Pandemic slipping into endemic phase

Pandemic slipping into endemic phase

WATCH FOR VARIANTS Govt Must Ramp Up Genomic Sequencing, Say Experts

Kids Need Time To Reconnect And Socialise, Say Teachers

Experts Say Virus Is Still Around, Advise Extreme Care And Caution

BV.Shivashankar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:4.10.2021

With fresh Covid-19 cases hovering in the 500-800 range for the past month and with no sign of a third wave of infections, experts suggest the viral disease may have lost its pandemic characteristics and could be getting closer to the endemic phase in Karnataka.

“Going by the stagnation in terms of new cases and the low test positivity rate (TPR), we can say Covid-19 is reaching the phase of endemicity in Karnataka,” said Dr MK Sudarshan, chairman, state Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). “There will be a new wave only if the novel coronavirus mutates and a new variant emerges. It is therefore important to step up vigilance and surveillance and keep a close watch for mutations, if any. It can be done through more aggressive genomic sequencing.”

The TAC has advised the government to step up current levels of genomic sequencing of test samples to track mutations of the virus. While the test positivity rate is around 0.5%, experts say it could be a pattern as pandemics normally have two or three waves of infections.

Once it becomes endemic, the virus spread will be restricted to local transmission without importation of infection from outside through travel history. Infected people will not suffer a serious form of the disease, and the fatality rate will be low.

Noted epidemiologist Dr T Jacob John said an endemic trend is being witnessed across the country, except in three states — Kerala, Mizoram and Meghalaya, where new cases are still relatively high. “However, the situation in Kerala has improved considerably, with daily cases being stable at around 12,000. So, Covid-19 is becoming endemic there too,” said Dr John.

Extreme caution

Dr V Ravi, virologist and nodal officer for genomic sequencing in Karnataka, said, normally, the process of genomic sequencing should be scaled up to around 10% in the given scenario, especially in districts like Bengaluru Urban and Mysuru where cluster outbreaks are known to occur.

“The situation calls for extreme caution, and vigilance and genomic sequencing needs to be increased. Although the prevailing endemic-like situation gives an impression that the virus is gone, it is still around,” Dr Ravi said.

Karnataka at present has four genomic sequencing laboratories located at Nimhans, National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), IISc and Jawaharlal Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).

But the state government has now taken steps to add six more labs to the list, with four new labs to be set up in medical colleges located in Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Hassan and Mysuru and another two at district hospitals in Vijayapura and Mangaluru.

Dr KV Trilok Chandra, health commissioner, said, “We have already procured of required equipment and the new genomic labs will be operational by this month end.”

PhD not mandatory for asst prof

PhD not mandatory for asst prof

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

4.10.2021

In a move to allow universities to fill the vacant posts, the Ministry of Education has lifted the mandatory requirement of PhD for applying to the post of assistant professors across Indian higher education institutes.

The criteria has been lifted temporarily for 2021.

In 2018, the government had directed that candidates would need PhD to apply for the post of assistant professor as NET will not be the only criteria for recruitment This was announced under the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the plan of implementing the policy has been put on hold for the current year due to Covid, however, it has not been cancelled. As per the existing norms, candidates who have been awarded a PhD degree in accordance with UGC will be exempted from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET/SLET/SET.

UPSC 2020 sees better women representaion

UPSC 2020 sees better women representaion

Over 28% women have qualified for the UPSC this year as against 23% in 2019

c-Puniti.Pandey@timesgroup.com

4.10.2021

Women candidates have scored decent ranking in the recently released UPSC 2020 results as half of the top 20 positions have been occupied by women from the diverse educational field. This year’s result confirmed a perfect balance in the male-female ratio in the toppers list. Also, there is a slight improvement in the number of women qualifiers as compared to the last few years. Over 28% women have qualified for the UPSC this year as against 23% in 2019. In 2018, 2017 and 2016 the percentage of women qualifying the exams were 24.24%, 24% and 23.33%, respectively. This year, out of the total 761 qualifiers, 545 were male candidates while there were 216 women. In 2019, against 632 male, 197 female candidates qualified.

Despite the improvement in numbers, women continue to have less than 30% representation in UPSC. Explaining the possible reasons behind this, Shreya Singhal, AIR 176 in UPSC 2020 says, “ Women have additional challenges and responsibilities, which act as a hindrance in the professional world. Women have to juggle between personal and professional lives and balance both. Despite this, there is a gradual increase in the representation of women in civil services over the years.”

Talking about the challenges that she faced during her preparation, she adds, “While my father and cousins have been pillars of strength, I too faced awkward questions from my relatives regarding my parents allowing me to study in a different city.” “Had it not been this time, I doubt if I would have got another year for preparation for the UPSC exam,” says Shreya, 25, who hails from a small town called Sarswa in Saharanpur. UPSC exams being tough, demand exhaustive preparation, which becomes restrictive for girls.

Several families from remote places hesitate to send their daughters to a different city for better preparation. “Not all families are broad-minded and liberal to allow girls to travel to a new place,” explains Shreya who moved to Jaipur and then to Delhi for higher education. She had been preparing at Residential Coaching Academy, Jamia Millia Islamia, after pursuing BTech from Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur (MNIT). Her father is a chemist and her mother is a homemaker.

Highlighting the challenges, AIR 15 Ria Dabi says, “There is a perception in society that women should look after the domestic front. Covid made the situation worse. Women living in rural areas face challenges such as reaching the far away exam centres, getting study material, financial issues and family constraints,” she adds. “With increasing number of women achieving top ranks, young girls have found their role models. This year, out of the top 25 candidates, 12 are women, which is the proof of change,” adds Ria, who is the sister of 2015 AIR 1 Tina Dabi. Inspired by Tina, Ria, 23, a graduate from Lady Shri Ram college, DU started to prepare at Career Launcher in 2019. Talking about the gradual change in the demography of UPSC, Shreya says, “Perceptions have changed after Tina Dabi emerged as the all India topper in UPSC in 2015. There is greater visibility for women candidates.”

Like doctors, law students to do rural service: Nalsa chief

Like doctors, law students to do rural service: Nalsa chief

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:4.10.2021

In a radical change in approach to provide free legal aid to people residing in every nook and cranny, Nalsa chairman Justice U U Lalit announced that like MBBS students hands-on internship, final year law students would be persuaded to act as paralegal volunteers in the hinterland and help in making the poor and the needy aware of their right to free legal assistance.

This novel approach to make the poor and needy, women facing sexual assault, harassment or domestic violence, physically challenged, acid attack survivors and destitutes aware about availability of completely free quality legal assistance is a milestone decision in the 25-year existence of National Legal Services Authority (Nalsa).

Justice Lalit said that Nalsa has held talks with Bar Council of India (BCI), which grants recognition to law colleges and prescribes the curriculum for law courses, and that BCI has agreed to make changes in the curriculum that would enable the final year law students to act as paralegal volunteers for at least six months.

There are as many as 530 law colleges across the country recognised by the BCI. If each law college has 50 seats in the final year course, then the 530 colleges would provide a healthy paralegal force of over 26,000 students, who can fan out to the hinterland and educate almost the entire rural population in a matter of months about their right to get free legal aid.

Justice Lalit said that Nalsa, in collaboration with state, district, taluk legal aid services authorities, paralegal volunteers and NGOs, would try to reach out each of the 6.65 lakh villages at least three times during the 45-day-long campaign, which would end on the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru on November 14.

The Nalsa chairman also said that the quality of legal aid has been a sore point for the last 25 years and promised a substantial improvement in the next few years.

Full report on www.toi.in

Students’ role vital in getting NEET relief: MP

Students’ role vital in getting NEET relief: MP

Trichy:4.10.2021

The role of the student community in consolidating the voice against the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET) for selection to MBBS course is vital to getting exemption for Tamil Nadu from the test, said speakers at a state-level conference organised by Students’ Federation of India (SFI) here. Members of Parliament, educationalists and writers who attended the conference said the conduct of the test invades the state’s autonomy and demotivates medical aspirants.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva said there is a perception that only Tamil Nadu is opposing the entrance test, which must be changed by mobilising anti-NEET protesters from other states. Unity among NEET opponents was the need of the hour. “If we can achieve a solution in the projallikattu movement, why not in NEET? SFI’s role is vital to gather support across India. We must bring back education under the state list,” he said. He claimed that the AIADMK government did not take dedicated measures to get an exemption for the state. General secretary of the state platform for the common school system, Prince Gajendra Babu, said the Union government has to uphold the spirit of federalism by giving exemption to Tamil Nadu in NEET. TNN

3 students get TC for teasing blind teacher

3 students get TC for teasing blind teacher

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Namakkal:

Three students were issued transfer certificates (TC) on Sunday by a government school management in Namakkal district for their misconduct. The students were studying in Class IX in a government high school at Puduchatram near Rasipuram in the district. They danced in front of their history teacher, a blind person. “A few of the students took video when the trio was dancing in front of the teacher,” a teacher from the school said. The issue came to light on October 1 after the video went viral on social media.

Several people condemned the students’ mischievous behaviour before the teacher. The education department officials directed the government school management to carry out a detailed inquiry. “Based on the inquiry, the school headmaster called the parents to the school and reprimanded the students,” the teacher said, adding that at the end the students were issued TC.

MBBS admissions: Should you apply in India or go abroad?

MBBS admissions: Should you apply in India or go abroad?

Wondering if you should pursue MBBS from India or abroad? Here's everything you should know about seeking an admission to an MBBS course.

India Today Web Desk

New Delhi

September 28, 2021

MBBS admissions: What is better option between India vs abroad?

Every medical aspirant in India wants to get admission to India, but the seats are limited. Only 84,000 MBBS seats are available in medical colleges in India and 14 lakh students appear in the NEET exam. It makes it harder for medical students to get admission and, in that case, they choose to study MBBS abroad.

It is considered a better option for medical students. Apart from affordable fees, government and top medical universities, global working opportunities, students can get easy admission without any donation. Unlike India, foreign medical universities have sufficient medical seats. It accepts applications from international students.

This profession has become much in demand during pandemics. Everyone realised medical science is a field that is in a lot of demand amid the Covid-19. Many students off from medical courses due to the expensive tuition fees of private medical colleges in India. On the other hand, students can complete MBBS abroad between Rs 12 lakh to 25 lakh, including or excluding hostel and mess fees.

There are many countries in the world that are considered to be ideal for Indian students to study MBBS Abroad. Many of them have invested a lot in the education system for R&D. Due to this, medical education is pretty affordable.

Duration of MBBS in India vs abroad

The duration of MBBS studies varies between countries.

Students can complete their MBBS studies in just 5.5 years in India. That includes the training or internship duration (12 months).

On the other hand, countries like Russia, China, or Ukraine offer 6 years (Approximately) including internships under experienced professionals.

Major benefits of studying MBBS Abroad vs India

1. Affordable fee - MBBS fee in India starts from Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh (Private medical colleges). In comparison, the MBBS fee in developed countries like Ukraine is between Rs 14 to Rs 25 lakhs.2. World-class infrastructure - Not all colleges have their own hospitals to offer practical training to students in India. On the other hand, applicants will get training in the university hospital under experienced medical professionals.3. Top ranking medical colleges - Most of the colleges in India have a low ranking in the international ranking list. On the other hand, 30 Russian medical universities are listed in the top 100 medical universities in the world.

How can students get admission abroad?

When it comes to getting admission to a medical college, it all depends on qualifying for the NEET exams. After that, the next step is how good a rank you hold in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. Finally, counselling and then the rest of the admission process. Colleges set their cut-off list and select only those students who fall in those criteria.

On the other hand, NEET rank does not play a vital role in MBBS Admission at MCI/NMC approved medical universities abroad. There will be no predefined cut-off for admission to medical colleges outside India. Aspirants just need to prove their eligibility and that's it.

There is a myth that every student must have heard that only those students apply for MBBS Abroad who are weak in the study. This is completely baseless. Students who scored 550+ are applying for admission to top medical colleges abroad. The reason behind that is the competition is high.

For seeking admission to colleges of countries like Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, and Georgia, there is no entrance exam conducted. The only condition is that you complete the eligibility and just pass the NEET exam.

Future after MBBS abroad?

Most of the popular universities are approved by the National Medical Commission and the local government of that country. The Medical degree is valid in India and other countries as well. To practice in India, students have to pass the FMGE exam after MBBS abroad.

This test is important for foreign medical graduates to get verification for practicing medicine in India. The basics of clearing the MCI Screening Test in India are not so difficult that it can be cleared if students give proper time for preparation.

The students have to pass 150 questions out of 300, which is a 50% passing rate. If students want to work in another country, they have to pass the medical licensing exam of that country.

The authored article is written by Vishu Tripathi, CEO& Founder, Affinity Education