MBBS students enrolled in Chinese varsities look for mid-year transfer to other countries

MUMBAI NEWS

MBBS students enrolled in Chinese varsities look for mid-year transfer to other countries

With little hopes of returning to their campuses anytime soon, Indian medical students enrolled in China are now looking at mid-course transfers to institutes in India and other countries. (FILE)

With little hopes of returning to their campuses anytime soon, Indian medical students enrolled in China are now looking at mid-course transfers to institutes in India and other countries. (FILE)

Published on Sep 21, 2021 12:27 AM IST

By HT Correspondent, Mumbai

With little hopes of returning to their campuses anytime soon, Indian medical students enrolled in China are now looking at mid-course transfers to institutes in India and other countries.

“If the National Medical Commission (NMC) will allow us to take a transfer to another country, then our problems will be solved. We don’t have any hope to go back to China,” a third-year medical student, on the condition of anonymity, said.

NMC is the apex body administering medical education in India. Students are writing to the commission to allow them a mid-course transfer to medical colleges outside India. However, NMC has not approved such transfers.

Dr Aruna Vanikar, president of undergraduate courses, NMC, was unavailable for a comment.

For almost 20 months, Indian medical students enrolled for courses in China have not been able to return to their campuses amid travel restrictions. Students have kicked off a new semester online at the beginning of the month.

They had returned to India last year amid a raging pandemic as their universities imposed lockdowns. Many left their belongings behind hoping to return to campuses soon. However, more than a year on, the chances of their return remain uncertain as China continues to impose a travel ban for international students. Only those from South Korea and the United States of America have been allowed to return so far.

In June, the external affairs ministry had issued a notice in favour of students in international universities, who are stuck in India due to the pandemic. The notice had asked such students to write to its overseas Indian affairs (OIA) office about difficulties in reaching their university.

“Indian students studying abroad who are stuck in India owing to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and mobility issues can send their coordinates, that is, email id and mobile number to OIA-2 division at emails: us.oia2@mea.gov.in and so1oia2@mea.gov.in,” said the notice on the official website.

Thereafter, affected students had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and facilitate the students’ return through an open letter. However, there’s been no response yet.

Meanwhile, mental stress and anxiety continues to grow among students attending lectures online.

“The MBBS course requires students to gain practical experience. For almost two years, we’ve been bereft of that. It’s starting to bother my confidence,” said a fourth-year MBBS student of Jianghan University, Wuhan, who identified herself as Neha.

UK updates its travel advisory after India’s reciprocal move

UK updates its travel advisory after India’s reciprocal move

London:3.10.2021

The UK government on Saturday updated its official advisory for its nationals travelling to India following New Delhi’s decision to impose reciprocal curbs on British visitors from Monday, and said it was in “close contact” with Indian authorities on the issue. The updated travel advisory noted an additional Covid-19 test on day eight and a 10-day mandatory quarantine for all travellers going to India from Britain from Monday.

The advisory states that all travellers, irrespective of their vaccination status, arriving in India must undertake a Covid-19 RT-PCR test on arrival at airport and on day eight after arrival, at their own cost, and undergo mandatory quarantine at home or at the destination address for 10 days. PTI

Airport waits for a Pied Piper to free terminal of cats and rats

Airport waits for a Pied Piper to free terminal of cats and rats

Tamaghna.Banerjee@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:02.10.2021

The city airport authorities are seeking professional cat and mouse catchers to get the terminal free of rodents and felines after a portion of the false ceiling and accompanying aluminium cladding fell off last Tuesday, startling an airline crew and narrowly missing a flyer.

The aluminium cladding that fell beside the entrance to a toilet in the departure terminal had also brought down a cat. An internal inquiry showed the animal was up there because of rats, which brought into focus the problem of rodents at the airport. Airport authorities have decided to hire an NGO to relocate the cats and a government pest control agency to exterminate the rats.

“The rat infestation has been a problem with the Kolkata airport. We have asked the central warehousing corporation in charge of rodent control and pest control at airports to look into the issue,” said airport director C Pattabhi.

An airport official said the rats mostly hide inside the false ceiling, electrical panels, hangars and apron areas. In January last year, a rat on a Dehradun-bound Air India plane from Kolkata had forced the airline to abort the trip at Varanasi, let out passengers and accommodate them in hotels for 24 hours as staffers looked for the rodent.

After Tuesday’s incident, Twitter was abuzz with posts on cat sighting inside the terminals. A Twitter user posted a seven-second video of a cat sitting comfortably on a bench in the airport cafeteria.

In the last year, multiple Twitter users have posted photographs of different cats roaming inside different parts of the terminal.

“I have spotted them quite often, but they are mostly harmless, sitting or quietly walking around,” said Sutirtha Basu, a frequent flyer.

“Cats come here in search of rats and leftover food. We have requested an animal welfare NGO to help us catch and relocate them,” said Pattabhi.

TOI contacted one of the animal welfare NGOs that had earlier been contacted by the Kolkata airport with a similar plea. “It’s not right to relocate a harmless animal, like a cat or a dog. The airport authorities had earlier requested us to relocate them, but we had told them we can only sterilise the animals. Following this, they didn’t contact us any more,” said Lopamudra Basu, secretary, Pashupati Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Dum Dum.

Court: Pay school fee dues by Oct 25

Court: Pay school fee dues by Oct 25

‘No Rustication, All Kids Be Allowed To Take Exams’

Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey & Subrata Chattoraj

Kolkata:02.10.2021

The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed all defaulting parents to pay their school fee arrears by October 25. Schools have been directed not to rusticate any kid for the time being and allow all of them to sit for boards, annual or mid-term exams. Parents will have the right to pay “disputed” and “undisputed” amounts separately.

The order given by the division bench of Justice I P Mukerji and Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya said the court received affidavits from schools, saying their outstanding fees added up to a substantial amount, running into crores, and that if the fees were not received it would be difficult for schools to run or pay bonus to their employees in the festive period.

The order, however, mentioned that the court had also received several contempt petitions from parents, claiming schools were not charging the amounts according to the HC order of October 13, 2020. This order stated that parents had suffered due to the pandemic and could be allowed to pay 80% of the tuition fees. But “a dispute has been raised that the bills raised by the schools and other educational institutions are not in accordance with the said order”, Friday’s order stated. Many parents had filed contempt petitions that schools were charging much more than what the court had specified and that they had paid amounts, which were the court-sanctioned amounts. Many schools had allegedly refused to accept these calculations done by parents. This led to a deadlock and schools had clubbed parents, who had paid according to this calculation, with defaulting guardians.

Friday’s order clarified that parents would have to clear the entire amount decided upon by schools by October 25, but they could segregate the fees as “undisputed” and “disputed” portions and label them accordingly during the payment. “The school authorities will be entitled to straightaway appropriate the admitted amount. They shall also receive the disputed amount, deposit the same in a separate account and keep an account,” Friday’s order said.

The court has asked each school to file an affidavit, to show the amounts they received according to Friday’s order, prepare a list of defaulting parents and the total amount due from each of them. The court will hear both sides on December 3. Meanwhile, no school could rusticate any student and would have to allow them to sit for all exams, court said.

“The direction of the court upon parents to pay fees by October 25 in the manner provided in the order will help schools to run and maintain them for the benefit of all the stakeholders,” said lawyer Sourav Bhagat, who represented Birla High School, South Point School, MP Birla Foundation, Shri Shikshayatan.

Parents’ groups also lauded the order. “Most parents are facing a stand-off with school authorities because there has been a dispute over the outstanding amount. We welcome the order. We will now see how many school managements take this order seriously,” said Sanjeev Sharma, secretary of United Parents’ Protection Forum.

Ayodhya railway station new building to be ready by Dec

Ayodhya railway station new building to be ready by Dec

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:02.10.2021

After months of delay, Indian Railways has announced that as part of the ambitious remodelling and upgradation project of Ayodhya railway station, its new two-storey building will be completed by December.

The station, being developed in two phases, is expected to cater to 1 lakh passengers per day. In the first phase, the two-storey structure on platform 1 will be able to handle 15,000 passengers on an average on regular days and 25,000 on peak days such as Dussehra, Ram Navami, Diwali, and parikrama days. After second-phase completion, the station can handle four times more passengers.

Divisional railway manager Lucknow (NR) Suresh Kumar Sapra said, “The new building to be completed by December will cater to all needs of pilgrims like dormitories, cloakrooms, sick rooms, shops, food court, circulating area, escalators, air conditioning, retiring room, LED billboards, mela shed, parking, new access road to station and others.”

“However, the 2-foot overbridge connecting the new building will be completed by March 2022,” he said.

The first phase was expected to be completed by June but the deadline was shifted to September. With the delay, the cost of construction has also increased from the initial Rs 104 crore to Rs 134 crore.

Unit at KGMU to remove pathogens from blood products

Unit at KGMU to remove pathogens from blood products

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:02.10.2021

A machine to remove pathogens from blood products will be installed in the blood transfusion and medicine department of King George’s Medical University soon.

The machine will remove a range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses such as HIV, parasites such as malaria, and white blood cells in blood products. This will reduce the risks of disease transmission and side-effects from blood transfusions.

Making this announcement on Friday at a function to mark National Voluntary Blood Donation Day, vice-chancellor Lt Gen Bipin Puri claimed that KGMU will be the first in the country to install such a machine.

“We are in talks with state authorities for installation and it will be available in four-five months,” he added.

Head of transfusion medicine department Prof Tulika Chandra said, “Patients with low immunity, blood disorders, cancer, and transplant are vulnerable to various diseases transmitted through blood transfusion. They will be benefited with the arrival of the machine.”

Meanwhile, 43 voluntary blood donors/motivators and NGOs working for blood donations were facilitated.

Governor Anandiben Patel, the chief guest, said, “Every eligible student should donate blood at least twice a year. Special camps should be organized at universities for this purpose.”

Special guest and medical education minister Suresh Khanna said, “All medical colleges will be directed to raise awareness and motivate people for blood donation.”

Law minister Brijesh Pathak said voluntary blood donation camps should be organized often.

Governor Anandiben Patel with ministers Brijesh Pathak and Suresh Khanna

Guinness record holder turns to carpentry

Guinness record holder turns to carpentry

Ramavarman T@timesgroup.com

Thrissur:02.10.2021

“Images do not matter…My family’s hunger will not end if I play flute to them,’’ says Murali Narayanan, a flautist who once set a Guinness World Record for playing flute continuously for 108 hours but now working as a carpenter to eke out a living ever since the pandemic rendered him jobless.

Curiously, it is Murali Narayanan a disciple of the flautist himself who is teaching him carpentry. Murali lives in a small house at a rehabilitation colony at Thalikulam with his aged mother, wife and three children. He had studied up to Class X, but could not continue studies as he had to look after his mother and sisters after his father died at an early age.

He had initially studied painting, and then trained in vocals as well as Nadaswaram, which he picked up under the Gurukula system by staying at the house of his teacher Engandiyur Krishnankutty Asan. Murali developed an interest in flute after he listened to sessions conducted by Nandakumar, Krishnankutty Asan’s son.

Murali set the record by playing flute for 108 hours at Thekkinkadu Maidan on December 28, 2019. The earlier record was in the name of a British woman Catherine Brook who had played for 27 hours 32 and minutes.

Murali has been a part of the dance troupes of Kalamandalam Kshemavathi and Manju Warrier. He has also conducted programmes in Germany, Estonia, Philippines and in the Gulf countries.

“I have not been able to go for any programmes in 2018, as I had to prepare for the marathon flute recital. It was scheduled to be held on August 2018, but then the floods came. In 2019 too I was jobless. The Guinness Record programme itself saddled me with a debt of Rs 15 lakh. Personally I have a debt of another Rs 10 lakh,’’ says Murali, adding that he waited long for the Covid to end. “But eventually I realised that I unless get some work, I would not be able to support my family. I was ready even to work even as a sanitation worker,’’ he says.

Murali’s friends were reluctant to take him along for taking up other jobs, considering his wide recognition.

Murali Narayanan working as a carpenter

Plea challenges maternity Act provision

Plea challenges maternity Act provision

New Delhi:02.10.2021

The Supreme Court Friday sought response from the Centre on a plea challenging the Constitutional validity of a provision of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 which states that a woman would be eligible for maternity leave who legally adopts a child below the age of three months.

A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and Krishna Murari issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Women & Child Development while seeking their responses on the PIL which said Section 5(4) of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 was discriminatory and arbitrary.

A woman who legally adopts a child below the age of three months or a commissioning mother shall be entitled to maternity benefit for a period of twelve weeks from the date the child is handed over to thesadopting mother or the commissioning mother, as the case may be. PTI

TN orders man-eater tiger to be shot dead

TN orders man-eater tiger to be shot dead

Udhagamandalam:02.10.2021

With the elusive man eater tiger killing one more person on Friday, the fourth in recent days, the Chief Conservator of Forests Sekhar Kumar Niraj issued orders to shoot it dead immediately.

After the tiger, which had killed a shepherd in an estate near Gudalur, about 80 km from here, on Friday last, the forest department started search operations to trap the feline by tranquilising it.

However, the tiger, with injuries, gave the slip to nearly 100 forest department staff and officials, including some from the Special Task Force from Kerala and two tamed elephants for the last six days.

The carnivore was found roaming in Mayfield, two km from the spot on September 29 and it killed a goat. The tiger entered Attakarai, coming under Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, some 40 km from the estate and killed an 85-year old man this afternoon, creating panic among villagers, who demanded action to trap it.

Gudalur MLA Pon Jayaseelan had also sought immediate action.

The tiger has so far killed four people, 20 cows and a goat.

Department sources said Niraj gave the order, considering the seriousness of the situation and failure to tranquilise the animal. PTI

Court: Insurer can’t stub claim of non-smokers

Court: Insurer can’t stub claim of non-smokers

‘No Proof Of Smoking Link To Patient’s Lung Cancer’

Saeed.Khan @timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:02.10.2021

A consumer court here has ordered an insurance company to reimburse the expenditure on medical treatment for lung cancer after the company refused Mediclaim on the grounds that the patient was a chain smoker and contracted cancer due to his smoking. The consumer court said there was no proof that the cancer had been caused by the patient’s smoking habit.

The case involved one Alok Kumar Banerjee from Thaltej, who underwent treatment for adenocarcinoma of the lung from Vedanta Institute of Medical Science in July 2014 and incurred a medical bill of Rs 93,297. He had medical insurance cover. But his claim was rejected by the insurer.

After Banerjee passed away, his widow, Smita Banerjee, sued the insurer in 2016 in the Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, Ahmedabad (additional), where the insurance company took the defence that Banerjee was treated in different hospitals for his illness, which had a direct nexus with his smoking habit, and that this was reflected in his case papers.

The consumer commission did not agree. It cited a higher forum’s order and said that a discharge summary itself cannot be treated as primary or conclusive evidence in the absence of any independent proof. There was no evidence in this case to show that the patient got cancer because of smoking.

The insurance company’s doctor gave a medical opinion that those who smoke have a 26 times higher risk of getting cancer. To this, the commission said that merely on the basis of this opinion it cannot be concluded that the patient got cancer due to his smoking habit. Those who do not smoke also get lung cancer and it cannot be believed that all those who smoke have lung cancer. It cannot be accepted that the complainant’s husband got cancer because of his smoking habit and the insurer had wrongly rejected the claim.

Hospital beds full of kids, health official sounds 3rd wave warning

Hospital beds full of kids, health official sounds 3rd wave warning

Siddharth Shankar Pandey

Jabalpur:02.10.2021

Paediatric experts are saying that the third Covid wave has begun, in context of children, regional director-health services, Jabalpur, Dr Sanjay Mishra said on Friday.

“Majority of the hospitals are full beyond capacity. Most of the children have pneumonia. Several child disease experts say that the third wave is already on, but, thankfully most of the patients don’t have serious ailments. All the arrangements for their treatment are being taken care of,” Dr Mishra said. Hospitals in Jabalpur — be it the paediatric ward of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College or Victoria Hospital or the district hospital — have well over 100% occupancy. There are two children per bed in many hospitals. Medical officer at Victoria Hospital, Dr Shilpi Jain said, “There is a 50% rise in OPD footfall of children, and a similar increase in the wards too. Floor beds have also been put up and appropriate treatment is being provided.”

Superintendent of NSCB Medical College, Dr R Tiwari said, “In the medicine ward, at least 70 children are admitted on 40 beds. It’s the same in other wards.” On Thursday, TOI had reported how paediatric wards across Madhya Pradesh are overwhelmed by a sudden surge in fever hospitalisations, with at least 20-25% of them suspected to be post-Covid syndrome. Even ICUs have two children per bed.

Several doctors told TOI that a significant percentage of the kids they are treating were infected with Covid-19, which went undetected because they were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, but its longterm effects are erupting now. It’s extremely difficult to diagnose this syndrome because it mimics many other more common ailments.

DNA test not must to establish inheritance right: SC

DNA test not must to establish inheritance right: SC

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:02.10.2021

In an important judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that courts cannot force DNA test on one of the siblings, who are engaged in a civil suit, for crystallising inheritance rights as it has the possibility of stigmatising a person as a “bastard” and violating his right to privacy, which is part of right to life.

Three daughters of a Himachal Pradesh couple requested a trial court, where their brother had filed a suit for a declaration that he was the sole inheritor of their parents’ properties, to subject their ‘brother’ to DNA test while claiming that he was not the biological son of their parents, which disentitled him from inheriting their parents property. The man refused to undergo a DNA test. The trial court dismissed the application saying he can’t be forced to undergo the blood test. The HC reversed the decision and asked the man to take a DNA test.

On appeal, a bench of Justices R S Reddy and Hrishikesh Roy said, “In a case like the present, the Court’s decision should be rendered only after balancing the interests of the parties, that is, the quest for truth, and the social and cultural implications involved therein. The possibility of stigmatising a person as a bastard, the ignominy that attaches to an adult who, in the mature years of his life is shown to be not the biological son of his parents may not only be a heavy cross to bear but would also intrude upon his right of privacy.”

Referring to the nine-judge bench decision in K S Puttaswamy case that had given right to privacy the status of a fundamental right being part of right to life, the bench said, “When the plaintiff is unwilling to subject himself to the DNA test, forcing him to undergo one would impinge on his personal liberty and his right to privacy.”

Writing the judgment, Justice Roy said DNA is unique to an individual (barring twins) and can be used to identify a person’s identity, trace familial linkages or even reveal sensitive health information. “Whether a person can be compelled to provide a sample for DNA in such matters can also be answered considering the test of proportionality laid down in the unanimous decision of this Court in K S Puttaswamy case, wherein the right to privacy has been declared a constitutionally protected right in India,” he said.

Referring to the dispute in hand, the Supreme Court bench said, “In such a kind of litigation, where the interest will have to be balanced and the test of eminent need is not satisfied, our considered opinion is that the protection of the right to privacy of the Plaintiff should take precedence.”

The Suprme Court said the plaintiff, without subjecting himself to a DNA test, is entitled to establish his right over the property in question, through other material evidence. “Since the plaintiff has already led evidence from his side to prove the relationship between the parties, at this stage the High Court should not have directed the plaintiff to undergo the DNA test,” it said.

Supreme Court Holds 9 Tamil Nadu Govt Officers Guilty Of Contempt Of Court For Not Implementing Orders

Supreme Court Holds 9 Tamil Nadu Govt Officers Guilty Of Contempt Of Court For Not Implementing Orders

LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK

1 Oct 2021 7:30 PM

The Supreme Court on Friday held 9 officers of the Tamil Nadu Government guilty of contempt of court for not implementing a direction to revise the seniority list of officers in the Public Works Department.

A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai held that the officers have committed civil contempt of court for not following the order passed by the Supreme Court on January 22, 2016.

The following are the officers who the Court held as contemnors (their designations at the relevant time given in brackets) :

1. M. Vijayakumar IAS (Secretary, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission).

2. S. Thinakaran( Engineer-in-Chief, WRD and Chief Engineer (General), TN PWD)

3. S. Swara IAS (Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu, P & AR Dept)

4. K. Ramamoorthy (Engineer-in-Chief(WRO) and Chief Engineer(General), TN PWD).

Also Read - The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021- Progressive But Not Far Enough

5.K. Nanthakumar IAS (Secretary, TNPSC).

6. K. Shanmugham (Chief Secretary to the Govt of Tamil Nadu).

7. Dr. K. Manivasan IAS(Principal Secretary to Govt of TN).

8. S.K Prabhakar (Secretary, PWD).

9. S. Bhaktavachalam.

In the order dated January 16, 2016, the Supreme Court, while dismissing the Government's special leave petition against a judgment of the Madras High Court, held that seniority list should be drawn on the basis of merit list of selection and not on the basis of roster point.

The contempt petitions were filed stating that the respondents published a revised seniority list breaching the principle laid down by the Supreme Court.

The respondents argued that the judgment of the High Court had no general application and was confined to individual cases. It was also argued that the doctrine of merger is not applicable to an order dismissing Special Leave Petition, and hence contempt, if any, should be agitated before the High Court and not the Supreme Court.

The bench rejected the arguments of the contemnors. It noted that the High Court had specifically declared that the judgment was not confined to individual cases. Also, the bench stated that a principle of law declared in an order dismissing a special leave petition is binding on the parties, even though the doctrine of merger is not applicable to it. In this connection, the bench referred to the precedent in Kunhayammed and Others v. State of Kerala and Another (2000) 6 SCC 359.

"In that view of the matter, the respondents were bound to follow the law laid down by this Court and determine the inter se seniority on the basis of selection by TNPSC and not on the basis of roster point", the bench noted in the order.

The Court directed the respondents to revise and publish the seniority list of the selectees, who were selected in the selection process conducted in pursuance of the notification issued by TNPSC dated 10th September 1999, strictly on the basis of the merit determined by it in the selection process and not on the basis of the roster point.This was directed to be done within a period of 12 weeks.

The Court posted the matter to January 10, 2022 for hearing the contemnors on the quantum of punishment. They were asked to be present before the Court on that day for the hearing.

Case Title : V. Senthur and another versus M. Vijayakumar IAS and others |Contempt Petition(Civil) 638/2017

Coram : Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai

Appearances : Advocate Prashant Bhushan (for petitioners); Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan(for TNSPC), Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi, V Giri and P Wilson(for respondents)

Citation : LL 2021 SC 526

Click here to read/download the judgment

Clear all patta applications in two weeks: HC

Clear all patta applications in two weeks: HC

Madurai:01.10.2021

Noting that more than six lakh patta transfer applications are pending despite earlier directions issued by it, the Madras high court has directed the state government to dispose of the pending applications within two weeks.

While disposing of a batch of petitions in October 2020, Justice D Krishnakumar took serious note of the pendency of lakhs of patta transfer applications and directed the state to dispose them before March 2021. Recently, when the case was listed before the court for reporting compliance, the commissioner of land administration and the director of survey and settlement submitted status reports that revealed 6,13,218 were pending as of September 1. TNN

Ex-min will not appear before DVAC

Ex-min will not appear before DVAC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.10.2021

Former Tamil Nadu transport minister and AIADMK leader M R Vijayabaskar will not appear before the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in connection with a disproportionate assets case, DVAC sources said.

"Vijayabaskar has sought time till the completion of the local body polls," a source said. Vijayabaskar is an accused in the disproportionate assets case registered by the DVAC. The DVAC had summoned him to appear in its Chennai office on Thursday. A case was registered against him July 21 for disporportionate assets to the tune of ₹2.68 crore. Also, he had allegedly bought ₹8 crore properties in the names of his family members.

Your ride is here! Chennai turns to carpooling to save a few rupees

Your ride is here! Chennai turns to carpooling to save a few rupees

After A Covid Lull, Leading Carpooling Apps Report A Surge In Users As Offices Reopen

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

01.10.2021

As people return to workplaces, car pooling, which turned non-existent during the lockdown, is once again rising to prominence. More than four lakh people in the city are subscribed to various carpooling apps, revealed data from top private companies in this sector.

Pre-Covid, major apps got around 15,000 bookings a day. But their service came to an abrupt halt during the lockdown. While the government began relaxing curbs, trains and buses were off the tracks and roads for a long time. Meanwhile, cab-aggregators like Ola and Uber too suspended ride-sharing options. So, office-goers who could not afford to take a cab solo or buy vehicles turned to carpooling.

With few buses, no trains and unregulated auto rickshaw services, Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) has emerged the most popular route for carpooling in Chennai. Other top areas include Guindy, Ashok Nagar, Kodambakkam and Adyar. In the suburbs, such apps are mostly used by people travelling to Ambattur and Perambur.

“With more IT companies opening up now, we expect the numbers to go up in the coming days,” said K N M Rao, founder and CEO of Quick Ride, a leading carpooling app.

These apps are very user-friendly. Any user who owns a car can offer a ride from point A to B. Other users in the vicinity get a notification and can accept the ride offer in case they too are travelling on the same route. At the end of the trip, the app generates the rate based on distance travelled.

“Carpooling definitely helps in reducing traffic congestion, pollution levels and helps save on fuel cost,” said J Sivasubramaniam from Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP).

A back-ofthe-envelope calculation shows that a car owner can save at least ₹50,000 every year should they opt for carpooling.

Besides mobile apps, there are hundreds of social media pages and WhatsApp groups where users regularly post messages on ride offers and seat availability. Most posts are put up the previous evening so interested people can confirm bookings at the earliest. Over a period of time, trends show that commuters choose the same set of co-riders with whom they feel comfortable and safe, say carpooling operators.

Naveen Pandiarajan, a Renault Nissan employee, is a part of a WhastApp group named ‘RN Carpool’. This group has been helping him and his friends, residing in and around Perumbakkam and Sembakkam, travel to their offices for nearly two years.

“We take turns driving our cars so there is no fatigue. By carpooling, we end up saving at least ₹2,000 every month,” said Naveen.

PTR faces minor hassle at airport

PTR faces minor hassle at airport

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:91.10.2021

Tamil Nadu finance minister PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan faced a minor hassle at the domestic terminal of the city airport after a CISF personnel asked him about the two laptops in his cabin bag at the security check on Thursday. The minister was to board an early morning flight from Chennai to Tuticorin.

The CISF personnel who was manning the baggage scanners raised a question about the two laptops in the bag that was placed for screening. The security personnel usually insist that all gadgets are taken out and kept in separate trays for scanning.

However, his questions gave the impression that he was insisting that two gadgets should not be in the bag. This led to a flutter and senior officers intervened to resolve the issue.

An official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said that this was a case of miscommunication as the CISF personnel wanted the minister to place the laptops and a tablet on separate trays.

“There is no rule saying that more than one laptop cannot be carried in flight. The security personnel raised a question because the gadgets were not taken out. Officials who were nearby intervened and solved the issue. The minister boarded the flight on time," he added.

Job scam: CMDA likely to terminate 18 employees

Job scam: CMDA likely to terminate 18 employees

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has decided to terminate the services of at least 18 employees who were illegally recruited and issued appointment orders just a day before the model code of conduct for TN assembly polls kicked in on February 25. The candidates did not possess either the required educational qualification or the age criterion prescribed in the notification.

Sources told TOI that notices calling upon the employees to explain why their services should not be terminated were served to them on Monday. They have been given 15 days to reply to the notice.

A chief planner of the agency who played a key role in the recruitment drive and was in charge of the administration at that time, and another administrative officer who was part of the (recruitment) drive have been charge sheeted by the CMDA for irregularities. “The two officials overlooked prescribed qualifications in appointing the 18 candidates,” a senior CMDA official told TOI.

Sixty-thousand applications were received by the CMDA for 131 junior assistant, steno-typist grade III, typist, field man and messenger job vacancies. Of the selected employees, 18 who were absorbed for Grade IV and III level postings were found ineligible even to apply for the posts.

Despite 30-yr age cap, 39-year-old was hired

Yet, they were appointed by the previous AIADMK government just a day before the commencement of the poll code. Though the employment notification mentioned 30 years as upper age limit, one person aged 39 years was recruited. Another candidate, selected as junior assistant, did not possess a degree at the time of appointment though a degree was the mandatory educational qualification for the post. A written test was conducted for positions of junior assistant, steno-typist grade III and typist, followed by physical interviews for 275 candidates who were shortlisted from out of the 44,000 applicants. About 16,000 individuals applied for 53 vacant field man and messenger posts for which interviews alone were conducted.

Children punished for arriving late to school

Perambalur: Video of students being caned goes viral, inquiry on

Children punished for arriving late to school

Published: 02nd October 2021 05:28 AM |

Screengrab of video showing headmistress Vandarkuzhali hitting students in Perambalur

By P Thiruselvam

Express News Service

PERAMBALUR: The headmistress of a government higher secondary school in Kunnam taluk has drawn the ire of many following a recent video of her beating up students for arriving late to the institution going viral. The Chief Educational Officer (CEO) has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

On Thursday morning, over 20 students, including girls, of the school in S Adudurai village turned up late for classes reportedly due to delay by government buses. Seeing this, headmistress Vandarkuzhali lined up the students and beat them up with a cane. Unable to bear the pain, some girl students are seen frowning and sobbing in a video that recorded the incident.

Following a few students informing their parents of the incident after returning home in the evening, complaints were placed with the district CEO, R Arivazhagan. Subsequently, the CEO directed Veppur District Educational Officer Kulanthairajan to hold an enquiry into the matter and to submit a report. Vandarkuzhali, teachers, students and parents are being questioned.

Authorities are also probing the matter of students having purportedly shot the viral video when they are not allowed to bring phones to school. Most of our children travel to school by government buses. These buses are late to our village. In this situation, the students were late to school as the buses were late. How can the headmistress beat them? This is against government rules. The girls were also beaten up. The district administration should take stern action against the headmistress, irate parents of the affected students said.

Mentioning that the students would have arrived earlier had they been informed kindly, the parents added such incidents only make them lose confidence in government schools, where enrolment is already low.

CEO Arivazhagan said, “I cannot take action because she is the headmistress. I learned about this and have been investigating. It has been revealed there is already another charge against her. After the final hearing, I will submit a report on the two incidents to the Joint Director of School Education. They will take action.”

More students to get free rides, but smart-bus-pass route avoided again

More students to get free rides, but smart-bus-pass route avoided again

Over five years ago, the Transport Department proposed to introduce smart cards to monitor expenses incurred in offering subsidised travel.

Published: 02nd October 2021 07:03 AM 

By Express News Service


CHENNAI: Over five years ago, the Transport Department proposed to introduce smart cards to monitor expenses incurred in offering subsidised travel. But the plan remains a non-starter, even as transport corporations are reeling under a fund crunch.

The Transport Department had in 2015-16 proposed to introduce smart bus pass cards with a barcode or QR code to prevent the misuse of travel concessions given to school and college students in government buses. The government had intended to use digital scanners to read these cards.

Monitoring of free bus passes was necessitated after the number of beneficiaries exceeded 32 lakh in 2015, when the State government extended the free-travel facility to students of community colleges, government-aided private ITIs, music colleges, and Chennai Corporation ITIs. Besides, students of private arts and science colleges, polytechnic and engineering colleges are eligible for a 50 per cent fee concession in government buses. Till 2013, free travel was only allowed for students of schools and government colleges, polytechnic institutes and ITIs.

The expenses incurred by transport corporations through free travel stood at Rs 440-450 crore per year till 2013-14, and rose to Rs 730 crore in the next few years. For 2021-22, the government earmarked Rs 1,300 crore for seven transport corporations.


During the previous regime, the then transport minister MR Vijayabhaskar repeatedly said smart cards for students would be rolled out between 2018 and 2019. But the proposal remained on paper, allegedly due to issues in finalising contractors.

With schools set to reopen for Classes 1 to 8, the Transport Department’s engineering arm — Institute of Road Transport (IRT) — recently invited bids for issuing bus pass cards to 25.21 lakh students. “These cards will be regular plastic cards without additional security features. We have started working to issue regular bus passes,” said an IRT official.

A senior MTC official said, “Only when schools reopen will we know the actual number of beneficiaries, and only then will bus passes be issued. As of now, there is no plan to issue smart cards.”

Cost of free rides continues to rise

Free travel cost transport corporations Rs 440-450 crore per year till 2013-14, and the expenses rose to Rs 730 crore in the next few years. This year, the government has earmarked Rs 1,300 crore

MP Med varsity lodges FIR against its official

CAMPUS CONTROVERSY

MP Med varsity lodges FIR against its official

...For Not Returning 911 Answersheets

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Jabalpur:02.10.2021

In a new controversy at MP Medical Sciences University the varsity had lodged a complaint with police that more than 900 answersheets that were sent to deputy registrar for signature are not being returned by her. The deputy registrar has also threatened to move the state women commission.

In-charge vice-chancellor of Madhya Pradesh Medical Sciences University, Dr Prabhat Budholiya said, “Answer sheets were sent to the deputy registrar Dr Puja Sharma for her signature, but she had not returned 911 copies. A notice was issued to her for returning the answersheets, in which it was said that if she fails to return the answersheets by September 16, then an FIR will be lodged against her. In her reply to the notice, she said she doesn’t have any answersheets. We have made a formal complaint with Garha police station in this regard on September 28.”

Garha police station incharge, Rakesh Tiwari said, “A written complaint has been made by university management. It is being investigated. Police have issued a notice to the university and asked it to provide some documents. Apart from it notice has been issued to both the parties for registering their statements.”

Deputy registrar, Dr Puja Sharma said, “The university management had issued notice asking me for returning the answersheets of paramedical students. The management was provided the receipt and receiving letter related to submission of these answersheets that were already submitted. The management is now asking me to return the answersheets of nursing students, which were not given to me.”

“I was a member of the committee that was constituted for probing into the scams related to illegal appointments and I am being harassed for that. As per norms, there should have been an departmental enquiry, but a complaint was made against me to the police,” she said.

Tit for tat: India to impose 10-day quarantine for Brits

Tit for tat: India to impose 10-day quarantine for Brits

In Addition, 3 RT-PCR Tests Required

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:02.10.2021

In what marks a definite dip in India-UK ties, the government has decided to impose “reciprocal” quarantine conditions on British nationals after the UK refused to reconsider treating fully vaccinated Indians as unvaccinated, due to issues about the Indian certification process.

Government sources said the ministry of health and family welfare will issue new regulations that will be applicable to all UK nationals arriving in India, regardless of their vaccination status. This comes in the wake of UK’s intransigence despite discussions on technical issues and the British high commissioner to India claiming that there were no issues or doubts over either country’s vaccine certification process.

The Indian decision will include pre-departure Covid-19 RT-PCR test within 72 hours before travel, Covid-19 RT-PCR test on arrival at airport, Covid-19 RT-PCR test on Day 8 after arrival and mandatory quarantine at home or in the destination address for 10 days after arrival in India.

UK nationals already have to undergo screening when they arrive in India. The existing rules were put in place since the UK’s own surge in December. These include seven days in home quarantine and an RT-PCR test on arrival.

The new regulations will mirror the UK’s own, which increased quarantine to 10 days and two RT-PCR tests, one at arrival and one on Day 8. The difference is the added test in India. The new regulations are a step-up. The turbulence comes after the new UK rules generated a sharp backlash in India.

Address the aged as ‘elderly’ instead of ‘older persons’: Naidu

Address the aged as ‘elderly’ instead of ‘older persons’: Naidu

New Delhi:02.10.2021

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday urged people to address the aged as “elderly” instead of “older persons” and said society needs to be sensitised towards the challenges faced by them.

“In principle, I do not like to address them as ‘older persons’ but prefer to call them as elderly. I would urge everyone to address aged people as elderly and not as older persons. This is also in line with our culture and traditions,” he told a gathering at the ‘Vayo Naman’ programme in the honour of senior citizens on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons.

The various strata of the society need to be sensitised towards the challenges faced by the elderly as the problems relating to old age are not experienced nor fully comprehended by others and media and NGOs should take up sensitization drives to educate people in this regard, he said. PTI

Neet-aspirants-challenge-mha-notification-treating-ocis-at-par-with-nris-for-admissionN

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The Supreme Court on Thursday passed an interim order allowing Overseas Citizens of India(OCI) candidates to participate for the NEET-UG counselling i

 The Supreme Court on Thursday passed an interim order allowing Overseas Citizens of India(OCI) candidates to participate for the NEET-UG counselling i

https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/neet-ug-supreme-court-permits-oci-candidates-to-appear-counselling-in-general-category-2020-21-nri-182782

NEET: OCI candidates can appear in general category

NEET: OCI candidates can appear in general category

Court says they need not be treated on a par with NRIs

01/10/2021

Krishnadas RajagopalNew Delhi

The Supreme Court on Thursday permitted Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) candidates to participate in the NEET-UG 2021 counselling in the general category.

A Bench of Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari was hearing a challenge to a March 4, 2021 notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs directing OCI candidates to be treated on a par with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for the purpose of NEET. This would mean that successful OCI candidates would have to pay the higher fee paid by NRIs for medical seats in India.

An NRI is an Indian citizen residing abroad. An OCI is a foreign national of Indian origin who is registered as an OCI cardholder under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act.

‘Seats taken away’

The government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, justified the notification, saying OCIs were “foreigners” who had pledged allegiance to a foreign state. Allowing them to participate in the general category meant taking a chunk of the seats away from young Indian citizens who aspired to study medicine and work as doctors in India. Ms. Bhati said there was a very high possibility that OCIs would use the scarce medical education resources in India and then return to their countries with their degrees.

The court, while appreciating the point made by Ms. Bhati, said the sudden implementation of the March 4 notification, starting with the current academic year itself, was arbitrary.

“We are of the view that at least for the current academic year 2021-2022, the petitioners are entitled to be considered eligible for all the medical seats which the OCIs were eligible for before the issuance of the impugned notification dated March 4, 2021. Therefore, we direct the National Testing Agency to declare the result of the examination taken by the petitioners (NEET-UG 2021) and the eligible petitioners are permitted to appear for the counselling in the general category,” the court directed in its order.

The court, on Ms. Bhati’s insistence, clarified that the order allowing the OCIs to compete in the general category was confined to the 2021-2022 academic year alone. During the hearing, Ms. Bhati said OCIs had voluntarily taken up the citizenship of another country.

Justice Murari observed that the government recognised these people as OCIs and gave them rights. It was now not right on the government’s part to take it away from them all of a sudden.

Justice Nazeer said the country was known for its spirit of inclusiveness. Besides, the number of OCIs who had participated in NEET, around 400, was miniscule.

More time to renew FCRA registration

More time to renew FCRA registration

NGOs can do so till December 31, 2021

01/10/2021

Special Correspondent New Delhi

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the deadline till December 31 for NGOs to apply for renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration certificates.

The registration is mandatory for associations and NGOs to receive foreign funds. The Ministry had earlier given a relief up to September 30 to NGOs whose registration was expiring between September 29, 2020 and September 30, 2021. The latest order says the deadline for NGOs certificates or registration expiring between September 29, 2020 and December 31, 2021 could apply for renewal till December 31, 2021.

The certificates of around 80% of NGOs are expected to expire on October 31 and as per norms they have to apply at least six months before the expiry of registration.

Registered NGOs can receive foreign contribution for five purposes — social, educational, religious, economic and cultural.

The FCRA registration is renewed every five years. The NGOs also have to compulsorily open an account with the SBI in Delhi to receive funds.

Coimbatore: Four students arrested for ragging, nine others on run

Coimbatore: Four students arrested for ragging, nine others on run

Four students of a private nursing college in Coimbatore have been arrested and nine others booked for allegedly ragging and assaulting a junior.

Published: 01st October 2021 05:39 AM | Last Updated: 01st October 2021 05:39 AM

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Four students of a private nursing college in Coimbatore have been arrested and nine others booked for allegedly ragging and assaulting a junior. According to the police, the victim, a 20-year-old from Panmana in Kollam in Kerala, who has completed his first-year BSc in computer technology in the Allied Health Science department, returned to the hostel on September 20.

On Monday, when he was in his hostel room, a group of senior students, all from Kerala, staying in the hostel ragged him and assaulted him as he was unable to pronounce their names. The seniors also warned him not to go out of the hostel premises. The police further said that though the student reported the incident to the college management, no action was taken against the seniors.

He approached the Saravanampatti Police on Wednesday and lodged a complaint against 13 senior students aged between 20 and 25. A case was registered under Sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly) and 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC and Sections 3 (Prohibition of ragging) and 4 (Penalty for ragging) of The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act.

Sources said the arrested were released on bail and the Saravanampatti police have formed a team to locate the remaining nine students. When contacted, the college principal denied the allegations and said they were informed about the issue only on Thursday.

PTR stopped at Chennai airport by CISF staff for carrying two laptops

PTR stopped at Chennai airport by CISF staff for carrying two laptops

The Finance Minister who was bound for Thoothkudi, gave his bag for scanning at the domestic terminal.

Published: 01st October 2021 05:36 AM | Last Updated: 01st October 2021 05:36 AM

Palanivel Thiaga Rajan

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: An argument broke out between Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the airport on Thursday morning after the minister was stopped for carrying two laptops.

The Finance Minister who was bound for Thoothkudi, gave his bag for scanning at the domestic terminal. The CISF personnel found the bag had two laptops and said passengers cannot carry two laptops. The minister in reply told the CISF personnel that there was no rule restricting passengers from carrying two laptops.

According to Chennai Airport spokesman, “The issue was due to a communication gap and it was resolved immediately. The officials later apologised to the Finance Minister.”

NEET-UG : Supreme Court Permits OCI Candidates To Appear For Counselling In General Category For 2021-22; Says 'They Are Indian Origin; Not Outsiders'

NEET-UG : Supreme Court Permits OCI Candidates To Appear For Counselling In General Category For 2021-22; Says 'They Are Indian Origin; Not Outsiders'

https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/neet-ug-supreme-court-permits-oci-candidates-to-appear-counselling-in-general-category-2020-21-nri-182782