Med seat for daughter: Cop conned of ₹1L

Chennai:20.09.2019

A woman police inspector was cheated of ₹1 lakh by an overseas education agency which promise a medical seat for her daughter in Poland. Following her complaint at the Mylapore police station, the agency owner was detained and the money was returned.

Shalini, 45, a CB-CID inspector at Old Police Commissionerate and a resident of police quarters in Pallavaram, allegedly paid ₹1 lakh to the agency at Alwarpet three months ago after it promised to get her daughter a medical seat in Poland. She approached police as the agency did not return the money.

Shalini’s daughter did not clear NEET and the family wanted to send her abroad for MBBS. “The girl’s documents were not cleared so the agency was not able to send her,” said a police officer. TNN

Sri Krishna sweets

Mining baron Sekar Reddy is TTD spl invitee

Chennai:20.09.2019

Sand mining baron A J Sekar Reddy, who was arrested by CBI and enforcement directorate (ED) in 2016 after ₹170crore new and demonetised notes besides 127kg gold were seized from him, has been appointed special invitee of Tirumalai Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Only on Wednesday, the Andhra Pradesh government had nominated 24 TTD board members. The present GO has named seven people, including Reddy, from various cities as special invitees.

Reddy is at present incharge of the TTD’s information centre in T Nagar as well as the newly constructed temple at Kanyakumari. He has been made special invitee as he is the president of local advisory committee. “God has given me another chance to work for Him,” Reddy told TOI.

Colleges asked to examine student records after NEET impersonation

DME, Cops Suspect Larger Racket

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.09.2019

After a first-year medical student of Theni medical college was booked for getting admission without appearing for NEET, the government has directed all colleges to match photos in documents with students attending MBBS classes in government colleges. The directorate of medical education issued the order as it suspects a network of coaching centres and agents is operating a racket.

A seven-member police team from Theni, meanwhile, landed in Chennai in search of the student K V Udit Surya.

On Thursday, based on a complaint from Theni Medical College Dean Dr A K Rajendran, Udit was booked on charges of impersonation, forging documents and conspiracy. Preliminary inquiries revealed the photos of the medico in the college application and the NEET 2019 scorecard didn’t match the identity of the student attending classes. “Udit Surya has not been attending classes and was not on campus. Our team is searching for him in Chennai,” said Theni SP V Baskaran. “Inquiry with Udit is now crucial as we will have to find the person who wrote the NEET exam. We will also get information about the people involved in the network,” he said.

During inquiry, police found that Udit Surya had attempted to pursue medicine in Russia, but discontinued. His father Dr V K Venkatesh, who told TOI on Wednesday that his son wrote the NEET exam in Mumbai and that someone had changed the photographs on his scorecards, could not be reached on Thursday.

Meanwhile, after a day-long discussion with the committee from Theni medical college and selection committee secretary G Selvarajan, director of medical education (in-charge) Dr R Narayanababu asked deans of 23 government medical colleges in the state to verify documents of all students. “We received a complaint that the person who had applied for admission isn’t the one studying in our college. While we were holding inquiry, the student submitted a letter stating he wanted to discontinue the course,” said Rajendran. “It raised suspicion.... We suspect that many other students could have done this,” he said.

In addition to government colleges, the selection committee will urge self-financing medical colleges also to verify documents of students admitted this year. “This year, we opted to hold counselling off-line only because we did not want any such complication. We believe the candidate who came for counselling is the same as the one whose photo is on the admit card. Impersonation should have happened while attending classes,” he said.

Talking Point: Can ethnic attire in convocation ceremonies inculcate national pride

TNN | Sep 16, 2019, 04.12 PM IST

The elaborate robes and caps of convocation ceremonies may take a bow with UGC asking all universities to use traditional garments to instil national pride among students. Education Times spoke to stakeholders if it can reinforce patriotic fervour

Welcome step

Convocation gowns are a legacy of British tradition. If we use an attire which is reflective of Indian culture and climate, I see it as a welcome step. Many Indian higher educational institutes are already in favour of changing the convocation attire to be in tune with the Indian climate and culture. In its second convocation, JNU adopted a simple Indian convocation attire. Wearing an Indian convocation attire has the potential to connect the students with our culture.

- M Jagadesh Kumar, vice chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

Pride and prejudice

While western robes were a staple during convocation ceremonies at IIT-Delhi in the past, the convocation committee has plans to launch traditional attire from 2020 onwards. Shedding colonial clothes makes practical sense and the inclusion of handloom or even regional attire will have a positive impact on students' psyche. If we are modernising our curriculum, then why not the dress code? Such a move will boost our khadi and handloom industries.

- V Ramgopal Rao, director, IIT-Delhi

Reflection of Indian ethos

UGC's circular to introduce traditional robes is a syndrome of a larger global discourse of emphasising local traditions against cultural impositions from elsewhere. The western convocation outfit is born out of a specific cultural, geographical and climatological context. Heavy fur-lined robes are typically worn in the colder slimes of northern Europe. The move can have a significant impact on India's demographic and cultural dividend, as they identify themselves with the ethos understood to be uniquely Indian.

- Aryapriya Ganguly, Associate Professor, Indian School of Business & Finance (ISBF), New Delhi

Unjustified move

The decision to introduce traditional robes during convocation ceremonies is unjustified because a convocation ceremony is a special memory in a student's life. How they want it to happen should be entirely their choice from what they wear to what they speak. Changing the type of attire cannot instil a sense of national pride as it is something which has to come naturally to people and actions like these might act against that of what is intended.

- Shivee Dabas, third year student, BA (Honours) English, Hansraj College, Delhi University

Jindal Global University Bags 'Institution of Eminence' Status

Twenty institutions were recommended by the University Grant Commission (UGC) for the IoE status earlier this month.

Education | Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: September 17, 2019 21:00 IST



Located in Sonipat, Haryana, the JGU comprises eight inter-disciplinary schools.

NEW DELHI:

The O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has been recognised as the 'Institution of Eminence' (IoE) by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. "Our commitment to excellence is deeply embedded in the vision and mission of our university. The recognition of the JGU as an IoE in its first decade of existence is a tribute to the outstanding contribution of its faculty, students and staff," the founding Chancellor and benefactor of JGU, Naveen Jindal, said on Tuesday.

"This will create new opportunities for expanding the university while breaking new grounds in promoting excellence and innovation. It heralds a new era in our journey towards nation-building," Jindal said.

Twenty institutions were recommended by the University Grant Commission (UGC) for the IoE status earlier this month.

The UGC, at its 542nd meeting on August 2 discussed the N. Gopalaswami-headed empowered expert committee's report recommending 15 public institutions and 15 private institutions for award of the IoE status.

The JGU said with its entry into a select list of top 10 private institutions in the country, it will be freed from regulatory control and given full autonomy.

"This is a red letter day for the JGU and is truly remarkable that the recognition of the JGU as an 'Institution of Eminence' has come during our 10th anniversary celebrations," said C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of the JGU.


"Our entire university community is committed to achieving the IOE mandates and targets, and to meet the overall goal of JGU being ranked a top global university," he said.

Located in Sonipat, Haryana, the JGU comprises eight inter-disciplinary schools. As a part of its application, the JGU submitted a 15-year vision to enter the world university rankings.

It seeks to address academic matters, faculty recruitment, student admissions and scholarship, research, collaborations, infrastructure development and governance, among others.

In July 2019, the JGU was ranked by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in the top 150 global universities that are under 50 years of age. In June 2019, the JGU broke into top 1,000 in the QS World University Rankings 2020. Of the 50 new entrants, the JGU was the youngest university in the list.
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