Moderately tough NEET could push cut-off down

Moderately tough NEET could push cut-off down

Experts: Many Students Fail To Complete Questions

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.09.2021

Expecting an easy question paper like last year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, medical aspirants from the state said they were surprised by the tough physics questions in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 conducted on Sunday. Candidates said biology was easier and chemistry moderately difficult. Experts predict a slight dip in scores compared to the previous year.

Around one lakh candidates from 18 cities in the state took the test at 224 centres that adhered to strict Covid-19 protocols.

In Chennai, of 17,992 registered students, 800 were absent (attendance 96%). Likewise, Salem (96.1%), Trichy (96%) and Coimbatore

(98.7%) recorded good attendance while Madurai city had 88%.

J S Dharani from Chennai said the physics paper was the toughest so far in NEET. "NTA has not considered the pandemic situation. Out of 45 questions in physics, 35 were tough as they were based on calculations. The choices were also very close and tough," she said.

Kushal Seervi from Chennai, who is writing the exam for the second time, said he left a few questions in physics fearing negative marks. "It will be very difficult to score full marks," he said.

B K Lokesh said the additional options were tricky and so students needed more time.

Students said the biology section was easier as the options were vastly different and students can identify correct answers easily.

M Jayashree, from a government school in the city, said biology questions were easier as they were direct. "Physics questions were largely based on calculations and choices were similar. Fearing negative marks, I skipped some questions," she said.

N Prasanth from Madurai said the arrangements for the exam were smooth. “Covid-19 safety was a bit of a concern for my family but the safety measures in place were reassuring. The exam also went on without any disruptions and instructions were clearly explained. Wearing masks for hours was a bit tough but still it was manageable and I was able to concentrate,” he added.

B Pavan Kumar, deputy director of FIITJEE, Chennai, said the question paper was lengthy and many students could not answer all the questions. "Due to the tough paper, students can expect better rank compared to last year. For example, a student with 650 marks out of 720 in NEET got a rank around 2,000 last year. This year students will get 1,600 rank for the same mark," he said.

P Prameela, academics director, Narayana Educational Institutions, said the paper was not like the NEET 2020 paper, which was easier. "It was a concept-based paper and lengthier. We are not expecting full marks this year and a score above 650 may get below 100 rank this year," she said.

NEET politics simmers after TN youth kills self

NEET politics simmers after TN youth kills self

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com

Salem:13.09.2021

Under pressure to seek NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu, the state government faced harsh criticism from the opposition after a 20-year-old ended his life by hanging, hours before he was to take the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test. Police said S Dhanush of Koolaiyur village in Salem district took the extreme step, “apprehensive about taking NEET” held on Sunday afternoon across the country.

Chief minister M K Stalin, while condoling the youth’s death, said, “Our legal battle against NEET begins now.” He assured that a bill would be passed in the state assembly on Monday, the last day of the budget session, to get “permanent exemption” from NEET.

Stalin said he would write a letter to all the state CMs to get their support for NEET exemption, which was “a national issue". He said some students like Dhanush ended their lives due to fear of facing the exam.

Police said Dhanush had been preparing for NEET for the past two years. He had taken the examination twice earlier and failed in both attempts. According to preliminary inquiries, Dhanush told his parents that he would fail this examination too.

Physics questions tough: Candidates

About one lakh candidates took NEET at 224 centres in TN amid strict Covid protocols. Chennai recorded an attendance rate of 96%. Students, who expected an easy paper like last year, had to face tough physics questions. They said biology was easier and chemistry moderately difficult. P2

Now, screening facility for newborns at AIIMS

Now, screening facility for newborns at AIIMS

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:12.09.2021

A facility for screening hemoglobinopathies in newborns was inaugurated at AIIMS Bhopal here on Saturday. It is to be noted that Madhya Pradesh has a high prevelance of sickle cell disorders, thalasemias and other hemoglobinopathies.

The facility, which comes under the department of pediatrics, is supported by National Health Mission (NHM). Importance of genetic counselling and screening of high risk population is stressed. Patient information brochure for advocacy and awareness about newborn screening was also released during the event.

Newborn screening (NBS) is a simple test which requires only 2-3 drops of blood to be collected by a heelprick from newborns on day two or three of birth. Such facility will help ease the burden of one similar existing in Bhopal’s Gandhi Medical College.

Dr Seema Kapoor, director professor of genetics at Delhi’s Maulana Azad Medical College, delivered a guest lecture stressing the need for universal newborn screening and increasing awareness about NBS amongst healthcare professionals and the community. Also present on the occasion were representatives from AIIMS Bhopal and NHM.

The facility will help in early diagnosis of these disorders in the newborn period, and early initiation of treatment helps to prevent the long term complications and improve the quality of life of these patients. It will also help to provide opportunities for prenatal diagnosis in subsequent pregnancies, according to a press release.

Dr Bhavna Dhingra, nodal officer of the programme, informed that it is proposed to include screening for metabolic disorders as well in the near future and to scaleup the programme to cover the entire state in a phased manner.

NEED OF THE HOUR

E-tender ‘scam’ probe: EOW in a spot over accused’s proof-copy demand

E-tender ‘scam’ probe: EOW in a spot over accused’s proof-copy demand

P.Naveen@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:12.09.2021

The accused in the alleged Rs 3000-cr e-tender scam in MP have put EOW in a fix by asking for a copy of the electronic evidence.

The agency says it is voluminous 9TB data which cannot be shared with the accused without segregation, and that itself is a Herculean task. On other hand the Bhopal court is trying to conclude the trial at the earliest to meet Supreme Court’s deadline.

The SC had ordered last month that the trial be completed and the verdict pronounced within 12 months. The apex court dismissed a special leave petition for bail filed by one of the accused, who had been in jail for the last two years. Order was issued last month.

A breach in the e-tender process led to the alleged Rs 3,000 crore scam, forcing the government to revoke nine of its major tenders. In 2018, EOW approached CERT-In to pay a visit to MP State Electronics Development Corporation (MPSEDC) to get a mirror image of the data related to the case. CERT-In is yet to share its inputs on the retrieved data. EOW has been sending reminders to the central agency for this so that it can wrap up the investigation Officers also say that it is not feasible to share the entire data with the accused as it may have an adverse impact on pending cases. The trial court has asked EOW to hand over the digital evidence in compliance with the SC ruling to conclude its trial at the earliest.

The SC order goes thus: “We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment passed by the high court. Consequently, the special leave petition is dismissed. However, the trial court is directed to conclude the trial and pronounce the judgment within a year from the date of receipt of the copy of this order.”

E-tendering ‘biggest scam’ EOW has probed

On April 11, 2019, a day after registering an FIR into the Rs 3000-crore e-tendering scam, EOW had rounded up three software professionals and raided a company jointly operated by them for allegedly hacking the government portal and ‘modifying contents’.

IP addresses of the systems used to breach the e-tendering software of Madhya Pradesh state electronic development corporation (MPSEDC) were allegedly traced to the desktop and mobile phones of the company and its directors. Unauthorized accesses were made into the portal using encryption keys via internet connections used by this company, say officials.

In his statement to EOW, the company’s proprietor has denied his role in any of the tenders floated by MPSEDC. According to him, his company, which has a licensed load runner, was contracted to conduct performance testing of the e-tender portal, and the work was cancelled within two days of its award.

E-tendering is said to be the biggest ever ‘scam’ that the agency ever investigated. The probe began in mid-June 2019 on the orders of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The then chief secretary BP Singh asked EOW to begin an investigation based on an interim report submitted by a former director of MPSED after the cancellation of nine tenders. The FIR mentions directors of seven private companies, and unnamed bureaucrats and politicians. TNN

The agency says it is voluminous 9TB data and its segregation itself is a Herculean task

‘Third wave knocking at the door, but may not be severe’

‘Third wave knocking at the door, but may not be severe’

Amarjeet.Singh1@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:12.09.2021

The number of active Covid-19 patients in Madhya Pradesh has increased by more than 38% in the 11 days of September, leading experts to warn that the third wave may be around the corner. However, it may not be as severe as the second one, they feel.

There were 83 active patients in the state on September 1, which has now increased to 136. The numbers seem low, fueled mainly by a spurt in Jabalpur, but the trend is worrying.

“Given the recent rise, it could be the beginning of the third wave. Unless there is 100% vaccination, there will always be the possibility of another wave,” AIIMS-Bhopal director Dr Sarman Singh told TOI.

‘Covid-appropriate behaviour way out’

It may still happen, despite 100% vaccination, but even if a vaccinated patient gets infected, the symptoms will not be severe. Covid-appropriate behavior – wearing face masks and maintaining social distance – is the only way out,” Dr Sarman Singh told TOI. There has been one death this month, and four since August 1. On the positive side, 45 districts are not reporting new cases, and the recent cases are confined mostly to Jabalpur, Bhopal and Indore. Jabalpur is causing concern because it accounts for 56 (41%) of the state’s 136 active patients. On Saturday, it had half of MP’s 16 new cases.

Asked why cases are being reported from a few pockets only, Singh said, “Even during the second wave, there were several villages and pockets that had remained out of the purview of Covid-19 infection. Thus, this spurt could definitely be considered the start of the third wave”. “But we can say that this time, the infection will probably not be as severe, unless a new version of the virus is there,” Dr Singh added. TNN

5-yr RI for man who threw iron flute at judge

5-yr RI for man who threw iron flute at judge

12.09.2021

A 60-year-old Mumbai resident who, dressed up as a lawyer, shouted, “Lord Krishna, aaj Krishna ka janam hua hai” and threw an iron flute at a jugde in the Dindoshi sessions court last January has been given 5-year RI. A stenographer was hurt in the incident which took place during his brother’s murder trial. He claimed he was stressed, but the court refused any leniency.

Buy or wait? Your guide to smartphone upgrades

Buy or wait? Your guide to smartphone upgrades

It’s that time of year when tech companies launch glitzy campaigns to persuade people to trade in their old phones for newer models

We all know that after a few years, our phones might not be able to run the latest apps. It can feel sluggish. Some components, like touchscreens, may begin to fail.

At some point, it does become practical to get a new phone — like when too many negatives add up or the cost of fixing a broken part is too high — but before you splurge on an upgrade, consider these questions.

Am I unhappy with my phone?

If there are elements that make you unhappy, drill down on the problems. A lot of what makes us displeased with our phones can be easily fixed. Here are two of the most common frustrations and their remedies: If the device feels slow or doesn’t last throughout the day, one of the simplest and most affordable solutions is to replace the battery. This greatly elongates a device’s life and speeds it up. Because batteries have a finite life, it’s recommended to replace them every two to three years anyway, said Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, a US company that publishes instructions on repairing gadgets.

Another common issue is running out of data storage. A quick fix is to purge apps that you no longer use. On iPhones, Apple offers the iPhone Storage tool, which shows a list of apps that take up the most data and when they were last used. On Android devices, Google offers a similar tool, Files.

There are some problems, however, that can’t be easily remedied, like a broken touch-screen. When the repair is more than half the cost of a new phone, it may be smarter to trade in your beat-up gadget for a new one.

Can I get software updates?

Phone manufacturers regularly publish software updates that include new features. They also address security vulnerabilities, so it’s important to stay on top of installing them. A good rule of thumb is to consider an upgrade when you can no longer get software updates.

Apple phones get software updates for five to six years. (Apple’s iOS 15 software will be compatible with phones dating back to the iPhone 6S from 2015.) Android devices get them for a shorter period — about two to three years.

How would a new phone change my life?

It is important to imagine what your life would look like with a new phone. If you have a newborn on the way and your phone takes blurry shots, an upgrade with a better camera would probably be a good investment.

But if you mostly use a phone just for basic tasks like making calls, messaging and browsing the web, a newer, faster one won’t make a big difference.

— THE NEW YORK TIMES

About 70k candidates from state to take NEET UG today

About 70k candidates from state to take NEET UG today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:12.09.2021

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 for undergraduate courses will be held across the country on September 12 where a total of about 70,000 candidates from Gujarat are expected to participate.

A total of 174 centres across 12 cities have been set up for the examination, said sources close to the development. In Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, about 11,800 candidates are expected to take the test across 28 examination centres, said sources. The exams will be held from 2pm to 5pm and students will be allowed to enter the examination centres from 11am onwards, according to sources.

Pilot’s decision, other factors caused Karipur crash: Report

Pilot’s decision, other factors caused Karipur crash: Report

Manju.V@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:12.09.2021

The Kozhikode landing accident of an Air India Express flight that killed 21 people in August last year occurred due to wrong decisions made by the commander, the co-pilot’s lack of assertiveness, the airline’s poor crew scheduling policy and a series of contributory factors like a faulty cockpit windshield wiper, heavy rain at Kozhikode, wrong selection of runway and incorrect windspeed information relayed to pilots, said the final investigation report released on Saturday.

On August 7, an AI Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operating a Kozhikode-Dubai flight with 184 passengers, including10 infants and six crew members on board, crashed on landing at Karipur airport at 7.41pm.

Commander did not adhere to SOP: Report

The probable cause of the accident was the non-adherence to standard operating procedures by the commander,’’ said the report. The aircraft had touched down midway --- at 4,438ft on the 8,858ft runway. It sped off the runway at 155 kmph, crossing the safety area, hitting a navigation aid antenna before rolling down 110 feet from the table top hill airport. It slammed into the airport perimeter wall at 75kmph, the report said. The aircraft broke into three sections on impact, and both engines were completely separated from the wings.

Before operating the flight, AI Express had told the commander that he had to operate the next day’s flight out of Kozhikode to Doha. “The actions and decisions of the commander were steered by a misplaced motivation to land at Kozhikode to operate the next day morning flight. The unavailability of sufficient number of captains at Kozhikode was the result of faulty Air India Express HR policy,” said the report. “The commander had vast experience of landing at Kozhikode under similar weather conditions. This experience might have led to over-confidence leading to complacency and a state of reduced conscious attention..,’’ the report said. “The commander was taking multiple unprescribed anti-diabetic drugs that could have probably caused subtle cognitive deficits...,” it added.

After a failed attempt to land due to heavy rains, the pilots were making a second attempt to land on runway 28 when the air traffic controller “suggested runway 10 for landing, which the commander accepted without careful deliberation”, said the report.

T’gana delivers medicines via drones, creates history

T’gana delivers medicines via drones, creates history

Swati.Rathor@timesgroup.com

Vikarabad (Telangana):12.09.2021

Around 75km from Hyderabad, the clear blue skies of Vikarabad witnessed a historic moment on Saturday as drones buzzed around ferrying precious medical cargo as part of the ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project.

In a first for the country, drones commenced the delivery of life-saving medical supplies, including Covid-19 vaccines, beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) range, that is over a distance of 500 metres, in the district.

‘Medicine from the Sky’ is a joint initiative of the Telangana government, World Economic Forum, Niti Aayog, and HealthNet Global (Apollo Hospitals), as part of which eight consortia have been selected to undertake BVLOS flights for delivery of medical essentials to remote areas.

On Saturday, Bluedart Med Express Consortium, Hepicopter Consortium, and CurisFly Consortium demonstrated drone flights. Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Telangana IT & industries minister KT Rama Rao and Telangana education minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy were part of the audience.

Scindia pointed out that as part of the Digital Sky platform, drone players would be able to avail single window clearance at the click of a button. The platform will have interactive maps that will sport green (free to fly for drones), yellow (require permission) and red (prohibited) zones making it easier for drone players to chart out their trajectory.

Full report on www.toi.in

‘MEDICINE FROM THE SKY’

Stalin vows to monitor all schemes announced

Stalin vows to monitor all schemes announced

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.09.2021

Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday said he would monitor and hold periodical reviews to ensure that all the announcements made by various ministers in the assembly are implemented in time.

“We have devised strategies to implement each scheme announced in the assembly. They will be implemented in a phased manner. No scheme will remain as mere announcement. I am personally taking efforts to implement them. I am holding review meetings with the ministers concerned and officials of the department to speed up implementation,” Stalin said after inaugurating the monthly incentive (₹ 1,000) scheme for the priests of 12,959 temples where only one-time pooja is done every day. He inaugurated the scheme at Marundeeswarar temple in Thiruvanmiyur. The scheme was announced in the assembly and it had been launched even before the session ended, said Stalin.

The CM applauded the HR&CE ministry for implementing various schemes and said minister P K Sekar Babu deserved the moniker ‘Seyal’ (action) Babu.

He said the department was lucky to have an active minister like Babu, who was working round the clock.

Listing out various announcements like construction of houses for priests and setting up of colleges under the department, Stalin said the golden era of the department was in the offing.

He said the government had created an additional corpus fund of ₹130 crore, thereby doubling the corpus from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh for each temple under one-time pooja scheme.

The chief minister said all schemes will be implemented in a phased manner and added that they will not remain as mere announcements

MLA moves HC to wrest higher edu back on state list

MLA moves HC to wrest higher edu back on state list

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.09.2021

A service organisation founded by a DMK MLA has moved Madras high court challenging the 42nd constitutional amendment through which higher education was transferred from the State List to the Concurrent List. If he succeeds in his plea, the state would be able to do away with NEET and NEP (New Education Policy).

The petition has been filed Aram Seyya Virumbu Trust through its representative, Dr Ezhilan Naganathan, a DMK MLA from Thousand Lights.

He has challenged the validity of Section 57 of the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976 which deleted Entry 11 of List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution and effectively transferred the subject of education to List III (Concurrent List).

Ezhilan said Section 57 violates the basic structure doctrine for the reason that the said amendment resulted in upsetting the federal structure envisaged by the Constitution framers. “By virtue of transferring the subject of education from List II to List III, the States’ executive/legislative autonomy in the matters of education has become subservient to Union’s executive/legislative powers,” he said.

The petitioner further pointed out that education has been treated as a provincial subject across various Constitutions like those of Canada, Australia, the US and even India prior to impugned amendment.

Noting that federalism is a basic structure of the constitution, the petitioner said, “…it was not the intention of the constitution makers to grant untrammelled power to the Union government with regard to the very basic subjects such as primary education.”

The plea moved as a PIL is likely to be taken up for hearing by the first bench headed by the Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee.

Marks boom and killing cut-offs: Time to rexamine exam system

BY INVITATION

Marks boom and killing cut-offs: Time to rexamine exam system

ANITA RAMPAL

12.09.2021

These are strange times indeed. The number of students this year with over 95% marks in the CBSE Class 12 Board examination is over 70,000; before the pandemic, in 2019, it was 17,000. During the Covid-19 lockdown, in 2020 this figure was 38,000. Almost all (99.4%) have passed. Similar benevolence can be seen in other state boards. In Maharashtra, 99.6% (from among 13 lakh candidates) passed the Class 12 examination; 98% (from among 26 lakh candidates) passed in Uttar Pradesh; and 100% (all 8 lakh) in Tamil Nadu. So what is happening? Why is the crushing pandemic and prolonged school closure inflating students’ marks? Without going to school, without a Board examination, with barely a quarter able to access ‘online’ lessons (not a substitute for education), most seem to have been gifted with a marks bonanza. Does this signal that school does not matter, or that marks do not have much value?

Perhaps the Boards, knowing that the majority had no access to education, did not wish to ‘fail’ or hold back students. This may be an important consideration for an unprecedented year, but the questionable doling out of marks has been happening for many years now, without improving the quality of learning for the majority, and needs to be seriously addressed before the examination system completely loses its relevance.

This year there’s another catch. At Delhi University, there are 69,554 seats on offer through what is called the ‘merit-based’ admission process. This central university draws students from different Boards and from across the country who aspire to study in this central university. The first ‘cut-offs’ for undergraduate courses are predicted to be staggering, with many crossing 97% (an aggregate of a student’s best four subjects) and very few close to 90%. In some courses, seats are expected to get filled as soon as the first list is out, but for others, through further lists, the cut-off is still expected to remain unreasonably high.

So what happens to a young person’s aspirations and opportunities, if with over 90%, she does not have the ‘merit’ to apply for admission to a course that could nurture her calling? What about her sense of self-worth? There are also concerns about the selfimage and arrogance of those with hugely inflated marks who enter higher education, where they are required to think and learn with more reflection, rigour and humility.

Moreover, if even those among the privileged bracket of the CBSE examination — the 5.5% candidates getting over 95% marks (or the 12% candidates getting over 90%) — have to grapple with a sense of uncertainty and ‘failure’ in what they want from higher education, what does it tell us of the majority of all our children? Most do not reach the level of Class 12. A large number is pushed out before they complete Class 8 (despite their Right to Education), while the official data shows that 30% of secondary students (Class 9-10) do not transition to the senior secondary stage (class 11-12).

We are currently faced with significant questions about the value of marks, the quality of ‘merit’ attached to them, and the scarcity of opportunities for meaningful higher education. Michel Sandel wonders why we continue to trust the “meritocratic tournament” that college admissions have now become to better our life chances, even when studies show that higher education in the US does very little to promote upward mobility. An elite private college like Harvard enrols very few poor students so barely 1% go up from the bottom to the top of the income scale. The countries with the highest mobility are indeed those with the greatest equality; the ability to rise depends on access to good quality education, health care and basic resources to support people through life.

Questioning notions of ‘success’ in his book ‘Outliers’, Malcolm Gladwell notes that Nobel Prize winners mostly come from ‘good enough’ colleges, not necessarily from high-ranking ones. He says that research about learning and intelligence shows that ranking higher education institutions ‘like runners in a race, makes little sense’. There are advantages of being in a more amiable environment where a good student gets a chance to be supported by peers and teachers, rather than being lost in a competitive cut-throat swarm of ‘high achievers’.

Sometimes bizarre results can propel us to see the irrelevance and damaging implications of a situation we have been tolerating as ‘normal’. This is that critical juncture. Hopefully, not just people working in education but all those watching or tacitly experiencing it will be compelled to call for a major change. We owe it to the millions of our youth, whose agency and ability during their most critical, creative years is sacrificed at the altar of such ‘terminal’ competitive examinations, at an ‘exit’ or ‘entrance’ stage.

Rampal is professor and former dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University

FLYING HIGH: Those with inflated marks may also get inflated egos, and an exaggerated sense of self-worth

CMs should stop dragging their feet on school opening

Times of India 

SWAMINOMICS

CMs should stop dragging their feet on school opening

SWAMINATHAN S ANKLESARIA AIYAR

12.09.2021

Covid has been both a health and educational disaster. All schools were closed without debate when Covid struck. Cautious re-opening has begun at higher school levels but primary and upper primary schools have remained closed for over 500 days. Economists have shown that human capital — skilling, starting with schooling — is more important than financial capital. Yet even as India attracts billions of dollars into stock markets and start-ups, its human capital has been eroded by school closure.

Young children have not just failed to learn for 500 days but forgotten what they knew earlier, and many have lapsed into illiteracy. The problem is worse for the poor, in rural areas, Dalits, and tribals. The well-off have managed with private tutors and online help. This has worsened disparities and robbed the masses of gaining the ability to rise. A new survey report titled ‘Locked out — Emergency Report of School Education’ by Jean Dreze, Reetika Khera, Nirali Bakhla and Vipul Paikra, shows that 97% of parents in rural households want school re-opening, not to mention educators and economists. Yet chief ministers have dragged their feet.

School re-opening must be a top priority. Children below 12 are very unlikely to fall seriously ill with Covid. Teachers and other school staff are vulnerable but should all have been vaccinated by now. With safety guidelines, all schools should open, aiding not just learning but nutrition and the social benefits of children of all castes and religions going to school together. Maintenance and repairs of school buildings and equipment should have been done already, but have they?

Private schools tried to survive by switching to online education and raising their fees. This led 26% of poorer students enrolled in higher quality private schools to switch to lower quality (and often moribund) government schools.

School closure also meant the end of school mid-day meals. State governments were supposed to offer free food and cash to make up for this. But 20% of urban and 14% of rural families said they had received nothing. This could be due partly to free food being given quarterly. Some families may get their arrears soon.

Covid has worsened a problem already flagged by many educators: automatic promotion without exams. It makes little sense to promote those who can barely read to a higher class: they will fall further and further behind, and eventually drop out. The research study says automatic promotion means students are being promoted from Class 4 to 5 when school closure has eroded their skills to the Class 3 level. Those in Class 1 who cannot read at all because of school closure will nevertheless be promoted to Class 2 and be expected to understand textbooks in English! Learning English is no doubt an important skill much neglected by state governments in the past. But it must be preceded by a firm grounding in reading ability in the mother tongue. Otherwise, students will just be bewildered by a new, difficult language.

The researchers surveyed almost 1,362 children in classes 1-8. School closure drove many students to alternatives like tuition, online education, videos, or help from parents and friends. Some motivated teachers innovated small-group teaching in the open or in private homes, sometimes even the teacher’s home. But such individual heroics cannot make up for mass closure. The researchers found that only 47% of urban and 28% of rural students were studying regularly, while 19% and 37% respectively did not study at all. Just 42% of urban students and 48% of rural ones can read more than a few words.

Only 8% of rural parents and 23% of urban ones felt their children had adequate access to online education, which schools are supposed to offer to compensate for school closure. Many children had no access to smartphones, data, or understanding of how to use online facilities. Of those not studying regularly despite having smartphones, 43% of rural and 14% of urban students said they got no online material at all from their schools. As many as 57% of urban and 65% of rural online users complained of connectivity problems, showing how weak the broadband infrastructure is.

The researchers highlighted the need for an extended transition to help teachers and students overcome the scars of Covid. A “business as usual” approach risks dooming entire age groups to functional illiteracy. School opening is a must but should be followed by a completely new transitional approach to help students make up for the 500 lost days. This is new ground with no precedents. It requires careful planning, ample funding and flexibility to adjust to difficulties that arise.

Meet your governor: R N Ravi, an officer, and tough gentleman

Meet your governor: R N Ravi, an officer, and tough gentleman

Prabin.Kalita @timesgroup.com

12.09.2021

Ravindra Narayan Ravi, the new governor of Tamil Nadu, is a man to watch. Here’s why: The 69-yearold IPS officer who retired seven years ago as the special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) before he was appointed the Nagaland governor, is moving from Kohima to Chennai, two capitals so removed geographically, culturally and politically, but what may remain unchanged would be his image of being a no-nonsense administrator.

Born in Patna, the Kerala cadre IPS office took to journalism for a short while before he joined the administrative service in 1976 after completing his post-graduation in physics. While he was in the IB, most in government circles would say, “Ravi knows the northeast like the back of his hand.” His appointment as the PMO’s emissary for the Naga peace process by Narendra Modi in 2014 was seen as a recognition of his knowledge of the region, whose boundaries stretch from Bhutan, Tibet and Myanmar to Bangladesh.

Five years later, Ravi was appointed governor of Nagaland, which earned him the rare distinction of being the first incumbent constitutional head of a state to double up as a peace interlocutor in the country. Within a year, he convinced the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) to sign the first preliminary agreement. This is considered as a culmination of more than 80 rounds of peace talks between the Centre and the Naga organisation within and outside of India since1997.

Ravi has to his credit bringing the insurgent groups hostile towards India to the negotiating table. What stood between him and success was the NSCN (IM)’s demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas. In 2020, he wrote to the Nagaland Democratic People’s Party-BJP government that he would invoke Article 371 (A) (1) (b) and take control of law and order in the state if it failed to stop rebel outfits from carrying extortions and violent activities.

In his letter, Ravi brought to the notice of chief minister Neiphiu Rio the presence of “dozen organised armed gangs” and rampant extortion by “armed gangs who are running a parallel government.” On the other hand, NSCN (IM) and seven other groups (who call themselves Naga National Political Groups) said they were merely collecting ‘legitimate taxes” and “contributions” from people.

Defending its position, the Nagaland government said Ravi’s assessments of law and order “do not appear to be factual.” A few months later, a mellowed state government asked all its employees to declare and give details if any of their family members are part of any underground insurgent group. Before his assignments as an interlocutor and governor, Ravi was the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee in the PMO. In 2018, he also served as deputy National Security Adviser.

Over 60% Candidates Are Girls

After online prep, 1.1L appear for NEET today

Over 60% Candidates Are Girls

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.09.2021

Aspirants writing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 on Sunday are a wary lot as most of the coaching they got was online. Experts say many students miss the face-to-face coaching and peer learning and performances could dip this year.

Many coaching centres and schools prepared the students one last time by giving them mock tests on Saturday afternoon, which they wrote wearing masks and gloves. Along with their knowledge and skill, Sunday’s exam is likely to test the endurance of students as the first batch will have to enter exam halls by 10.30am for the 2pm start because of Covid protocols.

From Tamil Nadu 1,10,971 students are scheduled to appear for the exam at 225 exam centres. In Chennai,17,992 students will appear at 33 exam centres.

J S Dharani, a medical aspirant from Ayanavaram, said preparation in online mode was a new experience and difficult. “The coaching institute and school guided us constantly. On a positive note, faculty members were available till 9.30pm to clarify our doubts,” she said.

She said the staggered entry timing and wearing masks for four to five hours inside the exam halls will test the endurance of the students. "We have attended mock tests wearing masks and gloves from 2pm to 5pm. I was comfortable for the first hour, but felt uneasy after that," she said.

Ebenezer Kirubakaran G, an aspirant from Tambaram, said, remembering the concepts was difficult in online mode preparation. He was doing aerobics and wearing masks at home in the past few weeks to prepare for the exam. He said the introduction of choice will help the students. Now students need answer only 180 of the 200 questions.

B Pavan Kumar, deputy director, FIITJEE Chennai, said, lack of peer competition and face-to-face coaching by mentors will impact the performance of mid-level students.

IIT Hyderabad 16th best in NIRF ranking

IIT Hyderabad 16th best in NIRF ranking

UoH bags 9th position and OU 32nd in the university category

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad has improved its NIRF 2021 overall ranking by one position.

City Bureau

Hyderabad 

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad has improved its National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2021 overall ranking by one position. The IIT Hyderabad secured 16th rank among the educational institutions in the country while it was in 17th position in the 2020 rankings.

The IIT Madras has topped in the overall rankings which was released by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday. The Indian Institute of Science and IIT Bombay bagged second and third positions.

The University of Hyderabad (UoH) was ranked 17th in this edition of the overall ranking while it was at 15th position in 2020. The National Institute of Technology-Warangal and Osmania University were ranked at 59th and 62nd positions this year while they were at 46th and 53rd positions respectively in the last year’s rankings.

Likewise, in the university category, the UoH has been ranked at 9th, Osmania University at 32nd and International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad at 83rd position, while their 2020 rankings were 6th, 29th and 78th respectively. In the engineering category, IIT Hyderabad was ranked 8th, NIT-Warangal (23rd), IIIT Hyderabad (54th) and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University-Hyderabad (62nd).

In the case of pharmacy, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad was at 6th position, while Kakatiya University and Anurag University were ranked at 48th and 61st positions respectively. The NALSAR University of Law and ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education got 3rd and 29th ranks in law category respectively.

The universities and institutions were ranked on various parameters that included teaching, learning and resources, research and professional practices, graduation outcomes, outreach and inclusivity, and perception. The placements and research publications were key parameters among the above.

UP makes mid-term exams must for all univs, private institutions

UP makes mid-term exams must for all univs, private institutions

Isha.Jain@timesgroup.com

Lucknow:11.09.2021

All the universities, including private institutions, will conduct midterm examinations in the academic session 2021-22 which is slated to commence from September 13.

In its latest directives, the government has made midterm examinations compulsory for students enrolled for all courses, irrespective of the system (semester or annual).

The idea is to ensure that students do not suffer in case of any crisis situation like Covid-19 pandemic. “In case of unavoidable circumstances, the mid-term examination will help in timely promotion of students without causing any loss to them,” said the order issued by additional chief secretary, higher education, Monika S Garg.

The directives are a part of the newly-released academic calendar for session 2021-22.

As per the calendar, universities should close fresh admissions to first semester/year by September 13.

To regularise academic session, which got derailed due to prolonged closure of educational institutions in wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the government has also asked institutions to cut down on winter vacation, if required.

Move aimed to help in timely promotion of students

‘Teachers may get 15-day summer vacay in shifts’

In addition, teachers may be given 15 days of summer vacation in shifts so that teaching-learning does not get unhamper.

Universities have been instructed to approve only very important leaves, except maternity, of teaching and non-teaching staff. Condolence meetings of only teachers and administrative staff will be held on campus only after 3 pm. Prior to it, classes will take place on campus, the order said.

The government has also instructed universities to hold extra/online classes if the total number of teaching days – 90 for semester system and 180 for annual system – are not met. Students should be convinced to use higher education digital library.

Yogi gave ₹1,129cr from CM fund to over 71K poor people for treatment

Yogi gave ₹1,129cr from CM fund to over 71K poor people for treatment

Rajiv.Srivastava1@timesgroup.com

Lucknow:11.09.2021

He may have the image of a firebrand leader, but Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has revealed his softer self by going way ahead of his predecessors in extending support to the poor and the distressed through the CM’s discretionary fund. In the past four-and-a-half years, Yogi has disbursed Rs 1,129 crore through the fund to 71,626 people for treatment.

The figures are more than double of what SP president Akhilesh Yadav gave away during his five-year tenure as the UP CM and almost 13 times more than Rs 84 crore released by Mayawati during her term (2007-12).

In the past five months (April1-August 31), during and after the second wave of coronavirus pandemic, around Rs 121 crore was provided as financial assistance to 6,618 beneficiaries.

Officials claimed that UP, with a population of around 24 crore, has fared better in tackling the pandemic as compared to any other state.

‘BJP govt extended ₹1.1k-cr aid to poor patients’

Saving lives and livelihood were the top priorities of the Yogi Adityanath government, they added.

In April, Rs 13.26 crore was provided to around 781 people while in May, this went up to nearly Rs 17.20 crore which was disbursed to over 943 people. In June this year, the government provided Rs 24.85 crore to 1,376 beneficiaries followed by Rs 29.33 crore to 1,497 people in July 2021.

Similarly, Rs 36.44 crore was provided to 2,021 people in August.

According to the details released by the CM’s office regarding the funds, the BJP government has till now extended help of over Rs 1,100 crore to poor patients.

The Samajwadi Party government under Akhilesh Yadav had provided Rs 552 crore to 42,508 people while the Mayawati government gave only Rs 84 crore to around 18,462 people.

Officials in the Chief Minister’s office said after coming to power, CM Yogi Adityanath had issued directives that help should be provided to people who had given up hope for treatment for the want of money. The government not only saved the lives of thousands of people but also ensured that they did not have to sell their land and property to meet medical expenses.

The year wise breakup shows the consistency with which the government provided help to the people.

The CM helped 13,228 people with Rs 184.63 crore in 2017-18 through discretionary fund. In 2018-19, over 17,772 people were given over Rs 256.34 crore, while in 2019-20, about 18,014 people received Rs 280.23 crore.

Around Rs 132.55 crore was provided to 7,269 people in 2020-21. Help was provided for kidney transplants and patients suffering from cancer, heart ailments and other serious diseases.

Officials said the maximum money was given to patients for the treatment of cancer, kidney and heart disease.

Man caught with ₹13-cr cobra venom

Man caught with ₹13-cr cobra venom

Pinak Priya Bhattacharya

Jalpaiguri:11.09.2021

A man was on Friday arrested with cobra venom worth Rs 13 crore after he entered India from Bangladesh through the Hili border in South Dinajpur.

Salim Akhtar, from South Dinajpur, reportedly admitted the consignment was headed to China from Bangladesh via India and Nepal. The consigment was seized at 73 More, on the outskirts of Jalpaiguri town. He was remanded for six days by the court.

The officials, acting on a tip-off, arrested Akhtar but those who were to receive the venom escaped. Red dragon stickers on the venom containers raised officials’ suspicion that these were meant for China.

Bengal forest minister Jyotipriya Mullick said several people had been arrested earlier too while smuggling snake venom.

Transfer plea on med grounds

Transfer plea on med grounds

Kolkata:11.09.2021

The school education department has issued an order, saying teachers can apply on Utsashree portal for transfer if his/her family member suffers from a serious disease. The district school inspector will forward the case to CMOH and Medical Colleges and Hospital. Depending on the report, such applications should be addressed within 14 days. TNN

From 16th in 2017 to 4th in 2021: CU climbs NIRF ranking ladder

From 16th in 2017 to 4th in 2021: CU climbs NIRF ranking ladder

Zeeshan.Jawed@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:11.09.2021

From being nowhere near the Top10 five years ago to ranking fourth on the National Institution Ranking Framework this year, Calcutta University has steadily climbed up the ladder by improving in several key areas, including teacher-student ratio, experienced faculty, student strength, regional diversity and quality of publications. The university, which was founded in January 1857, has also gained several points with respect to peer perception in the past five years, scoring almost 20 points.

With its improved performance in some of the key areas, CU figured just after IISc, JNU and BHU on the list, bypassing Jadavpur University, which ranked eighth, three rungs down from last year’s fifth position. “The ranking of the university at number four in the country and number one in the state is indicative of the collective zeal of our teachers, researchers, students and all other staff,” said CU vice-chancellor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee. The NIRF rankings were published on Thursday.

In 2017, CU ranked 16th, in 2018,14th, in 2019, it ranked fifth and in 2020, it slid down to the seventh position. In 2018, the university fared badly in the faculty-student ratio category, scoring 15 out of 30. In 2021, the score under this head was 24.21 out of 30. In 2020, the university scored13.57 out of 20 in faculty with experience, but this time, the figure is 16.02 this year. The university’s peer perception score is also up from 37.39 out of 100 in 2019 to 45.77. But in 2020, the peer perception was 47.99. “The university created capital assets, excluding land and building worth Rs 26 crore. The amount spent on library and procuring new equipment for labs was over Rs 74 crore,” said an official.

At 45.77, CU lagged behind JU in peer perception score by almost 21 points, but it beat JU by almost 10 points in facultystudent ratio, four points in faculty with PhD and experience, 4.5 points in intellectual property and patents, 10 points in women diversity and 1.5 in region diversity. “Jadavpur University has faced a few issues in receiving grants over the past few years and that has impeded a lot of development. This reflected in the NIRF ranking this year,” said an official at Jadavpur University.

Five colleges from the state also figured on NIRF Top 100. Of them, only one—Bethune College—is a government institute. St Xavier’s College, with a total score of 67.41, ranked fourth, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira (67.26) ranked fifth, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara (64.45) ranked 15th, Ramakrishna Mission Residential College (62.50) ranked 21st and Bethune College

(52.23) ranked 77th. Bethune principal Krishna Roy said, “It is a matter of great pride that we are the only government college to be among the country’s Top 100. We are proud that we have been able to maintain the standard despite many adversities during pandemic.”

(Inputs by Poulami Roy Banerjee)

ONLY BENGAL MED INSTITUTE IN NIRF

ONLY BENGAL MED INSTITUTE IN NIRF

MCH bags 32nd position in nat’l ranking

Sumati.Yengkhom@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:11.09.2021

Medical College Hospital Kolkata has bagged the 32nd position among all medical colleges across the country, according to the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) 2021. In fact, the oldest medical college in Asia is the only medical institute from Bengal to have found a place in the ranking by the ministry of education, Government of India.

AIIMS New Delhi tops the chart for medical colleges followed by PGI Chandigarh, Christian Medical College Vellore, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore and Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in the second, third, fourth and fifth spots respectively.

Factors including the facilities — teaching as well as patient, hospital infrastructure, number of faculty members, number of research/study projects, number of undergraduate and post graduate students and their placement after course completion, number and quality of seminars/workshops, budgetary allocation for various activities are few of the criterion on the basis of which the ranking is done.

“We are happy to have found a place in the prestigious NIRF ranking,” said Medical College Hospital assistant professor Dibyendu Raycahudhuri, who was the nodal person to coordinate for the assessment.

Colleges struggle to fill UG seats

Colleges struggle to fill UG seats

10 Days, Several Lists, Many Vacant Berths

Poulami.Roy@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:11.09.2021

Ten days after admission to undergraduate courses in colleges commenced, seats in many courses in several colleges remain empty, a cause for worry for hundreds of students who have scored over 90% in board results but are yet to get a seat in a subject and college of choice. Principals fear some seats may remain vacant even in high-demand courses despite the huge number of applicants due to their inability to reclaim the seats of students who opt for a second college after taking admission in one.

This year, colleges have received a record number of applications. With no application fee, some students have applied to as many as 20 colleges. The top scorers figured in the first list of multiple colleges with some even taking admission in more than one. With no system to ensure that the previous seat will be vacated once a student takes admission in another college, it remains a challenge.

Surendranath College, for instance, received 54,000 application forms but only 10% seats have been filled up till date. College principal Indranil Kar pointed out that every year, nearly 30% seats remained vacant due to their inability to weed out those students who have also taken admission elsewhere and don’t report to the college when classes commence.

To solve the problem, many colleges have introduced a wish list format that allows interested students to gain admission.

Many principals of city colleges felt a central counselling system could be a solution. “Colleges do face a challenge in identifying students who have taken admission but then don’t attend classes because they’ve taken admission elsewhere as well. At present, students are not bound to inform colleges that they have taken admission elsewhere,” said New Alipore College principal Jaydeep Sarangi.

A principal of a central Kolkata college reasoned that a central counselling system could eliminate the problem of multiple admissions by a single candidate through use of a dedicated portal to monitor the admission process.

A few years ago during his first stint in the education department, minister Bratya Basu had proposed a centralised counselling system but it had ultimately not been implemented. A section of principals now feel it may be time to revisit the proposal.

There is a counter argument against central counselling as well with some pointing out that it is not foolproof. But even they admit that while top rung colleges will always be the first preference like counselling in Joint, it will be easier to know how many are opting out for upgradation if the process is monitored centrally.

Kannur varsity will review controversial syllabus: Min

Kannur varsity will review controversial syllabus: Min

Thiruvananthapuram:11.09.2021

Higher education minister R Bindu said the controversial Kannur University syllabus for MA Governance and Political Science would be reviewed by the varsity.

“If the syllabus requires any change, the university will take appropriate steps. If some additions proposed are to be dropped, the university would do so. So is the case of any addition in the syllabus,” the minister said on Friday evening. The minister’s reaction came after she received a report from Kannur University vice-chancellor Gopinath Ravindran regarding the issue.

The minister had earlier termed the developments in connection with the university syllabus as ‘highly sensitive’. CPM state acting secretary A Vijayaraghavan too said that the matter demands serious attention. “Ours is a secular country. It’s dangerous to have communal references in university syllabus,” the minister said, adding that university authorities need not be strictly aware of all changes in the syllabus and its nuances.

The new course for MA Governance and Political Science was introduced in Brennan College under Kannur University last year. The study recommended for the third semester of the course —themes in Indian political thoughthas kindled a controversy as critics dubbed the inclusion of the political thoughts of Golwalker and Savarkar as saffronization of the syllabus. TNN