AirAsia India offers base fare at Rs 99 for domestic travel

Press Trust of India, Mumbai, Nov 12 2017, 15:48 IST


The discounted ticket sale offers covers domestic destinations operated by AirAsia India such Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, New Delhi, Goa, among others, it said.

The Malaysian Budget carrier AirAsia today announced a discount sale, offering passengers one-way base fare at Rs 99 for a domestic journey across its Indian JV airline network and Rs 444 for international flights under a limited period offer.

However, the travel period under the offer, for which the bookings commence tonight, will be between May next year and January 2019, as per an airline statement today.

"Enjoy (base) fares from as low as Rs 99 to domestic destinations and (base) fares of Rs 444 for international destinations," the airline said.

In addition, for the customers planning an international trip to Johor Bahru from Kolkata; AirAsia Berhad will be offering zero base for seats in this segment, it said adding guests will only need to pay taxes for their flight.

Significantly, a major chunk of the air fares comprises fuel surcharge, airport fee, taxes and other charges.

"With base fares from as low as Rs 99 for travel next year, you can make use of this promo...We hope the partnerships that we have got into for this promotion will enable you to plan your holiday better," AirAsia India managing director and chief executive officer Amar Abrol was quoted as saying in the release.

AirAsia India is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons and AirAsia.

The tickets under the sale offer will remain open for bookings from 2130 hours today to November 19, through the airline's website and mobile app only, AirAsia India said.

The discounted ticket sale offers covers domestic destinations operated by AirAsia India such Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, New Delhi, Goa, among others, it said.

The international destinations the sale offer is for flights to Kuala Lumpur from Tiruchirappalli, Kochi, Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur and to Bali from Mumbai & Kolkata, Bangkok from Jaipur, Kolkata, Kochi, Chennai and Bengaluru, the statement said.

Besides, the offer can also be availed for flights connected by AirAsia Berhad, AirAsia X Berhad, Indonesia AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia, according to the statement.

Under the year end sale scheme, AirAsia has also tied up with mobile wallet major MobiKwik, which will offer up to Rs 1000 discount on flight bookings, as well as Treebo hotels, which will offer a flat 25 per cent discount to AirAsia travellers availing sale offer tickets, the airline said.

Madras varsity exam scam: How the cheats operated

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

PublishedNov 13, 2017, 1:56 am IST


The gang was splendidly organised using courier services to coordinate answer sheets.

University of Madras

Chennai: It has come to light that the examination system of Institute of Distance education (IDE) in University of Madras was systematically hacked by the nexus between the agents and study centers.

A leakage in the system of monitoring unused blank answer scripts was exploited by unscrupulous elements.

A student who affected in the racket said the agents used the couriers for their operations including receiving the blank answer sheets and the filled in answer sheets.

“They operated from outside the city. We were asked to assemble at a particular point after the exam and given blank answer sheets. They will give one or two days time to fill the answer scripts. After that they would send the sheets back to the study centers from outside the state using couriers,” they added.

“From sourcing the blank answer scripts and collecting the filled in answer sheets everything was well coordinated by the agents and study centers. In the digital era, they used couriers to outsmart our exam system,” a source privy to the investigations said.

The agents send the questions in WhatsApp on the day of exams. “If they managed to get around 400 students per year, they would make around Rs 6 to Rs 12 crores,” they pointed out. It is estimated that the scam was being run for at least last 10 years.

Sometimes the study centers which arrange for imposters would send two answer scripts – one that was written by the imposter and another one that of the filled answer scripts – for one candidate.”They even mess the answer scripts by not replacing the fake answer scripts,” they revealed.

Some professors blamed the university for negligence. “Because of financial constraints, the university did not send inspection squads to outside the state.

The agents and study centers exploited it to create a fake presence of the candidates during the exams,” they said. “No surprise squads are the main reason for the scam went unnoticed for severalyears,” they added. The VC has proactively ordered the inquiry and trying to plug the loopholes in the system.
How did the agents get hold of blank answer scripts? The study centers should have sent the unused blank answer scripts to the agents or they should have sourced it from within the university. Further inquiry is expected to reveal how the blank answer scripts are acquired and also if there are any moles within the university.

How the racket was operated?

Step 1: Agent identifies the vulnerable students who struggle to finish their courses when they visit university for paying the exam fee or other issues

Step 2 : He would tell the students that he can help them pass exams. The students who take the bait contact the agents at designated meeting points. In most of the cases, the agents claim that they were from university and show fake ID cards or credentials

Step 3 : After the initial negotiations they would agree for Rs 15,000 per paper. They would give instructions on which exam center to apply, preferably from outside the state

Step 4 : On the day of an exam, students receive question paper. Immediately they will be asked to meet again and given blank answer sheets. Either the student can write the exam at home or they can hire someone to fill the answer scripts for them for extra money.

Step 5: After collecting the answer scripts from the students, agents will courier those answer scripts to study centers from which they are supposed to write exam.

Step 6: Study centers which created the fake records as if the students physically appeared for the exam, will replace the dummy answer scripts with filled in answer scripts. Those answer scripts will be sent to university along with other regular answer sheets for evaluation

Is it the case of negligence?

There is negligence on part of the university as well. They did not maintain the proper account for unused answer scripts. Because of financial constraints, the university did not send examination squads to study centers from outside the state. No surprise squads are the main reason for the scam went unnoticed for several years - sources said

Distance Education cheats: University of Madras unearths major exam scam

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN
PublishedNov 13, 2017, 1:41 am IST


An inquiry by the university has revealed that students were given blank answer sheets by agents to write answers.

University of Madras

Chennai: Uncovering a major exam scam at the Institute of Distance Education, the University of Madras has withheld the results of over 500 candidates from Tamil Nadu who wrote exams from the centres outside the state.

An inquiry by the university has revealed that students were given blank answer sheets by agents to write answers. To clear the exam they fixed Rs 15,000 per paper. Some touts who had joined hands with study centres from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Mysore and Mallapam in Kerala had been running this racket for several years. But for some complaints from disgruntled students the scam would not have come out.

A few months ago the university had received unanimous letters levelling allegations that candidates from Chennai were writing exams in Mumbai to clear their arrears. The letters also alleged that candidates were paying money to agents and that some staff members were also involved in the racket.

Following the letters, officials from Controller of Examinations verified the answer sheets of December 2016 exam. “Why candidates from Chennai or Tiruvallur have to go to all the way to Mumbai to write their exams?” was a troubling question that prompted the officials to start a full-fledged inquiry.

Some answer sheets had extraordinarily beautiful handwriting with no errors. This raised suspicion.

“We found same handwriting in many papers. One candidate had over 10 different handwritings for his arrear papers”, a source said adding that it strengthened suspicion.

Many of these candidates who had bulk arrears had cleared almost all the papers in one go. “Some candidates who had more than 15 arrears cleared 14 or 15 papers at one go, which is very difficult for even regular students”, the source disclosed.

Following the investigation, the Controller of Examinations had withheld the results of 500 candidates from Chennai and adjoining districts.

In connection with the scam, the university officials also caught an ex-temporary staff in IDE premises from whom they recovered register numbers and contact numbers of students.

Sources in the university said, after conducting enquiry with the students, the COE has released results of 50 candidates who gave credible reasons for writing exam in outside the state.

Madras University Vice-Chancellor S. Duraisamy, who took charge in May, formed an inquiry committee immediately after the matter was brought to his knowledge. “I have taken serious action and constituted an inquiry committee.

The committee is about to conclude its inquiry. We will place the inquiry report in Syndicate meeting and take the appropriate action”, Mr Duraisamy told DC

“We have withheld the recognition for four exam centres which were involved in the malpractices. We are making the system foolproof”, the VC reiterated.

NIT-Trichy bags FICCI ‘univ of the year’ award

TNN | Nov 12, 2017, 00:21 IST

Trichy: The FICCI higher education summit held in New Delhi has declared the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy as 'The University of the Year'.

Director of NIT-T, Mini Shaji Thomas received the award, on Thursday night at the summit, from Dr Anil Sahasrabuddhe, AICTE chairman, in the presence of professor emeritus M M Sharma, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.

FICCI adopted an elaborate two stage screening process for selecting the top institutes for the awards. The first stage consisted of online application followed by shortlisting institutes based on their merits and a final jury evaluation based on a face-to-face presentation, said a press release from NIT-T.

Evaluation parameters included curriculum & pedagogy (changes in coursework to accommodate trends, global standard in education imparted), technology (effective use of leading-edge technologies for pedagogy and curriculum delivery, use of technology for daily administrative activities), research (patents, research output flow, funds procured employability), institutional social responsibility, students (development of students, outreach to new students) and faculty (ability to adapt to change, professional development, attrition rate).

NIT-T, having undertaken a major academic transformation couple of years back and appearing almost on top of the list in terms of research publication, scored high on many of the yardsticks set for the award. The institute has made provisions for increasing the intellectual property of the institute with support for patenting.

NIT-T was all set to augment its faculty strength with the completion of the faculty recruitment process, according to the release, stating that NIT-T was ranked 11th amongst all technical institutions including the IITs and first amongst all NITs in the MHRD's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) during 2017.

Salem to get flight to Chennai, Andhra cities before year-end

TNN | Nov 7, 2017, 15:48 IST



SALEM: Before next year, people of Salem and its neighbouring districts will have flight connectivity between Salem and Chennai and some cities in Andhra Pradesh, said K Mariappan, president of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Salem chapter.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Marippan said Salem Airport will be revived before end of December. "It is going to be a New Year gift to people of Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Erode districts," he said.

"The ministry of civil aviation had already approved a hyderabad-based airline company, Turbo Megha Airways Private Limited, to operate a 72-seater ATR aircraft under the UDAN scheme to provide regional connectivity between Salem and two or more cities at a concessional fare not exceeding Rs 2500," Marippan said.

The flight, which will be operated from Vijayawada, will be landing first at Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh and then to Chennai and from there to Salem. "On return from Salem it will land first at Chennai then to Mysore and finally to Vijayawada via Cuddapah," he added.

Price of tickets from Chennai to Salem will be Rs 1920 and from Salem to Chennai will be Rs 1750. "Out of 72 seats, this concessional rate will be applicable for 36 seats under RCS (regional connectivity scheme) on first-come-first-served basis," he said.

Turbo Megha Airways Private Limited was one of the five private airlines other than Spice Jet, Deccan Airlines, Airline Allied 3-IGIA Del-Bikaner and Air Odisha that was approved under the UDAN scheme to operate flights. Turbo Airways has already operating flights from Vijayawada to other cities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana including Hyderabad, Vishakapatnam and Rajamundry.

Mariappan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, minister for civil aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pasupati, civil aviation ministry secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Salem district collector Rohini R Bhajibhakare for taking steps to revive Salem airport.

Audit reports put former registrar of varsity in the documents

TNN | Updated: Nov 10, 2017, 08:21 IST

COIMBATORE: Almost two years after K Angamuthu completed his term as the registrar of Periyar University, Salem, it has come to light that his appointment was under scanner since 2013 as satisfactory documents were not produced to support his qualification for the post. The audit report of 2012-13, a copy of which is with TOI, questions the appointment of Angamuthu as the director of physical education in 2004 and as the registrar in 2012.

Not only did Angamuthu acquire these positions illegally, he also drew salaries that were in excess from what he deserved. Besides Angamuthu, the audit reports, since 2004, have questioned the appointment of the librarian N Subramanian, and has also held him for drawing higher salaries for all these years.

TOI is in possession of at least five audit reports between 2004 and 2014, where the auditing authorities have raised objections over the two staff members of the university. In 2004, the university had called for applications of the deputy director of physical education, and Angamuthu had applied for the same. In the same recruitment process, Subramanian applied for the post of librarian at the level of a professor.

According to the audit report of 2013-14, the minimum requirement for the director of physical education, according to the statutes of Periyar University formulated in 2003, is master's degree in physical education, a PhD in physical education or any other subject, at least 15 experience in teaching physical education, and the person should be at least 45 years but not more than 50 years. Also, the candidate should have served as a deputy director for five years before being appointed as the director.

Angamuthu's appointment is not based on UGC norms. So, the audit report stated that his pay scale should be in the band of 8000-275-13,500 as opposed to 16,400-45-20,000. "The individual did not serve as the deputy director of physical education in any university for five years. Hence the elevation to professor cadre had been objected in the university audit," said the audit report.

The audit report also questions the appointment of Angamuthu as the registrar of the university in 2012. He took charge in August 2012. The audit report said that Angamuthu did not possess 20 years of teaching/ research experience to become the registrar and he also did not have enough administrative experience.

Angamuthu was not reachable for a comment. However, Subramanian said, "We applied for the post based on the requirement. We were chosen by the university and if there is an objection the registrar of the university should answer."

Two arrested for duping private hospital cashier of Rs 8.87 lakh

TNN | Updated: Nov 12, 2017, 10:32 IST




Erode: A former employee of a private hospital who mimicked its managing director to take away Rs 8.87 lakh from the cashier was arrested along with his younger brother here on Friday night. The Veerappanchatram police have also recovered the amount from the duo.

The arrested were identified as G Arunshankar, 32, of Kacheri Veedhi in Erode town and G Sathiesh Sampath, 29.

According to the police, Arunshankar had a few months ago worked as the cashier with Sudha Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital. On October 6, he contacted the present cashier, V Karthick, 26, and imitating its managing director S Bhagayalakshmi, he asked the latter to handover Rs 8.87 lakh to her errand. A few minutes later, an unidentified person approached Karthick for money. "Karthick handed over Rs 8.87 lakh to the MD's errand," the police said.

Karthick later called up Bhagyalakshmi to inform her that he has handed over the money to her person. Bhagyalakshmi told him that she hadn't sent anyone to get the money.

Karthick subsequently lodged a complaint with the Veerappanchatram police, who formed a special team to probe the case. With the help of CCTV footages from the hospital, the police identified the culprits.

"We tracked their mobile phone tower locations and arrested them on Friday night. We have also recovered the money from the duo," the police said.

Arunshankar and Sathiesh were produced before a local court, which remanded them in judicial custody. The duo was later lodged at Erode sub-jail.