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Man Accused Of Killing Wife Not Entitled To Custody Of Children Until Competent Court Acquits Him: Allahabad High Court

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IAS Officer Flouting Court Orders To Be Punished With Imprisonment Primarily; Fine For Contempt Only Secondary: Madras HC: IAS Officers flouting court orders should be punished with imprisonment primarily and other punishments such as the imposition of fine in contempt proceedings should only be secondary, the Madras High...

Pensioners can now get Life Certificate at doorstep

 

பாதுகாப்புடன் பள்ளிகளை திறக்கலாமே!

பாதுகாப்புடன் பள்ளிகளை திறக்கலாமே!

Added : நவ 16, 2020 01:30

குழந்தைகள் துள்ளிக் குதித்து, ஏறி விளையாடிய ஊஞ்சல்கள், பள்ளி மைதானங்களில் துருப்பிடித்து காணப்படுகின்றன. குழந்தைகள் சாப்பிடும் போது, சந்தோஷமாக பங்கிட்டு கொடுக்கும் உணவுகள் கிடைக்காமல், பறவைகள், பள்ளிகளை சுற்றி, ஏக்கமாய் பறந்து திரிகின்றன.

தங்களை சுற்றி சுற்றி வந்து தொட்டு மகிழ்ந்த, உயிரோட்டமுள்ள மலர்களான மழலைச் செல்வங்களைக் காணாமல் மரங்கள் தவிக்கின்றன.பட்டாம் பூச்சிகளாய் சிரித்து, சிறகடித்து வந்த சிறார்களை எதிர்பார்த்து, பள்ளிகள் தவமிருக்கின்றன. கூட்டாக வாய்ப்பாடு ஒப்பிக்கும், அந்த சங்கீதக் குரல்களைக் கேட்காது, வகுப்பறைகள் தவிக்கின்றன. ஆனால், நம் மாநிலத்தில் மட்டும், பள்ளிகள் திறப்பு தேதி இன்னும் முடிவாகவில்லை.ஆனால், பிற மாநிலங்களான உத்தர பிரதேசத்தில், பள்ளி, கல்லுாரிகளை எப்போதோ திறந்து விட்டனர். ஆந்திராவில் கடந்த வாரத்தில் இருந்து, திறந்து நடத்தி வருகின்றனர். அங்குள்ளவர்கள் குழந்தைகள் இல்லையா; அனுப்புவது பெற்றோர் இல்லையா; சொல்லிக் கொடுப்பது ஆசிரியர்கள் இல்லையா?உரிய பாதுகாப்புஅந்த மாநில மக்களை விட, நமக்கு அக்கறை அதிகம் என்றே எடுத்துக் கொள்வோம்.

இந்த அக்கறையை இன்னும் எவ்வளவு காலத்திற்கு எடுத்து செல்லப்போகிறோம்; எத்தனை நாளைக்கு, பிள்ளைகளை வீட்டிற்குள், பொத்தி, பாதுகாக்கப் போகிறோம்?எப்படி எல்லாம் இருந்தால், கொரோனாவை நெருங்கவிடாமல் தவிர்க்கலாம் என்று சொன்ன, உலக சுகாதார நிறுவன தலைவருக்கே கொரோனா எனும் போது, நாமும் நம் பிள்ளைகளும் எம்மாத்திரம்... அதற்காக எல்லாவற்றையும் அலட்சியமாக இருக்கச் சொல்லவில்லை. அரசின் வழிகாட்டுதலுடன், உரிய பாதுகாப்புடன் இருந்தால் போதும். அதுவே நலம்.இரண்டாவது அலை, மூன்றாவது அலை எல்லாம் இன்னும் இரண்டு மாதங்களில் அடித்து முடிந்துவிடும். அந்த அலைகள் எல்லாம் ஒய்வதற்குள், தடுப்பூசியும் வந்துவிடும். ஆகவே, காத்திருங்கள் என்று சொன்னால், இரண்டு மாதம் அல்ல இன்னும் மூன்று மாதம் கூட காத்திருக்கலாம். ஆனால், எதார்த்தம் அதுவல்ல என்பதையும் பார்க்க வேண்டும்.இந்த அலை சமாசாரம் எல்லாம், இப்போதைக்கு ஒய்வது போலவும் இல்லை; தடுப்பூசி வருவது போலவும் இல்லை. இதை அவநம்பிக்கையுடன் சொல்வதாக எடுத்துக் கொள்ளவேண்டாம்.

கொரோனாவிற்கு எதிரான அறிவியல் யுத்தம் போகிற போக்கை கணித்து சொல்கிறேன். 'கொரோனாவை விட கொடிய, பொருளாதார சீரழிவில் இருந்து, மக்கள் மீண்டெழ வேண்டும் என்றால், கொரோனாவுடன் வாழ பழகிக் கொள்ளுங்கள்' என்று, உலகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள தலைவர்கள் எப்போதோ சொல்லி விட்டனர்.அதைத் தான் நாம் அரசு அலுவலகங்களை திறத்தல்; ரயில் விமான போக்குவரத்தை நடத்துதல்; வழக்கம் போல கடைகளில் வியாபாரம் செய்ய அனுமதித்தல் என்பதன் மூலம், வாழப் பழகிக் கொண்டு வருகிறோம். பள்ளிகளுக்கு சென்றால், குழந்தைகளுக்கு தொற்று வராதா என்று அடுத்த கேள்வியை பீதியுடன் எழுப்புவர்.தி.நகர் ரங்கநாதன் தெருவில் இருந்து, பெற்றோர்களால் வீட்டிற்குள் வராத தொற்றை, அரசு பஸ்சில் நெருக்கியடித்து பயணம் செய்யும் போது வராத தொற்றை, மற்றவர்கள் மடியில் உட்காராத குறையாக, ஷேர் ஆட்டோவில் பயணம் செய்யும் போது வராத தொற்றை, குழந்தைகள் மட்டும் பள்ளியில் இருந்து அழைத்து வந்து விடுவர் என்பது எந்த வகையில் நியாயம்?

கற்பிப்போர், கற்போரும் கூடும் இடம் பள்ளிக்கூடங்கள். பாதுகாப்பு நடவடிக்கைகளை எந்த அளவிற்கு அங்கு எடுக்க வேண்டும்; எந்த அளவு சமூக இடைவெளிவிட்டு உட்கார வைக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை அங்கிருப்போர் நன்கு அறிவர்.கொரோனா தொற்றுக்கண்டுபிடிப்பு, டி.பி.ஆர்., 3 சதவீதமும், அதாவது, எடுத்துள்ள மொத்த டெஸ்ட்களில், 3 சதவீதம் மட்டுமே தொற்று பாதிப்பு இருந்தால், புதிய தொற்றுகள், லட்சத்தில், 20 பேருக்கு மேல் இல்லாமல் இருந்தால், அந்த பகுதியில் பள்ளிகள் திறக்கப் படலாம்.தமிழகத்தின் நிலை என்ன... நவம்பர் ஆரம்பித்தது முதல், இந்த, டி.பி.ஆர்., 3 சதவீதம் உள்ளதால், இரண்டு வாரங்களில் பள்ளிகளை திறப்பதற்கான சூழ்நிலைகள் சாதகமாக இருக்கலாம் என்று அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது.ஆகவே, பள்ளிகளை திறக்கலாம் என்று, அறிவுபூர்வமாக நல்லதொரு முடிவு எடுத்துள்ளனர்.பள்ளிகள் திறக்கப்படும் போது என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும் என்பதை மட்டும் தான் இப்போது பார்க்க வேண்டும்.பள்ளிக்கல்வித் துறையும் ஒரு மாபெரும் மாற்றத்திற்கு தயாராக வேண்டும். மாணவர்கள் கட்டாயம் முக கவசம் அணிந்து வரச் செய்ய, அறிவுறுத்த வேண்டும்.

பள்ளியில் மாணவர்கள் நுழையும் இடத்தில், உடல் வெப்பநிலை பரிசோதிக்கப்பட வேண்டும். குழந்தைகளுக்கு கொரோனா அறிகுறிகளான காய்ச்சல், இருமல், சளி முதலிய ஏதேனும் தொந்தரவுகள் இருக்கிறதா என்பதை கேட்டு, பள்ளிக்கு உள்ளே அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும்.வகுப்பறைகள் நல்ல காற்றோட்டத்தோடு இருக்குமாறு பார்த்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். சமூக இடைவெளியை கடைபிடிக்கும் அளவுக்கு, ஒரு பெஞ்சுக்கு இருவர் என்ற அளவில் மாணவர்களை அனுமதிக்கலாம்.மாணவர்கள் பரவலாக உட்காருவதற்கு ஏதுவாக, 'ஷிப்ட்' முறை கொண்டு வரலாம். பள்ளி பாட நேரத்தை பாதியாக குறைக்கலாம். உணவு உண்பதை, வீட்டிலேயே முடித்துக் கொள்ளுமாறு, நேரத்தை சீர் செய்யலாம். குழந்தைகளுக்கு சோப்பு போட்டு, கை கழுவும் வசதியை அமைத்து கொடுக்க வேண்டும்.

முக்கியமாக, கழிப்பறையை நன்கு பராமரிக்கலாம். நிலைமை சீராகும் வரை பிரார்த்தனை கூட்டத்திற்காக கூடுவதையும், சேர்ந்து விளையாடுவதையும் தவிர்க்கலாம்.முழுப் பயிற்சி பெற்ற செவிலியரை பள்ளியில் பணி அமர்த்தலாம். பாதுகாப்பு நெறிமுறைகளையும், வழிமுறைகளையும் பின்பற்றி, பள்ளிகளை வெற்றிகரமாக நடத்தும் மாநிலங்களையும், நாடுகளையும், உதாரணமாக எடுத்து செயல்படலாம்.அதே போல, குழந்தை கள் வீட்டிற்கு திரும்பியதும், வீட்டின் வாசலிலேயே கைகளை சோப்பு போட்டு கழுவி, உடைகளை மாற்றிய பின், வீட்டினுள் பெற்றோர் அனுமதிக்கலாம்.பள்ளியில் உபயோகப்படுத்திய பொருட்களை, கிருமி நாசினியால் சுத்தம் செய்து, பிறகு வீட்டில் உபயோகப்படுத்த வேண்டும். சத்துள்ள ஆகாரங்களை உண்பதற்கும் சரியான அளவு துாங்குவதற்கும் வழிகாட்டலாம்'பள்ளிகளை திறக்க வேண்டாம்' என்று, எந்த மனசாட்சி உள்ள பெற்றோரும் சொல்ல மாட்டார்கள். காரணம், இணையத்தில் படிக்கிறோம் எனச் சொல்லி, தங்கள், எல்.கே.ஜி., பிள்ளைகள் கூட, கண் கண்ணாடி மாட்டிக் கொண்டது தான் கைமேல் கண்ட பலன் என்பது அவர்களுக்கு நன்றாகவே தெரியும்.பள்ளிக்கு சென்று வந்த குழந்தை பகிரும், அனுபவமும், அன்பும் தான் பெரும்பாலான குடும்பங்களை இனிதாக இயக்கிக் கொண்டிருந்தது.

இப்போது அது அத்தனையும், முடிவிற்கு வந்தது போல பெற்றோர்களும், பெற்றோர்களை விட குழந்தைகளும், அதிக மன உளைச்சலில் இருக்கின்றனர் என்பது தான் வாழ்வியல் நிஜம்.பாதுகாப்பு அம்சம்அடுத்தடுத்த அலைகளால் அதிகம் பாதிக்கப்படுவதாக கூறப்படும், அமெரிக்க தேர்தல் களத்தில், மக்கள் முன் எப்போதும் இல்லாத அளவிற்கு ஒட்டுப்போட்டுள்ளனர் என்றால், சகஜமாக வாழ விரும்புகின்றனர் என்றே அர்த்தம்.'மாஸ்க் எனப்படுவது யாதெனில், அது இரு காதுகளுக்கு இடையே நாடிப்பகுதியில் தொங்கவிடப்படும் ஒரு துண்டு துணி' என்ற நிலையில் தான், பீஹார் மாநிலத்தில் மேடையில் தோன்றிய அரசியல்வாதிகளும், திரளாக கூடிய தொண்டர்களும், தங்களது கொரோனா பாதுகாப்பு அம்சத்தை வெளிப்படுத்தினர்.

நிச்சயம், அந்த அளவிற்கு நமது மாநிலம் இருக்காது. மாணவர்களும் இருக்க மாட்டார்கள். பெற்றோர்களே உங்கள் பிள்ளைகளை பள்ளிக்கு அனுப்ப தயராகுங்கள். நான் ஒரு பெற்றோராக இருந்து, என் இரண்டு பிள்ளைகளை இப்போதே தயார் செய்துவிட்டேன்.உயிர் இருந்தால் தான் உடலுக்கு மரியாதை. அது போல கல்வி இருந்தால் தான் மாணவர்களுக்கு மரியாதை.தொடர்புக்கு:இ-மெயில்: doctorjsharma@gmail.com

11 மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகள் கட்டுமான பணி தீவிரம்

11 மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகள் கட்டுமான பணி தீவிரம்

Added : நவ 16, 2020 00:16

திருவள்ளூர்: ''தமிழகத்தில் புதிதாக, 11 மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகள்அமைக்கும் பணிகள் வேகமாக நடந்து வருகின்றன,'' என, சுகாதார துறை முதன்மை செயலர் ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் தெரிவித்தார்.

திருவள்ளூர் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில், கொரோனா தொற்று தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கை பணிகள் மற்றும் புதிய மருத்துவ கல்லுாரி கட்டட பணிகள் ஆகியவற்றை, அரசு சுகாதாரத் துறை முதன்மை செயலர்ஜெ.ராதாகிருஷ்ணன், திருவள்ளூர் கலெக்டர் பா.பொன்னையா ஆகியோர் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.அப்போது, முதன்மை செயலர் ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் கூறியதாவது:முதல்வர் இ.பி.எஸ்.,உத்தரவின்படி, கொரோனா தொற்று தடுப்பு பணிகள் துரிதமாக மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு உள்ளன.

கொரோனா தடுப்பு சிகிச்சைக்காக, அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில், 920; தனியார் மருத்துவமனைகளில், 846 படுக்கைகள் என, மாவட்டத்தில் மொத்தம், 1,766 படுக்கை வசதிகள் ஏற்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன.தொற்று கவனிப்பு மையங்கள், ஆறு இடங்களில் ஏற்படுத்தப்பட்டு, அங்கு, 2,470 படுக்கை வசதிகள் உள்ளன.பிற மாநிலங்களை விட, தமிழகத்தில் நோய் தொற்று கட்டுக்குள் உள்ளது. நடமாடும் வாகனம் மற்றும் மருத்துவ முகாம்களில், மக்கள் தாமாக முன்வந்து, கொரோனா தொற்று பரிசோதனை செய்து கொள்ள வேண்டும்.திருவள்ளூரில், கட்டப்பட்டு வரும் புதிய மருத்துவ கல்லுாரியில், 165 கோடி ரூபாயில், படுக்கை வசதிகள், 220 கோடி ரூபாயில் கல்லுாரி, தங்கும் விடுதிகள் என, மொத்தம், 385 கோடி ரூபாய் மதிப்பில், மருத்துவ கல்லுாரி கட்டுமான பணிகள் நடக்கின்றன.

இப்பணிகள், ஒராண்டுக்குள் நிறைவடையும்.மேலும், நடப்பாண்டில்புதிதாக, 11 மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகள் கட்டுவதற்கு, முதல்வர் இ.பி.எஸ்., அடிக்கல் நாட்டி, பணிகளை துவக்கி வைத்துள்ளார். அனைத்து மாவட்டத்திலும், மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகள் உள்ள மாநிலமாக, தமிழகம் விளங்குகிறது. பொதுமக்கள், சமூக இடைவெளி கடைப்பிடித்து, முக கவசம் அணிந்து, கூட்ட நெரிசல்களை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார்.

'இரண்டாம் அலைக்கு சாத்தியக்கூறு இல்லை

''தமிழகத்தில், கொரோனா பரவலில், இரண்டாம் அலைக்கான வாய்ப்பு இல்லை,'' என, சுகாதாரத் துறை செயலர் ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் கூறினார்.திருத்தணியில், அரசு பொது மருத்துவமனை மற்றும் நகர ஆரம்ப சுகாதார நிலையத்தை,நேற்று ஆய்வு செய்த பின், ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் கூறியதாவது:தமிழகத்தில், கொரோனா வைரஸ் தொற்று, இரண்டாம் அலைக்கான சாத்தியக்கூறுகள், தற்போது இல்லை. இருப்பினும், தொற்று பரவுவதை முழுமையாக தடுப்பதற்கு முக கவசம், சமூக இடைவெளி அவசியம்.

இதுதவிர, அடிக்கடி கைகள் கழுவும் பழக்கம் தொடர்ந்து இருக்க வேண்டும். திருத்தணி நகரில், 40 சதவீதம் பேர் முக கவசம் அணியாமல் உள்ளனர். வாகனங்களில் செல்பவர்கள், நடந்து செல்பவர்கள், முக கவசம் அணியாமல் செல்வது வேதனைக்குரியது. கொரோனாவின் தாக்கம் குறித்து, மக்கள் இன்னும் முழுமையாக அறியாமல், அலட்சியத்துடன் செல்கின்றனர்.

குழந்தைகள் மற்றும் முதியவர்கள், இன்னும் இரு மாதத்திற்கு வெளியில் நடமாடுவதை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும். தமிழகத்தில், இதுவரை, முக கவசம் அணியாமல், சமூக இடைவெளி கடைபிடிக்காமல் இருந்த நிறுவனங்கள் மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள், என, மொத்தம், 11 லட்சம் பேரிடம் இருந்து, 9 கோடி ரூபாய் அபராதம் வசூலிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார்.

Anna university supplementary exam schedule for final year out

NOV 17-21

Anna university supplementary exam schedule for final year out

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2020

Anna University has released the time-table for online supplementary exams to be conducted from November 17 to 21. The exam will be conducted in four slots from 10am to 5pm.

Around 21,000 engineering students who missed their final year online exams due to technical glitches and absentees will sit for the supplementary exams.

Around 1.5 lakh final year students took an online proctoring test that was held from

September 24 to 29. After getting permission from state disaster management authority, the university informed candidates that supplementary online terminal semester exams for all university departments and degree programmes will be held from November 17.

The 60-minute online tests will likely have the same 30% weightage as the main exams held earlier and will have more choices as well.

A mask-maker who has sold none since March

A mask-maker who has sold none since March

MT.Saju@timesgroup.com

Chennai:16.11.2020

Here’s a mask maker who couldn’t sell even one during the lockdown. E Vengadessin designs and makes all kinds of masks, headgear and dolls for theatre groups in Tamil Nadu. But there have been no takers for the last eight months.

A gold medallist from Pondicherry University (MA in theatre arts in 2000), Vengadessin trained as a theatre trainer and doll-and-mask maker. Having been in the business for the past 18 years, he says he never expected the pandemic would hit so badly.

“There were some extra orders from theatre groups in the last January and February. I was in a hurry and somehow finished making the masks and other costumes in March. But then the pandemic hit. I couldn’t sell even a single mask since March,” said Vengadessin, who lives in Puducherry.

“The pandemic is global, but the suffering is personal. I lost grip, and started struggling in the initial months during lockdown,” he said. When many of his colleagues started doing parttime jobs to make a living, Vengadessin had no idea how to survive. “I spent a lot of time looking at the masks out of frustration and disappointment. My wife’s job as a teacher was the only ray of hope. But survival is still difficult,” he said.

However, this 46-year-old artist hasn’t lost hope. Despite the hardships, he strives to learn more about mask-making. “I struggled in the beginning, but now I have got used to it. I study more about theatre and costume. I have started making use of this time productively by adapting modern methods in the style of making masks. I am trying to reinvent my style techniques,” said Vengadessin, who has conducted mask-making workshops and seminars on acting in schools and colleges across Tamil Nadu.

Vengadessin believes that things will change, and his masks will soon find faces. “I am trying to convince myself that the worst is over. Things will change, and my masks will soon find proper faces on the stage,” he said.

NO TAKERS: A mask resembling an elephant head made by Vengadessin, a trained doll-and-mask maker

‘Covaxin III phase results by Feb’

‘Covaxin III phase results by Feb’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2020

The results of the third phase of trials of Covaxin, India's indigenous Covid vaccine will be known only by February, said A Ravikumar, pro vice-chancellor of SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (SRM MCHRC).

SRM MCHRC is one of the few hospitals in the country to undertake Covaxin vaccine trials. Itis now in the processof conducting the third phase of the Covaxin shot which will be administered to 1500 volunteers.

"The third phase will see how people are able to withstand the vaccine and its efficiency," he told reporters here.

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) is collaborating with Bharat Biotech for the development of the Covaxin.

After getting the nod from the drugs controller general of India, the first phase human trials began in July with 30 volunteerswhilethesecond phase was done in August where 45 volunteers received the Covaxin shot. The hospital has so far treated 1400 Covid patients since April and it uses both Allopathy and Siddha to battle against the pandemic.

Aspirants asked to write AIIMS entrance in Covid-hit Chittoor

Aspirants asked to write AIIMS entrance in Covid-hit Chittoor

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 16.11.2020

Many medical aspirants in the city who have applied for the combined entrance test conducted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) were surprised on Saturday as many of them were allotted exam centres in Covid-hit Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, some 160km from Chennai.

AIIMS is conducting Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INICET) for admission to PG courses (MD/MS/MCh/DM/ MDS)in AIIMS-NewDelhi and other new AIIMS, Jipmer, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS-Bengaluru. For January 2021 intake, a computerbased test is being conducted on November 20 across the country.

Hundreds of MBBS doctors apply for the exam to join these prestigious medical institutions.

“The admit cards were released on Saturday for the online exam. Most doctors from Chennai had been allotted various centres at Chittoor. Chittoor has recorded a greater number of Covid cases recently and it would be a big risk for parents and candidates,” said Shameem, a parent in the city.

More than 10 cities in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, Dindigul are conducting the exam this year.

“There is no bus or train transport from Chennai to Chittoor. Doctors are advising us to stay at Chittoor. We are not sure whether to write the exam or skip it,” said Kaleemudeen, another parent.

He said the parents of PG aspirants are mostly senior citizens and cannot afford to travel during the pandemic.

“Usually, students from smaller towns used to come and write the exams in bigger cities. But this time it is reversed. Chennai has several colleges in and around the city which can host the exam. AIIMS should change the venue for PG medical aspirants and allotthem tothecitiesin which they preferred,” he said.

Another parent, Lakshmi, said her daughter registered on the first day and gave option as Chennai city. But she got an exam centre in Chittoor. “During the pandemic, the exam centres have been allotted in faraway places for the students. A candidate from Cuddalore got an exam centre in Dindigul and another candidate from Ariyalur got an exam centre in Thiruvannamalai,” she said.

AIIMS is conducting INI-CET for admission to PG courses in AIIMS, Jipmer, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS-Bengaluru

How upskilling is essential in every age

EDUCATION TIMES 

How upskilling is essential in every age

Learning that is experiential and combines real-world knowledge and research enables us to have a strong grounding in whatever skill we set out to learn, writes Rajesh Panda

16.11.2020

In January 2020, the World Economic Forum announced that the world is facing an upskilling emergency. We live in a fast-paced age. From the turn of the 21st century, as applied learning gained prominence, the need has emerged to be hands-on with the skills. About a billion people need upskilling by 2030 across all ages.

The underlying message for schools, organisations, governments and the society is to work together towards bringing in a learning environment that is agile and enables people to live a good life and contribute at the workplace.

Why upskill at all

As the world becomes our university, ‘learning how to learn’ is the need of the hour –focussed on continuous reskilling. In this age of continuous disruption, individuals, teams and organisations

ISTOCK are required to prepare for a super-learning future, centred on upskilling. These are the reasons for disruption: Change in nature of work due to technological innovation Rising demand for new competencies Altering employee expectations in the organisation Changing labour demographics Diversity strategies Evolving business environment with its regulatory changes Reskilling and upskilling are the answers to these problems, however, the problem extends beyond the workplace. The challenge lies in the ability to learn, cope up with their fast-changing demands at the workplace.

Science of learning

Learning has four

stages – know, practice, perform and reflect. However, skilling focusses on two of these – practice and perform. The more you practice and perform, the better you are at executing a particular job with perfection.

Learn by doing

It is essential that whatever we know is practised and performed well so that it gets ingrained into our psyche and we can turn to that skill whenever the job at hand demands it.

This form of learning is also called the ‘learningby-doing’ model, which is a key driver to upskilling across all ages. The user learns from one’s experiences and applies theoretical knowledge in real-world to generate tangible outcomes.

This includes - learn by applying, trial-and-error learning, discovery versus instruction, experiential learning, practical experience versus bookish learning and practice-theorypractice dialectic.

How to learn

As children, we learn how to manage self because our learning happens in the real-world through our five senses – touch, smell, see, hear and feel. We imbibe the information from our surroundings using our senses and then understand what is what.

As we move to the formal classroom, learning is restricted to books and instruction. The yardstick of our performance suddenly changes from real-world to performance in the classroom. The skill-gap starts here. We struggle in managing self, family and work (at school). This continues in universities and well into adulthood. We do not have the skills to manage in realworld – self, family, team or tasks work etc.

An approach that combines experiential, hands-on learning with real-world knowledge and research will enable us to have a strong grounding in whatever skill we set out to learn. .Learning and upskilling is a lifelong process and one should reflect on what and how to skill up and stay relevant in the dynamic workplaces.

(The author is founder & CEO, Corporate Gurukul)

Should universities reserve seats for government school students Tamil Nadu government recently passed a bill providing 7.5% reservation in medical colleges to government school students who have cleared NEET

EDUCATION TIMES 

TALKING POINT

Should universities reserve seats for government school students

Tamil Nadu government recently passed a bill providing 7.5% reservation in medical colleges to government school students who have cleared NEET

16.11.2020

Need for pre-NEET coaching

Scheme of horizontal reservation of 7.5% seats is in the interest of students from rural areas but this could not be a long-term solution for the government schools. The state governments should have a pre-NEET/ other competitive exam coaching programmes as being done in civil services in some states. The government school reservation quota should be reviewed in a time frame. Quotas are not the solutions to produce good professionals for medical and related jobs.

CS DUBEY

VICE CHANCELLOR,

SANSKRITI UNIVERSITY

Against the spirit of competition

Government school students are meritorious enough to secure a seat without a special reservation. School-based reservations are against the spirit of competition. A student’s success in a competitive exam is not dependent on school but his/her capabilities. In the information age, the study material is easily available to everyone. Since government schools have fewer resources; these students are determined to clear competitive exams and often go the extra mile.

VENUGOPAL KR

VICE CHANCELLOR,

BANGALORE UNIVERSITY

Beneficial for EWS category students

It is a welcome move as it only applies to those who have studied in a government school from class VI-XII.

Adulteration or loopholes in the process becomes difficult because of the condition.

Most often, students who are socially and economically disadvantaged opt to study in government schools. This will help students from the backward sections of the society to have a fair chance at securing admission in reputed colleges.

SAJIN KUMAR

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,

KERALA UNIVERSITY

May increase enrolment in government schools

Government school students must get access to quality education and fulfil their dreams. Those who qualify NEET prove their mettle. If implemented properly, the reservation policy may also help in increasing the enrolments in government schools. The schools may also work harder to attract more students. It may be a win-win situation for both students and schools.

DR PRATHMESH BHUJBAL

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DR DY PATIL MEDICAL COLLEGE, HOSPITAL & RESEARCH CENTRE, PUNE

– As told to  Sheetal Banchariya

The VC doesn’t suck up? Order an investigation

STORYBOARD

The VC doesn’t suck up? Order an investigation

ARUN RAM   16.11.2020

Last Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu government ordered an inquiry into charges of corrupt practices by Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa. Retired judge P Kalaiyarasan will inquire into complaints the government said it had received from different people. Here are the allegations:

The vice-chancellor and some others collected ₹80 crore as bribe while recruiting temporary teaching fellows for the university’s constituent colleges

Corruption and forgery in the promotion of office assistants

The vice-chancellor appointed a director without the university syndicate’s approval

Surappa wrongly informed the AICTE that all final year students were promoted without holding examinations

He appointed his daughter in the university by misusing his powers

Misappropriation in procurement of machinery

Malpractices in semester examinations and revaluation All these are serious charges. While we wait for the inquiry report, it is hard not to suspect the timing of the government order, especially since many of these complaints had come in months ago. Barely a week before the order, the state government had informed the Centre, after a noisy wrangle with Surappa, that Anna University does not want the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status. The government said it was withdrawing a proposal it had made in 2017 seeking the status. Surappa had argued for the IoE status which would bring in Union funds of ₹200 crore per year for five years besides enabling the university to vie for global ranking such as the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The Edappadi Palaniswami government was angry that the vice-chancellor had been communicating with the Union government over the IoE proposal, circumventing the state. It wasn’t just that the state government’s inflated ego was pricked; it feared that the IoE status would diminish its control over the premier institution of engineering education in Tamil Nadu. While government officials will continue to be in the university syndicate even after getting the status, the real concern for some politicians was that their ‘recommendations’ for postings and contracts in the university — a substantial source of illegal income for power brokers and the powers that be — may not be taken seriously. Many of these ‘beneficiaries’ have been feeling the pinch since Surappa took over in April 2018.

TOI correspondent A Ragu Raman asked a cross-section of faculty members and others of the university on what they thought about their vice-chancellor, and here is what he got:

Cancelled discretionary quota in PG admissions and removed discretionary powers of the VC in admissions. Abolished honorarium paid to VC and other higher functionaries for being in the university’s committees

Cut down unnecessary expenses. Convocation expenditure was brought down from ₹70 lakh to ₹20 lakh and introduced the practice of giving real gold medals to students

Took action against those involved in exam malpractices and introduced digital evaluation

Fixed minimum marks in entrance test for PhD

Increased qualification for faculty promotions and introduced Career Advancement Scheme for fair and objective promotion

Drafted faculty members from IIT Madras, IISc and NIT to inspect engineering colleges

Research publications of Anna University increased by 15% (300) a year after he took over

Established an ecosystem for nurturing startups in the university No academician or administrator of some standing told our correspondents that Surappa is corrupt. In fact, former Anna University vice-chancellor E Balagursamy went on record that the investigation is to harass Surappa for not toeing the state government’s line. I wouldn’t hazard a guess on what Justice Kalaiyarasan’s report would read like, but I can see two words writ large on the government order: Witch hunt.

arun.ram@timesgroup.com

HC dismisses plea of job applicant who hid case info

HC dismisses plea of job applicant who hid case info

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:16.11.2020

Verification of character and antecedents is of paramount importance for police services, the Madras high court has observed while dismissing the plea moved by a candidate seeking appointment in Tamil Nadu Special Police Youth Brigade (TSPYB) on the ground that he had suppressed the fact that a criminal case was registered against him.

Petitioner Loordhu Packiyam had cleared the written examination and subsequently participated in certificate verification and physical endurance test for appointment to the post of TSPYB in 2014. When his antecedents were verified by the police, they found that a criminal case was registered against him and he was subsequently acquitted on the basis of a compromise.

Hence the rejection order was passed for suppressing this, which Packiyam challenged before the HC Madurai bench in 2014. Justice S M Subramaniam observed that the petitioner stated in his application that no criminal case was ever registered against him whereas there were columns in the applications to state even if a criminal case was registered on an earlier occasion. Thus, it was unambiguous that petitioner has suppressed the fact regarding the criminal case, said the judge. Referring to an earlier order of the court in 2019, the judge observed that he is not entitled to relief.

Innocent until proven guilty, says HC, while granting bail to two

Madurai:

Observing that law presumes innocence unless allegations are established or proved against the people who are charged, Madras high court granted bail to two people arrested in connection with a murder case in Madurai district. The court was hearing the bail petitions filed by Kannayiramoorthy alias Kannayiram and Vigneswaran who were arrested by the South Gate police on August 22, on charges of murdering a man due to family dispute. Justice S M Subramaniam observed that the seriousness of the allegations or the availability of the materials are not the only consideration for declining bail. There are various other factors, which can be considered for granting bail and bail cannot be rejected in a routine manner. TNN

Stalin demands suspension of Anna Univ V-C

Stalin demands suspension of Anna Univ V-C

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2020

DMK president M K Stalin has demanded the suspension of Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa, who is facing a probe into charges of corruption. In a statement on Sunday, Stalin noted that former vice chancellors of Anna University were suspended when they faced similar allegations. Stalin questioned the delay in ordering the probe against Surappa despite the government receiving complaints nine months ago. Though the complaints against Surappa came in February, why did the government keep them pending for the past nine months? The delay on the part of the government to order a probe calls for a separate inquiry, he said. Vice chancellor of Anna University, Coimbatore, R Radhakrishnan was suspended during DMK regime. When Anna University V C P Mannar Jawahar faced charges, the AIADMK government had suspended him, said Stalin. Radhakrishnan was suspended in 2009 and was eventually convicted in 2016 for receiving bribes. Mannar Jawahar had completed his tenure in 2013 when corruption charges were levelled. He was serving as a professor in Madras Institute of Technology and was suspended from the post just before his retirement. He was eventually exonerated from the charges. “Why should Surappa be an exception. Only if the VC is suspended immediately, it will enable a free and fair probe,” said Stalin, urging chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to order his suspension, before the probe panel led by retired high court judge P Kalayarasan begins the inquiry. Stalin said even a government staff member, who is accused of receiving ₹500 as bribe, was being suspended. But Surappa continues to be in the post despite explicit complaints of multi crore bribery levelled against him as well as the deputy director of Anna University Sakthinathan, he said.

Later, RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy tweeted: “Surappa Anna University VC, a man of impeccable integrity and an equally good academic, is being persecuted by TN Govt as he refused to give degrees to students with arrears. Thousands of students with 20-35 arrears who never clear the would have got degrees”.

TN to release rank list for MBBS today

TN to release rank list for MBBS today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2020

The Directorate of Medical Education will release the rank list for MBBS/ BDS admissions on Monday (today). This year 38,232 students applied for more than 4,000 seats available at government and self-financing medical colleges.

“The rank list will be released by health minister CVijayabaskar on Monday at 10am,” said Dr R Narayana Babu, director of medical education. The medical counselling is likely to be held from November 18 or 19 in offline mode at a new location with Covid-19 precautions.

According to the data provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the number of students scoring above 400 marks in Tamil Nadu has doubled compared to last year. A total of 11,978 students scored above 400 marks compared to 5,634 students in 2019.

Former VC gets bail in murder case

Former VC gets bail in murder case

Bengaluru: 15.11.2020 

The high court has granted bail to Sudhir Angur, former vice-chancellor of Alliance University and prime accused in the Ayyappa Dore murder case. The relief is for three months to enable him to undergo an angiogram procedure for his cardiac ailment.

Justice PS Dinesh Kumar considered the November 2, 2020 letter by the chief medical officer, Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, to the jail superintendent. The prosecution said bail could be granted for a limited period by imposing conditions.

Angur has to execute a personal bond for Rs 2 lakh with two sureties of like sum, surrender his passport, gun licence and weapon before the station house officer at RT Nagar police station. Once he’s declared fit by doctors, he should surrender before the trial court.

Dore, 53, then VC of the university, was found murdered on October 15, 2019 at HMT ground. Angur, who was arrested on October 17 last year, had filed a bail petition before the 55th City Civil and Sessions Court, but it was dismissed in April. The high court rejected his regular bail plea on August 12, 2020. After his plea on medical grounds was rejected by the trial court on November 6, 2020, he pleaded the high court for six-month bail to undergo the procedure. TNN

Faculty crunch in colleges as filling vacancies delayed

Faculty crunch in colleges as filling vacancies delayed

AnanthaNarayanan.K@timesgroup.com

Kochi:15.11.2020

The delay in filling vacancies of teachers, both regular and guest, has affected academic activities in several colleges in Kerala and now the pandemic and the resultant financial crunch is further worsening the situation. The directorate of collegiate education (DCE) has restricted the appointment of teachers in higher educational institutions under its ambit during the pandemic.

Besides the delay in regularizing appointment of faculties, the heads of institutions were asked to temporarily stop appointing guest lectures until further notice, and emergency appointments could only be made after special permission from the department.

Moreover, in case if any college faces severe shortage of teachers leading to interruption in teaching of subjects, the principals/ HODS will have to make arrangements with other colleges and avail online lessons on respective subjects from the teachers there.

A circular regarding this was sent by the DCE to all heads of institutions through deputy directors. Many colleges are struggling to complete syllabi through online classes, and with the classes of first-year undergraduate and postgraduate students beginning in most colleges by next week, the faculty crunch will be a problem. Even though many colleges have conducted interviews, they are hesitant to make appointments fearing government action.

The situation is worse in aided colleges compared to government colleges, where appointments through transfer is possible to meet the requirements to a certain extent. College principals and teachers said that the government will have to clear the delay in appointments immediately.

“There are around 28 unfilled vacancies across departments in the college and the coverage of portions was mostly managed through guest lecturers. The restrictions in appointing guest teachers are affecting academics. Though we held interviews to find qualified teachers, they are doubtful about getting salaries due to the present restrictions and hence have not joined. It is impractical to avail online classes from other colleges to compensate for faculty crunch. With the classes of new batches beginning, there will be additional workload on teachers,” said a HOD at St Albert’s College, Ernakulam.

Fr Prashant Palackapilly, principal of Sacred Heart College, Ernakulam, said that faculty crunch will affect the quality of education imparted. “The system of filling vacancies in Kerala has several flaws and delays. This has worsened during the pandemic. Getting qualified and efficient guest lecturers itself is a difficult task and even if we find someone the appointments are not possible,” he said.

The higher education department has recently approved 197 hybrid courses, including nearly 20 integrated courses, across the state and gave the permission to start the course this month itself. But only guest lectures will have to be appointed for these new courses until 2025. The restrictions in appointment of guest lecturers are delaying the implementation of new courses too.

Higher education department officials said that the government will have to issue a new order regarding the appointments for these courses. “The reports and complaints from colleges about faculty shortage have increased since the pandemic began. But the government circular will exist until offline classes are resumed. For appointments of teachers in newly-announced courses, we are awaiting further orders,” a senior official with DCE said.

The heads of institutions were asked to temporarily stop appointing guest lectures too

Sabarimala temple will open today

Sabarimala temple will open today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

15.11.2020

Sabarimala temple will open for this year’s Mandala pilgrimage season on Sunday. Chief priest A K Sudheer Namboothiri will open the temple nada at 5pm on Sunday. Devotees will be allowed to visit the temple from Monday morning. As per Covid-19 protocol, only 1,000 devotees will be allowed per day through virtual queue.

Medical fitness certificate is mandatory for those in the age group of 60 to 65 years and Covid negative certificate is must for all pilgrims. The health department has set up facilities for conducting antigen tests at Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvalla, Chengannur and Kottayam railways stations. There would also be Covid testing kiosks in Nilackal and Pamba.

‘Can’t seek review of college fees with retrospective effect’

‘Can’t seek review of college fees with retrospective effect’

Yogita.Rao@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:15.11.2020  

Educational institutions cannot retrospectively seek review of fees fixed by Fee Regulating Authority (FRA), ruled the quasi-judicial body after a complaint by students from a private management institute. FRA, in a “well-reasoned and an elaborate” order, pointed out that the institute cannot seek review of fees fixed in 2018, when it opted for no revision in the subsequent year, acquiescing to the fee structure fixed by the authority for two academic years.

N L Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research from Mira Road charged MMS students of 2019-20 batch nearly Rs 2.3 lakh, over and above fees (tuition and development) approved by FRA of nearly Rs 1.9 lakh. Two students from 2019-20 batch complained to FRA that the college collected extra and submitted receipts.

FRA sought an explanation from the institute, which sought review of the fee structure approved by the authority on January 24, 2018. Citing a provision of the regulatory act, FRA stated that “if the fee approved by the authority is not acceptable to the institution, it may file a review application with detailed reasoning within 15 days from the date of communication”. The institute did not file any review application in 2018. It opted for no upward revision on FRA’s portal in 2019, retaining fees at nearly Rs 1.9 lakh even for 2019-20 batch of 240 students. Therefore, the review application filed now cannot be applicable for both academic years, said the order.

The 2018-19 batch graduated and 2019-20 batch will complete the course in six months. “It is strange a review application for hike in fees is retrospectively being sought, which in no circumstance is permissible,” stated the order of the regulatory body, headed by retired high court judge, Justice M N Gilani.

The institute authorities were not reachable for comments but an official said they provide value-added courses to students to make them industry-ready and receipts were provided. The institute CEO, before the FRA, mentioned “excellent infrastructure, best placement record and many other welfare measures undertaken by the institute”.

An FRA member said the institute will be given a chance to justify excessive fees but if there is no valid reason, as in most such cases, institutes have to refund excessive fees.

TIMES VIEW: FRA gives colleges 15 days to seek review of fees fixed by it. Colleges are expected to file a review application justifying higher fees within that period if they are not convinced with the approved fees. If the college has voluntarily accepted the fees, it weakens its stand in charging excessive fees. Anything charged above tuition fees may be seen as capitation fees by the regulatory body.

Finder returns purse with ₹50k earrings

Finder returns purse with ₹50k earrings

George Mendonca

Navi Mumbai:15.11.2020

In an unusual show of honesty, a homemaker from Vashigaon in Navi Mumbai returned a purse containing a pair of gold earrings worth Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,000 she had found on the roadside to its rightful owner. Jayshree Bhagat

(38), who hails from a middle-class family, went out of her way to return the purse to Jaya Pawar.

Bhagat said she was was returning home by auto after buying groceries around 1.30pm on Wednesday when she spotted a black purse lying on a cement seat at a corner as the rickshaw slowed down near Bharat Sevashram building. “I guessed that someone had forgotten it there. Since it could contain valuables and even important documents, I took custody of the purse,” said Bhagat.

When she checked its contents on returning home, she found the earrings and cash. Besides, there was an Aadhaar card in the purse.

SETTING AN EXAMPLE: Jayshree Bhagat (R) returns the purse to its owner Jaya Pawar

Purse owner had shifted home, finder tracked her

I went to the address that was mentioned on the Aadhaar card, but I was told that the woman had shifted from the house,” Bhagat said, adding that she sought help from her brother-in-law to track down the woman’s residence in Vashigaon the next day. “I met her at the place and returned her valuables,” Bhagat said.

Pawar said that she had gone to the place where she left her purse to see her mother off around 1pm the same day.

While they were waiting for an autorickshaw at the spot, they sat on the cement seat along the road. “When my mother hailed an autorickshaw, I left to go home, leaving the purse behind on the cement seat,” said Pawar.

It’s only after she reached home that she realized her mistake. She did rush back to the spot, but the purse was missing. “I thought I would never get the purse and my valuables back,” said Pawar. “But honest people like Jayshree Bhagat do exist. I am glad I have been proven wrong.”

Beg, borrow, work: How scholarship delays are impacting students

Beg, borrow, work: How scholarship delays are impacting students

The pandemic has only increased disbursal delays, forcing research scholars and students to turn to kin for loans or do small-time jobs

Ketaki Desai, Manimugdha S Sharma & Ardhra Nair | TNN

15.11.2020

Kamalakar Shete, an MCom student from Ahmednagar, has been calling the social welfare department twice a week for months now. Eligible for the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Swadhar Yojana applicable to SC students, he is yet to receive the scholarship worth Rs 51,000 for the 2019-20 academic year. “I am already done with my final-year examinations but the scholarship amount is yet to come. The department says they have no funds due to the pandemic but not a year has passed when the scholarship amount was ever disbursed on time. It would always come after the academic year had ended,” says Shete, adding that he finds it difficult to keep asking his parents for money as they survive on farming a small one-acre plot with an annual income of about Rs 50,000.

Scholarship delays, both at the central and state levels, have become a regular feature of student life for many. Recently, Lady Shri Ram College for Women student Aishwarya Reddy died by suicide saying she didn’t want to burden her parents with educational expenses. Reddy was eligible for INSPIRE scholarship money but did not get it as, according to the department for science and technology, it had not received the requisite paperwork which, they say, is a simple process of submitting three documents.

Some students disagree. Vijay got an email this summer with an offer letter from the INSPIRE scholarship. A Delhi University student he says, “They ask for bank details. I have a minor account and when I uploaded those details, they asked for a joint account. When I uploaded the details for a joint account, they asked for a minor account. I have sent countless emails and always get the same response to change to the other type of account.” Another student who qualified for the scholarship this summer, Rinku, says the process of getting his marksheet attested in his college has been a painful process. “I live 100km away in Haryana, yet they keep asking me to come another day, delaying the process,” the 18-year-old says.

Scholarship issues predate the pandemic, according to many students and activist groups. Swati Moitra, now an assistant professor in a college in Kolkata, faced the same issues a decade ago as a research scholar in JNU. “I was a junior research fellow and the payments were regularly delayed by 5-6 months,” says Moitra, who eventually gave up the fellowship when she got a job at Delhi University because of the consistent delays.

TEDIOUS APPLICATION PROCESS

Getting scholarship money is not easy. Former JNUSU president and current AISA national president N Sai Balaji last received his JRF scholarship in August 2019. He hasn’t got it as he hasn’t been able to get his thesis synopsis cleared because of the pandemic. “The process is painful,” he says. “You first have to fill up a form, sign it and upload it, which then goes to your supervisor. He downloads it, signs it, scans it and uploads it. It goes to someone else in the administration. Finally, it’s uploaded on UGC’s portal.”

STUDENT TURNS WAITER

Many students are forced to find other sources of income. Vinayak Renewad, an MA economics student from Nanded, has been working part-time jobs since his graduation because of the delay in disbursal of scholarship amount. From working as a waiter to sleeping on shop floors, Renewad says he has done it all. “In hotels, I could get meals and also sleep there. In shops, food needs to be arranged, but there one can sleep on the floor, cutting down on hostel fee.”

Administrative staff are not of much help, according to law student Kuldeep Ambekar. While this widespread problem isn’t exclusive to the pandemic, it has worsened the situation for many. Lokesh Chugh, national spokesperson for NSUI says, “Attending 6-8 hours of classes everyday uses up 4-5 GB of data. That costs money.” Chugh is himself a PhD student whose scholarship money has been delayed for 8-9 months.

NO STIPEND BUT LOTS OF COVID WORK

Lalan Kumar is a senior research scholar at Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow, which is directly run by CSIR. He has been working on the anti-Covid vaccine, but his dues of Rs 35,000 (excluding HRA) per month are pending since June. “When singer Kanika Kapoor had tested positive, there was much panic in Lucknow. I was working from 5am till 2am every day at the lab, doing tests and making sanitiser to overcome the shortage. I took no leave during this pandemic period. And yet my dues are held up for the last five months. How long can one borrow from friends and family?” Kumar says.

Priyanka Kushwaha from Bahraich is a PhD scholar at IIT Bombay. Her dues were held up for eight months and only recently five months of pending money was cleared. “As a teaching assistant, I have also been taking classes online while pursuing my research. My work hasn’t stopped, but the scholarship has,” says Kushwaha, who recently took to Twitter to complain.

Diabetic pets patiently sit through insulin shots, swallow bitter pills

Diabetic pets patiently sit through insulin shots, swallow bitter pills

Alex.Fernandes@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:15.11.2020

Scoobee is a “sweet” pug in more ways than one. The 10-year-old canine has had diabetes for three months and requires two shots of insulin a day. When Scoobee is given the injection after meals, he barely yelps or winces.

“He’s very cooperative. No fuss at all,” says his owner, Shivaji Park resident Seema Kulkarni. Occasionally, his blood is tested with a glucometer.

Scoobee has low-carb food, rich in fibre, with minced chicken or chunks of it thrown in with the white of an egg. A daily stroll for about 45 minutes is a must. When he was first diagnosed, his sugar had shot up abnormally high —to 650 against the normal range of 80-120.

On World Diabetes Day on Saturday, November 14, veterinarians said not only is the incidence of diabetes among pets on the rise, the disorder is catching them young as well.

Until recently, diabetes was found in aged dogs with cataract, says Dr Narendra Pardeshi, a veterinary surgeon from Pune. “But now, we diagnose little puppies and kittens too with juvenile diabetes,” says Dr Pardeshi. Weaning young pups from their mothers could trigger this condition.

“Not only are they deprived of mother’s milk but also fed high carb and deprived of the much-needed protein, which possibly precipitates diabetes in them, says Dr Pardeshi.

Dr Gautam Bhojne, assistant professor at the department of medicine, Nagpur Veterinary College, pointed out that a study done on over 600 dogs from Nagpur in 2017 showed the condition was seen in pets—not street dogs. Not just dogs and birds, now even cats are being diagnosed with the condition. Bandit, a 12-year-old cat, pet to a family in Matunga, has had it since a year. The feline is given two insulin shots daily. Her blood is tested three to four times daily with a glucometer to watch for low sugar. “Bandit is an angel when it comes to the daily pricks,” says Radhika Iyer (name changed on request) who adopted the cat as a kitten.

A “cooperative, no-fuss” Scoobee (10) is given insulin twice a

HC okays kin’s plea to sell flat of bedridden woman to fund her expenses

HC okays kin’s plea to sell flat of bedridden woman to fund her expenses

Rosy.Sequeira@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:15.11.2020

The Bombay high court has allowed the sale of a flat in Cuffe Parade to meet medical and other expenses of a woman bedridden for 14 years after suffering irreversible brain damage.

The direction by a bench of Justices Burgess Colabawalla and Abhay Ahuja came on a petition by 59-yearold Anjali Mehta’s two guardians, including brother-inlaw Hormuz. The city civil court had directed them to move the HC as it did not have jurisdiction to allow alienation of property.

Admitted to a city hospital in October 2006 for chest pain, Anjali suffered a cardiac arrest and then anoxic brain affectation, which affected her mental capacity. She requires nurses and attendants to look after her round-the-clock.

In September 2015, her husband Neville, as guardian and manager, was permitted to negotiate the sale of the flat. However, before it could be concluded, his health deteriorated. The couple then moved into a flat in Commonwealth Building on Madame Cama Road, where Hormuz also lives. Neville died due to cancer in April 2016. The petitioners were appointed guardians and managers of Anjali’s person and property in August 2017.

The petitioners’ advocate Jehangir Jeejeebhoy said Anjali had no money in her bank account to meet her medical and other expenses, including maintenance of properties. She is the sole and absolute owner of the flat at Pallonji Mansion in Cuffe Parade and the properties she inherited from her late parents.

Buyer ready to pay ₹19.5 crore for flat, wants deal by Dec 31

A person has offered Rs 19.5 crore for the flat, and is willing to pay related charges, but wants the sale transaction to be completed by December 31.

The judges noted that the petitioners had spent over Rs 1 crore from Anjali’s account to look after her and her properties from April 2017 to October 2020. They have themselves also infused nearly Rs 26 lakh into her account to meet her expenses. The judges said it was clear Anjali was incapable of taking care of herself. “In these circumstances, considering totality of facts, it will be in the interest of Anjali if permission is granted for sale of the Pallonji Mansion flat,’’ they said in their November 11 order. They directed the petitioners to invest the proceeds “to earn optimum returns and to utilize the money for Anjali’s proper upkeep and fulfilling her needs and requirements”. They have to file a detailed report a month after the sale stating what they have done with the proceeds, besides quarterly reports on the expenses on Anjali and her properties.

The judges said the flat should not be sold for less than Rs 19.5 crore, as mentioned in the petition. Since Pallonji Mansion is on collector’s land, they requested the collector, through assistant government pleader Jyoti Chavan, to consider granting an NOC for the sale before December 2.

The judges said the apartment should not be sold for less than Rs19.5 crore

CM’s Diwali gift: Temples allowed to open across state from Monday

CM’s Diwali gift: Temples allowed to open across state from Monday

‘Must Follow SOPs Or Face Strict Action’

Bhavika.Jain1@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:15.11.2020

Nearly seven months after the lockdown was imposed, the Maharashtra government announced on Diwali that all religious places in the state can re-open from Monday, November 16.

The state government has put together a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP), which must be followed by all religious institutions. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday warned of strict action against violators.

In keeping with the “new normal”, touching of idols, holy books, physical offering of prasad and sprinkling of holy water will not be allowed. Devotees are expected to get their own prayer mats or pieces of cloth to pray on. Live choirs and singing groups will not be allowed; recorded devotional songs will be played.

The festive season and holidays bring lakhs of devotees and tourists to the temple towns like Kolhapur

Places of worship to open from tomorrow

The government has also issued an advisory requesting people above the age of 65, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 to not enter places of worship. Also, all Covid-19-related protocols of masking, a distance of six feet, and hand hygiene have to be followed.

“We can’t forget that the demon in the form of coronavirus is still around. Even though it is slowly falling silent, we cannot let our guard down. We must continue to show self-restraint, just like we did while celebrating all the religious festivals this year,” said Thackeray. He further said devotees must not treat guidelines laid down as government order but consider them as God’s wish.

As per the guidelines issued by the state, religious trusts have to stagger timings, have separate entry and exit, community kitchens should maintain social distancing, large gatherings must not be allowed and any shops inside or outside the premises should maintain adequate distancing. Crowd management at eating places and toilets should be strictly followed.

Staffers at religious places should undergo Covid tests before resuming work. Weekly tests of highly exposed groups are recommended. If a Covid-19 patient is detected on the premises, there should be a room to isolate the patient and the nearest health facility should be contacted. Disinfecting and sanitisation of the premises should be undertaken multiple times each day.

Happy Deepavali