40% who passed Class XII in city didn’t opt for higher edu

 40% who passed Class XII in city didn’t opt for higher edu

 CAUSE OF CONCERN

 Preetika.p@timesgroup.com 

Chennai : At least two out of five students in Chennai who passed Class XII this year haven’t enrolled for higher studies, as per school education department data. While 5% of those who have not been admitted to higher institutions are still awaiting admissions for various courses including medicine, dental, paramedical and allied health sciences, 5,626 of 16,061 students haven’t applied anywhere, officials said. Over the last few weeks, school authorities have updated data about those who paased Class XII on the educational management information system portal of the school education department.

 Data show that 6,584 of the 16,061 students who completed Class XII this year, have not yet pursued any form of higher education. Only 958 candidates among them have applied to higher institutions. Additionally, 1,316 students failed their exams, and 1,213 were absent. “We have asked the authorities of various schools to contact parents and sensitise them about the need for higher education,” said member -secretary of model schools R Sudhan. 

The govt hopes to push more students into colleges before admissions for 2024-25 academic year close. School management committees will organise career guidance camps and help students navigate the application process for colleges or skill development courses, he said. Such camps will be rolled out in phases across the state until Sept. Soon, more than one lakh students will be mapped to the University Management and Information System (UMIS) to track their progress after graduation. A month-long skill development programme will begin in Sept. This programme will offer short-term training in specific sectors, equipping students with practical skills that can enhance their employability, he added.

 Teachers said many economically backward students were unable to study further. “While boys are asked to find a job, girls are frequently pressured into early marriages. So, they don’t study further,” said Shanthipriya D S, a govt school teacher from Saidapet. “We will encourage them to study or work. We will coordinate with alumni to provide information and support to make informed decisions about their future,” she said.

Toll hike from Sept 1 to push up travel costs

Toll hike from Sept 1 to push up travel costs

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Chennai : Starting September 1, travelling by car from Chennai to Bengaluru or southern and western districts of Tamil Nadu will cost more, with tolls increasing by ₹30 to₹115 at over 25 plazas across the state. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revised toll rates, raising the cost for a trip from Chennai to Bengaluru from ₹430 to ₹460. This annual revision comes in the wake of growing demands to remove toll plazas, particularly those within urban limits. 

Despite a request from state highways minister E V Velu to the NHAI, an agency under the Union Road Transport Ministry, no action has been taken. Transportation activist S Kamal criticised the hike as an “unnecessary burden” on the public, citing incomplete road widening projects and damaged stretches on highways, especially around Chennai. “As the monsoon approaches, essential repairs including patchwork to fix potholes remain unfinished. “In areas such as Red Hills on the Chennai-Tada Kolkata highway, incomplete stormwater drain construction has previously cau sed severe traffic gridlocks during monsoon,” he said. S Ganesh, a resident from Singaperumalkoil, raised concern about the lack of basic infrastructure such as adequate lighting on accident-prone stretches of Chennai-Trichy highway. 

Despite numerous complaints, these issues persist while tolls continue to be collected without significant reinvestment on road maintenance. NHAI data reveals that toll collections in Tamil Nadu amount to at least ₹4,221 crore annually, with the Thopur plaza alone collecting ₹269 crore. Traders have cautioned that the toll hike will have a cascading effect on the prices of essential goods, while private bus operators are likely to hike ticket fares in response. 

Toll operators claim that despite a decade of operation, they still haven’t recovered 40% of costs spent on road construction and maintenance, necessitating the toll hike to cover expenses and ensure employee wages.

Centre withholds ₹573cr school fund for TN rejecting NEP

Centre withholds ₹573cr school fund for TN rejecting NEP

 Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com

Chennai : The Union govt has withheld the first instalment of ₹573 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme to Tamil Nadu for not accepting the provisions of National Education Policy (NEP). The state is particularly opposed to the three-language formula in the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. The project approval board has allocated ₹3,586 crore under SSA for 2024-2025 to Tamil Nadu. Of this, the Union govt’s share is ₹2,152 crore (60%), while the share of the state govt is ₹1,434crore (40%). The Union govt is to release its share in four instalments. The first instalment for 2024-25 should have been received in June.

However, Centre is yet to respond to letters and reminders from Tamil Nadu on releasing the funds. This means that around 15,000 teachers may not get their salaries next month. The reimbursement of fees for students enrolled in 25% quota under RTE act, transport and escort facilities for children in remote areas, teachers training and self-defence training for girls of Classes VI to XII are also likely to be affected. 

MoUs excluding NEP. 

 State signs MoU excluding NEP guidelines; gets rejected by Centre An official said, “SSA scheme has been running in the past few months with the share of funds from Tamil Nadu government. However, going forward, it will be challenging to run the scheme without Centre’s contribution.” During review meetings in July in New Delhi, it was emphasised that the MoU for the establishment of PM SHRI schools must be signed to release the fund. “Tamil Nadu govt has sent the MoU to the Union ministry of education for approval by excluding the provision that mandates adherence to the guidelines of NEP in PM SHRI schools. And this request has been declined,” the official added. 

Besides the three-language formula, the MoU has some specific provisions like 5+3+3+4 curricular structure and the introduction of vocational education from Class VI as per the NEP. Tamil Nadu state has been following a two-language formula following anti-Hindi agitation in 1965. Tamil Nadu govt also formed a panel headed by Justice D Murugesan, former chief justice of Delhi high court to frame the State Education Policy (SEP). In its recommendations, the SEP panel rejected the three-language formula and recommended sticking to the existing 10+2 curricular structure. 

It also opposed common exams for Classes III, V and VIII. Like Tamil Nadu, some other states such as Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi and Punjab are also yet to sign the MoU for implementing PM SHRI schools. “SSA is supposed to be the top welfare scheme in children’s education. Under no circumstances it can be treated like this. It is a very unfortunate development as it could affect lakhs of children from poor backgrounds,” said Krishna Kumar, former director of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). “Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI are two different schemes of the Union govt. There is no justification for the Centre withholding SSA funds till the state govt accepts NEP,” said educational activist P B Prince Gajendrababu. Tamil Nadu MPs should raise the issue in Parliament, he said.

Velankanni gets ready for fest

Velankanni gets ready for fest

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankanni where the annual festival will be held from August 28 to September 8. M. MOORTHY

Amenities such as drinking water, sanitation, resting halls and cloakrooms are made available to pilgrims and a 24-hour help centre will function till the festival concludes on September 8; police make tight security arrangements in the town

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUCHI

The Nagapattinam district administration and church authorities have stepped up arrangements for the annual festival of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, which will commence on Thursday with flag hoisting.

The church expects over 10 lakh pilgrims and devotees from all over the country to attend the first-day litany, benediction, and the Holy Mass in Tamil. The festival will commence with a flag procession followed by the blessing and hoisting of Our Lady’s Flag by Most Rev. T. Sagayaraj, Bishop of Thanjavur Diocese.

Services will be held in Tamil, English, Marathi, Konkani, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. They will be conducted in the Basilica from morning to evening and Holy Mass in Tamil at Our Lady’s Tank at 6 a.m. during the festival days. Amenities such as drinking water, sanitation, resting halls, and cloakrooms are made available to pilgrims. A 24-hour help centre will function to address the queries of the pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the district police have deployed as many as 1,108 local policemen, 200 home guards, 300 armed reserve police force, 500 special police battalion at various places in Velankanni for security and about 380 traffic police, including 19 inspectors, 50 sub-inspectors, and 311 police personnel, for traffic management during the festival days.

As many as three Additional SPs, 16 DSPs, 93 inspectors, and 212 sub-inspectors would coordinate the security arrangements for the 11-day festival on a shift basis. The police have installed 23 high surveillance towers and 150 CCTV cameras around the shrine to intensify monitoring. Six drones will be used for aerial monitoring, particularly around the coastal area.

Diversion posts have been set up in six locations to conduct round-the-clock vehicle checks and regulate traffic movement. Face recognition systems and a crime team of 25 police personnel are put in place to identify and keep check on habitual offenders. As a precautionary measure, rescue teams consisting of firefighters and expert divers, and a bomb detection squad have been kept ready. As many as 150 personnel from the coastal security group have been deployed.

The coastal area has been barricaded to restrict public access to the beach. Three rubber boats and life jackets are kept ready to meet emergencies. Local fishermen would be engaged in any emergency sea rescue operations.

Parking lots

As many as 60 parking lots have been created near the shrine to ensure the free flow of traffic.

Medical camps will be set up in more than 10 locations with doctors and staff to provide round-the-clock service to pilgrims. Ambulances will be stationed at the venue. The deployment has been put in place, anticipating a large turnout of devotees for the festival which ends on September 8.

Employees, pensioners in Punjab and Haryana dismiss UPS, call for implementation of OPS

Employees, pensioners in Punjab and Haryana dismiss UPS, call for implementation of OPS

Government employees from across the country gathered at the Ramlila Maidan to demand the restoration of the OPS. File photo

Vikas Vasudeva

CHANDIGARH  27.08.2024 

Several State government employees and pensioners in Punjab and Haryana, who have been demanding restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), have dismissed the Union government’s latest Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)

In Punjab, where the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government announced the restoration of the OPS in 2022, its implementation is yet to see the light of day.

As the delay in the release of standard operating procedures (SOPs) following the OPS notification continues, employees and pensioners under the banner of the Old Pension Scheme Restoration Sangharsh Committee have expressed their anguish on different occasions. With the Centre’s UPS announcement, employees have only grown more anxious. Employees currently under the National Pension System (NPS) have asked the State government not to consider implementing the UPS, and instead, implement the OPS in Punjab without further delay.

‘Not in our interest’

“We are against the Centre’s UPS as it is not in the interest of the employees or pensioners. We urge the AAP government to not consider the UPS. In fact the Punjab government had in 2022 announced the restoration of the OPS, but we are still waiting for its implementation. The State government issued the OPS notification in 2022. Later, it constituted a committee to formulate the SOPs for implementing the OPS, but it’s going to be close to two years now and yet the Punjab government has not come out with the SOPs or details about the scheme,” Jasvir Singh Talwara, State convener of the joint employee-pensioners’ front, told The Hindu.

“To step up our struggle, we will stage a march towards Punjab State Assembly on September 3, during the ongoing session of the Assembly. We want the AAP government to immediately implement the OPS,” Mr. Talwara said.

In neighbouring Haryana, where the Assembly election is due on October 1, the restoration of OPS for government employees has emerged as a key poll issue. Members of the Pension Bahali Sangharsh Samiti (Haryana) are travelling across the State in support of their demand to restore the OPS. They too have dismissed the latest UPS.

“We are against the UPS and it’s only the OPS that we want to be restored. We are going across the State in a phased manner with our OPS Tiranga march and are urging people and political parties to extend support to our demand of restoring the OPS,” Vijender Dhariwal, president of the front, said.

NMR portal registration leaves doctors confused

NMR portal registration leaves doctors confused

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI 27.08.2024 

The Health Ministry’s National Medical Register (NMR) portal launched recently is creating confusion among doctors about whether they need to re-register themselves in the new system to be able to work in the country.

The Union government, as per the latest provisions, has said that all MBBS doctors who are already registered on the Indian Medical Register (IMR) must register again on the NMR of the National Medical Commission (NMC).

“To start the registration, the doctor needs a digital copy of the Degree (MBBS) Certificate, the Registration Certificate of the State Medical Council/Medical Council of India, where the doctor got first-time registration. The doctor must also have the Aadhaar number ready to start the process,” noted the Ministry.

Speaking to The Hindu, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president R.V. Asokan said: “Yes, they want us to enter our data anew, but we don’t know if it’s called re-registration. I had a talk with NMC and the only benefit seems to be that we can obtain a licence to practise in more than one State. What the Central government is asking us to do is registration, and the registration in the State council is called licence. ”

Explaining the need to bring in NMR, the Ministry maintained that data on doctors has been stored in a scattered form and needed urgent revision. “Till date, there was a lack of comprehensive data that could provide a detailed and holistic picture of aspects like total numbers of doctors in the country, those that have left the country, those who have lost their licence to practice, or the numbers and details of doctors that have lost their lives. The launch of the NMR will ensure the provision of data of its more than 13 lakh doctors,” the Ministry maintained.

Ex-Dean of Thanjavur Medical College, G.M. Yahya, turns 100

Ex-Dean of Thanjavur Medical College, G.M. Yahya, turns 100

27.08.2024 The Hindu 

Former Dean of Thanjavur Medical College, G.M. Yahya, celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday. Dr. Yahya, the maternal uncle of the Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, is physically well and active. He was a professor in the pharmacology department of Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital. Many of today’s eminent doctors were his students, a press release said. The Nawab praised the doctor for his simplicity and sober nature. “Many prominent invitees from different walks of life and different communities attended the felicitation function and offered shawls and bouquets to him and sought his blessings on the occasion. Former Governor of Tamil Nadu and Punjab, Banwarilal Purohit, extended his best wishes to Dr. Yahya,” the release said.