NEET mum on subject marks but low scorers still getting into MBBS

TNN | Nov 19, 2019, 04.53 AM IST

Last year, TOI had exposed how candidates scoring single digit, zero and negative marks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) got admission in medical colleges in 2017.
But are students with such low scores still getting in? Well, we can't be sure because this year the practice of giving the marks scored in individual subjects has been stopped with the National Testing Agency (NTA) releasing only percentile scores. But data accessed by TOI shows that there are hundreds, if not thousands, with single digit percentile scores in physics and chemistry who have got admission into MBBS.

For instance, a student whose score was 1.7 percentile in physics got admission in a private medical college. This means that 98.3% of students who wrote NEET scored higher than him in physics. Or that his marks fell among the bottom 1.7% scores of the 15.2 lakh students who took the test.

Mounting troubles for Mount Road

Potholes and bumps are a common sight at Thousand Lights. A big pothole right next to the Gemini Flyover has been the source of traffic snarls here.

Published: 20th November 2019 06:22 AM |

By Omjasvin M D and lensman R Satish Babu

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Anna Salai, or Mount Road, is a city landmark by itself. The 15-km stretch, connecting the old commercial centre of Parry’s Corner in the North, with the now-bustling industrial area Guindy in the South, is one of the most-important roads. Though it has the status of NH, it’s as battered and bruised as any other city road. Potholes, loose gravel, and lack of median markers, are a common sight. Express reporter Omjasvin M D and lensman R Satish Babu travelled to survey road condition.

Thousand Lights

Spencer Plaza

Technically, Mount Road is supposed to be a six-way road. But, thanks to unauthorised parking of vehicles, it has been reduced to a four-way road on many stretches. This results in traffic congestion.
Bus commuters too are hassled, as sewage flows freely on to the road near Spencer Plaza. The stretch between LIC and Thousands Lights was made two-way in August. But since then, a traffic signal has not been installed at the two junctions.

Teynampet
Lane separators painted in white or yellow are mandatory for a highway, as per the codes of Indian Roads Congress (IRC). However, in this stretch near the DMK party office, there are no lane separators, making the drive dangerous for small vehicles.

Omandurar Government Estate
The road near the Government Estate Metro Station has loose gravel scattered, making it slippery for bikers. Selvan, who uses the stretch often, says the maximum speed bikers can go on here is 30 kmph. Anything higher can result in skids and accidents.

Saidapet
The road near the Saidapet bus depot is filled with potholes, bumps and dust. For, every five minutes, a bus arrives and departs from the bus stand and hundreds of passengers use it too. The road has not been patched up even after the Chennai Metro Rail was inaugurated. Loads of sand remain causing pollution.

near LIC building
The roads around the iconic building, which once was a landmark for Chennai, are in bad shape. Underground electric line works have been delayed, causing chaos. The road has been dug up, and there are no signs of it being closed any time soon.

Madras varsity conducts 162nd convocation

He said that this year marks the 50th year of his graduation from the varsity.

Published: 20th November 2019 06:14 AM 

Nearly 95,000 candidates received their degrees in view of the convocation ceremony  P Jawahar

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The University of Madras used to fondly be called the ‘Cambridge of the South’, said T Ramasami, former secretary, department of science and technology and former director of Central Leather Research Institute, speaking at the 162nd annual convocation of the University of Madras on Tuesday. He said that this year marks the 50th year of his graduation from the varsity.

Nearly 95,000 candidates received their degrees in view of the convocation ceremony. Governor Banwarilal Purohit, along with Ramasami, gave away the degrees, medals and prizes.

A total of 884 students received their degrees in person while the rest received it in absentia, said P Duraisamy, the vice-chancellor of the varsity, speaking at the event. Among those who were present at the convocation, 701 candidates received their PhD, 95 received prizes and medals and 86 rank holders received their degrees.

Addressing the gathering, Duraisamy said the varsity has improved significantly over the last few years. “For example, the university has jumped 21 places in the NIRF ranking; from the 41st rank in 2017, we have come to 20th now,” he said. He added that the college is also moving technologically forward by formalising courses on digital platforms like SWAYAM and NPTEL as a part of the curriculum and uploading certificates on to the National Academic Depository (NAD).

He also said that the varsity is in the process of revamping the UG curriculum to include courses related to entrepreneurship, skill development, start-up, venture capital and financial markets, in consultation with the entrepreneurial bodies such as Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Indian Industries and MSMEs.

“In order to promote research, the existing administrative sections have been restructured and new offices of Dean (Research) and Director (Research Schemes and Projects), have been created. M Phil and PhD admissions have been made online to ensure transparency and we have established a scheme to grant `30,000 towards journal submission fee and book publication,” he said.

DVAC case against former VC

20/11/2019, V. VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, ,THANJAVUR

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Thanjavur unit, has booked a case against a former Vice-Chancellor of Tamil University, Thanjavur, and three others on the charge of committing malpractices and irregularities in the appointment of professors and associate professors.

According to the FIR filed on November 14, G. Baskaran, former V-C, S. Muthukumar, former Registrar, G. Sakthisaravanan, former Personal Assistant to the Registrar, and N. Baskaran, former Distance Education Director, colluded with one another to appoint 10 professors and 11 associate professors in the university, overlooking the norms laid down by the UGC.

For selecting the ineligible candidates for these posts, the four accused reportedly accepted bribes ranging from ₹15 lakh to ₹40 lakh from each person. Further, they created false records and used the forged documents to help 21 candidates selected by them to receive the UGC scale salary. The accused also appointed 70 persons as daily wage employees in non-teaching positions.

12-year-old girl stopped from going to Sabarimala temple

Kerala police stop her at Pampa after examining her Aadhaar card

20/11/2019, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA, ,SABARIMALA

Police personnel examining the Aadhaar card of a 12-year-old girl, who had come to offer prayers at Sabarimala.PTI

A 12-year-old girl from Puducherry, who had come with her father for darshan at the Lord Ayyappa temple here, was not allowed to proceed from Pampa on Tuesday morning.

The age of the girl had been shown as 10 in the ‘Virtual Q’ booking. Women police examined her Aadhaar card and found that she was 12 years old and refused to allow her to proceed further, the police said.

After those accompanying the child were informed about the current situation in Sabarimala, her father and other relatives proceeded to the temple.

‘Ready to wait’

A nine-year-old girl from Kerala, who came to the temple complex from Karnataka on Monday, had a placard around her neck that said “Ready to wait. Will visit the shrine after attaining 50 years.” Hailing from Thrissur, Hridyakrishnan said she had visited the shrine thrice thus far and would have darshan of Lord Ayyappa again only after she was 50.

The Pampa base camp is at the foothills of Sabarimala, about 5 km from the shrine. The Lord Ayyappa temple opened on November 16 evening for the two-month long Mandala-Makaravillakku pilgrimage season.

The State and temple precincts had witnessed protests by right wing outfits and BJP workers last year after the LDF government decided to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine. However, the government is exercising caution this year, even though the top court has not stayed its verdict while posting various petitions on the matter to a larger bench.

Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran has made it clear that Sabarimala was not a place for activists, and said the government would not encourage women who wanted to visit the shrine for publicity.

Deliberations on IoE status for varsity
20/11/2019, T. RAMAKRISHNAN,CHENNAI

At its meeting on Tuesday, the State Cabinet deliberated on enabling Anna University to join the Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme of the Centre.

Broadly, two decisions needed to be taken. One pertained to the formulation of a law, and the other, the cost, government sources said. As for the proposed law, there are some issues, especially those pertaining to reservation, which require deeper study. That the university cannot have constituent colleges once it gets the IoE status is another aspect to be considered. On the issue of the cost, the total amount required has been estimated at ₹2,500 crore, of which the Centre will provide ₹1,000 crore.

The government was keen on the university acquiring the IoE status, though it may take some more time to complete the formalities, sources said.

Sugar cards can be changed to rice cards

20/11/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Now, family cardholders can convert their sugar option cards to rice cards by which they can get rice and other items provided under the Public Distribution System. In a statement, Food Minister R. Kamaraj said there were many requests from consumers to convert sugar cards to rice cards. Such consumers can apply online through www.tnpds.gov.in and also at the respective assistant commissioner’s offices till November 26, said an official release here.