How to dodge an exam: Two students fake principal’s death

How to dodge an exam: Two students fake principal’s death 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 17.10.2025

Indore : What do you do when you are not prepared for an exam? Two students at a science college in Indore, MP, spread the word that their principal had passed away. It took a series of calls—made to “condole” her “death”—for the hapless principal to wake up to the situation and take steps. 

Two BCA students of Govt Holkar Science College were booked on Thursday for spreading the false message about principal Anamika Jain. The FIR was registered on Wednesday following a written complaint by Jain. A case was registered under Section 336 (4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for forgery, intending that the document forged shall harm the reputation of any party, police said. 

“The thirdsemester students circulated the fake notice on the college letterhead claiming the college would remain closed on Oct 15 and 16 following the demise of the principal,” Bhanwarkuan police station incharge Rajkumar Yadav said. The letter was circulated on WhatsApp on Oct 14. The entire campus was abuzz with the misinformation. Jain said, “The students have been suspended for 60 days. 

Further action will depend on the outcome of the police investigation and court proceedings. As soon as the matter came to our notice, the administration clarified through the official website and class groups. The students admitted they had circulated the notice to delay the online test conducted every three months

Madras HC refuses to order college to readmit student held in drug case

Madras HC refuses to order college to readmit student held in drug case

The orders were passed recently on a petition filed by P Pradeep, a third year LLB student of the Central Law College, Salem.

He was arrested in a criminal case registered under NDPS Act, 1985, on September 10, 2024, and was released on bail on October 14, 2024.

Express News Service

Updated on:

30 Sep 2025, 8:22 am

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has refused to order a private law college to readmit a student who was dismissed after being arrested in a drug case. However, the court quashed the termination order, as it was passed without issuing notice to the student before taking the decision to dismiss him, and directed the college to initiate fresh proceedings.

The orders were passed recently on a petition filed by P Pradeep, a third year LLB student of the Central Law College, Salem. He was arrested in a criminal case registered under NDPS Act, 1985, on September 10, 2024, and was released on bail on October 14, 2024.

The college administration passed an order on December 2, 2024, dismissing him from the college and sent his transfer certificate and other original certificates to him.

Pradeep filed a plea against the dismissal and contended that he was not issued notice before deciding to dismiss him; and this amounted to violation of principles of natural justice. He prayed for the court to quash the order and direct the college to readmit him.

Justice Kumarappan observed that the principles of natural justice were not followed and so quashed the impugned order. He directed the college to pass a fresh order after following due procedures in four weeks. Until final decision is taken, the petitioner is not entitled to enter the college except for inquiry, the order said.

UGC cracks down on 10 universities

UGC cracks down on 10 universities

Bhopal : 29.09.2025

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has raised serious concern over noncompliance by 10 private universities of Madhya Pradesh regarding mandatory information disclosure. Despite repeated reminders, these private universities have defaulted in submitting details under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956, and in uploading the required public self disclosure information on their official websites.

Issuing the notice on its official portal, UGC stated that as per the guidelines on public self disclosure by higher education institutions, issued on June 10, 2024, every higher education institution must maintain a functional website carrying all relevant institutional details. "These disclosures should be easily accessible on the homepage without login requirements, and equipped with a proper search facility. The norms mandate transparency, enabling students and the general public to verify key information," UGC authorities stated in the notice. 

In addition to website disclosure, universities were directed to submit detailed information in the prescribed proforma along with duly attested supporting documents. This submission was intended for inspection under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956. Institutions were further asked to host the same documents on their respective websites for public access. The UGC noted that despite multiple reminders through e-mails and online meetings, 10 private universities of MP have failed to comply with these directions. The regulator has now circulated a list of defaulting universities, warning them to ensure compliance at the earliest. UGC has reiterated that transparency in higher education is non-negotiable and universities failing to adhere to the norms could face consequences. TNN

Hoardings, ropes at rally site made things worse

Hoardings, ropes at rally site made things worse 

Crowd Included People From Other Districts Too 

V Srivatsal & Deepak Karthik | Tnn 28.09.2025

Karur : Hoardings and ropes on both sides of the Karur Erode highway at the TVK rally site at Veluswamypuram appear to have contributed to the tragedy. “There was no way for people to flee the stampede like situation because both sides of the road were blocked with ropes and hoardings. Some were injured when the hoardings fell on them, but one thing I am sure, those hoardings and ropes were not there when we reached the venue by 4 pm,” S Ramkumar, a survivor from Vadakku Palayam near Karur, told TOI. 

Witnesses said some youths stood atop the roofs of a bakery and offered to help women with children by pulling them to safety. However, the roof collapsed and the situation turned much worse. Men and women who were watching the campaign sitting on two-wheelers were trapped as the crowd surged like a human flood.

 “We could not pull out a middle-aged man; his leg was struck in a two-wheeler. But a two-yearold boy was saved, I hope he made it alive,” said R K Nirmal, a survivor. Survivors said the crowd gathered at the Karur venue were not just locals, there were people from Theni, Madurai, and Virudhunagar districts too. They have come to see their star actor at close quarters. Survivors said the crowd that turned up would have filled a huge open ground. “It was chaos. No one knew where their loved ones were; people had fallen ten deep,” said Abinaya S, who lost her aunt Maheshwari. S Maliga, who lost her husband Shankar Ganesh, said, “I asked him not to attend the campaign, but he did. He has now left us all alone.”

38 KILLED IN STAMPEDE AT VIJAY RALLY

38 KILLED IN STAMPEDE AT VIJAY RALLY 

■ Deceased Include 10 Children

 ■ Murmu, Modi Condole Deaths

 ■ Retd HC Judge to Probe Incident 

News Of Missing Girl Triggered Panic In Crowd: Eyewitnesses Team

TOI Karur/Chennai : At least 38 people, including 10 children and 16 women, were killed in a stampede that took place when TVK chief and actor Vijay was addressing an election rally at Karur on Saturday night. Eighty-one people have been hospitalised. Witnesses gave different versions of what triggered the stampede; many said some disturbance in the crowd started as soon as Vijay opened his speech.The actor was heard appealing to the people and police to calm down. Ashmika, a 9-year-old girl, was missing, the public address system said. 

Vijay appealed to the police to help. He then cut short his speech and left the place. R K Nirmal, a native of Karur working in an IT firm in Chennai, said everything was normal until Vijay came to the campaign venue. “Suddenly, floodlights connected to a generator turned off. One woman started to search for her missing child. People panicked, and then everyone ran helter-skelter,” he said. 

Nirmal said he and a few others managed to evade the frenzy and save a few people. He saw some people trapped and stuck under vehicles. Another rally participant Ramesh V, recalled a moment that triggered panic in the crowd. “When Vijay sang the song criticising V Senthilbalaji as the '10-rupee minister', the crowd erupted. The energy shifted and suddenly the police began using lathis, and people panicked. 

Everyone started pushing forward, including parents holding babies. It was chaos,” he said. Compared to the previous campaigns of the TVK leader, Karur was the most disorganised event. Cadres and fans were standing right beside the campaign vehicle.

In a statement, chief minister M K Stalin announced an inquiry commission headed by retired judge Justice Aruna Jagatheesan to probe the incident.

CM orders ₹10L ex-gratia Stalin also ordered an ex-gratia relief of ₹10 lakh each from the chief minister’s public relief fund to next of kin of the deceased and Rs one lakh to each of the injured. “The loss of priceless lives has shaken the hearts of all of us. I express my deep condolences and sympathies to the families who face an irreparable loss,” Stalin said, ordering all those admitted to the hospital be given the best treatment. 

The chief minister also rushed to the Secretariat at night and took stock of the situation. Vijay had completed his rally in Namakkal district and was supposed to campaign in Karur district on Saturday evening. From morning, his fans and cadres from various parts of the state beyond Karur started assembling at Veluswamypuram, the location permitted by police for the TVK’s rally on Karur-Erode state highway. 

The 2 km stretch from Karur-Trichy highway roundabout to Karur-Erode highway was completely crowded. Many of those gathered were young girls, children and women

Pay-cut: Non-teaching staff of Madras University call off stir

Pay-cut: Non-teaching staff of Madras University call off stir 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

04.08.2025

Chennai : Non-teaching staff of Madras University will convene a meeting on Monday to discuss their future course of action regarding the proposal to cut their salaries. This decision follows the employee associations calling off their protest late on Saturday, the day the syndicate meeting, where the pay cut agenda was scheduled to be discussed, was postponed. 

“Since the syndicate meeting has been moved to next week, we have decided to call off our strike. The Monday meeting will primarily involve discussions between employee associations to ensure that this pay cut agenda is not brought up in the syndicate meeting ever again," said Balakrishnan, president of the Madras University staff association. 

According to the employees, who were on a sit-in protest outside the PRO office on the Madras University Campus, the proposed pay cut would reduce the salaries of employees such as attenders, senior attenders, section officers, assistant and deputy registrars by ₹10,000 to ₹30,000 on average. Their current salary ranges from ₹40,000 to ₹1,30,000 a month. 

“At one point in time, prior to 1989, we received salaries on a par with RBI employees. But on the recommendations of Dr Venugopal and Dr Arumugam committees, our salary structure was revised and fixed on a par with those in the Secretariat,” Balakrishnan pointed out. 

A retired assistant registrar of the varsity lamented, “The govt cannot cite fund shortage to cut down the pay of university workers while maintaining the status quo for those at the Secretariat. Moreover, when the next pay revision is scheduled for 2026, why is the govt bent on moving this agenda in the syndicate all of a sudden? The employees, therefore, are well within their right to protest.”

Clerical error’ turns farmer ‘poorest man in India’; docu goes viral

‘Clerical error’ turns farmer ‘poorest man in India’; docu goes viral 

Satna : A certificate showing a Madhya Pradesh farmer’s annual income as Rs 3 went viral on social media with the internet dubbing him as the “poorest man in India”, prompting the authorities to clarify that it was a “clerical error”. 

A photograph of the income certificate issued to Ramswaroop (45), a resident of Nayagaon village under Kothi tehsil of Satna district, complete with the tehsildar’s signature, surfaced on social media this week. 

The document, issued with the signature of Tehsildar Saurabh Dwivedi on July 22, was circulated widely on social media, with netizens calling Ramswaroop the “poorest man in the country”. Officials soon scrambled into action, and by July 25, a new certificate was issued, boosting the farmer’s reported annual income to Rs 30,000, ie, Rs 2,500 per month. 

The original certificate implied Ramswaroop earned 25 paise a month. “It was a clerical error, which has been corrected. A new income certificate has been issued,” Dwivedi clarified. The Madhya Pradesh Congress went all out to ridicule the blunder, sharing the original certificate on X. “In MP chief minister Mohan Yadav’s rule, we discovered India’s poorest man! Annual income: just Rs 3!” the party said in its post. “Isn’t it shocking? A mission to make people poor? Because now the chair itself eats the commission,” it alleged. PTI

Two-year-old bites cobra, toddler faints, snake dies

Two-year-old bites cobra, toddler faints, snake dies 

27.07.2025

Patna : If little Krishna (Govinda) slayed Kaliya Naag in the Yamuna, two-year-old Govinda bit a cobra to death with his tiny teeth, scripting a surreal parallel, reports Kshitiz. The toddler from a hamlet near Bettiah in Bihar’s West Champaran district fell unconscious after the hair-raising duel on Friday but was saved from the snake’s venom, thanks to quick medical intervention. The incident unfolded when Govinda was playing near his home in Majhaulia area’s Bankatwa village. The ever-curious Govinda, son of one Sunil Sah, spotted the reptile and threw a piece of brick at it in play.

Then, the snake struck back, coiling itself around the child’s hands. But instead of screaming or running, the little boy sank his teeth into the snake’s flesh, biting it so hard that it died on the spot.

2-year-old bites cobra, toddler faints, snake dies

2-year-old bites cobra, toddler faints, snake dies 

Kshitiz@timesgroup.com 27.07.2025

Patna : If little Krishna (Govinda) slayed Kaliya Naag in the Yamuna, two-year-old Govinda bit a cobra to death with his teeth, scripting a surreal parallel. The toddler from a hamlet near Bettiah in Bihar’s West Champaran district fell unconscious after the hair-raising duel on Friday but was saved from the snake’s venom, thanks to quick medical intervention. The eerie parallel between the divine legend and the child’s real-life encounter that left many stunned unfolded when Govinda was playing near his home in Majhaulia area’s Bankatwa village. The ever-curious Govinda, son of one Sunil Sah, spotted the reptile and, perhaps unaware of its lethal nature, threw a piece of brick at it in play. Then, the snake struck back, coiling itself around the child’s hands. But instead of screaming or running, the little boy sank his teeth into the snake’s flesh, biting it so hard that it died on the spot. Recalling the jaw-dropping moment, Govinda’s grandmother Mateshwari Devi said: “When we saw the snake in the child’s hand, everyone rushed towards him, but in the meantime, he already bit the snake.” The bite caused Govinda to faint instantly. He was rushed to a local health centre and then to Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Bettiah where doctors described the case as “highly unusual”. According to the doctors, it appears the cobra died from trauma to the head and mouth inflicted by the child’s bite. By contrast, the venom’s effect on Govinda was relatively mild, enough to knock him unconscious, but not enough to be fatal. “Timely treatment saved Govinda’s life. The child’s condition is currently stable. Our medical team is providing continuous medication and he is under observation,” said GMCH doctor Saurabh Kumar. Bankatwa village is under observation, too, from far and wide. Little Govinda has catapulted the sleepy hamlet into the spotlight, evoking amazement and admiration in equal measure with his daredevil fight and survival.

Dead scorpion found in halwa in Tirunelveli

Dead scorpion found in halwa in Tirunelveli 

THE HINDU BUREAU TIRUNELVELI 17.07.2025

The Food Safety Department officials inspected a leading sweet stall and its kitchen here on Wednesday after dead scorpion was allegedly found in the halwa sold to a customer.

Suganthan of Keezha Azhagunatchiyaarpuram near Sankarankovil bought 1.50 kg halwa in five packets from a leading halwa shop in Tirunelveli Junction on last Sunday (July 13).

He reportedly found a dead scorpion in the delicacy in one of the packets when he opened it after reaching home. He released the video showing the dead venomous stinger in halwa with the voice accusing the shop for allegedly not showing due attention in preparing and packing the sweet.

“Since the shop has sold halwa with venomous scorpion, I’m planning to approach the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum,” the voice says.

After this disturbing visual was shared on social media, officials attached to the Department of Food Safety inspected the shop and the kitchen where halwa is prepared.

“We’ve served notice to the halwa shop and shared the visuals with the owner of the shop seeking his clarification on this issue. Based on our findings, we’ve asked the shop owner to take a few measures to ensure better housekeeping like fixing mesh in the windows and other holes in the kitchen through which the insects can enter. We’ve also lifted samples from the kitchen and sent for analysis. Based on the analysis report and our findings in the shop, due action will follow,” Designated Food Safety Officer, Tirunelveli, Pushparaj, said.

The halwa shop workers categorically denied that there was no chance for a scorpion getting packed along with halwa.

“We maintain superior cleanliness in the kitchen at any given time. Since halwa would be very hot when it is packed, it would even burn your skin if a small portion accidentally falls on you. So, no insect will come even closer to the hot pan. As we suspect a foul play in this issue, we’re planning to file a complaint with the police since this incident should not tarnish our credibility,” said sources in the shop.

7.5 லட்சம் மூத்த குடிமக்களின் வீடு தேடிச் சென்ற ரேஷன் பொருள்கள்!

7.5 லட்சம் மூத்த குடிமக்களின் வீடு தேடிச் சென்ற ரேஷன் பொருள்கள்! 

வீடுகள் பூட்டப்பட்டிருந்ததால் பயன் பெறாத 2.25 லட்சம் போ் 

தமிழகம் முழுவதும் இதுவரை 7.5 லட்சம் மூத்த குடிமக்களின் வீடுகளுக்கு ரேஷன் பொருள்கள் நேரடியாக அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

கே.பாலசுப்பிரமணியன் Updated on:  11 ஜூலை 2025, 4:04 am 

தமிழகம் முழுவதும் இதுவரை 7.5 லட்சம் மூத்த குடிமக்களின் வீடுகளுக்கு ரேஷன் பொருள்கள் நேரடியாக அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. 2.25 லட்சம் குடும்ப அட்டைதாரா்களின் வீடுகள் பூட்டப்பட்டதால் அவா்களுக்கு பொருள்கள் வழங்க இயலவில்லை என கூட்டுறவு மற்றும் உணவுப் பொருள் வழங்கல் துறை அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனா்.

மாநிலத்தில் 34,814 நியாயவிலைக் கடைகள் மூலம் 2 கோடியே 26 லட்சத்து 68 ஆயிரத்து 771 குடும்ப அட்டைதாரா்களுக்கு பொருள்கள் வழங்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. குடும்ப அட்டைதாரா்களுக்கு வீடு தேடிச் சென்று பொருள்களை வழங்கும் திட்டம் செயல்படுத்தப்படும் என்று தமிழ்நாடு அரசு அறிவித்திருந்தது. இந்த அறிவிப்பை நடைமுறைக்குக் கொண்டுவரும் வகையில், அந்தத் திட்டம் செயல்பாட்டில் உள்ள ஆந்திரம், தெலங்கானா ஆகிய மாநிலங்களுக்கு தமிழக உணவுத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் சென்று ஆய்வு செய்தனா்.

இதன்பிறகு, தமிழ்நாட்டில் திட்டத்தைச் செயல்படுத்துவதற்கான சாத்தியக்கூறுகளை மாநில அரசு ஆய்வு செய்தது. அதன்படி, 70 வயதைத் தாண்டிய 15 லட்சம் குடும்ப அட்டைதாரா்களின் இல்லங்களுக்கு நேரில் சென்று பொருள்களை வழங்க முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டது. சோதனை அடிப்படையில் திட்டத்தைச் செயல்படுத்த சென்னை, திருநெல்வேலி, சிவகங்கை, திண்டுக்கல், ராணிப்பேட்டை, ஈரோடு, தருமபுரி,

நாகப்பட்டினம், நீலகிரி, கடலூா் ஆகிய மாவட்டங்களில் தலா 2 வட்டங்கள் தோ்வு செய்யப்பட்டன.

 இந்தப் பகுதிகளில் வசிக்கும் 70 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட மூத்த குடிமக்களின் வீடுகளுக்கு கடந்த 1-ஆம் தேதிமுதல் ரேஷன் பொருள்கள் நேரடியாக வழங்கப்பட்டன.

7.5 லட்சம் போ் பயன்: 70 வயதைக் கடந்த 15 லட்சம் மூத்த குடிமக்களில், 7.5 லட்சம் பேரின் வீடுகளுக்கு நேரடியாகச் சென்று ரேஷன் பொருள்கள் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. 

அதாவது, 50 சதவீத மூத்த குடிமக்கள் குடும்பங்களுக்கு நேரில் பொருள்கள் அளிக்கப்பட்டதாக கூட்டுறவுத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனா்.

சோதனை அடிப்படையிலான முயற்சி நிறைவடைந்த நிலையில், திட்டம் முழுமையாக நடைமுறைக்கு வரும்போது மாதந்தோறும் 80 சதவீதத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட குடும்ப அட்டைதாரா்களுக்கு பொருள்களை நேரில் வழங்க முடியும் என கூட்டுறவு மற்றும் உணவுப் பொருள் வழங்கல் துறை அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனா்.

இதுகுறித்து அவா்கள் மேலும் கூறுகையில், ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட எண்ணிக்கையிலான மூத்த குடிமக்களின் முகவரி நியாயவிலைக் கடை பணியாளா்களால் எடுத்துக் கொள்ளப்பட்டது. ஒரு பகுதியில் 80 வீடுகள் வரை இருந்தால், அந்தப் பகுதியில் 50 சதவீதம், அதாவது 40 வீடுகளில் வசிப்போருக்கு மட்டுமே பொருள்களை வழங்க முடிந்தது. 

15 சதவீதத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்டோா், அதாவது 2.25 லட்சம் பேரின் வீடுகள் பூட்டப்பட்டு இருந்தன. மேலும், 2.5 சதவீதம் முதல் 3 சதவீதம் வரையிலான அட்டைதாரா்கள் இறந்துவிட்டதால் பொருள்களை வழங்க முடியவில்லை.

சென்னை போன்ற பெருநகரங்களில் இதுபோன்ற சவால்களை நியாயவிலைக் கடை பணியாளா்கள் சந்தித்தனா். திட்டத்தை முதல்வா் மு.க.ஸ்டாலின் தொடங்கி வைத்த பிறகு, முழுமையான அளவில் பயனாளிகளுக்கு பொருள்களைக் கொண்டு சோ்க்க முடியும் என்று கூட்டுறவு மற்றும் உணவுப் பொருள் வழங்கல் துறை அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனா்.

மாதத்தில் ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட நாளில் வழங்க முடிவு

தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் மூத்த குடிமக்களுக்கு மாதத்தின் ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட நாளைத் தோ்வு செய்து அன்றைய தினம் பொருள்களை நேரில் வழங்க முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கான திட்டம் வகுக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. அதாவது, கடந்த ஆண்டில் ஒவ்வொரு மாதமும் எந்தத் தேதியில் மூத்த குடிமக்கள் அதிக அளவு பொருள்களை வாங்கியிருக்கிறாா்கள் என்ற தரவுகளை கூட்டுறவு மற்றும் உணவுப் பொருள் வழங்கல் துறை அதிகாரிகள் சேகரித்து வருகின்றனா்.

மாதத்தின் இரண்டாவது சனிக்கிழமை போன்ற கிழமைகளைத் தோ்வு செய்து அன்றைய தினம் தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் பொருள்களை வழங்கலாமா என்றும் அரசு ஆலோசித்து வருகிறது.

மாநிலத்தில் பயனாளிகள் விவரம்: (கிராபிக்ஸாகப் பயன்படுத்தலாம்)

மொத்த மாவட்டங்கள்: 39

நியாயவிலைக் கடைகள்: 34,814

குடும்ப அட்டைகள்: 2 கோடியே 26 லட்சத்து 68 ஆயிரத்து 771

பயனாளிகள்: 7 கோடியே 55 ஆயிரத்து 863

ஆதாா் பதிவுகள்: 6 கோடியே 96 லட்சத்து 46 ஆயிரத்து 224

கைப்பேசி எண் பதிவு: 2 கோடியே 26 லட்சத்து 67 ஆயிரத்து 318

Bharathidasan varsity staring at financial crisis

Bharathidasan varsity staring at financial crisis

Bharathidasan University’s revenue comes mainly from fees from students and colleges and its corpus fund. FILE PHOTO

The university requires ₹6.5 crore to ₹8 crore every month for meeting its salary obligations and with expenditure rising, dwindling resources have become a source of worry for the management

C. Jaisankar

TIRUCHI  30.05.2025

The proposed plan of bifurcating the Bharathidasan University is set to increase its financial strain.

As per the proposal mooted by the Department of Higher Education, a new university, named after former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, will be established by bifurcating the Bharathidasan University.

The Bharathidasan University, headquartered in Tiruchi, at present, has jurisdiction over all arts and science colleges in Tiruchi, Karur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam districts. It has about 158 institutions under its purview.

It includes 119 non autonomous colleges and institutions. Of them, the colleges in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Ariyalur and Nagapattinam are expected to be brought under the jurisdiction of the Kalaignar University. Minister for Higher Education Govi Chezhiaan had said that the new university would be headquartered at Kumbakonam.

The Bharathidasan University has a sanctioned strength of about 263 faculty members for four faculties, 16 schools, 39 departments, and 29 specialised centres in addition to the non-teaching faculty members. It depends mainly on the revenue generated through collecting affiliation fee from colleges, course affiliation fee, new programmes fee, student enrolment fee, examination fee, revenue generated from the students of distance education, and its corpus fund. According to sources, the university is struggling to meet its financial obligations, including salaries for the teaching and non-teaching staff members because of steady decline in revenue sources. It is attributed to various factors, including issues involving the running of distance education centres and the drying up of State funding.

It requires ₹6.5 crore to ₹8 crore every month for meeting its salary obligations to its both teaching and non-teaching faculties. The dwindling resources trouble the university officials to pay the salary. It will increase the burden once the Kalaignar University comes into being.

It is expected that the university will face nearly 50% drop in revenue from its affiliated institutions and colleges as the colleges that are expected to be part of the Kalaignar University will stop paying to the Bharathidasan University.

A senior official of the Bharathidasan University told The Hindu that there was no issue as of now in meeting its expenditure and it was being managed well.

The modalities of managing the resources would be known only after further proceedings of the proposed establishment of the new university.

SC asks Bengal govt to deposit 25% of DA arrears State Has Sufficient Funds: Court

SC asks Bengal govt to deposit 25% of DA arrears State Has Sufficient Funds: Court

TNN & A GENCIES  17.05.2025

Kolkata : Supreme Court on Friday asked Bengal govt to deposit with it 25% of the arrears in dearness allowance of employees and pensioners. 

The bench of justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta ordered the state to comply with its directive within three months. With the state repeatedly citing lack of “paying capacity”, the bench remarked that Bengal had sufficient funds and should not find this burdensome.

During the hearing, Bengal govt admitted that its liability towards DA arrears stood at Rs 41,770.95 crore. The figure accounts for dues from Jan 1, 2006, to March 31, 2008, and from April 1, 2008, to Dec 31, 2015, and includes amounts payable to state govt employees, pensioners and grant-inaid staff. 

Accordingly, the bench directed that 25% — Rs 10,442.73 crore — of the amount payable be deposited. DA liability after Dec 31, 2015, is yet to be determined. Compliance with this direction is a precondition for the matter to be listed in Aug 2025 for final hearing, the bench stated. 

In May 2022, Calcutta HC had told the state to clear DA arrears, holding that DA was the legitimate right of state govt employees and not a “gift of charity”. Challenging this, Bengal govt moved SC in Nov 2022. In Dec last year, state govt announced an additional 4% DA for its employees. As the matter came up for hearing on Friday, SC first indicated that it was not inclined to interfere with the HC judgment, observing orally that there appeared to be no merit in the challenge raised by Bengal govt.

However, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing state govt, argued that the HC order was erroneous and the state’s contentions should be heard. Initially, SC had proposed a 50% deposit, but upon repeated submissions by Singhvi on the  state’s financial hardship, the amount was reduced to 25%. 

Bengal had adopted the recommendations of the 5th Pay Commission under the ROPA Rules, 2009, to pay DA. However, challenges have been repeatedly made in courts claiming that the state had persistently disbursed DA at lower rates and with retrospective delays, without presenting any alternate calculation methodology or justification. 

While Centre maintains a biannual DA revision, the state discontinued this practice after 2010.

Rail passenger suffers head injury as middle berth collapses on her

Rail passenger suffers head injury  as middle berth collapses on her

The middle berth that collapsed on a woman passenger on Train No. 22651 Chennai-Palakkad Express.

S. Vijay Kumar

CHENNAI  13.05.2025

A woman passenger suffered a head injury after the middle berth of a sleeper class coach fell while she was asleep. The incident happened on Train No. 22651 Chennai-Palakkad Express shortly after it crossed Jolarpet early on Monday. The victim’s husband alleged that first aid was not provided by the railway authorities for more than an hour until the train reached Salem where an ambulance was arranged.

According to railway sources, Suria Murugan, 39, of Chennai, was sleeping on berth no. 1 (lower berth) when the unoccupied middle berth suddenly fell on her around 1.15 a.m. Other passengers alerted her husband Jyothi Jayashankar who was sleeping in another coach. On seeing Ms. Suria bleeding with a head injury, he sought medical assistance from the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) and other railway employees on the train. “There was no first aid kit in the train. They did not even provide a cotton roll. The TTE said we could get down at the next stop [Morappur] and seek help there. But what can we do at an unknown place in the middle of the night? My wife managed to control the bleeding with a piece of cloth and we travelled for almost an hour-and-a-half so far as Salem,” Mr. Jayashankar told The Hindu.

Taken to hospital

On arrival at Salem around 2.40 a.m., the ambulance paramedics did basic dressing and shifted Ms. Suria to the Government Hospital. “We later took an autorickshaw and went to a private hospital. My wife had a deep cut on the forehead and underwent sutures. There was no assistance from the Railways. It is shocking that a train with about 1,000 passengers does not have even paramedics or a first aid box,” he said.

Railway sources said the chain and locking mechanism of the middle berth was found to be normal when inspected at Dindigul Junction. The coach was allowed to run through the service without any change.

Southern Railway spokesperson M. Senthamil Selvan said the “berth may have fallen owing to improper locking of the berth hook by the passenger”. The coach was 19 years old and fit for operation. A total of 154 ICF-designed rakes were operational in the zone, and a complete migration to LHB rakes would happen in three years, he said.

On Monday evening, the Chief Public Relations Officer said medical assistance was promptly arranged by the commercial and medical control staff, but the passenger refused to disembark at Morappur. “The unfortunate incident appears to have occurred owing to the passenger’s improper handling of the chain link, which is the designated locking mechanism for the middle berth,” the CPRO said.

Cuddalore Government hospital nurses protest for fair night shift rotation

Cuddalore Government hospital nurses protest for fair night shift rotation

Sources said over 250 nurses are employed at the hospital, but around 40 of them were being assigned night duty disproportionately.

Government Medical College and Hospital, Cuddalore District, building.Photo | Special Arrangement via website

Express News Service

Updated on:

10 Apr 2025, 11:05 am

CUDDALORE: A group of nurses at the District Government Medical College Hospital in Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, staged a protest on Wednesday demanding a fair rotation of night shift duties.

Sources said over 250 nurses are employed at the hospital, but around 40 of them were being assigned night duty disproportionately. Citing mental stress from repeated night shifts, the affected nurses launched a sit-in protest inside the hospital premises on Wednesday morning.

The protest drew support from Pandian and John, president and secretary of the hospital’s government employees’ union, JACTO-GEO coordinator Professor Balamurugan, and other staff members.

The demonstration led to brief commotion at the hospital. College dean Dr C Thirupathi, hospital superintendent Dr Junior Sundaresh, and other senior doctors engaged with the nurses in dialogue.

Hospital authorities assured the protesters that night duty assignments would be distributed more evenly going forward. Following this, the nurses called off their protest by afternoon and resumed their duties.

Peon, an MA in Eng, checks Hindi answer sheets at college in MP

Peon, an MA in Eng, checks Hindi answer sheets at college in MP

Amarjeet.Singh@timesofindia.com 10.04.2025

Bhopal : Twice ‘outsourced’, the evaluation of answer sheets at a govt college in Madhya Pradesh’s Narmadapuram district allegedly ended up in the hands of a peon, triggering a scandal that led to the sacking of three staffers and suspension of the principal and a professor.

The peon, who has a master’s degree in English, evaluated the Hindi paper. The multi-stage blunder happened at Shaheed Bhagat Singh PG College in Piparia a few months ago and would have gone unnoticed but for a video that surfaced recently. 

The 20-second clip shows the peon checking answer sheets with all seriousness, making tick marks and jotting down marks. After the video swirled around on social media, local MLA Thakur Das Nagwanshi raised the issue in assembly. 

The higher education department set up a probe committee, which submitted its report on April 3. The very next day, principal Rakesh Kumar Verma and the nodal officer for evalua tion, professor Ramghulam Patel, were suspended. Verma alleged that he was being targeted by local politicians. The committee found a shocking casualness in the approach to exam evaluation. In its report, the panel stated that guest lecturer Khusboo Pagare, who teaches Hindi, has admitted in a written statement that she got the answer sheets evaluated by someone else as she was unwell. 

According to committee, Pagare paid ₹7,000 to ‘booklifter’ at the college, Rakesh Kumar Mehar, to evaluate the answer sheets. Mehar, in turn, handed it to peon Pannalal Patharia and gave him ₹5,000, pocketing ₹2,000, said the suspension order of the principal and nodal officer. Pagare, Mehar and Patharia were terminated.

WENT VIRAL: The multi-stage blunder happened at Shaheed Bhagat Singh PG College in Piparia a few months ago and would have gone unnoticed but for a video that surfaced recently

தேவை... திறன்களை மதிப்பிடும் முறை!

தேவை... திறன்களை மதிப்பிடும் முறை! 

]இன்றைய அவசர உலகில் மாணவா்கள் பல்வேறு திசைதிருப்பல்களுக்கு மத்தியில் தோ்வுக்கு தயாராவது என்பது கடினமே.

ENS Din Updated on: 08 ஏப்ரல் 2025, 2:48 am 

முனைவா் என்.மாதவன்

கேரள மாநிலத்தின் கல்வித் துறை அண்மையில் ஒரு சுற்றறிக்கை வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. அதன்படி, எட்டாம் வகுப்பு பயிலும் மாணவா்களில் இறுதித் தோ்வில் 30 சதவீத மதிப்பெண்களுக்குக் குறைவாக எடுப்பவா்கள், குறிப்பிட்ட கால அளவு சிறப்பு பயிற்சி எடுத்துக் கொண்டு மீண்டும் தோ்வெழுத வேண்டும். அவ்வாறு தோ்வெழுதி தோ்ச்சி பெறுவோா் மட்டும் அடுத்த வகுப்புக்கு அனுப்பப்படுவா்.

அப்படியும் 30 சதவீத மதிப்பெண் எடுக்க இயலாதோா் எட்டாம் வகுப்பிலேயே மீண்டும் பயில வேண்டும். இதற்கான கால அட்டவணையையும் வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. அதன்படி ஏப்ரல் 8 முதல் 24 வரை மாணவா்களுக்கு சிறப்பு பயிற்சி அளிக்கப்படும். ஏப்ரல் 25 முதல் 28 வரை தோ்வுகள் நடைபெறும்.

ஏப்ரல் 30 - ஆம் தேதி தோ்வு முடிவுகள் வெளியாகும். ‘ஓராண்டைச் சேமியுங்கள்’ ( சேவ் ஏ இயா்) என்ற தலைப்பில் இந்த திட்டம் அமல்படுத்தப்பட உள்ளது. கேரளத்தில் செயல்படும் 3,136 பள்ளிகளில் பயிலும் மாணவா்களில் தோ்ச்சி அடைய இயலாதோா் இந்தத் தோ்வை அணுக உள்ளனா்.

நல்வாய்ப்பாக ஹிந்தி பாடத்தில் 13 சதவீத மாணவா்களும், ஆங்கில பாடத்தில் 8 சதவீத மாணவா்களும் இந்தத் திட்டத்தின்படி தோ்வை அணுக உள்ளதாக செய்திகள் வெளியாகியுள்ளன. அடுத்தடுத்த ஆண்டுகளில் 9 மற்றும் 10 - ஆம் வகுப்புகளுக்கு இந்த முறை நீட்டிக்கப்பட உள்ளது. தமிழகத்திலும் 10 மற்றும் 12 ஆம் வகுப்புகளுக்கு இதுபோன்ற உடனடித் தோ்வு நடத்தப்படுவதும் நாம் அறிந்ததே.

மேலெழுந்த வாரியாகப் பாா்க்கும்போது இது ஒரு சரியான சீா்திருத்தம் போலவே தோன்றும். உண்மையில் மாணவா்கள் குறிப்பிட்ட கற்றலடைவைப் பெற்றுத்தான் அடுத்த வகுப்புக்குச் செல்ல வேண்டும் என்பதில் யாருக்கும் மாற்றுக் கருத்து இருக்கப் போவதில்லை. ஆனால், அதே நேரம் குறிப்பிட்ட காலத்துக்குள் பயிற்சி பெற்று மீண்டும் தோ்வை எதிா்கொள்வது உடனடிப் பலனை விளைவிக்குமா என்ற கேள்வி எழுவது தவிா்க்க இயலாததே. இது எந்த அளவுக்கு அந்த குழந்தைகள் மத்தியில் மன அழுத்தத்தையும், தாழ்வு மனப்பான்மையையும் ஏற்படுத்தும் என்பதையும் கணக்கில் கொள்ள வேண்டும். கற்பித்தல் முறைகள், பாடநூல், கலைத்திட்டம் போன்றவற்றில் சீா்திருத்தங்களை மேற்கொள்வதுபோல் மதிப்பீட்டு முறைகளில் சீா்திருத்தங்களை மேற்கொள்வது அவ்வளவு எளிதல்ல. இந்தியாவில் இதற்கான நீண்ட நெடிய வரலாறு உள்ளது.

பேராசிரியா் யஷ்பால் தலைமையில் அமைக்கப்பட்ட ”சுமையற்ற கற்றல் குழுவில் தொடங்கி, தேசிய கலைத்திட்டம் -2005 வரை பல ஆரோக்கியமான பரிந்துரைகள் அளிக்கப்பட்டன. இதன் அடிப்படையில் தொடா் மற்றும் முழு மதிப்பீட்டு முறை அமல்படுத்தப்பட்டது. மாணவா்களின் கற்றல் அடைவுகளை வெறும் எழுத்துத் தோ்வு மதிப்பெண்களை மட்டும் வைத்து மதிப்பிடாமல், அவருடைய இன்ன பிற திறன்களையும் கணக்கில் கொண்டு அவா்களுக்கான மதிப்பீட்டு முறை நடைபெற வேண்டும் என்பதை இந்த முறை வலியுறுத்தியது.

மத்திய அரசின் கல்வி வாரியத்தால் முதன்முதலாக 2010 வாக்கில் இந்தியாவின் சிபிஎஸ்இ பள்ளிகளில் நடைமுறைப்படுத்தப்பட்டது. பின்னா் படிப்படியாக தமிழகம் உள்ளிட்ட பிற மாநிலங்களில் உள்ள பள்ளிகளிலும் இந்த முறை மிகவும் அற்புதமான முறையில் நடைமுறைப்படுத்தப்பட்டது. இந்த முறை அமலாகும்போதும், பல்வேறு விமா்சனங்கள் எழாமல் இல்லை. இந்த மதிப்பீட்டு முறைக்காக சிறப்புப் பயிற்சிகள் அளிக்கப்பட்டு, அதற்கான படிவங்கள் கொடுக்கப்பட்டு, இன்றுவரை பல்வேறு பள்ளிகளிலும் சிறப்பாக நடைமுறைப்படுத்தப்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது.

இன்றைய அவசர உலகில் மாணவா்கள் பல்வேறு திசைதிருப்பல்களுக்கு மத்தியில் தோ்வுக்கு தயாராவது என்பது கடினமே. இதில் பள்ளிக்கு இணையாக குடும்பமும் சமூகமும் பங்களிப்பு செய்ய முன்வர வேண்டும். வகுப்பறையும் ஆசிரியரும் மட்டும் அவா்களைத் தொடா்ந்து மதிப்பீடு செய்வது என்பதும் சிறப்பான விளைவை அளிக்காது. பள்ளியில் வெறும் 5 மணி நேரம் இருக்கக் கூடிய மாணவா்கள் ஏனைய நேரங்களில் வீட்டிலும் பின்ன பிற சமூக தளங்களிலும் இயங்குகின்றனா். இந்நிலையில் மாணவா்களின் வெற்றியைக் கூட்டம் கூடிக் கொண்டாடுவதுபோல, தோல்விக்கும் பெற்றோரும், சமூகமும் கூட்டாகப் பொறுப்பேற்க முன்வரவேண்டும்.

பொதுவாக இளங்கலை, முதுநிலைக் கல்வி பயில்வோரில் இரண்டாவது ஆண்டைப் பயில்வோா்கூட, முதல் ஆண்டின் பாடங்களில் தோ்ச்சியடையாதவற்றைக் கொண்டிருப்பா். அவா்களிடம் என்ன படிக்கிறீா்கள் என்று கேட்டால் இளங்கலை இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு, முதுநிலை இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு என்பாா்கள். ஆனால், அவா்களிடம் யாரும் எந்த எந்தெந்த ஆண்டுகளில் எத்தனை பாடங்களை முடித்தீா்கள் என்று கேட்கமாட்டோம். பெரியோா்களுக்கு அளிக்கப்பட்டுவரும் இந்த சலுகை போன்றே குழந்தைகளுக்கும் அளிக்கப்படவேண்டும். குறிப்பாக, மாணவா்கள் கற்றலில் எந்தெந்த திறன்களில் மேம்பாடு அடையவேண்டும் என்ற குறிப்போடு அடுத்த வகுப்புக்கு அனுப்பப்பட வேண்டும். அடுத்த வகுப்பின் ஆசிரியா், அந்த குறிப்பைப் பயன்படுத்தி அந்த குறிப்பிட்ட திறன்களை அந்த மாணவா் அடைய சிறப்புப் பயிற்சிகளை அளிக்கலாம். இந்தக் குறிப்புகள் பெற்றோா்களிடம் பரிமாறப்பட்டு அவா்களது பங்களிப்பையும் ஆண்டின் தொடக்கம் முதலே உறுதிப்படுத்தலாம்.

இவ்வாறான அணுகுமுறைக்குப் பதிலாக, இதுபோன்ற அதிரடிச் செயல்பாடுகள் விளம்பரத்துக்கு வேண்டுமானால் உதவலாமே தவிர, மாணவா்களின் செயல்திறனைக் கூட்டாது. கேரளத்தின் கல்விசாா்ந்த இந்தச் செயல்பாடு , எப்படிப்பட்ட படிப்பினைகளை அளிக்கப் போகிறது என்பதைக் காலம்தான் தீா்மானிக்கவேண்டும்.

New train between Rameswaram, Tambaram

New train between Rameswaram, Tambaram 

04.04.2025

Board, on Wednesday, approved Southern Railway’s proposal for the introduction of a daily train between Tambaram and Rameswaram. The train, which will travel through the mainline connecting delta districts, is likely to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. In a letter, Railway Board said Train No. 16103 Tambaram – Rameswaram Express will leave Tambaram at 6.05pm every day and reach Rameswaram at 5.45 am the next day. Train No. 16104 Rameswaram – Tambaram Express will leave Rameswaram at 5.35pm every day and reach Tambaram at 3.10am the next day. 

The train will have stoppages at Chengalpet, Villupuram, Tirupadiripuliyur, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur, Tiruturaipoondi, Pattukottai, Arantangi, Karaikudi, Sivaganga, Manamadurai, Paramakudi, and Ramanathapuram. It will have LHB (LinkeHoffman Busch) coaches with one 2-tier AC coach, five 3-tier AC coaches, six sleeper coaches, four general coaches, one luggage-cum-generator coach, and one guard and differently abled (divyaang) coach. 

These trains will run on electric traction from Tambaram to Tiruvarur and diesel traction from Tiruvarur to Rameswaram and vice versa. TNN

Bharathidasan University yet to get a V-C

Bharathidasan University yet to get a V-C

Commissioner of Collegiate Education E. Sundaravalli is heading the panel in Bharathidasan University as well as Madurai Kamaraj University

C. Jaisankar

TIRUCHI  28.03.2025

The delay in appointing the new Vice-Chancellor for Bharathidasan University, one of the largest universities in the State in terms of its jurisdiction and the number of affiliated colleges, has caused concern in academic circles.

M. Selvam, who was the Vice Chancellor of the university for four years that included one year of extension, demitted office on February 5.

A three-member VC Convenor Committee was subsequently constituted to perform the duties of the Vice-Chancellor of Bharathidasan University. The Committee is empowered to discharge manyduties of the Vice-Chancellor until an appointment is made to the post.

Commissioner of Collegiate Education E. Sundaravalli is the Convener of the Committee. Syndicate members R. Sakthi Krishnan and V. Rajesh Kannan are the other two members of it. A

ll important files related to the day-to-day administration of the university are referred to them. Ms. Sundaravalli, who functions from Chennai, has to handle all files of the university in addition to her regular role as the Commissioner of Collegiate Education. Moreover, she is also the Convener of the VC Convenor Committee of Madurai Kamaraj University because of the vacancy of its VC.

According to sources, though Ms. Sundaravalli visits Tiruchi occasionally to oversee the supervision of the university, the officials have to make frequent visits to Chennai to get the files cleared as she has to handle her regular works too.

The jurisdiction of the Bharathidasan University extends from Tiruchi to Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. It has about 153 affiliated colleges. In addition to them, it has to handle all academic and non-academic activities of 38 departments.

A faculty member said that the VC search committee would normally be constituted months prior to the end of tenureof Vice Chancellor. However, even eight weeks after Mr. Selvam demitted office, the VC search committee has not been constituted yet. Going by the strong discord between Governor R.N. Ravi and the State government on including a UGC nominee in the search committees, it was observed that it would take time for the constitution of VC search committee to receive applications from the aspiring candidates for the post of Vice-Chancellor.

Madurai teacher selected for TN 'Best Chemistry Teacher Award'

Madurai teacher selected for TN 'Best Chemistry Teacher Award'

Meenakshi, who has also been working as a NEET coordinator for Chemistry in the district for the past five years, said he never teaches only the subject.

N Meenakshi Sundaram has beeen selected to receive Best Teacher Award for Chemistry subject during the science Day Festival 2025 on Wednesday. (Photo | K. K. Sundar, EPS)

Express News Service

Updated on:

26 Mar 2025, 9:29 am

MADURAI: N Meenakshi Sundaram, a Chemistry teacher working at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Othakadai, was selected for the state's 'Best Teacher Award'. The award will be presented during the Science Day Festival, 2025, organised by the Department of Higher Education, at Science City on Wednesday.

Meenakshi (58), who started his career as a Chemistry teacher in a private school in 1989, later joined a government school in 2010. Earlier, he had bagged the state-level Dr Radha Krishnan Award for the year 2022-23.

Explaining the selection criteria of the award, Meenakshi told TNIE that three rounds of interviews were conducted. After the first round, 29 teachers were shortlisted, and they were asked to appear for a written exam, followed by a personal interview.

Meenakshi, who has also been working as a NEET coordinator for Chemistry in the district for the past five years, said he never teaches only the subject. "I always make efforts to help my students develop interest in the subjects," he added.

It may be noted that the Department of Higher Education's Science city honours the best teachers from government, government aided and private schools across the state, who have excelled in Science subjects, every year.