9 of Faridkot med college infected

NEWS DIGEST

15.07.2020

9 of Faridkot med college infected

Bathinda: Nine resident doctors and interns at the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Six out of these are from the department of orthopaedics and three are from general medicine. Also, the mother of Faridkot deputy commissioner Vimal Kumar Setia tested positive. Samples of the DC’s two brothers were also taken after this. The DC’s mother was getting treatment from orthopaedics department and the brothers accompanied her to the facility.

SAD defers all events for 15 days

Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal announced that all political programmes of the party would be postponed for the next 15 days in view of the growing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. SAD senior vice-president and spokesperson Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the decision has been taken in compliance with guidelines issued by the state health department and medical specialists. He said information regarding the decision has been sent to the entire cadre .

Fazilka deceased was diabetic

Fazilka/Ferozepur: A 50-yearold man died of Covid-19 in Fazilka district on Tuesday while two persons tested positive. Sources said the deceased belonged to Ratta Ther village and was admitted in a private hospital in Bathinda. After he suffered problems due to high blood pressure and brain tumour, he was referred to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot where he died during treatment. Fazilka civil surgeon Dr Chander Mohan Kataria said a 56-yearold policeman and 26-year-old youth from New Abadi, Fazilka had tested Covid-19 positive.

GJU allows fee in instalments

Hisar: The Hisar-based Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology (GJUST) has decided to give relief to the students in payment of semester fee by allowing it to be paid in two instalments to avoid financial hardship during the Covid-19 pandemic. GJUST vice-chancellor Professor Tankeshwar Kumar said the University Grants Commission (UGC) had instructed to explore the options for payment of fee to help students and also to consider their requests for giving them relief in the payment of semester fee.

Headless KU yet to get regular VC

Headless KU yet to get regular VC

Jaskaran Singh TNN

Kurukshetra:  15.07.2020

The term of Kurukshetra University’s previous vice-chancellor (VC), Prof K C Sharma, came to an end on March 31, 2020, but the varsity is still awaiting a regular appointment to the post.

A search committee constituted by KU executive committee (EC) on June 19, 2020, nominated GJUST VC Prof Tankeshwar Kumar and Murthal-based DCRUST VC Prof Rajenderkumar Anayath for the post, but the nomination of the final third member by KU chancellor, who is the Haryana governor by default, is awaited.

The Haryana government had called applications for the post by July 10, but the process has been held up in the absence of a formal notification by the search committee. As per sources, about 70 applications have been submitted.

SpiceJet flight brings back 175 passengers from UAE

SpiceJet flight brings back 175 passengers from UAE

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mohali:  15.07.2020

In continuation to the Vande Bharat Mission of evacuating stranded Indians from various countries, an evacuation flight from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrived at the Chandigarh International Airport with 175 Indians on Tuesday.

Another flight from Sharjah brought 141 stranded Indians on Monday. With this, a total of 19 flights have arrived so far under the Vande Bharat evacuation mission Phase II. Flights from the US, Ukraine, Auckland in New Zealand, Kuwait, two flights from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sharjah and four flights from Dubai have so far arrived with approximately 2,400 passengers.

The SpiceJet flight from the UAE arrived at 4.39 pm with 175 passenhers. This is the fourth flight connectivity to the UAE. The other Air India flight from Sharjah arrived at 3.16 pm on Monday with 141 passengers.

Mohali civil surgeon Dr Manjit Singh said all the passengers arriving from Sharjah and the UAE have been asked to undergo strict institutional quarantine at their respective districts and their passports have also been taken into possession by the administration.

The government of India had recently permitted airline operators from the Middle East and Gulf counties to bring back stranded Indians to their country. These foreign airlines will also operate apart from Air India or other Indian-based airline operators to bring back stranded Indians to Chandigarh.

The permission was notified by the director, civil aviation, Punjab. Foreignbased airline operators like Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airways, and SalamAir, so far have been given permission to operate flights to Chandigarh International Airport in Mohali.

Passengers at the Chandigarh international airport on Tuesday

10-year-old boy steals 10 lakh from bank in just 30 seconds

CRIME DIARY

10-year-old boy steals 10 lakh from bank in just 30 seconds

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

15.07.2020

Indore: In a bizarre bank theft, a 10-year-old boy walked in and out with Rs 10 lakh in cash in peak hour in Jawad area of MP’s Neemuch district, without any staff or customer having a clue.

CCTV footage shows the child, dressed in rags, walk into the cooperative bank at 11am and enter a cashier’s cubicle. Customers standing in queue in front of the same counter had no idea a theft was on right under their nose. The boy was small enough to be hidden by the desk on the counter.

He swiftly dropped wads of notes into a bag and walked out unchallenged. He was in and out in less than 30 seconds. It’s only when he started sprinting upon reaching the exit that the alarm was raised and a bank guard ran after him.Police have discovered from CCTV footage that the boy was being directed by a man in his 20s, who lingered on inside the bank for around 30 minutes. As soon as he saw a cashier get up from his seat and move into another room, he signalled the minor, who was standing outside. He darted in, stole two wads of Rs 500 notes kept on the counter, and fled.

“The minor was short, so people standing in front of the cash counter couldn't see him stealing the money,” Neemuch SP Manoj Rai said.

Jawad police station incharge OP Mishra said CCTV footage outside the bank shows that the man and boy ran in different directions. “Roadside stall vendors in the area and security guard are being interrogated,” said Mishra.

Engg colleges get future-ready, to teach AI, cyber security

UPDATED VERSION

Engg colleges get future-ready, to teach AI, cyber security

Institutions To Collaborate With Industry, Train Faculty And Set Up Centres Of Excellence

15.07.2020

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

More than 60 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu will offer new degree programmes in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and data science, cyber security, computer science and business systems, and machine learning from 2020-21.

Of the 536 engineering colleges, more than 50 colleges, both autonomous and affiliated, will offer BTech in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, a course which colleges believe will attract both students and companies. Another new course, BTech Computer Science and Business Systems, which plans to introduce management science to computer science students, is also gaining popularity among the colleges.

Colleges are trying to train their faculty members for emerging areas by entering MoUs with IT majors and setting up centres of excellence on their campuses.

RMK Engineering College is introducing two new courses -- BTech in Computer Science and Business Systems, and BTech in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.

“Students will learn computer science along with business in BTech in CSBS. We are in the process of signing an MoU with TCS. They will provide syllabus and training to our faculty members. They will also offer internships to the students,” said R M Kishore, vice-chairman of RMK Engineering College.

The college is planning to establish an artificial intelligence lab in partnership with Cognizant. Anna University has provided syllabus for BTech in AI and Data Science.

Sri Sairam College of Engineering is planning to offer these two UG courses. “Students are showing more interest in joining courses in emerging areas. CSBS course is equivalent to the technology management course offered in the foreign universities. Students will get exposure to both technical and management domains in the course,” said K Maran, director of the college.

Valliammai Engineering College will offer BTech and MTech in cyber security along with BTech AI and data science.

“For all new programmes in emerging areas, computer science is the base. So, cyber security will have 70%to 80% syllabus from computer science engineering. There will be four or five new courses related to cyber security in the third and fourth year,” said B Chidambararajan, principal of the college.

“A report from NASSCOM said there will be big demand for engineers in the cyber security field for next few years,” he said.

Anna University approved the syllabus for BTech in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. “Some of the courses have been introduced in affiliated and autonomous colleges. For autonomous colleges, we are allowing new courses approved by AICTE,” said M K Surappa, vicechancellor of Anna University.

For affiliated colleges, the university is planning to introduce specializations where students would study in a particular area in their final semesters. “Students will have broad options if they choose standard degree programmes instead of specialized programmes at UG level,” he said.

TAKING A CALL: An engineering counselling in progress in Chennai

Low on revenue, govt may cut pay

Low on revenue, govt may cut pay

BV.Shivashankar@timesgroup.com

15.07.2020

Bengaluru: If the government is forced to extend the week-long lockdown beyond July 22 to get a grip on the pandemic, it will have to consider pay cuts for its employees to finance the fight.

The state has 6.5 lakh employees and the government spends about Rs 5,500 crore per month in salaries and pensions. Besides this, the government has to service debts and allow for aids and subsidies, which means it needs a bare minimum of Rs 8,500 crore per month. An extended lockdown will make payment of salaries and pensions a tough task in the months ahead.

However, revenue in July so far has been about Rs 3,200 crore and the finance department is concerned it may not get much more because of the lockdown. It will have no other recourse but austerity measures. “We will have to consider pay cuts if curbs are extended,” said an official in the finance department.

He said, currently, mobilising funds to tackle Covid is not a problem. Except Covid operations, the government has already frozen funds for all development projects and has withheld hike in dearness allowance till June 2021. But it needs to do more to rein in the fiscal deficit. Legislators too will have to sacrifice perks and privileges.

The state was battered by the nationwide lockdown, but the economy showed signs of recovery with June fetching Rs 6,710 crore through commercial taxes – marginally higher than the same month last year. Other heads also showed growth in July.

While SR Viswanath, the CM’s political secretary said, “Yediyurappa is not in favour of extending the lockdown nor is he considering cutting salaries for now. But it all depends on how the Covid situation pans out.”

However, epidemiologist Dr Giridhara Babu said nothing would be gained by a weeklong lockdown.

SR Viswanath, BSY’s political secretary said, “The CM Is not mulling salary cuts now, but it all depends on how the situation pans out.”

BDU allows colleges to conduct MPhil viva voce online

BDU allows colleges to conduct MPhil viva voce online

TNN | Jul 15, 2020, 04.20 AM IST

Trichy: After asking affiliated colleges to conduct viva voce examination for PhD online, Bharathidasan University (BDU) has given its nod for institutions to conduct M Phil programmes online as well.

The controller of examination (in-charge) BDU, S Srinivasa Ragavan, in a circular asked the colleges to choose any online mode to conduct viva voce examination.“It will be beneficial for colleges having part time students from other states who cannot come in person to appear for viva voce, said the controller. There should be a minimum 30 participants including faculty members/research scholars/ PG students. After conducting the examination online, the soft copy of the complete meeting is to be recorded in a CD/pen drive. The hard copy is to be submitted in the existing method as per the current regulations.

The university grants commission (UGC) had recently asked institutions to switch to online mode for PhD and M Phil examinations during the Covid-19 lockdown.tnn