Arrangements in full swing for Vaikunta Ekadasi

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is making elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi scheduled for December 18 and 19.

Published: 15th December 2018 05:21 AM |

By Express News Service

TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is making elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi scheduled for December 18 and 19.TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal has said that micro-level planning with regard to meeting the requirements of the pilgrims had been done. Temporary sheds have been erected around the Mada Streets, Alwar Tank and Narayanagiri Gardens with defined entry and exit gates.

The EO along with Tirumala JEO KS Srinivasa Raju and CVSO Gopinath Jatti inspected the ongoing works in four mada streets and Narayanagiri gardens on Friday.Speaking to mediapersons, JEO Srinivasa Raju said that after Garuda Seva among the major religious events in Tirumala temple, pilgrims throng in large numbers on this auspicious day of Vaikunta Ekadasi to have Uttara Dwara Darshan. “We had provided darshan to nearly 1.7 lakh pilgrims on Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi in 2017,” he added.



He said pilgrims would be allowed to enter the compartments of Vaikuntam Queue Complex (VQC) 2 through MBC 26 gate from 10 am onwards on December 17, a day before Vaikunta Ekadasi. After the compartments of VQC 2 and then VQC 1 get filled, the pilgrims will be allowed to enter into the sheds constructed in Narayanagiri Gardens to wait before darshan.


If all compartments of Vaikuntam and sheds in Narayanagiri Gardens gets filled, the sheds put up in the four mada streets would be thrown open for the waiting pilgrims. Arrangements were made for nearly 40,000 pilgrims in the temporary sheds.

The JEO said Srivari Seva volunteers will ensure continuous supply of food and water to devotees. He said over two lakh devotees are expected to have Uttara Dwara Darshan during these two days. Continuous announcements through radio and broadcasting will be given about the entry points in different languages for the benefit of pilgrims, he added.

Srinivasa Raju said Sarva Darshan would begin on December 18 by 5.30 am and lasts up to midnight of December 19 with a break of less than an hour for Naivedyam.He called upon the staff to provide best services to pilgrims. A training programme was held for the employees at SVETA building in Tirupati on Friday evening.

CE Chandrasekhar Reddy, FACAO Balaji, GM Sesha Reddy, CAO Sesha Sailendra, Health Officer Dr. Shermista, Annaprasadam special officer Venugopal and others were present.

Half-yearly question papers leaked on WhatsApp

Pon Vasanth B.A.

MADURAI, DECEMBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST

Question papers for the ongoing common half-yearly examinations for State board and matriculation schools across Tamil Nadu for various classes, particularly Class XII, are allegedly being leaked through mobile messaging platforms like WhatsApp.

When a security breach was reported last week at a government-aided school in Devakottai, Sivaganga district — one of the designated custodian points for storing question papers — officials claimed the leak was plugged.

Enquiries with officials from the School Education Department (SED) revealed they were unsure about the source of the widespread leaks and no action, like postponing the exams or modifying question papers, had been taken.

A student of Class XII from a matriculation school in Madurai city said he and his classmates received entire question papers for Mathematics and Computer Science examinations that happened last week on WhatsApp.

Another student of Class XII from a different matriculation school in Madurai said: “We are not receiving all question papers at once. The papers are leaked just a day or two before a particular exam.”

A teacher running a tuition centre in the city claimed that the leak happened for Class X and XI as well. “Most of my students had the question papers in advance,” he said.

Acknowledging that a breach was reported in N.S.M.V.P.S Higher Secondary School in Devakottai, A. Palumuthu, Chief Educational Officer (CEO), Sivaganga, said no physical copies of question papers, however, were leaked. He said further investigations were being held by the police. “We have asked all custodian points to install surveillance cameras and ensure round-the-clock security,” he added.

Case registered

T. Jayachandran, Superintendent of Police, Sivaganga, said that a case had been registered and few students were being enquired. “We recovered the physical copies that were taken out. Our enquiry so far had shown that nobody took pictures. Circulation of papers on WhatApp, particularly for other subjects, cannot be related to this incident,” he said. M.K.C. Subashini, CEO, Madurai, said senior officials from the SED had been informed about the alleged leaks and a decision on postponement or modification of question papers must be taken at the State-level.

V.C. Rameswara Murugan, Director of School Education, could not be reached for a comment.

We have asked all custodian points to install surveillance cameras and ensure round-the-clock security

A. Palumuthu

Infant dies after hot sambar spills on her

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST

A 18-month-old girl died of burns on Sunday morning after hot sambar fell on her at her house on Stringer Street in Esplanade police station limits on Saturday.

According to the police, around 10 a.m on Saturday, the vessel with the hot sambar was kept on the floor of the kitchen.

“Bhumika was playing and by mistake, she tripped on the vessel. The sambar fell on her and she sustained burns on her stomach, back and other parts,” the policeman said.

She was rushed to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, and doctors informed the parents that she had sustained 51% burns.

Around 8 a.m. on Sunday, the girl died. A case has been registered, and further investigation is on.

Bhumika is the youngest daughter of Murugan, 30, and Surya, 25. “They are part of a joint family and food is cooked for nearly seven people,” said the police.

Vellore trust sanctions aid to 971 students

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST

VIT chancellor wants the district to be a model in education

As many as 971 students received financial assistance of Rs. 53 lakh for pursuing their higher education, in Vellore on Saturday. The financial assistance has been extended to them by Universal Higher Education Trust.

The trust has been extending financial assistance to poor young men and women since 2012 for pursuing higher education.

Speaking at the function held at the Vellore Institute of Technology, G. Viswanathan, Chancellor of VIT, said the trust was working towards making Vellore district a model in offering higher education in the country.

Mr. Viswanathan said the trust had been helping thousands of poor students to help them pursue their college education.

Two-thirds of those who received the aid were women and that it was everyone’s responsibility to ensure that women complete their education.

Placements look up

Pointing to the remarkable improvement in higher education in the State, Mr. Viswanathan said through the Placement Cell of VIT, 108 students had secured jobs in Bank of America.

Mr. Viswanathan stressed on the need for initiatives by the government to ensure that every single youth received quality higher education.

S.V. Balasubramaniam, Chairman of Bannari Amman Group of Companies, said the country should pay more attention to technical education.

Only 10% of people in India received higher education and this number should increase, he said.

Mylswamy Annadurai in race for Madurai Kamaraj varsity V-C post

R. Sujatha

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST


196 candidates include eminent scientists


Mylswamy Annadurai, former director of Indian Space Research Organisation, is one of the 196 candidates who have applied for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University.

The list, which The Hindu has accessed, includes eminent scientists, whose applications were overlooked despite their credentials for the post for other State universities.

Scholars and eminent professors from other parts of the country and abroad have applied. A professor of Indian origin employed in Malaysia features on the list. Professors from Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh have applied.

The university has been without a Vice-Chancellor after P.P. Chellathurai was removed from the post following a court ruling in June. He was appointed by Governor-Chancellor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao in May 2017 despite protests from the teachers’ associations. Prior to his appointment, the university was without a V-C for over two years.

Mired in controversy

Even the constitution of the V-C search panel, both before his appointment and following his removal from office, had been mired in controversy and legal wrangles.

The last date for applying was Friday.

The search panel released the list on Saturday.

The search panel includes Anna University former Vice-Chancellor M. Anandakrishnan and former IGNOU V-C Nageshwar Rao and D.K. Oza, former Vice-Chancellor of Gandhigram Rural Institute.

The panel was reconstituted on November 30 and it has three months’ time to submit its panel of names to the Governor-Chancellor Banwarilal Purohit.

HR & CE official arrested in idol theft case

R. Sivaraman

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST

Thirumagal was taken to Kumbakonam for remand

N. Thirumagal, Additional Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, was arrested by the Idol Wing CID police on Sunday in connection with the alleged offence of swapping of idols at the Kapaleeswarar temple, Mylapore.

According to sources, Ms. Thirumagal was summoned for inquiry to the office of the Idol Wing in Guindy. She was arrested and taken to the special court in Kumbakonam for remand.

SC bail conditions

On December 13, the Supreme Court, passing an order on her anticipatory bail application, said, “In the meanwhile, in the event of petitioner’s arrest, she may be released on bail on such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the trial court.” Her advocate Sudha Ramalingam said, “As the Supreme Court has granted interim anticipatory bail, it was unnecessary to arrest Ms. Thirumagal and take her all the way to Kumbakonam. It is a waste of manpower and other resources. “Publication of such arrest as breaking news only brings down the morale of honest officers.”

On July 23, Rangarajan Narasimhan of Srirangam lodged a complaint against three individuals, archakas and temple officials with regard to the swap and theft of idols of Parvathi in the form of peacock and two more idols at the Kapaleeswarar temple.

The complaint was investigated by the Idol Wing and it came to light that three idols — Parvathi in the form of peacock, Raahu and Kethu — were swapped at the time of kumbabhisekam of the temple held in 2004 and subsequently stolen.

‘Records destroyed’

The Idol Wing alleged that such events had taken place with her knowledge and connivance when she was the Deputy Commissioner of the temple during that period.

The police also claimed that records were destroyed recently without following the relevant rules.

However, Ms. Thirumagal contended before the Madras High Court that she had nothing to do with the alleged offence and was being falsely implicated in the case.

HC rejects plea

Her petition was rejected by the Madras High Court in November.

Meanwhile, Ms. Thirumagal was produced at the residence of the additional chief judicial magistrate at Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district on Sunday night.

The magistrate directed the Idol Wing CID police to produce her before the court on Monday.

Subsequently, Ms. Thirumagal was taken to the Kumbakonam all-women police station, police sources added.

(With inputs from R. Rajaram in Tiruchi)

Panjab University relaxes hostel rules

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 17, 2018 00:00 IST

The 48-day-long struggle by a group of Panjab University students demanding round-the-clock freedom of movement in girls’ hostels has finally yielded results. The university’s Senate has decided to allow unrestricted movement in hostels for girls, with a condition that students going out after 11 p.m. will have to make an entry in a register.

57-yr-old dies after cutting his genitals

Bengaluru:17.12.2018

A 57-year-old man succumbed to injuries after he cut his genitals on Saturday morning at his residence in Soladevanahalli. He was under the influence of alcohol.

Nanjappa, a labourer and a resident of Tirumalapura, Soladevanahalli in north Bengaluru, was an alcohol addict, according to his son. The man consumed alcohol after waking up on Saturday morning. When his son returned from work around 10.30pm, neighbours told him that they heard his father screaming inside the house.

When the son entered the house, he found his father had cut his genitals and was bleeding profusely. Nanjappa died within the next 10 minutes even as his son was making arrangements to shift him to a hospital. The son said he did not know why his father did it, adding that Nanjappa used a kitchen knife to cut his genitals. Police said they haven’t come across any such incident and hence no complaint was filed. TNN

Cops block transsexuals from visiting Sabarimala

They Complain Of Harassment By Police

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kottayam:17.12.2018

Police on Sunday stopped four members of transsexual community from heading to the Sabarimala shrine. After being stopped at Erumeli, they returned to Kottayam where they met district police chief Harisankar, with whom they lodged a complaint that they were ill-treated by police at the Erumeli station.

Regarding their demand to visit Sabarimala, Harisankar advised them to approach the three-member committee appointed by the high court. They reached the state capital by Sunday evening and they said they were given appointment to meet the panel at 10am on Monday.

It was Avantika, 24, Ananya, 26, Trupthy, 33 and Renjumol, 30, all based in Ernakulam, who were sent back by police. Renjumol said they were under police surveillance ever since they had decided to visit Sabarimala.

During their journey, police were in contact with them and as they reached Erumeli they were asked to report at Erumeli police station by around 3am. Renjumol said that they were treated badly at the station and were asked to return. Avantika in a Facebook post said that police questioned their identity. “They asked us to change from the sari we were wearing to another dress (trousers and shirts) if we were to proceed to Sabarimala. We wanted to trek up to Sabarimala in our own identity,” she said.

Police took a stand that the transgender members in the attire of women could not be allowed to proceed to Sabarimala. However, the TS members took a stand that since they have observed all the rituals and customs required to visit Sabarimala and since they don’t have any restrictions being a TS community member they will not back out from their pilgrimage.

“We had given letters to the district police chief and district collector seeking protection for visiting the hill shrine,” Renjumol said. Harisankar said a final decision on allowing them to trek will be taken after getting the legal advice of the high court-appointed three-member panel.

A a decision could be made only after getting legal clarity on the SC verdict, he said, adding that he would look into the harassment complaint.


SEEKING JUSTICE: The transsexual community members at Kottayam SP’s office on Sunday

Govts alone can’t help Gaja victims, says Kamal Haasan

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:17.12.2018

Stating that the state and Union governments have an important role in helping the Cyclone Gaja victims in the battered delta region, actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan said the governments alone cannot help the distressed, it has come from all quarters.

Talking to reporters at the Madurai airport on Sunday, he said that Cyclone Gaja cannot be treated like a disaster on a par with Chennai floods. “First aid alone is not enough. Due to Gaja, livelihood of people is affected and they should be saved. The MNM is engaged in relief works in affected areas.”

Responding to a question on the Union government’s claim in the court that the state had delayed in submitting the report on the extent of damages, he said that it was a mistake that should be corrected. “We will put pressure on the state government and they in turn should put pressure on the Centre,” he added.

“It is not enough if we keep talking. People need help and we should start helping them. The MNM has plans to help them. But the governments have a much bigger role that we cannot match.” Responding to a question on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi not visiting the affected areas, he said the compliant holds good.

Meanwhile, when reporters asked him about the skipping of the unveiling of former chief minister M Karunanidhi’s statue event in Chennai on Sunday, Haasan said there was no need for him to prove his respect he had for the leader. “I have been taking part in events that were organised to honour him and will continue to participate in more such events,” he said.

On NGT’s order ragarding he Sterlite issue, he said it was unacceptable. “We have once seen the consequences of a protest,” he said, citing the police firing to control the mob on the 100th day of the anti-Sterlite protest in Tuticorin on May 22. He said the order would not have come if the state government had initiated the legal battle. Kamal Haasan was on his way to Kodaikanal to initiate relief works in the areas affected by Cyclone Gaja.

Adoptive father cannot replace biological dad on birth cert: Court

Saeed Khan TNN

Ahmedabad:17.12.2018

A local court here has refused to replace the name of a child’s biological father with that of the adoptive parent on a birth certificate, saying that it was the “legal right of a child to preserve his or her identity — including nationality, name and family relations — as recognized by law”.

The adoptive parents had sought a change in the father’s name on the child’s birth certificate after the mother divorced her first husband and remarried. When the case went to the sessions court, it said: “It is not legal and valid to replace the name of the biological father or mother with that of adoptive parents… .”

During the course of hearing, the sessions court quoted the Madras high court, which had in a similar case observed, “Assuming (God forbid) that there is yet another marriage, as it happens without much ado in western societies, is it possible to change the name of the parents every time there is a divorce followed by a fresh marriage?”

The court had, in fact, two different cases of this nature before it. In the first case, residents of Ranip in Gujarat Jagdish Patel and his wife Vaibhavi wanted to remove the name of the biological father, Kamleshkumar Jain, from the birth certificate of their daughter Priyanshi. Vaibhavi had married Jagdish after divorcing Jain. The stepfather formally adopted the girl as his daughter and approached the court for the declaration and to replace the biological father’s name with his. Vaibhavi also wanted to correct her name, which was written as Vaishali, in the column for the mother’s name. The court flatly refused to order the change in names.

In the second case, Bopal residents Bhanuprasad Chaudhary and his wife Shilpa wanted to remove the latter’s first husband Ghanshyam Patel’s name from the birth certificate of their daughter Manali and replace it with Bhanuprasad’s. Shilpa had remarried after her first husband had died. In this case too, the court turned down their request.

For full report, www.toi-.in

The court said that it was the “legal right of a child to preserve his or her identity — including nationality, name and family relations — as recognized by law

HC fines man ₹10,000 for frivolous plea

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:17.12.2018

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court has fined a petitioner — who holds a PhD in chemistry — who sought to quash a notification calling for an interview of assistant professors in a college, as wilfully causing hindrance in the appointment of teaching faculty in a college. A fine of ₹10,000 was imposed.

The petitioner, M Chandra Mohan, had applied for the post of assistant professor in A Veeraya Vandayar Memorial Sri Pushpam College at Poondi in Thanjavur district, in response to an advertisement in 2017. Chandra Mohan had attended the interview and was not considered for the post. Subsequently, Chandra Mohan challenged the notification on the ground that it was not in consonance with Section 11 of the Private Colleges Regulation Act 1976 as well as UGC norms.

200 RGUHS students to pay hefty fine for flouting rules

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST



The students’ results will be announced only after they pay a fine ranging between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 5,000, said the Registrar of the university.File photo

They wrote names of gods, symbols, mantras on their answer scripts

As many as 200 students from the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) will have to pay a hefty price for ignoring the rules and writing the names of gods and mantras on their answer scripts. The university has withheld their scores and will release the results only after the students pay the fine.

Prior to the exams held in October, the RGUHS had issued a circular warning students not to jot down signs, symbols, names of gods, mantras, etc. on their answer scripts. At the time, the authorities had said the new rules were necessary as there were cases where words like ‘Om’ and names of gods had been written in pre-assigned spots to help the evaluator identify the student whose answer script was to be evaluated.

Despite this, around 200 medical and allied health sciences students, who wrote the examinations in October flouted the rules. “The list of these students was submitted to the malpractice committee which met last week. It has been decided that their results will be announced after collecting a fine ranging between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 5,000,” said M.K. Ramesh, Registrar (Evaluation) of the university.

The rules also prohibited students from writing the register number, their name, the letters ‘P.T.O.’ at the end of the pages, other irrelevant messages, any word, number, or sentence that was extraneous to the questions asked. Students were also prohibited from answering questions out of context and tampering with their booklets.

“Not all students wrote this to commit malpractice. Some students did it out of sheer carelessness. So we decided that we should fine them so that they do not have to write the same paper again,” said a professor.

Nurse jumps off third floor of hospital, dies

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

NAGERCOIL, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

She was questioned after an inmate’s gold ornament went missing

A nurse working with a private eye hospital here allegedly jumped off the third floor of the hospital on Thursday evening, and died on Friday.

Police said N. Anisha, 20, of Viyanur in Kanniyakumari district, who was working in the eye hospital, was staying in the hostel run by the hospital. She sustained multiple injuries when she jumped off the hospital building. She was admitted to a private hospital in a critical condition and succumbed to her injuries on Friday. Nesamoni Nagar police, who sent the body to Government Kanniyakumari Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam for a post-mortem, registered a case in this connection. The police said Anisha was questioned by the hostel authorities recently after a gold ornament of another nurse went missing. Upset over this, Anisha might have taken the extreme step. Accusing the hospital administration of having driven Anisha to end her life, her relatives staged a dharna in front of the hospital for a while. The police pacified them with the assurance that a proper investigation would be conducted.

Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.

MMC to get new infrastructure

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

Minister for Cooperation Sellur K. Raju performing a bhoomi puja for construction of new buildings on Madurai Medical College campus on Friday.S. JamesS_James

Foundation stone laying ceremony for construction of new buildings at a cost of Rs. 37.25 crore happened inside Madurai Medical College premises here on Friday.

S. Shanmugasundaram, Dean (in charge), Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital, said that two buildings will be constructed on the college premises.

“One is a seven-storey building with facilities to accommodate classrooms and other infrastructure needed for six departments in the college. The other building, which will have four floors, will be residential quarters for non-teaching staff at the college,” he said. Minister for Cooperation ‘Sellur’ K. Raju and Madurai North MLA V.V. Rajan Chellappa laid the foundation stone for the buildings in the presence of Collector S. Natarajan and Dr. Shanmugasundaram.

A number of projects augments the infrastructure are underway at GRH and MMC, including an operation theatre complex supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), super-speciality block under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), and a new building to host paediatric and other departments, are underway in various stages. The projects have also faced criticism for prolonged delays in completion.

Banks asked to pay for negligence in service

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

In a case of cheque box tampering and manipulation

Madurai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum on Friday directed ICICI Bank, Madurai, and Indian Overseas Bank, Chennai, to jointly and severally compensate a complainant after it found the banks guilty of negligence in a case of cheque box tampering and manipulation.

The forum was hearing the case of T. D. Subramanian of Madurai, who was having a bank account with the ICICI Bank.

He said that he had received a cheque for Rs. 83,825 from his customer, Kumaran Textiles, Chennai, though an Indian Overseas Bank cheque.

The complainant is said to have dropped the cheque for collection with a challan dated April 2012 in the security drop box of the ICICI Bank. However, the money was not credited into his account. It was brought to his notice that the security drop box was broken open and various cheques dropped into the box were taken away by culprits.

A complaint was made to the Banking Ombudsman, RBI, Chennai, who, after conducting an inquiry, found out that the complainant’s cheque was manipulated, forged and presented through Federal Bank, Madurai, in another person’s name. The Banking Ombudsman had found ICICI Bank at fault for not safeguarding safety and security of the drop box and the Indian Overseas Bank for not properly scrutinising the cheque before payment.

The forum comprising president V. Balasundarakumar and members C. Packialakshmi and M. Maraikamalai directed both the banks to jointly and severally pay the cheque amount of Rs. 83,825, a compensation of Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 3000 as cost to the complainant.

Charges to be framed against Sasikala in FERA violation cases

R. Sivaraman

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

As per HC order, questioning will be done via video-conferencing

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate is set to frame charges against jailed AIADMK leader Sasikala through video-conferencing in cases booked by Enforcement Directorate.

According to the prosecution, Sasikala, as chairperson-cum-director of JJTV Private Limited, had authorised the company’s managing director and her nephew V. Bhaskaran to negotiate and enter into a contract with any foreign supplier with a transponder facility for launching a Tamil satellite TV channel in the early 1990s.

In pursuit of this, payments were made to firms in U.S. and Singapore dollars for hiring transponders and uplink facilities for JJ TV without getting the permission of the Reserve Bank of India.

Sasikala and Bhaskaran were cited as accused in these cases registered in 1996 and 2001.

Last year, the trial court began the proceedings by questioning her on the charges she faced through video-conferencing facility from Parappana Agrahara prison, Bengaluru.

After transfer of the then presiding officer of the court, the case was taken by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate-II(ACMM-II) S. Malarmathi.

Procedural lapses

With the prosecution pointing out certain procedural lapses, the ACMM-II ordered the production of Sasikala before the court. Her order was challenged in the Madras High Court. The High Court found from the records that she had denied the charges, but, however her signature was not found.

It was only for this purpose, the trial court wanted to question her again on the charges so that the irregularity could be rectified.

Order set aside

The High Court set aside the order for the production of Sasikala but directed to proceed further by questioning her on the charges through video conferencing.

On Friday, counsel for Sasikala submitted the High Court order. After perusing the order, ACMM-II Ms. Malarmathi adjourned the matter for framing charges and questioning Sasikala through video-conferencing on December 20.

Govt. letter contradicts former CS

Deepu Sebastian Edmond

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

Girija Vaidyanathan  

No separate report about Jayalalithaa’s treatment was submitted in Oct. 2016, says Girija Vaidyanathan

The Tamil Nadu government has contradicted its former Chief Secretary by telling the Commission of Inquiry looking into the death of Jayalalithaa that an October 2016 meeting of its cabinet did not discuss the treatment being provided to the former Chief Minister, who was still hospitalised.

In an October 31, 2018 letter to the Justice (Retd.) A. Arumughaswamy Commission, Chief Secretary (CS) Girija Vaidyanathan said that the cabinet meeting of October 19 only passed a resolution praying for Jayalalithaa’s speedy recovery: there was no agenda item regarding the then Chief Minister’s treatment.

Two letters

P. Rama Mohana Rao, Chief Secretary during Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation, had told the Commission on October 24 that he had prepared a note about shifting Jayalalithaa abroad and placed it before an “October-end, 2016” meeting of the State Cabinet.

Ms. Vaidyanathan’s letter was one of the two from the State government to the Commission, the other was received on October 29, 2018. They were in responses to two letters from the Commission asking a number of questions to the government.

In her second letter, the incumbent Chief Secretary also said that, even after a survey of the files of the Public and Health Department, the government was unable to find any reports by Mr. Rao to O. Panneerselvam about him signing the Apollo Hospital procedure records along with V.K. Sasikala. At the time, Mr. Panneerselvam was also handling the hospitalised Chief Minister’s portfolios.

The government has also informed the Commission that Apollo Hospitals’ Chairman Dr. Prathap C. Reddy and doctors of the Critical Care Unit “regularly, on a daily basis” briefed a group of individuals from the government. There is also an indication that these briefings took place in the mornings: all ministers who visited the hospital daily would normally attend, while senior ministers would join in at times.

Others who were briefed include: Chief Secretary, advisor to the Chief Minister Sheela Balakrishnan, available Secretaries to the Chief Minister, Health Secretary and his Minister and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambi Durai.

Ms. Vaidyanathan also informed the Commission that because of these briefings, the then-Chief Secretary did not have to submit a separate report about the health status of Jayalalithaa.

More inquiries

Tamil Nadu government's Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan on Friday told the Commission that incumbent deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam had never approached him with concerns of the treatment provided to the former Chief Minister during the two months he was himself CM after her death.

After being sworn in on the same night as Jayalalithaa's death, Mr. Panneerselvam resigned on February 5, 2017. Sources said that Mr. Radhakrishnan, had also said that — to the best of his knowledge — Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has not yet raised doubts about the nature of Jayalalithaa’s death.

The statements of the Principal Secretary (Health) about the incumbent Chief Minister and his deputy were extracted during a cross-examination by V.K. Sasikala’s lawyer N. Raja Senthoor Pandian.

The Commission has also asked Mr. Radhakrishnan to return on December 18; counsel for both Sasikala and Apollo Hospitals are to complete their cross-examination.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said that Jayalalithaa did not require to be taken abroad for treatment. He added that the former Chief Minister was provided treatment that conformed to international standards.

He said that it would have been a shame for Indian doctors if the leader was shifted abroad, as they are capable of providing the same level of care.

On Friday, the Commission also examined three servants who had been employed by Jayalalithaa. Devika, Sivayogam and Bhoomika were identified by a team led by Police Inspector Kanagasabhapathi, who has been appointed to aide the Commission.

Servants questioned

One of the three women recollected that she had seen Jayalalithaa lean on Sasikala’s shoulder at home the night of her hospitalisation. Another told the Commission that a modified elevator was put in place to welcome the former Chief Minister; her aides were preparing for Jayalalithaa to be discharged mid-December.

A source said when the Commission had asked the women if they had heard or seen a commotion at the house the night of Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation — they replied in the negative.

Jayalalithaa did not require to be taken abroad for treatment

J. Radhakrishnan

Health Secretary

RGUHS students to pay fine for flouting rules

BENGALURU, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

The students’ results will be announced only after they pay a fine ranging between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 5,000, said the Registrar of the university. File photo

As many as 200 students from the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences will have to pay a hefty price for ignoring the rules and writing the names of gods and mantras on their answer scripts. The university has withheld their scores and will release the results only after the students pay the fine.

NEET applications from Tamil Nadu record 17% increase

TNN | Dec 14, 2018, 07.37 AM IST

CHENNAI: There has been a 17% rise in the number of candidates applying for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions from Tamil Nadu, from 1.2 lakh in 2017-18 to 1.4 lakh in 2018-19, official data shows.

Copping heavy criticism for not allocating an adequate number of exam centre in Tamil Nadu last year, the Centre has increased the number of cities in which the test will be conducted in May 2019.

Last year, the test was held in only 10 cities including Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Trichy, forcing many from rural and interior areas of Tamil Nadu to travel to other states. Some latecomers were denied entry and missed writing the test. This time, centres will also be set up in Thanjavur, Cuddalore, Nagercoil and Karur.




Of the total registrations, more than 26,000 preferred centres in and around Chennai and 19,000 preferred centres in the four newly added cities.

The Tamil Nadu government had repeatedly promised to pressure the Centre to clear the Bills passed in the state assembly seeking a permanent exemption from NEET and opposition parties and activists have been calling to scrap it altogether saying it would affect rural students.

But little progress has been made on this front, and the state government set up 413 coaching centres to train students from government-funded schools. While the Rs 20 crore allocated by the government towards this lies idle, private colleges funded the training programme.

A total of 26,000 students are being trained in these centres, syas school education minister K A Sengottiayan, expressing the hope that at least 500 among them will join MBBS/BDS courses by clearing NEET-UG 2019. Last year, only government school students managed to secure medical admissions, shows official data.

MTC bus collides head-on with car, 1 dead, 2 injured

TNN | Dec 15, 2018, 12.56 AM IST

CHENNAI: A 70-year-old woman was killed and two others, including her granddaughter and car driver, suffered grievous injuries in a fatal accident on Kamarajar Salai, Marina, on Friday morning.

Police said, the accident happened around 10.30am when a speeding MTC bus (route no.109), headed towards Broadway, collided head-on with a car approaching from the opposite lane, while trying to overtake another MTC bus.

The deceased was identified as Hemavathy, of Kilpauk. Her granddaughter Anandhavalli, 29, and car driver Venkatesan suffered injuries in the accident.

Heamavathy’s son booked a cab for her and Anandhavalli from Kilpauk and the two were on their way to meet a dentist in Mylapore when the accident took place.

“Since the cab was booked from an app installed on her son’s phone, he got a message that they had completed the trip. When he tried to call them, there was no response,” said an investigating officer. One of the police personnel attending to the accident picked up the call and informed him about the accident.

The MTC bus driver, who fled the scene, has been identified as Rajendran. Witnesses on the spot blamed the MTC driver for rash driving. Anna Square Traffic investigation team arrived at the scene and moved the mangled remains of the vehicle to the station.

All three were taken to the Royapettah government hospital. While doctors declared Hemavathy dead on arrival, the other two were admitted to the hospital and are undergoing treatment.

The accident led to a huge traffic pile-up on the stretch and the ambulance was one of the vehicles that got struck in the traffic. Police cleared all other vehicles and paved way for the ambulance.Anna Square traffic investigation team registered a case of causing death due to negligence against the driver.

Now, you can book seats on SETC buses on private apps

TNN | Dec 15, 2018, 09.00 AM IST

CHENNAI: Booking a seat on long-haul government buses has become easier with their being listed on Red Bus and other private booking apps since the second week of December in a bid to check the drop in patronage.



In the first phase, the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), one of eight state-owned transport corporations, has linked its online bus booking services to Red Bus and Bus India. Soon, Paytm will be added to this list.

SETC operates over 1,100 long-distance buses in Tamil Nadu. Its buses also ply on 250 routes in neighbouring Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

Patronage has been declining for SETC despite introduction of air-conditioned sleeper buses and ultra deluxe buses fitted with toilets.

In July, SETC had adopting a flexi-fare model — reducing fares during weekdays. Later, boarding points were shifted to Egmore and Adyar from Koyambedu as a part of its efforts to attract more passengers. Continuing that drive, SETC has now listed its services on private bus booking apps.

A senior SETC official said, “Passengers will now get to compare fares of government and private buses. In most cases, we charge less than half what private operators do. So we hope more passengers will choose us.”

Except for special buses, there is no surge pricing for SETC buses during the festival. SETC is optimistic that the move will help techies, who frequently visit their native places during weekends and depend on apps to book seats on buses. The apps are easy to use compared to the present Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) website and have a better server backup, the official added.

Also, the contact details of the bus conductor will be available to the passengers when they book and this will assist them in tracking the pick-up points and expected time of arrival.

Once the Global Positioning System (GPS) fitted in the buses is linked with the apps, passengers can even track the vehicles' movement live.

“This initiative is based on the success reported by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation after tying up with private firms and moffusil services will be added to the apps based on the response to the trial,” the SETC official added.

Phethai may skip Chennai, city to miss heavy rain

TNN | Dec 15, 2018, 12.01 AM IST

Chennai: With the probable cyclonic storm Phethai expected to skip Chennai, the city may not get much rain as weathermen have forecast a moderate spell against the earlier prediction of a heavy rain over the weekend.

The IMD said the system which will intensify from a deep depression to cyclonic storm and into a severe cyclonic storm thereafter, is likely to make a landfall between Ongole and Kakinada in Andhara Pradesh on Monday afternoon.

IMD’s regional weather inference said the deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal was about 930km southeast of Chennai and 1,090km southeast of Machilipatnam Friday afternoon. “It is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and into a severe cyclonic storm in subsequent 24 hours,” the official forecaster said.

S Balachandran said it may bring light rain to Chennai on Sunday afternoon and the intensity may increase slightly by Monday. “The current scenario shows the intensity of rainfall to be moderate in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, as the outer bands of the system is over that region. It may change depending on the movement and the size of the storm,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, meteorologists predicted a heavy spell over the city even as the storm was gathering strength over the Bay of Bengal. But, as the system moves closer to the land, meteorologists are observing further changes in its strength and the amount of rainfall it may bring.

Weather experts said there still may be a few heavy showers over some areas of north coastal Tamil Nadu as models show that the system may travel close to Chennai before shifting up north. “But, much of the heavy and very heavy spell would be over southern coastal Andhra Pradesh,” said Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist, Skymet.

With sky condition likely to be generally cloudy in the city on Saturday, there may be squally winds reaching speeds of 45-55kmph gusting to 65 kmph over north Tamil Nadu as rains begin.

UGC head to be chief guest at SPU convocation

TNN | Dec 15, 2018, 04.06 AM IST

Vadodara/ Anand: Professor D P Singh, chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) will be the chief guest at Vallabh Vidyanagar based Sardar Patel University’s (SPU) 61st convocation on Monday.

Singh will deliver the convocation address. The convocation ceremony will witness presence of Gujarat governor OP Kohli, who is also chancellor of the publicly-funded state university and education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.

During the convocation, a total of 117 gold medals will be conferred to the meritorious students. This year, the university will confer degrees to 12,427 students of 11 streams. Of these, a total of 2,675 students are from arts stream, 4,458 students from science stream, 142 students from technology and engineering stream, 2,205 students are from commerce stream, 743 students from management and 475 students from law. This apart 1,064 students of education, 147 students of home science, 215 students of homoeopathy and 483 students of medicine stream will also receive their degrees during the convocation.

மல்லையாவை திருடன் என்பதா?: கட்கரி ஆவேசம்

Added : டிச 14, 2018 01:48  dinamalar



  புதுடில்லி: மத்திய அமைச்சர் நிதின் கட்கரி கூறியது, தொழிலதிபர் விஜய் மல்லையா, இதற்கு முன், அனைத்து கடன்களையும் முறையாக செலுத்தி உள்ளார். விமான துறையில், அவருக்கு நஷ்டம் ஏற்பட்டதால், கடனை செலுத்தவில்லை. இதனால், அவரை திருடன் என்றும், மரியாதை இல்லாமலும் விமர்சிப்பதையும் ஏற்க முடியாது என்றார்.

மாவட்ட செய்திகள்

பயணிக்கு திடீர் நெஞ்சு வலி: இந்தோனேசியா விமானம் சென்னையில் அவசரமாக தரை இறக்கப்பட்டது





கத்தாரில் இருந்து இந்தோனேசியாவுக்கு சென்ற விமானத்தில் பயணிக்கு திடீரென நெஞ்சு வலி ஏற்பட்டதால், அந்த விமானம் சென்னை விமான நிலையத்தில் அவசரமாக தரை இறக்கப்பட்டது.

பதிவு: டிசம்பர் 14, 2018 03:45 AM
ஆலந்தூர்,

கத்தார் தலைநகர் தோகாவில் இருந்து இந்தோனேசியா தலைநகர் ஜகார்த்தாவுக்கு நேற்று அதிகாலை 247 பயணிகளுடன் விமானம் புறப்பட்டு சென்றது. நடுவானில் விமானம் பறந்து கொண்டு இருந்தபோது அதில் பயணம் செய்த இந்தோனேசியா நாட்டை சேர்ந்த உத்தம் சியாம் லால் (வயது 50) என்பவருக்கு திடீரென நெஞ்சு வலி ஏற்பட்டது.

இதுபற்றி அவர், விமான பணிப்பெண்களிடம் தெரிவித்தார். அவர்கள், விமானிக்கு தகவல் தெரிவித்தனர். அப்போது அந்த விமானம், சென்னை வான் எல்லையில் பறந்து கொண்டு இருந்தது.

உடனடியாக சென்னை விமான நிலைய கட்டுப்பாட்டு அறைக்கு தொடர்பு கொண்ட விமானி, விமானத்தில் பயணி ஒருவர் நெஞ்சு வலியால் துடிப்பதால் அவருக்கு உடனே மருத்துவ சிகிச்சை அளிக்கவேண்டும். இதற்காக சென்னையில் அவசரமாக விமானத்தை தரை இறக்க அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும் என்றார்.

இதையடுத்து சென்னை விமான நிலையத்தில் அந்த விமானம் தரை இறங்க அனுமதி அளிக்கப்பட்டது. அதைதொடர்ந்து அந்த விமானம், அவசரமாக தரை இறக்கப்பட்டது. உடனே விமான நிலையத்தில் தயாராக இருந்த மருத்துவ குழுவினர், விமானத்தில் ஏறி நெஞ்சு வலியால் துடிதுடித்த பயணிக்கு முதலுதவி அளித்தனர்.

பின்னர் பயணி உத்தம் சியாம் லாலுக்கு மருத்துவமனையில் வைத்து சிகிச்சை அளிக்க வேண்டியது இருப்பதாக டாக்டர்கள் தெரிவித்தனர். இதையடுத்து விமான நிலைய குடியுரிமை அதிகாரிகள், மருத்துவ கால விசாவை மனிதாபிமானத்துடன் வழங்கினார்கள்.

இதையடுத்து உத்தம் சியாம் லால், அந்த விமானத்தில் இருந்து கீழே இறக்கப்பட்டு மேல் சிகிச்சைக்காக சென்னையில் உள்ள தனியார் மருத்துவமனைக்கு அழைத்து செல்லப்பட்டார். அதன்பிறகு மற்ற பயணிகளுடன் அந்த விமானம் மீண்டும் இந்தோனேசியாவுக்கு புறப்பட்டு சென்றது.

Dr S Surya Prakash appointed Vice-Chancellor of DSNLU, Visakhapatnam [Read Notification]

Bar & Bench December 13 2018
Dr S Surya Prakash has been appointed as the new permanent Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam for a five-year term. Dr Prakash will take over from Vurrakula Kesava Rao, who has been functioning as the VC in-charge of DSNLU since June 2016.

A notification intimating the appointment of Dr Prakash as the new VC was issued yesterday by the Andhra Pradesh Law Department. It states,

“In exercise of the powers conferred under sub section (2) of Section 9 of the Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University Act, 2008, as subsequently amended, the Chancellor is pleased to appoint Prof. (Dr.) S.Surya Prakash, Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad as Vice-Chancellor of Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Visakhapatnam from the date he assumes charge of the office.

He shall hold office for a term of five (5) years from the date on which he assumes charge of the office or until he attains the age of seventy years whichever is earlier.“

Dr Surya Prakash has been serving as VC of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Aurangabad since March 2017. Prior to this, he was working as a Professor at the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal. He has served as the Principal at the DNR College of Law, Bhimavaram. He has also worked as an Associate Professor at the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata and Principal of of the Law College, Nanded.

He obtained his Bachelor’s law degree from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur and his Master’s law degree from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam in Labour and Industrial Law. He obtained his PhD in law from Berhampur University, Odisha.

Dr Prakash has also authored several publications, including his work on ‘Bonded Labour and Social Justice‘ (1990) and ‘Turning Point‘ (2009), a book on Prof NR Madhava Menon and the story of the National Law School movement in India.

Breaking: Death Row Prisoners Should Be Allowed To Meet Lawyers, Family Members,Mental Health Professionals: SC [Read Judgment] | Live Law

Breaking: Death Row Prisoners Should Be Allowed To Meet Lawyers, Family Members,Mental Health Professionals: SC [Read Judgment] | Live Law: “Prisoner can be said to be a prisoner on death row when his sentence is beyond judicial scrutiny and would be operative without any intervention from any other authority” The Supreme Court has observed that prisoners on death row should be allowed to have meetings and interviews with his lawyers or members of his immediate …

Income Tax Slab Rates

Result for Income Tax Slab rates

For Male and Female,

Up to 2,50,000-Nil

2,51,000-5,00,000- *5%*

5,00,001-10,00,000- *20%*

10lakh and above- *30%*

Education has revised as *Health and Education Cess* and Cess is *4%* now.

Previously it was 3%

80 C Deduction-1.5 lakhs

Home loan interest deduction- 2 lakhs

80D-Mediclaim,NHIS deduction raised to 1lakh.
Previously it was 30,000

*Standard Deduction* என்னும் புதிய பிரிவின் மூலம் *40,000* ரூபாயை ஒட்டுமொத்த சம்பளத்தில் கழித்துக் கொள்ளலாம். போக்குவரத்து மற்றும் மருத்துவச் செலவுகளுக்காக இவ்விலக்கு அளிக்கப்படுகிறது. இதற்காக *ரசீதுகள்* சமர்ப்பிக்கத் தேவையில்லை.

மற்றபடி வேறெந்த மாற்றமுமில்லை Posted by SSTA

Distance education racket busted in Madras University

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

PublishedDec 14, 2018, 12:42 am IST

Over 2,000 students finished courses in IDE without paying tuition fees causing loss of Rs 3 cr to university.

The university also put out an announcement asking the students to collect their degree certificates after paying tuition fees with a penalty on its website.

Chennai: Unearthing a major racket at the Institute of Distance Education, officials of University of Madras were shocked to find out that over 2,000 students have completed distance education programmes without paying tuition fees resulting in a financial loss to the university up to `3 crore.

The fraud came to light when the university tried to reconcile the bank records with the payments made through challans for admission before 2016 at the IDE.

After uncovering the irregularities, the university has withheld the degree certificates to over 2,000 students and had asked them to pay the full fees with a penalty to get all certificates including the convocation certificates.

Several students had joined MBA courses after 2008 have complained to the university saying they are yet to receive their certificates even after paying their fees.

While verifying the payment details, the IDE officials found out that students did not pay their tuition fees.

As per the procedures, the students will get their study materials only after paying their tuition fees.

Sources indicated that these students would have paid a part of the fees to the middlemen who in connivance with IDE staff deliberately changed the records to make it appear as if they have paid full fees.

“The wrong entry had allowed the students to get their study materials and also made them eligible to appear for exams,” sources added.

The malpractices committed during the admission in MBA programmes had the highest fee at that time.

Old students from IDE recalled that while they paid Rs 15,000 as tuition fee and some of these students paid less than Rs 5,000 to middlemen.

In some cases, the middlemen and corrupt elements in IDE after taking their cut have paid only Rs 300 which was just the exam fees.

“In some cases, they also made wrong entries in the bank challans as if the students made the full payment,” sources in the university said.

Majority of these students joined in the distance education programmes after 2008 and finished their course 2016.

“The IDE was completely in chaos and marred by corruption during this period. There was no mechanism to cross-check the payment by verifying bank records. The unscrupulous elements have exploited the loopholes in the system,” university officials said.

However, it remains a mystery as to how such a significant difference could escape the local audits.

“The racket could have been going on for several years, and thousands of students might have graduated without paying the tuition fees,” professors said.

Present Vice-Chancellor of University P. Duraisamy has introduced online payment method to eradicate manipulations in challan payment last year besides taking several initiatives to bring transparency and accountability in IDE administration.

“Now, without paying tuition fees, the students cannot download their hall tickets. We have put a system in place,” university officials said.

But, professors demanded strong action against the corrupt elements inside the university.

“The scamsters have stolen the answer scripts, manipulated the challans and cheated the examination system. Now, they have also looted the university. However, the university has not initiated any action against those who involved it,” they alleged.

When asked, the university officials denied the allegations saying that there was no particular evidence against anyone to take action.

“We have formed an inquiry committee headed by former DGP and filed a complaint with the CBCID in answer sheets missing case. The guilty will not go unpunished. Even in this case, there is no evidence for the scam and students have not come forward with any complaint,” they pointed out.

However, sources said the role of IDE staff in this racket could not be ruled out. “Students also partly responsible for such malpractices as they fall prey to the scamsters and that’s why they are hesitating to file the complaint,” they said.

Madras High Court reprieve for 108 Ponnaiyah students

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedDec 14, 2018, 12:58 am IST

The Ponnaiyah medical college was directed to return all the original certificates to the students forthwith.

Madras High Court

Chennai: Pointing out that the 108 students of defunct Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Medical Sciences in Manamai Nallar in Kancheepuram district can be accommodated only in government medical colleges as that of another defunct Annai Medical College, the Madras high court has directed the state government to send a proposal to the Medical Council of India to accommodate the students of Ponnaiyah Ramajayam college, within two weeks.

Allowing a batch of petitions from SU Archana and 107 other students, Justice T.Raja said the Medical Council of India on receipt of said proposal shall take a decision and forward the same to the Board of Governors in Supersession of MCI within one week thereon. The Board of Governors shall take a decision within a period of one week from the date of receipt of the decision of the MCI and forward the same to the ministry of health and family welfare, the judge added.

The judge said the ministry of health and family welfare shall pass necessary orders increasing the number of seats in government medical colleges and approve the accommodation of students of Ponnaiyah medical college in the 23 government medical colleges, functioning in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The Ponnaiyah medical college was directed to return all the original certificates to the students forthwith.

The students were required to file an affidavit that they shall pay the fees fixed by the fee fixation committee applicable for private medical colleges every year. The state government shall take steps for appointing adequate faculty members and also providing sufficient infrastructure facilities and bed strength, the judge added.

The judge directed the Medical Council of India to encash the bank guarantee furnished by Ponnaiyah medical college and give the same to the state government to enable it to provide sufficient infrastructure facilities and appoint faculty members.

Concurring with the submissions of senior counsels P.Wilson, S.Prabakaran and Silambannan, that once the Essentiality Certificate was issued by the state government it goes without saying that the state government has to take over the responsibility of the students in the event of the closure of the college, the judge said accepting the legal position, this court also while dealing with the case of Annai Medical College, allowed the petitions and gave directions to accommodate those students in government medical colleges. The state government accepted the order. The Medical Council of India went on an appeal and the Supreme Court dismissed the same, the judge pointed out and gave the above directions.

Citing the replies given by the self financing medical colleges to the proposal sent by the state government to accommodate the Ponnaiyah medical college students, expressing their willingness to accommodate them, the judge said some colleges indicated that they do not have sufficient infrastructure facilities and faculty strength and some other colleges failed to mention as to whether they have adequate infrastructure facilities and faculty strength to cater to the needs of the additional strength of students. Therefore, reliance placed on by additional advocate general Narmada Sampath on the orders passed by the Supreme Court, to accommodate the students of a college in self financing medical colleges cannot be accepted, the judge added.

The judge said in the case of self financing medical colleges who have come forward to accommodate the students admittedly indicated that they do not have sufficient infrastructure facilities, bed strength and adequate faculty. In view of this reason, the arguments by additional advocate general that all 108 students of defunct Ponnaiyah medical college should be distributed in self financing medical colleges will prove fatal to the future career of the students, the judge added.

Vellore Institute of Technology bans ‘PUBG’ in men’s hostel

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | KATHELENE ANTONY

PublishedDec 14, 2018, 1:25 am IST

Several complaints received on the addition to PUBG have been causing disturbance and disturbing other hostelers, say staff at the university.

The circular issued by the college authorities. (Photo: DC)

Chennai: Even as World Health Organisation now recognises “gaming disorder,” a college in TN has sent out a notification to the men's hostel warning them to quit gaming, especially PUBG.

The WHO’s designation is meant to get ahead of this problem. It creates a basis that the health care system can build a response around. “Doctors will have a condition to diagnose patients with. It enables more research into the disorder.” said a psychologist in the city.

In the light of such recognition, the chief of warden of VIT’s (Vellore Institute of Technology) men's hostel wrote-

“It has come to our notice that a few students are playing online games like ‘PUBG’ which is not permitted. This despite our repeated instructions against playing online games inside the rooms which disturbs fellow roommates and spoiling entire atmosphere of the hostel. It is strictly warned that playing online games and betting for such games are totally prohibited in VIT. Hence, defaulters will be dealt seriously under [the] VIT code of conduct. Students are asked to concentrate on physical games or sports and give more importance to their career growth” the circular read.

Several complaints received on the addition to PUBG have been causing disturbance and disturbing other hostelers, say staff at the university. “Addiction to games like PUBG has resulted in poor academic performance by students," they said. Cases of PUBG addiction are being continuously reported in NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences), Bangalore, after several youngsters between the ages of 18-30 began getting addicted to the game, sources say. Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) was released earlier this year and has since become widely popular.

In the game, up to one hundred players parachute onto an island and scavenge for weapons and equipment to kill others while avoiding getting killed themselves.

Despite warnings, colleges across Tamil Nadu withhold faculty certificates

This is happening even after Anna University and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) issued public notices mandating institutions to return the documents, it is alleged.

Published: 13th December 2018 01:47 AM 

Image used for representational purpose only.

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Most private engineering colleges continue to withhold teachers’ academic and professional certificates even a week after Anna University and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) issued public notices mandating institutions to return the documents, it is alleged.

The direction came after an Assistant professor of a Chennai-based private college committed suicide after the institution is said to have refused to return his certificates.


Vishnu Kumar*, a former faculty member of a private engineering college at Chembarambakkam, has been fighting to retrieve his certificates since he resigned in July.

“Along with a copy of the public notice issued by AICTE and Anna University, I wrote a requisition to the college, asking them to return my certificates. They have not communicated back,” he rued. Much to his disappointment, the college refused to return the certificates, until he paid a large sum.

AICTE had recently issued a public notice warning colleges not to indulge in the “illegal and unethical” practice of withholding certificates. The notice said it had observed instances of suicide committed by dejected faculty members.

Anna University took it a step further and sent a letter to heads of all affiliated institutions, asking them to submit a status report by December 17, after returning any certificate a college might be holding back.

Samarth*, an assistant professor from a private engineering college in Dindigul, had asked his college authorities whether they will return his certificates by December 17.

“They not only refused to give back my certificates but also said they will get a signed letter from all staff to prove that they are not holding back any documents. We do not want to lose our jobs. So, we will have to sign it, if it comes to it,” he said.

While most colleges have not returned any certificate, a few are willing to do so after teachers give it in writing that they have received their certificates or that they have submitted their certificates voluntarily. 

A senior member from the Association of Self-financing Colleges said colleges hold back certificates in order to protect students from “irresponsible” teachers.

“Many teachers quit the college in the middle of the academic year and we are left to scramble for teachers. We have taken no common decision on this issue yet,” the member said.KM Karthik, founder of All India Private College Employees Union, said hardly any college has acted on the circulars.

*Names changed

Medical Council of India sanctioned 44 new post-graduate medical seats in Tamil Nadu

As a boost to the public healthcare system in the State, the Medical Council of India sanctioned 44 new post-graduate medical seats for the academic year 2019-2020.

Published: 14th December 2018 05:57 AM |

Medical Council of India. (Photo | mciindia.org/)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI : As a boost to the public healthcare system in the State, the Medical Council of India sanctioned 44 new post-graduate medical seats for the academic year 2019-2020.The State had over 1,500 PG medical seats in the last academic year and had asked for 154 additional seats of which 44 have been sanctioned.

According to an official source, the Medical Council of India (before abolition, for formation of National Medical Commission), inspected the medical colleges and sanctioned 44 seats in its committee meeting. “In the meeting, it sanctioned 44 seats for the academic year 2019-2020. This is the first sanction and we are expecting subsequent sanction as we had asked for 154 seats. Due to transition of MCI to NMC, the process is getting delayed,” the official source added.

As per the details accessed by Express, the MCI sanctioned six PG seats to Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai; four MD seats, two each in MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MD Dermatology Venerology & Leprosy, and also two MS Ophthalmology seats. Six MD Community Medicine seats to Madras Medical College, Chennai.

MCI sanctioned four seats in MD Community Medicine to Madurai Medical College. Eight MD Community Medicine seats to Theni Government Medical College. Four MD Paediatric seats to Kanyakumar Government Medical College. Eight MD Anaesthesia seats to Government Vellore Medical College and eight MS General Surgery seats to Government Dharmapuri Medical College. Totally, it sanctioned 44 seats.


Over 1,500 seats

The State had over 1,500 PG medical seats in the last academic year  and had asked for 154 additional seats of which 44 have been sanctioned

PIL plea to return original certificates

The PIL also prayed for a directive to conduct a proper investigation into the death of one Vasanthavanan, a faculty of Madras Institute of Technology at Chromepet.

Published: 14th December 2018 02:35 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI : A PIL petition has been filed in Madras HC for a directive to the AICTE and Anna University to issue a mandatory direction to affiliated colleges to return the original documents relating to qualification and experience at the time of appointment to the posts of teaching faculty, back to the appointees immediately after verification or to accept the documents in the form of soft copies.

A division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and P Rajamanickam, before which the petition from K M Kathick, founder of All Private College Employees Union in Tiruchy came up for hearing on Thursday, ordered notice, returnable by January 24, to the Higher Education secretary, AICTE, Anna University and to the principal of Sree Sastha Institute of Engineering and Technology.

The PIL also prayed for a directive to conduct a proper investigation into the death of one Vasanthavanan, a faculty of Madras Institute of Technology at Chromepet. Petitioner said Vasanthavanan was originally appointed as Assistant Professor in Sree Sastha Engineering College.

Later, he got an offer from MIT. He committed suicide on November 12, due to alleged harassment by the management, by refusing to return the original certificates. It demanded a payment of `3 lakh for returning the documents and also to prostrate before the college correspondent.


A complaint filed with Nazarathpet police did not yield the expected result. Hence, the present PIL for a mandatory direction to colleges and to hold a proper investigation into the death of Vasanthavanan.