2L poor quality engineers to pass out as arrear exams scrapped: Experts

2L poor quality engineers to pass out as arrear exams scrapped: Experts

‘Hard Earned Degrees Will Lose Value’

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.08.3030

The cancellation of all arrears exams for engineering students in Tamil Nadu, due to Covid-19, may in one stroke bring down the value of lakhs of hard earned degrees and ensure that at least two lakh students without basic understanding in key subjects become engineers, say experts.

It may also damage the reputation of Anna University and lead to genuine students being overlooked for courses of higher education or employment due to loss of credibility, they add.

The government announced that all students with arrears (except final semester) who have registered and paid fees for exams will be exempted from writing exams and they will be promoted.

There are currently 4,01,226 engineering students with arrears in TN. “Of the two lakh students now set to receive degrees without clearing exams, one lakh have finished college and 10,000 have exhausted all attempts to clear arrears,” a professor said. Currently, one student has been found to have 61 arrears out of 68 papers, he said.

B Chidambararajan, principal of Chennai-based Valliammai Engineering College, said a student can clear 6-10 papers in one semester. “If students with more arrears are promoted without writing exams, the value of degrees will be lost. Even now many companies don’t rely on semester marks to select candidates,” he said.

Almost all private companies have a robust recruitment process and will not take up students without screening them, he said. “If any of such candidates join the public sector, it will have very serious consequences,” he said, suggesting an exit test for students with many arrear.

The concept of getting students to arrear exams is to enable them to acquire sufficient knowledge in a subject, said M A Maluk Mohammed, director and correspondent of MAM College of Engineering and Technology in Trichy. “Citing Covid-19 scenario, we cannot pass all students with arrears. It is making a mockery of the system.” The government can come up with innovative solutions like online exams or open book exams, he said.

E Balagurusamy, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, said universities are not ration shops to distribute free degrees.

“There is no need to declare students with arrears passed with such urgency. Many finished college years ago and have been appearing for arrear exams for several years. They can wait for a few more months.”

All India Council for Technical Education chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe wondered how a student who failed a course could be given a degree. “Such students will not be valued by industry or other higher educational institutes and would not get jobs. What is the use of such degrees?”

‘Unfair to those who couldn’t pay fee’

The state government’s decision to scrap arrear exams and promote students who have paid the arrears exam fees, received criticism from those who didn’t make the payment. “Payment of fees alone cannot be the criteria for the promotion. If all students cannot avail of this benefit, the exams should be postponed,” said G Kavita, a BSc Maths student at a Madurai college. Colleges state that those intending to write the exam would have paid when the fee was being collected before the lockdown in February and March. “In this uncertain period, several students with just one or two arrears could not pay the fees,” said S Vel Deva, Madurai district secretary, Students’ Federation of India (SFI). Questioning the cancellation of the arrears exams on a large-scale basis, he added that there should be equality in this process. TNN

Unlock 4.0: States, UTs barred from declaring local lockdown Metro From Sept 7; Schools & Colleges To Remain Closed

Unlock 4.0: States, UTs barred from declaring local lockdown

Metro From Sept 7; Schools & Colleges To Remain Closed

Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 30.08.2020

In a bid to curb restrictions like “weekend lockdowns” seen to be hurting the economy still reeling under Covid, the Unlock 4.0 guidelines released by the Centre on Saturday make it mandatory for states and Union territories to consult the Centre before imposing any local lockdown in areas other than containment zones.

This guideline, according to home ministry sources, was necessary to ensure that supply chains are not disrupted by “arbitrary” lockdowns imposed at the district or city level, which tend to adversely affect free inter-state and intra-state movement of goods. Traders’ associations have also been up in arms over the weekend curbs in particular, protesting that it adversely impacts business. In important relaxations, city Metro trains will operate with services resuming in a graded manner from September 7, while bars and restaurants can serve liquor to customers from September 1itself.

Starting September 21, social, religious, academic, sports, entertainment, religious and political functions with a maximum congregation of 100 people will be permitted in non-containment areas, subject to norms. Marriage functions and funerals, which at present can have maximum 50 and 20 attendees, respectively, will also have a raised ceiling of 100 attendees after September 20. Schools and colleges will remain shut until September 30.

More relaxations in TN likely soon

As TN tally surpassed four lakh Covid cases and 7,000 deaths, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who held a review meeting with collectors on Saturday, directed them to give priority to elderly and those with co-morbidities in conducting RT-PCR tests. Sources said the CM was considering more relaxations to revive the economy. P 5

MHA norms will be effective from September 1-30

However, there is an easing for Class IX to Class XII students who can visit schools for guidance from teachers but with the written permission of parents, while 50% teaching and other staff can be called by schools from September 21.

Post-graduate students and those who need to conduct research and use labs will be allowed to attend higher education institutions. However, all this will be subject to standard operating procedures to be issued by the health ministry.

The norms will be effective from September 1-30. The advisory on local lockdowns may not go down well with some opposition-governed states that have been following their versions of containment, which vary across cities and districts in terms of extent of curbs.

“The home ministry received representations from industry associations like Ficci and CII against ‘local’ lockdowns citing their adverse impact on supply chains and resumption of economic activity on full scale. The guidelines don’t bar the state from imposing local lockdowns, they only require the Centre to be consulted before imposing them,” said an official.

While cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment marks and theatres will stay shut, open-air theatres can resume from September 21.

With guidelines lifting the ban on public consumption of liquor, tobacco products and gutka, bars can finally open their counters and restaurants can serve liquor from September 1.

Allowing up to 100 people at a public function will help physical campaigning and holding of rallies and public meetings for the upcoming Bihar polls and other bypolls, expected to be announced next month.

Full report on www.toi.in

23 அரியரில் பாஸ்: முதல்வருக்கும், கொரோனாவுக்கும் திருச்சி மாணவர் நன்றி

23 அரியரில் பாஸ்: முதல்வருக்கும், கொரோனாவுக்கும் திருச்சி மாணவர் நன்றி

Updated : ஆக 29, 2020 04:16 | Added : ஆக 29, 2020 04:13 |

திருச்சி;முதல்-அமைச்சரின் உத்தரவால் திருச்சியை சேர்ந்த என்ஜினீயரிங் கல்லூரி மாணவர் 23 அரியர் பாடங்களிலும் பாஸ் ஆகி உள்ளார். அதனால் எல்லையில்லா மகிழ்ச்சி அடைந்ததாக அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.கொரோனா தொற்று பரவல் காரணமாக ஊரடங்கு அமல்படுத்தப்பட்டது. தேர்வு நேரத்தில் பஸ் உள்ளிட்ட வாகன போக்குவரத்தும் தடைபட்டது. பள்ளி மாணவர்களின் நலன்கருதி எஸ்.எஸ்.எல்.சி. பொதுத்தேர்வு எழுதாமலேயே அனைத்து மாணவ-மாணவிகளும் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றதாக அரசு அறிவித்தது.

அடுத்ததாக கல்லூரிகளில் இறுதியாண்டு செமஸ்டர் தவிர, இதர ஆண்டுகளில் பாடங்களில் அரியர்ஸ் வைத்திருந்த அனைத்து மாணவ-மாணவிகளும் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றதாக முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி அறிவித்தார். இது கல்லூரிகளில் சரிவர படிப்பு வராமல் இருந்த மாணவ-மாணவிகளுக்கு பெரும் அதிர்ஷ்டம் அடித்தாற்போல மகிழ்ச்சியில் திளைக்க தொடங்கினர்.

திருச்சி கிராப்பட்டி பகுதியை சேர்ந்த என்ஜினீயரிங் கல்லூரியில் 3-ம் ஆண்டு படித்து வரும் மாணவர் சஞ்சய்நேரு , 23 பாடங்கள் அரியர் வைத்திருந்தார். தமிழக அரசு அரியர் வைத்துள்ள அனைத்து பாடங்களும் 'பாஸ்' என அறிவித்ததும் மகிழ்ச்சியில் பெருமையுடன் கூறினார்.

இது குறித்து மாணவர் சஞ்சய்நேரு கூறியது:நான் எஸ்.எஸ்.எல்.சி. பொதுத்தேர்வில் 427 மதிப்பெண்களும், பிளஸ்-2 வில் 905 மதிப்பெண்களும் எடுத்திருந்தேன். என்ஜினீயரிங் படிக்க எனக்கு ஆர்வம் இன்றி இருந்தேன். ஆனால், கட்டாயத்தின்பேரில் திருச்சி-திண்டுக்கல் சாலையில் உள்ள தனியார் கல்லூரி ஒன்றில் கடந்த 3 ஆண்டுக்கு முன்பு எலக்ட்ரானிக் அன்ட் கம்யூனிகேஷன் என்ஜினீயரிங் (இ.சி.இ.) பாடப்பிரிவை எடுத்து படித்தேன். பள்ளியில் மனப்பாடமாக படித்ததுபோல கல்லூரியில் படிக்க முடியவில்லை. கல்லூரியில் இருந்து இடையில் நின்று விடலாமா? என யோசித்து கொண்டிருந்தேன்.

முதலாம் ஆண்டில் முதல் செமஸ்டரில் ஒரு அரியர் பேப்பரும், 2-வது செமஸ்டரில் 5 அரியர் பேப்பரும் இருந்தது. 2-ம் ஆண்டில் 3-வது செமஸ்டரில்-5, 4-வது செமஸ்டரில்-6, 3-ம் ஆண்டில் 5-வது செமஸ்டரில்-6 என மொத்தம் 23 அரியர் இருந்தது. மேலும் அத்தனை அரியர் பாடங்களை மீண்டும் எழுதும் நோக்கில் கட்டணமும் செலுத்தினேன்.

இந்த நிலையில்தான் முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி, கல்லூரி மாணவ-மாணவிகளின் அரியர் பாடங்கள் அனைத்தும் பாஸ் என அறிவித்தார். இதற்காக அரசுக்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்து கொள்கிறேன். தற்போது நான் எல்லையில்லா மகிழ்ச்சியில் உள்ளேன். இதற்கு காரணமான கொரோனாவுக்கும் நன்றி. இனி இறுதியாண்டில் எப்படியாவது எஞ்சிய செமஸ்டர் பாடங்களை நன்றாக படித்து தேர்ச்சி பெற முயற்சி மேற்கொள்வேன்.இவ்வாறு அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

SC: Final year exams must for judging students’ competence

SC: Final year exams must for judging students’ competence

Justifies UGC Decision To Hold Exams For Awarding Degrees

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:29.08.2020

The Supreme Court on Friday justified the UGC’s insistence on final examinations for undergraduate and postgraduate courses for award of degrees and said this was an important process to seek evidence of students’ knowledge and evaluate it.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah said, “Final year/ terminal semester examinations are important because the learning process is a dynamic interaction where the only way to figure out what students know is to seek evidence of their knowledge and to evaluate it. Performance in examination, especially final year/ terminal semester examination, are a reflection of competence of the students.

“Terminal semester/final year examination also provides an opportunity to students to improve upon their overall score/marks which are very crucial for academic excellence and opportunities of employment. Final year/terminal semester examination of undergraduate or postgraduate is an opportunity for a student to show his optimum calibre which paves his future career both in academics and employment.”

Maharashtra government, drawing support from West Bengal and Delhi, had questioned the rationale behind UGC fixing a September 30 deadline for completion of final examinations without taking into account the dynamic Covid-19 situation in different states. The bench said, “UGC had rightly fixed a date for completion of terminal semester/ final year examination throughout the country to maintain uniformity in the academic calendar.”

The court said UGC fixed a uniform deadline as students, who look forward to admission in higher courses or take employment, require final degree for their career prospects and for this, there has to be to uniformity in dates by which final examinations are over.

Maharashtra government had decided on June 19 that final year examination of professional courses could not be arranged during the pandemic.

With regard to non-professional (traditional) courses, the state had decided to declare results by adopting a suitable formula after obtaining in writing from students that they intended to get degree without appearing in examinations.

The states had argued that UGC could not have taken a unilateral decision to fix September 30 deadline for completion of final examinations without consulting states and universities. The bench said, “Whether for collecting information relating to university education in India, if UGC has to consult all 900 or more universities and whether without consultation with the universities, it cannot perform its functions under Section 12 of the UGC Act, the answer would be obviously that it is not necessary for UGC to consult all universities while collecting information relating to university education in India.”

LAYS DOWN THE LAW

The businessman who became a brand himself

The businessman who became a brand himself

D.Govardan@timesgroup.com

29.08.2020

TNCC working president and Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kanyakumari, H Vasanthakumar, passed away on Friday at a city hospital, where he was admitted on August 10, after developing symptoms of Covid-19. He was 70. He leaves behind his wife, who is also undergoing treatment for Covid and an actor son, Vijay Vasanth.

On August 9, he participated in a virtual meet, organized by TNCC, for freedom fighter Chinna Annamalai’s centenary, which turned out to be his last public appearance. “I spoke to him over phone on August 11. He was sounding cheerful and said there was only mild symptoms for him and his wife. Since their grandson was at home, they got themselves admitted to hospital as a precautionary measure,” recalls K Chandrasekharan, secretary, TNCC arts wing. “With God’s blessings, I will be back home in a few days,” Vasanthakumar had told him.

Born on April 14, 1950 at Agastheeswaram in Kanyakumari, he was the younger brother of former TNCC president Kumari Ananthan. Vasanthakumar started his career as a salesman in VGP & Co selling ‘Murphy’ transistors door-todoor on instalment basis on a bicycle. After gaining some experience, he was keen to open his own shop.

While no one came forward to lend him money, a customer advised him to approach Indian Bank for loan. He met senior branch manager M Gopalakrishnan, who later went on to become CMD of the bank, who sanctioned him a small loan. Starting from scratch in 1978, he established Vasanth & Co. It later became TN’s largest consumer durable retail chain. It has over 80 branches in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

Vasanthakumar was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly from Nanguneri assembly segment for the first time in 2006, when the Congress was part of the DMK alliance. He lost in the 2011 assembly elections.

He lost to BJP’s Pon Radhakrishnan in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Kanyakumari. In the 2016 assembly elections, when Congress was back in the DMK alliance, Vasanthakumar got elected from Nanguneri to the assembly for the second time. But he contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Kanyakumari and defeated Pon Radhakrishnan. Later, he resigned the MLA post.

“He was a man without contradictions. Even if he differed with what I said, he would put across his views with a smile and convince me. A complete family man, he took every decision only after discussing it threadbare with his wife and son,” recalls TNCC president K S Alagiri.

Vasanthakumar had spoken to former TNCC president and Trichy Lok Sabha MP S Thirunavukkarasar on August 14 and invited the latter to visit TNCC headquarters for the Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony. “Vasanthakumar was a pure nationalist and had a bright future for himself in the TNCC. In a short duration as MP, he proved himself as a very good parliamentarian,” Thirunavukkarasar said.

“His self-confidence was supreme. He was a businessman who made himself the brand for his trade. He connected with the customers and built an empire from scratch,” said former Congress MP Peter Alphonse.

3.5 lakh entered city after e-pass norms relaxed

3.5 lakh entered city after e-pass norms relaxed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  29.08.2020

Ever since the epass restrictions were relaxed, Chennai has witnessed an influx of 3.25 lakh people, Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner G Prakash said on Friday. This had led to an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases but Prakash said it “was expected and the civic body is prepared for it”.

Prakash said every day around 30,000-35,000 people were entering the city. “Home quarantine is a method of controlling the spread. We don’t know if those entering have been tested earlier or not. Keeping them in a confined space for 14 days and testing if they get symptoms is a correct method,” he said.

Prakash said Chennai and Tamil Nadu’s focus has now shifted to reduction of Covid deaths. “We can’t stop the inflow or outflow of public or the spread of cases. We can only scientifically control it,” Prakash said.

Health secretary J Radhakrishnan said people must get tested for Covid if they have symptoms. “We are getting many cases where people complain of breathlessness and come in at the last minute. They die within a day. These are avoidable deaths,” he said.

“Instead of getting tested, people were getting CT scans and wasting three to four precious days, which can cost them their lives,” Radhakrishnan said. People were avoiding tests as they were worried about being quarantined for a fortnight, he said. Radhakrishnan said using masks, physical distancing and regular handwashing should be rigorously practised. Prakash said such regulations will continue till the end of 2020.

The commissioner said there were rumours on social media that about Rs 15,000 award to be given to those who would help authorities find Covid-19 patients. “People spreading such rumours would be dealt with severely,” said Prakash.

SC: Final exams must for degrees, states can delay, but can’t nix them

SC: Final exams must for degrees, states can delay, but can’t nix them

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 29.08.2020

Ending the suspense for 1.5-crore final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students, the Supreme Court on Friday said final examinations are a must to get degrees but ruled that in a pandemic situation, states had power under the Disaster Management Act to postpone examinations beyond the September 30 deadline set by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The court said the state or the disaster management authority could delay the final exams but not scrap them. They will need to be rescheduled in consultation with the UGC, the court said, upholding the regulator's mandate to set the rules for award of degrees. In doing so, the SC said it recognised the importance of the evaluation process. The SC said UGC guidelines had taken the pandemic situation into account and had given three options to universities for conducting final examinations — offline, online and a mix of both.

‘States have no power to pass students sans exams’

There was nothing unreasonable about the guidelines as it also provided another opportunity to students, who, for some reason, may miss the final examinations, it said.

Maharashtra has decided to cancel final-year examinations, citing rising Covid-19 cases. It found support from West Bengal and Delhi, who termed the UGC guidelines an advisory and not mandatory. In support of the Maharashtra government’s decision, Shiv Sena’s youth wing ‘Yuva Sena’ had moved the SC challenging UGC’s July 6 guidelines mandating completion of final examinations by September 30.

Disagreeing with their stand, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah said states and universities had no power to “promote students in the final year or terminal semester” without holding final examinations. It said UGC was the sole authority to take a decision on this count.

“Decision of the state or State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to promote students in the final year/terminal semester on the basis of previous performance and internal assessment being beyond the jurisdiction of Disaster Management Act, 2005, has to give way to the UGC’s July 6 guidelines directing to hold examination of final year/terminal semester,” it said.

However, the court said if the state or SDMA has decided that it cannot hold final examinations by September 30, then the state shall approach UGC for fixing a new schedule for final examination for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Full report on www.toi.in

‘For extension, states must approach UGC’

New Delhi: All centrally funded higher education institutions have been asked to comply with the UGC’s notification to conduct final-year exams by September-end, higher education secretary Amit Khare said, adding that if any state wanted an extension, they should apply to the UGC.

Professor R C Kuhad, who headed the expert committee of UGC on examination and academic calendar, said the SC ruling had put an end to the uncertainty around final exams. TNN