Medical edu principal secy asked to appear before court

Medical edu principal secy asked to appear before court

Bengaluru:28.10.2021

The high court has directed the principal secretary of the medical education department to appear before it regarding the delay in operationalising the Institute of Gastroenterology and Organ Transplant on Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute premises.

The division bench called the delay “deliberate” and gave the direction while hearing a contempt petition by MN Umesh, a Bengaluru advocate. During the hearing, the court was told that although the institute was made functional on July 5, 2021, it cannot be made operational unless a sanitisation exercise is done that requires at least two months.

“We fail to appreciate as to why the institute was not sanitised till date and why they are waiting for the court to allow them time to sanitise the institute. The conduct of the authorities concerned is highly deprecated,” the bench said. TNN

3% DA hike for state govt staff, pensioners

3% DA hike for state govt staff, pensioners

28.10.2021

The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced it has increased the dearness allowance of its employees and pensioners from 21.5% to 24.5% with effect from July 1 this year. TNN

Court notice over medico’s papers

Court notice over medico’s papers

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:28.10.2021

A division bench of the Gujarat high court on Wednesday issued notice to the state government over an appeal filed by an MBBS student and his father seeking directions to GMERS, Himmatnagar to supply documents including the internship certificate.

Petitioners – Rajesh Patel and his son Neil – have filed the appeal after they were not satisfied with the single-judge bench’s order, by which the HC had ordered the college management to return the original documents including mark sheets, which were retained by the college on the ground that Neil had not paid Rs 2 lakh bond or served in rural areas.

On the other hand, the petitioners have been claiming that the student had never submitted the bond and he was not bound to discharge any obligation to this effect.

While ordering the college management to return all original documents to the student, the single-judge bench also paved way for the college to recover the bond amount of Rs 2 lakh from the student, who is eager to get the internship certificate so that he could pursue further studies in the US.

As the issue involves payment of bond amount to which the petitioners show resistance, the bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Mauna Bhatt made it clear, “You are a doctor who has studied in a government medical college through a quota seat.

This court has consistently taken the view that MBBS doctor, who got admitted to the said courses are bound by duty to serve in rural areas.” The court refused to grant any interim relief and posted further hearing beyond Diwali vacation, but permitted the petitioners to approach the court during the vacation if they feel it is necessary.

27 PG dental seats empty

27 PG dental seats empty

Ahmedabad:28.10.2021

The Admission Committee for Professional Post-Graduate Medical Education Courses conducted the mop-up round for 188 seats lying vacant for post-graduate dental courses, and filled all but 27.

“On Wednesday there were 27 empty seats with the others were taken in the mopup round,” said sources close to the development.

The admission committee this year carried out two rounds of admission. Now, it has decided to give the task of filling these seats to the institutes, sources added. TNN

Govt schoolboy from Trichy gets seat in IIT Hyderabad

Govt schoolboy from Trichy gets seat in IIT Hyderabad

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:28.10.2021

P Arun Kumar, a government school student from a hamlet near Manapparai in Trichy who had cleared JEE (advanced), has secured a seat in Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H). Son of labourers, he was allotted BTech Chemical Engineering at the online counselling held on Wednesday.

“I am extremely happy to have been allotted chemical engineering. Getting into IIT was my dream and it has come true. NIT Trichy students guided me during the counselling,”

Arun Kumar told TOI. He secured the IIT-H seat under OBCNCL category in which he secured a rank of 2,503. Sounding confident that he can manage campus life without facing any language barriers, Arun Kumar, a student of Sevalpatty government higher secondary school, said he was keen to enrol in IIT-Madras. “If there are unallotted seats in IITMadras and If I get a chance, I will opt for the institute irrespective of the course available,” he said.

Amid odds, the boy underwent coaching from 2019 under IGNITTE, the teaching club of NIT-Trichy that helps economically backward and government school students. While the club has helped rural students get into NITs, this is the first time a government school student coached by it secured IIT admission. After TOI reported his achievement on October 23, many reached out to him including the district administration and management of SASTRA University, Thanjavur.

Air fares to Singapore, Malaysia remain pricey

Air fares to Singapore, Malaysia remain pricey

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.10.2021

Air fares from Chennai to Singapore and Malaysia are several-fold higher than pre-Covid rates at a time when the travel sector is inching back to normalcy.

The two countries relaxed norms recently so that people who have permanent residency permits, workers and others can start travelling.

One-way fare on direct flights is ₹25,000 to ₹27,000 to Singapore while it is ₹26,000 to Kuala Lumpur for travel in November. The fare is higher for travelling via Colombo or Dubai but many are not travelling via transit hubs because of ever-changing restrictions.

The fare is high because the government is yet to permit more flights on the route and continues to run 'air bubble' flights operated by Air India Express or Air India.

Airport sources said that foreign carriers, which used to have one or two flights per day from Chennai in the pre-Covid-19 days, are unlikely to resume flights till end of December unless the government fully allows scheduled services.

Fewer flights and high fares have troubled those who are flying on business, jobs and on permanent residency visas and those who have a second home.

Travel and tour operators are hoping that Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand will soon permit leisure travellers. Singapore has allowed transit passengers but people are not able to use it because there is only one flight from Chennai.

S Baskar from Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) said fares would reduce only if commercial flights resume operations.

Some travel agents expect southeast Asian countries to allow leisure travellers by next month.

Basheer Ahmed of Chennai Metro Travels said, “There are only limited seats but people who are citizens, those with permits and those who need to return have begun buying tickets. There used to be around five to six flights per day to Singapore and three flights to Kuala Lumpur in the pre-Covid-19 days. Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand were the most popular leisure destinations. There is hope that leisure travellers will be allowed by mid-November.”

SC ticks off panel probing Jaya’s death27/10/2021 “How will Dr. Reddy get the documents of a U.S. hospital? What they did was out of a Robert Ludlum novel,” Mr. Sundaram said. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Tamil Nadu, which wants the Commission to finish its work and submit its report, retorted sarcastically that John Grisham would be a better choice of author. “Grisham is more straight-forward. Ludlum is better, considering the intricacies involved,” Mr. Sundaram shot back.Mr. Sundaram clarified that he was not seeking to arrest the inquiry into the circumstances leading to the former Chief Minister’s death. “Please do not stop the inquiry, but do appoint someone else with very strict guidelines. They should have a competent medical board to assist them… I am not here to thwart the inquiry,” he submitted on record.The proceedings before the CoI were stayed by the Supreme Court in April 2019 on a plea by Apollo Hospitals that the inquiry panel’s functioning was “replete with bias”. “Parties who had criticised her while she was living now express sadness after her death,” Mr. Sundaram said. He said the CoI was supposed to be a fact-finding body and not a “fault-finding body”.Justice Nazeer then asked a legal question about the hospital approaching the court at this stage. The judge said the CoI reports are usually placed before the Legislative Assembly. “Bias is a ground for me to come to court at any time of the inquiry. If my reputation is affected, anytime. There are three grounds on which I can come. They are bias, natural justice and jurisdiction... Can I have a reasonable feeling of non-bias here?” Mr. Sundaram replied.Apollo Hospitals had submitted that the Commission, instead of conducting an impartial probe, had filed a pleading alleging “criminal intent” on the part of the hospital and its doctors. Justice Nazeer asked whether the process of the CoI was adversarial or not. “Can the Commission participate as a litigant?” he asked. Mr. Sundaram replied that the process was not supposed to be adversarial.Mr. Sundaram had previously argued that the Commission was filing applications “on its own behalf before itself” alleging negligence on the part of the hospital in the treatment of Jayalalithaa. “The CoI has to only extract the facts... This Commission goes about saying how this or the other treatment could have prolonged the CM’s life — now is this a medical fact-finding body? The CoI may be proficient in law but how does the CoI give expert views on medical terms which can be hardly pronounced... I have no faith in the Commission and everything it has done has to be called off,” he said.

தந்தை பிரிந்து சென்றுவிட்டதால் தாய் பெயரை முதல் எழுத்தாக பயன்படுத்த மகளுக்கு அனுமதி: 30 நாளில் முடிவெடுக்க உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவு

தந்தை பிரிந்து சென்றுவிட்டதால் தாய் பெயரை முதல் எழுத்தாக பயன்படுத்த மகளுக்கு அனுமதி: 30 நாளில் முடிவெடுக்க உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவு

மதுரை  27.10.2021

தந்தை பிரிந்த நிலையில் தாயாரின் பெயரை மகளுக்கு முதல் எழுத்தாகப் பயன்படுத்த அனுமதி கோரிய மனு மீது 30 நாளில் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

கரூர் மாவட்டம் கடவூரைச் சேர்ந்த போதும்பொண்ணு உயர் நீதிமன்றக் கிளையில் தாக்கல் செய்த மனு:

எனது மகள் காவ்யா, கடவூர் அரசு உயர்நிலைப் பள்ளியில் 9-ம் வகுப்புப் படிக்கிறார். கணவர் 14 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் என்னை விட்டுப் பிரிந்து சென்று விட்டார். நானும், மகளும் எனது தந்தையின் பராமரிப்பில் இருக்கிறோம். மகளை பள்ளியில் சேர்த்தபோது எனதுபெயரின் முதல் எழுத்தை (இன்ஷியலாக) அவளது பெயருக்கு முன்னால் பதிவு செய்தேன். ஆதார் அட்டையிலும் எனது பெயரின் முதல் எழுத்தையே மகளின் பெயருக்கு முன் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளேன்.

இருப்பினும் எனது பெயரின் முதல் எழுத்தை ஏற்க பள்ளி நிர்வாகம் மறுத்துவிட்டது. 10-ம் வகுப்புப் பொதுத்தேர்வின்போது பிரச்சினை வரும் என்றும், அதனால் தந்தை பெயரின் முதல் எழுத்தைக் குறிப்பிடுமாறு பள்ளி நிர்வாகம் அறிவுறுத்தியது. எனவே, எனது பெயரின் முதல் எழுத்தையை மகளின் பெயருக்கு முன் பயன்படுத்த அனுமதிக்க உத்தரவிட வேண்டும் என மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டிருந்தது.

இந்த மனு நீதிபதி செந்தில்குமார் ராமமூர்த்தி முன் விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. பின்னர் நீதிபதி, மனுதாரரின் மனுவை 30 நாளில் பரிசீலித்து பள்ளிக்கல்வி இயக்குநர், கரூர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர், தேர்வுத்துறை இயக்குநர் ஆகியோர் உரிய உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்க வேண்டும் என உத்தரவிட்டார்.

உயர் கல்விக்காக வெளிநாடுகளுக்கு செல்பவர்கள் கவனத்துக்கு...

உயர் கல்விக்காக வெளிநாடுகளுக்கு செல்பவர்கள் கவனத்துக்கு...

சென்னை  27.10.2021

அகில இந்திய தொழில்நுட்பக் கல்வி குழுமம் (ஏஐசிடிஇ) வெளியிட்ட அறிவிப்பு:

வெளிநாடுகளுக்கு சென்று உயர்கல்வி பயில்பவர்கள் இளநிலை, முதுநிலை தொழில்நுட்பப் படிப்புகளில் அங்கீகாரமற்ற அல்லது இணையில்லாத பாடங்களை தேர்வு செய்து வருவதாக தகவல்கள் கிடைத்துள்ளன. இவ்வாறு அதிகம் செலவு செய்து வெளிநாடுகளில் படிக்கும் படிப்புகளுக்கு உரிய அங்கீகாரம் இல்லாததால் நம்நாட்டின் வேலைவாய்ப்புகளை அந்த மாணவர்கள் பெறுவதில் சிக்கல்கள் நிலவுகின்றன. மேலும், அதிக செலவு செய்து மாணவர்கள் கல்வி பயில்வதும் வீணாகிவிடுகிறது.

இதை கருத்தில்கொண்டு உயர்கல்வி பயில்வதற்கு வெளிநாடு செல்லும் மாணவர்கள் அதிக கவனத்துடன் படிப்புகளை தேர்வு செய்ய வேண்டும்.

வெளிநாடுகளில் கற்பிக்கப்படும் படிப்புகளுக்கு நம்நாட்டில் உள்ள வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் மற்றும் பட்ட மேற்படிப்பு படிக்க இயலுமா என்பதை சரிபார்த்த பின்னர் சேரவேண்டும். அதேபோல, பாகிஸ்தான் சென்று உயர்கல்வி படிக்க விரும்பும் மாணவர்கள் ஏஐசிடிஇ-யிடம் அதற்கான தடையில்லா சான்று கட்டாயம் பெற வேண்டும்.

இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மருத்துவர்களுக்கு எதிரான புகார்கள் 6 மாதங்களுக்குள் முடிக்க உத்தரவு

மருத்துவர்களுக்கு எதிரான புகார்கள் 6 மாதங்களுக்குள் முடிக்க உத்தரவு

Added : அக் 27, 2021 00:23

சென்னை:மருத்துவர்களுக்கு எதிரான புகார்களை, ஆறு மாதங்களுக்குள் விசாரித்து முடிவை அறிவிக்கும்படி, சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

சென்னையில் உள்ள தனியார் மருத்துவமனையில் சிகிச்சை பெற்றவர் சில நாட்களில் இறந்தார். அவரது உடல் நிலை குறித்து, மருத்துவமனை கண்காணிப்பாளர் சரியான பதில் அனுப்புவதை, சிகிச்சை அளித்த டாக்டர் பாசுமணி உறுதி செய்யவில்லை என்பதால், மருத்துவ பதிவேட்டில் இருந்து, அவரது பெயரை ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு நீக்கி மருத்துவ கவுன்சில் உத்தரவிட்டது.இதை எதிர்த்து, சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் டாக்டர் பாசுமணி மனு தாக்கல் செய்தார்.

மனுவை விசாரித்த நீதிபதி ஆர்.மகாதேவன் பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு:மருத்துவ கண்காணிப்பாளர் அளித்த தகவலை மனுதாரருக்கு வழங்கவில்லை. சாட்சியை குறுக்கு விசாரணை செய்ய, மனுதாரருக்கு சந்தர்ப்பம் அளிக்கவில்லை. கண்காணிப்பாளர் அளித்த பதில் மனுதாரருக்கு தெரியாது; இயற்கை நீதி மீறப்பட்டுள்ளது. மருத்துவ கவுன்சில் அளித்த தண்டனை நியாயமற்றது; அது, ரத்து செய்யப்படுகிறது.

மருத்துவர்களுக்கு எதிரான புகார்களை திறமையாக கையாள, சில வழிமுறைகள் பரிந்துரைக்கப்படுகிறது. இதனால், மருத்துவ போர்டுக்கு எதிராக தேவையற்ற குற்றச் சாட்டுக்கள் தவிர்க்கப்படும்.மருத்துவர்களுக்கு எதிரான புகார் வந்தால், அவரிடம் விளக்கம் கேட்டு நோட்டீஸ் அனுப்ப வேண்டும். விளக்கம் பெற்ற பின் அதை பரிசீலித்து, நிபுணர்கள் குழு விசாரணை நடத்த வேண்டும்.

குழுவில் மூன்று உறுப்பினர்கள் இடம் பெற வேண்டும். குழு வின் விசாரணைக்கு பின் விரிவான அறிக்கையை, மாநில மருத்துவ கவுன்சிலுக்கு பரிந்துரைக்க வேண்டும். அறிக்கையில் முடிவை தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும்.தவறு செய்ததாக முடிவுக்கு வந்தால், தண்டனை பற்றி முடிவெடுத்து, அதுகுறித்து தவறு செய்த மருத்துவரிடம் தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும்.

அவரிடம் குறிப்புகள் பெற்று தண்டனை விதித்து உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்க வேண்டும். மருத்துவர்களுக்கு எதிராக புகார் வந்தால், ஒட்டு மொத்தமாக ஆறு மாதங்களுக்குள் அதை முடிக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு நீதிபதி உத்தரவிட்டார்.

After Covid deaths, new med colleges mean nothing: BSP

After Covid deaths, new med colleges mean nothing: BSP

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:27.10.2021

A day after PM Narendra Modi inaugurated nine medical colleges in UP, BSP general secretary and MP Satish Chandra Mishra called it an election ploy and said those who had lost their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic due to lack of health facilities would never forget the government’s apathy.

“During the tenure of Behenji (Mayawati), human life was prioritised and important development works were done in healthcare. This included setting up of seven medical colleges, two homeopathic colleges and two paramedical colleges. Mobile medical vans were also started,” Mishra said on Tuesday. The SP and then BJP governments halted the speed of development, he alleged.

“We got to witness the result of this during the Covid-19 pandemic when people were forced to run around for medicines and other health facilities. Now when elections are nearing, these people have started inaugurating projects. However, families which lost their loved ones due to the government’s mismanagement and its insensitivity will never forget it,” he said.

Kejriwal announces free pilgrimage trip to Ayodhya

Kejriwal announces free pilgrimage trip to Ayodhya

Arshad Afzaal Khan TNN

Ayodhya:27.10.2021

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya on Tuesday and offered prayers to Ram Lalla besides visiting the Hanumangarhi temple.

After offering prayers at Ram Mandir, Kejriwal said, “I prayed to Lord Ram that all my countrymen should be happy, the corona pandemic ends and our country witnesses the best developments. I was fortunate to get the chance to bow before Ram Lalla and I wish everyone gets one.”

“In Delhi, we are running the Chief Minister’s Teerth Yatra Yojana, under which we provide free pilgrimage to the people of Delhi to Vaishno Devi, Rameshwaram, Dwarka Puri, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mathura and Vrindavan. Tomorrow morning, we will hold a special cabinet meeting in Delhi, and will include Ayodhya in the list of our free pilgrimage tour programme,” Kejriwal said.

Now the people of Delhi will be able to visit Ram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya, as well. Under this scheme, Delhiites travel by AC trains and stay in AC hotels and all the expenses are borne by the government, he added.

On being asked whether he donated for Ram temple construction, Kejriwal said, “I have also donated for Ram Mandir, but donations must always be kept secret.”

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal offers prayers at Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday

Travel between Delhi and Ayodhya at ‘bullet speed’ to be a reality soon

FUTURE READY

Travel between Delhi and Ayodhya at ‘bullet speed’ to be a reality soon

Project Along 865-Km Route Taking Shape

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:27.10.2021

Brace for bullet speed travel between Delhi and Varanasi via Ayodhya in the coming years. The train travel time, which takes around 11-12 hours at present will get reduced to 3 hours once the Delhi–Varanasi High-Speed Rail (DVHSR) project gets ready. The work has already started.

The 865-km proposed High Speed Rail, commonly known as the Bullet Train, will connect Delhi with Varanasi through 12 stations including Lucknow, Ayodhya, Mathura, Etawah, Kannauj and Prayagraj.

As per the project’s feasibility report, people will be able to travel between Delhi and Lucknow in 1 hour and 38 minutes.

While the environment impact assessment, social impact surveys and utility identification along the proposed route are likely to start soon, the instructions are to avoid any forest or wildlife sanctuaries in the route.

Besides connecting the national capital with several religious cities of Uttar Pradesh, the project is also expected to boost the real estate sector on the proposed rail route.

The project will also benefit devotees who want to travel by train to Ayodhya, about 690km from Delhi, and currently takes more than 10 hours by train or road.

The train will have a maximum speed of 350 kmph and an operation speed of 300 kmph. With a passenger capacity of 750, this train will be equipped with urgent earthquake detection and an alarm system for automatic braking.

Multi-modal station integration

As per the Prime Minister’s GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP), the project will be integrated with the national multi-modal transport connectivity all along the route.

In Delhi, for instance, interventions by means of foot overbridges (FOBs) with Metro stations, railway stations and the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT), besides station parking facilities are proposed. Similar integrations at Noida are also proposed.

At the underconstruction Jewar International Airport in Noida, the Jewar HSR station will be set up close to the airport and its integration by means of dedicated passenger walkway connection and underground roads to Metro and airport terminal buildings is proposed.

At Lucknow, the HSR station is planned on the existing VIP road, about 0.5 km away from Singarnagar Metro station with which an foot overbridges connection is proposed. The Lucknow railway station will be about 5 km away and the distance to the Lucknow Airport will be about 4.5 km.

The Lucknow-Ayodhya spur line (extension) alignment is proposed parallel to the existing railway line. The Ayodhya high-speed rail station will be about 2.5 km from the Ayodhya Airport and 10.5 km from the existing Ayodhya Railway Station.

A proposed new road below the viaduct connecting to Prayagraj-Faizabad road will be explored.

In Mathura, construction of new roads to connect Mathura and Vrindavan roads, dedicated bus facility and parking are proposed. In Agra, the extension of Agra Metro till the HSR station with parking and a dedicated bus facility will lead to a perfect integration.

In Etawah, a new Etawah HSR station is planned along the Yamuna Expressway.

The HSR station at Prayagraj will be 1 km from the existing Phaphamau railway station. Widening of roads and FOB connection between the HSR and railway station, widening of the bridge and increased regional commuter train services for integration with the existing Prayagraj railway station will also be explored.

In addition, a water-based transport mode between the HSR station and Triveni Sangam could also be explored.

In Varanasi, the proposed Banaras HSR station will be close to the existing Banaras (Manduadih) railway station.

A foot overbridge connection between the two stations, parking plazas, redevelopment of Banaras railway station, a station square, a dedicated bus facility for destinations in Varanasi and integration of the high speed rail station with the proposed Metro and Ropeway Corridors may also be explored.

KGMU student pops sleeping pills, stable

KGMU student pops sleeping pills, stable

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:27.10.2021

A final-year bachelor of dental sciences student of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) had to be hospitalised after she allegedly consumed several sleeping pills late on Monday night.

The student was rushed to the Trauma Centre by some hostelmates. Her condition is said to be stable now.

KGMU authorities remained tight-lipped over the sequence of events that led to the step by the girl.

In an official statement, university spokesperson Dr Sudhir Singh said, “The student consumed sleeping pills owing to some personal issue and she is out of danger now.”

“Her psychological evaluation is being done and parents have been informed. If required, she will be given leave for a few days to go home and relax,” he added.

HC orders probe into NEET ‘fraud’

HC orders probe into NEET ‘fraud’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kochi:27.10.2021

The high court on Tuesday directed for a probe on alleged malpractice on the optical mark recognition (OMR) sheet of a candidate who appeared for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Justice N Nagaresh ordered National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers NEET, to conduct a probe after considering a plea by Rithu Sibi of Varandarappilly in Thrissur.

It was alleged by the petitioner that the OMR sheet published along with the results two days after the NEET held on September 12 was different than the one submitted by her.

During the test, the petitioner had recorded her fingerprint and her personal details, including the name of parent, on the OMR sheet. However, the OMR sheet published in her name has the name of her parent in somebody else’s handwriting and the fingerprint doesn’t match hers, the petitioner has alleged. It is also pointed out that the roll number entered in numerals and the one in the OMR format are different.

Colleges, varsities ready vax status list of students, teachers and staff

Colleges, varsities ready vax status list of students, teachers and staff

Zeeshan Jawed@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:27.10.2021

Colleges and universities have already started making a list of how many students, faculty and other staff members have been fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or have not taken a single jab yet.

Though the government has not made vaccination mandatory for students to attend on-campus activities till now, the college and university authorities are preparing for a scenario, where only vaccinated people will be allowed to enter the institutions for classes or other works. The database of students, teachers and other staff will help the authorities identify those, who are due for the second dose or have not been vaccinated at all.

At St Xavier’s College, almost 80% students have received both the doses while the rest have received at least the first dose and will be eligible for the second dose in the coming weeks. “All our teaching and non-teaching staff have been fully vaccinated too,” said Father Dominic Savio, principal of St Xavier’s College.

At J D Birla Institute, 92% students are fully vaccinated while the rest are waiting for the second jab. “There will only be a handful of students who have not even received a single jab. Similarly, out of 123 staff on both our campuses, 113 have been fully vaccinated while nine are due for their second dose,” said Deepali Singhee, principal of the college.

The heads of various departments at Maulana Azad College have started collecting information on the status of vaccination of students. “Nearly 40% students have taken both the doses. Another 55% students have taken their first dose and will be due for their second dose soon. Similarly, both our teaching and non-teaching employees have received both the doses of the vaccine,” said Subhasis Dutta, principal.

At Lady Brabourne College, all the teaching and non-teaching staff have received both the doses. “About 60% of our students have received both the doses while 80% of the rest have received single dose,” said Siuli Sarkar, principal of Lady Brabourne College.

At St Xavier’s University over 95% students have received both doses. “Our entire teaching and non-teaching staff have received both the doses,” said Fr J Felix Raj, vice chancellor of the varsity.

Marriage used as conversion tool: UP

Marriage used as conversion tool: UP

Rajesh Kumar Pandey TNN

Prayag raj:27.10.2021

The Uttar Pradesh government has defended its anti-conversion law in its affidavit before the Allahabad high court, stating that “since marriage is being used as an instrument to convert an individual’s religion against his/her will, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 seeks to remedy the malady”.

Following a direction of the high court, the Uttar Pradesh government filed the affidavit in response to a bunch of PILs challenging the Act.

Significantly, while stressing that the community interest will always prevail over the individual interest, the Uttar Pradesh government has added that the law in challenge seeks to protect public interest and maintain public order, and safeguards the interest of the community.

Referring to the cases of a Hindu woman or a man wishing to marry a Muslim man or woman, the affidavit stated: “Even though Hindu woman wishes not to give up her faith, she will have to give up her faith in order to enter into a valid marriage and accept Islam as her faith. This will amount to forceful conversion. The position remains the same if a Hindu boy wants to marry a Muslim girl. Hindu boy will have to accept Islam.”

Canada’s first Hindu minister creates history

Tracking The Diaspora

Canada’s first Hindu minister creates history

WHILE PERSONS OF INDIAN ORIGIN WIN ACCOLADES, SOME RACIST ELEMENTS MAR THE JUBILATION

Toronto:27.10.2021

Canada’s first Hindu cabinet minister Anita Anand made history on Tuesday by becoming the country’s second-ever woman defence minister by replacing fellow Indo-Canadian Harjit Sajjan as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled his new cabinet. Sajjan will be the new minister of international affairs.

Another Indo-Canadian woman Kamal Khera, the 32-year-old MP from Brampton West, also took oath as minister for seniors, taking the number of Indo-Canadian women ministers in the Trudeau cabinet to three. The sitting Indo-Canadian woman minister Bardish Chagger, who held the ministry of diversity, inclusion and youth of Canada, has been shuffled out.

These Indo-Canadian women are among six women ministers in the new cabinet. Trudeau demoted Sajjan for failing to address the allegations of sexual misconduct in the Canadian military and rewarded Anand and Khera for their work during the pandemic. Anand has been praised for her work as procurement minister and Khera, a registered nurse, for going back to work as a health-care provider at the peak of the pandemic. A three-time MP since 2015, Khera has also served as a parliamentary secretary to the ministers of health and international trade.

Anita was born in 1967 in Nova Scotia to Indian parents, who were both medical professionals. Her mother Saroj D Ram came from Punjab and father S V Anand from Tamil Nadu. Anita, who is on leave as a professor of law at the University of Toronto, was picked up as minister of public service and procurement by Trudeau in 2019 after her election as MP from Oakville near Toronto. She assisted the Air India Inquiry Commission with extensive research. The commission investigated the bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 on June 23, 1985, that killed all 329 people on board.

Before Anand, Canada’s only woman defence minister was former Prime Minister Kim Campbell who held the portfolio for six months from January 4 to June 25 in 1993. AGENCIES

Minister of National Defence Anita Anand with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Unvaxxed staff can face jail term: Delhi govt dept

Unvaxxed staff can face jail term: Delhi govt dept

Sidhartha.Roy@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.10.2021

Ten days after nearly two lakh people employed by Delhi government were barred from working without getting at least one shot of an anti-Covid vaccine, various departments have started issuing stern orders to employees. One department “clarified” that non-compliance of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) order can attract action, including prison term of up to a year.

The DDMA had issued an order on October 8, mandating employees in departments, autonomous bodies, PSUs, local and educational bodies under the Delhi government, to at least get the first vaccine dose by October15. Unvaccinated employees were not allowed to attend office on October 16 and were told that the period of absence from duty till they get at least one dose, would be treated as “on leave”. The decision was taken in a meeting of the DDMA on September 29, 2021, aimed at ensuring 100% vaccination of all government employees, frontline workers, healthcare workers, teachers etc, who have frequent interaction with the public.

One man infects 8 in Bhopal; probe ordered

ACTIVE CASE TALLY 40

One man infects 8 in Bhopal; probe ordered

Jamal.Ayub@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:27.10.2021

A single Covid patient in Bhopal is said to have infected eight others, leading the health department to probe the role of the private hospital and patient’s relatives. It is alleged that the patient’s Covid status was reported only after four others in the family tested positive.

Overall, 11 new cases were reported in Bhopal on Tuesday, taking the active case tally to 40. Two of them needed hospitalization and the rest are in home isolation.

According to sources, last week a Govindpura resident tested positive for Covid-19 in a private hospital in Ayodhya Nagar. It is alleged that infection control protocols were breached by the patient and the hospital, and his Covid status went unreported.

The health department and district administration connected the dots on Monday when four members of the family were diagnosed with the infection. Health officials swung into action and began testing people in the locality and the family’s close contacts. On Tuesday evening, four of his neighbours also tested positive.

The contact trace count of patient zero of this cluster is now eight. Two of them are under 25 years of age, and two aged 50 and 58. Among the others are three men and a woman in their late 30s. Their condition is being monitored. Patient zero continues to be hospitalized.

₹8L income bar for EWS not over-inclusive, Centre tells SC

₹8L income bar for EWS not over-inclusive, Centre tells SC

New Delhi:27.10.2021

Facing questions from the SC over the rationality for fixing an income limit of Rs 8 lakh for EWS quota, which is the same for OBCs, the Centre said the determination cannot be a mathematical formula, suggesting the matter be left to the government, reports Amit Anand Choudhary.

Stating that the criteria was on the basis of the Sinho commission report, which had in 2010 suggested that the creamy layer benchmark for OBCs be adopted for EWS, the Centre said setting different limits on the basis of cost of living and per capita income was not feasible.

Checks to ensure only needy avail EWS benefits

Allaying the apprehension that the Rs 8 lakh limit is too high for people from the general category — which does not suffer from social and educational backwardness that are grounds for OBC reservation — and would result in over-inclusiveness, the Centre said there are other checks to ensure only needy people avail the EWS benefits in government jobs and admissions in educational institutions.

Responding to the court’s query on why the same income limit be applied across the country despite a rural-urban divide and different per capita income in different states, the government indicated that a certain subjectivity might be inevitable and said, “The determination has to be made on broad probabilities and it is impossible to achieve perfection/mathematical precision”.

“It is submitted that the principle of fixation of Rs 8 lakh as a criteria for determination of EWS as also for determination of creamy lawyer in the OBC category is rational and in keeping with Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution. The exercise conducted to determine the creamy layer for the purpose of OBC reservation would be equally applicable for determination of EWS category,” the affidavit said.

Can’t force outside students to learn Kannada, says HC

Can’t force outside students to learn Kannada, says HC

State Gets Time To Reconsider Policy For Degree Course

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:27.10.2021

Students coming from outside Karnataka cannot be compelled to learn Kannada language, be it classical or functional, the high court on Tuesday orally observed, granting time to the state government to reconsider the issue.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi adjourned the hearing to November 10 vis-a-vis a petition challenging two government orders making Kannada a compulsory subject for degree students, following a request from advocate-general Prabhuling K Navadgi.

“With the understanding that the government will reconsider the issue, we adjourn the matter,” the division bench orally said. Earlier, the advocate general said people have to learn Kannada for employment purpose and they need not learn Kannada in a classical sense and he would get more instructions in the matter.

However, the bench queried as to how the state government can compel a student coming from outside to learn Kannada and added that the state government has to reconsider the issue and the court will grant time for the same. Senior advocate SS Naganand, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, told the court that the academic year had already commenced and students will have to make a choice.

Orders take away freedom to choose language: Petitioners

Samskrita taka) Trust Bharati , Bengaluru (Karna , - and three other institutions associated with the promotion of Sanskrit language/ study have filed this petition, challenging the validity of government orders dated August 7, 2021 and September 15, 2021, saying it goes against National Education Policy.

The petitioners have sought declaration to the effect that NEP 2020 does not impose any restriction upon the student to choose any particular language as part of the curricula for higher education. According to the petitioners, it will impede the admissions and rights of minority institutions, students and especially the teachers who are at the risk of losing employment as the options of choosing a language is now restricted.

They claim 1.3 lakh students and 4,000 teachers, who were teaching Sanskrit (600 teachers), Hindi (3,000 teachers), Urdu (300 teachers) and other languages (100 teachers), are going to be affected by this move of the government.

“The said orders take away the freedom to choose a language for study and makes it mandatory for all students in Karnataka to take up Kannada as a language in degree courses offered in all streams of science, commerce and arts. There is a restriction on the freedom of speech and expression enshrined under the Constitution. Though, Article 19(2) of the Constitution enables the state to impose restrictions upon the fundamental rights, the restrictions ought to be reasonable..,” the petitioners contended.

Further, they have argued that equating those students who have not studied Kannada at any point time till plus level with those who have studied Kannada is also equally opposed to Article 14 of the Constitution.

Gujarat to get 8 medical colleges in two years

Gujarat to get 8 medical colleges in two years

Move Will Add 1,200 MBBS Seats

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:27.10.2021

Gujarat government is planning to set up eight new medical colleges in the state in the next two years. They will add 1,200 MBBS seats, representing about 21% of the total number of prevailing seats in Gujarat, said sources in the state’s health department.

Presently, there are about 30 colleges in the state with 5,508 seats for which the Admission Committee for Professional Under Graduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC) carries out the admission process. There are another 300 seats in the state under two deemed universities for which the admission is carried out at the college level. ACPUGMEC is not involved in this.

“The new medical colleges in Morbi, Godhra and Porbandar are expected to start in 2021-22. The inspection process by National Medical Commission (NMC) has been completed. The new medical colleges will add about 150 seats each,” said an official in the health department.

The state health department aims to start new medical colleges in Rajpipla, Navsari, Jam Khambhaliya, Botad and Veraval in the next academic year, he added.

State health minister Rushikesh Patel did not respond to calls and messages on his phone.

Gujarat government is working on a plan to ensure that there is one medical college in every district of the state. For this, the department will have to set up about seven additional medical colleges in districts that do not have a single college, said sources.

The proposal is in line with the Centre’s vision to have one college in every district of the country in the next 5 years.

The Centre has given nod to 157 new medical colleges in India since 2014 and has invested Rs 17,691.08 crore on these projects, the Union health ministry said recently.

On completion, nearly 16,000 under graduate medical seats would be added, it said. Of these, 6,500 seats have already been created with the functioning of 64 new medical colleges, said the government.

NMC, under the ministry of health and family welfare, is working on a plan to increase the total number of under graduate medical seats from about 82,500 to 1 lakh seats by next year , said sources. There are close to 550 medical colleges in the country offering MBBS courses of which 49% are government run and remaining are selffinanced and on public-private-partnership basis.

15.6% of global mgmt master’s degree holders are from India

15.6% of global mgmt master’s degree holders are from India

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.10.2021

Of the estimated 15 million people across the world, who are aged 20 to 34 and graduate management education (GME) master’s degree holders, 23.4 lakh (15.6%) are from India.

India is also among the top 10 countries, which include the US, China (Mainland), Brazil and UK, with the largest pool of GME master’s degree holders within this student-age population.

As per the first-ever global study of diversity in GME, conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and exclusively accessed by TOI, approximately 26% of all bachelor’s degreeholders worldwide studied in the fields of business, administration, or law.

In India, 28.5% of all bachelor’s degree-holders studied in these fields, of which the percentage of females (31.5%) in significantly higher as compared to males (24.5%). At master’s level too, these areas of studies remained more preferred choices with more than a quarter of graduates coming from business, administration, or law. The percentage of females (27%), however, is significantly lower than males (32.5%).

As per the study, India is the leader among its regional peers in the number of GME degree-holders and is also ahead in the number of students pursuing online management courses.

Full report on www.toi.in

Income cap for OBCs, EWS same, but components vary

Income cap for OBCs, EWS same, but components vary

New Delhi:27.10.2021

The ₹8-lakh income ceiling for OBC ‘creamy layer’ as well as the cap to qualify as economically weaker sections (EWS) for forward caste quotas is same on the face of it, yet different in substance by way of what sources of income are included in the calculations . But, while projecting this substantive distinction between the two caps may help the government duck the charge that “unequals are being made equals”, the BJP regime is actively working to bring them at par.

The court’s query to the Centre on how it arrived at ₹8 lakh for EWS quota has prised open a tricky debate, the primary being if gradually, a parity is being drawn between the OBC category, which has social backwardness as a parameter, and the EWS that comprises the forward communities with only poverty as criteria. TNN

HC: Open BArch counselling for JEE-pass students

HC: Open BArch counselling for JEE-pass students

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:27.10.2021

Madras high court has directed the Anna University to permit candidates who have cleared JEE (Main) also to participate in counselling for B Arch course 2021-22.

This year, candidates who have cleared the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) only were allowed to participate in the counselling.

Passing the interim order, Justice N Anand Venkatesh has made it clear that the selection would be subject to the outcome of the pleas challenging the rule.

The court passed the order while hearing two pleas seeking direction to the university and commissioner of TN engineering admissions to permit students to participate in the admission to B.Arch course based on JEE (Main) scores.

When the pleas came up for admission, the petitioner submitted that it is seen from records that till the academic year 2020-21, candidates who qualify in the aptitude test conducted by NATA as well as candidates who qualify in the aptitude test conducted by JEE were considered eligible to participate in the admissions to B.Arch in Tamil Nadu.

However, when the prospectus was issued for the academic year 2021-22, all of a sudden the NATA examination marks alone were taken into consideration for the B.Arch course, they said.

“This goes completely against the information bulletin published by the National Testing Agency, which makes it very clear that the JEE (Main) Examination Paper II is conducted for admission to B.Arch and B.Planning courses in the entire country,” they added.

Therefore, Tamil Nadu cannot wriggle out of the obligation by not permitting the students who have undergone JEE (Main) Test to participate in the admission, they said.

Taking into account that the counselling commences from October 26, the judge directed Anna University and the Commissioner of TN Engineering Admissions to permit students who have taken both NATA as well as JEE (Main) to participate in the counselling.

Govt defends ₹8 lakh income limit for EWS quota in SC

Govt defends ₹8 lakh income limit for EWS quota in SC

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.10.2021

Facing questions from the Supreme Court on the rationale for fixing income limit of ₹8 lakh for EWS (economically weaker sections) quota, which is similar to that of OBCs, the Centre said the determination cannot be a mathematical formula, and the matter be left to the government.

Stating that the income criteria was on the basis of the Maj Gen Sinho commission report which had in 2010 suggested that creamy layer benchmark for OBCs be adopted for EWS, the Centre said setting different income limits for regions on the basis of cost of living and per capita income was simply not feasible.

₹8 lakh criteria for EWS rational: Affidavit

Allaying the apprehension that ₹8 lakh limit is too high for people from general category — which does not suffer from social and educational backwardness that are grounds for OBC reservation — and would result in over-inclusiveness, the Centre said there are other checks to ensure only needy people avail of the EWS benefits in government jobs and admissions in educational institutions.

Responding to court’s query on why the same income limit be applied across the country despite a rural-urban divide and different per capita income in different states, the government indicated that a certain subjectivity might be inevitable and said, “The determination has to be made on broad probabilities and it is impossible to achieve perfection/mathematical precision”.

“It is submitted that the principle of fixation of ₹8 lakh as a criteria for determination of EWS as also for determination of creamy lawyer in the OBC category is rational and in keeping with Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution. The exercise conducted to determine the creamy layer for the purpose of OBC reservation would be equally applicable for determination of EWS category since the fundamental premise is that if a person/his family have a substantial economic standing, he/she may not require the benefits of reservation at the cost of others....In any event, the office memorandum provides further exclusionary criteria,” the affidavit said.

“To provide further check as to ensure that that only the needy get the benefit of the reservation , the office memorandum provides further exclusions which are not applicable for determination of creamy lawyer for OBCs,” the affidavit said and mentioned that a person would not be entitled to EWS quota if along with her family she owns 5 acres of agriculture land or a residential flat of 1,000 sq ft or a residential plot of 100 sq yard or 200 sq yard in notified municipalities.

Full report on www.toi.in

Covaxin: WHO wants ‘addl clarifications’

Covaxin: WHO wants ‘addl clarifications’

27.10.2021

The World Health Organisation’s technical advisory group on Tuesday sought “additional clarifications” from Bharat Biotech for its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to conduct a final “risk-benefit assessment” for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine. Hyderabadbased Bharat Biotech, which has developed Covaxin, had submitted EOI to the WHO on April 19 for the vaccine’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL). The TAG may get these clarifications by the end of this week, and aims to meet on November 3 for the final risk-benefit assessment.

Planning US visit from Nov 8? Be fully jabbed against Covid

Planning US visit from Nov 8? Be fully jabbed against Covid

Must Be Inoculated With WHO-Approved Vax & Carry Report Of Covid Test Done Within 72 Hrs Of Departure

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

27.10.2021

Come November 8 and foreign travellers who are fully vaccinated with WHO-approved jabs and have a negative Covid report from a test taken within 72 hours of departure can enter the US. For travellers from India, it means the lifting of restrictions imposed on May 4 at the height of India’s second Covid wave. The existing country-bycountry restrictions will be replaced by a consistent approach worldwide under the new international air travel policy that will be effective from November 8, the US department of state said.

For the purpose of allowing entry, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has accepted vaccines that are FDA approved or authorised and those with an emergency use listing from the WHO. So, the wait for those who got Covaxin continues. “Both US citizens and foreign nationals who are fully vaccinated should travel with proof of their vaccination status to provide to their airline prior to departure to the US. That proof of vaccination should be a paper or digital record issued by an official source and should include the traveller’s name and date of birth, as well as the vaccine product and date(s) of administration for all doses the traveller received,” the state department website said. “The entry into US by air travel of non-citizens who are non-immigrants and who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 is suspended and limited (with some exceptions),” a presidential proclamation said.

Children under 18 are excepted from the vaccination requirement for foreign national travellers. Those between the ages of 2 and 17 are required to take a pre-departure test. If travelling with a fully vaccinated adult, an unvaccinated child can test three days prior to departure. An unvaccinated child travelling alone or with unvaccinated adults, will have to test within one day of departure, the White House said in a fact sheet. Air passengers will have to certify the validity of vaccination and testing, and confirm that their contact information is complete and accurate. Falsifying any information could result in criminal penalties and/or fines.

The new system incorporates a contact tracing order to respond to Covid variants. “The order requires that airlines collect contact information for all international inbound travellers to the US – including full name, as well as a phone number, email and address at which they can be reached while staying in the US. Airlines will have to keep this information on hand and promptly turn it over to the CDC when requested,” the state department website said. Fully vaccinated air travellers will continue to be required to show documentation of a pre-departure negative viral test from a sample taken within three days of travel to the US before boarding. This condition applies to all travellers, whether US citizens, lawful permanent residents, or foreign nationals. “To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travellers – whether US citizens, LPRs, or the small number of excepted unvaccinated foreign nationals – will now need to show documentation of a negative viral test from a sample taken within one day of travel to the US,” it added.

The White House confirmed that children under 18 are exempt from the new vaccine requirements as are people with some medical issues. Those between the ages of 2 and 17 are required to take a pre-departure test

Chinese city of 4m under lockdown

China placed a city of four million people under lockdown on Tuesday, ordering them not to leave home except in emergencies, in a bid to eradicate a Covid cluster of just a few dozen cases. The fresh restrictions came as China reported 29 new domestic infections, including six in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province in the country’s northwest. The latest outbreak has been linked to the highly contagious Delta variant, with the tally hitting 198 cases since October 17. Thirty-nine have been in Lanzhou. While the rest of the world opens up and tries to find ways to live with the virus, China has maintained a zero-Covid approach. In Beijing — which reported three new cases Tuesday — access to tourist sites has been limited. Mass testing is under way in 11 provinces. AFP

FDA advisers weigh Pfizer jab for kids

An expert panel will weigh authorisation of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine for US children aged 5 to 11 on Tuesday as it prepares to vote on a recommendation for the FDA. An authorisation is an important regulatory step toward reaching about 28 million children of these ages, most of them back in school for in-person learning. The FDA need not follow the advice, but usually does. The dose for younger children would be one-third of the strength given to people 12 and older, with two shots given three weeks apart. Only a few other nations, including China, Cuba and UAE, have cleared vaccines for this age group. AP