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Teaching at varsities gets tougher
Fuel Price Hike
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TN Opposition backs Bharat Bandh
PC tells J&K govt to act tough
Relief for Babajee’s boyfriend
545 institutes to offer professional courses
M’rashtra Cabinet
TRS-BJP combine may do the trick
Jaswant’s return evokes mixed response in party
Tawang MP seeks revival of airport project
RSS admonishes BJP for ideology dilution
JJ Singh takes Raj Bhawan closer to people
Girl hacked to death by mother
Youth found dead
SC: Father natural guardian, not grandfather
India, Pak to resume cricket series?
Hindu militants pose fresh threat to RSS chief
MCI moots common entrance test
Army to get electronic interceptors soon
Army training CRPF men to fight Maoists
Rajasthan workers in Libya to return in July
CJI to release Moily’s Ramayan today
Calcutta HC CJ shifted to Mumbai
Lt Gen chargesheeted in Sukna land scam
Art of Living gets extortion calls
Chauhan to visit Chandigarh today
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Teaching at varsities gets tougher
New Delhi, June 29 An assistant professor at entry now gets close to Rs 8,000 more than a Civil Services Probationer at the same level. With the UGC today notifying the new rules for appointment and promotions of teachers, new standards of career advancement will apply under which 75 per cent weightage would be given teaching, learning and evaluation-related activities; 15 per cent to co-curricular stuff and the rest to research and contributions. For college teachers, 70 per cent weightage would be given to teaching and 20 per cent to research in career advancement scheme (CAS), with one teacher requiring a minimum of 5 points per year in research (at assistant professor level); 10 points a year to graduate to associate professor and 20 points a year to become professor. A teacher in university would require double the points in research component as compared to his college counterpart to progress in each of the above-mentioned levels in the career. A professor wanting to be senior professor would need the best academic record, complete with 600 points in each of the three categories the UGC today notified as part of the new Performance Based Assessment System for teachers, who will be assigned scores for each academic performance indicator which has been laid down. Under the teaching and learning component, teachers will be rated for the classes they take, the invigilation duties they attend to and the pace at which they evaluate answer scripts to ensure exam results are not delayed, as is the current practice. For regular lectures, practicals etc, a teacher can earn 50 points and for exam duties and paper setting another 25 points thus completing his/her minimum requirement of 75 points for career advancement to the next level. A teacher can earn a maximum of 125 points in this category. Similarly, in research, a teacher can get 10 points each for attending an international conference as compared to three points at a local-level conference. For executing research projects worth over Rs 30 lakh, 20 points each project would be given. Similarly, a teacher can earn 10 points each for guiding a PhD student; three points each for guiding an MPhil and seven points for each degree submitted (even if the award is not given). “The idea is to ensure teachers teach, academic sessions run smoothly without delay, and research gets a definite boost,” Prof Thyagarajan, member of the UGC expert committee, which recommended the new rules, told TNS today. The rules would have to be adopted by all central educational institutions with immediate effect. The committee has also agreed to give concession in publications to teachers. An associate professor (aiming to be professor) would need one research publication if he/she has a PhD; two if he has an MPhil and three if he has neither a PhD nor an M Phil. Earlier, every associate professor was required to submit three papers. Universities/colleges would have to set up internal quality assessment cells to keep the annual database for individual and institutional performance. Teachers’ self-assessment reports will be assessed by selection committees that will see if case for a promotion is made out.
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Move to hike VC salary
New Delhi, June 29 VCs currently make Rs 75,000 a month. The panel has also suggested that the age of superannuation of college and university teachers be 65 years. The proposals would now be taken to the Union Cabinet as they involve financial implications. Among other major recommendations of the UGC panel are - an assistant professor should graduate to associate professorship in 6 years (instead of 9 now) and from associate professorship to professorship in another six years instead of three. “Right now, professors, principals and other cadres who are directly recruited get a basic pay of Rs 43,000, while similar cadres that come through career advancement scheme get just Rs 40, 890. We have asked for fitment scale for all cadres, irrespective of whether they come directly or through CAS, to be fixed at Rs 43, 390,” said UGC panel members. Currently, only 10 per cent of all associate professors in universities can become professors, but the UGC wants this cap raised to 40 per cent in line with the IITs. Similarly, whereas at present only 10 per cent of all associate professors in any undergraduate college is eligible to become professors, the panel has recommended one post of professor per department in a UG college, besides seeking a separate career advancement scheme for IT professionals in the university system.
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Fuel Price Hike
New Delhi, June 29 The NDA and the Left parties made separate announcements in this regard and JD-U chief Sharad Yadav claimed that it was the first such instance of the opposition unity after the "JP movement" in the mid-seventies. "In order to protest against this unjustified hike in petroleum prices and the total ineptitude of the UPA government to address this problem, BJP president Nitin Gadkari has given a call for a Bharat Bandh on July 5," BJP said in a statement. "There has been no difference among the entire opposition on the issue of fuel price hike. Every party has condemned it and demanded a rollback," Yadav, who is the NDA convenor, told reporters separately. The NDA's call for a 12-hour “Bharat Bandh” came hours after the Left and non-BJP opposition parties called for a 12-hour nationwide strike on July 5 to protest the government's decision to increase the prices of petroleum products. All essential services like the supply of water, milk, electricity, hospital and emergency services would be exempt from the hartal, they said. Yadav has taken the initiative to bring all opposition parties, including the Left, to join hands in protesting against the government on the issue. The BJP too feels the movement will be strengthened, if the non-NDA parties join it. When asked if this agitation would be joined by all NDA allies and other opposition parties, BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay said, “All political parties are welcome to take part. We think even the Congress should join it. Gadkari appealed to all organisations and people, who are opposing the unhealthy and wrong economic policies of the Congress government, to support the Bharat Bandh and express concern against the price rise," the BJP said in the statement. During the last Budget session of Parliament, several non-Congress parties had spoken in one voice on the rise in sugar prices and other issues. "Check prices or leave the chair (Dam roko ya gaddi chhoro), Price Rise affects all communities (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai, sabke ghar me hai mahangai," will be the Opposition's slogans during the agitation, Yadav said.
— PTI
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TN Opposition backs Bharat Bandh
Chennai, June 29 In a joint statement signed by AIADMK supremo J
Jayalalithaa, MDMK leader Vaiko and state leaders of Left parties lashed out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for supporting the fuel price hike. They pointed out that Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers MK Alagiri was present in the Cabinet meeting and accused him of supporting the proposal. The UPA government which assumed power for the second time had increased the fuel prices for the third time in one year, they said and added that fuel prices determine the prices of all the essential goods. |
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PC tells J&K govt to act tough
LeT planning another
26/11? Just two days after India-Pakistan showed some progress on talking peace with each other, the Indian intelligence agencies have circulated a secret note to all security agencies that the Laskhar-e-Toiba was looking to derail the talks and hit out at “soft target”, which could be a public place like a mall, cinema house or even food court. This could supposedly needle India to suspect Pakistan of backstabbing.
New Delhi, June 29 The induction of the Army to tackle the ongoing situation in Sopore has been ruled out, so far. In a way, the authorities believe that the recent spurt in incidents in J&K was clearly a move of elements within Pakistan who want to keep the “Kashmir issue alive” in the backdrop of recent peace-talks. The Home Minister in a statement issued late this evening said “…. there are reliable reports that anti-national elements are trying to exploit the situation. Some militants may also have sneaked into the valley to trigger violence”. The Home Ministry has asked the state to register cases against persons who fired from within a mob at security forces, sources said. In the incident on June 25 at Sopore, a CRPF inspector and a CRPF jawan suffered bullet injuries. Mobs have been attacking CRPF camps and jawans with stones. Some 53 jawans have been injured in such incidents in the past four days in Sopore and Baramulla. Chidambaram’s statement, which was emailed to reporters, said the CRPF acted purely in self-defence in the incidents on June 11, June 25 and June 28 at Sopore. On June 27, the CRPF had to use force on stone-throwers. In the other incidents, the CRPF and the J&K Police had acted jointly. “Whether excessive force was used during any of these incidents is a matter that will be enquired into”, Chidambaram added. Sources said the Minister had raised the matter of cross-border infiltration with Pakistan during his last visit. Explaining the deployment, a source said the CRPF formed the outer cordon while the Rashtriya Rifles carries out operations in close combat situations. The Home Minister along with top officials of the ministry reviewed the situation and later said “…I have today reiterated the instructions to the CRPF to observe maximum restraint while dealing with rioters and stone pelters”. The Home Minister appealed to the people of J&K “to respect the law and, especially, observe the curfew regulations wherever curfew is imposed. I would especially appeal to parents to ensure that their children are at home when curfew is imposed”.
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Relief for Babajee’s boyfriend
Principal judge of the sessions court ML Tahaliyani also directed Vora, a stock analyst, to cooperate with the police in the investigation into June 25 suicide of Babajee and present himself at Khar police station to record his statement whenever required. The court issued the directions on Vora's anticipatory bail application which it disposed of saying it was not maintainable as the police had not yet registered a case of abetment to suicide against him. Vora, on his part, assured the court of cooperation and said he would not leave the city for a week to help in the investigation. Counsel for the police RV Kini told the court that the police had no intention of arresting Vora as of now as it was still to form an opinion on whether the model's death was homicide or suicide and if it was suicide whether any abetment was involved. Kini told the court that Vora's replies to the police's queries during recording of his statement in two sittings since yesterday were vague and that the police would need to question him again. The court had yesterday directed Vora to appear before the police to record his statement after he moved an anticipatory bail application apprehending arrest. Vora, who found mention in letters and diary of Babajee, has denied he was in a relationship with her. During his questioning, Vora has told the police that the two were just friends and that he wanted to help her get out of depression. Suspicions about an affair between Vora and Babajee arose when the police found a mention of him in the model's diary in which she had written “You killed me, Gautam”. After questioning Vora at Khar police station this morning, the police said the answers given by him were not satisfactory and convincing due to which they have not given him a clean chit. The official said things would become clearer once the statements of the model's family members, relatives, friends and ex-boyfriends have been recorded.
— PTI
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545 institutes to offer professional courses
New Delhi, June 29 The approval by the AICTE Executive Council will see the total seats in various streams go up by 1,00,000 and the number of technical institutes in the country touching 7,906, official sources said. Out of the 545 approved institutes, nearly 60 per cent are in management followed by 30 per cent in engineering and the rest in architecture, pharmacy and hotel management, the sources said. At present, 7,361 technical educational institutions are offering courses to nearly 8,00,000 students every year. A total of 2,176 new institutions had applied for approval from AICTE this year. Nearly 1,600 applications were rejected after the institutes were found lacking in several counts, sources said. “Some of the institutions did not meet the minimum requirement of land and building while another few applicant institutions did not pursue their request for approval,” they said. The institutes can start offering courses from the session commencing from July. The AICTE had given approval to 1,131 new institutes last year. Incidentally, the AICTE, which has been in news for wrong reasons, has revamped its approval system from this year. It shifted to online registration process and relaxed land requirements for new institutes. AICTE has launched a new web portal which acts as a single window system for processing of the applications of the institutions for approval. The aspiring institutes had applied through the web portal and a committee from AICTE inspected the institutes. On the basis of report of the committee, the executive council gave approval to these institutes.
— PTI
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M’rashtra Cabinet
Mumbai, June 29 There are six vacancies in the cabinet which has a strength of 43. Of these, one was created after Nationalist Congress Party leader Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar had to quit after he could not get elected within six months of being sworn in. Nimbalkar lost his constituency, Phaltan, due to limitation. He has since been elected to the upper house of the Maharashtra assembly. The remaining five berths in the cabinet are reserved for the Congress party under the power-sharing pact it inked with the Nationalist Congress Party while forming the government in November last year. Chavan had postponed expansion of his cabinet due to continuing demands from his partymen for being included in the cabinet, said party sources. According to them, Chavan is likely to expand his cabinet ahead of the Monsoon Session of the State Legislature which begins from July12.
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TRS-BJP combine may do the trick
Hyderabad, June 29 The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is in the forefront of the statehood movement, faces litmus test in the July 27 by-polls and has decided to join hands with the BJP, a development that is expected to have an impact on national-level alliances. The two parties will fight the elections together and will also work towards a long-term tie-up. The by-polls will be held in 10 Assembly constituencies in Telangana region to fill vacancies caused by resignations of 10 legislators-nine of the TRS and a BJP member. The resignations were in protest against “unfavourable” Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Justice Srikrishna Committee set up by the Centre to go into the conflicting demands for and against formation of separate Telangana state. The elections will be an acid test for the TRS and its maverick president K Chandrasekhar Rao as setback in any of the constituencies will be seen as a dilution of the Telangana cause. The TRS decision to gravitate towards the saffron party marks a new turn in its political journey. The sub-regional party had an alliance with the main opposition Telugu Desam Party, CPI and CPI (M) in the 2009 elections but failed to make much impact. Founded in 2001, with the sole aim of achieving statehood for the backward region, the TRS had joined hands with the Congress, which was then in the opposition, in the 2004 general elections. After being part of the UPA government at the Centre and in the state, it pulled out of the alliance in protest against delay in formation of Telangana state. “It is now clear that the Congress has betrayed the people of Telangana. We will teach a fitting lesson to the ruling party,” Chandrasekhar Rao said and justified his decision to align with the BJP. “We are ready to go with any party which is committed to creation of Telangana,” he said. On its part, the BJP had promised in the run-up to the 2009 polls that it would initiate the process for formation of Telangana state “within 100 days” of coming to power at the Centre. Meanwhile, the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising several pro-Telangana organisations, has thrown its weight behind the TRS-BJP combine. The BJP is planning to rope in its national leaders, including the party President Nitin Gadkari and Sushma Swaraj, to address election meetings.
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Jaswant’s return evokes mixed response in party
While those closely associated with the senior leader feel that it would help strengthen the party in the state, others contend that it would instead form another power centre in the state BJP that had been fading away after his expulsion and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s demise. His return to the partyfold will see those who don’t get along with Vasundhara Raje drifting towards him. However, a lot will depend on how Jaswant chooses to take his political forward from here on. A veteran BJP leader said if the former minister takes a plunge in the state politics, he might prefer to take along with him some of leaders, including those from the Rajput community in the BJP, who are not associated with any camp. However, deputy leader of BJP legislature party Ghanshyam Tiwari said it would be unfair to identify Singh with a particular caste or community and his experience as Union Minister would come handy to the party at the Centre as well as the state. Some senior leaders also suggested that as Singh is known for his moderate views, the party should utilise him as an asset. “He should be given key responsibilities and may even be sent to Bihar for campaigning in the forthcoming Assembly elections. When hardliners, like Narendra Modi and Varun Gandhi are creating discomfort, Singh’s campaign may play a key role in reviving the flagging BJP-JD (U) ties,” said one of Singh’s close aide.
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Tawang MP seeks revival of airport project
New Delhi, June 29 Apprehending that the project may be shelved as it falls near
the Indo-China border, Sanjoy requested the minister to revive the
project as Tawang “is the most important tourist destination in the
state.” “I would urge for more and more infrastructure development
along the border to acquaint people living along the border areas about
facilities provided by the government,” Takam said in the letter. He
was of the view that setting up of the airport would also “strengthen
security of the strategic area.” — PTI
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RSS admonishes BJP for ideology dilution
New Delhi, June 29 The meeting at the residence of their lone Goa MP, Sripad Naik was attended almost all board members, including president Nitin Gadkari, LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi, M Venkaiah Naidu, Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar, Bal Apte, Ram Lal and Thawarchand Gehlot, with the exception of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is too unwell to attend any meetings, and Arun Jaitely, who is away on a personal holiday. The RSS was represented by Dattatraya Hosbole, Madan Das Devi, Bhaiyaji Joshi and Suresh Soni. On record, BJP leaders dismissed it as a routine annual affair. Swaraj is reported to have said, “They had held their annual meeting with the other parivar organisations and it was our turn now.” Ananth Kumar and Bal Apte dittoed this. But sources said Sangh is concerned over the inability of their chosen candidate Nitin Gadkari being unable to make a mark after six long months and the consequent re-emergence of Advani camp as the real power centre in the BJP. Gadkari has taken a long time settling and even now is hardly in the National Capital when urgent matters crop up. His handling of the Jharkhand and Bihar crises has become a subject of intense discussion in the BJP and the Sangh. But sources said Gadkari, on his part has told Nagpur of personal rivalries within the BJP and even the Sangh. He is reported to have cited the case of Uma Bharti, whose return was favoured by RSS chief Mohanrao Bhagwat and Advani, but Suresh Soni put his foot down. He also felt that Rajnath’s removal from the president’s post has not really appeased his critics in the organisation like Arun Jaitely and they continue to target him. Here he was referring to the criticism of the alliance with Shibu Soren in Jharkhand at the instance of Rajnath. Then there was also the issue of Sangh leaders themselves going beyond their jurisdiction. For instance earlier Madan Das Devi was looking after the BJP affairs, which is now being handled by Suresh Soni. But there was obviously some problem even there for suddenly Dattatraya Hosbole was pressed into service and he was present throughout today’s meeting. While nobody disclosed the outcome of this meeting, sources said four important issues were definitely taken up. All these related to Sangh’s discomfort with what it perceived as dilution of the ideology. For instance it was unhappy with the BJP aligning with the JMM, which won the last elections with the active support of the Maoists.
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JJ Singh takes Raj Bhawan closer to people
An official source in Itanagar informed that over a thousand common people, including schoolchildren, visited the Raj Bhawan in Itanagar since the Governor decided to open it for commoners on every Sunday afternoon for two hours. The process started since the Arunachal Pradesh Statehood Day on February 20 last year. Every Sunday between 3 pm to 5 pm, the common people have the opportunity to visit the Raj Bhawan compound. To make their visit more interesting, the Raj Bhawan officials organises games like air rifle shooting, flower name writing and basketball. According to Raj Bhawan sources, more than thousand visitors have visited the compound. Along with visitors and schoolchildren of the capital city, people from faraway places like
Doimukh, Oyan, Pasighat, Daporijo and Tawang and even from neighboring state of Assam have visited it. The Raj Bhawan is located on a hillock close to a historical monument known as
Ita-Fort (Eastern Gate), on an area of 27 acres. The compound is characterised by a lush green lawn with decorative trees, beautiful flower gardens, a kitchen garden and fruit trees which sooth one’s soul and spirit. The beautiful nine-hole golf course which has been set up in a record time of six months under the initiative of the Governor, imparts a majestic look to the surrounding. The orchid
centre, Hornbill cottage, fish pond, bee keeping unit and the country chicken farm are very popular among
visitors.
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Honour Killing
Bhadoi, June 29 Rekha Yadav was hacked to death while she was sleeping outside her house in Nibiha village of the district on July 23 night, SP Gyaneshwar Tiwari told reporters. He said Rekha's father Brij Lal, who worked as a taxi driver in Mumbai, returned yesterday and informed the police that the girl was killed by her mother Geeta. "When the police started investigating the case, Geeta told her 15-year-old son that she had killed Rekha," the SP said. He said acting on Brij Lal and his son's information, the police today arrested Geeta and seized the axe used in the murder. "Rekha was having an affair with his neighbour Kailash Yadav and she was caught in a compromising position with him several times by her mother Geeta," Tiwari said. He said Geeta asked Rekha to mend her ways, but the latter continued with her relationship with Kailash. "On the July 23 night when Geeta found Rekha in a compromising position with Kailash, she lost her temper and in a bid to save the family's prestige hacked her daughter to death," he said. Geeta, while confessing the crime, said she had no remorse for killing her daughter.
— PTI
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Youth found dead
Muzaffarnagar, June 29 It is suspected that Sabir was killed by his girlfriend's brother Asas Mohd and his associate Imran, DSP S P Rajesh Kumar said. The girl's family was against their alliance and had threatened the couple with dire consequences. Both Asas and Imran had been taken into custody, he said, adding that investigations were on in the case. Meanwhile, a couple, Sunit (23) and Anita (22), who got married against their families wish, has sought police protection after they were threatened with dire consequences by their parents here yesterday. The couple has been provided security as they feared they may be killed, the police said.
— PTI
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SC: Father natural guardian, not grandfather
New Delhi, June 29 A Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and AK Patnaik ruled that the father was the natural guardian while
dismissing an appeal by the grandfather. Chiranjeev Singh married Manjit Kaur in December 2000 and they had a baby a year later. The couple, however, obtained divorce through mutual consent thereafter, following which the child’s custody was granted to the mother. Kaur committed suicide in June 2004 and since then the child was with the grandparents. However, the trial court allowed Chiranjeev in March 19 this year to keep the child. Manjit’s father came to the apex court after losing his case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The HC had ruled that the father was in a financially better position in Chandigarh to bring up the boy.
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India, Pak to resume cricket series?
New Delhi, June 29 The cricket series between the two countries was suspended in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks. However, India and Pakistani teams continue to play against each other in international tournaments. Earlier this month, India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. Reports in the Pakistani media suggested that the issue had figured during the talks between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan in Islamabad last week. However, no Indian official was prepared to say anything on the subject. A BCCI source said nothing had been firmed up in that connection so far. It is learnt that the matter might be
negotiated between the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), depending
on the outcome of External Affairs Minister SM Krishna’s visit to Islamabad
in mid-July. However, there are doubts whether the BCCI would agree to holding series in Pakistan, given the security situation in that country. The series could be held at a neutral venue or in India.
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Hindu militants pose fresh threat to RSS chief
Mumbai, June 29 Members of Abhinav Bharat, a Hindu militant group, named after a similar organisation founded by Vinayak Savarkar, allegedly plotted to kill Bhagwat at a function in Pune. Information on the threat to Bhagwat's life was provided to the Bombay High Court by Samir Kulkarni, who is a co-accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case. Counsel for the anti-terror squad of the Mumbai police Rohini Salian told the court yesterday that the security has been tightened for Bhagwat. The government may also file a fresh FIR and order fresh investigations if required, Salian told the court.
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MCI moots common entrance test
New Delhi, June 29 The Board, which was reconstituted after dissolution of the corruption-hit MCI, had already approached private medical colleges with the proposal which in turn have agreed to it. “We hope to have a common entrance test by next academic session...Next time when we meet, we will be able to announce the dates also,” SK Sarin, head of the Board, said. He said a single entrance test would substantially reduce the stress level of the students, who, under the current system, have to sit for seven tests for getting admission in medical colleges. The Board has already approached the CBSE to formulate the details for conducting such a test, replacing all other exams that are conducted for admission into government as well private medical colleges in the country. “We have already contacted the CBSE. It will decide how to go about it, including the syllabus. The test will cover all government, private and even minority institutions,” Sarin said. Admission tests are conducted yearly for nearly 32,000 undergraduate seats and 13,000 postgraduate seats in medical colleges across the country. “This will ensure that the students are not stressed out. Under the current system, they have appear in more than seven entrance tests for getting admission. After the new system is introduced, the students will have to appear in only one test,” Devi Shetty, a Board member, said.
— PTI
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Navy gets two warships
Visakhapatnam, June 29 Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan commissioned the ships in the presence of Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral Anup Singh and other senior Naval officials. The indigenously-built ships use water jet propulsion technology and can achieve speeds in excess of 35 knots. They will be based in Goa and tasked with the role of detecting, locating and destroying small, fast-moving enemy surface craft engaged in covert operations, a Navy spokesman said. INS Cankarso and INS Kondul are fitted with 30-mm CRN-91 gun built by Ordnance Factory, Medak, and Igla missiles and set of machine guns ranging from light to heavy. "These features are an improvement over the previous fast attack craft (FAC) ships," the spokesman said. These two ships are the first lot of the ten similar ships that the Navy proposed to induct in its fleet. They belong to the Car Nicobar class V and VI in the FAC series. "In addition to their primary role, the ships will be tasked with the role of policing, anti-smuggling and fisheries protection in India's coastal waters. In the long run, these ships could help in ensuring stability in India's maritime zones of responsibility," the spokesman said. INS Cankarso is named after an island near Goa while INS Kondul derives its name from an island near Nicobar. Kolkata-based Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers, headed by Rear-Admiral (retd) K C Shekar, built these ships in two years. Water jet technology has rapidly gained acceptance as the leading means of propulsion for all types of high-speed marine craft, including ferries, work boats, patrol crafts and pleasure boats. Recent advances in water jet technology have put them ahead of conventional propulsion systems in high-speed performance and reliability, the Navy spokesman said. INS Cankarso is commanded by Arun Bahuguna and INS Kondul by Shashidhar R Patil. The two crafts that have 45 sailors and four officers on board, are equipped with a reverse-osmosis technology drinking water plant and sewerage treatment
plant. — PTI
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Army to get electronic interceptors soon
Chandigarh, June 29 Apart from voice and data intercepts, the Army also wants to keep a tab on various radars and other equipment emitting radio frequency
(RF) signals that could help detect and deduce enemy capability, movements and possible motives. “There are various RF emitters, including various types of radars apart from the one used for communication system used by our neighboring countries. There is need to monitor these emitters by our security forces to obtain required information. Hence, a RF Intercept Receiver is required that can monitor these non-communication emitters,” a request for proposal issued by the Directorate of Military Intelligence said earlier this month. Battlefield surveillance radars, artillery fire control and detection radars, the GPS systems, man-portable tactical radars, radio jammers and ground sensors are examples of equipment besides communication sets that are in use with the military forces. Militant groups are also known to use some electronic gadgets like the GPS and remote triggering devices. Signal interception is heavily used by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The Army also wants system configurations that support manned, unmanned, remote and autonomous continuous operations in harsh environments over long period of time. The system should also have means of storing intercepted data.
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Army training CRPF men to fight Maoists
Guwahati, June 29 The massacre of CRPF personnel at Dantewada by Maoists guerrillas in April compelled the Centre to engage the Army for training paramilitary forces deployed to combat Maoists guerrillas. Defence sources said 540 CRPF jawans and eight officials had assembled at an Army base at Agia in Goalpara district of Western Assam for the training that would conclude on July 24. The training would focus on weaponry, tactical drills, ambush, raids, patrolling, IEDs and psychological operations. CRPF men would also be trained in winning hearts of the people that formed a crucial aspect of the overall strategy to fight Maoists guerrillas.
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Rajasthan workers in Libya to return in July
Jaipur, June 29 According to kin of those languishing at labour camps in Libya, a Jaipur-based agent had charged hefty amount from several people in Dausa and Karauli on the pretext of getting them high-salaried jobs in Libya. From Dausa alone he took 14 persons to Libya. He also demanded advance payment against the proposed work from the employers and returned to India. Later, when the workers demanded wages, the employers told them that the payment had already been made to their contractor and they would be let off only after the completion of the project. In May this year, one of the workers somehow managed to inform his family that the employer had seized their passport and other necessary documents. Sources said around 160 workers from Dausa, Karauli, Jhunjhunu, Tonk, Sikar, Dholpur and Ganganagar were languishing in Libya of which 16 had got their passports and visas and were likely to return in the first week of July. |
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CJI to release Moily’s Ramayan today
New Delhi, June 29 The book explores the Ramatattva or the true principles of the Rama story from a secular and modern perspective. Moily has introduced several new characters and incidents in the epic while taking care to retain the essence of Valmiki’s Ramayana. He has drawn freely from Jaina and folk traditions. The Congress leader introduces topical issues into a 2,000-year-old story with great skill and ease, an official press note said. Shree Ramayana Mahanveshanam is a translation of the Kannada epic. |
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Calcutta HC CJ shifted to Mumbai
New Delhi, June 29 Bombay HC Judge Jainarayan Patel has been elevated as CJ of Calcutta HC, it was announced. The transfer of Justice Shah has come in the wake of an agitation by lawyers demanding allotment of rooms for them in the court premises. |
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Lt Gen chargesheeted in Sukna land scam New Delhi, June 29 After the reconvened Court of Inquiry (COI) was completed earlier this month, the Army initiated the summary of evidence against him at the Eastern Command headquarters in Kolkata from today and Gen Prakash was slapped with five charges. “In the summary of evidence, the Army has charged Prakash with visiting Jodhpur and Ajmer to help the Geetanjali Educational Trust to get affiliation from Mayo college, visiting Chumta tea estate before recommending to the 33 Corps commander to consider his friend Dilip Agarwal's proposal to build an educational facility at the proposed site and trying to help him to get his proposal cleared by the Army,” sources said. If the summary of evidence finds Prakash guilty, he would have to face a court martial in the case, they added. An earlier COI had indicted Praksh along with three other generals, including Lt Gen P K Rath, 11 Corps commander Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Maj Gen PK Sen. — PTI
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Art of Living gets extortion calls Bangalore, June 29 “While three members of the foundation received separate calls four days ago, the fourth call was received by another member yesterday,” Girin Govind, secretary of Sri Sri Ravishankar, said today. “We have already filed complaints in this regard at the Talaghatapura police station and also to the Superintendent of Police, Ramanagaram District,” he said. The matter had also been brought to the notice of the Director General of Police, he said. A bullet was fired at the convoy of 54-year-old spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar on May 30 as he was leaving the prayer hall. However, the incident was dismissed by the police as a bullet fired at a stray dog by a man who owned a farmhouse near the ashram. — PTI
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