‘Cancelling Class XII Boards May Affect College Admissions’

Mixed response to CBSE move to scrap exams

‘Cancelling Class XII Boards May Affect College Admissions’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:2.6.2021

The decision to cancel CBSE Class XII board examinations has evoked a mixed response among principals of city schools. Some said the decision will create confusion in admissions to arts and science courses, while others said the situation is not conducive to conduct board exams.

The CBSE has said the Class XII assessment will be made according to well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner. The CBSE will provide an option to appear for the examinations to students who are not satisfied with the assessment when the situation becomes conducive.

“The present Covid-19 situation is not conducive to conduct physical mode exams. Now, the important issue is how they will calculate the marks and declare results. The criteria should not affect the career of the students,” said P G Subramanian, principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidhyashram in Kilpauk.

Some principals felt the exams could have been conducted on a regular schedule in March when the Covid-19 cases were very low. “Students were ready to write the exams in March. The cancellation of Class XII exams will create confusion in admissions to colleges. and foreign universities may not accept the all-pass decision,” a principal from a city school said.

Asha Nathan, principal of Chennai Public School in Anna Nagar, said students are disappointed with the cancelling of the exams. “Students are worried about getting admissions to arts and science colleges, which are based on Class XII board exam marks,” she said. However, she also said students’ lives are more important than exams and the government might have taken the decision after getting the broader picture about the pandemic.

R Srinivasa Raghavan, principal of Bala Vidyamandir Senior Secondary School in Adyar, said, “The cancellation might give clarity to colleges on how to go about the admissions. The colleges should come out with new methods for giving admission to undergraduate courses instead of just relying on board exam marks.”

N Vijayan, senior principal of Zion and Alwin Group of Schools, said the CBSE should take an average of three revision tests conducted in schools to award marks instead of taking last three years' exams.

“The schools were aware of the possibility of cancellation of exams. All schools conducted their revision tests fairly. Marks should be awarded based on recent performances instead of previous years performance,” he said.

Educationist P B Prince Gajendrababu urged the state boards not to follow CBSE in cancelling the Class XII board exams. “States need not follow CBSE and depending on the prevailing situation in their states, the board exam could be conducted at a later date by giving a time-table well in advance,” he said.

While all parties agreed that students’ health was paramount, some principals fear that foreign varsities may not accept the all-pass decition. They said the exams could have been conducted on a regular schedule in March when the cases were low

Centre cancels Class XII CBSE board exam, CISCE follows suit

Centre cancels Class XII CBSE board exam, CISCE follows suit

Assessment Likely On Tests Through The Yr

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:02.06.2021

Times of India Chennai Edition 

Ending the uncertainty over the Class XII CBSE boards, the Centre on Tuesday decided to cancel the examination due to the Covid-19 situation across the country after deliberations at a high-level review meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision came as a relief to lakhs of students, parents and teachers. The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private board that conducts the Class XII ISC exams, followed suit.

An official release said the Prime Minister held that the health and safety of students is of utmost importance and there would be no compromise on it. It was necessary to end anxiety among students, parents and teachers, the PM had said.

The government had earlier in April cancelled the CBSE Class X exams. According to CBSE sources, Class XII results will reflect the “well-defined objective criteria” developed by the board for Class X where assessment will be done based on the marks scored by a student in the different tests and exams conducted during the year. “Among the options being worked out is to whether the assessment should be based on performances in the final exams of the previous three classes (IX, X, XI) or give a certain weightage to Class X board results and internal assessments of Class XII. The modalities will be announced in a couple of days,” said a senior official of the CBSE.

“The government of India has decided to cancel the Class XII CBSE board exams. After extensive consultations, we have taken a decision that is student-friendly, one that safeguards the health as well as the future of our youth,” the PM tweeted.

CBSE yet to finalise alternate assessment criteria for board exams

Around 21.5 lakh registered for the Class X exams while 14 lakh candidates registered for those of Class XII. Meanwhile, CISCE secretary Gerry Arathoon said: “The exams have been cancelled. The alternative assessment criteria will be announced soon.”

TOI first reported on May 14 about the possibility of Class XII exams being cancelled due to the pandemic and on May 30 that results may be based on performances in previous classes and during the year leading to the board exams.

While the alternate assessment criteria for the exams has not been finalised by the board yet, CBSE sources said that it is expected to be on similar lines as announced for Class X which took into account the performance of the student in various tests and exams through the year. It was also decided in the meeting that in case some students want to take the exams, such an option would be provided to them as and when it is possible.

Welcoming the decision, Ashok Pandey, director, Ahlcon Group of Schools, said: “Under the given circumstances, centre-based examinations were no longer an option. Considering the trauma the children had undergone and the threat of the virus and no vaccination for students doesn’t inspire confidence among the people. This is a well-considered decision by the government and I am happy that the PM has asked for a time-bound transparent and equitable assessment plan.”

Hike medical scheme limit, HC tells TN

Hike medical scheme limit, HC tells TN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.06.2021

The Madras HC asked Tamil Nadu government to consider increasing the minimum income limit of ₹72,000 per annum for beneficiaries to access chief minister's comprehensive health insurance scheme.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy asserted that the eligibility limit is much lower than the minimum wage to be paid to an unskilled worker.

“Since this is a matter of policy, it is left to the state to consider whether the upward revision of the minimum threshold limit would be appropriate. However, the appeal appears to be reasonable and it is hoped that the minimum threshold level would be substantially increased to allow a larger number of families to avail of the benefit under the scheme,” the court said. The financial difficulties faced by ordinary citizens, particularly those who are not able to afford expensive treatment, should be looked into by the state, the court added.

The court passed the order on a PIL by D I Nathan to regulate fee charged by private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment in the state.

Anna varsity panel begins search for new vice-chancellor

Anna varsity panel begins search for new vice-chancellor

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.06.2021

After a delay of two months, Anna University vicechancellor search panel headed by Jawaharlal Nehru University vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Monday invited applications for new V-C from distinguished academicians.

"The search panel invites applications for the post of vicechancellor of the university from distinguished academicians with high level of competence, integrity, moral and institutional commitment and possessing the educational and work experience notified by the Tamil Nadu government," the nodal officer to the committee said. As per the qualifications prescribed by the government, a candidate must have 20 years of experience in teaching and research in universities, PG colleges or research institutions. They should have a minimum 10-year experience as a professor in a university system.

Interested candidates can download the application form from www.annauniv.edu. The filled-in application should be sent to nodalofficer2021@annauniv.edu on or before June 30. The search committee needs to recommend a panel of three names to the governor for appointment of vice-chancellor within four months of its formation. Professors from the university urged the governor-chancellor to expedite the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor in view of the pandemic.

"It is very difficult to get the nod for each academic decision from the three member convener committee during the lockdown. The process of selecting new V-C should have been initiated much earlier so that new V-C could have taken charge immediately after the previous vice-chancellor M K Surappa completed his tenure on April11. Now, at least they should appoint the next vice-chancellor before the start of next academic year," a professor from the university said. The VC search panel has retired IAS officer Sheela Rani Chunkath (government nominee) and ex-VC of Madras University S P Thyagrajan (syndicate nominee) as other two members.

Vaccine as excuse, people crowd roads, police at sea

Vaccine as excuse, people crowd roads, police at sea

Poonamallee, Anna Salai Choked With Vehicles: Cops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.06.2021

The complete lockdown has been extended till June 7, but motorists continue to hit the streets armed with excuses of going to a vaccination centre or hospital. With no clear instructions given, many field level police personnel are at loss too. The sector-wise checks at 348 places are not being carried out.

On Monday, places like Poonamallee, Anna Salai and Broadway were choked with vehicles, police said. Barricades have been erected at check points, but motorists simply fish out identity cards and are allowed to go. Even the e-registration procedure introduced to curb movement does not appear to be working. “With no mechanism to check if the reason is genuine or not, anyone can do e-registration and proceed. All one has to do is to give a mobile number and enter the OTP. He system accepts whatever documents are submitted,” said advocate V S Suresh.

Everyone has the provision to get e-registration and move anywhere in the city. “Police just let them go once the paper is shown, leading to people not taking lockdown seriously.”

After the government extended the lockdown to June 7, dos and don’ts, as per a May 29 order, were sent to all police personnel in the city. They were forwarded on all police WhatsApp groups.

“Most people travelling in the city either show their official identity card or an e-pass. This can be streamlined only if the institutions get e-passes on behalf of their staff through the Tamil Nadu eregistration website,” said police commissioner Shankar Jiwal.

He said that he had suggested to the Tamil Nadu disaster management authority to direct people in places such as banks, telecom firms, petrol bunks, newspaper offices, private firms as well as state and central government offices to get the e-pass through their HR officials or managers. “This would restrict more people from hitting the road,” he said.

Moreover, the penalty amount levied on violators by the traffic police and the law and order wing differs. While those in the first wing collect ₹100 from the bikers for not wearing masks and ₹500 for venturing out, the law and order wing books people coming out without valid reasons and collects ₹200 from anyone not wearing masks.

NO ESCAPE: Police check motorists if they are carrying valid documents for travel during the lockdown on Poonamalee High Road near Pulla Avenue junction on Monday

22 ex-KV students lodge sexual abuse plaint against teacher

22 ex-KV students lodge sexual abuse plaint against teacher

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.06.2021

A total of 22 former students from Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), CLRI campus, in Chennai have filed a complaint against a teacher for his sexually abusive and inappropriate behaviour. These instances span a timeframe of close to18 years.

Now, Kendriya Vidyalaya-CLRI has constituted a threemember committee to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the complaints against the teacher, who is yet to be suspended or face any other action.

Principal Y Rama Prasad said he was not the competent authority to act on the suspension of the accused teacher. An internal complains committee, which has two teachers and one external member (J Raghava Rao -- chief scientist at CLRI and KV CLRI management committee member), will submit a report after inquiry.

The second stage of inquiry will be conducted by the regional office and they will take a call on what action should be taken against the teacher and whether or not to send it to the commissioner for action, he added.

One of the complainants, a 28-year-old woman now, said he touched her inappropriately on several occasions and once in the middle of the class when she was distributing chocolates to her classmates on her birthday.

“In the light of several instances of sexual harassment, assault and abuse coming out from schools in Chennai, I decided to post my experience on social media – following which several students have reached out to me and my friends (also KV-CLRI alumni) about their own experiences of sexual abuse by the teacher," she said.

In the present complaint to the school principal, the former student said that on more than one instance, the teacher made her sit next to him during tuition classes and touched her on various parts of her body. He grabbed a student's waist while correcting her notebook. The student concerned was made to feel so uncomfortable that she decided to switch over to an alternative language subject, the complaint said.

Another complainant said: “As a young girl, I did not know what to do when this happened to me. I was not sure how my parents would react to this. But the traumatic events continue to haunt till date".

A survivor told TOI that she and others were concerned that he is still working there. “He might continue to misbehave with current students, who may be scared to speak out,” she said.

The complainants want the teacher to be booked and put to trial for committing offences punishable under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012.

Vax shortage sends suburban youth to city to get jabs

Vax shortage sends suburban youth to city to get jabs

Vaccinations Come To Halt In Avadi On Monday

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.06.2021

As suburban areas in Chennai are facing a huge vaccine shortage, people in the age group 18-45 flock to private hospitals in the city to get their jabs.

T Sadagopan, a residentactivist from Pattabiram, said, "My son, who was not able to find a single vaccination slot in and around Avadi, ended up travelling all the way to a private hospital in Anna Nagar to get his first shot. He spent ₹850 for the vaccine, another ₹1,000 for travelling all the way to the city".

Until last week, four to five vaccine centres in Avadi were vaccinating a small group of youngsters, who were keen on getting vaccinated. But it came to a halt from Monday at all centres including government Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Even the Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) Hospital has started to restrict vaccines only to its employees and their families, he said.

In response, a senior official from Avadi Corporation said that everyday, they are provided with roughly 2,500 vaccines and all of them were put to use at the end of the day.

"Just like Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), we too collaborate with residents' welfare associations to deliver vaccines at doorsteps of apartments. We are ready to continue vaccination at the same phase if the state provides more doses," he said, requesting anonymity.

Similarly at Tambaram, Chitlapakkam and Selaiyur, people are asked to return home due to shortage. "It was put on hold for four days last week. But now it has resumed. After vaccinating 50 to 60 people, tokens are given to those in queue to get vaccinated the next day," said V Santhanam, Chrompet chapter of People's Awareness Association.

In Poonamallee and Porur, there was no update after online registration. Shankar Anand, a residentactivist from Maangadu said, "Even two days after registering at CoWIN portal with necessary details, there was no reply on slots available at nearby centres".

These localities in adjoining districts of Chennai — Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram — together report more new cases compared to Chennai itself. However, the vaccination rate here is very low compared to Chennai.

While Chennai has received 20.4 lakh vaccinations so far, the three districts together have got only 7.02 lakh vaccination so far.