right to Health was an integral part of Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has held that it is the duty of the state government to ensure that either the standard of the state medical facilities should be enhanced with the state of the art quality/facility for treatment on par with private medical facilities or till such time such parity is achieved by the state, it must provide all necessary financial assistance to its employees/pensioners to take care of their medical needs through the private sector.

Justice R.Suresh Kumar gave the ruling while passing orders on a batch of petitions, challenging the orders of the authorities, rejecting their claim for medical reimbursement under the New Health Insurance Scheme.

“In order to fulfill this obligation, the government had introduced and implemented the successive Health Insurance Schemes for its employees and pensioners. Therefore, it is the obligation of the state either to provide medical facilities on their own, of course on par with private medical facilities, otherwise they must be kept enabled to avail such facilities through private sector”, the judge added.

The judge said Right to Health was an integral part of Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. This theory of the State’s obligation towards Right to Health for its citizen was not an invention of our Constitution makers alone, as this obligation had been felt at thousands of years back in Sangam Age in this part of the country i.e., Tamil Nadu, the judge pointed out.

Quoting several couplets from Thirukkural, the judge said free from disease or epidemics i.e., Right to Health was an important facet of any welfare state. The state must explore all possible resources and implement all such welfare schemes to ensure such Right to Health situation to its citizens. “In order to achieve the said avowed goal as quoted by Saint Thiruvalluvar, the state government, being the welfare State, must be in a position to protect its citizens, especially, in the present context, its employees and erstwhile employees, from all health issues. Therefore, the obligation of the state government and their duty towards achieving this goal cannot be abdicated on any flimsy or technical reasons. Therefore, viewing from this angle also, the state government’s obligation cannot be easily given up or washed away in the manner it has been done in these cases. Therefore, this court is of the considered view that, none of the orders passed in this batch of cases are sustainable”, the judge added.

The judge said even though District Level Empowered Committee have been constituted headed by the District Collector concerned, in some of the cases, if this court look at the decision making process as well as end result of the decision taken by the Empowered Committee, it was hardly to believe whether any application of mind has been made by the Empowered Committee against each of the claim before taking a decision either to accept or reject the claim. In number of cases, very mechanically rejection orders have been passed with one word or one line reason, that itself was unacceptable or unsustainable.

Madras high court quashes orders on medical reimbursement for state employees

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published   May 29, 2019, 6:07 am IST

While reconsidering, the committee shall not reject any claim merely on the reason of non-network hospital or non-listed disease, the judge added.

Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has quashed the orders passed by the authorities, rejecting the claim of the employees and pensioners of the state government and its undertakings to grant medical reimbursement under the New Health Insurance Scheme implemented by the state government from time to time.

Passing orders on a batch of petitions filed from the year 2013 onwards, from S.Manimuthu and others, Justice R.Suresh Kumar remitted the matter back to the District Level Empowered Committee concerned to reconsider every individual case.

“While reconsidering, the committee shall not reject any claim merely on the reason of non-network hospital or non-listed disease. The Committee, wherever possible, shall give suitable direction to the Insurance Company to reimburse the claim made by the respective claimant/employee/pensioner”, the judge added.

The judge said if the committee finds some cases where the Insurance Company cannot be directed to reimburse, in those cases, suitable orders shall be passed directing/recommending the state authorities to reimburse the claim under Medical Attendance Rules. “Once such orders are passed, the Insurance Company shall immediately reimburse the medical claim with 6 percent interest from the date of due till date of payment, within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of such order to be passed by the Empowered Committee of the district concerned”, the judge added.

The judge said on receipt of such orders/recommendation from the Empowered Committee, the Sanctioning authority/state authority/high power committee in the state level shall pass necessary orders allowing the medical reimbursement claimed by the individual claimant/employee/pensioner under the Medical Attendance Rules. While ordering medical reimbursement under Medical Attendance Rules, the rate approved, accepted or quoted by the Insurance Company under the Medical Insurance Scheme shall be taken as the rate and by calculating the reimbursement on the said rate, the reimbursement claim shall be immediately sanctioned and the amount shall be reimbursed to the claimant with 6 percent interest from the date of due till date of payment, within a period of thirty days from the receipt of the recommendation/order from the District Empowered Committee, judge added.

Citing several judgments, the judge said when the employee or pensioner availed a treatment in a non-network hospital whether the said treatment was taken out of emergency or not cannot be decided easily sitting in administrative desk by perusing the papers.

Mother Teresa Women’s University gets new V-C

Vaidehi Vijayakumar has been appointed as the vice chancellor of Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal.

Published: 29th May 2019 03:15 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Vaidehi Vijayakumar has been appointed as the vice chancellor of Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal. Governor Banwarilal Purohit has appointed Vaidehi in the post for a period of three years with effect from the date of her assumption of office, said a statement issued from the Governor’s office.

According to the statement, Vaidehi Vijayakumar has a rich teaching experience. She worked as a professor at Anna University for more than 12 years. She has been a visiting professor in several foreign universities such as Ryerson University, Canada, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

In the area of promoting research, Vaidehi Vijayakumar so far has guided 24 PhD research scholars and presented 266 papers at the international level research and academic events. She has also been a member of Board of Studies of various universities and a member of the Academic Council of Anna University and Vellore Institute of Technology. She also has good administrative experience as she served in posts of head of department and dean at Anna University and VIT University.

Students with arrears to get two final chances, decides AU syndicate
Anna University syndicate has decided to give two final chances to students who have exhausted the maximum period of time before which they can clear their arrears.

Published: 29th May 2019 06:17 AM |

A file photo of Anna University | Express

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Anna University syndicate has decided to give two final chances to students who have exhausted the maximum period of time before which they can clear their arrears. In a release on Tuesday, varsity registrar said that students can appear for the exam either in November - December 2019 or April - May 2020.

The decision was taken on “humanitarian grounds” after receiving representations from several students who wanted to clear their arrears, a university senior official told Express adding that there are nearly 40,000 students who have arrears. After a syndicate meeting on May 9, the university decided to make an exception from the 2011 regulations, the official said. Along with students of undergraduate courses, post-graduate students will also be eligible for the benefit.”This will be the last chance for students to clear their arrears and get their degree,” he said.

Two categories of students will benefit from this decision. One, students of departments of Anna University, Chennai, admitted on or after the academic year 2000 and the other students of affiliated colleges of the varsity admitted in the academic year 2001-02 (3rd semester onwards) and 2002-03 (1st semester onwards) and also students who were earlier in affiliated colleges which have become autonomous now.

As per regulations, students should clear all arrears within seven years (the four year course period an additional three years after completion of the course), in order to get their degrees. However, students who are not able to complete the course within the stipulated time, have been submitting requests to the varsity to give them one last chance.


Students using this opportunity, will have to pay an additional special fee, in addition to the arrears charges, the official said adding that further details will be released on the varsity website by the second week of June. The syndicate also approved the new rule which allows students to write arrears immediately in the following semester exams, he said.

35-year-old tribal woman from Odisha passes Class X with son

Satyanarayan Pattnaik TNN

Koraput29.05.2019

: Age is no bar for education and a 35-year-old tribal woman from Maoist-hit Malkangiri district in Odisha has proved the adage by clearing the state Class X board exams with her son.

Basanti and her son, Sibananda Patnaik, have cleared the annual HSC examination 2019 with D and C grade, respectively.

“I am very happy that I was able to pass the HSC examination in my first attempt,” said Basanti, a resident of Colony-C of Tarlakota panchayat. The woman, who dropped out of school at the age of 14, now works at the village anganwadi centre.

“Though I was interested in studies, I dropped out when I was in Class VIII owing to lack of money. I got married and remained busy with my family. Resuming studies was difficult but it was something I frequently thought about,” she said.

Basanti’s resilient dream to study got a new lease of life after her son motivated her to appear for the HSC examination through a correspondence course. “I use to scan my son’s books after he would return from school. Seeing my interest, he urged me to sit for the examination,” she said.

Basanti passed without any coaching. She could only study for two or three hours a daythatshe managedbetween her job and household chores. Her husband’s support also helped. “I am very happy for her. I will extend all cooperation if she wants to continue her education and appear for the intermediate examination,” saidher husband,Laba Pattnaik, a teacher.

Basanti’s achievement has made her fellow villagers proud as well. “Considering the remoteness of the area, it is a rare achievement. Her success will motivate other tribal women of the villagetocontinue studies,” said Ramesh Muduli, a villager.



AGE NO BAR: Basanti and her son, Sibananda Patnaik, have cleared the annual HSC examination 2019 with D and C grade, respectively

C U SHAH MEDICAL COLLEGE

AIR INDIA

Scrap driving licences of those who can’t read: HC

Jaipur/New Delhi:29.05.2019

Observing that an illiterate person is “virtually a menace for pedestrians” on the road, a single bench of the Rajasthan high court has directed the state government to withdraw driving licenses given to persons who can’t read signboards, warning signs and other signals.

The court has directed the transport authorities to issue appropriate instructions, lay down guidelines and take action in cases where licenses were issued to persons unable to read and write.

TOI has a copy of the court order. While dismissing the writ petition of one Deepak Singh, who requested the court to direct the transport department to issue him a driving licence for a heavy motor vehicle (HMV) though he was illiterate, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma said, “In the opinion of the court, Motor Vehicle Rules are required to be framed not only for the benefit of persons who seek licenses but must also take into consideration the public who are using the roads.” TNN

NAGPUR AT NO. 3

At 47.8° C, Chandrapur in Maharashtra world’s hottest

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Nagpur:29.05.2019

Boiling at 47.8° C, Chandrapur was the hottest place in the world on Tuesday as per El Dorado which monitors temperatures across the globe. Nagpur recorded 47.5° C, putting it at No. 3. Jacobabad in Pakistan was the second hottest at 47.5 degrees.

According to officials of the Regional Meteorological Department (RMC), Nagpur’s highest May temperature of the last few years was recorded on May 23, 2013, when the maximum temperature was 47.9° C.

Two other cities from Vidarbha — Bramhapuri and Wardha — also figure in the top 15 hottest cities in the world. While Brahmapuri was at no. 5 with 46.9 degrees Celsius, Wardha was at no. 9 with 46.5.

Other Indian cities in the top 15 are Ramagundam (No.4) and Adilabad (No. 11), both in Telangana, and Banda (no.12) in Uttar Pradesh. A reader in Nagpur sent a picture of a dead bird saying it must have collapsed due to the intense heat “as no external injuries were visible”.

At another spot in the city, the top layer of an asphalted road appeared to be melting.

Temperatures have been continuously rising since the start of ‘nau tapa’ period started four days ago. The nine days of intense heat occurs as the Earth is closest to the Sun during the summer months.

Rider loses ₹6L in insurance for not wearing helmet

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:29.05.2019

Not wearing helmet as a pillion rider has meant a loss of ₹6 lakh for a 27-year-old man who survived a two-wheeler accident with serious head injuries in 2013.

The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Madurai, after computing all factors had arrived at an award of ₹45.5 lakh to the victim. However, the tribunal reduced the compensation by ₹6 lakh and directed the insurance firm to pay him ₹39.5 lakh, holding the petitioner responsible for not wearing a helmet.

The solace to the petitioner, M Vigneshwaran, is that he had sought a compensation of ₹40 lakh.

He was grievously injured after the two-wheeler he was riding pillion on collided with another bike near Avaniyapuram bypass road in Madurai in 2013.

Vigneshwaran was working as a junior technician in an engineering works company in Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai.

On January 16, 2013, he was riding pillion with a friend who had crossed the road to reach the fuel station when a bike coming in the opposite direction collided with their two-wheeler, according to the petition.

The petitioner suffered injuries to the brain, apart from external injuries all over and was treated as an inpatient at a private hospital in Madurai for three months.

He also underwent treatment at a hospital in Kerala and has been undergoing physiotherapy.

The insurer of the other two-wheeler contended that it was the petitioner and his friend who were responsible for the accident. “They swerved without proper signalling, taking the motorist by surprise,” the insurance firm submitted.

The tribunal judge, P Thangavel after perusing the submissions made held that the grievous injuries to the petitioner were to his head and him not wearing a helmet at the time of accident was an important reason for them. Citing a previous Madras high court judgment, the tribunal judge held that 15% of negligence should be fixed on the petitioner for not wearing a helmet.

Next step in higher education: Single-entrance-fits-all exam
Multiple Tests For Institutions, Add To Financial Burden, Stress Of Students

S Vaidhyasubramaniam  29.05.2019

All through May and June adding to the preparatory stress of students is the schedule of entrance exams held across the country. It involves careful planning and booking of limited tickets to appear for the limitless tests for professional college admissions. This multiplicity exam syndrome needs to be fixed to avoid student distress and expenses. Can the entrance exam archipelago be broken to create a smooth system that is studentfriendly? Yes, here is how, with a little bit of history.

In the US, the evolution of college entrance examination is but more than a 100-year-old germination that stands today as an agent of change. The College Entrance Examination Board was conceptualized in Columbia University in 1900 under legendary Harvard University president Charles Eliot. The present ‘entrance exam anarchy’ we see in India was termed ‘education anarchy’ in the early 1900s where each postsecondary institution had its own entrance exam. Eliot’s common college admission entrance exam was branded elitist in the pre-world war era. However, through a series of postworld war reforms and an evolutionary process of continuous change, the college board continues its research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools. Initiatives like the EQUITY 2000 and Pacesetter & Transition 2000 aim to address the multiple school boards and other institutional factors.

In India, the concept has seen various policy and process changes to accommodate varying degrees of diversity across different states. Some have a purist entrance exam approach, some a mixedmethod entrance and school marks and some like Tamil Nadu have only school exams for professional college exams.

NEET changed the system of medical college admissions with many states not being able to adjust to the velocity with which it struck. To ensure a harmonious construct, the National Testing Agency (NTA), as envisaged by the National Education Policy of 1984, was established as an autonomous body in 2018 and now administers JEE, NET, NEET, CMAT, GPAT and more. This national entrance exam asset, when fully operational, aims to develop, administer and assess about 150 lakh candidates annually across the country and abroad, covering more than 500 cities and 5,000 test centres. This is a huge task that needs to ensure that all sections of society are touched, accommodating different state needs.

As much there is no need to overemphasise the need for national entrance exams there is a need to understand each state’s local conditions — academic and social. The NTA needs to create a strategic plan through consultative mechanisms to ensure all stakeholders — state governments, statutory bodies, civic societies, students and parents are taken into confidence to address concerns.

The first issue is reducing the multiplicity of entrance exams especially by private institutions who set application deadlines to oxygenate their revenue lifelines. To begin, tests like JEE can be made mandatory for deemed universities which seem to be creating the maximum ‘multiplier effect’ in student and parental stress – physical, mental and financial.

When a single exam is being conducted, it is essential to accommodate a substantial regional/state specific content in national tests to ensure there is equitable participation by students from diverse backgrounds. For instance, the American College Board continuously evolves to ensure an inclusive participation to make the college admission system fair to everybody without ivory tower elitism.

Fundamental questions need to be raised on the need for JEE (Advanced), capitation fee, entrance exams becoming more elitist and affordability of access.

All of this takes time and college entrance exam reform is no child’s play nor an overnight remedy. It took more than 150 years for the US to wriggle out of its problems and it still has new problems due to rapid changes in the socio-demographic and educational ecosystem. The latest news that rocked the establishment was the admissions scam in top US universities that Operation Varsity Blues exposed in March.

The story in India is no different but can definitely be differentiated positively by taking progressive steps to achieve equity and excellence concurrently. The easiest way to begin is by making JEE (Main) and its equivalents mandatory for deemed universities. Will NTA 2.0 do it? It’s a worthy wait.

(The author is vice-chancellor of SASTRA Deemed University)

Email your feedback with name and address to southpole.toi@timesgroup.com

THE MULTIPLICITY EXAM SYNDROME NEEDS TO BE FIXED TO AVOID STUDENT DISTRESS AND EXPENSES

Emergency exit slide of Vistara flight creates flutter
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.05.2019

Emergency exit evacuation slide of a Vistara flight got deployed soon after passengers disembarked from a Port Blair-Chennai Vistara flight at Chennai airport on Tuesday.

Sources said the incident created a flutter after the chute used to evacuate passengers during emergencies got deployed when the flight was at parking bay. There was no safety risk to passengers as all of them had disembarked.

Vistara in a statement said, “After arrival of flight UK 834 in Chennai from Port Blair, the emergency evacuation slide at the front-right exit door got accidentally deployed after most passengers had disembarked. The cause of the deployment is being investigated. The aircraft returned to service soon after with a minor delay.”

The aircraft was grounded for sometime and was checked by the airline's engineers and the chute was fitted again and the plane was cleared for its next leg of journey. Airport officials and DGCA may investigate the incident based on the report filed by the airline because it involves passenger safety.

Vandalur flyover nears completion, may ease traffic

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.05.2019

Traffic woes along Vandalur-Kelambakkam stretch might come down soon as the flyover constructed at the road junction is nearing completion.

The six-lane flyover, being constructed at a cost of ₹55 crore, is expected to be opened for public by July end.

On an average, more than 1.2 lakh vehicles were using this stretch along Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road. But vehicle density has almost doubled after Outer Ring Road (ORR) was opened for traffic said officials from the state highways department. Besides trucks proceeding to Chennai Port via ORR, vehicles from the major Special Economic Zones (SEZs) — Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) and Mahindra World City — converge at this road junction creating congestion every day during the peak hours.

This, with private buses, brings traffic almost to a standstill during festive season, Saturday evenings and Monday mornings.

To overcome this, a flyover was proposed at the junction in September 2016 so that heavy vehicles can use it to reach ORR directly.

Vehicles proceeding towards Chengalpet from Chennai can also avoid traffic congestion at the junction near Vandalur Zoo and Crescent college.

The approach road on north side of the flyover begins 50 metres away from ORR's approach roads. The other end is 700 metres away. The elevated portion alone is 270 metres. According to the approved design, the entire flyover is made up of nine decks. Slab between two pillars of a flyover is called a deck. Of this, seven have been completed and work is underway to construct the approach road decks on both the sides. The total width of the flyover is 23 metres and three lanes will be made available on both the sides.

As work is underway, a traffic signal was installed at the road junction recently to make things better, say local residents.

“Earlier, vehicles travelling towards Chennai from Kelambakkam would take a left and a U-turn which was available few metres away,” Murugan from Vandalur.

This interrupted vehicle flow along arterial GST flow and vehicle queue extended for a kilometres during peak hours. Now it is better, he added.


REMOVING BOTTLENECK: The six-lane flyover under construction at the Vandalur-Kelambakkam junction

Guv appoints VC for Mother Teresa varsity

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.05.2019

Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday appointed Vaidehi Vijayakumar as the vice-chancellor of Mother Teresa University in Kodaikanal. The appointment is for a period of three years.

Vaidehi Vijayakumar has more than 12 years of teaching experience at Anna University. She has also been a visiting professor in several foreign universities including Ryerson University, Canada, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

She has guided 24 PhD research scholars and presented 266 papers at international level research and academic events.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit appointing Vaidehi Vijayakumar as VC of Mother Teresa University, Kodaikanal, at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday

60% of students in Anna varsity’s marks-for-money scam are NRIs

Fraud Came To Light After Anonymous Complaints

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.05.2019

The latest marksfor-money scam at Anna University was unearthed after the authorities were alerted by anonymous complaints that students who had arrears of more than 20 papers had cleared them at one go.

The university on Tuesday suspended four professors — former additional controller of examinations (ACOE) S.Srinivasalu, and deputy controllers of examinations K. Selvamani, from the department of computer science, K.Kulothungan, from the department of information science and technology, and Pugazhendi Sugumaran C, from the electrical and electronics engineering department — for their role in the scam.

This follows an inquiry by a three-member committee headed by professor A Ramachandran from Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research that was set up to investigate the claims made in these anonymous petitions. To their shock, the committee members found that a NRI student had cleared 25 arrear papers at one go in April 2017 semester exams. In fact, more than 60% of students who got marks for money were non-resident Indians, the inquiry found.

The probe panel found discrepancies in more than 500 answer scripts of the April and November 2017 exams — the handwritings on the first page and the answer scripts did not match, the colour of tear-off slips did not match, etc..

“The answer scripts have been manipulated it all possible manner. When the committee expanded the scope of the inquiry to other suspicious cases in which students cleared many papers in one or two attempts, they found that the same pattern existed in all those papers,” an inquiry committee member told TOI.

“During the preliminary enquiry, the committee found malpractices in more than 500 answer scripts. The scam could have happened for many years. But, the answer scripts before April 2017 were disposed of by the officials involved in the scam,” he added.

After unearthing the extent of the scam, the university appointed a nine-member committee to assist the inquiry. After a detailed process, it recommended suspension of the four professors, sources said.

Some professors said there were instances of faculty members being approached to fail NRI candidates so that the scamsters could target them.

The amount was exchanged in dollars and officials from the centre for international affairs should also be probed, said some professors.

One senior professor said that due to the corrupt administration provided by one of the previous vice-chancellors, middlemen took control of the university and corrupted all the systems. “The university needs more such actions to restore normalcy,” he said.

REIMBURSEMENT DENIED

Court quashes 91 state orders rejecting insurance claims of govt employees
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.05.2019

The Madras high court has pulled up the state government for rejecting reimbursement claims of government employees and pensioners under the Tamil Nadu Government Employees Health Insurance Scheme for unjustified reasons.

Justice R Suresh Kumar quashed 91 such orders, passed by district-level committees, rejecting the claim applications on flimsy, unworthy and unsustainable grounds. The committees have been directed to reconsider the applications and order reimbursement by the insurer with 6% interest.

According to the petitioners, who are either government employees, pensioners or their kin, are covered under the compulsory government insurance scheme which is notified once in four years.

As per the terms of the present scheme, cashless treatment can be availed of by the members in the network hospitals. If the hospital is not in the network, reimbursement can be claimed. The state deducts the premium for the insurance directly from the employee’s salary account.

The petitioners had undergone treatments in various non-network hospitals across the state and their reimbursement claims were rejected by the committee prompting them to approach the court.

Many of the claims were rejected mainly on the ground that non-emergency treatment was availed through non-network hospitals which is not permissible as per the scheme condition.

Refusing to concur, Justice Suresh Kumar said, “This court wants to remind once again that courts have taken the view that it is for the medical expert to decide as to which case is an emergency one to be attended immediately and which case is not. Neither the administrators nor this court has got any expertise to decide as to whether a particular case was to be treated immediately at the given point of time or could have been postponed for some time enabling the patient to approach the network hospital and it is the matter to be solely decided only by the medical experts.”

Five floors of Billroth hosp face demolition as HC reiterates order
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.05.2019

Nearly two weeks after the Madras high court ordered at least five top floors of Billroth Hospital’s Shenoy Nagar building to be demolished, another division bench reiterated the order and refused to stay demolition.

“Merely because the hospital has submitted the application for regularisation (of the unauthorised floors), it would not preclude the authority concerned to take appropriate action against the hospital for violation of the building construction regulations, in the manner recognised by law,” said a vacation bench of Justice R M T Teekaa Raman and Justice P D Audikesavalu on Tuesday. Earlier this month, a division bench had ordered the demolition and said officials who aided illegal buildingsweretraitors.Ithas also directed the hospital not to admit any patients.

On Tuesday, however, the division bench extended the time for shifting patients up to June 15 and said demolition should starton June16under thesupervision of court-appointed amicus curiae T Mohan.

The hospital has claimed that since 2004 it had been functioning from an eight-storey building in Aminjikarai. As the fourth to eighth floors were not regularised, the hospital applied for regularisation in 2006. However, the application and subsequent appealwere rejectedfor discrepancy. Thereafter, no coercive steps were taken against the hospital. On June 22, 2017, the government passed notified rules under Section 113C of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act through which regularisation of buildings built on or before July 1, 2007, were permitted. When the plea came up for hearing, pointing out an interim order passed by the first bench of the court headed by Chief Justice V K Tahilramani directing the CMDA to process the regularisation application of the hospital but not take final decision without the leave of the court, the bench refused any relief to the hospital.

On another plea by the hospital seeking to vacate interim orders issued by a single judge of the court directing the hospitaltoceaseoperationsin theillegally constructed floors, the bench said: “We do not find any acceptable reason to vacate the directions.”

MBBS counselling to go online this year: Health min
Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.05.2019

Counselling for undergraduate medical courses, including choice selection and seat allotment, in the state will go online from the 2019-20 academic year, said health minister C Vijayabaskar on Tuesday.

The state will also get 300 more medical seats this year as the Centre has permitted Madha Medical College and Annapoorna Medical College to resume admissions after nearly three years. The two institutions will admit 150 students each, taking the number of additional MBBS seats in the state to 800 more compared to 2018. In 2019, Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University will have 24 government colleges and 16 self-financing colleges offering 3,400 seats, including 2,250 seats in government colleges. “That’s the largest in any state,” said the minister.

With regard to counselling, aspirants need not visit Chennai from different parts of the state. The state selection committee will allot students state quota seats in government and self-financing medical colleges based on their choice according to the scores secured in NEET 2019 and the 69% rule of reservation. “As this is the first year, we have made all the arrangements for online counselling at centres in all districts where students can visit and file applications and lock colleges of their choice,” Vijayabaskar said. All government medical colleges and DOTE centres will be open to students for this, he said.

The department is now testing a software, he said. Earlier this year, the state government had made applications for postgraduate graduate courses available online. “We did not do the counselling online because admission for PG [post graduate] seats is more complex. It has different courses and colleges,” said directorate of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe. “In the UG [under graduate] programme students will have to select only colleges of their choice,” he said. The online counselling is already being done by the Delhibased directorate general of health services for admission of students across the country in government medical colleges, central government institutions and in deemed universities. All states surrender 15% of their seats in government colleges for admission under the all India quota. Students from across the country compete for these seats and admission is done based on merit as per the NEET score as per the Supreme Court judgment.

Anna University suspends 4 profs for marks-for-cash scam
Ram Sundaram & Ragu Raman TNN

Chennai:29.05.2019

Anna University on Tuesday suspended four professors after an in-house inquiry found they had been running a marks-for-money scam — charging ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh to ensure students not only passed, but scored well. The scam could have been going on for years, but officials said they had found evidence of wrongdoing only for the exams held in April and November 2017.

The professors — former additional controller of examinations (ACOE) S Srinivasalu and deputy controllers of examinations K Selvamani, from the department of computer science, K Kulothungan, from the department of information science and technology, and Pugazhendi Sugumaran C, from the electrical and electronics engineering department — are accused of helping NRI students do well by replacing their original answersheets. Staff at the ACOE tore off the original answer scripts and destroyed them. New answer scripts were then attached. In some cases, students who have got single digit scores were given up to 85 marks during revaluation, said a professor who has knowledge of the inquiry findings.

Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa took a tough line. “We found evidence of serious malpractices in exams and deviant academic conduct of these faculty members. The extent of corruption in this case is shocking. Such practices will not be tolerated,” said Surappa.

› More reports, P 5

ஆயுஷ் படிப்புகளுக்கு நீட் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கையா?: சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் பதில்

By DIN | Published on : 28th May 2019 02:38 AM

நிகழாண்டில் சித்தா, ஆயுர்வேதம் உள்ளிட்ட பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை, நீட் தேர்வு அடிப்படையில் நடைபெற வாய்ப்புள்ளதா? என்பதற்கு சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் விஜயபாஸ்கர் பதிலளித்துள்ளார்.

மாநிலத்தின் நலன் கருதி பிளஸ் - 2 மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கையை நடத்த தமிழக அரசு முயற்சியெடுத்து வருவதாகவும், ஆனால் இதுவரை அதற்கு மத்திய அரசு ஒப்புதல் அளிக்கவில்லை என்றும் அவர் கூறியுள்ளார்.

எம்பிபிஎஸ், பிடிஎஸ் உள்ளிட்ட அலோபதி மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நீட் தேர்வு மூலம் நடைபெறுகிறது. இந்நிலையில் சித்தா, ஹோமியோபதி, யுனானி, ஆயுர்வேதம் உள்ளிட்ட பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கும் நீட் கட்டாயம் என மத்திய அரசு அறிவித்தது.
அதற்கான சுற்றறிக்கையை கடந்த ஆண்டே ஆயுஷ் அமைச்சகம் அனைத்து மாநிலங்களுக்கும் அனுப்பியது. ஆனால், இந்திய மருத்துவக் கவுன்சில் சட்டம் 1970-இல் இடம்பெற்றுள்ள ஒரு ஷரத்தில் பிளஸ் 2 மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையில் பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கு மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தலாம் எனத் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இதையடுத்து, அந்த ஷரத்தை காரணமாகக் காட்டி கடந்த ஆண்டில் பிளஸ் 2 மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையிலேயே தமிழகத்தில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்பட்டது. ஆனால் அதன் பின்னர், மருத்துவக் கவுன்சில் சட்டத்தில் சில திருத்தங்கள் கொண்டுவரப்பட்டன. இதனால், நிகழாண்டில் நீட் தேர்வு மூலமாக மட்டுமே பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கும் மாணவர் சேர்க்கையை நடத்த வேண்டும் என்ற சூழல் உருவாகியுள்ளது.
இதுதொடர்பாக, தினமணி செய்தியாளரிடம் சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் விஜயபாஸ்கர் கூறியதாவது:

சித்தா, யுனானி, ஆயுர்வேதம், ஹோமியோபதி ஆகிய பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கு நீட் தேர்வு அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்த வேண்டும் என மத்திய ஆயுஷ் அமைச்சகம் சுற்றறிக்கை அனுப்பியது. அதற்கு தமிழக அரசு ஆட்சேபம் தெரிவித்துள்ளதுடன், வழக்கம்போல பிளஸ் 2 மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையிலேயே இங்கு மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்த அனுமதிக்குமாறு கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளோம்.

ஆனால், அதுதொடர்பாக இதுவரை மத்திய அரசு எந்த ஒப்புதலையும் அளிக்கவில்லை. அதுமட்டுமன்றி, நாட்டில் உள்ள பிற மாநிலங்களில் நீட் தேர்வு அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தினால், தமிழகத்திலும் அதே நடைமுறைதான் பின்பற்ற வேண்டும் என மத்திய அரசு வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன.

இருந்தபோதிலும், தமிழகத்தின் சூழல்களையும், ஏற்கெனவே உள்ள நடைமுறைகளையும் குறிப்பிட்டு மீண்டும் கடிதம் அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதன்பேரில் மத்திய அரசு எடுக்கும் முடிவின்படி, பாரம்பரிய மருத்துவப் படிப்புகளுக்கான கலந்தாய்வு நடைபெறும் என்றார் விஜயபாஸ்கர்.