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‘Faulty’ IIM admission process has CAT toppers at losing end
Panel finds deficiencies in HPV vaccine project, but nails none
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Antony to visit North-East
Defence Ministry ‘not consulted’ on S-band
It’s final: Bryan Adams' Delhi gig not happening
Krishna to Colombo: Release fishermen
Bar dancers land Cong leaders in trouble again
Hosts emerge favourites as betting scene hots up
Shiv Sena warns against India-Pakistan final match
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‘Faulty’ IIM admission process has CAT toppers at losing end
New Delhi, February 17 About half of the prospective petitioners got over 99 percentile in the CAT and the rest between 98 and 99 percentiles but got no calls from IIMs for the second round of admission. “None of us would have got a call even if we had scored a 100 percentile —the highest score," says Aditya Narang, who scored 99.46 percentile. He explains why: “Because the IIMs used undergraduate (UG), Class XII and Class X scores in a manner that was only disclosed after the CAT results came out and whereby none of us stood a chance to be eligible.” Three new IIMs — Rohtak, Shillong and Trichy — haven’t looked at CAT scores unless the students have obtained a certain cut-off mark in their UG, Class X and Class XII performances. The IIMs in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode have calculated a weighted score for each candidate, using specific weightages for Class X, XII and UG marks. The students say the IIMs disclosed only one eligibility criteria in the CAT bulletin — 50 per cent marks in UG whereas IIM Rohtak and Trichy are now considering CAT scores of those whose UG marks are over 65 per cent. And IIM Shillong is using UG marks ranging from 71 to 90 per cent based on the subjects as a minimum qualification to consider CAT scores. “IIMs should have disclosed the cut-off calculation criteria upfront," the students say. When contacted, the IIMs rubbished these allegations and said the cut-offs based on the marks of Class X, XII and UG were in use for years. Prof Himanshu Rai, CAT coordinator, 2010, told TNS: “These allegations are bunkum. Except the three new IIMs at Shillong, Trichy and Rohtak, which didn’t declare the cut-off criteria in their admission policy document on the websites at the time of CAT registrations as they were in the process of appointing directors, all the other IIMs made the disclosures on their websites at the time of registration. IIM Lucknow even reduced the cut-offs this year." The complaining students, however, insist they would not have even applied had they known of these cut-offs. “We would have known we did not stand a chance even with a 100 percentile. This would have saved our year, money and preparation time,” says Delhi-based Dinesh Kaien, who squeezed time between helping his hospitalised parents (both suffering from cancer) and studying for CAT, securing 99.27 percentile.
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Panel finds deficiencies in HPV vaccine project, but nails none
New Delhi, February 17 The committee, however, admitted that the project design was inadequate and lacked the preparation to tackle serious adverse effects and deaths on account of the vaccines, something that should have been accounted for. Yet, it doesn’t hold anyone responsible for the deaths reported during the project’s implementation in Gujarat and Andhra by foreign non-government organisation PATH in association with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the states concerned.
The project, approved for implementation in 2007, was suspended in April 2010 following reports of deaths of children in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. This led the Health Ministry to constitute a probe panel to see if these deaths were linked to vaccination and if the ethical guidelines of the ICMR and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) were observed in the study, which had girls aged 10-14 as its subjects. The panel report, available now, is replete with contradictions. While it lists several deficiencies in project implementation, it terms them as “minor” and exonerates everyone associated with the project. “There is no major deficiency for which responsibility could be fixed. A collective effort is required to raise the standards of clinical research,” says the panel. It finds vaccines "most probably" unrelated to deaths even though in three cases of mortality, no post-mortem was ever conducted. In the other four, alternate causes of deaths were established. Now, picture the deficiencies the panel calls “minor”. Firstly, it identifies an undeclared conflict of interest in the study where vaccines used were given free of cost by manufacturers GSK and MSD. The committee admits: “Free provision of vaccines raises concerns about undeclared conflict of interest since the results can be used to influence the government to include the vaccines in the national programme.” It however holds no one accountable. Another shocking finding is that PATH insured itself for the study but not the children who received the vaccine. Here, the panel concludes mildly: “Since the HPV vaccine is new, there should have been a provision of insurance cover for the participants. The requirement must be made essential for future studies.” It has been further revealed that the project administrators didn’t take informed consent of the children or their parents in Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam district where five of the seven deaths were reported. The committee found that the Andhra Government had, in violation of medical ethics, authorised hostel wardens and headmasters to sign consent papers in place of the girls’ parents. Yet, the committee issues a soft admonishment to PATH, saying, “Areas, mainly tribal, where taking informed consent of the subjects was impractical, should have been excluded from the study.” No responsibility has been fixed though the panel bars future research on tribals unless of specific benefit to them. Inquiries also cast doubts on the role of the ICMR and DCGI. The project was a post-licensure study agreed to between PATH and ICMR in 2007. However, the vaccine was being tested one year before the licence was given. Further, though PATH has maintained the project was meant to test the acceptance of the vaccine whose safety was known, the committee report says that four of the study’s five expected outcomes related to vaccine safety.
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Fix responsibility in HPV vaccine study: Brinda
New Delhi, February 17 In a letter to Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today, Brinda sought the suspension of the project and punitive action for those found responsible for the deficiencies, which the government committee’s interim report on the subject has now established. “We want to know what is the nature of this project and is it a clinical trial or a research. Why is the project design not being made public? We want the design scrutinised and we want compensation for the families affected. I have met these families. I know that all the girls who received the HPV vaccine were poor and their informed consent wasn’t taken. This is a serious matter and action must be initiated against NGO PATH. The role of ICMR and DCGI also needs questioning. How did a post-licensure study become a pre-licensed one? How was the vaccine being used when the license for it was to be taken a year later?” Brinda asked adding that the ethics committee of the Public Health Foundation of India had earlier refused permission for PATH’s HPV vaccine project in India. The CPM’s Rajya Sabha member also wondered why the government panel gave a clean chit to the NGO on grounds that there was no mal-intention. “Are these deficiencies minor? If they are, why should we put up with this farce of the ICMR and DCGI guidelines for medical research?” the MP said. Similar concerns have also been raised by social organisations like the All-India Democratic Women’s Association, All-India People’s Science Network, SAMA and the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan.
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Antony to visit North-East
New Delhi, February 17 India and China had an accord to reduce tensions along their border to respect the Line of Actual Control, but there seems to have been little substantive progress. Chief of Army staff General VK Singh and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar will accompany the Defence Minister during his visit. Antony will be visiting Tezpur and Chabua in Assam, Rangaphar Military Station in Nagaland, Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh and Leimakhong in Manipur. At these locations are key military deployments. India has begun to upgrade several airstrips and helipads in North-East and Ladakh, apart from basing Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets at Tezpur and Chabua in Assam, in counter to China's rapid modernisation in the region. Yesterday, Antony said, “India is not unduly worried over growth of Chinese forces, as it is now modernising its armed forces to meet any challenge from any quarter.”
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Defence Ministry ‘not consulted’ on S-band
New Delhi, February 17 Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of an Army function, Antony termed the deal as “unfortunate”. They (the Indian Space Research Organisation) committed a mistake, the government has corrected it, Antony said. “We (Defence Ministry) were not consulted. The S-band is mainly for strategic forces in which our Army, Navy and the Air Force have a major stake because it is a precious asset for us.” Antony said the availability of S-band radio waves was “limited and it had to be given mainly for strategic aspects. That has to be the first priority”. Also, Antony has called upon the armed forces to remain vigilant against emerging cyber threats.
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It’s final: Bryan Adams' Delhi gig not happening
New Delhi, February 17 Organisers had earlier said that a new venue and date would be announced soon after his show at the NSIC grounds in Okhla on February 16 was cancelled over security reasons but now they have confirmed that they will instead refund the tickets. "The Bryan Adams Concert in Delhi which had been rescheduled for February 20 stands cancelled at this point in time due to logistical issues," Sujit Jain, managing director of Netsurf Entertainment said in a press statement issue here today. "The singer is performing in Kathmandu on February 19 and in London on February 21. However, Bryan Adams will return to India this year to fulfill his commitment to his fans. People who have purchase the tickets online and through retail outlets will get a complete refund," Jain added. Adams is already in Bangladesh to perform at the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony. The 'Summer of 69' hitmaker, too, took to Twitter to quash rumours of a planned concert in Gurgaon. "...at the moment, there is no rescheduled for Delhi. Rumours of Gurgaon are simply that, I wish it was better news. I'm sorry to all the fans, (sic)" Adams tweeted. — PTI
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Krishna to Colombo: Release fishermen
New Delhi, February 17 “I am hopeful that the Sri Lankan government will take all the necessary steps to release all Indian fishermen,’’ Krishna told reporters outside the South Block after his conversation with
Peiris. He was confident that the two governments would resolve the issue amicably soon. The arrests of the fishermen, which came days after the killings of two Indian fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, has caused a furore in Tamil
Nadu, with political parties trying to make political capital out of it obviously with an eye on the coming assembly elections in the state.
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Bar dancers land Cong leaders in trouble again
Lucknow, February 17 Taking a serious note of media reports of dancer gyrating on the stage before the arrival of the main speakers a press statement issued by the UPCC explained that the state president was not aware of this. “No music and dance took place in the presence of the state president,” said the release. The programme had not been organised by the district party unit. Former party MLC Gaje Singh had organised the programme in the block of his home district, said a Congress spokesperson. All district and city units have been strictly instructed not to organise such music and dance programmes under their aegis. Similarly in April 2010, Bahuguna-Joshi had to order a probe into a similar incident in Khurja during the Congress sandesh yatra held to commemorate the 125-year-old history of the party. The idea was to remember the “shandar itihas” (glorious history) of the party. But at Kisan Inter College at Sarava in the Khurja Assembly constituency of Bulandshahr crowds had been given a lesson in anatomy rather than history.
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Hosts emerge favourites as betting scene hots up
Mumbai, February 17 Ladbrokes, the British bookmakers, have tipped the Indian team to take home the cup. The odds in favour of the co-hosts have fallen from 7/2 to 3/1 after its performance at the practice session in Bangalore. Sri Lanka is tipped as the second favourites followed by South Africa and Australia, according to the odds-sheet posted on the Ladbrokes website. Bookies who accept bets on all matches featuring the Indian cricket team expect punters to wager big money as the tournament gets underway. According to the police bookies have booked farmhouses on the outskirts of Mumbai in order to accept bets over the telephone. "With increased vigilance bookies have moved out of Mumbai," says Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy. According to reports, bookies have moved out to places as far as Gujarat and Goa to evade the crackdown on bookies by the Mumbai police. Sources say, the cricket betting in India is largely controlled by the Dubai-based mafia with the odds being communicated to bookies by the minute. Apart from the tournament winners, bets are placed on the outcome of individual matches, performance of individual players, etc. Already the city police have seized a cache of SIM cards belonging to mobile phone service providers in Dubai. However, sources say, this was only a tip of the iceberg with SIM cards of mobile service providers in foreign countries being available freely in a number of markets in Mumbai and Delhi. Bookies and gamblers have also adopted technology in a big way with Instant Messenger services playing a major role in placing bets, according to the trade. Even amateur gamblers who do not have the right references to access a bookie may now place bets over the Internet. All one needs is a credit card to log in to any number of betting websites. Most of the major betting websites have opened special sections catering to the Cricket World Cup. One Australian website promises to deposit winnings at bank accounts anywhere in the world.
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Shiv Sena warns against India-Pakistan final match
Mumbai, February 17 The party here today indicated that it had not softened its stand over allowing the Pakistan cricket team to play on Indian soil. “You all know Balasaheb’s views. If the Pakistan team reaches the final, the Shiv Sena chief will decide whether to let them (play or not),” party leader Manohar Joshi said. The Shiv Sena has been strongly opposing cultural exchanges and cricket matches between India and Pakistan, besides participation of Pakistan nationals in television programmes like Big Boss. The party has threatened action against Pakistani personalities coming to Mumbai on the grounds that the masterminds behind the 26/11 terror attacks remain unpunished. “Mr Thackeray will decide (whether to allow Pak team to play or not).”
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6 die in mishap Flight grounded Remand extended Ultras free WWF volunteers
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The cricket betting scene is hotting up with the Indian team emerging as a favourite to win the Cricket World Cup being played on home soil.
Ladbrokes, the British bookmakers, have tipped the Indian team to take home the cup. The odds in favour of the co-hosts have fallen from 7/2 to 3/1 after its performance at the practice session in
Bangalore.
