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UP village pays, prays for boy fighting for missed IIT seat

UP village pays, prays for boy fighting for missed IIT seat

Mohammad.Dilshad@timesofindia.com 26.09.2024

Titora (Muzaffarnagar) : The story of Atul Kumar, a bright-eyed 18-year-old Dalit student, has rippled through the quiet, unassuming village of Titora, which hides a little off the map, about 100km from Delhi. It’s only a short detour from NH-58, which links the capital to bustling Muzaffarnagar in UP, yet Titora remains something of a secret — roads dissolve into dusty tracks, apps promising directions stutter and stall. Travellers must ask local folks for directions. But once you arrive, there’s no mistaking the pride that radiates from its people. 

Finding Atul’s home is easy. “Oh, the family with the IIT boys?” chime in passersby. In Titora now, conversation about Atul’s triumph, his despair, and the glimmer of hope offered by SC dominates every tea stall and village square. The people here had pooled in to help pay Atul’s fees, but he missed the deadline by an agonising heartbeat. › Only one goal, 

A Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, on Tuesday took up Atul’s plea, with the CJI promising, “We will help you as far as possible.” From a below-poverty line family, Atul’s dreams of attending IIT (ISM) Dhanbad were nearly crushed by the missed fee deadline. He had cleared JEE Advanced but financial constraints and a technical glitch prevented him from paying the Rs 17,500 acceptance fee on time, leading to the cancellation of his hard-won seat. In a display of empathy, the top court sought responses from the Joint Seat Allocation Authority and IIT-Madras, where Atul had sat for his exams. 

Back in Titora, villagers can’t stop talking about the family. Atul’s father, Rajendra Kumar, 47, labours at a cloth factory in Meerut to make Rs 450 per day, while his mother, Rajesh Devi, 45, juggles between toiling in the fields and making cots to supplement their meagre income. However, cycling to work and sacrificing personal needs, Atul’s brothers achieved remarkable academic success. Mohit Kumar, 24, completed his M Tech from NIT Hamirpur. Rohit Kumar, 23, graduated with a B Tech from IIT-Kharagpur. Amit, 20, is in college and doing well. He wants to go abroad for higher studies. “We have only one goal — to educate our four sons, no matter the cost,” Rajesh told TOI on Wednesday. For Atul, SC’s promise offers a second chance. “Only we know what we’ve been through,” he said. “I need to do this for my parents. And I’m waiting to pay off the Rs 3 lakh loan my father took to help us study.”

NEWS TODAY 26.09.2024

 

Goats to bait leopards end up as feasts for men

Goats to bait leopards end up as feasts for men

Times of India Hyderabad 26.09.2024

Bijnor : The forest department in Bijnor is grappling with an unusual challenge as it attempts to address the growing threat of leopard attacks in the region, with more than 25 people having fallen victim to the big cats and over a dozen injured since 2023, reports Harveer Dabas.

In what was thought to be a smart move, the department set up over 50 traps across the region,

using goats as bait to capture marauding leopards. However, despite the imminent danger, thieves continue to steal the goats. Rupesh Kumar, a local, said, “A leopard was spotted near the village a few days ago. Upon receiving the information, the forest department installed a cage with a goat.However, someone stole the goat.”

He added, “Unfortunately, the second goat was also stolen on Wednesday. Frustrated, locals have now decided to remove the cage altogether.”

NRI quota in T med colleges to stay unaltered this year Very Late For Changes In The System, Says Kaloji Varsity

NRI quota in T med colleges to stay unaltered this year Very Late For Changes In The System, Says Kaloji Varsity 

Nirupa.Vatyam@timesofindia.com 26.09.2024

Hyderabad : For this academic year, Telangana will allow candidates with NRI uncles and aunts to seek MBBS admission, confirmed officials at Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) on Wednesday. They, however, maintained that the state only extends this benefit to “blood relatives of NRIs after due verification”. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected the Punjab govt's plea challenging the high court's verdict on widening of the NRI quota in medical colleges. The apex court stated that distant relatives of NRIs cannot be granted this benefit, while calling for the need to put an end to the NRI quota business. 

Earlier, the Punjab govt had proposed to include uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins etc as “close relations” of the candidate under this quota. “It might be too late to make any changes to the system as we are yet to receive the Supreme Court order on the subject. A decision can be taken only after studying the order in consultation with the state’s legal team,” an official said, adding that admissions for 2024-25 will go ahead as planned, since the notification for NRI quota has already been released. 600 seats under quota now Telangana currently has about 600 MBBS seats under this quota. To apply under this provision, candidates have to submit various documents: NRI sponsorship certificate (Declaration form), NRI status certificate of the financial supporter issued by the embassy of the respective country under their seal, a copy of the NRI bank account passbook of the financial supporter, and a copy of the passport of the NRI financial supporter, or the sponsor, who is a blood relative – father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt. 

“Only after thorough scrutiny do we allot these seats. And they are strictly given only to blood  relatives,” the official added. As per KNRUHS, the state receives around 500 to 1000 applications for MBBS seats under the NRI quota every year. But eventually about 15% to 20% of them are converted into management quota as it does end up with the required number of NRI applicants, post scrutiny. Many also drop out along the way. When it comes to PG medical seats, almost 100% of them are converted into management quota as there is no demand among NRIs for these seats. Given the practice, experts also pointed out a revision in NRI quota guidelines, in the future, is unlikely to make much difference. 

“I don’t see any harm in uncles and aunts sponsoring under the NRI quota. But, if the state has to amend it based on the court’s direction, it should not be a problem as these seats will be converted to management quota. Once they are converted to management quota, anyone will be able to apply and it doesn’t make any difference whether they are related to NRI or not,” said K Mahesh Kumar, president, Healthcare Reforms Doctor

Give pension hike benefit to staff from the day they are 80

Give pension hike benefit to staff from the day they are 80 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 26.09.2024

Bhopal/Jabalpur : The MP high court has held that a retired govt employee should get the benefit of a 20% increase in pension as he enters into the 80th year of his life and not on completion of 80 years of age. In its decision on a petition filed by an 87-year-old retired professor of a govt engineering college, the single judge bench of Justice Vishal Mishra said that his pension should have been increased by 20% as soon as he entered into his 80th year rather than on completion of 80 years of age. Dr Laxmi Chandra Jain from Jabalpur in his petition, said that he retired as a professor from a govt engineering college, Jabalpur on June 30, 1998. 

According to the notification of the state govt, there is a provision for an increase of 20% in pension to a retired employee between the age of 80 to 85 years. The state govt, however, increased his pension by 20 percent after he completed 80 years of age and got into his 81st year. He should have been given 20 percent more pension as soon as he entered the 80th year of life. Advocate Aditya Sanghi, appearing for the petitioner, argued that his client is in the last leg of his life. He should have got the benefit of increased pension when he completed 79 years of age and got into his 80th year. The notification provides for an increase in pension between the age of 80 to 85 years. After hearing both sides, the court decided the case in favour of the retired professor

HC: Follow UGC norms to recruit guest lecturers

HC: Follow UGC norms to recruit guest lecturers 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  26.09.2024 

Bengaluru : The high court directed the departments of higher education and collegiate education to ensure complete compliance with the minimum qualifications prescribed by University Grants Commission (UGC) before selecting candidates for posts of guest lecturers. Justice R Nataraj gave the direction while partly allowing a petition filed by aspiring guest lecturer H Sanjeevaiah and three others. 

The petitioners had challenged an Aug 24 notification issued for recruiting guest lecturers without insisting on Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET), State Eligibility Test (SET), National Eligibility Test (NET) or PhD examinations, on the ground that it is contrary to UGC regulations. Rajendra Kumar Sungay, counsel for the petitioners, submitted that as per UGC regulations, the qualification prescribed is the same for regular and contract appointments. He added that the authorities have been processing the applications of candidates who possess a mere PG qualification and factoring in the weightage for the previous years of service, depriving opportunity to candidates such as the petitioners. 

The govt advocate submitted that since the petitioners challenged the notification, which pertains to engaging guest faculty in govt first grade colleges in the state, they have to approach Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal. Justice Nataraj said UGC regulations prescribe that the minimum qualification should be fulfilled for contractual lecturers too. However, the marks prescribed for past service for a maximum period of 16 years at the rate of 3 marks shall continue to be applied. “It is also made clear that the respondents shall not select candidates by placing a condition that they shall obtain the requisite qualification, namely NET/SLET/SET, before Jan 13, 2025, unless he/she is awarded a doctorate or is registered for a doctoral programme prior to July 2009,” the judge said.