Rs 10.25 lakh for retired teacher’s kin ...DC

PTI

Published May 6, 2018, 5:44 am IST

Justice S. Vimala made the observation while allowing an appeal by the family of the victim against the dismissal of the petition.

Madras high court

Chennai. The Madras high court has observed that the dismissal of an accident claim plea by a tribunal in Namakkal citing lack of territorial jurisdiction to award compensation, was more shocking than the mishap itself and ordered Rs 10.25 lakh be paid to the family of the victim, a retired teacher.

Justice S. Vimala made the observation while allowing an appeal by the family of the victim against the dismissal of the petition by the principal district judge in Namakkal. “It is clear that the claims tribunal at Namakkal ought not to have dismissed the claim petition even though a specific defence has been taken by the insurance company with regard to the lack of territorial jurisdiction,” the high court judge said.

Agents offering 'incentives' to PG medical seat aspirants for blocking seats
The youngsters said that they get to know about people who have rejected such offers but they might never get to know about the people who have accepted the proposals.

Published: 06th May 2018 04:47 AM | 

   By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In a novel method to block medical seats, students are being offered Rs 8 to Rs 10 lakh by agents or middlemen to opt for seats and give them up later. The current medical PG seat aspirants have many such stories to tell.

They told how they and their friends were offered ‘incentives’ for blocking and giving up seats in private medical colleges. But some students rejected the offers and noted down phone numbers and names of the consultancies.

“We did receive calls from people who offered us Rs 8 lakh or more for blocking seats. And usually, it is people below 6000-9000 ranks who are approached with these ‘incentives’. The aspirants are asked to block a seat in first round of counselling and opt out,” said a PG aspirant who requested anonymity.

When some such aspirants asked what they are supposed to do if they opt out of seats, agents asked them not to worry as the rank holders would get a seat based on merit in the second round of counselling.

The agents are on constant look-out for people who have decided to take NEET exam again to get a seat in their chosen specialisation. Such youngsters too are asked to block seats and opt out. “The consultancy employees ask us if we have already opted for a seat. If the answer is no, the second question is if we are interested to opt for a seat in any category.

The candidates who have no plans to join any college this year are ideal for the agents,” said another PG aspirant. The youngsters said that they get to know about people who have rejected such offers but they might never get to know about the people who have accepted the proposals. “Whoever opts for these proposals are effectively killing the dreams of many youngsters who are yearning for a seat,” the aspirant said.

Medical seat aspirants make list of suspected ‘blockers’

Hyderabad: Medical seat aspirants who anticipated that some students will block seats, have been keeping a close watch on all aspirants and red flagged if there is any unusual preference of seat such as a student from Rajasthan whose rank can get a good seat in the State, but opted for management quota seat in Telangana.

In fact, they have made list of some aspirants from Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, their names, ranks they hold, the seats and medical colleges they have opted for. Aspirants from AP and TS have formed groups in social media platforms where they share if they are offered money for blocking seats. “We observe if they will hold on to the seats or will not opt out.

There might be genuine cases where students from other States want to study here because their family has shifted to TS, or they might be some other reason. We know we cannot do anything about the cases. But there will be some obvious unusual choice like a student who will get seat of his choice in home State opts for management quota seat here,” a PG aspirant said.

PG NEET aspirants wary of seat blockers and 'seats sale' scams
The seat-blockers opt for seats during the centralised counselling process but relinquish the seat at the last moment.

Published: 06th May 2018 04:52 AM 
 |  



Agents offering 'incentives' to PG medical seat aspirants for blocking seats

By Sadaf Aman
Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Ahead of the second round of counseling for Post Graduate NEET seats is scheduled, aspirants fear that their chances of getting any good seats will be marred by the clandestine attempts to manipulate PG medical seat allotments.

The practice, in common parlance termed as seat-blocking, prevents deserving candidates from gaining admission to good colleges. The seat-blockers opt for seats during the centralised counselling process but relinquish the seat at the last moment.

With the first round of counselling for management quota seats over on May 2, and the second round happening on May 8, aspirants suspect, candidates with high ranks from other states in collusion with agents, block seats under management quota in private medical colleges and post the second round leave them. Often, the seat blocking is a part of undercover financial deals.

As per the rulebook, since there are only two rounds of counselling in the management quota, the seats that are not taken the post the second round of counselling get converted into NRI quota. These seats can be sold to any candidate at a price decided by the private college managements which often runs into crores.

Junior doctors also alleged the role of the private institution in such scams, which eventually stand to make big bucks from the conversion of seats. "In the absence of a mop-up round, all seats that not taken are converted into NRI quota and deserving candidates lose out on seats that they otherwise would have got. On each NRI seat private colleges make three times the money on each seat they otherwise make under management quota," explained Dr K Srinivas, member, Telangana Junior Doctors Joint Action Committee.

A candidate, who wished to remain anonymous said, "Such cartels between agents, students and private colleges not only take a toll on the genuine claims for seats of their choice, in worst cases, force some aspirants have to wait for another year to score a seat."

Another aspirant said that while some seats genuinely are left vacant, the agents and colleges plan it in a way that it is not very visible. "Why would an 8,000 or 9,000 ranker want to take a seat in lower grade college and in not so popular stream when they can get better? Students can often make out which seat are not going taken by genuine candidates but we don't have proof," said the aspirant.

As per rules, a total of 50 per-cent of seats are earmarked for all India quota and the remaining for the State quota.

‘Delhi student blocking seat in TS, AP’

Meanwhile, Dr K. Mahesh Kumar, president, Healthcare Reforms Doctors Associations (HRDA) told Express that a PG aspirant from Delhi who has secured 9,098 rank has been found to be blocking seats in both AP and Telangana. While he submitted his certificates for verification to Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences by 30 April, he also participated in first round counselling by KNRUHS.

"When his name did not feature in the list of candidates who did not report to NTRUHS, it was confirmed. The same person can not submit original certificates at both places. Either college authorities colluded with him or he fooled the universities with fake certificates. In either case, a formal complaint will be sent to KNRUHS and MCI," said Dr Kumar.

If found guilty, as per the MCI rules, the candidates would be barred from counselling for three years and may also be booked for criminal cases amounting to cheating.

HRD ministry issues clarification on NEET centre controversy in Tamil Nadu

The Union government, clarifyies that some students had to face inconvenience due to “remarkable rise” in number of candidates this year.

Published: 05th May 2018 07:29 PM  



Image used for representational purpose only. 

  By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Union government, on Saturday, issued a clarification over controversy of NEET aspirants from Tamil Nadu being allocated examination centres outside the state, saying that some students had to face inconvenience due to “remarkable rise” in number of candidates this year.

“Tamil Nadu has registered a 31 per cent increase in candidates for NEET 2018 over that of 2017. The CBSE, which conducts the test, has therefore increased exam centres from 149 in 2017, to 170 this year in light of this surge,” said a Union Human Resources Development ministry statement.

It added that 1,07,288 candidates of the state were allocated to 170 centers within Tamil Nadu which meant that an additional 25206 candidates were accommodated in the state itself, as compared to 2017.

“Despite best efforts to accommodate the increased numbers of NEET aspirants this year, exam centres fell short for few candidates not only in Tamil Nadu, but in other states too,” the statement said.

“Therefore, 3,685 Tamil Nadu aspirants from Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelvelli were allocated centres in nearest centers of Ernakulum, which are closer than centers in Chennai. Similarly several aspirants from other states also allocated nearest centers in neighbouring states, as was done in previous years”.

No NEET 2018 aspirants from Tamil Nadu are allocated centers in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Sikkim etc, unless themselves asked for these centres, the ministry said.

All 24, 720 NEET 2018 aspirants from the state who have opted for Tamil as medium have been allocated centers within the state, it further added.

A NEET ordeal for more than 1,500 students

They have to write exam outside State and will not get papers in Tamil; they will have to make do with English

Published: 06th May 2018 03:01 AM |

 

Students taking NEET in exam centres located outside Tamil Nadu getting ready to board a bus in Pudukkottai on Saturday | S Muthu Kannan

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Faijul Hidhayath, a medical aspirant writing NEET at Ernakulam, left her village near Tirunelveli on Saturday morning. After a seven hour car journey, she was on her last leg of revisions in a hotel room.The State government on Saturday announced that free transport, via bus or train, will be sponsored by the government for the candidate and his or her accompanying parent. “We didn’t take the bus that government organised. Neither did we get the subsidy. We only had time to pack up and leave. Revising and staying concentrated was more important on the last day before exams,” she said.

Over 13 lakh students are writing NEET on Sunday morning and only a handful will qualify to make it to the available seats. At least 1.1 lakh students from Tamil Nadu are writing the exam this year. As a result of the Supreme Court’s last minute stay on Madras High Court’s directive to set-up extra NEET exam centres, over 1,500 students from the State are travelling outside.

However, students writing their papers in other states will not get a Tamil question paper. Priyanka Mani*, a government school student from a village near Thoothukudi, told Express that she and her friends are not comfortable with English when compared with CBSE and private school kids. “I’m sure this will make the exam a lot tougher for me. I should be able to manage. I don’t have a choice,” she said.

A CBSE official clarified that the students will have to make-do with English. NEET examination papers will be available in English and regional languages, but regional papers will be available only in the respective States.While Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan and DMK working president MK Stalin demanded government intervention and action, many in the State criticised the State government.
“Tamil Nadu is one of the biggest States with maximum medical colleges and why should our students go to other States to write their exams?” criticised PMK leader and MP Anbumani Ramadoss.

“No senior lawyer was sent by the Tamil Nadu government when NEET centre issue was argued in the apex court yesterday,” tweeted DMK MP Kanimozhi. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday, ordered all police and district heads to make arrangements for students coming from faraway places to Kerala for NEET exams.

*Name changed

Today’s schedule:

7.30 am: Reporting time at NEET centres for examinees today
7.30 am to 9.45 am: Admit card checking
9.30 am: Deadline for exam hall entry

3 hours: Duration of exam (10 am to 1 pm)

180 Objective type questions

June 5 NEET result declaration

dress CODE: Light coloured clothes will be the right choice

Female students can dress in half sleeves with salwar or trousers, while male candidates can wear only half-sleeved shirts or T-shirts

Clothes with big buttons are a big no-no

Candidates in customary head gear (like turban for Sikh students), burqa or veil should report an hour earlier at exam centre

Elaborate embroidery, zips, flowers, jewellery such as earrings, rings, pendants, nose rings, necklace or any kind of metallic items not permitted

TNSTC told to pay terminal benefits 

Staff Reporter 
 
May 06, 2018 00:00 IST

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, hearing the plea of retired Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation employees, has directed the TNSTC (Kumbakonam region) authorities to pay their retirement benefits.

Justice R. Suresh Kumar directed the TNSTC not to withhold salary or retirement benefits of its employees. If withheld, those benefits should be paid at 6% interest from the date of due till the date of payment. The payments shall be made in 12 equal monthly instalments, the court said.

A batch of petitions were filed by retired employees seeking retirement benefits.

They claimed that TNSTC was withholding their terminal leave salary which was arbitrary in nature.

The Madras High Court had earlier directed the TNSTC to settle retirement benefit dues to its employees.

Tiruvarur gearing up for car festival 

Special Correspondent 
 
Tiruvarur, May 06, 2018 00:00 IST



Food Minister R.Kamaraj inspecting arrangements being made for the Sri Thyagarajaswamy Temple car festival at Tiruvarur, on Saturday.SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Tiruvarur is gearing up for the car festival of Sri Thyagarajaswamy Temple on May 27.

While the district administration is getting ready to ensure smooth conduct of the festival and make adequate arrangements to handle the influx of devotees, Food Minister R. Kamaraj inspected the preparatory works for the event on Saturday.

Accompanied by L. Nirmal Raj, Collector, Mr. Kamaraj inspected the work on the preparation of the majestic, ‘Azhi Ther, ’ which stands 96 feet in height and weighs 350 tonnes.

In all, five cars including the Azhi Ther and those of Vinayagar, Subramaniar, Ambal and Chandikeswarar, would be pulled on the day.