HC refuses to spike PG admission order 

Special Correspondent 
 
CHENNAI, May 04, 2018 00:00 IST

Says can’t interfere as the guidelines have been clearly set by the Supreme Court

Tamil Nadu is likely to miss the May 31 deadline for PG medical admissions after the Madras High Court on Thursday refused to overturn an order by a single bench that had quashed the government orders (G.O.) relating to the award of incentive marks for in-service candidates.

The vacation bench of Justice V. Bharathidasan and Justice N. Seshasayee asked the State government to approach the Supreme Court for clarifications.

“We are not inclined to interfere in the single judge’s order. When the Supreme Court has clearly set out the guidelines to identify such areas for the purpose of PG medical admissions, how can the High Court interfere?”

The April 18 order had declared as illegal two G.O.s passed on March 9 and 23.

The G.O.s had classified the workplaces of government doctors as remote, difficult or rural in order to award incentive marks for PG admissions.

Justice S. Vaidhyanathan, in his order, found the government’s method of identifying these areas “flawed”.

The petitioners before him had pointed out that despite serving in rural locations, they were not eligible for incentive marks; some who work at district headquarters, on the other hand, were eligible for such marks.

On Thursday, the court agreed with the counsel for the original petitioners, G. Shankaran, that the government had not complied with the Supreme Court guidelines.

“Incentive marks should be given to in-service candidates who sacrificed the comfort of living in a city and served in remote and difficult areas. Not based on number of vacancies or work load,” said the court.

Richardson Wilson, appearing for the candidates who wanted the G.O.s reinstated, argued that government doctors in city limits work 12-18 hours while those in rural areas, sometimes, need to work for only about a couple of hours a day.

He said that such factors were considered by the government.

Incentive marks should be given to in-service candidates who sacrificed the comfort of living in a city and served in remote and difficult areas.

Madras High Court

Extra marks for students whose parents vote

Bengaluru, May 04, 2018 00:00 IST

In a competitive education system, every mark counts. With that in mind, children who go to private schools are likely to urge parents to exercise their franchise on May 12. The reason? Many private State board schools across Karnataka have decided to award children four marks in their mid-term examination if their parents cast their vote. If only one parent votes, the student will be given two marks. Managements said the reason behind the initiative is to improve voter turnout.

SC stay a last-minute jolt for many NEET candidates
‘CBSE Must Be Blamed For Situation’

Sambath Kumar & Padmini Sivarajah TNN

Trichy/Madurai:

The Supreme Court stay on the Madras high court’s directive to CBSE to set up additional centres in the state for the sake of Tamil Nadu candidates – who were allotted centres outside for the national eligibilitycum-entrance test (NEET) – has plunged many an MBBS aspirant into a crisis.

Several such students who should have been preparing for the examination are now busy trying to figure out how to reach the allotted centres in time. Parents say their wards are now all stressed as many of them have to make last-minute arrangements to travel to their destinations by bus or car as trains are full.

V Chithra, mother of Mithun from Trichy, had booked train tickets and also a hotel room in Ernakulam where her son was to write. However, she cancelled the room following the high court order believing they may not have to travel to Kerala. Now the Supreme Court has stayed the order and all hotel rooms have been booked, she said. “Even half a mark matters in NEET which may cost my son his medical seat given the high level of competition. We fear his performance may get affected by travel fatigue and pressure,” she said.

“The CBSE is entirely to blame for this mix-up that has put students under immense pressure when most of them are carrying out last-minute preparations,” said J S Sukumar, MD of Uthavi Education Consultancy, a coaching centre in Madurai. “Students in Tamil Nadu are yet to be fully familiar with NEET as this is only the third year they will be writing the exam. They should have been given some consideration while allocating the examination centres.’’ “We ensured our son got the best NEET coaching and he too spent several sleepless nights to prepare for NEET. All the hard work put in for the past one year may go waste if anything goes wrong now,” said R Jayanthi, mother of an aspiring doctor in Trichy.

Even applicants from Ramanathapuram have been given a centre in Kochi.

Yoha Balaji of Global Public School said he had applied on February 18 and was allotted a centre in Ernakulam, but a few of his classmates who applied on February 20 and beyond got a college in Madurai as centre. “I looked for trains today, but found them to be fully booked,” said Ram Sithu, another student who had given his preference of centre as Madurai and Trichy.

Urging the government to bear the expense of candidates forced to go outside the state, PMK youth wing president anbumani Ramadoss said that of the 200-odd applicants, many were from government and government-aided schools. “Some candidates from Tirunelveli and Tuticorin have to travel all the way to Rajasthan to write NEET,” he claimed. TOI couldn’t speak to any such candidate to verify this.

‘Won’t mess with SC’s PG med rules’ 
 
HC Upholds Junking Of GO On Considering Remote Areas

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 04.05.2018

In a setback to the state’s incentive marks scheme for government doctors aspiring for post-graduate medical admissions, the Madras high court upheld a single order quashing the list of remote and difficult areas eligible for incentive marks.

“When the Supreme Court has clearly set out guidelines to identify such areas for the purpose of PG medical admission, how can the high court interfere,” asked a vacation bench of Justice V Bharathidasan and Justice N Seshasayee on Thursday.

On April 18, a single judge quashed the Tamil Nadu government orders dated March 9 and 23 identifying remote and difficult areas while allowing a batch of petitions filed by MBBS doctors, alleging that the classification had not been made considering geographical parameters. Other contingencies like number of vacancies and work load alone had been considered, they said.

When the appeal came up for hearing on Thursday, the state argued that a committee of experts was constituted for classifying the areas. The committee, after considering all the parameters, identified certain areas as remotefor awarding incentive marks. But, the single judge had failed to consider facts and hence the order must be interfered with, said additional advocate general Manishankar.

Opposing the submissions, G Shankaran, counsel for the original petitioner, said the committee had in fact, failed to follow the guidelines set by the apex court and had not considered the geographical parameters. The bench also observed that the committee had categorised the areas in the perspective of the doctors and not as directed by the apex court.

“Incentive marks should be given to in-service candidates who sacrificed the comfort of living in a city and served in remote and difficult areas. Not based on number of vacancies or work load,” the bench said.

Representing candidates who support the government’s stand, advocate Richardson Wilson submitted that in some places which were in city limits, government doctors worked for more than 12 to 18 hours, but in some rural areas they worked only for a couple of hours. In such cases, the workload of doctors in urban areas must also be considered, he argued. However, the bench said the state must approach the SC for any clarification, since the admission process could not be stalled, as per apex court directive. 

RAJINIKANTH PLANS MGR-STYLE ADVISORY BOARD TO CHART PATH 

Actor Forming A Think Tank Comprising Contemporaries Of MGR To Draft His Party’s Goals

Jaya.Menon@timesgroup.com 04.05.2018

There are stories aplenty that reinforce the belief that matinee idolturned-politician M G Ramachandran was a legend. But, what lends credibility to the belief is that he continues to hold sway over Dravidian politics, decades after his death. So much so, another actor, Rajinikanth, who continued to disappoint fans and friends with his reluctance to take the political plunge, has decided to craft his new party on the lines of ADMK with a promise to provide an MGRstyle government.

As Tamil Nadu waits with bated breath for the announcement of a new political outfit, a quiet move is on to create a think tank comprising contemporaries of the AIADMK founder — they may be politicians, retired civil servants, industrialists, educationists or activists — from whom he hopes to draw inspiration.

Sources said the yet-to-be formed group of AIADMK leaders and MGR associates is aimed at providing valuable inputs to Rajinikanth that would help him take the final step and draft a policy in sync with his slogan to offer a government like that led by MGR. Hoping to ape the successful MGR formula and translate it into modern-day politics, the actor is working on picking up ‘some honest leaders with integrity’ within AIADMK and those who have crossed over to other parties.

One of his trusted associates, educationist and leader of the New Justice Party A C Shanmugam admitted that the actor was indeed talking to MGR associates from various fields. “MGR’s rule was a golden period. Rajinikanth himself said MGR’s was a super government. The actor hopes to emulate the great leader,” said Shanmugam. It was at an event organised by Shanmugam’s Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute in Chennai in March that Rajinikanth took a significant political leap to declare that Tamil Nadu needed a political revolution. “I may not be MGR, but I can provide a government that MGR gave people of Tamil Nadu,” said the actor, jerking politicians out of their complacency.

Rajinikanth’s party, sources added, will be fashioned after the highly successful ADMK launched by MGR in 1971, giving no room for corruption, and will incorporate the dynamic structures of a modern-day political party. There is talk that the actor may announce the name of his party by May-end. “I believe he is contacting old friends,” said former DGP A X Alexander, who is now an AIADMK member.

There are a lot of similarities between MGR and Rajinikanth, say associates. “Both are simple by nature. They are not ostentatious and both are honest and affectionate. These virtues made MGR a great leader. Rajinikanth could make one too,” said Shanmugam.

There are a few sceptical about his abilities to run a party and win an election. “Rajinikanth seems to lack the fire,” said V V Swaminathan. The former minister said he had written to Rajinikanth ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, urging him to join the BJP and contest elections. “Later, he called me and said he would consider entering politics,” said Swaminathan. Taking a vastly different stand from that of his party, the BJP, 91-year-old medical practitioner and former health minister in the MGR government H V Hande, when asked about associating himself with Rajinikanth, quipped, “I am not ready to submit myself to pygmies. (Rajinikanth & Kamal Haasan).”

Despite talk of the grand plans, many leaders are reluctant to follow the superstar considering his prevarication. For instance, though AIADMK’s Saidai Duraisamy was seen at a recent function with Rajinikanth, sources say he is still weighing his options about joining the actor. And it is not just him, until the new party is launched few are willing to commit. While some associates of the actor say that he is still apprehensive about his political entry, TNCC chief S Thirunavukkarasar, who has been interacting with him in the past few months, disagrees. “My guess is he will not disappoint his fans. He will launch a party.”

Email feedback to southpole.toi@ timesgroup.com

WHY A ROLE MODEL


K C PALANISAMY, FORMER AIADMK SPOKESMAN

He was 13 when he joined MGR’s newlylaunched ADMK; In 1984, he won the Kangeyam assembly election. Later he was sacked from primary membership of party

ADMK was corruption free. MGR was a good human being, who understood the pulse and needs of the people and tried to address them


People came first for MGR. Whatever he earned in his three-decade film career, he gave away to the poor. The free noon-meal scheme, the free chappals scheme… MGR’s self-financing scheme in education were path-breaking

A C SHANMUGAM, EDUCATIONIST-POLITICIAN

Leader of the New Justice Party. Was ADMK MLA and Lok Sabha MP. Associated with MGR from his student days


MGR placed the right officers in the right places and allowed them to function freely within the broad framework of his policies

A X ALEXANDER, AIADMK MEMBER

During the Naxal crackdown in the 1980s, he was a trusted officer (additional IG) during MGR’s era

MGR always listened to problems of people. Once when he saw an old lady waiting near his house, he stopped the car and enquired.

When he found out she was the wife of freedom fighter P Kakkan, who was being asked to leave her government quarters over non-payment of rent, he paid the dues and made the house rent free V V SWAMINATHAN, EX-MIN AIADMK

In 1980s, he held 10 portfolios after MGR sacked 10 ministers over graft charges

15-day limit on arts admissions puts TN CBSE students in fix

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 
 
04.05.2018
The state government’s directive to arts and sciences colleges that application distribution must start exactly five days after the declaration of Class XII state board results and must end in the next five days has sent alarm bells ringing among parents of students of schools under the CBSE which normally announces results in mid-May. Incidentally, the CBSE results this year could further be delayed due to the economics retest.

TN Class XII results are likely to be out on May 16 and admissions to government, aided and self-financing colleges could end around May 26.

CBSE students in the state are unlikely to get a fair chance to join the course of their choice, say parents. “It is disappointing to see CBSE students, even meritorious ones, finding it difficult to get admission in the 11th hour,” said Ashok Shankar of the TN CBSE Schools Management Association. The state government’s deadline is only to ensure that state board students have an edge over others, he said.


‘CBSE students think standard of govt colleges is not good’

Except for a few colleges that reserve seats for CBSE students, most finish admissions by the time CBSE results are out and repeated requests to bring uniformity in declaration of results have gone unheard, he added.

Loyola Collegein Chennai holds back 20%-30 % of the 2,750 seats for students of CBSE and other boards as well asthosewhofailedtobag an engineering or medicine seat. “Though we hold back only 10% for CBSE and other board students, we end up allocating nearly 30 % as many offered admission in the first round decline it later,” said professor K S Antonysamy of Loyola College.

Retired principal of a government-aided college in Chennai said the chances of finding a CBSE student in popular courses like B Com, BBA,B Sc(maths andscience) andBA(English)in top collegeswere remote.

There is nothing wrong in marking 5%-10 % of the seats for them and distribute applications after CBSE results are out, said Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association general secretary R Damodaran. “Butwe arescepticalif allseatswillbefilled as there is a misconception among CBSE students that standards in government colleges are not good.”

Director of collegiate education J Manjula, who released the admission guidelines for 2018-19 on Monday, wasunavailablefor comment, but a senior official said the procedures adopted in 2017-18 werebeing followedthis year.

Cops begin probe after warning to doc on WhatsApp

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai 04.05.2018

: The police are probing a WhatsApp audio in which an unidentified man is heard demanding ₹1 lakh as protection money from a dentist who lodged a complaint withtheKanathur police.

In the complaint, Dr Harish, who runs a clinic in Sholinganallur along withhiswife, also a doctor, said the man threatened to kill him or a member of hisfamily if the amountwas not paid.

The dentist told police that he received a call on his mobile phone on Tuesday. After making sure that he was talking to Dr Harish,thecaller demanded ₹1 lakh. When the dentist said he didn’t have the amount, the man reduceditto₹50,000.

In the audio clip, recorded by the doctor, which was accessed by TOI, the caller is heard saying thatit’sthe norm nowto collect protection money. “Once you pay ₹50,000, you will never be disturbed and if you have any problem, you can contact meon my private number,” he said, adding that he has extorted money from many doctors.

The caller said the daily activities of the dentist and family were being monitored and warnedHarish notto risktheir livesby refusing to pay the amount or informing the police. He also claimed that the police would not take any action against him even if they were approached since he was acquainted withtop police personnelin the city.However,thedoctor preferredtolodge a policecomplaint.