PG Medical Admissions : Madras HC Issues Notice On Plea Challenging 'Grossly Disproportionate' Reservation For In-Service Doctors

PG Medical Admissions : Madras HC Issues Notice On Plea Challenging 'Grossly Disproportionate' Reservation For In-Service Doctors

Aaratrika Bhaumik29 Oct 2021 10:03 PM

The Madras High Court on Wednesday issued notice in a petition challenging the extent of reservation granted to in-service doctors under the prospectus for admission to post-graduate degree or diploma courses in Tamil Nadu government medical colleges and government sets in self-financing medical colleges affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University for the 2021-22 session.

The petition moved by twelve doctors challenging Clause 29 (c) of the October 6, 2021 prospectus which provide that 50 percent of seats in the State Government will be exclusively allotted to in-service candidates. Additionally, the provision also allows in-service candidates to apply in the remaining "open-category" in State government seats i.e. the 50 percent of the 50 percent government seats.

Furthermore, while applying for the aforementioned "open-category", in-service candidates can also avail of advantages accorded to them if they have served in remote or difficult or hilly areas as defined by a State-appointed committee.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh issued a notice in the matter on Wednesday and directed the government counsel to take written instructions and report back to the Court on the next date of hearing which is slated to take place on November 1.

The petitioners, represented by Advocate Suhrith Parthasarathy, contended that the extent of reservation stipulated under Clause 29 (c) dilutes any concept of merit in admissions and is also 'unjust, unfair, arbitrary and discriminatory and, ultra vires the Constitution of India.'

"In not exclusively ear-marking the selection for admission in the open category to non-service candidates and in granting weightage in the form of incentive marks to in-service candidates in the open category as well, the Respondent No. 1 to 3 have acted in an arbitrary, unreasonable, and disproportionate manner .... In permitting in-service candidates to apply in the 'open category' and further awarding incentive marks to those in-service candidates, the Respondents have taken away the very spirit and essence of an 'open category'," the plea averred.

Reliance was also placed by the petitioners on the Supreme Court judgment in State of TN v. T Dhilipkumar wherein the Apex Court had directed State to conduct a study and assess what the extent of reservation should be each year for in-service candidates and to reduce it to below 50 percent, if appropriate.

However, the petitioners pointed out that no such assessment was conducted by the State authorities till date. The State has continued to provide such reservation without determining on a yearly basis whether such reservation of 50 percent was in fact necessary to achieve the purported objective of the measure, the petitioners alleged.

"To the Petitioners' best knowledge, it is submitted that the State of Tamil Nadu is the only State in the country to have such an arbitrary policy of reserving 50% seats for in-service candidates and of further awarding those in-service candidates who apply in the 'open category' incentive marks, without so much as assigning any reason to justify the introduction of such a policy", it was contended further.

It was further submitted that although the power of state governments to grant reservations to in-service doctors has been confirmed by the Supreme Court in Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association v. Union of India, such power has not been exercised by the State in a 'just, fair, and reasonable manner'.

"The allocation of the said 50% is also grossly disproportionate and in violation of well settled principles of constitutional law", the plea highlighted.

The petitioners further pointed out that as per the present Prospectus, "the Open category, will be open to both service and non-service candidates and that seats will be filled up based on the marks already defined or such criteria to be defined by the 1st Respondent from time to time as per the decision of the Committee headed by Hon'ble Thiru. A. Selvam, High Court Judge (Retd.)."

However, it was asserted that the category-wise list published in 2019 by the State government following the constitution of this Committee is also defective.

"It fails to consider a host of factors such as social and economic conditions, geographical location, accessibility and similar other relevant considerations, and accordingly, several PHCs and Government Hospitals listed under the category of Difficult Areas in Hills, Difficult Areas in Plains, Remote Area and Rural Areas in Annexures I to IV of the GO have been wrongly included," the petitioners submitted further.

Accordingly, the Court was urged to quash clause 29 (c) of the Prospectus under challenge.

Case Title: Dr. Parkaviyan R. and Ors v. State of Tamil Nadu

WC fever: Big screens set up for India-NZ match today

WC fever: Big screens set up for India-NZ match today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:31.10.2021

The do-or-die match of the World Cup between India and New Zealand on Sunday evening will be screened on big screens at various places in Bhopal. A special selfie point with cricket accessories has been developed by MPT at the Drive-in-Cinema of a hotel.

Several hotels and other places have made arrangements for the live telecast. Manager of Drive-in-Cinema, Vipin Katare said that last week’s match between India-Pakistan was well received by the people. “Since then, cricket lovers have been inquiring about booking the match tomorrow. As such, we have decided to screen the match from 7pm,” said Katare.

To add to the excitement, drums and music will be played on every fours and sixes hit during the match, he said. “You will also be able to order your favourite food which will be served in their car,” said Katare.

Doc: He walked into my clinic before the ‘sudden death’

Doc: He walked into my clinic before the ‘sudden death’

BV Shivashankar & Santosh Kumar RB | TNN

Bengaluru:31.10.2021

Puneeth Rajkumar had a regular workout regime and additional boxing session followed by a steam session before he felt exhausted on Friday, said his family doctor and cardiologist Dr Ramana Rao.

While he said Puneeth looked normal when he walked into his clinic, Dr Rao surmised the medical condition called ‘sudden death’ caused by a massive cardiac arrest was the cause. He added that the excessive workout may have ruptured the coronary arteries causing a blood clot that eventually resulted in the cardiac arrest.

“He looked so normal when he walked in with his wife Ashwini around 11.15am. He said he had worked out at the gym as usual, but done extra boxing and a little excessive steaming. While he complained of no pain, his heartbeat and blood pressure were normal,” said Dr Rao.

Since Puneeth was sweating profusely, he decided to do an ECG. “That’s where the indicator was found. The ECG showed massive stains and I took Ashwini to a different room, explained the situation and told her Puneeth should be shifted to a hospital immediately,” Dr Rao said.

Ashwini immediately decided to rush him to hospital. “We put Puneeth in his car when he complained of dizziness. I asked him to lie down. We reached Vikram Hospital in about five minutes and I followed them,” he said.

Dr Rao said Puneeth had no history of heart complaints and had no symptoms of blood pressure or diabetes. “He was the picture of perfection with no health issues and extremely fit body,” he added.

Before going to the doctor, Puneeth spoke to his gunman Chalapathy who said he’d been working with ‘yajamanaru’ (Puneeth) for the past nine years. “In the morning, he came out with Akka and I opened the car door for them. I thought they were going to the temple and tried to get into the car. But he told me: ‘Anna, neevu ille iri, naanu hogi barthini’. (Brother, you stay here, I’ll come back). Later, Akka called me from Dr Ramana Rao’s place and told us to come as Sir was not feeling well. We were wondering who was sick and went there to learn that our boss had collapsed. When we reached Vikram Hospital, I was shocked to see him on Akka’s lap. He was a fit, happy person; he didn’t have any problems.”

The previous night (Thursday), Puneeth attended a party hosted by music composer Gurukiran and did not show any signs of discomfort. “There wasn’t an iota of exhaustion. He was bubbly and cheerful as usual when he talked about various things,” said Gurukiran.

RESTING PLACE: Preparations were on for the final rites at Kanteerava Studio in Bengaluru

Thousands of fans turn up for last glimpse of Puneeth

Thousands of fans turn up for last glimpse of Puneeth

Last Rites To Be Held Today; CM Urges Actor’s Fans To Cooperate

Chethan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:31.10.2021

Around five lakh fans from across Karnataka, some raising slogans that ‘Raajakumara’ would live in their hearts forever, some wailing and some holding back tears, joined a slew of celebrities and actors from neighbouring states to bid adieu to Puneeth Rajkumar, whose mortal remains were kept at Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday.

Thousands of fans had begun trickling into the stadium since Friday evening to catch a final glimpse of the ‘Power Star’ as the final rites were expected to be conducted on Saturday. With the government postponing the funeral to Sunday, many more made it to the stadium to pay their tributes to the 46-year-old actor who passed away after a massive cardiac arrest.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said the funeral procession would take place between 5.30am and 6am on Sunday and the general public will not be allowed during the last rites. He urged the actor’s fans and admirers to cooperate with the administration to maintain law and order as they have in the past two days.

Puneeth Rajkumar’s elder daughter Drithi, who is studying in the US, flew home in the evening and paid her respects. Behind are her mother Ashwini, sister Vanditha (in glasses) and cousin Yuva, Raghavendra Rajkumar’s son

A STAR IS GONE

Condolences and tributes to Puneeth flooded social media

Puneeth’s maternal uncle and former Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president, SA Chinne Gowda, who was at Kanteerava Studio overseeing preparations for the final rites, said: “...Even today, people have been pouring in from across the state, from far off districts like Kalaburagi, Raichur, Belagavi and many other places. It has been decided that the final rites will be performed tomorrow (Sunday). I request people to cooperate and maintain peace.”

Puneeth’s elder daughter, Drithi, who is studying in New York, took an AI flight from JFK and landed at Bengaluru at 4.10pm, via Delhi. Earlier in the day, Puneeth’s brother Raghavendra said the family was waiting for Drithi to arrive and appealed to fans to remain calm. “You have all cooperated and maintained peace so far, we request you to do the same. All fans will be allowed to pay their respects as we’ve pushed the final rites to tomorrow morning,” he said.

Drithi reached the family’s Sadhashivanagar home around 5pm and arrived at the Kanteerava Stadium by 6pm. Joined by her mother Ashwini and sister Vanditha, touched her father’s head one last time and wept, sending a wave of grief through the crowd in the stadium.

Among celebrities and VIPs who called on the family through the day were former Andhra Pradesh CM and thespian NTR’s son Balakrishna, Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi, actors Venkatesh, Junior NTR, Ali, Rana Duggabati, Srikanth and Sharath Kumar. Kannada stars Arjun Sarja, Divya Spandana (Ramya), Rakshitha, Pooja Gandhi, Sudeep, Yash, Upendra and senior artistes Umashree, B Jayashree and music director Gurukiran also paid their respects.

Karnataka governor Thawar Chand Gehlot arrived in the morning to pay tributes.

Police said the throng of fans in the stadium remained all day, while a few hundreds more thronged Kanteerava Studio. Police commissioner Kamal Pant said: “Our officers estimate around 5 lakh people arrived by midday. Many more people kept pouring in even after that. There will be bigger crowds by night and up to morning tomorrow.” Despite the huge numbers, no untoward incident was reported though fans had to brave a brief spell of rain at 4pm.

Online, condolences and tributes to Puneeth flooded social media. A video of a fan (Ajmal Mughal) from Pakistan’s Lahore crooning the actor’s ‘Bombe Heluthaithe’ even went viral.

(With inputs from RB Santosh Kumar, Rajiv Kalkod, Petlee Peter)

› Reluctant actor to astute bizman, his arc grew, P 4 › Two fans die in Belagavi, P 4

2 Delhi colleges to be named after Savarkar, Sushma

2 Delhi colleges to be named after Savarkar, Sushma

31.10.2021

The Delhi University’s executive council was informed on Friday that two names finalised for naming two upcoming colleges were Veer Savarkar and Sushma Swaraj. In an EC meet in August, a proposal was passed through which the VC was given authority to select names. The other names on the list include Swami Vivekananda, Sardar Patel & AB Vajpayee. TNN

Why carrying credit card debt is not healthy, wealthy and wise

Why carrying credit card debt is not healthy, wealthy and wise

Ann Carrns

31.10.2021

Carrying credit card debt isn’t just bad for your budget. It may also affect your health. The stress of carrying card debt through adulthood is linked to poor health, including joint pain or stiffness that interferes with daily activities, a recent study from the University of Missouri found. Beyond the worries about repaying debt, one reason for poor health may be that people with high debt have little money left to pay for resources that protect their health, the study said. The findings come at a time of increased financial insecurity for many Americans as a result of the pandemic, though the study noted that the level of unsecured debt, like credit cards, payday loans or medical bills, has been rising more quickly than income over the past several decades.

The new research tapped department of labour data to analyse the financial health of almost 7,900 baby boomers over more than a decade, from age 28 to 40, as well as their physical health at age 50. It found that people who carried consistently high levels of unsecured debt were 76% more likely to have pain that interfered with their daily life than people with no unsecured debt. People who carried debt over time reported worse physical health late in life, said Adrianne Frech, a medical sociologist and associate professor at the university’s School of Health Professions who is the study’s lead author. And the effects lingered even if the debt had been repaid, she said. People who had paid down their debt over time were still 50% more likely to have pain that impeded regular activities.

The study builds on earlier research that found that unsecured debt is more burdensome than other kinds of debt because it has higher interest rates and is often borrowed during times of desperation. “Unsecured debt is stressful to repay,” Frech said. Poor health and high debt can feed a cycle that’s hard to break, she said. People take on debt, and the stress affects their health, which, in turn, may limit their ability to work and pay off the high-interest debt. Simply telling people to manage their money better isn’t enough, Frech said. “We must address the systemic inequalities that create these desperate circumstances in the first place,” she said.

The study period predates the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic-induced economic downturn. It didn’t include student debt, which many borrowers are having trouble repaying well into their 30s and 40s. After growing for years, credit card debt fell in early 2020, as Americans cut back on spending and paid down balances during the pandemic. Delinquent accounts fell because of federal stimulus programmes as well as voluntary forbearance offered by banks to struggling borrowers. The average credit card balance was $5,525 this year, down from about $6,500 in 2019, according to credit bureau Experian.

Some answers about managing credit card debt:

What is the best way to pay down credit card balances?

Because credit cards typically charge double-digit interest rates, most financial advisers agree that you’ll save the most money if you focus on paying down the card with the highest interest rate first. “I prefer the avalanche method,” said Benjamin Jacobs, a fee-only financial planner in Athens, Georgia, using a common name for this approach. Here’s how it works: Make the minimum payment on all of your cards to avoid late fees, but put any extra money you have toward the highest-interest balance. When that balance is paid off, move on to the next card and so on. But some people may be more motivated by paying off the card with the smallest balance, regardless of its interest rate. The mechanics of this approach, sometimes called the “snowball” method, are the same: Pay the minimum on all cards, but put extra cash to the smallest balance until it’s gone, then move to the next card. “I like the snowball, because you have instant success,” said Melinda Opperman, president of Credit.org, a nonprofit financial counseling agency in Riverside, California. If you feel overwhelmed and are falling behind on payments, you may consider seeking help from a nonprofit credit counseling agency. Those agencies can help assess your situation and negotiate a plan with your card companies to allow you to pay off balances over time — typically two to five years.

How can I avoid overspending during the holidays?

Shoppers expect to spend almost $1,000 this season on gifts, food, decorations and other holiday-related purchases, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2021 forecast. But Opperman said that many clients have told her they are still paying off credit card bills from last year. She suggests focusing on enjoying time spent with loved ones during the holiday season rather than buying pricey gifts. She said she asks clients: “Do you remember what gift your sister or brother bought you last year?” Often, she said, they don’t recall. But they do remember playing a fun game or sharing a meal. “It’s more about the memories of the time spent with family and friends.” Jacobs recommends breaking out the credit card only for items you know you can pay off within a month. He also suggested starting to build an emergency fund, if possible, of three to six months of living expenses. That way, you’ll be less likely to rely on high-interest card debt if you have an unexpected bill.

A basic step to avoid overspending is to make a plan before shopping for how much you will spend, said Abigail Sussman, an associate professor of marketing. “Setting a low spending goal can be helpful,” she said. NYT

The stress of carrying card debt through adulthood is linked to poor health, including joint pain or stiffness that interferes with daily activities, a recent study from the University of Missouri found

HC notices to MSU, VC on promotion grievances

DELAY ROW

HC notices to MSU, VC on promotion grievances

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Vadodara:31.10.2021

The Gujarat High Court has issued notices to MS University and its vice-chancellor (VC) professor Parimal Vyas in connection to a petition filed by a teacher of Faculty of Management Studies (FMS). The HC has issued notices in connection to a special civil application filed by Dr Sunita Sharma, who is currently serving as associate professor at FMS.

Sharma has filed a petition in the HC raising the grievance that though she is eligible to be considered for promotion under the career advancement scheme (CAS), yet her case is not being considered.

Justice Nikhil Kariel has issued the oral order asking the university and the VC to submit their reply on December 8. In her petition, Sharma, an associate professor since 1995, has stated that she is awaiting her promotion as professor under CAS which is due since 2010. She has claimed that although she is the senior most teacher at FMS, Prof Magan Parmar, who teaches in Faculty of Social Work, has been appointed as officer on special duty (dean) at the FMS.

In 2019, Sharma had applied for the post of professor in the open category but was declared ineligible by the university officials. She has even claimed that in 1995, though she was selected for the lecturer post, Vyas was rejected for the post. But in 2012, Vyas was appointed as dual professor at FMS. She has alleged that since Vyas wants to become professor and head at FMS after his term as MSU VC ends, she is denied the promotion.