NBE Releases FAQs For Distribution Of FMGE Pass Certificate Dec 2019 By Medical Dialogues BureauPublished On 28 Feb 2020 1:36 PM | Updated On 28 Feb 2020 1:36 PM 

New Delhi: The National Board of Examinations (NBE) has released the list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the issuance of Pass Certificate to 'Pass' & Eligible candidates of FMGE December 2019 Screening Test.

The candidates who have any confusion regarding the same can view the FAQs listed below The FMGE Pass certificates shall be issued to candidates who have qualified FMGE Dec 2019 session IN-PERSON only. 

The pass certificates shall be issued at National Board of Examinations office at PSP Area, Sector-09, Dwarka, New Delhi from 11th March 2020 to 21st March 2020 as per schedule prescribed: 

FAQs • I am unable to collect the Pass Certificate in-person due to some unavoidable reasons. Can I authorize someone to collect the same on my behalf? 

 No, the FMGE Pass certificates shall be issued to candidates who have qualified FMGE Dec 2019 session IN-PERSON only after biometric verification of applicant candidate. If you are unable to collect the certificate, please seek prior approval to visit NBE for collecting the same on any working day of your choice. 

I am unable to collect the Pass Certificate on the assigned schedule due to some unavoidable reasons. Can I collect it later? 

 Yes, you need to write a request for revised schedule to fmge@natboard.edu.in indicating your bonafide reasons for not being able to come on assigned schedule and also indicate your preferred schedule on any working day at a later date. Your revised schedule shall be intimated through return email. 

 The notice states that FMGE Pass Certificates to candidates shall only be issued on production of their Primary Medical Qualification Degree Certificates in original, duly apostilled/attested by Indian Embassy concerned, before NBE at the time of collection of FMGE Pass Certificates. However, my degree certificate is yet to be issued though I have provisional certificate. Can I still collect the certificate? 

 Category – 1: Candidates who have been issued provisional pass certificates of their primary medical qualification and completed their internship but have not been issued their degree certificates yet due to some administrative reasons such as convocations yet to be held etc Such candidates can collect FMGE Pass Certificates on production of provisional pass certificates duly apostilled/attested by Indian Embassy concerned, internship completion certificates and a certificate issued by their institution confirming that you have completed the course including internship but degree certificates are yet to be conferred in next convocation. 

 Category – 2: Candidates who have been issued provisional pass certificates of their primary medical qualification and pursuing their internship in the country of their primary medical qualification  Such candidates can collect FMGE Pass Certificates only on production of their Primary Medical Qualification Degree Certificates in original, duly apostilled/attested by Indian Embassy concerned, to be issued to them after completion of their course including internship. They can collect Pass Certificates at a later stage after seeking prior approval to visit NBE for collecting the same. 

 Category – 3: Candidates who have been issued provisional pass certificates of their primary medical qualification and are willing to do their internship in India for which their institution has given them a "No Objection Certificate" and shall be conferred degree by their institution only after completion of internship  Such candidates can collect FMGE Pass Certificates on production of provisional pass certificates duly apostilled/attested by Indian Embassy concerned and a "No Objection Certificate" issued by their institution confirming that they have been allowed to undertake internship from India instead of the country of their Primary Medical Qualification and shall be issued degree certificate only after production of internship completion certificate. 

• I am an Indian Citizen and possess a valid passport issued by Govt of India. However, I do not possess any other Govt of India issued ID Proof as asked under Para 4(E) of the Notice dated 24-02-2020. What should I do?

 If you possess a VALID Govt of India issued Passport or an OCI Card, any other Govt of India issued ID proof shall not be insisted. However, if you are a citizen of Nepal and do not possess passport issued by Govt of India, it is mandatory to produce one of the Govt of India issued ID Proof as mentioned under para 4 (E) of the notice dated 24-02-2020. 

Click here for the Schedule of Issuance of Pass Certificates Result of Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (Screening Test) conducted by NBE on 20th December 2019 has been declared on 20-01-2020 and is available at NBE website www.natboard.edu.in 

Qualified and Eligible candidates are required to be present at specified dates and time for collection of their pass certificates. They shall be required to bring the following documents in ORIGINAL to collect the certificates: 

Admit Card for FMGE Dec 2019 with colored photograph affixed in the space provided in the admit card. Passport: Indian Citizens (including NRI) are required to bring Passport issued by Govt of India. Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) are required to bring OCI Card issued by Govt of India along with the Passport issued by country of their citizenship. 

Citizens of Nepal are required to bring passport issued by Govt of Nepal if they have obtained Primary Medical Qualification outside Nepal. The validity of passport and details (immigration records/VISA etc) documented therein should confirm travel to the country of study. Degree Certificate of Primary Medical Qualification duly apostilled by appropriate authority/attested by Embassy of India in the country concerned; Candidates who have submitted provisional certificates of their primary medical qualifications along with their FMGE applications may kindly note that FMGE Pass Certificates to them shall only be issued on production of their Primary Medical Qualification Degree Certificates in original, duly apostilled/attested by Indian Embassy concerned, before NBE at the time of collection of FMGE Pass Certificates. Eligibility Certificate (EC) issued by MCI, if applicable or proof of admission to the MBBS course during the period when EC was exempted/not required. Indian Govt Issued one valid ID Proof: Voter ID Card PAN Card Driving License Aadhar Card bearing coloured photograph Candidates who fail to bring any of the above-mentioned documents shall not be issued Pass Certificates. 

Photocopies/Scanned copies/Digital images shall not be considered in lieu of Original documents required.

 Biometric Verification: The finger prints of all qualified candidates shall be verified electronically against the biometric attendance captured on the day of the test. Candidates are required to cooperate with this process. 

Biometric verification of tattooed and stained fingers many a times fails. Therefore, candidates are advised to exercise necessary precautions in order to avoid rejections in biometric verification process for such reasons. 

The FMGE Pass certificate shall not be issued without due verification of the identity of the applicant candidate. The Pass Certificates shall not be issued to any authorized representative or any person other than the candidate himself/herself. Candidates who fail to collect their certificates on assigned schedules due to some exigencies are informed that they should not turn up for collection on any other day of their choice. Such candidates shall be required to seek prior approval of NBE for revised schedule of collection. 

For any query/clarification/assistance, please write to NBE at fmge@natboard.edu.in mentioning Roll Number, Name, Mobile Number and complete correspondence address or call NBE Contact Centre at 011-45593000. Queries addressed to any other email ID may not be attended.

https://education.medicaldialogues.in/national-board-of-examination/nbe-releases-faqs-for-distribution-of-fmge-pass-certificate-dec-2019-63514

Attendance Relaxation For Pregnant, Nursing Women: HC Asks MCI, UGC, Others To Respond

By Medical Dialogues Bureau Published On 18 Feb 2020 1:24 PM | Updated On 18 Feb 2020 1:24 PM

The court issued notices to the Bar Council of India (BCI), Medical Council of India (MCI) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) seeking their stands before the next date of hearing on May 28. 

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response of the Centre and the University Grants Commission (UGC) on a plea for framing guidelines to relax attendance norms for women who are unable to comply with the same owing to pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the ministries of Human Resource Development, Women and Child Development and Social Justice and Empowerment and the UGC seeking their stand on the plea by a lawyer. 

The court also issued notices to the Bar Council of India (BCI), Medical Council of India (MCI) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) seeking their stands before the next date of hearing on May 28. The petition by advocate Kush Kalra has also sought setting up of a high-level committee to give recommendations for securing and safeguarding rights of women who are unable to attend classes due to pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care situations. 

Kalra, in his plea, has claimed that many women drop out of educational institutions or are detained in a semester for being unable to meet attendance requirements due to pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care situations. The petition has contended that the benefits provided to working women under the Maternity Benefits Act ought to be provided to those studying in educational institutions and not doing so amounts to "discrimination". It has claimed that representations were sent to the UGC, BCI, MCI and the AICTE to frame regulations or guidelines to grant relaxation in attendance requirements to women studying in educational institutions and are pregnant, have given birth or are in postnatal care situations. However, since no response was received from these bodies, the petition was filed, Kalra said.

https://medicaldialogues.in/news/health/mci/attendance-relaxation-for-pregnant-nursing-women-hc-asks-mci-ugc-others-to-respond-63233

Approves Conversion Of 116 PG Diploma Seat Into MD, MS 
Seats In Kerala, GMC Kozhikode Gets The Most 

By Meghna A SinghaniaPublished On 29 Feb 2020 11:11 AM | Updated On 29 Feb 2020 11:11 AM

Thiruvananthapuram: The apex medical council, Medical council of India (MCI) has approved the conversion of 116 post-graduate diploma seats into PG medical (that is MD/MS seats) in 4 medical colleges. Government Medical College (GMC Kozhikode) appeared to be the maximum gainer with 50 additional MD/MS seats being approved Confirmation to this effect was recently made by the state Health Minister KK Shailja. 

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that unable to complete its task of converting the PG Diploma seats into PG medical degree seats in 2018, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has once again in 2019 invited applications from concerned medical colleges to seek equal number of PG (MD/MS) seats by surrendering recognized diploma seats in corresponding courses. 

Taking advantage of the same, the state of Kerala has now added another 116 PG medical seats to its kitty 

As per the minister's announcement, of the total converted seats., 109 seats are in government sector, seven are in the self-financing sector. The breakup of the seats in various Government Medical Colleges (GMC) is as follows: 

GMC Alappuzha - 10 

GMC Kottayam - 22 

GMC Kozhikode - 50 

GMC Thiruvananthapuaram -27 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that following a gazette notifications in 2018, Ministry of health had last year also invited applications for conversion. The gazette stated Advertisement "A Medical College/Medical Institution shall be entitled to seek equal number of postgraduate degree (MD/MS) seats by surrendering recognised Diploma seats in corresponding course.

For such purposes the applicant Medical College/Medical Institution shall make an application to the Central Government along with an undertaking for stopping admission. The Central Government shall on receipt of such application issue a notification omitting the name of Diploma in respect of the said Medical College/Medical Institution. The Central Government shall forward the application alongwith omission notification and undertaking to the Council for recommendation. 

The Council after verifying the documents shall make an appropriate recommendation to the Central Government without any physical verification in normal circumstances. However, Council may, if so require carry out physical verification assessment before making any recommendation to the Central Government. Such recommendation shall be for inclusion of degree course against the increased intake in the First Schedule of IMC Act, 1956. The decision by the Central Government in this regard shall be taken on or before the last date of grant of permission in respect of broad speciality courses for that academic year. 

Further, the surrendered Diploma seats shall not be included in the seat matrix of the subsequent academic years."

https://medicaldialogues.in/news/health/mci/mci-approves-conversion-of-116-pg-diploma-seat-into-md-ms-seats-in-kerala-gmc-kozhikode-gets-the-most-63530?infinitescroll=1

MCI Refuses Recognition To IGNOU PGDCC Once Again
By Meghna A Singhania

Published On 20 Jan 2020 3:45 PM | Updated On 20 Jan 2020 3:45 PM

New Delhi: In a major setback to doctors possessing Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC) by Indira Gandhi National Open University, (IGNOU) the Medical Council of India has once again refused to grant recognition to their degrees. PGDCC course was commenced, in 2006, by the IGNOU, to develop a cadre of non-interventional cardiologists, and involved a "two-year full time rigorous training in top cardiac hospitals in the country". 

In order to be eligible to apply for the PGDCC course, a candidate was required to have an MBBS degree However, despite thousands of candidates clearing the course from the year 2006 to 2013, MCI noted that the IGNOU had commenced the PGDCC course in blatant violation of the applicable rules and regulations of medical education and that, therefore, there could be no question of according any recognition to the said course. 

Seeking Respite in the matter, Association of Clinical Cardiologists, an association of more than 1500 PGDCC candidates approached the Delhi High court seeking relief. The court after going through detailed arguments asked IGNOU to reply to MCI for recognition and MCI to reconsider the matter ''...the respondents, i.e, the Central Government and the IGNOU - are directed to consider, afresh, the application, of the IGNOU, for grant of recognition to the PGDCC qualification awarded by it, under section 11(2) of the IMC Act. This Court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the said application, or on whether the PGDC qualification deserves, to be recognized under section 11(2) .That decision would have to be taken by the Central Government after consulting the MCI, on its own merits. Needless to say, the pre-eminent consideration, while examining the application of the IGNOU, would have to be fostering of excellence in medical education, aimed at bringing, into the world, medical professionals, were able to render the optimum service to the public, in the best interests pof society. " 

Board of Governors The matter was brought up in the December 2019 meeting of the MCI Board of Governors whereby The Board of Governors perused the letter dated 18.11.2019 of the Central Government by which the application dated bearing reference IGNOU/SOHS/D/ 2019/6109 dated 04.11.19 made by Director, School of Health Sciences (SOHS), IGNOU to the Central Government seeking recognition of Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC) Degree offered by IGNOU from 2006 -2013 has been forwarded for furnishing considered views/recommendations to the Ministry. MCI Deliberations 

The Medical Council of India Board of Governors considered the application and discussed in detail the matter pertaining to the recognition of IGNOU PGDCC The Director, SOHS, IGNOU in his application inter alia referred to the provision of the IGNOU Act, 1985 that empowers the IGNOU to provide for instruction in such branches of knowledge... as the University may determine plan and prescribe courses of study for degrees, diplomas certificate or for any other purposes. 

It has also been stated in the said communication that the PGDCC was launched in 2006 to "train M.B.B.S. Doctors in non-interventional cardiology, so as to bridge the gap in cardiac care at the level of Taluqas and small Towns". The letter mentioned that there was a precedence of offering 2-year Diploma in Cardiology after MBBS (Diploma in Cardiology offered by GSVM Medical College, Kanpur from 1974 to 1993). Furthermore, it has been mentioned that the detailed curriculum, implementation process, quality assurance system, certification were designed by eminent cardiologists by following the MCI guidelines. 

The said communication also states that about 1700 Doctors have been trained in PGDCC by IGNOU in renowned Medical Colleges and Hospitals across the country as a full time two-year programme and that the State Governments of Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh have utilized the services of PGDCC qualified Doctors to manage the ICU and Cardiac Care Units.Therefore, in order to enable such pass-outs to enable clinical practice, the IGNOU has requested the Ministry of Health, Government of India to Recognize PGDCC qualification awarded by it under section 11 (2) of the IMC Act. The Board of Governors noted that section 20 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 requires the Council to "prescribe standards of post-graduate medical education for the guidance of Universities, and may advise Universities in the matter of securing uniform standards for postgraduate education throughout India." 

The Council has in exercise of powers conferred by section 33 of the IMC Act read with section 20, with the previous sanction of Central Government laid down the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000. Regulation 7 of the PGMER provides as under:- 

Nomenclature of post-graduate courses- The nomenclature of postgraduate courses shall be as provided in the Schedule annexed to these Regulation: Provided that in case of a post-graduate medical degree and diploma courses instituted prior to the commencement of these regulations with the approval of the Medical Council of India and Which have not been included in these regulations, the institutions concerned shall continue such course till the students admitted complete the said course. " The Prescribed MD/MS/DM/M.Ch/ Diploma courses are contained in the schedule to the PGMER, 2000. For the discipline of Cardiology a three year DM (Super Speciality) course that is open to only holders of MD (Medicine) / MD (Pediatrics) or MD (Respiratory Medicine) degree only. 

Thus Cardiology is a discipline of advanced Medical Sciences in which a person who hold MBBS and an MD Degree in Medicine / Pediatrics / Respiratory Medicine only is considered to be eligible to pursue a course in Cardiology. The Schedule to the PGMER does not envisage for any Diploma in Cardiology. The contention that such a course was offered by GVSM Medical College, Kanpur cannot come to the aid of the IGNOU as that course was in vogue prior to the coming in of PGMER, 2000 and has not been offered by the said Institution after 1993. 

The Board of Governors further noted that in terms of regulation 6(2) to PGMER and Institution running post-graduate medical qualification has to apply to the Central Govt., through the affiliating University when the first admitted batch is due to appear in the examination conducted by the University During the course of such examination the MCI is required as per section 17 of the IMC Act, 1956 to examine the adequacy of the standards of medical education including staff, equipment, accommodation, training and other facilities prescribed for giving medical education. Further, Regulation 8(1) of PGMER mandates that postgraduate courses can be offered only in an institution that has an undergraduate teaching facility.

 By virtue of 8(1A) the Central Govt. is empowered to exempt any such existing / proposed non-teaching institution or specialist institution or autonomous body owned and managed by the Central / State Govt. from fulfilling the prescribed provision of having an undergraduate teaching facility, and allow starting postgraduate course. A perusal of the "List of Programme Study Centre (PSCs) and Programme in charge (PIC) for PGDCC Programme" shows that the IGNOU has been offering PDCC course in 70 hospitals across the country through doctors who possibly all are Cardiologists and are academic Counsellors for such programme. 

The curriculum of the PGDCC course shows that the students are provided with 50 lecture sessions in two years and there are 27 video programs developed for PGDCC programs. The students are required to have practical training and must have atleast 90 days or 3 months training in echocardiography. Out of 70 hospitals, only 4 are part of a medical college namely MS Ramaiah Medical College and Teaching Hospital; UN Metha Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre Ahmedabad; Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh and Guwahati Medical College, Guwahati while remaining 66 are private hospitals. In so far as the running of PGDCC is considered it cannot be provided as per regulation 12(3) pf PGMER in a Medical College. 

The name of the programme in charge as also that of faculty involved in the PGDCC programme is provided however, the medical qualifications that are held by such doctors is not stated. "Thus, the PGDCC programme offered by IGNOU fails to satisfy the requirement of MCI Regulations," the MCI noted MCI Decision After detailed deliberation on the matter, the MCI Board of Governors decided that PGDCC programme offered by IGNOU cannot be recommended for inclusion in the First Schedule of the IMC Act, 1956 for batches admitted from 2006 to 2013 admission cycle on following grounds: 

1. The said course is not included On the schedule to the PGMER 2000. 

2. The mandatory inspection of examination required to be conducted at the time of passing out of first batch or even subsequent batches admitted in the course has never been applied by the IGNOU through the Central Govt thus the Mel cannot satisfy itself as to the fulfilment of the adequacy of the standards of medical education including staff equipment, accommodation, training' and other facilities prescribed for giving medical education. 

3. The PGDCC by IGNOU has been imparted in hospitals .that do not conform to the requirement of regulation 8 of the PGMER. 

4. The PGDCC of IGNOU does not in any way fosters excellence in medical education or is aimed at bringing into the world, medical professionals, who are able to render the optimum service to the public, in the best interests of Society since it provides a wrong impression about specialization in Cardiology to general public while it does not meet standard requirements of recognition of a postgraduate qualification by BoG/MCI.

https://medicaldialogues.in/news/health/mci/mci-refuses-recognition-to-ignou-pgdcc-once-again-62060

NEET PG Round 1 Counselling 2020: MCC To Freeze Portal To Prepare Seat Matrix On 2nd March 

By Meghna A SinghaniaPublished On 28 Feb 2020 12:01 PM

Updated On 28 Feb 2020 12:01 PM 

New Delhi: Informing about the upcoming NEET PG 2020 Round 1 counselling, the Medical Counselling Committee has informed that is going to freeze the intramcc portal to prepare for the seat matrix on 2nd March 2020. 

As per Supreme Court judgement, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has been entrusted with the responsibility to hold on-line counselling for 50% All India Quota Post-Graduate Medical and Dental seats and also as per the notification issued by the MCI for common counselling. With this MCC will conduct counselling for the following Institutions/Universities:- 

a) 50 % All India Quota seats for all State Govt. medical/dental colleges/institutes, except state of Jammu and Kashmir as per merit of PG NEET 2018. 

b) For all PG seats of the Deemed Universities as per merit of PG NEET 2018. 

c) 50 % institutional quota seats for Central Universities of Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University, and Banaras Hindu University. 

d) PG counseling for institutes of Armed Forces Medical Services. 

e) The state Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are participating in online counselling of All India Quota from the academic year 2018-19 onwards. 

For deciding the seat matrix for the Round 1, MCC had asked for contribution of seats by the participating colleges of All India Quota/ Deemed & Central Universities/ ESIC for the PG Counselling 2020 for MD/ MS/ Diploma/ MDS courses. 

The earlier deadline for submission for the same was 19th Feb, 2020. In the meanwhile, the apex medical council, Medical Council of India Board Of Governors has issued new Letter of permission for various courses to medical college. Keeping this in mind, MCC has now extended its deadline to allow these medical colleges to participate in round 1 of the pg medical counselling. MCC in its notice, hence stated In view of the new LOP's being issued by the BOG, MCI, the intramcc portal has been kept open by MCC which was to close earlier by 19th Feb, 2020 for contribution of seats. It is for the information to all participating colleges that the intramcc portal will freeze at 06:00 PM of 2nd March, 2020 for preparation of Seat Matrix. Any new seats for which LOP's are received after 2nd March, 2020 will be taken up in Round-II of counselling only.

https://education.medicaldialogues.in/medical-education/neet-pg-round-1-counselling-2020-mcc-to-freeze-portal-to-prepare-seat-matrix-on-2nd-march-63501

2 புதிய அரசு மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நாளை அடிக்கல் நாட்டுகிறார்

சென்னை

ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகரில் அமைய உள்ள அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நாளை அடிக்கல் நாட்டுகிறார்.

தமிழகத்தில் ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகர், திண்டுக்கல், நாமக்கல், திருப்பூர், ஊட்டி, திருவள்ளூர், கிருஷ்ணகிரி, நாகப்பட்டினம், அரியலூர், கள்ளக்குறிச்சி ஆகிய 11 இடங்களில் புதிய மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகள் அமைக்க மத்திய அரசு ஒப்புதல் வழங்கி உள்ளது. மத்திய அரசின் 60 சதவீத நிதி மற்றும் மாநில அரசின் 40 சதவீத நிதியில் இந்த கல்லூரிகள் தலா ரூ.325 கோடியில் கட்டப்பட உள்ளன.

இந்நிலையில், ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகர் ஆகிய மாவட்டங்களில் அமையவுள்ள புதிய அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நாளை (மார்ச் 1) அடிக்கல் நாட்டுகிறார். இதைத் தொடர்ந்து அம் மாவட்டங்களில் தொடங்கப்பட உள்ள புதிய திட்டப் பணிகளுக்கு அடிக்கல் நாட்டுவதோடு, முடிவுற்ற பணிகளையும் முதல்வர் தொடங்கி வைக்கிறார்.

ராமநாதபுரம் ஒருங்கிணைந்த மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலக வளாகத்தில் காலை 10 மணிக்கும், விருதுநகர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் பெருந்திட்ட வளாகத்தில், மாலை 3 மணிக்கும் விழா நடக்கிறது. விழாவுக்கு மத்திய சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் ஹர்ஷ் வர்தன் தலைமை தாங்குகிறார். துணை முதல்வர் ஓபன்னீர்செல்வம் முன்னிலை வகிக்கிறார்.

விதையுள் விருட்சம்!

By வெ. இன்சுவை | Published on : 28th February 2020 03:06 AM

கல்லூரி வாழ்க்கை என்பது தகப்பனின் தோள் மீது அமர்ந்திருப்பதைப் போல சிலருக்கு சுகமாக அமைந்து விடுகிறது. எந்தக் கவலையும், பொறுப்பும் இல்லாமல் கேலி, கிண்டல், ஆட்டம், பாட்டம், கொண்டாட்டம் என்று இருக்கும் வாலிபப் பருவம். அந்த வயதுக்கே உரிய ஆர்ப்பாட்டமும், குறும்பும், துள்ளலும், துடிப்பும் இருக்கத்தானே செய்யும்? அதற்கான ஒரு வடிகால் வேண்டாமா? சுழன்றடிக்கும் சூறாவளியை ஒரு புட்டியில் அடைக்க முடியுமா?

அப்படித்தான் மாணவர்களையும் வெறுமனே படிப்பு, தேர்வுகள் என ஒரு சின்ன வட்டத்துக்குள் அடைக்க முடியாது. அப்படி இருந்தால் கல்லூரி வாழ்க்கை என்பது மணமில்லா காகிதப் பூக்களைப் போல ஆகிவிடும். வயதான காலத்தில்கூட ஒருவருக்குத் தன் கல்லூரிக் காலத்தை நினைத்துப் பார்த்தால் மனதில் பட்டாம்பூச்சி பறக்க வேண்டும். தன் பேராசிரியர்கள், நண்பர்கள், வகுப்பறை அலப்பறைகள், ஆண்டு விழாக்கள், விளையாட்டு விழாக்கள், கலை விழாக்கள் என அனைத்தும் ஒரு திரைக் காவியம் போல மனதில் ஓட வேண்டும். அதுவே பரவசம் ஆகும்.

பள்ளி, கல்லூரிகளில் பாடங்களுக்கு மட்டுமே முக்கியத்துவம் தராமல் பாடத்திட்டம் சாரா செயல்களுக்கும் முக்கியத்துவம் தரப்படுகின்றன. சில மாணவர்கள் படிப்பில் சற்று மந்தமாக இருப்பார்கள். பேராசிரியர்கள் அவர்களை ஓரம் கட்டி வைத்திருப்பார்கள். ஆனால், அத்தகைய மாணவர்களிடம் ஏதாவது ஓர் அபூர்வத் திறமை இருக்கும்.

ஆண்டு விழாவின்போதோ, கலை நிகழ்ச்சிகளின்போதோ ஒரு மாணவன் தன் தனித்திறமையை வெளிப்படுத்தி விட்டால் அந்த மாணவன் குறித்த கண்ணோட்டம் மாறிவிடும். அந்த மாணவன் குறித்து மற்றவர்கள் கொண்டிருந்த பிம்பமும் மாறிப் போகும்; ஓர் அடையாளம் கிட்டும், அங்கீகாரம் கிட்டும், அந்த மாணவனுக்கிருந்த தாழ்வு மனப்பான்மை நீங்கி, நம்பிக்கை துளிர் விடும். குறிக்கோளை நோக்கி அந்த மாணவன் பயணப்பட அந்தப் பாராட்டு மழை பேருதவி செய்யும்; அது பெரும் உந்து சக்தியாக விளங்கும்.

வேலையில் சேர்ந்த பின்னர் எல்லோருமே செக்கு மாடுகளே; பணிச் சுமை, குடும்பச் சூழல் என அல்லாடும்போது கலையெல்லாம் மாயமாகும். தங்களின் திறமைகளை வெளிக்காட்ட எத்தனை பேருக்கு வாய்ப்பு கிட்டும்? "அது ஓர் அழகிய கனாக்காலம்' என்று ஏக்கப் பெருமூச்சு மட்டும்தான் விட முடியும். 

எனவேதான், அனைத்துக் கல்லூரிகளும் மூன்று அல்லது நான்கு நாள்கள் கோலாகலமாக கலை விழா எடுக்கிறார்கள். மாணவர்களும் பாடத்தை மூட்டை கட்டி வைத்துவிட்டு வேறு அவதாரம் எடுக்கிறார்கள்; கல்லூரி வளாகமே விழாக்கோலம் பூண்டிருக்க, பிற கல்லூரிகளில் இருந்துவரும் போட்டியாளர்கள், சிறப்பு விருந்தினர்கள், பிரபலங்கள் என அந்தச் சங்கமம் மகிழ்ச்சி விதைகளை அனைத்து மனங்களிலும் தூவும்.

மிகவும் பிரபலமான கல்லூரிகளின் நிர்வாகிகள் தாங்களே இத்தகைய கலை விழாக்களை நடத்துகிறார்கள். மாணவர்களுக்கு ஒரு சிரமும் கொடுப்பதில்லை. பிரபலங்களை வரவழைப்பது, விருந்து, உபசரிப்பு, பரிசு என எல்லாவற்றையும் அதிக பொருட்செலவில் ஏற்பாடு செய்து விடுகிறார்கள். தங்களுடைய செல்வாக்கைப் பறைசாற்றவும் இந்த விழாவைப் பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்கிறார்கள்.

சில தனியார் கல்லூரிகளும் அதிக ஆடம்பரம் இன்றி கலை விழாவை நடத்துகிறார்கள். ஆனால், அரசு பொறியியல் கல்லூரிகள், அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகள், அரசு கலைக் கல்லூரிகள் ஆகியவற்றின் நிலைமை வேறு. இக்கல்லூரிகளிலும் தமிழ் மன்றம், மாணவர் பேரவை, நுண்கலை மன்றம் ஆகியவை சிறப்பாகச் செயல்படுகின்றன. இதில் உள்ள சிக்கல் என்னவென்றால், கலை விழாக்களை நடத்த நன்கொடையாளர்கள் மற்றும் விளம்பரதாரர்களைத் தேடி அலைகிறார்கள். பொறுப்பில் இருக்கும் மாணவர்கள் விழாவை நடத்த வெகுவாக சிரமப்படுகிறார்கள்.

இதுபோன்ற கலை நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் ஆர்வமுள்ள பேராசிரியர்களுக்கு பொறுப்பு தரப்பட்டால் அவர்கள் மாணவர்களுக்கு உதவுகிறார்கள். ஆனால், விருப்பமில்லாத பேராசிரியர்களுக்கு பொறுப்பு தரப்பட்டால் மாணவர்களுக்குத் திண்டாட்டம். எல்லா ஏற்பாடுகளையும் மாணவர்களே செய்தாக வேண்டும். கலை விழா என்பதால், திரைக் கலைஞர்களையே சிறப்பு விருந்தினராக அழைக்க ஆசைப்படுகிறார்கள். அதே சமயம், யார் மூலம் அந்தப் பிரபலங்களைப் பிடிப்பது என்பது தெரியாமல் அல்லாடுகிறார்கள். நேரிலும், அவர்களைப் பார்க்க முடியாமல், செல்லிடப்பேசியிலும் பிடிக்க முடியாமல் நொந்து போகிறார்கள்.

ஒரு நகைக்கடை, துணிக்கடை திறப்பு விழாவுக்கு வருவதற்கு பல ஆயிரங்களை வாங்கும் அவர்கள், மாணவர் விழாவுக்கு வர இசைவதில்லை.

அவர்களுக்குப் பெரும் தொகை கொடுக்கவும் மாணவர்களால் இயலாது. விழா நடத்த நிறைய செலவாகும். மேடை, அலங்காரம், உணவு, உபசரிப்பு, சிறப்பு விருந்தினர், சன்மானம், போக்குவரத்து, பரிசுகள் எனப் பட்டியல் நீளும். எனவே தான் பிள்ளைகள் நன்கொடையாளர்களைத் தேடி அலைகிறார்கள். ஒரு வருடம் நன்கொடை அளிப்பவர், ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் தருவாரா?

எடுத்துக்காட்டுக்கு ஒன்று. ஒரு மாவட்டத்தில் ஓர் அரசு மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி உள்ளது என்றால், அந்த மாணவர்கள் நன்கொடைக்காக சிறிய, பெரிய மருத்துவமனைகள் என அனைத்தையும் நாடுகிறார்கள். பெரிய மருத்துவமனையாகவே இருந்தாலுமே வருடா வருடம் இவர்கள் சென்று கேட்கும்போது தருபவர்களுக்குச் சங்கடம் ஏற்படுகிறது. பலரும் கேட்ட உடனே பணம் தராமல், "நாளை', "அடுத்த வாரம்' என இழுத்தடிக்கிறார்கள். மாணவர்களும் சளைக்காமல் நடக்கிறார்கள். சிறிய கிளினிக் வைத்திருப்பவர்கள் ரூ.500 கொடுக்கவே யோசிப்பர்.

பொதுவாகவே எதையும், எவரிடமும் கேட்க நமக்குத் தயக்கமாக இருக்கும்; "விழாவுக்காக நன்கொடை தாருங்கள்' என மென்று முழுங்கித்தான் கேட்கிறார்கள். ஒரு மாத காலம் இதே வேலையாக அலைகிறார்கள். இவ்வளவு செலவாகும் என்று போட்டு வைத்த கணக்கு எப்போதும் தவறாகிப் போய் செலவு எகிறி விடுகிறது. சமாளிக்க முடியாமல் மாணவர்களுக்கு விழி பிதுங்கிப் போய் விடுகிறது. ஆயிரத்துக்கும், ஐநூறுக்கும் மருத்துவர்களிடம் காத்துக் கிடக்கும் மருத்துவ மாணவர், பின்னாளில் தான் மருத்துவராகப் பணி செய்யும்போது தாராளமாகப் பணம் தருவாரா என்பது சந்தேகமே.

இப்போதெல்லாம் வங்கிகள் இந்த வகையில் மாணவர்களுக்கு உதவ முன் வருகின்றன. ஒரு சமூகக் கடமையாக எண்ணி விளம்பரம் தருகின்றன. இதை அறிந்த மாணவர்கள் வங்கிகளை அணுகுகிறார்கள். ஆண்டு மலருக்கு விளம்பரம் தேடுவதும் ஒரு பெரிய தலைவலி. பலரும் விளம்பரத்தை நம்பித்தான் மலரை வெளியிடுகிறார்கள். 

வகுப்புகளைப் புறக்கணித்து விட்டு விழா ஏற்பாடுகளைச் செய்யவும், நன்கொடை பெறவும் அலைகிறார்கள். இதைப் பல பேராசிரியர்கள் விரும்புவதில்லை. குதிரைக்குக் கடிவாளம் இடுவதைப் போல பல பேராசிரியர்களுக்குப் பாடத்தைத் தவிர வேறு எதுவும் பிடிக்காது. அதுவும் ஆட்டம், பாட்டம் என்றால் வேம்பாய்க் கசக்கும். அதற்காக அலையும் மாணவர்களின் வருகைப் பதிவேட்டில் கை வைத்து விடுகிறார்கள். செய்முறை வகுப்புகள் தவறிப் போனால் மாணவர்களை மீண்டும் செய்ய அனுமதிக்க மாட்டார்கள்.

பண விஷயம் என்பதால் வேறு பல சிக்கல்களும் வருகின்றன. அவர்களிடையே கருத்து வேறுபாடு வருகிறது. புகைச்சல் பகையாக மாறுகிறது. உட்பூசல் ஏற்படுகிறது. வரவு, செலவுக்குத் தணிக்கை இருந்தாலும் முன் நிற்பவர்கள் மீது அவச்சொல் உண்டாவது உண்டு. நிகழ்ச்சிக்கு வர முதலில் இசைவு தந்த பிரபலம், கடைசி நேரத்தில் தவிர்க்க முடியாத காரணத்தால் வர இயலவில்லை என்று கூறி விட்டால், வேறு நபரை ஏற்பாடு செய்ய தவித்துப் போகிறார்கள். கடைசி நேரத்தில் ஒருவரும் வர மாட்டார்கள். நிறைய வலிகளும், மன உளைச்சலும் இருந்தே தீரும். தான் பொறுப்பில் இருக்கும்போது சிறப்பாகச் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற அவா உந்தித்தள்ள அவர்கள் நிறையவே மெனக்கெடுகிறார்கள்.

விழா இனிதே நடந்து முடிந்த பின் கிடைக்கும் பாராட்டு, அவர்களுக்கு வலி நிவாரணி. வீட்டிலோ, ஊரிலோ எந்த நிகழ்ச்சியையும் எடுத்து நடத்தாதவர்கள் கல்லூரி விழாவை நன்கு திட்டமிட்டு அருமையாக நடத்தும் அளவுக்கு திறமைசாலிகள் என்று பார்க்கும்போது வியப்பு மேலிடுகிறது. அலைச்சல், பயம், ஏமாற்றம், எதிர்மறை விமர்சனம் என எல்லாம் சேர்ந்த கவலையான மனநிலையில்கூட அவர்கள் வாகை சூடுகிறார்கள்.

கோழிக் குஞ்சுகளாகத் தங்களை நினைத்துக் கொண்டிருந்தவர்கள், இந்த வாய்ப்பால் வல்லூறுகளாக மாறுகிறார்கள். "சில காயங்கள் நம்மை நேர்த்தி செய்யும்; சில வலிகள் நம்மைச் செதுக்கும்' என்ற வாழ்க்கைப் பாடத்தைப் புரிந்து கொள்கிறார்கள். பட்ட வலிகள் மறந்து போகும். ஆனால், நல்ல சுவையான, இனிமையான நினைவுகள் மட்டும் அழியாது, அவர்கள் மனதில் ஆசனம் போட்டு அமர்ந்து கொள்ளும். அவற்றை அவர்கள் பின்னாளில் மெதுவாக மனதில் அசை போட்டுக் கொண்டிருப்பார்கள்.

கட்டுரையாளர்:

பேராசிரியர் (ஓய்வு)

'இன்டர்நெட்' வேகம் எங்கு அதிகம்

Added : பிப் 29, 2020 01:03

உலகளவில் சராசரி இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் அதிகமுள்ள நாடுகளின் பட்டியலில் தைவான் முதலிடத்தை பெற்றுள்ளது.

உள்ளங்கையில் உலகம் என்பது 'இன்டர்நெட்' வளர்ச்சியால் சாத்தியமானது. ஸ்பெயினின் 'வெப்சைட் டூல் டெஸ்டர்' அமைப்பை சேர்ந்த விஞ்ஞானிகள் உலக நாடுகளில் 2017 -2019ம் ஆண்டுகளில் 'பிராட்பேண்ட்' இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் குறித்து ஆய்வு நடத்தினர். ஆன்லைனில் பயனாளர்களிடம் தகவல்களை சேகரித்து இந்த ஆய்வு நடத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில் முதலிடத்தை தைவான் பெற்றுள்ளது.

தைவானில் மின்னணு நிறுவனங்கள் அதிகம் உள்ளது. இவை அந்நாட்டின் மொத்த ஜி.டி.பி., யில் 18 சதவீத பங்களிப்பை அளிக்கிறது.இப்பட்டியலில் உள்ள 'டாப் - 25' நாடுகளில் 18 நாடுகள் ஐரோப்பா கண்டத்தை சேர்ந்தவை. முதலிடத்தில் உள்ள தைவானில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 85 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., என்ற அளவில் உள்ளது. இதன் மூலம் 5 ஜி.பி., அளவிலான வீடியோவை, 8 விநாடிகளில் டவுண்லோடு செய்ய முடியும்.

முந்திய குட்டி தீவு

பிரிட்டன் மற்றும் பிரான்ஸ் இடையே உள்ள ஜெர்சி தீவில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 67 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக உள்ளது. இங்கு வீடுகள் மற்றும் அலுவலகங்களுக்கு 'பைபர்' கேபிள் மூலம் இன்டர்நெட் சேவை வழங்கப்படுகிறது. அமெரிக்காவில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 32 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., மற்றும் வீடியோ டவுண்லோடு செய்ய 20 வினாடிகளும், பிரிட்டனில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 22 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., மற்றும் வீடியோ டவுண்லோடு செய்ய 30 விநாடிகளும் ஆகிறது.

11

உலகின் சராசரி இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 2017ம் ஆண்டு 9 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக இருந்தது. இது 2019ல் 11 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக அதிகரித்துள்ளது.

30

உலகில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் குறைவாக உள்ள நாடு ஏமன். இது 207வது இடத்தில் உள்ளது. இங்கு 300 கே.பி.பி.எஸ்., என்ற அளவில் உள்ளது. வீடியோவை டவுண்லோடு செய்ய 30 நிமிடங்கள் தேவைப்படும்.

8.66

இப்பட்டியலில் 74வது இடத்தில் உள்ள இந்தியாவில், இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 8.66 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக உள்ளது.

'டாப் - 10' நாடுகள்

'பிராட்பேண்ட்' இன்டர்நெட் வேகத்தில் அமெரிக்கா (14வது இடம்), பிரான்ஸ் (22), ஜெர்மனி (27), பிரிட்டன் (33), ஆஸ்திரேலியா (50), ரஷ்யா (54) பின்தங்கி உள்ளன. இப்பட்டியலில் 'டாப்-10' நாடுகள்.

1. தைவான்
2. சிங்கப்பூர்
3. ஜெர்சி
4. சுவீடன்
5. டென்மார்க்
6. ஜப்பான்
7. லக்சம்பர்க்
8. நெதர்லாந்து
9. சுவிட்சர்லாந்து
10. சான் மரீனோ

சாப்ட்வேர் பிரச்னையால் அரசு ஊழியர் சம்பளம் தாமதம்

Added : பிப் 28, 2020 23:36

மதுரை :சாப்ட்வேர் பிரச்னையால் இந்த மாதம் அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு சம்பளம் கிடைப்பது தாமதமாகும் சூழல் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.2017ல் அரசு ஊழியர்களின் சம்பள பட்டியலை புதிய சாப்ட்வேர் மூலமாக தயாரித்து, அதன் மூலம் மட்டுமே சம்பளம் பெற வேண்டும் என தமிழக அரசு அறிவித்தது. இதற்கான புதிய சாப்ட்வேர் தயாரிக்கும் பணியை விப்ரோ மேற்கொண்டது. ஒருங்கிணைந்த மனிதவள மேம்பாட்டுத் திட்டம் (ஐ.எப்.எச்.ஆர்.எம்.எஸ்) எனும் சாப்ட்வேர் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டது.முதற்கட்டமாக மதுரை, தேனி, ஈரோடு, சென்னை, கன்னியாகுமரி, புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டங்களில் இந்த மாதம் முதல் நடைமுறைபடுத்தப்படுகிறது. மே 31 ற்குள் தமிழகம் முழுவதும் நடைமுறைபடுத்த திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.ஆனால் சாப்ட்வேர் பிரச்னையால் சம்பளம் வழங்குவது தாமதமாகும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.தாமதமின்றி ஊதியம் வழங்ககோரி தமிழ்நாடு அரசு ஊழியர் சங்கத்தினர் மதுரையில் சம்பள கணக்கு அலுவலகம் முன்பு தொடர் போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகின்றனர். சம்பள பட்டியல் தயாரிப்பதில் ஏற்படுகின்ற சிக்கல்கள் குறித்து தமிழ்நாடு அரசு ஊழியர் சங்கத்தின் மதுரை மாவட்ட செயலாளர் நீதிராஜா கூறியது: ஏற்கனவே இருந்த சாப்ட்வேரில் உள்ள ஊழியர்களின் தகவல்களை புதிய சாப்ட்வேரில் பதிவேற்றம் செய்ய முடிவதில்லை, தற்போது உள்ள கணினிகள் புதிய சாப்ட்வேர்க்கு ஏற்றாற்போல் இல்லை. இணையதள வசதியும் இல்லை. எனவே, சம்பள பட்டியல் தயாரிப்பதில் சிரமம் எற்படுகின்றது.சந்தேகங்களுக்கு விப்ரோ ஊழியர்கள் மழுப்பலான பதில்களையே அளிக்கின்றனர். முன்பு இருந்த நடைமுறைப்படி சம்பளம் வழங்க வேண்டும்' என்றார்.பொருளாளர் ராம்தாஸ் கூறுகையில், 'புதிய சாப்ட்வேரில் உள்ள பிரச்னைகளை சரிசெய்து, காலதாமதமாகாமல் சம்பளம் கிடைக்க அரசு வழி செய்ய வேண்டும். அதுவரை போராட்டம் தொடரும்' என்றார்.

'ஆதார்' எடுக்க முடியாதோருக்கு இனி தனி ரேஷன் கார்டு

Added : பிப் 28, 2020 20:52

'ஆதார்' கார்டு எடுக்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு, உடல் நலம் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட நபர்களுக்கு மட்டும், தனி ரேஷன் கார்டுகளை வழங்க, உணவு துறை முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.தமிழக ரேஷன் கடைகளில், மானிய விலையில், உணவு பொருட்கள் வழங்கப்படுகின்றன.

இவற்றை வாங்க, ரேஷன் கார்டு அவசியம். மத்திய அரசின், 'ஆதார்' எண் விபரங்கள் அடிப்படையில், உணவு வழங்கல் துறை சார்பில்,கையடக்க வடிவில், 'ஸ்மார்ட்' ரேஷன் கார்டுகள் வழங்கப்படுகின்றன.இதனால், ஒரே நபர், பல முகவரிகளில் கார்டுகள் வாங்குவது தடுக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. பிறக்கும் போது, கைகள் செயல்படாதவர்கள்; விபத்துக்களால், உடல் உறுப்புகளை இழந்தவர்கள், மனநலம் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களால், 'ஆதார்' கார்டு எடுக்க முடியவில்லை. ஆதார் இல்லாததால், அவர்களுக்கு, ஸ்மார்ட் ரேஷன் கார்டு வழங்க முடிவதில்லை. இதனால், ரேஷன் பொருட்கள் வாங்க முடியாமல், அவர்கள் சிரமப்படுகின்றனர்.

இதையடுத்து, ஆதார் கார்டு எடுக்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு, உடல் நலம் குன்றியவர்களுக்கு, ஆதார் இல்லாமல், ரேஷன் கார்டு வழங்குமாறு, உணவு வழங்கல் துறைக்கு, மாநில உணவு ஆணையம் பரிந்துரை செய்தது. ஆனால், ஆதார் எண் பதிவு செய்யாமல், ரேஷன் கார்டு வழங்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு, மென்பொருள் உருவாக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.எனவே, ஆதார் எடுக்க முடியாத நபர்களுக்கு மட்டும், ஸ்மார்ட் கார்டுக்கு மாற்றாக, காகித வடிவில், தனி ரேஷன் கார்டுகளை வழங்க, உணவு துறை முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. - நமது நிருபர் -

மார்ச் முதல் மே வரை வெயில் கொளுத்தும்

Updated : பிப் 29, 2020 02:00 | Added : பிப் 29, 2020 01:59

புதுடில்லி, :இந்தியாவில், வரும் மார்ச் முதல், மே வரை, வெப்பம் வழக்கத்தை விட அதிகமாக இருக்கும் என, வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

இந்திய வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம், நேற்று அளித்த தகவலின் அடிப்படையில், இந்தியாவின் மேற்கு, வடமேற்கு, மத்திய மற்றும் தென் பகுதிகளில் மார்ச் முதல், மே வரை, வழக்கத்திற்கு மாறாக வெப்பநிலை அதிகமாக பதிவாகும். பஞ்சாப், ஹிமாச்சல பிரதேசம், டில்லி, உத்தரகண்ட், ஹரியானா, ராஜஸ்தான், உத்தர பிரதேசம், குஜராத், மத்திய பிரதேசம், பீஹார், சத்தீஸ்கர், ஜார்கண்ட், மேற்கு வங்கம், ஒடிசா, தெலுங்கானா, மஹாராஷ்டிரா மற்றும் கடலோர ஆந்திராவின் சில பகுதிகளிலும், வழக்கத்தை விட வெப்பம் கூடுதலாக இருக்கும்.

இந்தியாவின் மற்ற பகுதிகளுடன் ஒப்பிடும் போது, தமிழகத்தில் குறைந்த அளவு மட்டுமே வெப்பம் அதிகரிக்கும். வடமேற்கு, மேற்கு மற்றும் மத்திய இந்தியாவில், கடும் அனல் காற்று வீசுவதற்கும் வாய்ப்புள்ளது.

Doctors strike is illegal, says Madras HC, but quashes Tamil Nadu government's charge memos
As a model employer, the government ought to have followed up and come out with solutions for the doctors.

Published: 28th February 2020 10:30 PM

Madras HC

By PTI

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday ruled strike by doctors was illegal but quashed charge memos and transfer orders issued to over 100 Tamil Nadu government doctors who spearheaded a stir in October last year, holding the action against them was clearly tainted with malafides.

Referring to various judgements of the Supreme Court, Justice Anand Venkatesh said a conspectus of them would exposit the unanimity in judicial opinion that strikes by doctors is, ex-facie, illegal and without any justification.

"In the absence of a legal or even a moral or equitable right to go on a strike, the logical corollary is that any form of strike is necessarily illegal and without any legal or moral justification. The harm that befalls patients on account of strikes (by doctors) is unfathomable," he said.

He passed a detailed order on a batch of petitions by 118 doctors, who are office-bearers of government doctors associations, challenging the charge memos and the transfer and posting orders issued after the state-wide strike.

The agitation was launched after failure of their repeated efforts to settle amicably their demands, including pay revision, 50 per cent service quota in post-graduate and super specialties courses and time bound promotions.

Justice Venkatesh, who went into several issues, including whether the doctors have the right to go on strike and if the impasse could have been avoided through effective steps by the government, stressed they cannot resort to such agitations at the cost of patients.

By using strikes to resolve issues doctors, like lawyers, forget the moral worth and dignity of patients and leave them in the lurch unmindful of the humanitarian consequences that ensue from their actions.

"Patients cannot be a means to an end. They cannot be mere playthings whose lives can be put on the line to achieve other ends through the medium of strikes," he said.

He noted that over 18,000 doctors went on strike and the action of the government in picking and choosing sections among them was to warn that anyone who leads such agitations will be dealt with iron hands.

The doctors had called off their six-day long strike, pressing various long-pending demands, and resumed duties on November 1, 2019 in response to appeals by the state Chief Minister and the Health Minister, the Judge said.

As a model employer, the government ought to have followed up and come out with solutions for the doctors.

Instead of resorting to such a positive step, it decided to show its might against the office-bearers, who are in the ranks of Assistant Professors and Senior Resident Doctors, the Judge said.

Tracing the genesis of the issue, he said even the high court had taken into consideration the seriousness and directed the government to come up with a final decision by February 16, 2019.

This did not happen and there was no progress.

Subsequently a representation was given by the doctors' apex body drawing the government's attention and it was indicated they will go on a one-day two-hour boycott without affecting the emergency service.

Thereafter, the Health Minister convened a meeting on August 27, and some assurances were given.

But, there was no movement forward, they resorted to the strike from October 25.

The Judge said the government ought to have given top priority for certain demands made by the doctors and some final solution must have been reached.

Quashing the charge memos and transfer orders, he said the doctors who spearheaded the agitation were not instigating or conspiring or inciting an unlawful act.

"They are merely the representatives of the entire body of the government doctors. They should not be assigned the role of a villain and singled out and dealt with in such a harsh manner," he said in the order.

The action was clearly tainted with malafides and if any measure had to be necessarily taken for the strike, it should have been taken against all doctors who participated in it.

Advising the government that it should not act like a king but to show motherly affection on the doctors who work for the welfare of the patients, the Judge directed it to address their demands at the earliest.

Five months after Subhasri's death, illegal banners are back in Chennai

The city corporation has filed only 15 complaints of illegal banners since October.

Published: 27th February 2020 06:42 AM |

By KV Navya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Five months since 23-year-old Subhasri died after an illegally erected banner fell on her, officials and the public seem to have forgotten the issue. Since October 2019, only 15 complaints have been filed regarding illegal banners, and no fines have been collected so far. This is in sharp contrast to the 206 complaints filed in September, in the immediate weeks after Subhasri's death that caused widespread uproar.

While the officials argue that there are not much illegal banners in the city anymore, in reality, banners and flagpoles for birthdays, weddings and political events have once again started to crop up in large numbers in the city.

On Wednesday, Express witnessed a number of flagpoles erected on roads in a locality at Vadapalani where a political leader's family function was taking place. People living in different parts of the city also said the banners and flagpoles are frequently being erected in their area. When queried by Express, the corporation officials said they have not given permission to anyone to erect banners or flagposts since Subhasri's death. Hence all the banners and flagposts found in the city are illegal.

"Almost every week, either banners or flagpoles are erected on the Tiruvottiyur High Road. The iron rods are rusted and post a major risk of accidents on the busy stretch. Political flagpoles increased in the last three months with the civic body turning a blind eye to it," said A Venkatesh, a resident of Old Washermenpet.

T Vidhya, a resident of Iyyappanthangal, said, "Banners are also common near Sri Ramachandra Nagar in Porur and the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) road in Ambattur. It seems like the ban on banners was only for a few months as they are now back in full swing."

The punishment for illegal banners could range from a fine of Rs 5,000 to imprisonment, or both.

Concurring, V Gopalakrishnan, a civic rights activist added that the plastic wreaths by political parties put up on either sides of the roads too are illegal. "Apart from this, so many permanent hoardings are put up near Valasaravakkam and KK Nagar. Repeated complaints to the civic authorities went in vain."

Responding to the issue, a senior corporation official said, "We have taken note of the issue. All the major political parties have filed affidavits in the court saying they will not be erecting political banners and flagpoles. If found violating, it will be taken into cognizance and report henceforth shall be filed by the GCC to the Madras high court. The ban also applies to other public who erect banners for birthdays and weddings."

Juvenile held for circulating rumour about COVID-19

28/02/2020, S. PRASAD,CUDDALORE

Irked over a meat stall owner seeking the return of his money, a juvenile who posted a damaging message on WhatsApp against the stall was arrested by the Neyveli Thermal police on Wednesday night.

The minor posted that a resident of Block 21 in Neyveli, who had purchased chicken from the stall had fallen ill and tested positive for COVID-19.

The message vent viral and resulted in a dip in sales over the past few days.

On Wednesday, A. Fakrudin Ali Ahamed, owner of a chicken stall, lodged a complaint with the Neyveli Thermal Police alleging that the minor had been spreading rumours through WhatsApp against his stall.

Based on the complaint, the police arrested the juvenile and a case was booked against him under Sections 505 (2) of IPC. ndian

Retired judge to dispose of properties of mentally challenged man adopted by HC
28/02/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The Madras High Court has appointed its former judge K. Chandru as a Commissioner to sell vast properties belonging to 40-year-old mentally challenged Manoj Rajan whom the court had adopted in August 2016 by invoking the doctrine of loco parentis (in the place of a parent) since many had tried to cheat him after the death of his parents.

Justice P.N. Prakash, who had been following up the case of Mr. Rajan for the last four years by keeping him under foster care at Madurai-based MS Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation run by reputed psychiatrist C. Ramasubramanian, had appointed Justice K. Chandru to dispose of the properties and use the money to take care of him.

It was during the hearing of a petition alleging abduction of Mr. Rajan that Justice Prakash learnt about the mentally challenged man who had lost his mother at the age of 14. His wealthy father had got him married at the age of 29 but the wedlock did not last long as the woman decided to part ways and obtained divorce on mutual consent after citing his illness.

However, after Mr. Rajan’s father death in 2013, his former wife abducted him with the assistance of her associates and got remarried solely with the intention of grabbing the properties. However, a family friend rescued him and filed a case in court leading to Justice Prakash ordering a CB-CID inquiry.

Finding that a huge gang was waiting for an opportunity to usurp the properties of the hapless individual whose life could be at risk if the court does not step in to safeguard him, the judge ensured his safety handing him over to the trust in Madurai where he had developed a lot of skills over the last four years through the intervention of trained personnel.

HC orders departmental inquiry into medical negligence case

The case pertains to the death of a 22-year-old pregnant woman in Madurai

28/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Taking a serious view of dereliction of duty on the part of a health official and an Inspector of Police in a case of medical negligence, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed departmental action against them.

The court was hearing the petition filed by S. Manimuthu of K. Pudur in Madurai, seeking compensation for the death of his 22-year-old pregnant wife M. Sakthikali in September last year due to medical negligence.

With the authorities concerned pointing fingers at each other for serious lapses, Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, who had earlier asked why the reasons for the woman’s death were not informed to the petitioner, observed that the officials were liable for the lapses.

The court directed the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai, to initiate departmental inquiry against the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) Multipurpose Health Supervisor/ Birth and Death Registrar. Similarly, the Madurai Commissioner of Police should initiate departmental inquiry against the Inspector of Police, K. Pudur, the court said.

The court directed the Madurai Commissioner of Police to hand over the investigation in the case to another Inspector, who should conduct the investigation as expeditiously as possible.

Taking cognisance of a government order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department in 2018 on the rules prescribed for the minimum facilities of clinical establishments, which included staff and equipment, the court directed strict compliance of the rules.

If the required facilities were not available in any hospital, the officials concerned should not wait for the patient to reach a critical condition and then refer her to the District Headquarters Hospital or other hospitals where facilities were available.

After administration of first-aid, such patients should be referred to hospitals where necessary facilities were available with necessary caution, the court said, and directed the State to issue circulars in this regard.

In his petition, Mr. Manimuthu had said that his wife was admitted to K. Pudur Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) for her first delivery. After a check-up, the duty doctor assured him of a normal delivery and left the clinic. Within minutes, his wife experienced labour pain, he said. There was no one to attend to her for hours except a nurse. Also, there was a delay in referring her to the GRH. A commotion ensued at the UPHC with the staff unable to deal with the situation. Later, his wife lying in a pool of blood, breathed her last, he said.

It was only after the intervention of the court that the death certificate was handed over to the family of the deceased. The court adjourned the case till the first week of June for hearing the progress of the departmental action against the two officials.

TASMAC employees seek regularisation of job

28/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Up in arms: Members of Tamil Nadu Government TASMAC Employees Union staging a demonstration in Madurai on Thursday. R. Ashok R_ASHOK

Members of Tamil Nadu Government TASMAC Employees Union staged a demonstration here on Thursday, demanding regularisation of their service.

The protesters, led by Union State general secretary R. Gopinath, said that the employees were working for a consolidated pay for the past 17 years. They also demanded that the practice of District Managers undertaking inspection of units in other districts must be stopped. “This has resulted in corruption and harassment of employees,” said Mr. Gopinath.

“In Chennai, banks deploy vehicles every day to collect money from TASMAC units. This practice has to be followed in other districts too to ensure the safety of the employees,” he said.

The protesters also said that they wanted a transparent system that would be free from corruption.

Governor appoints convenor for search panel

28/02/2020,CHENNAI

Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Madras, appointed Jagadeesh Kumar, V-C of Jawaharlal Nehru University, as the convenor of the V-C search panel of Madras University.

DME directs medical colleges to verify students’ documents
Papers of 2nd-year UG, PG students to come under scanner

28/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Documents of first-year MBBS students have already been scrutinised, following the NEET impersonation scam last year.

With yet another case of impersonation in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), involving a second-year MBBS student of the Madras Medical College (MMC), the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has directed all government and private medical colleges in the State to take up verification of documents submitted by the present batch of second-year undergraduates, and postgraduate medical students — batches that had appeared for UG and PG NEET.

Two arrested

After MMC’s dean lodged a police complaint, seeking investigation into the suspected impersonation involving the second-year MBBS student last October, the CB-CID police, investigating the NEET impersonation scam, arrested the student and his father.

“As a precautionary measure, the Directorate has told all medical colleges to verify documents submitted by second-year MBBS students as well as postgraduates. This is to be sure on our side that the documents submitted to the DME are genuine,” said an official. Documents of first-year MBBS students have already been scrutinised, following the NEET impersonation scam last year.

He added that verification of documents were completed in a few colleges, while it was under way in a number of institutions.

“However, we have not come across any suspicious documents. Invariably, these are valid certificates. What has happened is impersonation during NEET, and this can be checked only by the Central Board of Secondary Education, that initially conducted the exam, and later, the National Testing Agency,” he said.

Visa on arrival for Japanese, Koreans suspended

28/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

Bureau of Immigration at Anna International Airport has issued a communication stating that the visa-on-arrival facility for Japanese and South Koreans has been suspended in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak with immediate effect and shall remain in force till further notice.

“All concerned airlines are hereby directed to only accept those passengers from these countries who have a regular visa on their passports,” the communication added. The Bureau of Immigration website had a mention of the temporary suspension.

Egmore railway station to get AC lounge

Amenities will be on a par with airport facilities; can be accessed for nominal fee

28/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

A modern retiring room fitted with air-conditioning, wi-fi, changing room and restaurant facilities is being proposed.

Passengers arriving at Egmore railway station will soon be able to access a lounge, with amenities on a par with facilities at some airports.

An executive lounge is also on the cards at the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Central station, railway officials said.

A senior Railway official said that a modern retiring room fitted with air-conditioning, cushioned chairs, wi-fi, changing room, lockers and restaurant facilities is being proposed.

To be run by IRCTC

The facility, to be constructed and maintained by IRCTC, could be used by paying a nominal cost.

The IRCTC, having successfully commissioned modern rest rooms at Madurai and Tiruchi railway junctions, is giving a complete makeover to passenger amenities at Chennai Egmore station. At present, renovation work is in on.

The Railway official said commuters in Madurai and Tiruchi by paying an entry fee of ₹60 can avail free wi-fi, a clean toilet, newspapers and a shoe shiner at the air-conditioned executive lounge. The lounge also has a separate recliner room, cloak room, shower and changing room, which can be used at extra cost. There is also a business centre, he added.

Commuters can order breakfast, lunch and dinner while waiting at the lounge.

However, many passengers bound for Madurai and Tiruchi rue the lack of awareness about such a facility and want IRCTC to promote the lounge.

Egmore railway station is being renovated under the ‘one station, one division’ plan at a cost of ₹16 crore.

Unemployed engineers queue up for parking attendant jobs

Over 70% of the applicants are graduates; qualification needed for post is SSLC

28/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Chennai Corporation will inaugurate the parking management system in over 2,000 parking slots in Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam and Purasawalkam on Monday. File Photo

Starting Monday, many qualified engineers will start manning parking spaces in various parts of the city, along with parking attendants with just an SSLC.

So far, all of the parking attendants in the city have been retired armed forces personnel, who had completed high school.

More than 1,400 candidates have applied for jobs of parking attendants. More than 70% of the applicants have completed graduation. Over 50% are engineers, indicating the level of unemployment among engineers in the city.

Chennai Corporation will inaugurate the parking management system in more than 2,000 parking slots in areas such as Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam and Purasawalkam on Monday.

For instance, Anna Nagar Second Avenue will get 550 parking slots where motorists will have qualified engineers requesting them to download the app for parking management.

Currently, 222 parking slots have been offered for motorists. But, the digital mode has not been promoted properly by the civic body so far.

“Many of the applicants for the parking attendants posts have also completed their master’s in engineering. These people may be ideal candidates for promoting the digital mode of parking management. The actual qualification for parking attendants is an SSLC,” said an official of the private vendor who is implementing the parking management system.

As many as 1,000 persons have been hired by the vendor for the posts of parking attendants. They will start work on Monday. Many of the engineers who visited Ripon Buildings on Thursday said they were applying for the parking attendants jobs because they were unemployed.

Tough times

“I have completed civil engineering. I do not have a job because of the market condition in the real estate industry,” said an applicant.

As many as 18,000 persons have downloaded the app for parking management in the city.

“Each of the engineers will have to educate the motorists. It is purely a digital mode. The number of downloads of the app has to increase for successful implementation of the system,” said an official.

Air India Express to operate flights to Thiruvananthapuram
New services from March 3
29/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER ,COIMBATORE

Air India Express will launch flight services to Thiruvananthapuram from Coimbatore from March 3.

Flight no. IX 014 will depart from Coimbatore at 10.50 p.m. and reach Thiruvananthapuram at 11.50 p.m. These services will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Similarly, flight no. IX 013 will leave Thiruvananthapuram at 11.55 a.m. and arrive at Coimbatore airport at 12.55 p.m.

These services from Thiruvananthapuram will be available on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The flight services between Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram will be available till March 30, according to officials.

Low-cost carrier

Air India Express is a low-cost carrier and a subsidiary of Air India.

Flyover work not to affect vehicle movement on Trichy Road

The ₹ 250-crore project is scheduled to be completed by end of March next year

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,COIMBATORE

Traffic will be regulated on Trichy Road in the city where a flyover, passing through Sungam and Ramanathapuram junctions, is being constructed. M. PeriasamyM_PERIASAMY

The State Highways Department is taking efforts to ensure that traffic flow is not affected as it continues the flyover work on Trichy Road at Sungam junction and Ramanathapuram junction.

An official of the Department said that construction of the flyover, which started last March, was scheduled to be completed by end of March next year. The ₹ 250-crore project was to have a four-lane flyover for 3.15 km on Trichy Road till Stock Exchange building, covering Sungam and Ramanathapuram junctions. It would have 121 pillars in total, including nine pillars for the down ramp, and 120 spans. Nearly 40 % of the work was over, the official said.

The Department had also written to the Coimbatore Corporation to remove the encroachments on Ukkadam bypass road so that the down ramp works could start.

“We have marked the encroachments. These need to be removed,” the official said.

On regulating traffic on Trichy Road, the official added that vehicle movement would not be stopped at the Sungam junction. When the span work would be on at the junction, traffic would be regulated to use the road where the work was over.

When works were taken up at the Ramanathapuram junction, vehicle movement would have to be blocked for a couple of days. But it would be done only later.

A couple of road users said the motorable space had shrunk because of the flyover work. The waste on the roadsides should be cleared and parking should not be permitted so that moving vehicles would get a little more space to use.

‘₹3.76 cr.-worth gold seized at Madurai airport till Feb.28’

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,MADURAI

Air Intelligence Unit, Department of Customs, on February 22 seized gold worth ₹ 39.85 lakh from a woman passenger at Madurai Airport . In a statement, its Deputy Commissioner L. Jaison Praveen Kumar said that officials intercepted the female passenger when she attempted to exit the airport through the green channel in a suspicious manner upon arriving at Madurai airport from Singapore.

Personal search conducted on her resulted in recovery of gold weighing 932 grams of gold.

The gold was seized and the passenger from Ramanathapuram, who is currently working in Singapore, was arrested.

Subsequently, she was released on bail. The Deputy Commissioner said that 9,933.880 grams of smuggled gold, valued at ₹ 3.76 crore, had been seized in 26 cases at Madurai airport till February 28 in the current financial year.

Graduates ready to work as night watchman and office assistant

Need for promoting vocational education for them stressed

29/02/2020, P.A. NARAYANI,MADURAI

K. Muthumalai*, an MBA graduate who has been on a job hunt since 2014, recently attended an interview at the Collectorate held for the post of an office assistant.

“Though I am overqualified for the post, I hope that I get this job so as to meet the financial needs of my family,” he says.

Mr. Muthumalai is among 199 graduates who attended the interview for the post of an office assistant, which requires a minimum qualification of Class 8 pass.

Out of the 657 candidates, who were called for the interview, nearly 50% of them were graduates.

A total of 487 candidates attended the interview, and around 43% of them were graduates.

Similarly, 338 candidates were called for the interview for three posts of night watchman, which does not require any educational qualification.

Among those candidates, more than 30% were graduates.

A total of 278 candidates attended the interview, and around 19% of them were graduates.

In these interviews, which were conducted by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, a large number of graduates, including those who had completed M.Sc., M. Com., and M.A. had participated, indicating the level of unemployment among graduates in the district.

Mr. Muthumalai says that there are fewer jobs available in the market which pays them a good salary in accordance with their educational qualification.

“Many private companies offer roles which pay a monthly sum of only around ₹ 8,000. With the increasing competition, it is very difficult to get a job that offers a position in relation to the education qualification,” he says.

V. Mahesh*, an M. Sc. graduate, who attended the interview for the post of a night watchman, says that there is no job security available in the private sector.

“Many private organisations hire us only on a temporary basis for a lower salary. There is always this constant fear that we might be asked to resign from our jobs at any time,” he says.

Another candidate, N. Vignesh*, a B.E. graduate, says that the pressure of repayment of education loan is building.

“This forced me to attend the interview,” he says. The main problem is that there is a major mismatch between the number of jobs available in the market and the number of students who graduate every year, says G. Kalyanasundaram, Chair of Madurai Chapter of Young Indians, a wing of the Confederation of Indian Industries.

Adding to these problems, the employability skills of the graduates are also poor, he adds.

One of the ways to tackle this issue would be to promote vocational education among graduates and focus on developing their skill sets, says Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association President B. Muruganantham.

“The skill development agency of the government and its policies must be promoted. Developing the skill sets of graduates will help to create more entrepreneurs, which, in turn, will create more job opportunities,” he says.

(Names of candidates have been changed on request)

Probe ordered into Kerala medical college scam

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,KOCHI

The Kerala High Court has ordered a Crime Branch probe into complaints that the management of the Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College, Karakkonam, cheated several people and collected huge sums by offering admissions.

It was on a batch of petitions from the parents of some students that the court ordered the probe.

Though the police had registered cases against college director Bennett Abraham and CSI moderator Bishop A. Dharmmaraj Rasalam in three police stations, the investigation did not progress as the accused were very influential people, according to the petitioners.

‘Huge amounts taken’

They submitted that the accused, who are the college authorities, took huge amounts from them and others promising to give MBBS admission to their wards in the medical college and cheated them.

When the college authorities failed to give admission, the petitioners demanded their money back. However, it was not returned, they submitted.

The court directed that the cases registered in different police stations be transferred to the agency.

Plus Two results on April 24, says Minister

29/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER

Minister for School Education K.A. Sengottaiyan said on Friday that 3,012 examination centres will be set up across the State for Class X, XI and XII public examinations.

Speaking to mediapersons, he said that the number of centres are more than the previous academic year.

A total of 8,16,359 Class XII students, 9,45,006 Class X students and 8,26,119 Class XI students will appear for the public examinations this year, Mr. Sengottaiyan said.

The results of Class XII public examinations will be announced on April 24, Class X examination results on May 4 and Class XI results on May 14, the Minister said.

Class XII State board exams are scheduled from March 2 to 21, Class XI from March 4 to 26 and Class X examinations from March 27 to April 13.

Mr. Sengottaiyan along with Animal Husbandry Minister Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan inaugurated new facilities in two schools here.

Coimbatore-Trivandrum flight from March 3

29/02/2020,COIMBATORE

Air India Express will launch flight services to  Thiruvananthapuram from Coimbatore from March 3. Flight no. IX 014 will depart from Coimbatore at 10.50 p.m. and reach Thiruvananthapuram at 11.50 p.m. These services will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Software glitch delays salaries for several government employees

Finance Department official says the problem will be resolved soon

29/02/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN, CHENNAI

Several employees working for the Tamil Nadu government were in for a rude shock on Friday, as their salaries were not credited on the last working day of the month due to glitches in migration to a new software.

According to informed sources, glitches in migrating to Integrated Financial and Human Resource Management System (IFHRMS) were the primary reason behind the non-payment of salaries to several hundred employees across the State.

Many of them turned anxious and kept checking their balance in their salary accounts through the day.

Some claimed that the server located in Tiruchi was not capable of handling the load and that the migration to new software was problematic in several districts, except Karur.

But, one source claimed that the delay could also be due to non-submission of documents following investment declaration.

A source indicated that the delay in payment might last at least four days for Secretariat staff in Chennai.

“We have EMIs and house rent to pay. This hasn’t happened in so many years, except during the end of a fiscal year due to closing of accounts.

“This could have been avoided if the government planned well,” a government servant rued.

Threat of penalty

Another employee pointed out that the delay in payment of salaries would only lead to paying penalty for not paying EMIs on time.

“The government has paid a huge sum to a private software company and this is what we get to witness,” he said. Salaries of State government employees are paid on the last working day of the month.

When contacted, a senior official in the Finance Department said the delay was only due to the migration to the new software and it would be “resolved soon.” However, he didn’t commit himself to a date.

High Court quashes transfer of government doctors

Judge also rules that doctors do not have the right to go on strike

29/02/2020, MOHAMED IMRANULLAH S.,CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Friday made it clear that doctors have no right whatsoever to go on strike. Yet, it quashed charge memos and transfer orders issued to select government doctors who had spearheaded a strike last year and held that the government’s action smacked of mala fide intention of exhibiting its might over the employees.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh said that out of 18,000-odd government doctors, the Health Department had chosen to issue charge memos and transfer orders only to 135.

Squarely blaming the government for not having handled the issue properly, the judge said the government should have given top priority to some of the demands, which included pay hike and taken a firm decision.

Pointing out that the doctors were on strike between October 25 and November 1, the judge said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar on October 30 requested the doctors to resume work with a promise that their demands would be considered and an appropriate decision would be taken.

“Immediately, the agitation was called off and the doctors resumed duty on November 1.

“As a model employer, the government ought to have followed up and come out with solutions for the demands made by the government doctors. Instead of resorting to such a positive step, the government decided to show its might against the office-bearers,” he added.

Agreeing with the submissions of advocates C. Kanagaraj, M.R. Jothimanian, K.C. Karl Marx and C.S.K. Satish, who represented a huge batch of government doctors who had challenged their charge memos and transfer orders, Mr. Justice Venkatesh said: “There are not many government servants who will willingly spearhead any agitation.

“They are merely the representatives of the entire body of the government doctors.

They should not be assigned the role of a villain and singled out and dealt with in such a harsh manner,” the judge said and quashed all the charge memos and transfer orders. He directed to post the doctors in their original place of work during the next transfer counselling.

‘Settled issue’

In the same breath, the judge reminded the doctors that no government employee had a right to strike and that the law had been settled well by the Supreme Court in T.K. Rangarajan versus Government of Tamil Nadu (2003) case.

The Supreme Court had gone a step further and held that a strike could not be justified even on moral and equitable grounds.

‘Health must not take a back seat during exams’

Students can be a little anxious, not stressed: expert

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The board examinations are here. At a time when academics gain top priority, food and sleep should not take the back seat. Healthy eating and adequate sleep are must to sail through the board exams, say doctors and nutritionists.

Exam time could be strenuous for many, but it is important to be stress-free. If a student or parent needs help, the State Health Department’s round-the-clock helpline — 104 — can be contacted. Counsellors will help with information on how to prepare for exams, manage fear and anxiety, and parental support, officials said.

“Students should realise that examinations are only a step in one’s life and not the entire life. You can be a little anxious but do not be stressed,” said Lakshmi Vijayakumar, psychiatrist and founder of Sneha. Ensure sleep for six to seven hours, and do not try to study anything new at the last moment.

Parents, she said, should understand that children are already anxious.

Eating healthy is crucial. “The brain needs fuel. So, never skip breakfast or go to the exam hall in an empty stomach,” said Meenakshi Bajaj, dietician, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital.

With viral infectious causing fever, cold and cough this season, she said that students could choose anti-oxidants and immunonutrients, food rich in vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc to build immunity during exams.

Eating out is also a complete no during exams.