‘Not sharing result is violation of rights’

‘Not sharing result is violation of rights’

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com  29.06.2020

Bengaluru: Doctors and health activists are up in arms over the government’s directive to labs, banning them from sharing results on Covid-19 swab samples with patients. Activists say it’s an infringement of a patient’s basic right.

The government has warned all 75 labs not to inform patients about their test results, insisting it should be routed through the district administration concerned. A similar rule is in force in Maharashtra.

“Who is more interested in the result than the patient?” said Dr Ramana Rao, Bengaluru-based cardiologist. “The government’s move is unwarranted. The patient and relatives should be informed first so that they can take precautions and contain the spread. If it is negative, let them feel relieved.” He said resident welfare associations and police should also be informed.

Health department officials and BBMP said the order was sent out as patients themselves were knocking on hospital doors without the test report, seeking admission. They say they were informed by the labs of a positive result.

“There is a need to counsel patients and explain the admission procedure. It if not, it only spreads panic,” a BBMP official said. However, citizens and doctors are unconvinced. “If patients know they are infected, at least they will act responsibly. What good does it do by not disclosing results to a patient?” a doctor asked. Another doctor labelled the move “utter nonsense”. “I feel the government is fudging numbers for some gain,” the doctor asked.

Jayanagar MLA Soumya Reddy said the government must rethink the notification. “It’s not the patient’s fault that the government’s health system does not have adequate facilities,” she said. She said many patients call her seeking her intervention in getting hospital beds when BBMP delays picking them up.

Srinivasa Alavilli, cofounder, Citizens for Bengaluru, said no one has the right to deny critical personal information to an individual, even more so when it is a question of life and death. “The notification is surprising and shocking. The state and BBMP have done a stellar job managing the crisis so far and we trust them to do the right thing as we go into critical phase of transmission in our city,” he said.

The government has warned all 75 labs not to inform patients about their test results, insisting it should be routed through the district administration concerned.

No Covid case due to lapse at exam centres: Kumar

No Covid case due to lapse at exam centres: Kumar

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru: 29.06.2020

At least two SSLC candidates have tested positive for coronavirus in Karnataka, but S Suresh Kumar, minister for primary and secondary education, defended the state government’s decision to conduct exams, saying no case had resulted from any safety lapse at test centres. Amid growing calls that the remaining papers should be called off, Kumar told TOI that the government had decided to conduct the exams in the interest of students.

With Covid-19 cases rising and some students testing positive, are you rethinking the rest of the exams?

Let me make it clear: no student has turned positive because of a lack of security [safety] measures at exam centres. As for the isolated cases, we will go by what the health department asks us to do. We resolved to conduct the SSLC examinations only in the best interest of students. Three papers are already over and they were incident-free. Only four to go.

Parents are worried as cases are being reported from within centres.

We have over 3,300 centres across Karnataka, out of which, after three days, one incident has come to light in a district. All the 18 children who wrote the exam with the boy and the invigilator have tested negative. The infected student, who underwent random testing for Covid-19 when he was suspected to have dengue fever earlier, is also learnt to be quite stable. There is no need for any parent to be worried as the foolproof system we put in place won’t allow any transmission.

What extra precautions are being taken now?

SOPs are being strictly adhered to. In the light of Saturday’s incident [a student testing positive], we have received clear communication from the health department that since all security measures are in place, other students in any exam hall cannot be considered as contacts... The health department has even cited the precedent of a primary contact of a Covid-19 patient facing the exams and remaining healthy.

Authorities have been unable to keep a tab on swabbed students.

Over 25 students have been identified by the health department as Covid-19 positive and they have been denied permission to appear for exams for now. We will continue to have the best identification and correction mechanism in place.

Why is the state conducting exams with so much risk?

Let me make it very clear. It is not a question of prestige for us to conduct these exams. I believe we don’t have the right to demean the enthusiasm shown by parents and children. I am saying this after meeting thousands of children and parents.

STUDENT TESTS POSITIVE IN UDUPI

A student who appeared for Saturday’s SSLC exam at a centre in Padubidri, Udupi, has been diagnosed with Covid-19. Minister for primary and secondary education S Suresh Kumar said the student was tested after her father’s infection was confirmed. “The particular exam room has been sanitised, and it will not serve as the venue for the science paper,” he said.

18 CANDIDATES TEST NEGATIVE IN HASSAN

Eighteen SSLC candidates and an invigilator in Hassan, who shared the exam hall with a student with coronavirus infection, tested negative on Saturday in a huge relief for officials. The 18 candidates will appear for the next exam on Monday. The student stricken with Covid-19 wrote the paper at Mallipatna Government High School in Arkalgud, Hassan.

Punjab puts on hold exit exams in univs, colleges

Punjab puts on hold exit exams in univs, colleges

Chandigarh:  29.06.2020

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced postponement of exams for the exit classes in all universities and colleges of the state till July 15 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

He however made it clear since all the universities and colleges in the state are accredited or affiliated to the UGC, any decision on the examinations can only be taken by the statutory body under the Union ministry of human resource development. New directions or guidelines are expected to be released by the UGC any time. TNN

Full report on www.toi.in

SC holds special Sunday hearing in Raj exam case

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: 29.06.2020

In a special hearing conducted on Sunday, the Supreme Court refused to interfere in Rajasthan government’s decision to hold remaining board exams for class X students scheduled from Monday and dismissed a plea seeking quashing of exams.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna assembled in the evening to grant an urgent hearing hours before the examination was to start but did not find merit in the petition filed by a mother of a student. The petitioner approached the SC after her plea was rejected by Rajasthan HC. Dismissing the plea, the bench said state government would take all necessary precautions as per the national guidelines and regulations.

Plea to put off JEE as Covid tests resolve

Plea to put off JEE as Covid tests resolve

TWIN FEARS: Losing A Year, Catching Infection

Shradha.Chettri@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 29.06.2020

Dilshad Khan had dropped a year in 2019 hoping to make it to one of the IITs in 2020. He prepared well the entire year to get a good score in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). But then the lockdown due to Covid-19 started and the exam was rescheduled to be held from July 18 to 27. Now, when the exams are nearing, Khan says he is fearful about writing exams at a centre amid rising novel coronavirus cases.

“I have invested a lot of time in preparing for the JEE but right now, I am mentally stressed and cannot concentrate on studies. I can’t even afford to lose another year. We students request the authorities concerned to postpone the exam till the Covid-19 cases stop rising,” said Khan who lives in Gurgaon.

National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the JEE (Main) for admissions into the engineering colleges. It is also a qualifying exam for admissions into IITs. Students who crack JEE (Main) become eligible to appear for JEE Advanced. The JEE (Main) was earlier scheduled to be held in April.

“If CBSE, UPSC, CTET exams can be cancelled and postponed, can’t they postpone our exams by a month more. The MHRD should release a statement clarifying the status. Also, JEE is a fully computer-based test. From thumb impression to keyboard, everywhere we have touch systems. And who is going to manage the large crowd outside the examination centre?” questioned Sajid Nazir, another IIT aspirant.

A parent whose child is supposed to appear for the exams also questioned the delay of the authorities concerned in announcing changes.

“When it involves future of lakhs of students, why does the government have to wait for the last minute. They are well aware of the situation. Lack of clarity on the exam dates is adding to the anxiety among students,” said Samarth Mathur, whose son wants to study computer science at any of the IITs.

These students have also taken to social media and petitioned HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank urging him to take a quick decision.

“What if one of the aspirants is Covid positive? How is NTA and the government going to check from which area students are coming to write the exam. It is about each one’s future and no one will want to miss the exam. But holding exams in present times will put health of lakhs of students at risk,” said Udit Mishra, another aspirant.

According to NTA authorities, there will be a review of the situation based on which exam-related decisions will be taken.

DESPERATE TIMES, DESPERATE MEASURES

A STUDENT SAYS

I have invested a lot of time in preparing for JEE but right now, I am stressed and cannot concentrate on studies. I can’t afford to lose another year

UP girl who appeared for Class X exams with oxygen kit scores 69%

UP girl who appeared for Class X exams with oxygen kit scores 69%

Kanwardeep.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bareilly: 29.06.2020

Safia Javed, who has been suffering from severe lung disease for the past five years, braved her poor health to appear in all her Class X exams of the UP Board with an oxygen cylinder. And her hard work paid off as the 16-year-old girl managed to secure 69% marks. She scored 82 marks in drawing, 77 in English and 68 in social science.

“Her books and studies seemed to be the secret behind her improving health,” Safia’s proud father told TOI in Bareilly on Sunday. Safia - the eldest among three siblings - has “weak lungs” and she requires regular oxygen support. She was also bedridden for several months.

Safia’s father Sarvar Javed, who works with a private firm in Noida, took leave from work to be with his daughter during her exams. “My daughter’s medical condition started after a gallbladder surgery. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis. She underwent treatment at a private facility and showed signs of improvement but later we came to know that she was suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. Her lungs were often filled with water and she had to undergo preventive treatment. She is being treated at a district hospital and doctors have asked to keep her on regular oxygen support,” Sarvar added.

Her uncle Zabi Ahmad gave credit to Safia’s parents for constantly motivating her. “My parents supported me a lot and always showed trust in me,” Safia said, adding, “I am very happy that I could live up to my parents’ expectations.”

Safia Javed has “weak lungs” and she requires regular oxygen support

Vande Bharat to enter fourth phase on July 3 with 900 flights

Vande Bharat to enter fourth phase on July 3 with 900 flights

29.06.2020

New Delhi: The world’s largest repatriation exercise, Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) will commence its fourth phase on July 3. It will see the Air India group operating over 400 flights up to July-end. Private airlines have volunteered to operate about 500 flights in this phase, according to the aviation ministry.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last week extended suspension of scheduled international flights till 11.59pm of July15 while stating such services “may be allowed on selected routes on a case to case basis”. VBM was launched on May 6.

The aviation ministry on Sunday tweeted: “VBM enters phase 4 on July 3 2020. In this phase, Air India will operate 114 flights (between July 3-15) including 31 flights to US; 19 to UK; 9 to Canada and 8 to Australia. AI Express will operate 300 flights in July (136 up to July 14 and 164 from July15-31.

“Private airlines have volunteered for significant participation in this phase with 498 flights to be operated by them… Among others, IndiGo will operate 238 flights from Qatar and 219 flights from Kuwait; while GoAir will operate 41 flights from Kuwait.” TNN