அண்ணாமலை பல்கலையில் நியமனங்களை ரத்து கோரி மனு : ரத்து செய்யக்கோரி கவர்னருக்கு புகார் மனு

Added : பிப் 12, 2019 23:43

'அண்ணாமலை பல்கலையில், 13 ஆயிரம் பேர் முறைகேடாக நியமிக்கப்பட்டது குறித்து, விசாரணை நடத்தப்பட வேண்டும்' என, கவர்னர் பன்வாரிலால் புரோஹித்துக்கு, கல்லுாரி ஆசிரியர்கள் அமைப்பு புகார் மனு அனுப்பியுள்ளது.சிதம்பரத்தில் உள்ள, அண்ணாமலை பல்கலையை, ஐந்தாண்டுகளுக்கு முன் அரசே ஏற்றது. இங்கு கூடுதலாக இருந்த, 370 பேராசிரியர்கள், மூன்றாண்டுகளுக்கு முன், அரசு கலை கல்லுாரிகளுக்கு, ஒப்பந்த அடிப்படையில் மாற்றப்பட்டனர்.அவர்களின் மூன்றாண்டு பதவி காலம் முடியும் நிலையில், மீண்டும், மூன்றாண்டுகளுக்கு மாற்று பணியை நீட்டித்து, கல்லுாரி கல்வி இயக்குனரகம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கு, முதுநிலை மற்றும், பிஎச்.டி., முடித்த பட்டதாரிகள் அமைப்பான, 'நெட், செட்' சங்கம் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்துள்ளது.இந்த அமைப்பின் தலைவர், தங்கமுனியாண்டி மற்றும் பொது செயலர், நாகராஜன் ஆகியோர், கவர்னருக்கு அனுப்பியுள்ள புகார் மனு:பல்கலை மானிய குழு மற்றும், தமிழக உயர்கல்வி துறை விதிகளின்படி, பேராசிரியர் பணிக்கு, ஆயிரக்கணக்கான பட்டதாரிகள் தகுதி பெற்றுள்ளனர். நெட், செட் தகுதி தேர்வில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றும், ஆராய்ச்சி படிப்பான, பிஎச்.டி., முடித்தும், ஏராளமானோர் வேலைக்கு காத்திருக்கின்றனர். இவர்களில் பலர், அரசு கலை கல்லுாரிகளில், கவுரவ விரிவுரையாளர்களாக, மிக குறைந்த சம்பளத்தில், பணியாற்றுகின்றனர்.இந்நிலையில், அண்ணாமலை பல்கலையில், விதிகளை மீறியும், தகுதி பார்க்காமலும் நியமிக்கப்பட்ட பேராசிரியர்களை, தமிழக உயர்கல்வி துறை, அரசு கல்லுாரிகளுக்கு மாற்றுகிறது. இந்த நடவடிக்கை, உயர்கல்வி தரத்தை கடுமையாக பாதிக்கும். மேலும், விதிகளை மீறி, 13 ஆயிரம் பேர், அண்ணாமலை பல்கலையில் நியமிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளனர்.இதுகுறித்து, அரசு விசாரணை நடத்தாமல் உள்ளது. எனவே, அரசு கலை கல்லுாரிகளில், அண்ணாமலை பல்கலை பேராசிரியர்களுக்கு பணி வழங்குவதை, உடனே ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும். விதிமீறிய நியமனங்கள் குறித்து, விசாரணை நடத்தி, 13 ஆயிரம் நியமனங்களை ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

- நமது நிருபர் -

சென்னை: தமிழகத்தில் வறுமை கோட்டிற்கு கீழுள்ள தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு இனாமாக அரசு அறிவித்துள்ள 2000 ரூபாய் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்களின் வங்கிக் கணக்கில் நேரடியாக செலுத்தப்பட உள்ளது. இம்மாத இறுதிக்குள் அந்தத் தொகை 60 லட்சம் தொழிலாளர்களின் குடும்பங்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட உள்ளதாக சட்டசபையில் முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நேற்று உறுதி அளித்துள்ளார்.

சட்டசபையில் நேற்று பட்ஜெட் மீது நடந்த விவாதம்:

தி.மு.க. - பொன்முடி: 'தேர்தல் கண்ணோட்டம் இல்லாமல் பட்ஜெட் தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது' என்று பாராட்டி ஒரு நாளிதழில் செய்தி வெளியிடப்பட்டு உள்ளது என்றும் துணை முதல்வர் பன்னீர்செல்வம் படித்து காட்டினார். நடுநிலை நாளிதழான 'தினமலர்' பத்திரிகையில் 'பாழ்' என்று தலைப்பிட்டு ஒரு செய்தியை முதல் பக்கத்தில் வெளியிட்டுள்ளனர்.

'ஓட்டு வங்கியை உயர்த்துவதற்காக 2000 ரூபாய் உதவித்தொகையை அறிவித்துள்ளனர்' என அந்த செய்தியில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. பட்ஜெட் தாக்கலுக்கு பின் கருத்து தெரிவித்த தி.மு.க. தலைவர் ஸ்டாலின் 'இது நிழல் பட்ஜெட்' என்றார். அப்போது அதற்கு அர்த்தம் புரியவில்லை. தற்போது தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு 2000 ரூபாய் உதவித்தொகையை முதல்வர் அறிவித்த பின் தான் நிழல் பட்ஜெட்டிற்கு அர்த்தம் புரிகிறது.

துணை முதல்வர் பன்னீர்செல்வம்: நாங்கள் 2011 முதல் நிஜ பட்ஜெட்டை மட்டுமே தாக்கல் செய்து வருகிறோம். மக்கள் ஆதரவை முழுமையாக பெற்றுள்ளோம். அதனால் தான் நாங்கள் இந்த இடத்தில் அமர்ந்து இருக்கிறோம். நீங்கள் எதிர்க்கட்சியாக அமர்ந்து இருக்கிறீர்கள்.

முதல்வர்: உழைக்கும் தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு 2000 ரூபாய் உதவித்தொகை அறிவித்தது சரியா, இல்லையா என்று மட்டுமே பொன்முடி கூற வேண்டும். ஏழை தொழிலாளர்கள் காக்கப்பட வேண்டும். பருவ மழை பொய்த்து விட்டதால் விவசாய தொழிலாளர்கள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். 'கஜா' புயலால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்கள் போராட்டங்களை நடத்துகின்றனர்.

இதையெல்லாம் ஆராய்ந்து தான் 2000 ரூபாய் உதவித்தொகையை அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது.


தேர்தலை மனதில் வைத்து அறிவிக்கவில்லை. வறுமை கோட்டிற்கு கீழ் உள்ளவர்கள் அனைவருக்கும் இந்த உதவித்தொகை கிடைக்கும். இதில் அந்த கட்சி இந்த கட்சி என்று பார்க்கவில்லை.

பொன்முடி: இரண்டு நாட்களுக்கு முன் நிஜ பட்ஜெட் தாக்கல் செய்யும் போதே இந்த அறிவிப்பை வெளியிட்டு இருக்கலாமே; உங்களுக்குள் இருக்கும் பிரச்னை பற்றி எனக்கு தெரியாது.

துணை முதல்வர்: சட்டசபையில் 110 விதியின் கீழ் மட்டுமின்றி எப்போது வேண்டுமானாலும் அறிவிப்புகளை வெளியிடுவதற்கு முதல்வருக்கு அதிகாரம் உள்ளது.

பொன்முடி: நெல் கொள்முதல் விலையாக குவிண்டாலுக்கு சாதாரண ரகம் 50 ரூபாய் சன்ன ரகம் 70 ரூபாய் மட்டுமே

ஊக்கத் தொகை அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. ஆனால் குவிண்டாலுக்கு 2000 முதல் 3000 ரூபாய் வரை விவசாயிகள் எதிர்பார்க்கின்றனர். கரும்புக்கு உரிய கொள்முதல் விலையை நிர்ணயம் செய்யவில்லை.

மின்துறை அமைச்சர் தங்கமணி: கடுமையான வறட்சியால் தான் ஏழை தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு உதவித்தொகையை அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது.

பொன்முடி: ஏழை தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு கொடுப்பதை தவறு என்று நாங்கள் சொல்லவில்லை. ஏன் இந்த அறிவிப்பை பட்ஜெட்டில் வெளியிடவில்லை என்று தான் கேட்கிறோம்.

தி.மு.க. - ஆஸ்டின்: வறுமை கோட்டிற்கு கீழ் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படுவதாக அறிவித்துள்ள 2000 ரூபாயை இந்த நிதியாண்டில் வழங்கி இருக்கலாம். அதை விடுத்து 2018 - 19ம் ஆண்டு துணை நிதி நிலை அறிக்கையில் சேர்த்தது ஏன்; அந்தத் தொகை இந்த ஆண்டு வழங்கப்படுமா?

முதல்வர்: இந்த மாதம் இறுதிக்குள் வங்கி கணக்கில் 2000 ரூபாய் செலுத்தப்படும்.

ஆஸ்டின்: நீங்கள் 1000 ரூபாய் 2000 ரூபாய் மட்டுமல்ல 10 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் கொடுத்தாலும் உங்கள் நோக்கம் நிறைவேறாது. ஏனெனில் மக்கள் கொதி நிலையில் உள்ளனர். இவ்வாறு விவாதம் நடந்தது.

நான்கு பல்கலைகளின் துணைவேந்தர் பதவி காலி : உயர் கல்வி செயலருக்கு நிர்வாக அதிகாரம்

dinamalar 13.02.2019

நான்கு பல்கலைகளின் துணைவேந்தர் பதவி காலியாகும் நிலையில், அதன் நிர்வாக அதிகாரம், உயர்கல்வி துறைக்கு மாற்றப்பட உள்ளது.

தமிழக உயர் கல்வியில், கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் பல்கலைகளின் நிர்வாகங்களில், பல்வேறு குழப்பங்களும், முறைகேடு புகார்களும் தொடர்ந்த வண்ணம் உள்ளன.கல்லுாரி முதல்வர்கள் நியமனம், பதவி உயர்வு, இடமாறுதல், துணைவேந்தர்கள் நியமனம், பேராசிரியர்கள் நியமனம் போன்றவற்றில், பல்வேறு குற்றச்சாட்டுகள் உள்ளன.உயர் கல்வி துறையில் நடந்த முறைகேடு தொடர்பாக, தமிழக லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசாரின் விசாரணையில், மூன்று வழக்குகள் நிலுவையில் உள்ளன.

இதில், உயர் கல்வி அதிகாரிகள் முதல், பல்கலைகளின் நிர்வாகிகள் வரை, விசாரணை வளையத்தில் உள்ளனர்.இந்நிலையில், நான்கு பல்கலைகளில், துணைவேந்தர் பதவிகள்காலியாகின்றன. அவற்றின் நிர்வாக அதிகாரத்தை, உயர்கல்வி துறை செயலருக்கு மாற்ற, தமிழக அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.தமிழ்நாடு ஆசிரியர் கல்வியியல் பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர், தங்கசாமி, திருவள்ளுவர் பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர், முருகன் ஆகியோரின் பதவிக்காலம், பிப்., 7ல் நிறைவடைந்தது.கொடைக்கானல் தெரசா மகளிர் பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர், வள்ளியின் பதவிக்காலம், வரும், 15லும், தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலை பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர், பாஸ்கரனின் பதவிக்காலம், மார்ச், 2லும் முடிகிறது.இந்த நான்கு பல்கலைகளுக்கும், தற்காலிக நிர்வாக ஒருங்கிணைப்பு குழு அமைக்கப்பட உள்ளது. 

இந்த குழுவின் ஒருங்கிணைப்பாளராக, உயர்கல்வி செயலர், மங்கத்ராம் ஷர்மா நியமிக்கப்பட்டு, அவரது நேரடி பார்வையில், நான்கு பல்கலைகளின் நிர்வாகமும்மாற்றப்பட உள்ளது.ஏற்கனவே, கோவை பாரதியார் பல்கலையின் துணைவேந்தர், கணபதி, லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு வழக்கில் கைது செய்யப்பட்ட பின், அந்த பதவியும், பல மாதங்களாக காலியாக உள்ளது.இது குறித்து, உயர் கல்வி துறை பேராசிரியர்கள் கூறியதாவது:பல்கலைகளின் நிர்வாகங்களை, உயர் கல்வி சார்ந்த பேராசிரியர்கள் மேற்கொண்டால் மட்டுமே, வெளிப்படை தன்மையுடன் அமையும். ஏற்கனவே, பல துணைவேந்தர்கள் அரசியல் செல்வாக்கால் நியமிக்கப்பட்டு, அரசு அதிகாரிகளின் பரிந்துரைப்படி முடிவு எடுத்தனர்.தற்போது, ஐந்து பல்கலைகளின் நிர்வாகமும், உயர் கல்வி துறையின் நேரடி பார்வையில் வருவதால், குழப்பங்கள் இன்னும் அதிகரிக்கும் வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.
- நமது நிருபர் -

நெருங்கியது பிளஸ் 2 பொதுத்தேர்வு : விடைத்தாள் அனுப்பும் பணி துவக்கம்

Added : பிப் 12, 2019 21:45


சென்னை: பொதுத்தேர்வு துவங்க, இரண்டு வாரங்களே உள்ள நிலையில், தேர்வு மையங்களுக்கு, வெற்று விடைத்தாள்களை அனுப்பும் பணி துவங்கியுள்ளது.தமிழக பள்ளி கல்வி பாட திட்டத்தில், 10ம் வகுப்பு, பிளஸ் 1, பிளஸ் 2 வகுப்புகளுக்கு, பொதுத்தேர்வு நடத்தப்படுகிறது. இந்த ஆண்டு, தேர்வுகளை முன்கூட்டியே நடத்தி முடிக்க, பள்ளி கல்வித்துறை திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது. பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வு, மார்ச், 1; பிளஸ் 1 தேர்வு, மார்ச், 6; 10ம் வகுப்பு தேர்வு, மார்ச், 14ல், துவங்க உள்ளது. அனைத்து தேர்வுகளும், மார்ச், 19ல் முடிவடைகின்றன.தேர்வுக்கான ஆயத்த பணிகள், தீவிரமாக நடந்து வருகின்றன. மாநிலம் முழுவதும், அடிப்படை உள்கட்டமைப்பு மற்றும் பாதுகாப்பு வசதிகள் உள்ள, 3,000 பள்ளிகளில், தேர்வு மையங்கள் அமைக்கப்படுகின்றன. தேர்வு மையங்களுக்கு கண்காணிப்பு மற்றும் இதர ஊழியர்களை நியமிக்கும் பணியும் விறுவிறுப்பு அடைந்துள்ளது.இந்நிலையில், மாணவர்கள் தேர்வு எழுதுவதற்கான, முதன்மை வெற்று விடைத்தாள்கள் அனுப்பும் பணி துவங்கியுள்ளது. மாவட்ட தலைநகருக்கு, ஏற்கனவே விடைத்தாள்கள் அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளன. அங்கிருந்து, நேற்று முதல், தேர்வு மையங்கள் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பள்ளிகளுக்கு அனுப்பப்படுகின்றன.இந்த விடைத்தாள்களை, தேர்வு மையங்களில் உள்ள கட்டுக்காப்பு மையங்களில் பாதுகாப்பாக வைக்குமாறும், வேறு யாருக்கும் விடை தாள், 'லீக்' ஆகாமல் பாதுகாக்கும்படியும், பள்ளி தலைமை ஆசிரியர்களை, தேர்வுத்துறை அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது.

பாரத ரத்னா, பத்ம விருது: பெயருடன் சேர்க்க தடை

Added : பிப் 12, 2019 21:40

புதுடில்லி: 'பாரத ரத்னா, பத்ம விருதுகளை, தங்கள் பெயருடன் அடைமொழியாக சேர்க்கக் கூடாது; முறைகேடாக பயன்படுத்துவோரிடம் இருந்து, விருதுகள் வாபஸ் பெறப்படலாம்' என, மத்திய அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது.லோக்சபாவில் நேற்று, எழுத்து மூலம் அளிக்கப்பட்ட கேள்விக்கு, மத்திய உள்துறை இணையமைச்சரும், பா.ஜ.,வைச் சேர்ந்தவருமான, ஹன்ஸ்ராஜ் கங்காராம் அஹிர் அளித்த பதில்:தேசிய அளவில் அளிக்கப்படும், பாரத ரத்னா, பத்ம விருதுகள், அரசியல் சாசனப்படி, தங்கள் பெயருடன், அடைமொழியாக சேர்க்கக் கூடியதல்ல. பாரத ரத்னா, பத்ம விருதுகளை முறைகேடாக பயன்படுத்தினால், சம்பந்தப்பட்டோரிடம் இருந்து, விருதை திரும்ப பெறும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படலாம். இதற்கான உத்தரவை ஜனாதிபதி பிறப்பிக்க முடியும்.அவ்வாறு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட்டால், விருது தொடர்பான அரசு பதிவேட்டில், சம்பந்தப்பட்டோர் பெயர் நீக்கப்படும்; நடவடிக்கைக்கு ஆளான நபர், அரசிடம் விருதை ஒப்படைக்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

தமிழக மருத்துவ துறையில் நர்ஸ் பணிக்கு 2865 இடங்கள்


தமிழக மருத்துவ துறையில் நர்ஸ் பணிக்கு 2865 பேரை தேர்வு செய்ய அறிவிப்பு வெளியாகி உள்ளது. இது பற்றிய விவரம் வருமாறு:-

பதிவு: பிப்ரவரி 12, 2019 17:53 PM

தமிழ்நாடு மருத்துவ சேவை ஆட்சேர்ப்பு ஆணையம் சுருக்கமாக டி.என்.எம்.ஆர்.பி. (TNMRB) என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது. தற்போது இந்த அமைப்பு தமிழக மருத்துவ துறையில், குழந்தைகள் பிறப்பு பிரிவில் நர்ஸ் பணியிடங்களை நிரப்ப அறிவிப்பு வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. மொத்தம் 520 பேர் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுகிறார்கள். இவை ஒப்பந்த அடிப்படையிலான பணிகளாகும்.


இந்த பணிகளுக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க விரும்புபவர்கள் பெற்றிருக்க வேண்டிய தகுதி விவரங்களை அறிவோம்...

வயது வரம்பு

பொதுப் பிரிவு விண்ணப்பதாரர்கள் 1-7-2019-ந் தேதியில் 18 வயது பூர்த்தி அடைந்தவர்களாகவும், 32 வயதுக்கு உட்பட்டவர்களாகவும் இருக்க வேண்டும். எஸ்.சி., எஸ்.டி., எஸ்.சி.ஏ., டி.என்.சி., பி.சி.எம்., மற்றும் பி.சி., பிரிவினர் மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள் 57 வயதுடையவர்களாக இருந்தாலும் விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம்.

கல்வித்தகுதி

அரசு கல்வி நிறுவனங்கள் மற்றும் அரசு அங்கீகாரம் பெற்ற கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் நர்சிங் பட்டப்படிப்பு மற்றும் டிப்ளமோ படித்தவா்கள் விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம். இவர்கள் நர்சிங் கவுன்சிலில் 6-2-2019-க்கு முன்பாக பெயரை பதிவு செய்து வைத்திருப்பவர்களாக இருக்க வேண்டும்.

கட்டணம்

எஸ்.சி., எஸ்.சி்.ஏ., எஸ்.டி. பிரிவினர் மற்றும் மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள் ரூ.350-ம், மற்றவர்கள் ரூ.700-ம் கட்டணமாக செலுத்தி விண்ணப்பம் சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டும். ஆன்லைன், ஆப்லைன் (வங்கி மூலமாக) இரு வழிகளிலும் கட்டணம் செலுத்தலாம்.

விண்ணப்பிக்கும் முறை

விருப்பமும், தகுதியும் இருப்பவர்கள் இணைய தளம் வழியாக விண்ணப்பம் சமர்ப்பிக்கலாம். இணையதளம் வழியே விண்ணப்பிக்கவும், கட்டணம் செலுத்தவும் வருகிற 26-ந் தேதி கடைசிநாளாகும். வங்கி வழியாக கட்டணம் செலுத்துபவர்கள் பிப்ரவரி 28-ந் தேதிக்குள் கட்டணம் செலுத்த வேண்டும். இதற்கான தேர்வு 9-6-2019 அன்று நடைபெற உள்ளது.

மேலும் 2345 பணிகள்

மற்றொரு அறிவிப்பின்படி ஒப்பந்த அடிப் படையில் 2345 நர்ஸ் பணியிடங்களை நிரப்பவும் அறிவிப்பு வெளியாகி உள்ளது. இதில் ஆண்களுக்கு 1549 இடங்களும், பெண் களுக்கு 796 இடங்களும் இருப்பது குறிப் பிடத்தக்கது. இவற்றில் 213 பின்னடைவுப் பணியிடங்களும் அடக்கம். இடஒதுக்கீடு அடிப்படையிலான பணியிட விவரத்தை முழுமையான விளம்பர அறிவிப்பில் பார்க்கலாம்.

இந்த பணிகளுக்கு 32 வயதுக்கு உட்பட்டவர்கள் விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம். இட ஒதுக்கீடு பெறும் பிரிவினருக்கு 57 வயது வரை வயது வரம்பு தளர்வு அனுமதிக்கப்படுகிறது. நர்சிங் பட்டப்படிப்பு அல்லது டிப்ளமோ படித்தவர்கள் விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம். விருப்பமுள்ளவர்கள் குறிப்பிட்ட கட்டணம் செலுத்தி பிப்ரவரி 27-ந் தேதிக்குள் விண்ணப்பம் சமர்ப்பிக்கலாம். இதற்கான தேர்வு 23-6-2019-ந் தேதி நடக்கிறது.

விண்ணப்பிக்கவும், விரிவான விவரங்களை தெரிந்து கொள்ளவும் www.tnmrb.gov.in என்ற இணையதள பக்கத்தைப் பார்க்கலாம்.

தலையங்கம்

மத்திய அரசிடமிருந்து பாக்கிகளை பெறவேண்டும்



எந்த நேரத்திலும் நாடாளுமன்ற தேர்தலுக்கான தேதியை தேர்தல் ஆணையம் அறிவிக்க இருக்கிறது. இந்தநிலையில், நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் மக்களவை மற்றும் மாநிலங்களவையின் கூட்டம் இன்றோடு முடிவடைகிறது.

பிப்ரவரி 13 2019, 03:00

‘‘பசுமை நிறைந்த நினைவுகளே, பாடித்திரிந்த பறவைகளே, பழகிக்கழித்த தோழர்களே பறந்து செல்கின்றோம்’’ என்ற கவிஞர் கண்ணதாசனின் பாடலுக்கேற்ப, மக்களவை உறுப்பினர்கள் தங்கள் பதவிக்காலம் முடிந்து விடைபெற்று செல்கிறார்கள். மாநிலங்களவையிலும் அடுத்த சிலமாதங்களில் சில உறுப்பினர்களின் பதவிக்காலம் முடிய இருக்கிறது. தமிழகத்தின் கோரிக்கைளை வாதாடி, போராடி பெற மக்களவை உறுப்பினர்களின் வாய்ப்புகள் முடிவடைந்துவிட்டன. இனி தமிழக அரசும், அரசியல்ரீதியாக அ.தி.மு.க.வும், எதிர்க்கட்சிகளும்தான் தேர்தல்தேதி அறிவிப்பதற்கு முன் நமது கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி பெறவேண்டும். மத்தியஅரசாங்கம் தமிழகத்தின் சிலபல கோரிக்கைகளை நிறைவேற்றாத நிலை இருக்கிறது. இந்தஆண்டு தமிழகஅரசு பட்ஜெட்டில் வருவாய் பற்றாக்குறை ரூ.14,314 கோடியே 76 லட்சமாகவும், நிதிபற்றாக்குறை ரூ.44,176 கோடியே 36 லட்சமாகவும் இருக்கிறது. இவ்வளவு பற்றாக்குறையையும் மத்திய அரசாங்கத்திடமிருந்து பெறவேண்டிய நிதிஉதவிகளை மட்டும் வலியுறுத்தி, வாதாடி பெற்றாலேயே சரிசெய்துவிட முடியும்.

தமிழக அரசை பொறுத்தமட்டில், மத்திய அரசாங்கத்திடமிருந்து நிறையத்திட்டங்களுக்கான நிலுவைத்தொகை வராமல் இருக்கிறது. குறிப்பாக, நகர்ப்புற மற்றும் ஊரக, உள்ளாட்சி அமைப்புகளுக்கு செயல்பாட்டு நிதியாக ரூ.565 கோடியே 15 லட்சம், அடிப்படை நிதியாக ரூ.3,216 கோடியே 5 லட்சம் இன்னும் வராமல் இருக்கிறது. இதுபோல, பல்வேறு திட்டங்களுக்காக வரவேண்டிய மானியமும் ரூ.10,883 கோடியே 84 லட்சம் அளவில் வராமல் நிலுவையில் இருக்கிறது. மதுரை தோப்பூரில் அமைய இருக்கும் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனைக்காக அடிக்கல் நாட்ட பிரதமர் நரேந்திரமோடி வந்தபோது கடந்த மாதம் 27–ந்தேதி முதல்–அமைச்சர் எடப்பாடி பழனிசாமி அவரை சந்தித்து, 17 தலைப்புகளில் பல்வேறு கோரிக்கைகளை தமிழகஅரசின் சார்பில் கொடுத்தார். அதில் தமிழகத்திற்கு வரவேண்டிய நிலுவைத்தொகைகளையும் உடனடியாக வழங்குமாறு கேட்டிருந்தார். இந்தநிலையில், தமிழகத்திற்கு நியாயமாக ஒதுக்கப்படவேண்டிய வறட்சி நிவாரணநிதி, கஜாபுயல் நிவாரணநிதி போன்ற நிதிகளையும் மத்திய அரசாங்கம் முழுமையாக ஒதுக்கவில்லை.

கடந்த 2015–2016–ம் நிதியாண்டிலிருந்து 2017–2018–ம் நிதியாண்டுவரை, 3 ஆண்டுகளில் நாடுமுழுவதும் ஏற்பட்ட வறட்சி நிலைக்காக பாதிக்கப்பட்ட அனைத்து மாநிலங்களும் நிவாரணநிதியை கோரியது. தமிழ்நாடு, கேரளா, கர்நாடகா, ஆந்திரா, புதுச்சேரி, மராட்டியம், ராஜஸ்தான் உள்பட 14 மாநிலங்கள் ரூ.1,23,605 கோடியே 64 ஆயிரம் நிதிஉதவியை கோரியிருந்தது. ஆனால், இதில் 19 சதவீதநிதியாக ரூ.23,190 கோடியே 69 லட்சத்தை மத்திய அரசாங்கம் ஒதுக்கியுள்ளது. எல்லா மாநிலங்களையும்விட, தமிழகத்திற்குதான் மிகக்குறைவான தொகையை மத்திய அரசாங்கம் ஒதுக்கியுள்ளது. தமிழகம் கேட்டதொகை ரூ.39,565 கோடியாகும். ஆனால், கொடுத்தது ரூ.1,748 கோடியே 28 லட்சமாகும். தமிழகஅரசு கேட்டதொகையில் 4 சதவீத தொகைதான் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. வேறு எந்தமாநிலத்திற்கும் இந்தளவு தொகையை குறைத்துக்கொடுக்கவில்லை. எனவே, தமிழகஅரசு அடுத்த சிலநாட்களுக்குள் மத்திய அரசாங்கத்திற்கு இன்னும் அழுத்தம் கொடுத்து, வரவேண்டிய தொகையெல்லாம் பெறுவதற்குள்ள கடைசிவாய்ப்புகளை பயன்படுத்திக்கொள்ளவேண்டும். அ.தி.மு.க.வோடு கூட்டணி வைக்க பா.ஜ.க. துடித்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும் நிலையில், துருப்புச்சீட்டு உங்களிடம் இருக்கிறது. அதைவைத்து தமிழ்நாட்டுக்கு பெறவேண்டிய நிதிகளையெல்லாம் அ.தி.மு.க. எளிதில் பெற்றுத்தந்துவிடலாம் என்பது அரசியல் நோக்கர்களின் கருத்தாக இருக்கிறது.

Issue GO on rules for registering case against doctors, says Madras high court

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published

Feb 12, 2019, 6:54 am IST

The judge said when the matter was taken up on earlier occasion it was informed that already guidelines were farmed by the state government.

Madras high court


Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to inform the guidelines framed through a government order, which should be strictly followed while registering case against the medical officer for negligent act or omission, to all authorities concerned immediately.

Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu gave the directive while disposing of a petition from Dr K. Thangamuthu, which sought a direction to the state government to frame statutory rules or executive instructions incorporating guidelines as per the orders of the Supreme Court, in consultation with the Medical Council of India, pursuant to the recommendations of Ethics Committee.


Petitioner’s counsel Anand David submitted that in the year 2005, the Supreme Court had observed that it was necessary to frame certain guidelines by the Central and state governments for prosecuting the doctors and till such time, the guidelines framed by it has to be followed. However, the guidelines issued by the apex court have not been complied with till date. In spite of such guidelines, the threat of private complaint/registration of FIR and arrest was looming large and doctors were facing harassment. Doctors were working under extreme pressure and if they were subjected to face frivolous prosecution their hands would be tied and will not be able to take bold decisions while treating patients, Anand David added.

The judge said when the matter was taken up on earlier occasion it was informed that already guidelines were farmed by the state government. Additional government pleader I. Sathish was directed to verify as to whether any further guidelines were issued or the guidelines issued in a GO dated July 4, 2008, hold the field as on today. Accordingly, the AGP Sathish produced a letter dated January 22, 2019, addressed by the principal secretary to government to him, the judge added.

Extracting certain paragraphs of the letter, which among other things stated that the orders issued in GO dated July 4, 2008, shall be strictly followed while registering case against the medical officer for negligent act or omission, the judge said the counsel for the petitioner submitted that the submission made by the principal secretary to government may be recorded. "Considering the fact that the guidelines were already issued through a GO dated July 4, 2008, and in view of the fact that those guidelines are stated to be still in force, this petition is disposed of, by recording the facts and circumstances", the judge added and gave the above directive.

Man receives band-aid: Restaurant, Swiggy’s apology placates customer

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedFeb 12, 2019, 7:42 am IST

Hours later, Balamurugan updated his post stating that Swiggy had got in touch with him and ensured that corrective measures were being taken.

Hours later, Balamurugan updated his post stating that Swiggy had got in touch with him and ensured that corrective measures were being taken.

Chennai: A customer in Chennai recently found a blood-stained band-aid in his food ordered and delivered by a popular fast food aggregator.

The customer, identified as Balamurugan, resident of Selayiur, had ordered a Chicken Schezwan Chopsuey from a local Chinese restaurant in his locality, and had consumed more than half of it before finding that a band-aid had been in the bottom of the box all along.

Balamurugan immediately took to Facebook to communicate his disapproval writing, “Contacted restaurant and they aren't sensitive and offering a replacement for the food! Who again wants to eat such contaminated food! Tried to contact Swiggy, no option to call them directly through the app for already delivered food, and the only option is to chat, but they aren't responding either! Want to badly sue both restaurant and Swiggy too for partnering with a restaurant which doesn't practice general hygienic method like using hand glove or not allowing any kitchen staff with injured fingers or hands in the kitchen.”

Hours later, Balamurugan updated his post stating that Swiggy had got in touch with him and ensured that corrective measures were being taken.

“Restaurant owner educated and sensitised the employee and took corrective measure to ensure hygiene is followed by all employees without fail. I did not ask for any compensation, as I was satisfied with the kind of sincerity with which the restaurant owner investigated the issue, took corrective measure and informed me in detailed about the whole incident, and provided unconditional apology.”

Meanwhile, Swiggy in a statement, said, “While the restaurant has acknowledged a lapse at its end, based on the complaint, we have suspended this outlet pending further investigation by an external agency. We deeply regret the issue faced by one of our users and apologise for the angst it has caused. This is certainly not the level of service we intend to promote.”

Madras high court summons law varsity registrar incharge

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Feb 13, 2019, 2:33 am IST

The bench said, ''The registrar-in-charge is stated to be a responsible officer of Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University''.

Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has ordered issuance of notice to Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar-in-charge, Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, to appear in person before the court at 10.30 am on February 18 and to showcause as to why proceedings should not be taken against her under Article 215 of the Constitution of India and the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act.

Suo motu initiating the proceedings, a division bench comprising Justices K.K. Sasidharan and P.D. Audikesavalu said, “We direct the commissioner of police, Greater Chennai, to serve notice on Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy and forward the acknowledgement to this court by February 15”.

Taking cognisance of one of the contentions mentioned in the memorandum of grounds of appeal filed by the registrar-in-charge of Dr Ambedkar Law University, making imputation against a single judge, the bench initiated the suo motu proceedings and posted to February 18, 2019, further hearing of the case.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam had on February 1 suo motu impleaded 34 professors/assistant professors/lecturers as respondents to the petition filed by D. Shankar, which sought to quash an order passed by the university and consequently direct the university to reinstate him as registrar of the university.

In its present order, the bench said the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University represented by its registrar-in-charge to grant leave to file intra court appeal challenging an order of the single judge dated February 1, 2019, impleading the vice chancellor in his capacity as the Professor of Law and other faculty members. The affidavit filed in support of the leave to sue petition was sworn to by Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Dr.Ambedkar Law University, Chennai. In the memorandum of grounds of appeal, the petitioner has taken up the contention. It is respectfully submitted that the learned judge is acting according to his whims and caprice by issuing continuous mandamus beyond the subject matter of the writ petition. The registrar-in-charge, in paragraph 18 of the affidavit dated February 17, 2019, filed in support of the petition made it clear that the Memorandum of grounds of appeal shall be treated as part and parcel of the affidavit. Therefore, ground no.9
was also a part of the affidavit filed by Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, the bench added.

The bench said, “The registrar-in-charge is stated to be a responsible officer of Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University. It is highly inappropriate on the part of the registrar-in-charge of a law university to make such an imputation against a learned judge of this court. The fact that the learned judge has expanded the scope of the writ petition would not give a right to the litigant to make such unnecessary comments, which is not only disrespectful to the learned judge but would also undermine the dignity and status of the charted high court. The majesty of the court must be preserved and protected at any cost. The high court is a court of record. It is the bounden duty of all stake holders to see that no damage is caused to the institution. We are of the view that the language used by the registrar-in-charge is highly intemperate. We, therefore, propose to take action against the registrar-in-charge”.

Tamil Nadu government to ban TikTok app

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J.V. SIVA PRASANNA KUMAR

Published  Feb 13, 2019, 3:04 am IST

The minister was replying to a demand from the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi member Thamimun Ansari for a ban on the TikTok app.

Politicians and policemen have been targeted by the TikTok youth for mocking and trolling in recent months.

The youth in Tamil Nadu may soon lose their favourite app, TikTok, as the government seems determined to have it banned.

The Centre would be approached for a ban on TikTok, just like how the state government had taken effective steps when people were worried about the threat posed by the Blue Whale app, TN Information Technology Minister N. Manikandan told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

The minister was replying to a demand from the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi member Thamimun Ansari for a ban on the TikTok app. The Nagapattinam MLA alleged that the app was being used for spreading obscenity and also to create law and order problems. "TikTok offended our culture", he said.

Conceding that the ban demand was justified, minister Manikandan said the government would urge the Centre to ban TikTok app, "just as we had taken steps against the Blue Whale app server functioning from Russia". The minister, however, did not specify any time frame for carrying out his promise.

While it is debatable if TikTok, which mostly seems a fun thing resorted to by the youth, can be bracketed with the fatal Blue Whale, opinion is divided if the hugely popular app - one estimate is that it has over 500 million users across Asia -should be, and could be, banned.

Created by ByteDance, a Chinese Internet technology company, TikTok is mostly used by the youth to upload and view lip-synced music, videos and such other performances - picking up funny scenes from popular movies. The app also has a variety of filters and edit features that make the sync-uploaded videos attractive for the viewers.

Politicians and policemen have been targeted by the TikTok youth for mocking and trolling in recent months. There have been some cases of young men being arrested in different parts of TN for posting videos poking fun at the police. And there have been some more serious cases of the app being abused for harming unsuspecting girl students and housewives - for instance, there was a recent case of the Chennai police busting a flesh trade racket that had used morphed pictures of women downloaded from TikTok to lure customers.

Last week, the Government Arts College at Salem suspended a few students for uploading a video that showed their Tamil lecturer like the Kollywood comedian Vadivelu. And recently, police in Salem issued advisories to schools and parents to guard against their wards logging on to TikTok after several complaints poured in that pictures of schoolgirls morphed with erotic content was posted on the app.

In one tragic case, a youth died recently trying to enact suicide by slitting throat for a TikTok video while another young man had killed himself last October by throwing himself before a train at Vyasarpadi, a Chennai suburb, after friends ridiculed him for his TikTok videos dressed like a woman.

Aadhaar mismatch leaves elderly without monthly pension in Karnataka
Many other elderly citizens in Raichur district are also being deprived of their pension for issues in their year of birth (YoB) at the time of enrolment for Aadhaar.

Published: 13th February 2019 02:47 AM 

By Shreyas Hs

Express News Service

RAICHUR: Shekh Mahimood and his wife Bibi have not been receiving their monthly pensions for several months because of a discrepancy in their Aadhaar cards. Many other elderly citizens in Raichur district are also being deprived of their pension for issues in their year of birth (YoB) at the time of enrolment for Aadhaar.


Mahimood (69) was drawing Rs 500 jointly from central and state schemes. However, the amount, which was paid through the postal department, stopped reaching him 11 months ago. He has now approached the district Aadhaar coordination office and submitted a request with the regional office of UIDAI to get his year of birth changed.

Mahimood’s Aadhaar card

District Aadhaar coordinator Basheer said five to six senior citizens have been coming every week since January with the same complaint. But as per the updated rules of UIDAI, if the mismatch is plus or minus three years, updation cannot be done at the district level, and the complainants have to visit the regional office. According to Mahimood’s Aadhaar card, his YoB is 1964, which makes him 55 years old.

However, the minimum age to avail benefits of the central scheme is 60 years, while for the state’s, he must be above 65. Mahimood has now obtained a certificate from the medical officer of the government Unani hospital, saying that he was born in 1950.

Mahimood told The New Indian Express, “I cannot even walk properly, how can I travel over 400 km to change the birth year?”Bibi said her year of birth is 1955, which is also stated in the voter ID card, but the Aadhaar card mentions it as 1966.

As Aadhaar has been mandatory to avail benefits of all government schemes, the concerned department has to verify details, after which a revised list is generated. If a mismatch is found in the date of birth mentioned on the Aadhaar card and that stated during enrolment for the scheme, the beneficiary’s name is removed from the list.

Will consider allegations against Billroth hospital: CMDA
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will consider a representation against the construction of a hospital in Shenoy Nagar.

Published: 13th February 2019 03:19 AM

CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will consider a representation against the construction of a hospital in Shenoy Nagar. A submission to this effect was made by the counsel for the CMDA when a PIL petition from P Krishnan of Janakiraman Colony Extension came up before the first bench of the Madras High Court, on February 2.


“In view of the statement made by the counsel for the CMDA, no further orders are necessary. Hence, the petition is disposed of,” the bench comprising Chief Justice V K Tahilramani and Justice M Duraiswamy said.

According to the petitioner, the CMDA had granted approval to the management of Billroth Hospital for construction of basement plus three floors on a total area spread over 2,902 sq.ft. on Lakshmi Talkies Road in Shenoy Nagar on October 14, 2004. However, the hospital had constructed basement plus eight floors in total violation of the sanctioned plan. There was no ramp facility.

The Inspector of Lifts in Guindy had granted license to erect the lift on various conditions for only a year from April 16, 2012, that too up to the third floor. But the hospital used it up to the 8th floor and the Lift Inspector was renewing the license for reasons known only to him, the petitioner alleged. He had lodged a complaint on October 9, 2018, with the CMDA and the Chennai Corporation. But, there was no action. Hence, the present petition for a direction to the duo to consider the representation, he added.

Chennai Central station gets a facelift, to turn white for four days

After two years Southern Railways has begun the renovation of Central station. The exterior walls of the century-old main building is a combination of Gothic and Romanesque style architecture.

Published: 13th February 2019 03:10 AM |

The process is being done at a cost of `84 lakh  P Jawahar

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: After two years Southern Railways has begun the renovation of Central station. The exterior walls of the century-old main building is a combination of Gothic and Romanesque style architecture. The main building is being coated white after completing minor patch up works and chemical coating.

“The iconic structure will sport white colour for four days before getting coated with maroon colour. The building was last painted in January 2016,” said a senior railway official. The station which came into existence in 1873, in order to decongest the then Royapuram Harbour station, was designed by British architect George Harding. The 136-feet tall central clock tower is a key feature that exhibits the Romanesque style of the building.

The beautification of main building and suburban terminal is being carried out at a cost of `84 lakh.
As per the scheduled maintenance of heritage building, the exterior should be painted once in every two or three years. The Chennai Circle of Archaeological Survey of India will provide technical support to the Railways for maintenance.

Official sources said, Railways has decided to build a roof to provide weather shield, connecting suburban terminal and main building for passengers. Another roof connecting the main entrance of the station and the bus stop will also be built. “A roof will provide a cover for passengers who walk up to the bus stops in front of the clock tower in main building,” added official sources.


According to official records, about 65,000 passengers visit Central every day. While 57 Express, Superfast and Premier trains, about 110 train services operate from Chennai Central every day, 15 others pass through the station.

About 65,000 tickets are sold at Chennai Central including suburban services, every day, of which 10,500 are platform tickets. The station earns Rs 40 lakh a day.

Centre allows 56 med PG seats for TN

• The New Indian Express
• 12 Feb 2019
• @ Chennai

THE Union Health Ministry has so far, sanctioned additional 56 postgraduate medical seats to the State Health department for the 2019-2020 academic year.

 According to a health department official, “We had applied for approval of 157 seats, among them, 56 seats have been sanctioned so far. We have also asked for conversion of 393 diploma seats to PG seats this academic year and the approval is awaited for the same. We started receiving the seats from the last three months. Yesterday, we received four seats,” the official said on Monday. 

“The State is also awaiting sanction of additional 354 MBBS seats. We have asked for additional 150 MBBS seats for Karur Medical College, 95 seats for Madurai Medical College. With these figures, the MBBS seats will go up from 150 to 250. We have also asked for 100 seats for Tirunelveli Medical College,” the official added. The sanctioned 56 PG medical seats are: six seats in Community Medicine (MD) for Madras Medical College, Chennai, and four seats for Madurai Medical College. With this, seats in Community Medicine in Madras Medical College increased from four to ten.

 The ministry sanctioned eight seats in General Medicine (MD) for Government Theni Medical College. Also Kanyakumari Medical College got four seats in Paediatric Medicine (MD). Madurai Medical College got approval for four seats in Respiratory Medicine (MD). Government Dharmapuri Medical College got eight seats in General Surgery (MS). Government Villupuram Medical College got eight seats in Anaesthesia (MD). Kilpauk Medical College got two seats in Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy (MD DVL), two seats in Ophthalmology (MS) and two seats in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (MD). Also, Thoothukudi Medical College got approval for eight seats in Anaesthesia (MD), the official added. “We will get approval for MBBS seats and pending PG seats for this academic year. We are positive about it,” said an official from the Directorate of Medical Education.

The State is also awaiting sanction of additional 354 MBBS seats. We have asked for additional 150 MBBS seats for Karur Medical College, 95 seats for Madurai Medical College

A Health Department official

VC to demit office

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUNELVELI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

K. Baskar, Vice-Chancellor, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, will demit office on Friday.

During his tenure, constituent colleges at Sankarankoil, Panagudi and Thisayanvilai got own buildings at a cost of Rs. 6.20 crore.

Other development works include installation of 1MW solar power plant, central instrumentation facility, online admissions and fee payments, launch of integrated courses and innovative PG programmes.

Career Advancements were given on time to teaching staff. Merit scholarships of Rs. 2,000 a month for 400 students and 81 research fellowships of Rs. 5,000 a month were given. Students’ strength also rose up to 2,500 from 970 and several MoUs with international institutions have fructified during his tenure.

His efforts ensured the transfer of patta for 221.36 hectare of land in the name of MSU after 27 years from Department of Animal Husbandry after paying Rs. 11 crore from the MSU funds.

When his appointment was challenged in a court, the petition was dismissed taking note of over 33 years of his teaching and research experience including seven years in international universities, 10 years of administrative experience and his research projects worth more than Rs. 10 crores.

AI Express to resume suspended Sharjah flights

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUCHI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations had registered its grievance on govt. website

Days after Air India Express announced suspension of its services on Tiruchi-Sharjah sector on Sundays and Tuesdays with effect from February 17 to March 31, the airline has now stated that the curtailed operations will be reinstated from April 1.

The airline, which was operating daily service on the sector since September 2016, announced recently that the service from Sharjah would be suspended on Saturdays and Mondays from February 16 to March 30, and from Tiruchi on Sundays and Tuesdays from February 17 to March 31.

Shocked by the sudden announcement, Tiruchi-based Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations expressed its grievance over the suspension through Government of India’s Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System — an online web-enabled system to enable submission of grievances by aggrieved citizens to Ministries/Departments/Organisations.

The grievance sent by federation president M. Sekaran on February 4 stated that the suspension would adversely affect a large number of labourers hailing from this part of the region working in the Middle-East.

It further said there was no reason for the cancellation except for some other reason and appealed for continuation of the service in the larger interest of passengers.

The grievance sent through the online system was received by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

AI response

In an official reply sent to Mr. Sekaran on Monday, the airline said his grievance was referred to the officials concerned at Air India Express, who informed that flights between Tiruchi and Sharjah were curtailed temporarily in view of “aircraft constraints”.

The airline further said passengers were not inconvenienced as there were flights between Tiruchi and Dubai within a span of four hours.

“Traditionally, during this period our flights are not generally full. The few passengers, who had already booked, were given a choice to travel in the airline’s Dubai or the next Sharjah flight. Effective April 1, 2019, the curtailed operations would be reinstated with a daily flight between Tiruchi and Sharjah,,” the airline said in its response.

HC proposes contempt proceedings against Law University Registrar

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

Directs Police Commissioner to serve notice on her


The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered serving of notice on Jayanthi Krishnamoorthy, Registrar (in-charge), Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, through the Commisioner of Police, directing her to appear before the court on February 18 to explain why she should not be subjected to contempt of court proceedings.

A Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and P.D. Audikesavalu passed the order after taking strong exception to “highly intemperate” language used by her against Justice S.M. Subramaniam of the court while seeking the leave of the Bench to prefer a writ appeal against an interim order passed by him on February 1.

When a 2015 writ petition filed by a professor of the university, D. Shankar, seeking a direction to then Vice-Chancellor P. Vanangamudi to reinstate him as the Registrar came up for hearing before Justice Subramaniam recently, he decided to weed out all unqualified faculty members who were not appointed through proper channel. Since Mr. Vanangamudi accused the incumbent Vice-Chancellor T.S.N. Sastry also of not possessing the requisite qualifications, the judge impleaded the latter also in his personal capacity as a respondent to the writ petition apart from 32 others and directed all of them to file affidavits explaining the qualifications possessed by them.

Permission sought

Assailing the judge’s decision to implead the Vice-Chancellor too, the university had sought the leave of the Bench to file an appeal. In an affidavit filed in support of the leave petition, Ms. Krishnamoorthy stated that the single judge was acting according to his “whims and caprice by issuing a continuous mandamus beyond the subject matter of the writ petition.”

‘Inappropriate’

Observing that it was “highly inappropriate” on the part of a responsible officer such as Registrar (in-charge) to make such an imputation against a learned judge of the court, the Bench said such a comment made against him in the grounds to seek leave was not only disrespectful but also undermines the dignity and status of the chartered High Court. Making it clear that the Registrar should explain why action should not be taken against her under Article 215 (power of the High Court to punish for contempt) of the Constitution as well as the Contempt of Courts Act of 1971, the judges directed the Police Commissioner to serve notice on the Registrar at the earliest and forward the acknowledgement by February 15.

MBBS degree-holder cannot be allowed to act as ophthalmologist’

Mohamed Imranullah S

CHENNAI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

High Court takes serious view of a general physician running an eye clinic in Perambalur and practising in govt. hospital

An MBBS degree holder cannot be permitted to act as an ophthalmologist at any cost and especially when the individual had reportedly joined a Diploma in Ophthalmology course in a private institute but could not clear the examinations despite several attempts, the Madras High Court has held.

A Division Bench of Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad said, “Persons without suitable qualification should not be allowed to engage in any professional activity, much less in medicine and particularly eye.” The observation was made in an interim order passed on a public interest litigation petition.

S. Raja of Perambalur had filed the PIL petition accusing a local physician of running an eye clinic in the town besides serving as an ophthalmologist in the government district headquarters hospital at Perambalur. The doctor was also the co-ordinator of Perambalur District Blindness Control Society, the petitioner claimed.

Further, he produced documents in support of his allegation that the general physician had joined a diploma in ophthalmology course in 2013 but could not complete it till 2018 despite making several attempts. He had failed in the examinations on four occasions and was marked absent on four other occasions between 2015 and 2018.

No action

Though a complaint was lodged with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council on November 3, 2018, no concrete action was taken so far, the petitioner alleged and sought a direction to consider his representation. But the judges took a serious note of the issue. On Friday, they directed the Joint Director of Medical Services to take action as per the relevant statutes. Within days after the order, the doctor entered appearance in the case through his counsel on Tuesday and gave an undertaking to the court that he shall not practice ophthalmology. The judges recorded the undertaking.

However, in the meantime, the Joint Director informed the court that he had already sealed the doctor’s clinic. Not happy with such drastic action taken against the doctor, the judges directed the Joint Director to revisit his decision and report to the court by Thursday. “We only wanted you to make sure that he does not practice as an ophthalmologist as alleged but sealing the clinic would directly affect his right,” Justice Prasad said.

Mild tremors felt in parts of city

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

No tsunami warning issued as epicentre was far off


Mild tremors were felt in parts of the city as an earthquake of 5.1 magnitude struck in the Bay of Bengal, 600 km east-northeast off Chennai around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the India Meteorological Department.

According to the IMD, the epicentre of the earthquake was at a depth of 10 km in Bay of Bengal.

The impact of the earthquake, considered of moderate intensity, was felt more in areas closer to the coast. Several Chennaiites took to social media to report they had felt tremors early this morning.

Srilakshmi Mohan, a resident of Neelankarai, said: “I heard the doors rattling for a few seconds in the morning. I learnt later that it was due to an earthquake.”

Weather blogger K. Srikanth said a similar earthquake of 4.8 magnitude struck in Bay of Bengal at a depth of 10 km in December 1995 and one of 4.9 magnitude in January 1986.

However, as the epicentre was far from the city, no tsunami warning was given for the region by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services.

‘Govt. can move National Commission against minority educational institutions’

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

HC records undertaking that eligible students shall not be denied admission

The Madras High Court has made it clear that the State government can approach the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) if it receives complaints accusing any minority school in the State of refusing to admit eligible minority candidates despite availability of sufficient number of seats.

Justice T. Raja granted the liberty while allowing a batch of over 130 writ petitions filed by minority institutions against the government’s stipulation to fill up at least 50% of seats with minority candidates. The cases were allowed after recording an undertaking that the petitioner institutions shall not deny seats to eligible minority students.

Assailing a government order issued by the School Education department on April 5, 2018, senior counsel Fr.A. Xavier Arulraj contended that the GO requires every minority institution in the State to admit not less than 50% of seats with minority students every year failing which they would have lose their minority status.

Claiming that such a stipulation amounted to interference with the administration of minority schools and was directly against the judgments passed by the Supreme Court in the famous TMA Pai Foundation case, the counsel said that it would be impractical to follow the stipulation because the number of minority and non-minority students would keep fluctuating.

Despite welcoming the government’s objective to ensure that more number of minority students get admitted in minority schools, he said the problem arose only when such admission was linked to grant of minority status. If only 10 minority students were available in a year, the schools could not be forced to admit only 10 non-minority students to maintain the 50:50 ratio, he argued.

However, Special Government Pleader C. Munusamy brought it to the notice of the court that the 50% criteria was not a rigid one and the government had no intention to withdraw minority status of an institution even if minority students were not available to fill up 50% of the seats.

“It is only when admission is denied within 50% limit, action will be taken,” he clarified.

Thanks to free rides, over four lakh people travel on Metro Rail

Sunitha Sekar

CHENNAI, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 00:00 IST

Thrilling experience:Many passengers were first-time users keen to get a glimpse of the Chennai Metro.R. Ragu

Real test will be to see if numbers sustain after introduction of fares, say officials

Nearly four lakh commuters have travelled on the Chennai Metro Rail system after the new stretch was inaugurated on Sunday. The high footfall is largely due to free rides.

The Metro Rail has had to employ additional staff to clean the stations and trains, as there was considerable littering; in some stations, there were a number of instances of spitting, official sources said. Also, on Monday, there were complaints from commuters that men entered and occupied seats in the ladies’ compartments in trains, sources said.

Sources said that four lakh people had used the system since the inauguration of the new stretch from AG-DMS to Washermanpet. Usually, about 55,000 people travel on the Chennai Metro Rail.

Officials confident

“The real test will be to see if the number of people of travelling through this system goes up significantly after the opening of the new stretch, when fares are levied as usual from passengers. In a week, we will be able to calculate the average of how many people are regularly taking the system,” a source said.

Sources said they expected a significant increase in the number of people of travelling on the Chennai Metro Rail, as it now has stations connecting LIC, Thousand Lights and Government Estate, and thus likely to be used by many office-goers.

Many passengers who took the ride on Monday said they were first-time users and keen to get a glimpse of this system. Ezhumalai S., a resident of Washermanpet, took a ride all the way to Alandur and returned. “I usually take the bus to Alandur but today, since they gave free rides, I decided to use it. I quite liked it; but I’m not sure if I can afford to use it on a daily basis,” he said.

But many office-goers did not like the idea of giving free rides, as they complained that this led to trains being excessively crowded. Radhika Achyuth, a resident of Anna Nagar, said, “I take a train to AG-DMS on a daily basis and usually have a comfortable ride. For two days now, there is no place even to stand. It is certainly not a great idea to give free rides for days together.”

The Chennai Metro Rail has announced that free rides will continue on Wednesday too.

Chettinad School of Architecture advertisement 13.02.2019

Two staff of Tirupur knitwear unit die in Delhi hotel blaze
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Tirupur:13.02.2019

Two employees of a knitwear export company in Tirupur were among 17 people killed in a fire at a private hotel in New Delhi on Tuesday. Some of family members and relatives of the deceased have reached the national capital to receive the mortal remains.

The two deceased have been identified as S Aravind, 45, of Rakkiyampalayam near Thirumuruganpoondi in Tirupur district and K Nanda Kumar, 32, of Somanur in Coimbatore district. Both they were working as merchandisers in one of many knitwear manufacturing unit of a leading export company near New Bus stand here. The two men had gone Delhi to meet a buyer, said a manager of the unit on his anonymity.

After the meeting, the two men were staying in a private hotel at Karol Bagh. They were to catch a flight to Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning. But the duo were killed after a fire broke out at the hotel in the early hours on Tuesday.

Tamil Nadu House in Delhi has confirmed their dead

High court questions govt on pvt scan centres

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:13.02.2019

“Is it a fact that some of the staff and few doctors, in collusion are deliberately making diagnostic machineries including CT Scan, MRI scan, X-ray machines repaired so that patients could be directed to private diagnostic centres for making illegal commission amounts?” the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has asked in a set of queries to the state government on facilities in government hospitals across Tamil Nadu.

The questionnaire ranged from security to prevent child abductions in government hospitals to the presence of advanced scan systems to the sanctioning of vacant posts of doctors.

A division bench of justice N Kirubakaran and justice S S Sundar questioned the government in response to a petition by G Thirumurgan, 35, who sought to fill staff vacancies and establish MRI scan facilities at the government headquarters hospital in Ramanathapuram district.

‘Thevar’ title won’t be dropped from textbooks

Chennai:13.02.2019

In the backdrop of concerns raised by Thevar community leaders over the reported move to truncate the name of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar by removing his caste suffix in school textbooks, school education minister K A Sengottaiyan on Tuesday said in the assembly that such fears were unfounded. He said state syllabus textbooks would have the leader’s name mentioned as “Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar”. He was reacting to MJK MLA Thameemun Ansari and Thiruvadanai MLA S Karunas, who alleged that the suffix “Thevar” was dropped in many textbooks. “Former President Pranab Mukherjee, vicepresident Venkaiah Naidu and several other leaders continue to use their surnames. Thevar signed the assembly register in 1957 with his surname. His statues in the Parliament and Nandanam, unveiled by former CM J Jayalalithaa, bear his full name. Why not have ‘Thevar’ in his name?” Karunas asked. TNN

Madras univ students to pay 30%-50% more as semester exam fee

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai 13.02.2019

: Arts and science students in colleges affiliated to University of Madras will be paying 30%-50% more as semester examination fee from April onwards.

Fee has been increased from ₹100 to ₹150 per theoretical paper for postgraduate students. Undergraduates will have to pay ₹85 instead of ₹65 from this April.

The revised rates are applicable to students in all the 110 non-autonomous affiliated institutions. Other fees like cost of application form, statement of marks, provisional and convocation certificate fee remain unchanged.

Every student on an average writes five to seven theoretical exams per semester.

The proposal to revise the fee was pending for more than two years because of stiff opposition from colleges. The decision was approved by the university’s academic council and syndicate recently.

An university source said that the original proposal was much higher and rates were reduced after detailed discussion. “The rates have been fixed keeping in mind the cost involved in conducting the exam and how much other state universities charge,” source added.

Criticising this, a retired government college principal, requesting anonymity, said that most of the examrelated work is being carried out only by the college principal and designated staff. They put together details of students registered for the exam. “Apart from uploading students’ data in the Examination Registration System (ERS) portal, not much work is done by the university. So what is the rationale behind such a steep hike?,” the principal added.

Also, the university is yet to settle the remuneration payable to some of the individual colleges for April and November 2018 examinations till date.

Responding to this, syndicate member of the university said that the entire remuneration process was made online after demonetisation and settlements were made in batches after that.

Cricket gets into debate at TN assembly

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.02.2019

Everyone loves a game of cricket. Even legislators do, it seems. A fair part of the debate, on the state budget in the assembly on Tuesday, saw members borrow phrases from the gentleman’s game.

On Monday, Mettur AIADMK MLA S Semmalai, during a debate on the state budget had said chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was hitting sixer after sixer. “First he hit a sixer by announcing ₹1,000 for all card holders during Pongal festival and the second sixer is with the announcement of ₹2,000 to people, below poverty line,” said Semmalai.

Recalling what Semmalai said, DMK member K Ponmudi on Tuesday said all these sixers would end soon, once DMK president M K Stalin began bowling. “Yesterday, Semmalai said the chief minister is hitting sixer after sixer, but if Thalapathi (DMK president M K Stalin) starts to bowl, everyone will be clean bowled,” said Ponmudi at the end of his speech.

“All balls bowled by Stalin will be no balls,” quipped fisheries minister D Jayakumar immediately. Later, it was the turn of power minister P Thangamani, who said for someone to start bowling and getting others clean bowled, he has to enter the ground first. There were peals of laughter from both sides, except speaker P Dhanapal, who like an umpire could not hide his smile for a change. But, he was also looking at the clock, as it was getting late for lunch.

DMK’s Ponmudi, in response to an AIADMK member’s comment that EPS has been hitting ‘sixers’ by announcing schemes for the people, said, ‘all sixers’ by EPS will end when M K Stalin starts bowling. Fisheries minister D Jayakumar reacted saying, ‘All balls bowled by Stalin will be no balls’

HC summons law univ registrar over ‘inappropriate’ statement

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.02.2019

Censuring the registrar of Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University for making ‘inappropriate’ statements against a single judge of the court, a division bench of the Madras high court on Tuesday summoned the officer to show cause why contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against her.

“The registrar in-charge is stated to be a responsible officer of the university. It is highly inappropriate on the part of the registrar to make such an imputation against a judge of this court. The fact that the learned judge has expanded the scope of the writ petition would not give a right to the litigant to make such unnecessary comments, which is not only disrespectful to the judge but would also undermine the dignity and status of the chartered high court. The majesty of the court must be preserved and protected at any cost. The high court is a court of record. It is the bounden duty of all stakeholders to see that no damage is caused to the institution,” a division bench of Justice K K Sasidharan and Justice P D Audikesavalu said.

We are of the view that the language used by the registrar is highly intemperate. We, therefore, propose to take action against the Registrar. Let notice be issued to Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar of the university, to appear in person before this court at 10.30am on February 18 and to show cause as to why proceedings should not be taken against her under Article 215 of the Constitution and the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, the bench said.

The issue pertains to an alleged scam in appointing teaching staff to the university. On February 1, a single judge of the court impleaded all the teaching staff of the university and directed them to file sworn affidavits explaining their terms of appointment.

The judge also directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to file a report on the eligibility required to be appointed to such posts.

The judge then said that he would cull out people who are appointed illegally flouting UGC norms.

In the affidavit filed in support of the appeal, Jeyanthi made some allegations against the single judge, which annoyed the division bench.

We are of the view that the language used by the registrar is highly intemperate. We, therefore, propose to take action against the registrar, the HC bench said

Doctors pause c-sec tion to ventilate newborn
Baby With Swollen Thyroid Gland Has 40-Minute Procedure
Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com 13.02.2019

A 23-year-old woman is now the mother of a healthy baby boy, something she wouldn’t have expected after the shock she got in the 28th week of her pregnancy.

But doctors from several hospitals across the city got together to perform an exutero intrapartum treatment or Exit as it is more commonly known.

The operating room was crowded but each doctor knew when to start and when to stop and the nurses all knew their roles. This was because the team conducted a detailed mock drill the day before the operation.

To get time for the procedure, the doctors decided to intervene even as the baby was receiving oxygen from the mother. “We had about 20 minutes to intubate the baby. We had meticulously planned the procedure a day before with a mock drill. We made a flowchart of what should be done at each step. All doctors and nurses had their roles defined,” said senior obstetrician Dr Uma Ram of Seethapathi Nursing Home.

During a routine ultrasound in the 28th week on the 23-year-old woman (name withheld), doctors noticed swelling on the fetus’s neck. It was large, restricting his ability to swallow and affecting growth. The fluid around the baby also swelled.

“Tests showed gross enlargement of the thyroid gland. As per standard protocol, we began intrauterine treatment. Two shots of thyroid hormone replacement in a two-week interval was given. This reduced the amount of fluid, but the swelling in the neck did not reduce significantly,” said Dr S Suresh, fetal medicine expert at Mediscan Systems.

The 36th-week scan showed compression of the trachea, which could make breathing difficult. The woman was then referred to the Dr Mehta’s Hospital for planned caesarean section. After Dr Uma pulled out the baby’s head, ENT surgeon Dr S Thirunavukkarasu used bronchoscope guidance to intubate the baby.

“The bleeding was heavy as expected but the mother did not require blood transfusion. The swelling on the neck has now reduced to the size of a pea,” said neonatologist Dr Lakshmi. Doctors are yet to find the cause of the swelling as they are awaiting test results.

“As of now, the baby requires long-term hormone replacement therapy. But with these medications he should be able to lead a normal life,” she said.

WE HAD METICULOUSLY PLANNED THE PROCEDURE A DAY BEFORE WITH A MOCK DRILL. WE MADE A FLOWCHART OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AT EACH STEP —Dr Uma

Ram | SEETHAPATHI NURSING HOME

FURTHER TREATMENT

Baby will need long-term hormone replacement therapy, but will grow up to be normal

Court: National Anthem not mandatory at state functions

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.02.2019

Holding that playing the National Anthem at all state functions is not mandatory, the Madras high court dismissed a PIL seeking action against the chief secretary and health secretary of Tamil Nadu for failing to make arrangements to play the anthem at two recent state events that prime minister Narendra Modi had participated in.

When the PIL, filed by a petitioner named Vembu, came up for hearing on Tuesday, a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed it.

Vembu wanted the court to direct the authorities concerned to frame Rules providing for punishment for wilful violation of a circular issued by the Union ministry of information and broadcasting, which mandated the playing of the National Anthem. According to the petitioner, the Union ministry of home affairs had issued an appropriate circular to all state and Union government departments about playing the National Anthem at all the state functions in which the President, Prime Minister, governor, lieutenant-governor and chief minister take part.

On January 27, the Tamil Nadu government organised a function in Madurai for laying the foundation stone for the construction of All India Institute for Medical Science (AIIMS) there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the function, in which the governor, chief minister and deputy chief minister too had participated. In blatant violation of rules and tradition, neither the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu nor the National Anthem was played in the beginning and end of the function, the petitioner alleged.

Similarly, on February 10, the Prime Minister participated in another state-organised function in which he flagged off the Chennai Metro Rail and other services through video conferencing from Tirupur. In this event too, the National Anthem was not played, Vembu said. Pointing out that neither the Prime Minister’s office nor the state authorities had apologised for the violation so far, the petitioner wanted the court to initiate appropriate action against the authorities.


A division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the petition when it came up for hearing on Tuesday

‘Student-friendly’ changes to make CBSE X, XII exams easier this year

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:13.02.2019

“Student-friendly” changes in question papers of Class X and XII Boards are set to make exams easier this time. The CBSE has decided to increase objective type questions and question options in papers.

At present, up to 10% of the questions are objective type. “However, this year, it will be increased to 25%. This will boost the confidence of students and help them score better,” said a CBSE source. “If a student is not confident about a certain question, he/she will have 33% more question options to choose from,” the official said.

Students can also expect more structured question papers this year, with each paper divided into sub-sections. For example, all objective type questions will be clubbed into one section, followed by questions with higher marks. “At present, except the objective type, the questions are jumbled and not divided into sections. Students can attend papers in a more systematic manner,” said the official.

‘Working towards encrypted papers’

CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi said the paper leak raised questions on the board’s credibility. “We had therefore used encrypted papers in a few subjects in 2018. We are working on logistics so as to ensure all papers are encrypted.” P 16

Movements of superintendents to be tracked

Toavoid paper leak, the board has devised a mechanism for real-time tracking of centre superintendents, who are designated to collect “confidential material” via a mobile application. Last year, two question papers (Class X mathematics and Class XII economics) were leaked and the board had to re-conduct the economics exam. It did not reconduct the maths exam as there was a “limited leak”.

“The secured mobile application will record the timing of centre superintendents collecting question papers from designated agencies and will also track their movements till they reach exam centres and open question paper packets,” said the official. Moreover, the CBSE has also asked the superintendents not to depute anyone to pick up the confidential material on his/ her behalf. This year, around 13 lakh candidates have registered themselves for the Class XII exams, while 18 lakh will sit in Class Xexams. The exams will commence from February 15, which is 15 days in advance as compared to last year. The vocational exams will be completed by February-end and exams on academic subjects will be conducted in March.

5.4-magnitude quake triggers mild tremors

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.02.2019

Residents felt mild tremor in some parts of Chennai on Tuesday after an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale in the Bay of Bengal at 7.02 am, with its epicentre 606 km off the city’s coast at a depth of 10km. No casualty or damage to property was reported Experts monitoring the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System at INCOIS, Hyderabad, said the earthquake was too far away and too mild to cause damage or aftershocks in the city.

An earthquake of 5.4magnitude is deemed as ‘moderate’ and can release seismic energy with the potential to cause damage to poorly built buildings and mild damage to well-designed buildings.

Epicentre was 10km below sea level about 606km off Chennai

GSI to study cause of earthquake

A senior official of Geological Survey of India (GSI) said the area near Andaman and Nicobar was more prone to earthquakes because of tectonic plates but not near Chennai in the Bay of Bengal. “Bay of Bengal area is not known to have frequent earthquakes but areas near Andaman and Nicobar Islands are. The activity needs to be studied to find out more,” he added.

Independent weather blogger Pradeep John posted on his social media page that the epicentre was far away from the city and that it would not harm the city.

There have been three earthquakes of considerable magnitude in the Bay of Bengal near Chennai -- on August 1, 2007, 86km away from the coast and with a magnitude of 3.5; on November 20, 2006, of 3.9magnitude; on November11, 1999, of 5.8magnitude. All three had their epicentres near that of Tuesday’s quake.

The GSI is looking to study the earthquake data to find out the cause.

Independent weather blogger Pradeep John had posted on his social media page that the earthquake would not harm the city

Reforms needed for foreign degree recognition in India

India needs new policies to reconsider recognition of year-long master’s and online courses offered by the UK and other countries, says Vivienne Stern

Shivangi.Mishra@timesgroup.com

11.02.2019

Number of Indian students opting for a foreign degree has been on a steady rise. The recent data released by UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), shows that the number of Indian students has increased by 28% in the academic year 2017-18 than in 2016-17.

The trend, says Vivienne Stern, director, Universities UK International — a consortium of British universities— is an indicator and it is time to look at policy level reforms to recognise more number of foreign degrees in the public sector in India.

Year-long master’s degrees offered in the UK are currently not recognised by centrally funded Indian universities or by various public-sector employers in India. The principal reason given for non-equivalence is the duration of course as only two-year programmes are recognised as master’s degree in India.“The education over the years has evolved and today year-long postgraduate programmes are as efficient as two-year programmes. For the vast majority of students, it is not a problem because they go for the private sector jobs, but it has been a long standing topic of discussion,” says Vivienne. “There is no substantiated evidence for the lack of quality in such courses. These graduates have great potential on returning back and can contribute academically so, why put a barrier,” she adds.

ONLINE DEGREES

Presently, there are around 7,00,000 students pursuing a UK degree through distance learning mode. India stands at 9th position, taking online courses from UK institutes. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) does not recognise any foreign degrees awarded through distance learning.

Despite lack of official recognition, students and employers still have faith in these degrees as they match industry standards. Many graduates will be successfully employed in the private sector after getting online degrees, says Vivienne.

“Online degree provision offers a possible solution to India’s growing demand for high quality, low cost higher education. Online degrees from UK universities are quality assured under the UK’s quality assurance system, which means that they must meet the same world-class standards as any degree offered inside the country by an institution,” she says.

COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

Degrees with collaborative provision is a good option for Indian students. “Rather than allowing the international branch campus model that is seen widely in other parts of Asia, the Indian government has preferred the gradual development of international collaborative partnerships to support home grown excellence.”

“Most courses are delivered entirely at a private Indian partner institution, though very few programmes offer an option of studying at the UK partner university,” she says.

There is a lot of potential for growth in such collaborations.

Foreign institutions operate within a complex regulatory environment in India with up to six bodies involved in institution or programme approval (AICTE, AIU, UGC, NAAC, NBA and a range of professional councils). This also needs to be simplified.


Vivienne Stern


BREXIT WILL OFFER OPPORTUNITIES

There is a lot of growth potential in terms of UK-India collaboration in education and research, especially in the Brexit aftermath. Various partners such as the Universities UK International and the British Council are constantly looking at all possibilities of strengthening this collaboration.

This is being done through initiatives such as the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) started in April 2006. Now in its third phase, the initiative is working towards developing programmes that meets the priorities and needs of both the countries and bring about a systemic change in the education, skills and leadership sectors of both India and the UK.

The British government, with this realisation, has proposed several changes in immigration policies, under which UG, PG and PhD students will be able to stay in the UK to look for work for six months after college. They will also have three months before graduating during which they can find work and change from a study visa to a work visa.

International graduates will be given two years after graduating during which they can apply to switch their UK study visa to a UK work visa .

Four passengers suffer as AI Express flight develops snag
Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:11.02.2019

Four passengers onboard Air India Express’ Muscat-Calicut flight on Sunday had nose bleeding and some others felt ear pain as the aircraft suffered a cabin pressurisation snag soon after getting airborne. As soon as the Boeing 737 (VT-AXW) with over 180 passengers had this issue, the pilots stopped further climb and returned to land safely at Muscat within halfan-hour of take-off. The airline has reported this to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which has launched a probe.

AI Express Flight IX 350 took off from Muscat at 3.19am (local time) Sunday. During climb at about 12,000 feet the Boeing 737’s cabin pressurization system had a snag. Passengers started experiencing discomfort, with four having nose bleed and others complaining of ear pain. The pilots immediately stopped climbing further and returned to land safely in Muscat. The aircraft had 182 passengers, three infants and crew members on board.

AI Express CEO K Shyam Sundar told TOI: “Aircraft returned (safely) to bay due to (cabin) pressurization problem. Four passengers had nose bleeding. They were treated by the airport doctor and declared fit to travel. A few other passengers who had experienced discomfort and ear pain soon became alright after the aircraft landed and they were in the terminal building.

“Replacement crew and spares reached Muscat (on) Sunday morning and the aircraft after due rectification and verification departed from Muscat to Calicut at 2.15pm (local time) with (all passengers).” Another senior official said, “The crew which operated IX 350 would have had exceeded its maximum duty time so a replacement crew had to be arranged to fly the aircraft back to Calicut once it was rectified.” Sources say the cabin pressurization issue may have been caused by turbulence.

Flight makes emergency landing in U’khand after ‘door opens mid-air

 Prem Puneth
Pithoragarh:

The Pantnagar-Pithoragarh flight made an emergency landing at Pantnagar airport just five minutes after take-off on Saturday afternoon.

While officials claimed that the sudden landing was due to a technical snag, passengers onboard the nine-seater aircraft said that the door of the plane opened mid-air creating panic among the passengers. Lokesh Bora, a passenger, told TOI, “Just five minutes after the take-off around noon, the door of the aircraft suddenly burst open and air started gushing in. All of us were so panic-stricken that we didn’t know what to do. There were two children onboard who started crying profusely. I have taken so many flights but have never faced such a situation in my life.”

He added, “I was going to meet my mother in Pithoragarh. But now because of this incident, I had to cancel my plans. If the government wants more people to avail of flights on this sector which has been recently started, they should first ensure safety of passengers.” Confirming the snag, Pantnagar airport director S K Singh said, “The aircraft operated by Heritage Aviation made an emergency landing on Saturday due to some technical problem. We are looking into the matter.” He, however, denied claims of the aircraft door opening mid-air.

You cannot ‘opt out’ meals on Vande Bharat Express

New Delhi:11.02.2019

Meals on board the soon-to-be-launched Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 will not be optional for passengers unlike in premium trains such as Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto Express, where passengers can choose not to take catering services, officials said.

However,passengers travelling the last leg on the route of the semi-high speed train Allahabad to Varanasi will have the choice of opting out of the meals provided by the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), in advance while booking their tickets, the sources said.

The catering charges would not be included in their ticket prices. For others, the prices of the meals will be part of the ticket fare of the train which will run from Varanasi to Delhi on its maiden journey on February 15.

If the passengers who have opted out in advance want a meal during their travel, they will have to shell out an extra 50 for it, the sources said. In 2017, the IRCTC made meals on board prepaid trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto (which add the meal prices in ticket) with pantry services optional.

It was done to effectively control unfair practices of overcharging, issues of quality as well quantity and also to avoid wastage of food. This gave the passengers option to ‘not eat’ if he does not want the food supplied on board.

This also reduced the cost of the tickets on these trains by around 250. PTI

Bengaluru HC to RGUHS: Make exams transparent 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Jan 4, 2019, 6:45 am IST

Several unsuccessful candidates had approached the HC seeking direction for revaluation of their answer scripts.

Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences

Bengaluru: The High Court recently asked Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to examine the requests for considering adoption of Model Key Answer System or any other desirable measure for making the present examination system more transparent and efficient.

The court in its order dated December 21, 2018, passed by Justice Krishna S. Dixit passed made the observations with regard to a batch of petitions filed by several unsuccessful students, who had sought for revaluation of their answer scripts.

The court has ordered to look into their individual grievances in relation to pitfalls in the Digital Valuation System.

Several unsuccessful candidates had approached the HC seeking direction for revaluation of their answer scripts. The grievances relate to the refusal of the respondent-University (RGUHS) to send their answer papers for revaluation on the ground that the differential of marks awarded by two evaluators in the case of students of U.G. course and the differential of marks awarded by four evaluators in the case of students of P.G. course are less than 15% of maximum marks prescribed for the papers in the respective exams