NEET exam: Physics section most difficult, say candidates

NEET exam: Physics section most difficult, say candidates

This year’s NEET paper had new elements like match the column and assertion-reasoning questions

Published: 13th September 2021 04:44 AM 

NEET candidates at Asan Memorial Senior Secondary School in Chennai on Sunday | P Jawahar

By KV Navya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Amid opposition from political parties and a section of the public, the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) was conducted on Sunday. At least 1,10,971 students were scheduled to appear for the test from across the State. Most of the students TNIE interacted with found the Physics section the most difficult and time-consuming among all the three sections — Biology, Chemistry, Physics.

“The paper was tough compared to last year. In Physics, numerical questions were lengthy and I had to move to other sections to score marks. Ideally, one question must be solved in one minute. But Physics questions took way more time than that,” said one of the candidates, S Anuradha, at Velachery.

This year’s NEET paper had new elements like match the column and assertion-reasoning questions. Subject experts said Biology questions were the easiest, and Chemistry ones were moderate. “Biology section had questions mostly from the textbook but Chemistry and Physics sections had numerical and conceptual questions. Nearly 40 per cent of the questions in the Physics section were moderately difficult.

Last year, it was about 30 per cent. This may have an impact on the cut-off level,” said K Bhargav, a tutor at a NEET coaching centre at T Nagar. According to the parents, the online classes played spoilsport for the students. “Problem-solving questions are best explained offline. Subjects like Maths and Physics are very difficult to teach online. Students also lacked practice due to uncertainty around NEET in the State,” said one of the parents at Taramani.

1,10,971 Total number of students scheduled to appear from TN

17,992 Students scheduled to appear from Chennai

Exam time: 2 to 5 pm

Covid SOP followed

Covid code of conduct, including wearing masks, using sanitisers, and ensuring social distancing, were followed in most of the NEET centres in the city. Though there was little crowding at the beginning, police officials and staff at the exam centres ensured social distancing. Many exam centres arranged separate lunch rooms on the premises and had microphones to make important announcements

‘All parties in one tone to do away with neet’

Tiruchy: Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Sunday said that all the parties in the State assembly, including the BJP, had shown consensus to do away with NEET. We will continue to protest against it and with the help of all parties, hopefully do away with NEET, he added. He was speaking on the sidelines of inaugurating a ration shop near Katur in Cauvery Nagar at `16.25 lakh sourced from MLA fund. Tiruchy Collector S Sivarasu was also present.

Aspirant with error in hall ticket allowed to write test -

Aspirant with error in hall ticket allowed to write test -

The Times Of India

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:13.09.2021

Madras high court at a special sitting on Saturday night permitted a female medical aspirant, who received her admit card with a male candidate’s photograph and signature printed on it, to appear for NEET.

Petitioner S Vengatesan of Madurai, a goods vehicle driver, said his daughter Shanmugapriya had secured 92.8% marks in Class X and 91.54% in Class XII and has been preparing for NEET for two years determined to become a doctor. She had applied for the test by uploading her details online. However, on Saturday, they were shocked to see the photograph of a male candidate called Alex Pandian and his signature on the admit card she downloaded.

Justice R Suresh Kumar observed that all details such as her name, roll number, gender, category, application number and father’s name have been printed correctly as uploaded by the petitioner’s daughter, but for the photo and signature which were strangely of a male candidate. This shows that it is her admit card. Such a mistake could not have emanated from Shanmugapriya but only at the side of NTA, the judge said. Taking into account that she was a bright student, the judge passed the interim order directing NTA and authorities at the exam centre to permit the girl to appear for NEET without raising any objection. Following the court’s direction, Shanmugapriya was allowed to appear for the exam at a centre set up at Solamalai College of Engineering in Madurai

OVER 95% OF 16L ASPIRANTS TAKE NEET

OVER 95% OF 16L ASPIRANTS TAKE NEET

Times of India Delhi Edition

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2021 conducted on Sunday recorded one of the highest attendances in the past five years with over 95% of the 16.1 lakh aspirants taking the exam, reports Manash Gohain. The high level of attendance can be gauged from the photograph of aspirants queueing up outside a NEET centre in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. The last time the medical entrance exam logged 94% attendance was in 2017 when 11.4 lakh students had registered. The all-time high of 97% was recorded in 2018. ‘We are yet to receive reports from all the centres. But the trend so far, based on majority of the centre reports we have received, is over 95% attendance,’ said Vineet Joshi, director general, National Testing Agency. Two cases of impersonation — one each in Allahabad and Bangalore — have been detected so far. ‘We are looking at other doubtful cases. The numbers could be around 10,’ said Joshi. Three Covid-positive candidates were allowed to take the exam in isolation in Kerala.

NMC to relook at draft PG regulations, allow improvement of NEXT score every year

NMC to relook at draft PG regulations, allow improvement of NEXT score every year: New Delhi: The upcoming National Exit Test (NEXT), the gateway to PG medical admissions as envisaged by the National Medical Commission (NMC) will allow candidates to appear for improvement...

Advisory warns pensioners against online frauds

Advisory warns pensioners against online frauds

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:13.09.2021

In a bid to protect pensioners from online frauds, the district administration has issued an advisory for them. It has been found that many times fraudsters making fake calls to pensioners for online updation of their life certificate.

The district pension officer said that cyber conmen make a call to a pensioner with his complete data, date of appointment, PPO number, Adhar number and date of retirement, thereby giving an impression as if the call is genuine for online updation of life certificate.

Cases of senior citizens getting duped after sharing OTP has become quite common these days. Fraudsters, who impersonate as staff of the pension directorate, often make calls for updation of life certificates. Once a pensioner shares OTP with the fraudster, the latter gets direct access to the pensioner's bank account and thus money in the account is siphoned off. The official said that pensioners need to remain vigilant and cautious, as the pension directorate never makes a phone call to anyone for online updation of life certificate.

Senior citizens, pensioners on cyber criminals’ radar

Senior citizens, pensioners on cyber criminals’ radar

Over 24 Such Cases Being Reported Every Month In Bhopal

Sudeept.Mishra@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:13.09.2021

In the last few months, there has been a steady rise in cyber-fraud cases involving senior citizens and retired government officials. Every month around two dozen such cases are being reported in the city in which the elderly are targeted by online fraudsters, said cops.

The fraudsters posing as telecom company executives or bank officials send links to the victims and ask them to download remote access apps on their smartphone on the pretext of paying a meagre amount of Rs 10 for completing the SIM verification or KYC update and hack their phones to access their bank accounts.

The Bhopal cyber-crime branch has recently registered a number of such cases in which elderly people were duped by online fraudsters. Police have been issuing advisories regularly to spread awareness among senior citizens and pension account holders.

In on such case, victim Arif-Ur-Rehman Khan, 78, a resident of Aditya Avenue Colony on Airport Road, received an SMS on his mobile phone that his SIM card KYC had expired. Few minutes later, he received a call on his mobile phone on which the caller introduced himself as an executive with BSNL and took details apparently to update his KYC online. The accused told him to give the OTP received on his mobile number.

The senior citizen fell in the trap and gave the OTP received on his mobile number to the fraudster. The accused siphoned Rs 74000 from his bank account in three transactions.

In another case reported around a week ago, complainant Jai Kishan Sharma, 70, a resident Katara Hills, told police that an unidentified fraudster called on his wife’s mobile phone on September 1, and introduced himself as an executive of a telecom company. The accused lured the victim in his net stating that the KYC of her SIM card needs to be updated and sent a link to download an application. He took the code and hacked her mobile phone. However, due to a glitch he couldn’t siphon money through the app so he asked her OTPs making various excuses and siphoned Rs 1.9 lakh from her bank account.

ASP (Cyber-crime branch) Ankit Jaiswal said, the victims should report the cyber-crimes immediately to police, especially in cases of financial frauds. The money siphoned by the accused from the victims’ accounts remains in their bank accounts for some time before they withdraw it. If the cases are reported to police immediately, cops would contact the banks concerned to freeze the bank accounts of the fraudsters used to siphon money.

Calicut crash shows why infants at risk

Calicut crash shows why infants at risk

Manju.V@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:13.09.2021

The Air India Express Kozhikode accident has brought to the fore a long ignored issue — the safety of infants onboard flights. The Air India Express aircraft had hurtled towards the end of the table top runway from where it dropped into a deep gorge, crashed into the airport perimeter wall and broke into three. During the eventful landing, ten infants sat on the laps of their parents. Their only safety net, their parent’s arm grip. Three out of them died, another three had serious injuries.

The accident, that occurred in August last year, has highlighted the need for a ‘child safety restraint system’, the kind advocated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and in use in countries like the US. A child restraint system (CRS) is a contraption of belts that a parent can fasten onto the seat back, through which the passenger seat belt can be pulled in to secure an infant safely onto the seat. But for this, the parent would need to buy a separate seat for the infant. Currently, Air India Express and some other Indian carriers do not allow the purchase of a separate seat for an infant.

Said an airline official, requesting anonymity: “Some parents might not want to spend and buy a separate seat for the infant, given that accidents are a rare occurrence. But CRS can keep infants safe during turbulence as well. Those who wish to buy a separate seat should have that option.” Directorate General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar said: “We have just seen the AIX Kozhikode accident report. An appropriate call will be taken in due course.”

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team collected feedback from the parent of a deceased infant. The infant — although placed on the lap — was not held firmly as the crew made no announcement of the impact. Therefore, during the frontal impact of the crash, the infant was displaced from the lap and was thrown in the cabin and, as a result, received fatal injuries, it said. Air India Express does not have provisions for child/ infant restraint system and they rely solely on lap-held infants without any supplemental restraint, it added.

US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration — in its ‘Flying with Children’ page — says: “The safest way to secure an infant or child on board an aircraft is in a state-approved CRS, in a dedicated seat... The use of CRS provides an equivalent level of safety to infants and children as that afforded to adult passengers wearing seat belts. “Proper use of occupant restraints is one of the most basic and important factors in surviving an accident, it says.

Twenty-one people were killed in the Kozhikode accident

Bhopal pani puri wallah has a girl, & you’re invited

Bhopal pani puri wallah has a girl, & you’re invited

Ramendra.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:13.09.2021

A pani puri vendor in Bhopal was so thrilled at having a girl child but also shocked by the frowns he got from certain people that he distributed Rs 50,000-worth of the spicy snacks for free on Sunday to make a point.

“I wanted to show that there should not be any discrimination between girls and boys,” Anchal Gupta, the proud father, told TOI.

“I was on cloud nine after I got the news that I was blessed with a girl child on August 17. But I was shocked by the odd reaction of several people. They pulled a face and cautioned me that I’d have to face financial burden and what not. I didn’t like it and wanted to send a message as a father. I’m proud that I have a daughter,” the 28-year-old said. He decided to celebrate it in a big way — the way he could.

“I am a small vendor with limited earnings. However, I wanted to prove that every parent should feel proud that they are lucky to have a girl child,” said Anchal.

On Sunday, he put up three stalls in Kolar locality and spread the word that free pani puri would be available from 1pm to 6pm. Hundreds turned up. Swamped by the crowd, he made repeated appeals to them to follow Covid precautions, asking those in queue to wear masks and stand at a safe distance until their turn comes. Few heeded his request in rush for free pani puri.

“This is bad. I’ve done this for a noble cause but several people refused to listen to me. I was not expecting such behaviour from them,” Anchal told TOI, looking at the jostling crowd.

Once they knew why he was distributing free pani puri, people were stunned. Many stepped forward to congratulate him, both for having a daughter and sending a message to society.

Anchal Gupta, 28, served free pani puri for a few hours on Sunday as he wanted to celebrate the birth of his daughter and send out a message that parents should feel proud that they have a girl child

NEET 2021: Physics was tough, say experts

NEET 2021: Physics was tough, say experts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:13.09.2021

Physics was tough, while chemistry and biology sections were relatively straightforward. This was the general opinion among students who appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on Sunday afternoon and experts analysing the papers.

Karnataka saw 1,09,570 students register for NEET.

Milind Chippalakatti, head of academics, Deeksha Centre, said: “Chemistry and biology papers were relatively straightforward. However, in physics many questions were tricky, calculation and multi concept based. All the questions were primarily from NCERT books. Overall, it was a student-friendly paper.”

“There was also a change in pattern. For biology, botany and zoology, questions were given in different sections, physics had a section-B with optional questions added and which was a little tougher. Chemistry had a section-B with optional questions added. The standards being set were certainly higher compared to last year,” he added.

“The paper was not as easy as it was in 2020. In physics, the questions are usually formula based or concept-based. But this time, multiple concepts were included in the same questions. In nearly 6-10 questions, multiple concepts were involved, making it slightly difficult for students,” said NM Habeeb, NEET wing head of Narayana Group (India).

Many students said the exam went without any glitches. Based on reports received from about 60% of the testing centres, NTA said attendance was above 94%.

Over 75k take NEET in Gujarat

Over 75k take NEET in Gujarat

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:13.09.2021

Over 75,000 students took the NEET that was conducted on Sunday across Gujarat. According to the students, the paper was easy and this may be a high-scoring year.

The students said that the facilities were good at centres with all Covid safety protocols in place. “Social distancing was followed, with each classroom having only a few students. Masks were also provided,” said Dhruv Darji, an aspirant.

The paper level was moderate, said students, with easy chemistry and concept-based botany sections. The physics section focused primarily on direct formulas, they added. “Overall, the cut-off is expected to be high, given the level of the paper,” said Navya Shukla, a student.

The examination was delayed by at least four months. In Gujarat, the centres were at Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Patan, Gandhinagar, Godhra and Bhavnagar among others. The exam was conducted in Gujarati, Hindi and English languages.

The students said that the facilities were good at centres with all Covid safety protocols in place

EPS blames DMK govt for NEET aspirant’s suicide

EPS blames DMK govt for NEET aspirant’s suicide

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Salem:13.09.2021 

Leader of the opposition and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday slammed the DMK-led state government for not taking steps to abolish the NEET examination in Tamil Nadu and blamed the government for the young NEET aspirant’s suicide. “Only because of Stalin's false promises, now, the family lost Dhanush,” he said.

Palaniswami in his statement on Sunday stated that Stalin had won the assembly election by giving the false assurance of placing his first signature to abolish the NEET examination in the state.

When questioning the steps for abolishing the examination in the assembly in June, the chief minister did not give a straight answer. “Stalin stated that steps would be taken based on the retired Justice A K Rajan committee’s recommendation,” Palaniswami said.

A petition was filed with the Madras high court that the Rajan’s committee was against the apex court’s guidelines. When answering to that case, the state government said in the high court that the committee would inquire about the NEET examination’s impact. The state government also said the committee was not formed against the apex court’s guidelines. The high court dismissed the petition after hearing the state government’s reply.

Stalin in his media statement stated that a bill would be passed in the assembly on Monday in connection with the NEET examination abolition. He conveyed his condolences to the family members for losing Dhanush and appealed to students not to take such an extreme decision out of fear for the NEET examination.

PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss appealed to the student community not to take such an extreme decision as suicide is not a solution. Head of the Tamil Manila Congress GK Vasan too expressed his grief to the family.

A service organisation founded by DMK MLA Dr Ezhilan Naganathan has moved the Madras high court seeking to get higher education transferred from concurrent to state list so as to do away with NEET and the new education policy. The PIL is likely to be taken up for hearing by the first bench.

State health minister Ma Subramaniam, who was in Tirunelveli, said the state government was making all attempts to get NEET exemption, legally and politically. "The state government will safeguard the doctor-dream of students, as promised in the DMK’s election manifesto," he said.

MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin visited Koolaiyur village on Sunday and handed over a cheque of ₹10 lakh to Dhanush’s family.

Former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami too visited the village and consoled the family members.

TRAGIC END: Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday handed over a cheque for ₹10 lakh to Dhanush’s family at Koolaiyur in Salem district

CITYLIGHTS

CITYLIGHTS

13.09.2021

From the mouth of babes

Keeping junk food away from children can be a tough task. While I was munching a packet of potato chips, the little one asked if she could have just one. After a quick thought, I showed her a couple of words on the packet, saying, "It is written, 'This is not for children'. That means no." It slipped my mind that she has begun reading and learning new words. She immediately said, “There is no N-O-T (spelling the word), there is no T-H-I-S and no I-S. Is there a spelling mistake on the packet?" Her disapproving nod told the rest, and I was left speechless! — Shanmughasundaram J

Translation woes

A transportation activist from Chennai who filed an RTI application for details on action taken against fake driving licences in Chennai Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) misunderstood a response and created confusion among reporters. One RTO, replying in English, said in the response that 1,000-odd ‘duplicate’ licences were issued. The activist thought ‘duplicate’ was the same as ‘fake’ and issued a press release to all media houses saying RTOs were issuing thousands of fake licences every year. While many reporters did not carry the news report, a few social media and TV channels carried it. The RTO had to send out explanations to his seniors — Ram Sundaram

Seating problems

Visitors to a recent function at Kalaivanar Arangam had a tough time as many plastic chairs collapsed on the slippery floor tiles. The organisers stacked one chair against the other to ensure stability, but a middle aged man pulled out a chair and sat before others could warn him. As he was speaking to a friend seated next to him, his chair gave way and he fell. As one organiser rushed in to help, people said it was the fifth or sixth such incident — Raghu Raman

Courtroom quips

A lawyer was arguing an appeal in a commercial litigation before the first bench of Madras HC headed by the Chief Justice.

Advocate: My lords, 7/11 provides for...

CJ: Please don’t mention it as 7/11 as it reminds me of the grocery store.

Advocate: Sorry, my lord. Under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code... By the way, the grocery brand is out of the country now, my lord.

In another courtroom exchange

Advocate: My lords, I hope I can build a bridge over the troubled waters through my arguments and it would end like 'The Bridge On The River Kwai'.

CJ: That wasn't a very happy ending.

Advocate: Sorry, my lord. I was about to say that it doesn't end like like 'The Bridge On The River Kwai' — Sureshkumar

Ex-revenue officials jailed for 4 years

Ex-revenue officials jailed for 4 years

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.09.2021

A former deputy tahsildar and his subordinate were found guilty of graft charges by a special court in Chengelpet district. The two of them were sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment by the special court after it held that the prosecution proved all charges against them. The revenue official had demanded a bribe of Rs5,000 from a person for carrying out his duty and the subordinate had received the amount on the official's instruction.

The accused officials J Selvam and M Kuppusamy were working as deputy tahsildar and record clerk at Taluk officer in Uthiramerur between January 2012 and January 2013.

According to the prosecution, in the second week of December 2012, a person had approached Selvam to issue Adangal -- a type of revenue record which contains details of land, area, ownership, liabilities and other details -- for which the revenue official had demanded a bribe other than the legal remuneration.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the vigilance and anti-corruption police in Kancheepuram who laid a trap and caught the clerk while collecting the chemical-soaked currency notes meant for the deputy tahsildar.

Unending queues at suburban rly stns as many counters shut

Unending queues at suburban rly stns as many counters shut

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.09.2021

Suburban commuters suffer long queues to buy tickets as most of the counters are still closed, although the railways have allowed people to travel by trains. Railways have also not made additional counters for people to avoid crowding while buying suburban tickets.

People have to wait for close to15 minutes at Tambaram to buy tickets during non-peak hours on weekdays. There is also a delay because railways accept only cash and are yet to offer digital options like in metro trains. This is forcing people to crowd ignoring Covid protocols. The situation is the same on the three suburban routes.

Karthik N, a commuter, said "Only a few counters are open, and no Covid protocols are being followed. All the ticketing counters are not open, although there is a crowd even in non-peak hours. The counters accept only cash. This is also making it slow."

He said, "It took me15 minutes to buy tickets at 10.30am on Wednesday and had to stand in a jampacked crowd and that too in a wellequipped station like Tambaram."

Similar is the situation at major stations where crowding has increased. T Sadagopan, a consumer activist, said, "Halt stations continue to have non-computerised counters where return tickets are not issued. The railways could have computerised these counters at these stations on the Tiruvallur route. There used to be separate counters for season tickets and for regular tickets. These are now issued from the same counters." The UTI app is not efficient all the time as there are restrictions to book tickets on it, he added.

K Baskar, a frequent commuter, said, "In Tiruvallur, the counter at south side of the station is not operated during morning peak hours. It is open from 9am to 2pm. A large number of people come into the station from this entry. It has to be open from 6am."

Villagers around Tambaram upset with new order

Villagers around Tambaram upset with new order

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.09.2021

The state government’s decision formally announcing the formation of Tambaram corporation by merging five municipalities and an equal number of town panchayats has found many takers.

However, several residents from15 village panchayats in the area are a disappointed lot as the government has not formally included their villages in the new corporation limits. The government order mentions that their inclusion would be done at a later stage.

Residents in these village panchayats said the decision to postpone their inclusion is a needless delay. This is so because despite being just a few kilometres from corporation limits, facilities in these village panchayats are several years behind those in the city. A Sathik of Medavakkam village panchayat said that the decision was a setback, as they had been waiting for 10 years for the new corporation.

J Shankar of Kovilambakkam village panchayat said there are some indications that the merger of village panchayats will be announced later. “But if elections are held to the village panchayats, then it is as good as postponing the merger by another five years,” he said.

A Varadhan of Moovarasampet village panchayat said they live just near the airport, but have only one official to handle their grievances and issues, which is not enough.

According to the new order, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Pammal, Sembakkam and Anakaputhur are the municipalites to be merged in the new corporation, while Chitalapakkam, Madambakkam, Perungalathur, Peerkankarai and Tiruneermalai are the town panchayats which will be merged.

The government order states that the revenue potential is increasing from these areas are increasing, while facilities like schools and colleges have also come up, which has necessitated the formation of a new corporation.

The projected population of the new corporation will be 9.6 lakh, up from 7.2 lakh in 2011

Gym owner, 47, writes NEET to coach daughter

Gym owner, 47, writes NEET to coach daughter

A Ragu Raman & A Prathap TNN

Chennai:13.09.2021

Parents choose different methods to help their children crack competitive exams, but K Mohan went a step ahead on Sunday. The 47-year-old gym owner from Vadapalani appeared for NEET at an Anna Nagar centre not because he wants to become a doctor, but because he wants to help his daughter turn one.

When he entered the examination centre, the police personnel and invigilation staff thought he was a parent, but allowed him in after double checking the hall ticket. “I was nervous thinking whether familiar questions would appear. When I entered, young students looked at me differently. But, I was focused on the exam," he told TOI.

Mohan, who is also customs consultant for those in the export-import business, has an MA and a law degree, but doesn’t practise. He completed his Class XII three decades ago and wanted to join medicine but couldn’t. “I got the interest when I was helping my sister’s daughter prepare last year. After learning that there is no age limit for professional courses, I decided to give it a try to help my daughter’s preparation and slogged for six months,” he said.

The physics questions were tough, but those in chemistry and biology were relatively easy, he said. “I am expecting more than 550 out of 720. As of now, I am not planning to join the medicine course.”

The other family members did not welcome the idea, but his daughter and son were supportive and helped in the preparations, said Mohan, adding that he used his niece’s coaching material.

According to the National Testing Agency’s information bulletin for NEET 2021, the upper age is 25 years as on the date of examination with a relaxation of five years for those in to the SC/ST/OBC-NC category and PwBD candidates.

However, the Supreme Court, hearing petitions challenging the age limit, provisionally allowed candidates who are above 25 years in its interim order and said it is subject to the final outcome of the case. So, the NTA provisionally allowed candidates above 25 years to appear.

AGE NO BAR: K Mohan at the entrance of his test centre on Sunday

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.