Amid NEET Row, Close Watch On Another Medical Exam Being Held Today

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jul 6, 2024 | top-stories

New Delhi:

Amid a row over the NEET exam, another medical exam is being held under close watch of the security and home ministry officials. The health ministry in a statement said that the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) 2024 has begun smoothly across the nation and no untoward incident has been reported yet.

A command centre to monitor the exam has been set up at the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) headquarters in Delhi.

“The content was successfully downloaded at all test centres. The examination started at all examination centres smoothly. A team of officers from MHA has visited NBEMS HQ. No untoward incident has been reported,” an official said.

The FMGE is a screening test for medical graduates to become eligible to practice medicine in the country. It is being held at 71 centres in 50 cities across 21 states. The exam will be held on two shifts — 9 am to 11.30 am and 2 pm to 4.30 pm.

A controversy erupted after 67 students achieved a perfect score of 720 in the NEET-UG exam. The National Testing Agency (NTA) attributed this to the awarding of grace marks due to a faulty question and logistical delays in paper distribution at some centres. However, a probe by Bihar police revealed that the exam paper had been leaked to a select few candidates.

The NEET-UG examination, taken by nearly 24 lakh aspiring medical students, was held on May 5, and results were expedited for early release on June 4. Despite the NTA’s attempts to manage the fallout, accusations of a widespread leak persisted, prompting protests and legal actions nationwide. The Supreme Court also intervened, chastising the NTA for its handling of the matter.

As a countermeasure, the FMGE examination is being held under tight security and is being closely monitored by the Centre.

Officials have appointed 255 appraisers across 71 centres, with 53 faculty members serving as a flying squad. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has designated 71 members to visit exam centres. Additionally, 42 NBEMS staff are stationed at the centres, where 35,819 candidates are scheduled to take exams on Saturday.

A command centre has been established at NBEMS headquarters in Dwarka. It is overseeing the examination’s progress with members of the governing body, NBEMS officials, a technical team of 20 TCS officials, and senior police officers.

Live CCTV feeds are monitoring each test centre, while TCS ground teams are resolving operational and logistical issues onsite.

Source link

“Country First, Party Second”: Keir Starmer In First Speech As UK PM

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jul 5, 2024 | top-stories

Keir Starmer on Friday swept into Downing Street for the first time as UK prime minister, promising urgent action to restore the country’s fortunes.

The Labour party leader oversaw a landslide victory in Thursday’s general election, ending 14 years of rule by Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives.

“The work of change begins immediately,” Starmer told reporters outside Downing Street after accepting head of state King Charles III’s request for him to form a government.

“But have no doubt, we will rebuild Britain,” he added.

Starmer, a 61-year-old former human rights lawyer and chief state prosecutor, paid tribute to Sunak, who was appointed Tory leader and prime minister in October 2022 after Liz Truss’s disastrous tenure.

“His achievement as the first British-Asian prime minister of our country, the extra effort that that will have required, should not be underestimated by anyone,” he said.

“We pay tribute to that today. We also recognise the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership,” he added.

Flag-waving Labour supporters lined the approach to Downing Street as Starmer and his wife Victoria arrived from Buckingham Palace, shaking hands with and kissing activists.

Starmer faces a daunting to-do list, noting that Britons had grown tired of crumbling public services, higher prices and empty promises from politicians.

His government, he said, would put “country first, party second”, promising to restore “respect for politics”, after a succession of scandals under the Tories that eroded public trust.

But he sought to temper high expectations of an immediate transformation. “Changing a country is not like flicking a switch,” he said.

“The world is now a more volatile place. This will take a while. But have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Source link

Who Is Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak's Labour Opponent Pegged To Be Next UK PM

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jul 4, 2024 | top-stories

Keir Starmer entered politics in 2015 as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras

New Delhi:

In May 2024, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a surprise snap election announcement. Now, the UK will vote on July 4 and the focus, apart from the Prime Minister’s Conservative Party, is on Keir Starmer, the Labour Party’s candidate and the leader of the opposition. Mr Starmer is not a firebrand politician, but the Labour Party believes his steady and dependable leadership is exactly what Britain needs after 14 years of Conservative rule. At 61, Mr Starmer is favourite to win the upcoming election.

Here are some facts about Keir Starmer:

1. Keir Starmer was born on September 2, 1962, in Oxted, Surrey, in a working-class family. His mother, a dedicated NHS nurse, battled a rare and severe case of rheumatoid arthritis, while his father worked as a toolmaker. Mr Starmer attended Reigate Grammar School and was the first in his family to attend university. He studied Law at Leeds University.

2. Before he ventured into politics, Mr Starmer was a distinguished human rights defence lawyer. Dubbed a “lefty lawyer” for his commitment to social justice, he began his career in 1987 as a barrister and co-founded Doughty Street Chambers in 1990. He specialised in human rights cases, representing clients through legal aid and pro bono work. His expertise earned him a Queen’s Counsel (QC) appointment in 2002 and recognition as QC of the Year. Mr Starmer represented the “McLibel Two” in their landmark defamation suit against McDonald’s. He also travelled to the Caribbean and Africa to represent defendants facing the death penalty. He also challenged the Tony Blair government’s invasion of Iraq, drafting legal arguments against the war.

3. Mr Starmer was the legal advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board for five years from 2003 to 2008. This was a critical time in the region’s history, following the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which was a significant step towards peace after decades of conflict. During this time, he met his wife, Victoria, who was working for the National Health Service (NHS). The couple got married in 2007 and have two children.

4. In 2008, Mr Starmer was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions, leading the Crown Prosecution Service and managing its thousands of employees. During his tenure, he handled several high-profile cases, including the Stephen Lawrence murder case. His contributions to criminal justice were recognised with a knighthood conferred by the late Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2014.

5. Keir Starmer entered politics in 2015 as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, quickly taking on key roles in the Labour Party. He served as Shadow Immigration Minister from 2015 to 2016. Following Jeremy Corbyn’s resignation in 2019, Mr Starmer was elected the Labour Party leader in 2020. Mr Starmer promised a culture change; his mantra — the country before the party. He opposed Britain’s decision to leave the European Union but clarified that a Labour government would not rejoin the group, which now has 27 members. If elected as the country’s Prime Minister, Mr Starmer promises to bring stability and change.

The Labour Party’s manifesto focuses on key initiatives such as hiring 6,500 new teachers, expanding childcare and providing free breakfast clubs in primary schools. They aim to improve economic security by creating more stable jobs, reforming Universal Credit and strengthening housing regulations. The manifesto also talks about support for mental health in schools, reforming social care and advancing equality for women, ethnic minorities, disabled individuals and the LGBT+ community.

Source link

Real Estate Salesman Spikes Woman's Drink, Rapes Her In Car In Hyderabad

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jul 4, 2024 | top-stories

The woman claimed she was also beaten, which led to severe body pain. (File)

Hyderabad:

A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a real estate salesman and his aide after they spiked her cold drink in Hyderabad, the police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Janardhan and Sanga Reddy, have been arrested and sent to jail.

The woman stated in her complaint that she visited Miyapur on Sunday where the two men picked her up for a site visit in Yadagirigutta. While returning at night, they stopped at an under-construction building.

The car had a breakdown, they told her.

The two men then offered her food, which she refused. But they eventually persuaded her to have a cold drink that made her feel dizzy. It is suspected that the drink was spiked. They also offered her a sweet, but the dizziness persisted.

Taking advantage of the situation, the men stripped her in the car and sexually assaulted her till early morning, the woman alleged. She claimed she was also beaten, which led to severe body pain.

The men then left her at a hostel in Miyapur and fled, the complaint read.

The police have filed a case under rape and other charges.

Source link

Actor Vijay Opposes NEET, Welcomes Tamil Nadu's Resolution Against Exam

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jul 3, 2024 | top-stories

All major political parties, including the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, are opposed to NEET

Chennai:

Actor-turned politician Vijay on Wednesday spoke out against NEET and extended his support to the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly against the central qualifying test for undergraduate medical programmes, seeking exemption to the southern state.

The NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) has been a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu as scores of medical aspirants have died allegedly by suicide over the past few years. All major political parties, including the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, have been opposed to the exam.

“NEET has lost its credibility and it has to be abandoned across India,” said Vijay as he addressed class X and XII toppers for the second time in a week.

Pressing for total freedom for states, Vijay said: “NEET exemption is the only instant solution. I welcome the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly.”

Vijay, founder of Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), urged the Union government to give assent for the NEET exemption bill passed by the state assembly soonest.

Calling the mandatory entrance test for medical admission “against states’ rights”, Vijay said “it affects the poor, backward and marginalised and scheduled caste students”.
The concept of one nation, one test, Vijay said “is against diversity and against the very purpose of education”. He added, “Imagine how difficult will it be for students studying state syllabus to take an exam under NCERT?”

The politician, whose party is preparing to contest the 2026 Assembly elections, said education should be brought under the State list.

The permanent solution would be to move Education from Concurrent list to State list and if there was any ‘difficulty’ in this, “a special Concurrent List could be created and include Education and Health in it,” following a Constitutional amendment, he said.

For nearly a decade, Tamil Nadu has abolished entrance test for medical admission, saying it favours affluent students who can afford private coaching and works against poor and rural students who can’t afford private coaching. More than 20 medical aspirants have died by suicide over the issue in te recent years.

When NEET was introduced during the UPA regime, the state was given exemption following assent by the then President following pressure from the the ruling DMK.

However, the BJP has not yet given assent to a bill passed by the state assembly to exempt the state from the mandatory test. The state brought out the bill following recommendations by a committee under a retired high court judge.

Vijay, who has a cult following in the state, is reaching out to first time voters and their parents hoping to make a dent in Tamil Nadu politics dominated by the two Dravidian parties.

Last week, he had encouraged students to enter politics, saying, “Now we need good leaders. We have enough doctors and engineers”.

While contemporary stars like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth have not been able to make it big in Tamil Nadu politics, his fans say Vijay will hit a sixer as he has made this plunge when he’s at the peak of his popularity unlike others.

Source link

“Parasite”, “Khatakhat Diwas”: PM Hits Back Amid Protests In Lok Sabha

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jul 2, 2024 | top-stories

New Delhi:

The Opposition is back in strength in parliament, determined to make themselves heard. And they chose to do it today, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi rose to respond to the Motion of Thanks for the President’s address. The result was a furious din that came close to the BJP protests of 2004, which stopped then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from introducing his Council of Ministers. PM Modi, though, laboured on through the uproar for over two hours, once it became clear that the Opposition would not relent.

The ostensible reason for the Opposition protests was that the PM’s speech came as a representative from Manipur was abruptly cut off. The Opposition has always maintained that the Prime Minister had neglected the violence-hit state, not just failing to visit but also remaining silent on it.

As a few MPs started protesting against Speaker Om Birla’s refusal, the matter was taken up by the rest of the Opposition members. Soon, the Lok Sabha chamber rang with boos and slogans.

When the Prime Minister started speaking, the MPs stepped it up with louder slogans and table thumping. Chants of “Manipur, Manipur”, “Tanashahi nahin chalegi (We won’t allow dictatorship)” and “Justice for Manipur” rang out, drawing an angry reprimand from the Speaker, directed at the Leader of the Opposition.

“I can understand the pain of some people. Even after spreading lies, they tasted defeat,” the Prime Minister finally said after waiting several times for the noise to subside.

“The people of India have given us the opportunity to work for the third time. The people have given us a mandate. They saw our track record of 10 years. 25 crore came out of poverty. This never happened since Independence,” PM Modi said.

In the expected hard-hitting political message, the Prime Minister also spoke of minority appeasement, alleged corruption during the UPA government, Jammu and Kashmir, Article 370 and surgical strikes against terrorists — all amid the loud Opposition protests.

The rebuttal to Congress’s Rahul Gandhi’s fiery speech yesterday — replete with repeated objections and angry outbursts from the Prime Minister and his ministers — was sharp.

As PM Modi continued, the volume of protests increased. Admonishing the Opposition, Mr Birla said, “Yesterday, I allowed you to speak for 90 minutes. No one stopped you. This is no way to behave,” he said. Then, in an afterthought, he added, “Paanch saal aise nahin chalega (We cannot have five years of this)”.

This was not the first time Opposition protests had interrupted a Prime Minister in the House in this fashion. In 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not introduce his Council of Ministers due to protests by the BJP. In 2008, he was not allowed to reply to the debate on no-confidence motion against his government.

PM Modi, speaking amid the deafening commotion today, soon started responding with barbs and mockery.

“Try to read the people’s mandate. You are in the Opposition and you will remain in the Opposition… 2024 onwards, the Congress will be known as the ‘Parasite Congress’. They feed on the votes of other parties. They make alliances with them and cut their votes,” he said.

Then he parodied the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay — the sequence where Amitabh Bachchan was ‘advocating’ for his friend to a prospective mother-in-law. “Mausi ji teesri baar to haare hai…(Auntie he lost only for the third time) still a hero after winning zero seats in 13 states,” he said.

Without mentioning Rahul Gandhi by name, PM Modi referred to him as “balakbuddhi (the immature one)”, saying he “does not know his limits” and cited the incident when he was caught on camera in parliament winking, thought to be at then close aide Jyotiraditya Scindia.

“The country is now feeling sorry that he is here,” PM Modi said. Then, in a jibe, added, “The country observed ‘khatakhat diwas‘ on July 1. People were checking if they have received Rs 8,500 in their bank accounts”.

Source link

« Older Entries

Next Entries »

Times Top News

Times Top News