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Panel detects irregularities in awarding fellowships by IIAS
Jobless dental surgeons seek employment
CBSE chief promises action against PMT paper leak accused
Virbhadra warns NHPC
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CM calls on Vajpayee
Rs 3 crore released for hospital building
Bravery award for Nirmala Devi
Couple stabbed to death
4 rounded up for two ‘murders’
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Panel detects irregularities in awarding
Shimla, June 5 The Dr D. Bandhopadhyaya committee, which submitted the second and third interim reports recently, has also suggested that a search committee comprising experts in various subjects be set up to make the procedure for awarding national fellowships an objective exercise. The expert committee suo motu consider names or seek nominations from other institutions to prepare a panel for the purpose. Expressing serious doubts over the impartiality of the procedure adopted for the selection of fellows, the committee lamented that the new governing body of the institute refused to act on the list of candidates selected through due process in 1998 and instead constituted a sub-committee, comprising Dr M.D. Srinivas and Dr Kireet Joshi, which prioritised 13 candidates. It was not clear whether these candidates were amongst those earlier selected or it was a new list substituting the old one as the original list was not available. In fact, the relevant file had been weeded out. In addition, the new Chairman of the governing body inserted three more names. The whole thing smacked of a degree of partisanship not expected of such eminent persons, it observed. Further, in May 2004, when the process for the Lok Sabha poll was on, the Chairman showed undue haste in increasing the number of fellows and set up a panel of experts without going through any process. The penal met on June 4, 2004, and recommended 25 candidates out of the 138 domestic applications but accepted the applications of all the seven foreign scholars. On an average, 15.2 fellows were selected every year from 1999 to 2003 but the number shot up to 32 in 2004. There was not a single Muslim and only one Scheduled Caste candidate in the 92 fellowships granted from 1998-99 to 2004-05. The Union Ministry for Human Resource Development itself was keen to designate the IIAS as a nodal institute to carry forward interaction among scholars of South-East Asia and West Asia as is evident from its internal note. It appeared that both the ministry and the institute were in an indecent haste in pushing through the scheme for inviting foreign scholars as fellows. There was a definite bias in favour of a group of subjects and an equally strong negative prejudice against other subjects. The institute showed a partisan attitude towards senior citizens by giving a disproportionately higher share in fellowships at the cost of younger researchers. There was no scholar in the age group of 30 to 40 years and the percentage of scholars in the 41 to 50 and 51 to 60 age groups was 12.5 per cent each. However, those above 61 years got 75 per cent of the fellowships. The institute violated its own mandate of a free and creative inquiry into fundamental themes by restricting its fellowships among old and aging scholars, many of whom had crossed their creative and productive intellectual life. Out of the five scholars awarded the prestigious national fellowship, three did not stay on the campus and only one of them completed his research manuscript. Worse, the institute did not find it fit to publish 30 manuscripts submitted by the scholars who had completed their tenure. In quantitative terms, 50 per cent of the output was not up to its standard, which in a way resulted in wastage of public fund. Out of the 53 fellows who joined the institute from 1999 to 2003, as many as 43 applied for extension which was granted, indicating that it was a matter of routine and not given on the basis of intrinsic merit of the individual cases. The committee recommended that applications for fellowship be invariably sent for expert review before being placed before the selection committee. The institute should have research funding rules similar to that of the Indian Council of Historical Research. The minimum tenure for fellowship, which was three months at present, should not be less than one year and cases of extension should be reviewed three months prior to the expiry of the tenure by a duly constituted committee of experts. The number of fellows, which ranged between 20 and 35 at present, be increased to 50 after putting the required infrastructure in place. Rules should be suitably amended to provide for monetary sanction against defaulters ( scholars who fail to submit research manuscripts) to the extent of forfeiture and recovery of funds. The parent institution of scholars who do not submit their research output or those whose work is below standard be duly informed to take a view of it at the time of their promotion. The committee had earlier submitted an interim report on the “Project on the Study of Indian Civilization”.
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Jobless dental surgeons seek employment
Kangra, June 5 Dr Praneet Nayyar, Secretary Himachal Pradesh Unemployed Dental Surgeon Association (UDSA) today said here that nearly 750 Dental Surgeons were unemployed in the state and every year 350 more dental surgeons were joining the cadre of the
unemployed dental surgeons. He said that there were five Dental Colleges in the state including one Govt. Dental College and every year fresh lots of these doctors were produced but without job for them. Dr Rakesh Raina, spokesperson of the UDSA said that 143 MBBS and specialist doctors were appointed by the Virbhadra Singh government during the past five months which included 93 MBBS doctors in February this year and 29 MBBS and 21 Specialist doctors yesterday which was appreciated but ignoring the dental surgeons was painful. He said that during the previous BJP government only seven posts in the hard and tribal areas were filled and all the seven dental surgeons the pass outs of the Government Dental College Shimla. Dr Raina said that after the present government took over only 14 posts were filled on the contract bases
with a consolidated salary of Rs 12000. He said that one dental surgeon did not join at Bharmour, the only post filled in Chamba district remained vacant. He said that Kangra district only one dental surgeon was appointed in the list of 14 that too from a high weight political family. He said that the dental surgeons of the state were deprived of getting post graduation, as there was no such facility provided in the state. Dr Raina, appreciated the Chief Minister for appointing 143 MBBS doctors in last five months and stressed on the Chief Minister that the dental care equally needs his prime attention . He demanded that at least 50 Dental Surgeons be appointed to serve in the tribal and remote areas of the state to serve the needy dental patients of the state. Dr Nayyar said that in view of the need in the hospital the Dental Health Service has sought an approval from the Govt. for more dental surgeons which was pending disposal. He said that as per the recommendations of the Dental Council of India in
every Primary Health Center (PHC) there should be a dental surgeon, in every Community Health Center (CHC) there should be two dental surgeons, in every sub divisional Hospital there should be two BDS and one MDS doctor and in every Zonal hospital there should be five dental surgeons. In Himachal Pradesh there are 441 PHC, 228 CHC, 50 Subdivisional Hospitals and 2 district Hospitals and 10 Zonal Hospital. In these Health Institutions there are only 152 dental surgeons posted against 1103 which was self explaining the violation of the recommendations laid down by the Dental Council Of India. The Association demanded that the state Govt. should treat dental surgeons the same way as it was treating MBBS doctors while making the appointments and sanction new posts in the Health institutions in the state according to DCI recommendations and accommodate already suffering 750 unemployed dental surgeons of the state in order to provide better dental care to the suffering poor people of the state. |
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CBSE chief promises action against PMT paper leak accused
Dalhousie, June 5 “Effective steps have been taken to curb leak of question papers of the national-level entrance examinations for professional courses,” he told reporters here after addressing students of the DPS School, Dalhousie. The Board had also decided to launch “Jeevan Kaushal Shiksha,’’ programme from standard VIII onwards to enliven their primary education. Mr Ganguly said the Board was contemplating flexibility of time in the examination hall for different subjects with 15 minutes “cool time” before attempting the question paper. The CBSE is planning to introduce the latest professional/vocational courses like biotechnology, fashion technology and multi-media in the new curriculum from the ensuing session with a view to providing quality education. Mr Ganguly said the ‘aapda parbhandan siksha’ programme had been implemented in various disciplines, focusing the thrust on language teaching and social life curriculum in the present context of competitions. Mr Ganguly stressed the need of teachers’ training. For this purpose 140 sahodya complexes had been set up. The CBSE had requisitioned the services of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad for the orientation programme of Principals, Mr Ganguly added. Speaking about the educational reforms being brought out in the CBSE schools, Mr Ganguly said mathematical laboratory was indispensable for all schools, and added that the project of practical activity in mathematics would be introduced in the Class X by 2007. The CBSE had drawn a unique programme called ‘satat vyapak mulyankan’, under which the students up to tenth class would be evaluated by grading system and this would avoid disappointment among the students.
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Virbhadra warns NHPC
Prini, June 5 Talking to the reporters after paying a courtesy call on a former Prime minister, Mr Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, at his summer residence here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh said surveys had shown that the NHPC had bypassed the environmental norms before getting clearance. We would not allow them to function unless they took the state government into confidence. There were no dumping site for debris. They had ruined the ecology in the valley. We would take up the issue with the Centre”, he added. “I have requested the Centre to allocate funds for the construction of an 8.8 km long Rohtang tunnel.” He said a master plan to decongest the town would be prepared soon. On the BJP’s allegation that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated, Mr Virbhadra Singh said the two acid attack incidents were isolated ones. Crimes like rape, dacoity, and violence have decreased over the past two years in the state, he added. |
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CM calls on Vajpayee
Manali, June 5 He said Mr Vajpayee was his friend for past more than three decades. He was accompanied by Excise and Taxation Minister Rangilla Ram Rao, Raghubir Singh, Parliamentary Secretary and Satya Prakash Thakur, Chairman, Marketing Board. Vajpayee is on holiday at Prini since May 27 and scheduled to return to Delhi tomorrow. Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, the Chief Minister said that he would urge the Centre to release funds for the construction of Rohtang tunnel, a ‘dream project’ of Mr Vajpayee, so that the work could be speeded up. He rejected the charge of the BJP leaders that law and order situation was deteriorating in the state and said that the stray incident of acid attack at Mandi was an “accident” and was no reflection on law and order situation. The culprit had been arrested and efforts of some vested interests to communalise the issue had been thwarted, he said adding that the people of Mandi town cooperated in maintaining peace and communal harmony and normalcy had already returned.
— PTI |
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Bravery award for Nirmala Devi
Shimla, June 5 She received an award of Rs one lakh from Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Singh in a simple ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi yesterday. On April 17, 2003 Ms Devi rescued a young boy from a leopard after she heard his cries for help near her residence. |
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Rs 3 crore released for hospital building
Mandi, June 5 “Necessary funds for the equipment and furnishing of the new building will also be released in due course,’’ he told reporters here. He promised to fill all vacant posts of the doctor in the hospital, saying four specialists, including an
anaesthetist, had been appointed yesterday.
— UNI |
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Couple stabbed to death
Dharamsala, June 5 According to police sources, Gyan Chand (58) and his wife Preeto Devi (48) were attacked allegedly by Romesh Chand of same village with a knife and Gyan Chand died on the spot while his wife succumbed to stab injuries on way to hospital. The accused fled from the spot but was later arrested by the police in Hamirpur. A land dispute was stated to be cause for attack. A case has been registered under relevant sections of IPC.
— PTI |
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4 rounded up for two ‘murders’
Shimla, June 5 The body of Beli Ram, an employee of the Food and Supplies Department in the state secretariat, was recovered from a drain near type IV government residential quarters in US Club this morning. According to the police, it appears to be a case of murder. Preliminary investigations point out that he was thrown from the terrace of the house overlooking the drain. The police suspects the involvement of two other employees of the secretariat in the case. Tej Singh, a peon in the Tribal Development Department, and Suresh, an assistant in the Prosecution Department, have been rounded up. A team of forensic experts had also been called to ascertain the cause of death. In the second incident, Babu Ram, a Nepali labourer, was killed with a blunt-edged weapon near Chandel Hotel in Tara Devi here. He was hit on the head. He had a brawl with his companions, Rajinder Giri and Budhi Bahadur, after consuming liquor. The two suspects had been rounded up for interrogation. |
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