மதுரை ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவு காரணமாக மருத்துவ கலந்தாய்வு தரவரிசை பட்டியல் மீண்டும் வெளியிடப்படுமா?





தமிழகத்தில் தேசிய தகுதி மற்றும் நுழைவு (நீட்) தேர்வு மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையில் தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவசேர்க்கை நடைபெற்று வருகிறது.

பதிவு: ஜூலை 11, 2018 06:09 AM
சென்னை,

மதுரை ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவு காரணமாக தமிழகத்தில் மீண்டும் மருத்துவ தரவரிசை பட்டியல் வெளியிடப்படுமா? என்று தமிழக அரசு அதிகாரியை கேட்டதற்கு சி.பி.எஸ்.இ.யின் அடுத்த கட்ட நடவடிக்கையை பொருத்துதான் எதுவும் கூறமுடியும் என்று தெரிவித்தார்.

தமிழகத்தில் தேசிய தகுதி மற்றும் நுழைவு (நீட்) தேர்வு மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையில் தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவசேர்க்கை நடைபெற்று வருகிறது. விண்ணப்பித்த மாணவர்களுக்கு தரவரிசை பட்டியல் வெளியிடப்பட்டு மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு கடந்த 1-ந்தேதி சென்னை ஓமந்தூரார் தோட்டத்தில் உள்ள அரசு பல்நோக்கு உயர் சிறப்பு மருத்துவமனையில் கலந்தாய்வு நடைபெற்றது. அதைத்தொடர்ந்து அதே இடத்தில் மருத்துவ பொது கலந்தாய்வு கடந்த 2-ந்தேதி முதல் 7-ந்தேதி வரை நடைபெற்றது.

அரசு கல்லூரிகளில் உள்ள 2 ஆயிரத்து 447 இடங்கள், ராஜா முத்தையா கல்லூரியில் உள்ள 127 இடங்கள், இ.எஸ்.ஐ. மருத்துவக்கல்லூரியில் உள்ள 65 இடங்கள், சுயநிதி கல்லூரிகளில் உள்ள 862 அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்கள் என மொத்தம் உள்ள 3 ஆயிரத்து 501 அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்கள் முதற்கட்ட கலந்தாய்வில் நிரப்பப்பட்டு இருக்கின்றன.

முதற்கட்ட கலந்தாய்வில் நிரப்பப்படாத அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களையும், அதேபோல் அகில இந்திய மருத்துவ படிப்புக்கு ஒதுக்கப்பட்ட இடங்களில் நிரப்பப்படாத இடங்களையும் நிரப்புவதற்கு 2-ம் கட்ட கலந்தாய்வு நடத்தப்பட இருப்பதாக அதிகாரிகள் தரப்பில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

அகில இந்திய மருத்துவ படிப்பு கலந்தாய்வு வருகிற 23-ந்தேதி நிறைவடைய இருக்கிறது. அதன்பிறகு 2-ம் கட்ட கலந்தாய்வு நடைபெறும் என்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

சுயநிதி கல்லூரிகளில் 723 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., 645 பி.டி.எஸ். நிர்வாக ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்கள் இருக்கின்றன. இந்த நிர்வாக ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களுக்கான கலந்தாய்வு வருகிற 16-ந்தேதி தொடங்கி 18-ந்தேதி வரை 3 நாட்கள் நடைபெறும் என்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

இந்த நிலையில் நீட் தேர்வில் தமிழில் தேர்வு எழுதிய மாணவர்களுக்கு வினாத்தாளில் பிழைகள் இருந்தன என்றும், அதன் காரணமாக அவர்களுக்கு 196 மதிப்பெண் கூடுதலாக வழங்கவேண்டும் என்றும், மருத்துவ தரவரிசை பட்டியலை புதிதாக தயாரிக்க வேண்டும் என்றும் மதுரை ஐகோர்ட்டு தீர்ப்பு கூறியுள்ளது.

கோர்ட்டு தீர்ப்பு காரணமாக நீட் தேர்வு அடிப்படையில் மருத்துவ கலந்தாய்வுக்கான தரவரிசை பட்டியல் மீண்டும் தயாரித்து வெளியிடவேண்டும்.

ஏற்கனவே மருத்துவ கலந்தாய்வில் இடம் கிடைத்த 3 ஆயிரத்து 501 மாணவர்கள் கல்லூரிகளில் சேர்ந்திருப்பார்கள். கல்விக்கட்டணமும் செலுத்தி இருப்பார்கள்.

இவர்கள் கதி என்ன ஆகும் என்று தெரியவில்லை. புதிய தரவரிசை பட்டியல் வெளியிட்டால் ஏற்கனவே இடம் கிடைத்த மாணவர்களுக்கு மீண்டும் இடம் கிடைப்பது சிரமமே.

நீட் தேர்வு குறித்து மதுரை ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவிட்ட பிறகு மருத்துவ கலந்தாய்வு என்னவாகும்? என்று ஒரு அரசு அதிகாரியிடம் கேட்டதற்கு அவர் அளித்த பதில் வருமாறு:-

‘நீட்’ தேர்வு வந்த பிறகு தேர்வு மற்றும் மதிப்பெண் ஆகியவை சி.பி.எஸ்.இ. அதிகாரத்திற்கு உட்பட்டது. இனிமேல் சி.பி.எஸ்.இ.யின் அடுத்த கட்ட நடவடிக்கையை பொருத்துதான் அமையும். தமிழக அரசின் மருத்துவ கலந்தாய்வு குறித்து கூற இயலும்.

இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Gian Sagar colleges get provisional nod to restart

Varsity grants affiliation, subject to Centre’s approval


Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, July 6

The Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Punjab, has granted provisional essentiality certificate to the Gian Sagar medical and dental colleges, which were closed in May last year, for filling 100 MBBS and 100 BDS seats.

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) also granted provisional consent of affiliation to the colleges on Friday.

The permission has been granted to Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust, managing the colleges. Earlier, the certificate was revoked by the state government on May 10, 2017, on account of the inability and failure of the management to run the colleges and the students were shifted to other medical colleges.

New trustees have taken over the colleges and had submitted an application for the revival of the colleges.

While the DMER has issued the certificate subject to detailed verification and due diligence regarding the financial viability of the trust to run the medical and dental colleges, the BFUHS has granted provisional affiliation, subject to grant of permission by the Union government and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice-Chancellor, BFUHS, has confirmed the issuance of provisional affiliation certification to Gian Sagar colleges.

YouTube fined for not removing ‘offensive’ post

TNN | Jul 9, 2018, 12.19 AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has slapped a cost of Rs 9.5 lakh on YouTube for failure to remove offensive content against a Delhi-based doctor on its channels across the world.

Justice Najmi Waziri asked YouTube to pay Rs 50,000 for each of the nine hearings held in the past two months for wasting judicial time. The company had claimed it could only ensure no one could access the derogatory posts against the doctor from India. It maintained the posts can’t be removed.

A trial court had in June 2015 directed YouTube and Google, the parent company, both based in USA, to remove the content from YouTube channels across the world.

“The case has been listed for nine times in the last 64-odd days. On each occasion, time was sought by the appellant (YouTube/Google) to comply with the directions of the court. Today, the court is informed that the directions cannot be complied with on account of technological reasons,” Justice Waziri noted.

HC decided to levy costs when Google’s subsidiary company first argued it had complied with the trial court order since content had been disabled from its website and cannot be accessed by any person having access to the internet from India. Later, it claimed the company had no technological control to ensure that posts are permanently removed from its main server and can’t be accessed even outside India. In the end, it sought to withdraw its appeal challenging the trial court injunction.

The court allowed it to withdraw its plea on the condition that the company won’t raise any of the arguments already addressed in the order and pay cost of Rs 50,000 per hearing to the doctor who was at the receiving end of posts targeting her IVF practice on the platform.

Out of the total amount, HC said Rs 1 lakh should be paid to HC Mediation and Conciliation Centre as costs.

The bench took a dim view of YouTube’s plea of helplessness due to technical reasons. Justice Waziri observed that he is “unable to see as to how the contents being posted on the platform of the appellant can govern or steer the functioning of the platform itself.”

Only 3 govt school students get MBBS seats in Tamil Nadu colleges

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

PublishedJul 10, 2018, 6:32 am IST

Govt considering revising Neet coaching to help students.

Sources in the school education department said that the government is considering revising Neet coaching enabling more students to get high marks.

Chennai: Of 2,447 seats in 22 government medical colleges that were filled in the first phase of MBBS counselling this year, only three seats were filled by government school students.

Another four students from the government schools got government quota seats in private medical colleges there by taking the total number to seven seats against five last year.



“Totally 20 students - seven from government schools and 13 from government-aided schools have got MBBS seats this year,” said G.Selvarajan, secretary, Selection Committee.

The fee for government medical colleges is Rs 13,600 whereas the fee for government quota in private medical colleges is around Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 4 lakh.

Despite the state government spending crores of rupees for Neet coaching last year, the common medical entrance test still proves to be a great barrier for government school students in getting into medical colleges.

Of 9,154 students from government, government-aided schools who took Neet exam this year, 1344 students have qualified in the medical entrance test. But only 10 students have scored above 300 marks and 42 students scored above 200 marks in the common medical entrance test.

So, it was predicted that only a handful of students would get the MBBS seats from government schools.

J. Charan, a student from K.C. Sankaralinga Nadar Higher Secondary School, a government-aided school in Old Washermenpet scored 416 marks in Neet and topped among the 20 students from government and government-aided schools with 972nd rank. He got a seat in Vellore Medical College.

“The meritorious students from government and government-aided schools are passionate about medical education, but could not spare time and resources for rigorous coaching that is required to score good marks in Neet exam. There is no equitable access to the coaching and this exam will not help the deserving students,” said P.B. Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System.

“Before Neet, around 30 to 35 students from government schools used to get MBBS seats. Students from government-aided schools and in rural areas also would get many seats” he added.

Sources in the school education department said that the government is considering revising Neet coaching enabling more students to get high marks.

Institutes of Eminence list by MHRD puts off TN varsities

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

UpdatedJul 10, 2018, 6:39 am IST

Several prominent private institutions also unhappy with the list as it included the Jio institute which is yet to be established.

Madras University

Chennai: As many as six universities from the state which have applied to the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status were left disappointed following the announcement of the union HRD ministry which has granted the status to only two IITs and IISc Bangalore among the public institutions.

Along with IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore, the MHRD has also granted Manipal Academy of Higher Education, BITS Pilani and Jio Institute granted institution of eminence tag.

The omission of state and central universities has surprised the academicians, particularly, they are not happy with the move of trimming the number of public institutions from 10 to 3. Several prominent private institutions also unhappy with the list as it included the Jio institute which is yet to be established.

As per the IoE scheme, the central government proposed to give `200 crore for 10 public institutions in next five years and more autonomous and statutory freedom to 10 private institutions. The UGC has received 103 applications for IoE status. Anna University, University of Madras, Alagappa University, Periyar University, Bharathiar University and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University have applied to the IoE status.

Anna University has submitted a proposal worth of `1,300 crore with a clear roadmap for making the premier technical university into a world-class university. “We are disappointed with the announcement as a team of professors worked hard for the proposal for several weeks,” a professor involved in the work told this paper.

The university has identified core areas namely - data science, health sector, material science and other emerging areas for making it one of the top 200 universities in the world. “A lot of work has been into the preparing the budget and roadmap. All the works now rendered useless,” another faculty member from the university said.

In an ambitious proposal, the University of Madras has prepared a detailed roadmap for achieving the status of Institute of Eminence (IOE) which can ultimately transform the oldest university in the state as a global institution. It has submitted a detailed plan for next 15 years to the University Grants Commission through which it plans to break into the top 100 in the world ranking of universities. It has focused on areas such as data sciences, policy informatics, programmes dedicated to studying complex systems, drug design, Internet of Things among others.

“The University Grants Commission should have announced that only the IITs which are the matured institutions would be considered for the Institute of Eminence status. The central government should have given a chance to state and central universities,” a professor from Madras University said.

Madras University Vice-Chancellor P. Duraisamy said, “the academic exercise and intellectual input went into it is not a waste. It made us think in terms of our future plan for the next fifteen years.”Each university has to pay a minimum deposit of Rs 1 crore with the application. If the institution was not selected MHRD would return Rs 75 lakh and remaining Rs 25 lakh would not be returned. Sources in the higher education department said, “the exercise would have enable the academicians to understand the overall situation in a comprehensive manner and will help them improve further.”

அரசு ஊழியர்கள் வீடுவாங்க 40 லட்சம் முன்பணம் -துணை முதல்வர் ஓபிஎஸ் தகவல் 10.07.2018

அரசு ஊழியர்கள் வீடுவாங்க 40 லட்சம் முன்பணம் -துணை முதல்வர் ஓபிஎஸ் தகவல்  10.07.2018

 

அரசு ஊழியர்கள் சொந்தமாக வீடுவாங்கிட வழிவகை செய்யும் வீட்டுவசதி முன்பணம் 25 லட்சத்தில் இருந்து 40 லட்சமாக உயர்த்துவது தொடர்பாக ஆணை விரைவில் வெளியிடப்படும் என துணை முதல்வர் ஓ.பன்னீர்செல்வம் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்

யார் யார் வருமான வரி தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும்???

*IT returns தொடர்பான விளக்கங்கள்*

நமது நண்பர்கள் பலர் IT return தொடர்பாக பல சந்தேகங்கள் கேட்டிருந்தனர். அவைகள் குறித்து நமது நண்பர் கோவையை சேர்ந்த ஆடிட்டர் திரு.சத்தியப்பிரகாஷ் அவர்களிடம் கேட்கப்பட்டது அவர் தெரிவித்தவை:

மாதச்சம்பளம் பெறும் அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் நிறுவன ஊழியர்கள் அவர்களின் சம்பளம் பெற்று வழங்கும் அதிகாரிகள் TAN எண் பெற்றிருப்பவராக (TAN holder) இருந்து அவர் வழியாக ஊழியர்களுக்கு வழங்கும் சம்பளத்திற்கு E-TDS (24-Q) தாக்கல் செய்யும்பட்சத்தில் அவரிடம் சம்பளம் பெறும் ஊழியர்களில் வருமான வரி செலுத்துபவர்கள் அனைவரின் கணக்கிலும் 26as படிவத்தில் onlineல் பதிவாகும். அந்த ஊழியர்கள் அனைவரும் கட்டாயம் தனிநபர் வருமான வரி தாக்கல் (IT return E-FILING) செய்ய வேண்டும். ஆண்டு வருமானம் எவ்வளவு இருந்தாலும் வருமான வரி செலுத்துபவராக இருந்தால் கட்டாயம் வருமான வரி தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும். தற்போது வருமான வரி வரம்புக்குள் வராதவராக (Nil Tax) இருந்தாலும் ஆண்டு வருமானம் 2.5லட்சத்தை தாண்டினால் கட்டாயம் வருமான வரி தாக்கல் (Nil Tax return E-filing) செய்ய வேண்டும்.

சம்பளம் வழங்கும் அலுவலர் E-TDS(24-Q) தாக்கல் செய்து அவருக்கு கீழ் பணிபுரியும் ஊழியர்கள் IT Return தாக்கல் செய்யாதபட்சதில் கட்டாயம் வருமான வரித்துறை நோட்டீஸ் அனுப்புதல் அபராதம் உள்ளிட்ட நடவடிக்கைகள் இந்த ஆண்டு முதல் கடுமையாக மேற்கொள்ளும்.
*அடுத்ததாக ஒரு வதந்தி, பலர் 5 லட்சத்திற்கும் மேல் ஆண்டு வருமானம் உள்ளவர்கள் மட்டுமே IT return தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்கிறார்கள் அது குறித்தும் கேட்கப்பட்டது*

5 லட்சத்திற்கு மேல் ஆண்டு வருமானம் உள்ளவர்கள் மட்டுமே IT return தாக்கல் ONLINE ல் தான் கட்டாயம் தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும்.
5லட்சத்திற்கும் குறைவான ஆண்டு வருமானம் உடையவர்கள் online லோ அல்லது வருமான வரி அலுவலகத்தில் offline நேரிலோ தாக்கல் செய்யலாம் என்பதை சிலர் தவறாக புரிந்துகொண்டு

*5லட்சத்து குறைவாக ஆண்டு வருமானம் உள்ளவர்கள் தாக்கல் செய்ய தேவையில்லை என்று நினைக்கின்றனர்.*

மேலும் ஒருசில ஊழியர்கள் சம்பளம் தவிர FD, Shares, Mutual Fund உள்ளிட்ட பிற முதலீடுகள் ஏதேனும் செய்திருப்பின் அதன் மூலம் பெற்படும் வட்டி, டிவிடென்ட் போன்ற ஆதாயத் தொகையும் 26as படிவத்தில் update ஆகும். அந்த ஆதாயத் தொகைக்கான வரியையும் நாம் தனியாக செலுத்த வேண்டும் அல்லது அதற்கு வரிகள் ஏதேனும் பிடிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தால் E-filing செய்யும்போது கணக்கு காட்டி அதிகமாக பிடித்தம் செய்தியிருப்பின் அந்த தொகையை திரும்ப பெறுதல் (refund),
குறைவாக பிடித்தம் செய்திருப்பின் மீதி வரியை செலுத்துதல் உள்ளிட்ட நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும். 

*வருமான வரி தாக்கல் செய்ய கடைசி நாள் ஜூலை 31*

கடைசி நேர இணையதள பிரச்சனைகளில் சிக்கி தவிப்பதற்கு பதிலாக இப்போதே செய்து விடுவது நல்லது.

குறைந்த கட்டணத்தில் online ல் வருமான வரி தாக்கல் (Income tax return E-filing) செய்து தரப்படும்.

Disturbing to see VCs getting arrested for graft: TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit

He stressed that Vice Chancellors and Professors, by their conduct, should serve as beacon lights to guide the younger generation on the right path.

Published: 10th July 2018 05:56 PM | 2018 

By IANS

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday said he was disturbed seeing sitting and former Vice Chancellors being raided and arrested for graft.

Inaugurating a one-day conference on Startup Policy and Skill Development for employment - An initiative by State Universities at the Anna University here, he said: "I am sure that all of you in the auditorium was as disturbed as I was when we found sitting Vice Chancellors and former Vice Chancellors being raided and arrested for serious acts of graft and impropriety."

"It is clearly a case of the fence swallowing up the crop that it is meant to protect. If the higher echelons of university and college managements do not practice proper moral values, how can there be an expectation about the inculcation of the right values in the youth of the state," he lamented.

Stressing Vice Chancellors and Professors, by their conduct, should serve as beacon lights to guide the younger generation on the right path, Purohit said universities and colleges are the seats of higher learning at which it is important to scrupulously practice the virtues of transparency, efficiency and honesty.

"We at Raj Bhavan have set an example in this direction in the matter of selection of Vice Chancellors. The Vice Chancellors, in turn, should follow this method of being totally honest and transparent when it comes to the selection of the University faculty," he said.

Expert Explains
My mother has a house which was passed on to her through a will.

Published: 10th July 2018 04:52 AM | 

By Justice K Chandru

Express News Service

CHENNAI : My mother has a house which was passed on to her through a will. I have a brother and my mother wants to give the house to him. She has taken this decision because I am her daughter and I am married. Guide me about my legal entitlement. — Name not mentioned. Since your mother got the property through a testament (will), she is at liberty to dispose of the same as per her own desire. You have no entitlement on that property unless your mother wants to give you a portion on her own will.

In June 2015 Bharti Airtel entered into an agreement to erect a mobile tower and the rent is regularly credited to my bank account by 8th of every month, except on a few occasions. I didn’t receive the rent in June. I sent a reminder and also pointed out to them that as per agreement there should be a 15% hike from June 2018. Now I received an international communication endorsement that “the rent is not paid by this circle please check at your end”. I have been sending mails and there have been no response.

Can I ask them to dismantle the tower for non-payment of rent or should I file a case and ask them to vacate my premises? Can I withdraw the consent given to TNEB authorities for the provision of electricity supply and ask them to remove the separate connection? — J SubramanianIf your tenant (Bharti Airtel) does not pay rent (existing or enhanced) for more than two months, you can ask them to vacate the premises. Only if you get an eviction order, the tower erected by them can be dismantled. For filing a petition before the rent controller, there must be a clear two months willful default in payment of rent.

We have rented a municipal shop through auction and the rent was `10,000 with a condition of 15% increment every three years. But for a few shops that have been rented without auction, the rent is `300 and the government decided to increase all shops’ rent by around 150%. So we filed a petition in high court for fair rental and got stay 10 months ago. Now the government has issued a fresh notice asking for new rent. I consulted my advocate and he informed me that stay order lasts only six months. What do I do now?

— Abishek

In the matter of hiring municipal shops, you cannot claim parity in the matter of rent fixed. The normal guideline of the government is to revise the rent by 15% once in three years. But the government also has said that the municipality is at liberty to auction the shop periodically and give it to the highest bidder. Your writ petition in the high court is not maintainable and high court will not fix any fair rent.

‘MGR is my God’

Ask anyone in the neighbourhood of Star theatre in Triplicane for MGR and they will guide you to an auto stand.

Published: 10th July 2018 04:55 AM | Last Updated: 10th July 2018 04:55 AM | A+A A-




By Vaishali Vijaykumar
Express News Service

CHENNAI: Ask anyone in the neighbourhood of Star theatre in Triplicane for MGR and they will guide you to an auto stand. No, we are not talking about legendary actor-politician MG Ramachandran, but his die-hard fan, Santhana Krishnan. When we reach his auto, we are stunned. One look at his auto and his love for the yesteryear stalwart is evident. It is entirely decked up with posters of MGR. Junior MGR, as he is fondly called, has curly hair and a dyed mustache.

Dressed in a red velvet shirt, yellow tie, and sporting black sunglasses, he asks us to take a seat inside his auto for a chat. Buddhan yesu gandhi song plays in the background. Krishnan used to work in a lottery ticket shop. But he wanted to be his own boss. He purchased an auto 20 years ago. As a father of two daughters and a son, Krishnan has been juggling parenting and his work since his wife’s death in 2015. “Every day, my routine begins with a shave. I pick my costume for the day from the 40 garments, five pairs of shoes and four pairs of glasses.

Then, I gear up for the savaris,” says Krishnan, who spends his free time watching MGR movies. There have been instances when people mistook him for MGR. When Star theatre used to play MGR films, Krishnan would get a paal abhishekam. From childhood, Krishnan has idolised MGR and followed his principles. When he offers a ride to the poor, or kids, he doesn’t charge money, but accepts what they offer. Recalling the political era of MGR, he says, “Every weekend I would go to MGR’s house to serve tea and breakfast to the people.

MGR used to feed even his enemy before getting into a battle with him. That’s one of his qualities that I follow. Out of the `10 I earn, I give `5 to kids or the needy,” says Krishnan, who earns around `750- `900 a day. The only difference between the star and the fan is that Krishnan is a vegetarian. “I’ve been following the same diet for 25 years and weight fluctuates between 53 kg and 54 kg,”he laughs. Krishnan is 54 years old now. He has never missed any important day related to MGR. On MGR’s birthday, he goes to MGR memorial at Marina to spend some time.

He hopes to continue inspiring people and live by the principles of his ‘God’. “Passersby hoot when they spot me on the road. I have loyal customers. Nobody has stopped me from doing what I like and it’s that respect that keeps me going. The lyrics from my God, MGR’s film songs are so meaningful that they keep motivating me. I’ve been living more as MGR than Santhana Krishnan by following every mannerism of his and I am proud of it.

Even a good night’s sleep is assured only after listening to his songs,” he says. Krishnan has also played cameos in films like Mersal. During state elections, he canvasses along with the area councillors. As we chat, junior MGR sings certain verses from MGR’s movies. “The smile on Krishnan’s face lights up our day. One day he dresses up like the fisherman from the film Padagotti, and on another day, like the slave from Aayirathil Oruvan,” says Kannan, a fellow auto driver.

புதிய ரேங்க் பட்டியல் வெளியிட்டால் மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளில் சேரும் 3 ஆயிரம் மாணவர்கள் கதி என்ன?

பதிவு: ஜூலை 10, 2018 15:46
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தமிழில் நீட்தேர்வு எழுதியவர்களுக்கு கருணை மதிப்பெண் அளிக்க ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ள நிலையில் கலந்தாய்வு முடிந்து கல்லூரியில் சேர காத்திருக்கும் 3 ஆயிரம் மாணவர்கள் கதி என்ன? என்று கேள்வி எழுந்துள்ளது. #Neetexam




சென்னை:

நீட் தேர்வில் தமிழில் தேர்வு எழுதிய மாணவ- மாணவிகளுக்கான வினாத்தாளில் குளறுபடி தொடர்பாக தொடரப்பட்ட வழக்கில் 49 வினாக்களுக்கு கருணை அடிப்படையில் 196 மதிப்பெண்கள் வழங்கவும், 2 வாரத்தில் புதிய தர வரிசை பட்டியல் தயாரித்து வெளியிடவும் மதுரை கோர்ட்டு இன்று அதிரடியாக உத்தரவிட்டது.

கோர்ட்டின் இந்தஅதிரடி உத்தரவு மருத்துவ மாணவர்களிடையே மிகப்பெரிய குழப்பத்தை ஏற்படுத்தி இருக்கிறது.

ஏற்கனவே தர வரிசை பட்டியல் வெளியிட்டு கவுன்சிலிங் நடத்தி தமிழகத்தில் அனைத்து மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளிலும் மாணவர்கள் சேர்க்கை முடிவடைந்துவிட்டது.

சுமார் 3 ஆயிரம் மாணவர்கள் நீட் தேர்வில் பெற்ற மதிப்பெண்கள் அடிப்படையில் இடங்களை பெற்று சேர்ந்து விட்டனர். கல்லூரிகள் திறக்கும் நாளை அவர்கள் எதிர்பார்த்து காத்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

இந்த நிலையில் கோர்ட்டு தீர்ப்பு முட்டுக்கட்டை போட்டுள்ளது. 196 மதிப்பெண் வழங்கி புதிதாக தரவரிசை பட்டியல் தயாரித்தால் ஏற்கனவே சேர்ந்துள்ள மாணவர்கள் சிலரது வாய்ப்பு பறிபோகும். புதிதாக சில மாணவர்களுக்கு வாய்ப்பு கிடைக்கும்.

கைக்கு எட்டியது வாய்க்கு எட்டாத கதையாக இடம் கிடைத்தும் வாய்ப்பை இழக்கும் நிலைக்கும் சில மாணவர்கள் தள்ளப்படுவார்கள். அவர்களும் தங்களுக்கு இழைக்கப்பட்ட அநீதி பற்றி கோர்ட்டில் நியாயம் கேட்பார்கள்.

சிக்கலை தவிர்க்க கூடுதலாக இடங்களை உருவாக்கலாம். அப்படி உருவாக்குவதற்கு அகில இந்திய மருத்துவ கவுன்சிலின் விதிமுறைகள் இடம் கொடுக்க வேண்டும்.

ஒருவேளை இந்த ஆண்டு சிறப்பு நிகழ்வாக கூடுதல் இடங்களை உருவாக்கி விட்டு அடுத்த ஆண்டு அதை ரத்து செய்தால் சிக்கல் எழும்.

சி.பி.எஸ்.இ. மேல்முறையீடு செய்து தடை பெறலாம். அப்படி தடை பெற்றாலும் இறுதி தீர்ப்பு வரும்வரை கல்லூரிகளை திறக்க முடியுமா? என்ற கேள்வியும் எழுந்துள்ளது.

நீட் தேர்வு நடந்ததும் வினாத்தாள் மொழி பெயர்ப்பில் குளறுபடி இருப்பதாக சர்ச்சை எழுந்தது. அப்போதே அதுபற்றி ஆய்வு செய்து ஏதாவது மாற்று ஏற்பாடுகளை செய்து பிரச்சினையை தீர்த்து இருக்க வேண்டும். அதை செய்ய சி.பி.எஸ்.இ. தவறி விட்டது.

சி.பி.எஸ்.இ. செய்த குளறுபடியால் மிகப்பெரிய சிக்கலுக்குள் சிக்கி தவிப்பது தமிழக மாணவர்கள்தான். மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் கலந்தாய்வுக்கு சென்று இடமும் கிடைத்து கல்லூரிக்கு புறப்பட தயாராக இருந்த மாணவர்கள் கலக்கத்தில் ஆழ்ந்து இருக்கிறார்கள். #Neetexam

Top Billing For Jio Institute Conditional, Clarifies Government: 10 Facts

Six institutions were named for the "eminence" list - the IITs of Delhi and Bombay, the IISc, BITS Pilani, Manipal Academy and the Jio Institute.

All India | Reported by Sunil Prabhu, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh | Updated: July 10, 2018 14:04 IST

by Taboola



Many people asked minister Prakash Javadekar on Twitter about Jio Institute's credentials.

NEW DELHI: Questioned relentlessly over its move to tag the Jio Institute of Reliance Foundation - which exists only on paper - as an "Institution of Eminence", the government today clarified that what Jio would have for now is only a "letter of intent" and they will make the cut only after meeting conditions. The Jio Institute was on the elite list yesterday along with two IITs, the Indian Institute of Science and two others. The "eminence" label gives these institutes unprecedented freedom from government controls and promises "enabling architecture" to help them achieve global excellence.

Here are the top 10 updates on this big story:

Besides the IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) Delhi and Bombay, the Indian Institute of Science and Jio Institute, the list has BITS Pilani and the Manipal Academy.

As questions swirled on social media, where the Jio Institute has been a trending topic, the government clarified that the planned institute was named in the "greenfield" category, which acknowledges new proposals.

The Human Resource Development ministry said it received 11 private proposals but its panel of experts felt that only Jio cleared all four specs - land availability, highly qualified and experienced core team, funding and strategic vision with "clear milestones and action plan".

Today, Education Secretary R Subramanyam implied that the Jio Institute was yet to qualify. "If they set up a good campus within three years and have a good faculty and fulfill all the criteria, they will get the Institute of Eminence status. Right now they don't have the tag, they only have a letter of intent," he said.

The top official also clarified reports of a Rs. 1,000 crore grant for institutes of eminence. "Rs. 1000 crore will be given only to public institutions, that is, Indian Institute of Science, IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai," Mr Subramanyam said.

According to the official, a panel chose Institutes of Eminence in three categories from among 20 candidates - public institutions like IITs, private institutions like BITS Pilani and Greenfield private institutions.

On Greenfield institutes, he said: "These institutions are not there right now but where well-meaning responsible private investment wants to bring global standards to the country, they should be welcomed."

The government's move has been strongly criticised on social media, with many tagging Education Minister Prakash Javadekar, asking him about the Jio institute's location and credentials. "Does Jio Institute have a building? Website? Has any student graduated from there?" tweeted Sudhir Yadav. "Why has government declared it an institute of Eminene and giving it a Rs. 1000 crore grant? This is most outrageous and shameful decision."

On the greenfield argument, historian Ramchandra Guha tweeted: "To Sarkari apologists who say Jio Institute has been placed in the "Greenfield" category, a "Greenfield" university outside Chennai is being helmed by Raghuram Rajan, whose academic qualifications are in inverse proportion to those of the Ambanis. Why not choose that?"

"#JioInstitute and the #InstitutesOfEminence furore is an excellent example of why every letter and fineprint in a government law/rule/guideline matters. There was a category for 'greenfield' institutions - meaning those that were proposed ventures," wrote Twitter user Suvojit.

மிஸ்டு கால் வந்தால் உஷார்!

Updated : ஜூலை 10, 2018 10:32 | Added : ஜூலை 10, 2018 10:30 |



திருவனந்தபுரம்: மொபைல் போனுக்கு சர்வதேச போன் எண்களில் இருந்து மிஸ்டு கால் வந்தால் உஷாராக இருக்க வேண்டும் என கேரள போலீசார் எச்சரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர். மிஸ்டு கால் வந்த எண்ணை தொடர்பு கொண்டால் ஏராளமான பணத்தை இழக்க நேரிடும் என்றும் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

'வான்கிரி' மோசடி

கடந்த ஆண்டு இறுதியில், பல்வேறு நாடுகளில் இந்த மோசடி நடந்துள்ளது. 'வான்கிரி' என்று அழைக்கப்படும் இந்த மோசடி பற்றிய விவரம் வருமாறு:

ஜப்பானிய மொழியில், 'வான்கிரி' என்றால், ' ஒரு ரிங்; உடனே கட்' என்று பொருள். கேரளாவில் உள்ள மொபைல் போன்களுக்கு + 591 என்று துவங்கும் எண்ணில் இருந்து அழைப்புகள் வருகின்றன. இந்த அழைப்புகள் பொலிவியா நாட்டில் இருந்து வருகின்றன. ஒரு ரிங் வந்த பிறகு அழைப்பு கட் ஆகி விடும். தெரியாமல் அந்த எண்ணை தொடர்பு கொண்டால், ஒரு நிமிடத்திற்கு 200 ரூபாய் வீதம் இழக்க நேரிடும். எனவே சர்வதேச எண்ணில் இருந்து மிஸ்டு கால் வந்தால் உஷராக இருக்க வேண்டும் என கேரள போலீசார் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

நீட் தேர்வு: கருணை மதிப்பெண் வழங்க உத்தரவு

Updated : ஜூலை 10, 2018 11:44 | Added : ஜூலை 10, 2018 11:11 |



மதுரை: நீட் தேர்வில் தவறாக கேட்கப்பட்ட 49 கேள்விகளுக்கு தலா 4 மதிப்பெண் வீதம் 196 மதிப்பெண் வழங்க ஐகோர்ட் மதுரை கிளை உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

மார்க்சிஸ்ட் கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி எம்.பி., ரங்கராஜன் ஐகோர்ட் மதுரை கிளையில் தொடர்ந்த வழக்கில், நீட் தேர்வில் தமிழ் வினாத்தாள் மொழிபெயர்ப்பில் அதிக குளறுபடி இருந்ததால் தமிழில் தேர்வு எழுதிய மாணவர்களுக்கு 49 வினாக்களுக்கு 4 மதிப்பெண் வீதம் 196 மதிப்பெண் கூடுதலாக வழங்க வேண்டும் என கோரியிருந்தார். இந்த மனுவை விசாரித்த ஐகோர்ட், சிபிஎஸ்இ சர்வாதிகார போக்கை கடைபிடித்து வருகிறதா எனக்கேள்வி எழுப்பி தீர்ப்பை ஒத்திவைத்தது

புது பட்டியல்

இந்நிலையில், தீர்ப்பு வழங்கிய கோர்ட், பிழையாக கேட்கப்பட்ட 49 கேள்விகளுக்கு 4 மதிப்பெண் வீதம் 196 மதிப்பெண் வழங்க வேண்டும். பின்னர் புதிய தர வரிசை பட்டியலை 2 வாரத்தில் வெளியிட்டு மாணவர் சேர்க்கையை நடத்த வேண்டும். தற்போதைய கவுன்சிலி்ங் நிறுத்தவேண்டும் என உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

NEET

Madras HC orders CBSE to give 196 marks to Tamil medium students, for errors in 49 questions

The Madurai bench of the Madras HC had earlier pulled up CBSE and TN govt, asking them if they wanted to judge Tamil medium students on their English proficiency.

Megha Kaveri
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 - 11:54

PTI


The Madurai bench of Madras High Court has ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to award 196 grace marks for the students who had attempted National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2018 in Tamil – since 49 questions in the Tamil question paper had been mistranslated. The court has also ordered CBSE to release a revised rank list based on this order within two weeks.

This order was issued based on a petition filed by TK Rangarajan, a CPI (M) Rajya Sabha MP.

The MP had said that nearly one-third of the question paper was translated wrongly in Tamil and had sought the court to direct the admissions to be held either based solely on the Class XII marks of the students or award 196 grace marks to students who had attempted the exam in Tamil.

After the judgement came in, the MP told TNM that students who are aggrieved by NEET’s mistranslation had been vindicated. “The court has asked for 4 grace marks to be given per mistranslated question which is 196 marks for 49 questions. As I am an MP, members of the Students Federation of India and many others had approached me and so I decided to go to court,” Rangarajan said.

The MP added that it is now up to the TN government and CBSE to decide whether the admission process will be suspended and the counselling will be held once again.

A bench of Justices CT Selvam and AM Basheer Ahamed had on July 6 pulled up the CBSE for releasing the results despite knowing about the PIL, observing "Why did they do so?"

Hitting out at CBSE, the bench stated that the Board was acting autocratic when it came to errors in the Tamil version of NEET.

In response to the CBSE’s submission, the bench observed, "How do you decide the right answers for the questions based on majority view? CBSE is accepting even wrong answers under the pretext of majority decision. How is that in Bihar state so many students got through the examination?"

NEET was conducted across India on May 6. Around 24000 students took the exam in Tamil.

The rank list for medical counselling in Tamil Nadu was released by the TN department of health and family welfare on June 28. The first round of counselling for admissions to TN medical colleges began on July 1 an ended on July 7.

The cut-off under NEET for unreserved category this year stood at 119 and for OBC, SC and ST stood at 96 out of the total 720 marks.

Madras HC orders CBSE to give grace marks to students who took NEET in Tamil

TNN | Jul 10, 2018, 12.23 PM IST

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Tuesday directed the CBSE to award a grace mark of 196 to all students who appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Tamil.

The bench issued the order at the end of hearings on a petition filed by CPM MP TK Rangarajan who sought grace marks for the students.

The petitioner claimed that CBSE had made ambiguous translations in the question paper making it difficult for students from Tamil medium.

Last week, the CBSE submitted to the court that it was regional language experts who translated the paper and their responsibility is only in conducting the examinations.

வாட்ஸ் அப்பில் பரவும் போலி கூப்பன்கள்!

வாட்ஸ் அப்பில் பரவும் போலி கூப்பன்கள்!

வாட்ஸ் அப்பில் பரவும் போலி கூப்பன்கள்!
முன்னணி பிராண்டுகளின் போலி கூப்பன்கள் வாட்ஸ் அப் செயலியில் பரவி வருகின்றன. இதுபோன்ற இலவச கூப்பன் சம்பந்தமான குறுஞ்செய்திகளில் கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள தளத்துக்கு (லிங்க்) சென்று பார்க்கும்போது வாடிக்கையாளரின் சுயவிவரங்கள் பதிவு செய்யுமாறு கேட்கப்படுகின்றன. அவ்வாறு பதிவுசெய்யப்படும் விவரங்கள் தவறான முறையில் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன.

சமீபத்தில் டி-மார்ட் சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டின் 17ஆவது ஆண்டு வெற்றியை முன்னிட்டு வாட்ஸ் அப்பில் ரூ.2500 மதிப்பிலான இலவச ஷாப்பிங் கூப்பன் வழங்கப்படுவதாகப் போலியான குறுஞ்செய்திகள் பரவின. இதற்கு எதிராக வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதுகுறித்து காவல் துறை தரப்பில் இந்தியன் எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் ஊடகத்திடம் கூறுகையில், “இதுபோன்ற போலி கூப்பன் சம்பந்தமான குறுஞ்செய்திகளில் கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள லிங்க்கை கிளிக் செய்து பார்த்தால் அந்த நிறுவனங்களின் உண்மையான இணையதள பக்கம் போலவே வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள போலி இணையதளப் பக்கம் தோன்றுகின்றன. அதில் வாடிக்கையாளரின் சுயவிவரங்கள் கேட்கப்படுகின்றன. இதுபோன்ற போலியான இணையதள முகவரியை உற்று நோக்கினால் அந்த லிங்க்கில் உள்ள ஐ (i) என்னும் ஆங்கில எழுத்திற்குப் பதிலாக ஐ போலவே மற்றொரு எழுத்து பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளதையும் காணலாம்” என்று கூறியுள்ளார்.

ஜெட் ஏர்வேஸ், அடிடாஸ் உள்ளிட்ட முன்னணி பிராண்ட் நிறுவனங்களின் போலி சலுகைகள் குறித்தும் வழக்குகள் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன. இதுகுறித்து மகாராஷ்டிர மாநில காவல் அதிகாரி பிரிஜேஷ் சிங் கூறியதாவது: “தனிநபர் சம்பந்தமான தனிப்பட்ட ஆவணங்களையும் விவரங்களையும் பெறுவதற்கு இதுபோன்ற போலியான லிங்க்குகளை பயன்படுத்தி வருகின்றனர். எனவே இதுபோன்ற போலியான இலவச கூப்பன்கள் குறித்த குறுஞ்செய்திகள் வரும்போது அவற்றைச் சாதுரியமாகத் தவிர்க்க வேண்டும்” என்று கூறியுள்ளார்.

Medical colleges to introduce B. Sc. courses

Serena Josephine M.

CHENNAI, JULY 10, 2018 00:00 IST

DME issues circulars to institutions

The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University is all set to introduce undergraduate allied health science courses in government medical colleges this year.

The university, according to officials, has asked the Director of Medical Education (DME) to initiate the process to start the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) courses in government medical colleges this year.

Following this, the DME has sent circulars to medical colleges and is waiting for their response.

The university has planned to start courses such as B. Sc. Occupational Therapy, B. SC. Optometry, Physiotherapy, Accident and Emergency Care Technology, Cardiac Technology, Cardio Pulmonary Perfusion Care Technology, Critical Care Technology, Dialysis Technology, Medical Sociology, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Neuro Electrophysiology, Operation Theatre and Anaesthesia Technology, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Audiology and Speech Language Pathology and Fitness and Lifestyle Modifications.

“We have asked the colleges to look into the feasibility of starting the courses and give their opinions. The colleges should respond saying which course they can start and how many students they can accommodate. One city government college has responded that they would like to offer B.Sc. Occupational Therapy. We are waiting for all institutions to respond so that we can consolidate the details. This will materialise within this week, and we will be starting the courses this academic year,” said A. Edwin Joe, director of medical education.

S. Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, said that till now, these B.Sc. courses were offered in private institutions.

“The aim of introducing these courses is to create a workforce for helping doctors including for investigations. These are skill-based courses to train students to do the technical jobs in the healthcare sector. There is a lack of technicians in some fields, and these courses will improve job opportunities,” she said.

2015 Chennai floods man-made disaster: CAG

B. Aravind Kumar

CHENNAI, JULY 10, 2018 00:00 IST




‘Indiscriminate discharge of water from Chembarambakkam burdened Adyar’

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has been scathing in its criticism of the government’s handling of the Chennai floods of 2015, going so far as to categorise it as a “man- made disaster”. It has held the government of Tamil Nadu responsible for the scale of the catastrophe, which the latter had termed a “natural disaster”.

The CAG report, ‘Flood management and response in Chennai and its suburban areas’, was tabled by the AIADMK government on Monday. Though the report was submitted to the government in March 2016, it was not tabled, and the opposition had raised the issue in the Assembly during the last budget session.

Tabled in the Assembly during the last day of the session, the report has found fault with the government on many counts, with the Water Resources Department (WRD) drawing the maximum flak. The report said that there was indiscriminate discharge of water from the Chembarambakkam reservoir, in excess of inflows, which burdened the Adyar river, leading to floods in the city and its suburbs.

The WRD had claimed that a supervision mechanism was in place but the CAG report said that no record was made available on any communications between the Section Officer (in-charge of the tank) with departmental/government officials.

Even if there was communication with the Chief Engineer as claimed by the WRD, the fact remains that the actual inflow and outflow was not regulated as per Central Water Commission (CWC) norms, the report charged.

Indiscriminate discharge

The WRD had the opportunity to store 0.268 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) more at the tank where the storage stood at 3.377 tmc on December 1, 2015 at 2 pm when the discharge was increased from 12,000 cusecs to 20,960 cusecs. The CAG was of the view that the discharge could have been maintained at 12,000 cusecs for another six hours. The indiscriminate discharge was done to save patta land allowed in the foreshore area from submergence. “This action by the SO and WRD warrants detailed enquiry,” the CAG report said.

The discharge of water at 29,000 cusecs continuously for 21 hours on December 1 and 2 into the Adyar river, coupled with surplus water from upstream tanks and catchment areas, caused a huge flow of flood waters into the river. The CAG also charged the WRD with not taking up desiltation of the river. Also, despite CWC guidelines, the Compendium of Rules of Regulations (COR) for Chembarambakkam tank was not revised by the WRD taking into account the regulated discharge of surplus water and enhancement of the height of the tank to 24 feet. In the absence of an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and due to the government’s failure to update its system / manuals as per CWC guidelines, the water was released in an unsustained manner.

No emergency plan

The outflow of water was more than the inflow into the tank for 13 hours, in contravention of the CWC guidelines for dam safety, resulting in increased flow of water to the already swollen Adyar river. The government replied in March 2017 that the water release was based on COR, and added that formulation of an EAP was under progress.

The CAG, however, said that the reply was not tenable as WRD failed to revise the compendium even after a lapse of 23 years from the date of installation of a regulated arrangement at the tank, and no lessons were learnt from the damage to life and property in the 2005 floods.

State could fall into debt trap in 5 years, warns CAG

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JULY 10, 2018 00:00 IST


Flags continuous rise in repayment burden, ‘explicit subsidies’

After five years, the State government could fall into a debt trap, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has observed.

“In Tamil Nadu, the greater portion of repayments would happen after five years. Therefore, the government could face challenges after five years and fall into a debt trap,” said the office of CAG in its report on State finances for 2016-17, adding that the maturity profile of the State’s debt indicated a year-on-year increase in its repayment burden.

The outstanding debt grew by 29.85% over the previous year. Interest payments on debt and other liabilities totalling Rs. 20,533 crore constituted 14.64% of the revenue receipts during the year. The rise in the ratio between interest payments and revenue receipts from 13.48 in 2015-16 to 14.64 in 2016-17 was due to increased interest payments (18.07%) compared to the revenue receipts (8.7%).

The CAG report also faulted the State government for having released Rs. 22,815 crore as interest-free loan “in violation” of the terms of a memorandum of understanding signed among the Centre, the State government and the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) under UDAY (Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana). The State government should have given Rs. 4,563 crore as grant and Rs. 18,252 crore as interest-free loan.

As for subsidies, the report noted that explicit subsidies were increasing continuously. They went up by Rs. 3,777 crore (30.67%) in 2016-17 compared to the previous year (Rs. 16,092 crore against Rs. 12,315 crore). Among those items covered under this category were food subsidy through public distribution system (Rs. 5,500 crore); tariff subsidy to Tangedco for domestic consumers and those engaged in agriculture and horticulture (Rs. 6,049 crore); and free distribution of clothes to people below the poverty line (Rs. 472 crore).

As for implicit subsidies, the report defined them as those coming in the form of budgetary support to financial institutions, inadequate return on investments and poor recovery of user charges. Free supply of wet grinders, mixies and fans, marriage assistance scheme and free supply of uniforms, bicycles and laptops to school and college students were some of the items falling under the category of implicit subsidies.

The report observed that the accounting “does not transparently disclose the nature of expenditure [incurred on the implicit subsidies] as is required.” The government had spent Rs. 4,434 crore in 2016-17 compared to Rs. 6,156 crore the previous year.

Parent continues his fight for transparency in medical fees

R. Sujatha

CHENNAI, JULY 10, 2018 00:00 IST

His daughter chose another course, but the man is still seeking answers

A parent has been running from official to official hoping to bring transparency in the fee structure of self-financing medical colleges.

Kantesh Kumar Singh’s woes began on August 29, 2017, when his daughter was allotted a seat in a self-financing college in Kancheepuram district.

The college told him to pay Rs. 7.10 lakh, instead of Rs. 3.85 lakh stipulated by the government.

His queries on why the fee was almost double of what was mentioned in the university-issued prospectus did not get him satisfactory answers.

He then flagged the issue with the Directorate of Medical Education and later the Health Secretary, but it had no effect.

He then approached the Fee Fixation Committee, which provided him with the government order on the break-up of fees charged. Mr. Kantesh took up the issue again with the DME and the Health Secretary, who directed the DME to constitute a committee.

Mr. Singh’s daughter, a CBSE student, qualified in NEET in 2016 with 383 marks, and in 2017 she scored 338 marks. Unhappy with the college’s response to their queries, she chose not to join.

But Mr. Singh decided to seek answers from the university.

His persistence paid off when the committee provided him with a copy of the Government Order on the fee fixation committee proceedings.

Five-hour inquiry

In November 2017, the DME’s office informed him to accompany the inquiry committee to the college. A five-hour inquiry was held on November 14 and a report was submitted.

Despite his repeated requests and through RTI, the DME did not provide the complainant with a copy of the report.

He has also written to the Governor-Chancellor’s office about his travails and is awaiting a response.

Last Thursday, he finally met the committee’s chairman who told him to bring his daughter as she was a major, Mr. Kantesh said. “I told him as her father I have been the victim and I have filed the complaint, where is the need for me to bring my daughter,” he asked.

“My daughter has chosen a different path. She is studying biotechnology and wants to pursue research. But in the interest of others like her I would like to ensure that the report of the inquiry is made public,” he said.

His demands are: there should be no ambiguity in the fee structure details in the university prospectus; it should contain a break-up of fee as mentioned in the GO; a centralised grievance system for students and parents should be constituted.

Parent continues his fight for transparency in medical fees

R. Sujatha

CHENNAI, JULY 10, 2018 00:00 IST


His daughter chose another course, but the man is still seeking answers

A parent has been running from official to official hoping to bring transparency in the fee structure of self-financing medical colleges.

Kantesh Kumar Singh’s woes began on August 29, 2017, when his daughter was allotted a seat in a self-financing college in Kancheepuram district.

The college told him to pay Rs. 7.10 lakh, instead of Rs. 3.85 lakh stipulated by the government.

His queries on why the fee was almost double of what was mentioned in the university-issued prospectus did not get him satisfactory answers.

He then flagged the issue with the Directorate of Medical Education and later the Health Secretary, but it had no effect.

He then approached the Fee Fixation Committee, which provided him with the government order on the break-up of fees charged. Mr. Kantesh took up the issue again with the DME and the Health Secretary, who directed the DME to constitute a committee.

Mr. Singh’s daughter, a CBSE student, qualified in NEET in 2016 with 383 marks, and in 2017 she scored 338 marks. Unhappy with the college’s response to their queries, she chose not to join.

But Mr. Singh decided to seek answers from the university.

His persistence paid off when the committee provided him with a copy of the Government Order on the fee fixation committee proceedings.

Five-hour inquiry

In November 2017, the DME’s office informed him to accompany the inquiry committee to the college. A five-hour inquiry was held on November 14 and a report was submitted.

Despite his repeated requests and through RTI, the DME did not provide the complainant with a copy of the report.

He has also written to the Governor-Chancellor’s office about his travails and is awaiting a response.

Last Thursday, he finally met the committee’s chairman who told him to bring his daughter as she was a major, Mr. Kantesh said. “I told him as her father I have been the victim and I have filed the complaint, where is the need for me to bring my daughter,” he asked.

“My daughter has chosen a different path. She is studying biotechnology and wants to pursue research. But in the interest of others like her I would like to ensure that the report of the inquiry is made public,” he said.

His demands are: there should be no ambiguity in the fee structure details in the university prospectus; it should contain a break-up of fee as mentioned in the GO; a centralised grievance system for students and parents should be constituted.

IISc, IIT-D chosen for special grants

Vikas Pathak

NEW DELHI, JULY 10, 2018 00:00 IST



Institutions of Eminence list released

Six higher education institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, the Indian Institutes of Technology at Mumbai and Delhi, and the proposed Jio Institute of the Reliance Foundation, have been named Institutions of Eminence (IoE) by the Centre.

The Jio Institute in Maharashtra — which has been chosen in the greenfield category — is among three private institutions to be granted the status; the Manipal Academy of Higher Education and BITS, Pilani, being the other two.

An empowered committee, under former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami, recommended these institutions.

Three-year window

Mr. Gopalaswami told The Hindu that the greenfield category institutions will be issued letters of intent for three years within which they have to commence academic operations for the notification declaring them IoE to be issued. If they fail, he said, the committee can recommend cancellation of the IoE status. This sets them apart from other institutions. He added that institutions not given the IoE status in this round could apply again till the committee finalised 10 public and 10 private institutions.

Vodafone-Idea merger gets govt’s conditional approval
Idea Will Have To Give A Bank Guarantee Of ₹3,300 Crore

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:10.07.2018

Ending months of uncertainty, the government on Monday gave a conditional approval to the merger between Idea Cellular and Vodafone, a move that will make it the country’s largest telecom company, ahead of Bharti Airtel. The nod for the deal, which has been in the works for over a year, came a day before Vodafone global CEO Vittorio Colao and his successor Nick Read are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The conditions that need to be met by the two companies include Idea — which will exist after the transaction — giving a bank guarantee of Rs 3,300 crore to the government. Vodafone, which is getting merged, will have to give an undertaking that it will settle all the dues that may appear after merger.

“We have issued a letter on Monday (on conditional approval),” a source told TOI. “As soon as the companies meet the conditions, a final approval will be issued. We expect this to happen soon.”

The deal was announced in January last year and has been going through a series of approvals at various forums. It has already been approved by the Competition Commission of India, Sebi and the stock exchanges, and National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). With the telecom department’s approval after the conditions are met, the NCLT will give a final go-ahead to the deal.

The source said that Idea also needs to “replace bank guarantees given to the telecom department by Vodafone” as part of the approval process. “This is also one of the conditions that we have listed, and is part of the M&A process. Any other running dues will also need to be paid,” the source added.

Colao and Read are visiting the country at a time when there is growing suspense over the deal due to the delays. The companies had originally said the deal will go through by the end of June this year, but were still awaiting final clearances.

Sources said Vodafone’s top bosses will also meet telecom minister Manoj Sinha and telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan. Company officials said “not much should be read into the meetings, as they are courtesy calls before Read takes charge from Colao”.

Idea and Vodafone decided to merge their businesses in view of mounting losses and steep competition after the launch of operations by Reliance Jio in September 2016.

IIT-D, IIT-B, IISc granted status of ‘institution of eminence’

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:10.07.2018

Government-run IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore were granted the status of “institution of eminence” along with three private players on Monday giving them complete freedom to run their academic and research programmes in a manner which would help make them among the best in the world.

The private institutes which were also granted the status are BITS-Pilani, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal and Jio Institute of Reliance Foundation, Greater Mumbai.

These institutions are now completely free from the regulations of the University Grants Commission.

While the government set a number of maximum 20 institutions (10 government and 10 private) to be given the status, the empowered experts committee (EEC) were not convinced by the 113 institutions’ application/ vision statement to offer them the status and thus forwarded lesser number of names to the government.

Among the private players, while MAHE and BITS-Pilani are well established institutions with Manipal celebrating its 25th year, the Reliance Foundation’s institution has been shortlisted under the “Greenfield” category, whose vision statement started with “to be the youngest global top 100 universities.”

In all 114 institutions (both public and private) applied after the government announced its decision to accord the status to 20 institutions. A great deal of autonomy is accorded with the status and the government institutions will get multicrore state funding as well.

Of the 114 institutions, EEC found 113 eligible and of that it forwarded less than 20 names to the government. Head of the EEX, former chief election commissioner Gopalaswami said: “We sent more than six names to the government. However, we sent only three private institution names and the number of government institutions were more. But the government to keep a parity chose three each, which is fine.”

While no disclosing the exact number the committee recommended to the government, Gopalaswami said that the other institutions had gaps in different areas that needs to be plugged to be considered for the eminence status. “In any case the government set 20 as the upper limit and not mandatory,” he added .

No free SIM cards for foreign tourists

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: 10.07.2018

The government has decided to discontinue a scheme to provide free SIM cards to foreign tourists arriving in India through the evisa route. The preactivated SIM card was a part of the welcome kit given to foreign tourists upon arrival on Indian shores. Tourism secretary Rashmi Verma said on Monday that the decision was taken because it was unnecessary now.

The scheme was launched in February 2017 by former tourism minister Mahesh Sharma. Verma said foreign tourists tended to use social media apps and with Wi-Fi facilities available at most public places and airports, staying in touch was not difficult. The BSNL SIM cards came with talk time of ₹50 and 50 MB data.

The SIM card had a validity of 30 days and helped foreign tourists contact the 24-hour tourist helpline number available in 12 languages, including Russian, German and Japanese.

Ignored by docs, bitten by ants, man dies in hosp
Rashmi.Drolia @timesgroup.com

Raipur:10.07.2018

A middle-aged man died at Koriya district hospital, 350km north of Raipur, on Monday evening after allegedly being denied medical care even as ants fed on his wounds and bed sores for two days.

He is yet to be identified. Doctors denied allegations of negligence, but admitted that ants had “climbed into his bed sores” because the hospital sweeper was not available.

The victim was found lying unconscious, bleeding from a head wound, outside Manendragarh primary health centre 10 days ago. No one bothered to take him inside for a couple of days until local MLA Shyambihari Jaiswal got wind of it and a week ago pulled up the health staff. The victim was taken into the health centre, and referred to Baikunthpur at the district hospital. A government ambulance dropped him off at the hospital.

There was more horror in store for him. With no family or friend to look after him or chase doctors, no one took note of him as he lay unconscious in a hospital bed. Local reporters got a tipoff and went to check on Sunday. They were horrified to find ants swarming all over on the man. According to local mediapersons, some health employees told them that there was “no special provision for abandoned patients”.

They deserve only death: Nirbhaya’s mom

Parents Say Families Must Provide Adequate Support To Survivors In Getting Justice

Somreet.Bhattacharya@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:10.07.2018

It has taken six years for the judicial system to endorse the desire of Asha Devi and Badrinath Singh to see the men who raped their daughter, Nirbhaya, sentenced to death. “We want to see the end of it all now,” said Devi on Monday.

“We are happy that the judges heard the arguments and then decided to uphold the death penalty,” said Devi outside the courtroom where a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R Banumathi and Justice Ashok Bhushan rejected the pleas of three of the men against the death sentence handed down to them by the trial court and upheld by Delhi high court. “The type of crime they committed does not require anything less than death, ”she said.

The father had stronger words. “How can this be called a punishment?” Singh said. “How can a brutal rape and murder of a girl whose body was horribly mutilated ever be justified? We all know how the system works. These men will manage to come out of the prison on some excuse.”

Having suffered for so many years, Nirbhaya’s parents have also been asking all along for stricter laws so that rape-cum-murder trials can be sped up in order to provide closure and relief from trauma to the parents. Devi said that she has learned a lot about the way the courts function and is now helping victims of sexual assault. “My biggest advice to the family members of a sexual assault survivor is to give them full support,” she said. “Don’t question them. Instead help them to get a police case registered. Many families choose to stay quiet due to shame, and this only emboldens the rapists.”

The family shared its anxieties about another rapist, a juvenile, who had been released after three years in a correction centre. “He is free and roaming among us. I don’t know if the time in the correction home has changed him and we still have our fears,” Devi said.

Grandpa wants to see convicts hanged

The grandfather of Nirbhaya on Monday lauded the Supreme Court for upholding the death verdict of the four gang rape and murder convicts in the case and said his only wish was to see them hanged before he died.

“It is a matter of satisfaction that the Supreme Court has upheld capital punishment for them. There should be speedy trials to punish such people,” Lalji Singh, a resident of Medaura Kalan village in Ballia, told TOI. “I will die in peace if they are executed in my lifetime,” he added. TNN

SC says only Agra residents can offer prayers in Taj

New Delhi:

Only residents of Agra will be allowed to offer Juma Namaz (Friday prayers) at Mumtazi Masjid inside the premises of Taj Mahal with the Supreme Court on Monday refusing to open its doors for outsiders saying that the world heritage monument, facing threat due to pollution, has to be protected at any cost.

“This (Taj Mahal) is one of the seven wonders of the world and we do not want this to decimate,” a bench of justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said while dismissing a plea for allowing outsiders to perform prayers at the site.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by Syed Ibrahim Hussain Zaidi challenging Agra additional district magistrate’s decision barring non-residents from offering prayers inside the Taj premises on grounds of security. TNN

School bus falls into canal in Tiruvarur, 19 children injured

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:10.07.2018

Nineteen schoolchildren suffered injuries after their bus plunged into a roadside canal near Nannilam in Tiruvarur district on Monday.

The accident occurred when the van was on its way to Sri Lalithambigai Matriculation High School at Poonthottam near Tiruvarur town, carrying children in the 5-10 age group. As it approached Achuthamangalam village, the driver allegedly lost control and the vehicle plunged into Alangudi Vaickal.

Since there was no water in the canal, all students onboard escaped with minor injuries. On being informed, a team of the Nannilam police arrived at the spot, rescued the students and sent them to the Nannilam government hospital for treatment. Two girls have been shifted to a private hospital in Tiruvarur, as they sustained minor fractures on the leg. Police said that brake failure could have been the reason for the accident. A case has been registered and investigations are on.

Stalin says edu trust misused 7 acres of land worth ₹370cr

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:10.07.2018

Leader of opposition M K Stalin wanted the government to take action against Sri Ramachandra Educational and Health Trust for using 7.44 acres of government land to construct a marriage hall and earning revenue, instead of a school or college. Though the land was given to the trust when DMK was in power in 1998, the trust has not used the land for the purpose it was allotted for, Stalin stated.

He said the land was worth ₹370 crore, but the government had given it at ₹33 crore. “Will the government take any action against the trust as it has violated the purpose for which the land must have been used for. We accept that the land was given to the trust when DMK was in power,” said Stalin.

Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said action will be taken against the trust if there is any violation.

INSTIL CONFIDENCE’

Tuticorin firing fit case for CBI probe: Madras HC
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai  10.07.2018

: “I do not understand why the Tamil Nadu government is opposing a CBI probe into the May 22 Tuticorin police shooting. We suggest it only to instil confidence in people. We are not saying that the probe by state police is biased or shabby,” the Madras high court has said.

“Even in the gutka scam we did not order a CBI probe based on the allegations of involvement of a minister and DGP. We did so only to instil confidence in people about fairness of the probe. We had also recorded the same in the order. Similarly, in the present case, when the state police are also involved, a probe by an independent agency would get people’s confidence,” the first bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice P T Asha said on Monday.

This apart, rejecting the claim made by the petitioners’ counsel that the police firing, in which 13 anti-Sterlite protestors were killed was a one-sided attack, the chief justice said: “I seldom watch television. On that day, I was in Kodaikanal and coincidentally I watched the incident being telecast in Time Now news channel. From what was telecast, I am sure it was not one-sided but twosided attack. A section of protestors could be seen attacking police vehicles and setting them on fire.”

This apart, pointing out the submissions of the advocate-general Vijay Narayan that the government had video proof that some of the protestors carried petrol bombs during the ‘peaceful’ rally, the bench said, if such allegations are true such persons cannot be allowed to get away. Moreover, it would be wrong to say that police cannot act in self-defence, the bench added.

CAG REPORT

Rajiv Gandhi hospital wasted life-saving, other drugs worth ₹16cr: Audit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  10.07.2018

One of the largest organ transplant centres in the public sector, Chennai’s Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, has wasted ₹9.34 crore worth of life-saving immune suppressants by placing orders in excess, the comptroller and auditor general of India has alleged.

In addition, they also ordered another drug Bromociptine used to treat gynaecological problems and Parkinson’s disease in excess.

The inflated requirement by the hospital and “failure to exercise control by director of medical education (DME) and Tamil Nadu Medical Service Corporation resulted in excess procurement of medicines and consequent loss of ₹16.17 crore due to expiration of medicines,” the report concluded.

In December 2013, the DME submitted requirement of 45 medicines in the essential drug list for 37 hospitals under its control. “Every hospital’s requirement is listed out by the pharmacist after collecting information from the doctors,” said a senior official at the directorate of drugs control.

In this case, the requirement did not have signature of either the MSO or the hospital dean before submission to the DME. Hospital dean has told the comptroller’s office the medical stores officer placed orders for the immune suppressant, Tacrolimus and Bromociptine “far in excess” by oversight because he

did not calculate the number of tablets in each unit he ordered.

Against the overall consumption of 5.46 lakh capsules of Tacrolimus and 7,000 tablets of Bromociptine, the hospital ordered 1.8 crore capsules and 96 lakh tablets respectively.

A two member committee recommended a detailed inquiry, but no further action was taken. Though, the requisition from the hospital came without signature, the DME passed it without any inquiry. TNMSC too did not restrict the procurement, it said.

To prevent future lapses, the DME has created a section headed by technical officers and made it mandatory for hospital heads to furnish authenticated copy based on requirements. The auditor also rapped the government for wasting money on a stem cell research centre at Stanley Medical College Hospital.

Engg placement: Firms offer 35% more pay this yr

Ranjani.Ayyar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:10.07.2018

A handful of engineering students from top colleges were offered 35% more in pay packages from dream and super dream companies as the placement season kicked off for the year 2019. Microsoft offered ₹39 lakh each to eight students of VIT, Vellore—the highest ever offered to any student in the college.

Colleges across Tamil Nadu churn out about two lakh graduate engineers each year with product companies and start-ups getting into recruitment mode early. The large recruiters—IT services companies follow suit in August. The early offers aren’t any indication of the season ahead as large recruiters—who are migrating to just in time hiring come later. Dream and super dream companies are those that pay more than ₹7 lakh a year. Some colleges bracket dream companies in the ₹4 lakh plus category.

At VIT, 16 candidates received super dream offers with pay ranging from ₹21 lakh to ₹39 lakh from companies including Microsoft, Pay-Pal and DE Shaw.

“We are quite happy with the way the season has kicked off. We are not dependant on IT services. Last year, captives like Dell and Bank of America took in students in large numbers and we hope they will do the same this year,” said Samuel Rajkumar, director of placement, VIT. Amazon which made super dream offers in colleges like VIT and Velammal has given campuses a miss, till now. Sources say colleges achieved just half of their targets last year as bulk recruiters (software service companies) developed cold feet and preferred off campus hiring. Nearly a third of all hiring was off campus last year. Tech firm Cognizant, a large recruiter of fresh talent, skipped last year’s campus, is now hiring students off campus from the 2018 batch.

“Being able to predict talent requ irement more accurately and relying on just in time hiring is here to stay,” said K Ramachandran, head of strategy, 361degreeminds, an e-learning startup.

At SASTRA, companies including Zoho and PayPal have made 24 offers upwards of ₹ 15 lakh per annum up to ₹21.5 lakh per annum. While the overall package has not seen a significant increase from last year, Vaidhya Subramanian, dean, planning and development, SASTRA University says the story is yet to unfold.

“Everyday till the end of the month, we have companies coming in. Appetite from product companies continues to be the same and we are hoping to have 200 students placed before bulk recruiters come in,” he said.

Phillip Praveen of Rajalakshmi Engineering College is pinning his hopes on specialised hiring requirements of companies. “Thirty offers have been made by 5 companies including Zoho and Doodle Blue. TCS will come later this month for digital hiring,” he said.

Raining discounts: Air fares to small towns dip

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:10.07.2018

Flying may be cheaper than travelling by train or air-conditioned buses as a slew of offers by airlines on domestic routes have led to a dip in fares from Chennai to Madurai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Visakhapatnam and also to Bengaluru for travel till end of September.


One-way fare is in the range of ₹1,700 to ₹1,999 on most of the days for one month to two months advance booking, making flying a better option than taking trains and buses as flights cover the distance in half an hour.

Airlines like SpiceJet and IndiGo have offered discounts to boost air travel during the monsoon on the west coast, which is a lean travel season.

This has caused a general dip in fares on most of the short-haul routes. Tickets which usually sell in the range of ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 can now be had for less than ₹2,000 for a week’s advance booking, except on the eve of a holiday.

The discounts which airlines have been floating for the last two years have encouraged individual travel.

“Despite being a traditionally lean period, monsoon travel this year has seen a steady uptake of 28% over last year to popular destinations such as Goa, Kochi, North-East, Port Blair. We have observed an increasing demand for the Independence Day week as well as Ganesh Chaturthi, primarily driven by flash sales and special offers by low-cost airlines,” said Rakshit Desai, managing director, FCM Travel Solutions.

“We have witnessed a rise in individuals travelling during monsoon. The airlines and hotels are tapping into this demand and coming up with lot of offers to attract more and more travel enthusiasts. While the hike in ATF prices has not had much impact on airfares, we expect the decline of 2.7% in the fuel prices will keep the airfares on the lower side in July.” said Sharat Dhall, chief operating officer, B2C, Yatra.com.

Fish pass formalin test, labs to examine samples again

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 10.07.2018
After a public scare over the sale of formalinlaced fish, officials of the food safety and fisheries departments on Monday conducted tests for the chemical at seafood outlets in various parts of the city. None of the samples, they said, tested positive for the carcinogenic compound that some vendors illegally use to preserve fish.

Officials said they will test the samples again in food safety labs. They have for the past week been conducting inspections in the coastal districts after an alert from Kerala on the seizure of formalin-laced fish.

The officials made surprise morning inspections at markets in Kasimedu, Chintadripet and Saidapet, testing random samples with rapid formalin detection kits developed by state-run Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University.

“Fisheries officials conducted tests on 24 samples,” said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer, Chennai. “All tested negative.”

“We started in Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin and then conducted similar inspections in Chennai, Kanyakumari and Nagapattinam,” fisheries director G S Sameeran said.

“The testing kit is still in the lab-testing phase. There are chances that it could give false results.” Officials are in the process of procuring 200 government-validated spot testing kits from Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Kochi.

“We will simultaneously carry out more specific tests of the samples in our labs,” food safety and drug administration commissioner P Amudha said.

None of 100 samples collected from the districts tested positive, but Sameeran did not rule out the possibility of formalin being used. “If we come across instances in field tests, we will not hesitate to book those responsible,” he said.

Morgues use formalin, derived from formaldehyde, to preserve bodies. Fish wholesalers sometimes illegally use it as a preservative, especially while transporting it to other states.

Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the sale or distribution of any food article containing any poisonous ingredient may attract a minimum penalty of imprisonment for three years that may extend to life and a minimum fine of Rs5,000.

No rethink on death penalty for Nirbhaya killers, says SC

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 10.07.2018

The convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rapemurder case face the gallows with the Supreme Court saying on Monday that it found no new grounds for a rethink on its May 2017 decision to award death to the four for the barbaric assault on a 23-year-old paramedic that triggered an outpouring of outrage across the nation.

The convicts have the option of seeking presidential commutation of their death sentences which seems unlikely given the severity of the crime and the views of the trial court, high court and the Supreme Court. One of the accused, Ram Singh, committed suicide during the trial. A juvenile in conflict with the law was tried by a special court and has already served three years in a reform home.

A Delhi trial court had awarded the death penalty to Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay and Akshay. This was upheld by the Delhi high court and later by the apex court.

No merit in review petitions: SC bench

In December last year, the SC reserved its verdict on petitions by Mukesh, Vinay and Pawan seeking a review of the SC decision.

On Monday, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R Banumathi and Justice Ashok Bhushan said the SC had heard appeals filed by the accused against the Delhi HC verdict for 38 days, giving them ample opportunity to raise all possible grounds in their defence, which were minutely considered by the apex court before delivering its verdict on May 5 last year.

“In these review petitions, no ground has been made out which may furnish any ground to review the judgment, We, thus, find no merit in these review petitions and consequently, the review petitions are dismissed,” said Justice Bhushan, who authored the judgment on behalf of the bench.

Referring to the convicts’ questioning conclusions of the scientific investigation by the Delhi police, Justice Bhushan said, “Matching of DNA profile developed from the articles seized from the bus like ‘hair’ and the bloodstained seat cover of the bus and the bunch of hair recovered from the floor of the bus with the DNA profile of the victim was held to be unimpeachable evidence establishing the involvement of the bus in the commission of the offence.

“The oral and scientific evidence has been elaborately considered by this court in upholding the findings of the high court as to the involvement of the bus. The petitioner/accused cannot re-agitate the same point again.” It cited the victim’s dying declaration which described the incident and specified the role of each accused, the rape committed by a number of persons and the insertion of an iron rod in her private parts.

On May 5, the same bench of Justice Misra, Justice Banumathi and Justice Bhushan had upheld the Delhi HC decision to award the four convicts capital punishment.



SEEKING JUSTICE