Two Tamil Nadu medical colleges make it to top 10 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.
Published Apr 4, 2018, 5:53 am IST

In the newly included medical category, Christian Medical College, Vellore, was ranked third with a score of 73.61. 


Christian Medical College, Vellore

Chennai: In a proud moment for Tamil Nadu, two medical colleges in the city have made it to the top 10 medical colleges in the country in the NIRF India Rankings 2018 announced by ministry of human resource development on Tuesday.

In the newly included medical category, Christian Medical College, Vellore, was ranked third with a score of 73.61, while Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai stood tenth scoring 55.32.

Expressing happiness over the achievement, principal of Christian Medical College Ansu Pulimood said that the college has improved in research programmes and aims at providing quality training to medical students. “Though the evaluation of overall academic standards help us make it to the top ten list, we give importance to provide in-filed training to the students so that they can render high quality services in future,” said Ansu Pulimood.

Vice chancellor of Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute Dr P. V. Vijayaraghavan said that the institute has enhanced the research paper publications and the college has also introduced new programs for medical students this year.

Two government colleges in top 100

In a major boost to various reforms undertaken by the higher education department in the state, two government arts and science colleges — one in Coimbatore and another one in Tiruppur — have been ranked among the top 100 colleges in the country.

The Government Arts and Science College in Coimbatore got 33rd rank while the Government Arts and Science College in Tiruppur was ranked at 71.

“The state government has introduced many new courses and developed an infrastructure of government colleges. We have insisted to all the colleges to apply for NIRF ranking and regularly reviewed their progress,” higher education secretary Sunil Paliwal said.

The state government also will likely to come up with State Universities Rating Framework in a few weeks.

VIT aims to break into top 10

Vellore Institute of Technology is aiming to break into top 10 in next years ranking, said G.V. Selvam, vice-president, VIT (Vellore Campus). VIT has slipped from 13th to 16th rank among the engineering institutions this year. But it is the top private engineering institute in the country.

“IITs have got better ranks this year. The only difference between VIT and the central institutions is research. They are getting funds from governments. We are trying to tie-up with the industries to get funds,” he explained.

He further said VIT is focusing on quality of research, students and teachers.

Tamil Nadu: Kamal Haasan turns Vaigai Express into a vehicle of thought

By Nirupama Viswanathan | Express News Service | Published: 04th April 2018 03:20 AM |


Actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan leaving for Tiruchy onboard Vaigai Express from Chennai Egmore station on Tuesday | Sunish P Surendran

CHENNAI: Although actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan initially set out to meet fans at all major stations on the way to Tiruchy, when his five-hour journey from Chennai Egmore to Tiruchy by Vaigai Express ended, it was a private affair.

Barring interactions with reporters and his own team, for those even in his neighbouring coaches C2 and C1, the actor was as elusive as a unicorn–only heard, never seen. “We know he is aboard train, but we’ve been trying to catch a glimpse of him. We haven’t seen him yet but when he gets off the train in Tiruchy, we may have a chance,” said a student of PSNA Engineering College, Dindigul.

After the Southern Railway expressed its disapproval of the Makkal Needhi Maiam leader’s initial plan to meet supporters at major stations, Kamal at best waved to unsuspecting passengers waiting at the stations from inside the train.

“I was stubborn that I be allowed inside. And after nearly two hours, they agreed.”, said Seinumbhu M, a school teacher from Madurai, who waited for nearly two hours for a five-minute-conversation with Kamal

While his fans may not have been able to reach out to him, something they might have hoped to do when the leader publicly announced that he is taking the train instead of other more private modes of transport, they said the actor’s presence in the train did not cause any inconvenience.

“We did not know he was going to be here until this morning. We had booked our tickets two months back. But there was no trouble in boarding the train or alighting from the train,” said Benny, a passenger from Madurai. However, in the last half hour of the journey, students in the neighbouring compartments who had expressed interest to meet him were allowed to take pictures with him.

‘Politics not a full-time career, but a duty’
Kamal Haasan’s fascination with the term ‘Maiam’ is not new. It was, in fact, the name of his Tamil literary magazines, focused largely on films, launched in the mid-eighties.

“That’s because centrism is older than I’m. The centre is always a very difficult place to be in but being in the centre does not mean staying there. When time comes, it is necessary to take a stand,” he said.

Haasan said he did not want his supporters to pursue politics as a full-time career but rather as a duty. “It’s enough if politics is a part-time duty than a full-time job. I don’t ask anyone to quit their jobs to join politics,” he said.

On the Cauvery Management Board, he said it was important to understand that both States stand to benefit from this arrangement.On the day’s train journey, he said he was a regular patron of the Southern Railway. “There was a time after the accident that I had reduced travelling. But I was never new to trains, especially the Southern Railway,” he said.At 63, Kamal said he was at the pink of health and would continue travelling and meeting people. “They enjoy it as much as I do.”

Elusive as a Unicorn
Barring interactions with reporters and his own team, for those even in his neighbouring coaches, the actor was as elusive as a unicorn–only heard, never seen. After the Railways expressed its disapproval of the Makkal Needhi Maiam leader’s initial plan to meet supporters at stations, Kamal at best waved to unsuspe-cting passengers waiting at the stations from inside the train.

However, the actor’s presence in the train did not cause any serious inconveni-ence. In the last half hour of the journey, students in the neighbouring compartments who had expressed interest to meet him were allowed to take pictures with him

22 Tamil Nadu institutions in top 100 National Institutional Ranking Framework ranks
By S Mannar Mannan | Express News Service | Published: 04th April 2018 03:05 AM |

COIMBATORE: With 22 institutions of higher education from the State finding a place in the 2018 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) top 100, Tamil Nadu has the highest number in the list, which was released on Tuesday. The State is far ahead of Maharashtra, which is next with 11 institutions in the top 100. Indian Institute of Technology Madras was second in the overall rankings, next only to the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, which has again secured the top rank.

In the overall category, Anna University in Chennai has been placed 10th, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 15th, Bharathiar University 20th, Vellore Institute of Technology 24th and University of Madras 29th. 

In addition, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, has come 31st, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research 35th, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University 40th, Alagappa University 43rd, Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy 54th and Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute 62nd.

In the universities category, Anna University has come 4th, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 8th, Bharathiar University 13th, VIT 16th and University of Madras 18th.Among engineering institutions, IIT Madras secured the top rank. Anna University is 8th, Trichy NIT 11th, VIT 16th and PSG College of Technology 29th.In the colleges category also, Tamil Nadu has done well, with Bishop Heber College in Trichy securing the third rank, Presidency College in Chennai 5th, Loyola College 6th, Madras Christian College 10th, PSG College of Arts and Science 11th and PSGR Krishnammal College for Women 16th.

Indian Institute of Management Trichy came 15th among management institutions, JSS College of Pharmacy (Nilgiris district) 15th among pharmacy institutions, Christian Medical College 3rd among medical institutions and Anna University 6th among architecture institutions.The ranking was based on five parameters: (i) teaching, learning and resources (ii) research and professional practice (iii) graduation outcomes (iv) outreach and inclusivity, and (v) perception.

Commenting on the ranking, C Pichandy, former general secretary of Association of University Teachers, said, “One good thing is that many government colleges are in the top 100. In spite of all criticism, 22 Tamil Nadu institutions have come in the top 100 ranks. In particular, they include many state-run universities”.“It is very gratifying that Bharathiar University has securing the 13th rank in spite of much mismanagement and adversity. The entire credit goes to faculty members who were recruited earlier,” he said.

“At the same time, the entire ranking system looks flawed. They simply go by whatever the institutions upload on their websites. There should be some mechanism to verify the information. It must be cross-checked and if needed, physically verified. Considering the timing of the report’s release, the many institutions will exploit the rankings for commercial interest,” he added.

Bandh makes no impact on normal life in Tamil Nadu

By Express News Service | Published: 04th April 2018 03:14 AM |



Traders at Koyambedu Vegetable Market skip a day’s work to support the demand for CMB;

CHENNAI: Life in the city was fairly unaffected even as the AIADMK, led by Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami, observed a day-long fast at Chepauk on Tuesday. A section of traders extended support to the government’s protest demanding formation of the Cauvery Management Board. However, most shops in the city were open on Tuesday. News of pharmacists extending support to the protest triggered some panic on Monday evening but pharmacies in various parts of the city such as Triplicane, Guindy, Saidapet, Tambaram and Anna Nagar remained open. cadre of DMK, Congress and CPM
staging a rail blockade protest at
Korukkupet Railway Station | P
Jawahar, ASHWIN PRASATH

Milk delivery was also expected to take a hit but residential areas visited by Express said that milk packets were delivered as usual. “We called for strike but not all were willing to join. We suspect it is because of the political motivation,” said an office-bearer of the Mylapore Traders Association, explaining the failure of the strike. Supermarkets and restaurants were also kept open. The Marina beach witnessed an excessive police deployment for the fourth consecutive day. Police presence in the Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar was also intensified anticipating protests.

Koyambedu market shut 

Fruits and vegetable traders expressed full solidarity with the government protests and the city’s largest wholesale market witnessed a complete shutdown. Traders in the bustling market space used the day to clean out their shops. “The restaurants and retailers took an extra load yesterday so life won’t be affected,” said one of the traders in the market. “A few shops were functioning in the morning but we asked them to close down to show solidarity with our farmers who are suffering without Cauvery water,” said an official in the office of the Chief Administrative Officer of the Market Management Committee.

Beach cops

Marina beach witnessed an excessive police deployment for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday. Police presence in the Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar was also intensified

Doctors in Chennai use new method to treat giant cell tumour

By Express News Service | Published: 04th April 2018 03:26 AM |

CHENNAI: Doctors in the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital tried a new technique in treating giant cell tumour. The doctors used the method on 10 patients over one-and-a-half years and all patients are now doing well. The new method is almost a success, say the doctors at the Institute of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, RGGGH.

“The giant cell tumours around the knee joint are more common in women than men. Conventionally we used to fill the cavity on the knee bone after removing the tumour using a bone graft or knee implant. But, now we just gave support to the bone using small extra bone in the leg and left the cavity unfilled and the patients are doing well”, explained Dr V Singaravadivelu, Professor of Orthopaedics.

“Its an aggressive tumour, it erodes the bone and reduces the bone to a thin fragment. In 95 per cent of the cases the tumour recurs. Usually doctors fill the cavity in a fear that there would be no balance for leg. But we did this in 10 patients and it has been over a year and the patients are doing fine,” said Singaravadivelu.
These patients were also given Zoledromic acid injection before and after surgery to prevent recurrence. Even after a year now there was no recurrence in any patients. It’s non- cancerous. But, it shows characteristics of cancerous tumour. “We are planning to publish the method in a scientific journal soon,” said Singaravadivelu.

VTU files forgery case against former VC, registrar and 23 others

By Rashmi Belur | Express News Service | Published: 04th April 2018 03:50 AM |


 
BENGALURU: The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has filed a cheating and forgery case against 25 people, including former vice-chancellor Dr H Maheshappa and then registrar, for misappropriation of university funds. Maheshappa is one of the ticket aspirants for the upcoming assembly elections from Harihara constituency.

“The misutilisation of funds came to light during the ongoing internal audit of the university and it is learnt that during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor Dr H Maheshappa had issued Demand Drafts to several people and even withdrew money from the university account,” varsity official who is privy to the audit, said.

“Maheshappa headed the varsity as VC for two terms and during the end of the second term he was suspended by the Governor following the inquiry committee report submitted by Justice Keshava Narayana wherein several allegations against him were proved. Now, the audit for two years has been completed and the amount goes up to `1.8 crore,” the official said.

Maheshappa had issued DDs to many people every month. “When we found that there were no bills for some of the payments made through the DD, we got suspicious,” the official said.

The varsity authorities placed the matter before the executive council, which then decided to file a police complaint. The Governor too ordered to file a criminal case against those involved. The registrar of the university subsequently filed a complaint at Belagavi Rural Police station on March 28, 2018. Senior police officials of Belagavi district confirmed the developments.

Former VC Maheshappa eyeing to contest polls

Former VTU VC Dr H Maheshappa is one of the ticket aspirants for the upcoming assembly elections from Harihara constituency.There is also a pending action against Maheshappa from the government based on the Governor’s recommendation. The Governor had placed Maheshappa under suspension until further orders following the report of Justice K N Keshavanarayana’s one-man committee. Maheshappa has the infamous reputation of being the first vice-chancellor of Karnataka’s only technological university — VTU — to be suspended.But, till date the government has not initiated any action.

Jio Payments Bank begins operations

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   04.04.2018

Mumbai: Jio Payments Bank has commenced operations with effect from April 3, 2018, the RBI said in a statement on Tuesday. Reliance Industries (RIL) was one of the 11 applicants which was issued inprinciple approval for setting up a payments bank.

SBI is a strategic shareholder in Jio Payments Bank with 30% stake. Although the RBI had initially granted licence to 11 applicants, only five have set up banks so far.

Besides Jio, the remaining four are Airtel, India Post, Fino Payments Bank and Paytm. H Srikrishnan, who was earlier with HDFC Bank and Yes Bank has been appointed MD and CEO of Jio Payments Bank. RIL plans to move customers of JioMoney to its payments bank.

The others who had received approval include Aditya Birla Nuvo, Cholamandalam, National Securities Depository, Vodafone M-Pesa, Tech Mahindra and a proposed joint venture of Sun Pharma promoter Dilip Shanghvi, IDFC Bank and Telenor. Of these companies, Tech Mahindra, Cholamandalam and the Shanghvi-IDFC-Telenor combine have already dropped out. The business case for payments lenders has shrunk considerably as most of the transactional services can be offered by digital wallets and regular bank accounts.