Court News

NEET applies to minority colleges: SC

‘It doesn’t violate fundamental rights’

30/04/2020, KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL, NEW DELHI

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is mandatory for admission to medical colleges run by religious and linguistic minority communities, the Supreme Court held on Wednesday.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Arun Mishra held that admissions solely through NEET for graduate and postgraduate medical/dental courses does not violate any fundamental and religious rights of minorities. NEET would apply for both aided and unaided medical colleges run by minorities.

The court dismissed arguments by the managements of several minority-run medical institutions, including the Christian Medical College Vellore Association, that bringing them uniformly under the ambit of NEET would be a violation of their fundamental right to “occupation, trade and business”.

The colleges had argued that imposing NEET would violate their fundamental rights of religious freedom, to manage their religious affairs, to administer their institutions. They said the State was reneging on its obligation to act in the best interest of minorities.

But Justice Mishra, who wrote the 108-page judgment, said it was time the field of education returned to the “realm of charity”, a character it had lost over the years. NEET was brought in to weed out malpractices in the field.

The court held that the rights of trade, business and occupation or religious rights “do not come in the way of securing transparency and recognition of merits in admissions”.

முக கவச வினியோகத்தில் இந்திய அஞ்சல் நிறுவனம்

Updated : ஏப் 30, 2020 02:32 | Added : ஏப் 30, 2020 02:26

சென்னை : இந்திய அஞ்சல் நிறுவனம், கடிதங்களை மட்டும் வழங்காமல்; இந்த நெருக்கடி காலத்தில், முக கவசங்கள், மருந்துகள் போன்றவற்றையும் வீட்டு வாசலுக்கே வந்து வழங்குகிறது. இதற்காக இந்த நிறுவனம், புதிதாக ஒரு ஆண்ட்ராய்டு செயலியை அறிமுகம் செய்ய உள்ளது.

'போஸ்ட் இன்போ' எனும் இந்த செயலியை, ஆண்ட்ராய்டு போன்களில் தரவிறக்கம் செய்து, பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்ளலாம். இந்த செயலியைப் பயன்படுத்தி, முக கவசங்கள், மருந்து பொருட்கள் ஆகியவற்றை அனுப்பலாம். அனுப்பும் பொருட்கள், பெறுநரின் வீட்டு வாசலுக்கே வந்து வினியோகம் செய்யப்படும் என, இந்திய அஞ்சல் நிறுவனம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.இது குறித்து, இந்நிறுவனத்தின் உயரதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது: நாடு முடக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் நிலையிலும் முடங்காமல் செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது இந்திய அஞ்சல்.

அழுத்தம் மிக்க இந்த காலகட்டத்திலும், அஞ்சலக ஊழியர்கள் பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். இப்போது, வழக்கமான பணிகள் தவிர்த்து, முக கவசங்கள், மருந்து பொருட்கள் ஆகியவற்றையும் மக்களின் கோரிக்கையின் அடிப்படையில் வழங்கி வருகிறோம். இதற்கான செயலியை, கூகுள் பிளே ஸ்டோரில் தரவிறக்கம் செய்து கொள்ளலாம். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

முடிந்தது 4 நாள் ஊரடங்கு: சேலத்தில் முண்டியடித்த மக்கள்

Added : ஏப் 30, 2020 02:30

சேலம்:சேலம் மாநகராட்சி பகுதியில், நான்கு நாளுக்கு பின், முழு ஊரடங்கு தளர்த்தப் பட்டதால், அத்தியாவசிய பொருட்கள் வாங்க, மக்கள் முண்டியடித்தனர். இதனால், சாலைகளில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்பட்டது.

கொரோனா தொற்றை குறைக்க, சேலம் மாநகர பகுதியில், 25ம் தேதி முதல், 28ம் தேதி வரை முழு ஊரடங்கு அமல்படுத்தப்பட்டது. மளிகை, காய்கறி உள்ளிட்ட அனைத்து கடைகளும் மூடப்பட்டன.சாலைகள் வெறிச்மக்களின் தேவைக்கு, வாகனங்களில் பொருட்கள் விற்கப் பட்டன. நான்கு நாளாக, சாலைகள் வெறிச்சோடி கிடந்தன.நேற்று முன்தினத்துடன், முழு ஊரடங்கு நிறைவு அடைந்ததால், நேற்று காலை முதல், வழக்கமான ஊரடங்கு அமலுக்கு வந்தது.

மளிகை, காய்கறி சந்தைகள் திறக்கபட்டன.ஆனால், 4 நாளாக வீடுகளுக்குள் அடைபட்ட மக்கள், நேற்று மடை திறந்த வெள்ளமாக, கடைகளுக்கு படையெடுத்தனர். மளிகை கடைகளில் நீண்ட வரிசை காணப்பட்டது. காய்கறி, உழவர் சந்தைகளில் கூட்டம் அலைமோதியது.சமூக இடைவெளியை கடைப்பிடித்து பொருட்களை வாங்க மக்களுக்கு பொறுமையில்லை; ஒருவரை ஒருவர் தொட்டும், தள்ளிவிட்டபடியும் நின்று பொருட்களை வாங்கினர். ஓரிரு மணி நேரத்தில் அனைத்து பொருட்களும் காலியாயின.

நான்கு நாளுக்கு பின் கடைகள் திறக்கப்பட்டதால், சாலையில் வாகனங்களையும் போலீசாரால் கட்டுப்படுத்த முடியவில்லை. வழக்கத்தை விட பல மடங்கு வாகனங்கள் அதிகமாக இருந்தன.போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல்பல இடங்களில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்பட்டது. பல முக்கிய சாலைகள் அடைக்கப்பட்டிருந்ததால், ஒரு வழிச்சாலையில் காத்திருந்து, ஊர்ந்து செல்லும் நிலை இருந்தது.

முழு ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில், நடமாடும் வாகனங்களில் காய்கறி, மளிகை உள்ளிட்ட பொருட் களை மாநகராட்சி விற்பதாக அறிவித்து வந்தாலும், அனைத்து பகுதிகளையும் சென்றடைய வில்லை.கூடுதல் வாகனங்களை இயக்கி, அனைத்து பகுதிகளுக்கும் அத்தியாவசிய பொருட்களை கொண்டு சென்றால் தான், முழு ஊரடங்கு பலனளிக்கும். இப்படி முண்டியடித்து வரும் மக்களால், கொரோனா பரவலை கட்டுப்படுத்துவது கடினம்.

Med colleges told to train interns for Covid-19 duty

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:29.04.2020

The district administration on Tuesday directed all government-aided and private medical colleges in the city to train MBBS interns in Covid-19 care for deployment in isolation wards as and when required.

There are eight government-aided and private medical education institutes in the city with total intern stretch of around 600. The directions were given at a meeting called by district magistrate Abhishek Prakash with representatives of private medical colleges, government-aided medical education institutes and government hospitals.

Institutes told to call back all interns

The DM said that all medical medical education institutes have been asked to call back all interns, in case they have gone home due to lockdown, for Covid-19 care training.

"Private institutes have been asked to provide list on interns in other districts and have no means to come to Lucknow. The administration will provide passes and make arrangement of buses for bringing them to Lucknow as per the requirement," he said.

JNU to open in phases, starting from June 1

No Guidelines From UGC On Lockdown Yet

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:29.04.2020

Even though a decision on the lockdown is yet to be taken by the government, Jawaharlal Nehru University has decided to open its doors in a phased manner starting June 1.

Documents accessed exclusively by TOI reveal that students returning to the campus from June 1 will have to undergo two weeks of self-isolation and then be tested for novel coronavirus. Sources at JNU said all the recommendations have been approved by the academic council (AC) via email.

As per the plans, “the bulk of lectures for theory courses and theoretical aspects of practical courses will be completed through digital means by May 31.

” The university is also planning to conduct the mid and end-semester examinations from mid-July and practical examinations in the last week of July. A detailed plan for each school and centre on the new academic and examination plan has also been spelled out in the document, which includes online examination as a backup plan for students who cannot access online learning and examination.

This revelation has brought forth the question whether JNU has jumped the gun as a recent announcement by University Grants Commission (UGC) mentioned that guidelines would soon be released based on the recommendations of the two task forces for online learning and examination and the academic calendar.

When contacted by the TOI, JNU vicechancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said, “All universities will have to follow the guidelines issued by UGC. The AC members, while considering the recommendations of various schools and special centres, took due note of the UGC guidelines. In any case, our understanding is that UGC guidelines are expected to be advisories to be implemented based on the conditions and preparedness in a university.”

Apart from completing the bulk of lectures online, JNU has already started online examinations, starting with School of Environmental Science’s mid-semester exams for MSc and MPhil/PhD scholars from Monday.

Asked how the university will address the issue of students not being able to access online classes and tests, Kumar said the administration is offering a flexible approach, including “extra classes, if needed, after the university re-opens. Paper-pen examinations will be held where online tests are not possible.” Another question is that even if the lockdown is lifted in May, will students be able to travel immediately?

Anticipating that the lockdown would be lifted in phases after May 3, Kumar said JNU would not take any autonomous decision and follow the Centre’s guidelines.

“Even if the lockdown is lifted in phases after May 3, it may take a couple of weeks for students to reach the campus,” added the JNU VC. At present, out of the total strength of 6,400 students, 646 boys and 262 girls are living on the JNU campus.

Asked what the university would do if the UGC guidelines are contrary to the plans, Kumar said, “JNU is committed to following the UGC guidelines. We are hopeful that they will take care of the diverse situations in the universities across the country.”

Documents accessed exclusively by TOI reveal that students returning to the campus from June 1 will have to undergo two weeks of self-isolation and then be tested for novel coronavirus

It’s unfair to label Chinese products as faulty: Embassy

Hints Variations In Test Results Could Be Due To Improper Use

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:29.04.2020

After ICMR's rejection of Chinese rapid test kits, China on Tuesday said it was unfair and irresponsible for "certain individuals" to label Chinese products as faulty and look at issues with "preemptive prejudice”.

Recalling statements by the manufacturers that the kits had been validated and approved by ICMR, the embassy here expressed hope that India will respect China’s "goodwill and sincerity" and strengthen communication with relevant Chinese companies "based on facts" to resolve the issue "reasonably".

The controversy over the kits comes hard on the heels of the investment row which saw the government tweaking rules to ensure Chinese FDI into India came through the approval route at a time many Indian companies seemed vulnerable to hostile takeovers. China had then too strongly objected to the government move. However, as the government had said last week, India continues to procure more and more medical equipment from China.

The embassy said it attached great importance to the quality of its medical exports and the same kits had been "well recognised" in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The Indian Council of Medical Research carried out tests using the kits after some states reported that the apparatus was giving divergent results. ICMR concluded that the variation of results was too large and asked states to return the kits to be sent back to the Chinese firms. The Indian government said no money had been paid so far for the kits.

"We have also learned that there are strict requirements for the storage, transportation and use of Covid-19 antibody rapid test kits. Any operation which is not carried out by professionals in accordance with the product specifications will lead to testing accuracy variations. ICMR also made it clear that rapid antibody test kits should only be used for surveillance purposes instead of replacing RT-PCR test to diagnose and confirm the cases," the embassy spokesperson said, adding that China not only sincerely supported India in its fight against Covid-19, but also took concrete actions to help.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the spokesperson said, China and India had maintained close communication and cooperation on prevention and control. "We will continue to support India’s efforts in fighting Covid-19, strengthen medical and health cooperation, and jointly work with India to overcome the difficulties at an early date, so as to safeguard the safety and health of our peoples as well as global and regional public health security," the official said.

INVOKING GODS: A Hindu priest burns a replica of the coronavirus made from plastic as he performs a ‘Yagya’ for the eradication of the coronavirus disease in Kolkata on Tuesday

Govt bound by court order: Vijayan

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:29.04.2020

Reacting to the high court order staying his government’s decision to defer payment of a portion of employees’ salaries over the next five months, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state is bound by the order of the court.

“The government would take necessary steps after a thorough examination of the order,” the CM said on Tuesday. A decision on filing an appeal against the single bench order would be taken after necessary deliberations, he said.

Meanwhile, finance minister Thomas Isaac said the government would consider its options for legal validation of its decision. “Now it has been said that it (setting aside salary) couldn’t be done through an executive order. Well, we would see what should be done to make the decision legally valid,” Isaac told reporters.

The HC order, Isaac said, reflected the “mental process” of some people in the state. “It’s indeed important to note that a few (people) are working overnight to thwart the unity and social capital of Kerala about which the whole world is talking about,” Isaac said. The minister said he would go into the details of the order after studying the same. “It’s unfortunate that a set of people are specializing in how not to cooperate with the government and how to weaken the fight against Covid-19,” Isaac added.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the court order was a body blow to the government for its failure to earn the trust of its employees. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the government should learn from the court order and start doing things in a democratic way. BJP state president K Surendran said the high court order once again proved that the state government was not doing things as per rules.