Gujarat College News

Rajkot school installs war trophy T-55 battle tank on its campus
The Indian Express | 2 days ago | |
The Indian Express
2 days ago | |

Battle tank T-55, a war trophy of the Indian Army, was unveiled on the campus of Rajkumar College (RKC) in Rajkot Thursday. Designed by Soviet Russia and considered the best in their class then, the T-55 battle tanks played a key role in India’s victory in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war that led to creation of Bangladesh.India had procured T-55 tanks from Russia, Poland and Czechoslovakia in various batches during 1966-67. The T-55s were later phased out from armoury and have since classified them as derelict and war trophies. While those classified as derelict are used for weapons training, others classified as war trophies are given for public display. RKC has procured the tank from the Central Armoured Fighting Vehicle Depot in Pune through the Directorate of Ordnance, Ministry of Defence.“We are sure the display of the war trophy tank T55 in the school campus will continue to motivate more students of our school as well as other youths from our city to join the forces,” the school stated in a release. With this, RKC becomes the first non-military school in Gujarat to have a war trophy tank installed on its campus.Sujan Chinoy, director general of Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, and former Indian Ambassador to Japan and Mexico, unveiled the tank in the presence of Lieutenant General KS Brar, the director general of armoured Corps of the Indian Army and officers of the National Cadet Corps.Incidentally, a Mig-27 fighter jet decommissioned by the Indian Air Force is on public display in Kotecha Chowk of the city. Thus, the T-55 battle tank became the second war trophy on display in Rajkot.Chinoy, an alumnus of RKC, said he felt getting a battle tank installed in the college after finding one in Rajkumar College, Raipur in Chhattisgarh last year.

Rajkot school installs war trophy T-55 battle tank on its campus
Surat nu jaman: Diamond City to dish out some delectable contests
Times of India | 3 days ago | |
Times of India
3 days ago | |

Surti undhiyu, the lip-smacking winter concoction of green vegetables, has never been complete without the ‘paapdi (flat beans)’, which once grew in abundance in the lush fields of Katargam. However, over the past 10 years, the fields have been replaced by flashy residential and commercial buildings; residents are seen flaunting their luxury cars, and this once sleepy hamlet has transformed into a thriving business centre of Surat also known as India’s Diamond City. Katargam is the hub of diamond cutting and polishing with over 4,000 artisans working in one shift in small and big units, employing lakhs of skilled hands. It also has a GIDC where lakhs of metres of fabrics are woven every day. And, this poll season, some delectable electoral battles are cooking up in this Patidar-dominated area which had witnessed massive unrest with crowds setting ablaze buses and other government property during the 2015 Hardik Patel-led quota stir. Political equations changed quickly, and BJP bastion, Surat, became the cradle of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat. In 2021 civic poll, the AAP made a stunning debut, winning 27 out of the 120 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) while the Congress drew a blank. On December 1, Surat city, with a total of 12 assembly segments including 2 rurban seats, is expected to witness some of the most gripping battles this election. Besides the community factors and an aggressive Kejriwal outfit, it’s the home to the state presidents of two parties: the BJP’s C R Paatil and the AAP’s Gopal Italia, the plucky Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader and former Hardik aide. Paatil holds a huge sway over migrants including Maharashtrians in Limbayat. The AAP has fielded Italia from Katargam against sitting BJP minister Vinod Moradiya who won his maiden election in 2017. Italia has become the favourite whipping boy of the BJP after several videos of his unsavoury remarks, including those against PM Modi and his mother, surfaced on social media. Italia dismissed them as a conspiracy but gave enough ammunition to Modi and other star campaigners whohave been fervently asking people to vanquish elements using disparaging language to ‘defame’ Gujarat and its people. “I am one of the poorest candidates but have the highest number of FIRs against me. These cases were filed against me for participating in various public movements,”33-year-old Italia tells people in his campaign. While Moradiya, a three-time councillor, is banking on the BJP symbol and government works, Congress’s Kalpesh Variya who hails from the Prajapati community, claims to have a better connect with people due to his social activities. The Prajapatis are natives of Saurashtra who are engaged in the diamond as well as the textile industry. The young turks of the BJP have seen a meteoric rise in their political fortunes with Majura MLA Harsh Sanghavi being one of the most prominent faces. Sanghavi, who has been vociferous against ‘love jihad’, was instrumental in the roaring success of PM Modi’s roadshows and rallies in the city. Given the sheer number of Saurashtra natives (nearly 20 lakh), who are registered voters in Surat and the AAP’s aggressive posturing, contests in Varachha Road, Surat North, Karanj, Kamrej, and Olpad are expected to spice up the hustings. Expecting a tough fight, all three parties are leaving no stone unturned while campaigning and reaching out to people. Tempers are also fraying. Twice recently, workers of the BJP and the AAP came face to face in Sarthana and Limbayat, forcing the police to rush to the spots and control the situation. Kathiriya is expected to give a tough fight to ex-minister Kumar Kanani in Varachha, which had also been scorched during the quota agitation, by harping on anti-incumbency. He also has community backing. Apart from Italia and Kathiriya, the AAP has fielded another young face in PAAS activist, Dharmik Malaviya, from the rurban Olpad seat against BJP ministerMukesh Patel and Darshan Naik of the Congress. The city of flyovers, often called the distant cousin of Mumbai, has consistently achieved the top rank in the Centre’s Swachhata surveys. But youth from the Patidar areas launched social media campaigns to demand a government college, something that was approved by the state government recently but remains on paper. “The movement has been going on for the past seven years and gained momentum in 2018 but we are yet to get a college,” said Ketan Sojitra, a social worker. Importantly, Surat won accolades for the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially the second wave which saw a massive exodus of migrants from the city. The Patidars along with other communities set an example by converting their community halls into Covid care isolation centres, which provided succour to thousands and reduced the burden on government hospitals. Another issue that is expected to play on the minds of people, especially in the Varachha, Surat North, Karanj, Katargam, and Olpad seats, is the horrific Takshashila Arcade fire that snuffed out the lives of 22 students on May 24, 2019. “The actual corrupt officials of the Surat Municipal Corporation, Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Ltd and the fire department, who allowed the illegal construction, were never arrested. Those arrested are out on bail and the government is not interested in running the case in the fast-track court,” said Jaysukh Gajera, father of one of the deceased students. In Olpad and Kamrej constituencies, several villages have been included in the city limits, but the basic civic amenities like water supply and drainage are far from adequate. The villages that were included in city limits a few years ago are yet to get basic civic facilities like water supply and drainage. In some places, sewage water still flows through open rainwater trenches. The poor infrastructure is also hampering MSME development in these areas.

Surat nu jaman: Diamond City to dish out some delectable contests
Education to inflation, Gujarat youth confident about issues but not parties
The Indian Express | 4 days ago | |
The Indian Express
4 days ago | |

Right across the Sheth Damodardas School of Commerce on the Gujarat University campus in Ahmedabad, Chetan CR runs a tea stall that he has named the “Engineer Tea Bar”. A qualified textile engineer, the 25-year-old began selling tea about two months ago. He is from the village of Pratapara in Bhavnagar district, which is about 170-odd km from Ahmedabad, and has been voting since he got his rights.“Our village comes under the Talaja Assembly constituency and will vote for BJP candidate Gautam Chauhan, who is from our village. Last time too, he was fielded from the seat but lost by a narrow margin,” says Chetan but adds that he is not sure if he will vote for Chauhan or incumbent MLA Kanu Baraiya of the Congress who won by just 1.28 per cent more vote last time.Chetan is part of a constituency of voters, the youth, who have a major say on who will form the government. There are nearly 11.74 lakh first-time voters this time in Gujarat, up from 11.8 lakh five years ago. Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys a lot of support among the youth and, in a special appeal to first-time voters, said at a rally in Valsad on November 19, “It is not (simply) that you have completed 18 years and are voting … you are going to become a participant in the shaping of the destiny of Gujarat, you are to become a policymaker of Gujarat.”One such first-time voter is Neha Vaghela, a Master’s student at the School of Languages at Gujarat University. But the prospect has left the 20-year-old more confused than excited. “All the parties, especially the ruling party, just campaign to collect votes for a month just before the elections. They showcase their work and ask for votes. We are very confused,” she says.Her friend Pratham Solanki, who studies at the private National College of Commerce and will also be voting for the first time, says, “The Congress was not seen anywhere in five years except for now. And the Aam Aadmi Party cannot be trusted, it is an outsider.” But he also points out that the government did nothing about paper leaks for government recruitment exams, an issue the AAP has taken up vociferously.Vaghela also thinks that the government’s focus should be on education. “Otherwise, the ruling government is fine. Unemployment may be an issue, but education is a greater issue.”Down the street from Chetan’s stall, Gujarat University students eat snacks at a food stall. One of them, aged 22 years, is a first-time voter and turns out to be inclined towards the AAP. “I want to vote for the AAP, it seems good. I have visited Delhi and seen their work. They have done some good work in education. In my family too, the decision is going to be between the AAP and the Congress. The BJP has not worked.”At the Iskon Gathiya on SG Highway, where Modi once held a “Chai pe Charcha” in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that propelled him to power, 35-year-old Sheikh Abu Zar is a regular. Zar has always gone for the “None of the Above”, or NOTA option. “I don’t think any of these parties should come to power. The Assembly elections are sheer timepass,” he says, sipping his tea amid a crowd of other regulars savouring their bun maskas and gathiyas (a type of deep-fried snack).Zar has been running an automobile centre across the road for the last 15 years. “It is not about which party comes into power in a state but which party is at the Centre. All the policies the BJP claims to have brought were initiated by the Congress. Even in Gujarat, the issues such as education were brought to the fore by the Congress. The BJP merely followed its path.”Asked why he does not vote for the Congress if he admires the party so much, Zar says, “Well, the candidate is important too. There are no solid leaders at the local level, in our constituency, whom we can bank on.”For 24-year-old Veena Solanki who belongs to the Baori community of Rajasthan and makes a living by selling winter wear outside the LD College of Engineering, inflation is the biggest issue. “I believe the Congress in power will take care of this. I have heard this in my family too, even from relatives in Rajasthan, where the Congress is in power. But even the AAP looks promising as these issues are on their manifesto. It is tough to decide.”

Education to inflation, Gujarat youth confident about issues but not parties
Work on AIIMS Rewari expected to start from March 2023, says Rao Inderjit Singh
Times of India | 4 days ago | |
Times of India
4 days ago | |

GURUGRAM: Work on the much-awaited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rewari’s Majra village is expected to start from March next year as the Union health ministry has taken possession of 189 acres of land for the project. The remaining 14 acres will be handed over to the ministry in a few weeks, according to Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh, who is also the MP from Gurugram. The groundbreaking ceremony of the project is expected to be organised after the Gujarat Assembly elections in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schedule. Singh said a team from the Union health ministry recently visited Rewari to take physical possession of the land. The district administration of Rewari has completed the process of handing over 189 acres out of the 203 acres required, and registry of the remaining 14 acres in the favour of the administration, which is needed to hand over possession to the health ministry, is likely to be completed in the next few weeks. “We have sought time from the PM and we are expected to get his time for the groundbreaking ceremony after the Gujarat elections,” said Singh. The MP added that the construction of AIIMS in Rewari will benefit a large number of people. The 22th AIIMS in the country, it will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore. The announcement for setting up an AIIMS in Rewari was made several years back but has been delayed due to land acquisition issues. Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Singh’s request had announced plans to bring AIIMS in Rewari during an election rally at Bawal in 2015. In 2019, just before the Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi too announced that an AIIMS would be set up in Rewari. Initially, the institute was planned to be built in Rewari’s Manethi village. However, the government faced hurdles in acquiring land there as most of the area there was found to be part of Aravali forest area. Due to this the project was shifted to Majra village. People from Rewari, Mahendergarh, Bhiwani, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Mewat, Palwal, Faridabad and parts of Rajasthan will benefit from the construction of AIIMS in Majra. The project will also provide 3,000 direct and 10,000 indirect job opportunities. In April 2021, the Haryana government allotted Rs 80 crore for the purchase of 150 acres for the project, as the government had 60 acres of panchayat land. AIIMS Majra will have 750 beds, a medical college and a nursing college, ICU specialty, super specialties and facilities for 1,500 OPD patients per day. Besides, there will be private wards and a trauma centre. The campus will have a night shelter for the patients’ attendants as well as a guesthouse, 1,000 seat auditorium and hostel and residential facilities for staff and students.

Work on AIIMS Rewari expected to start from March 2023, says Rao Inderjit Singh
8 students arrested for ‘beating up’ hosteller, 9 Hyderabad college management members charged for negligence
The Indian Express | 1 week ago | |
The Indian Express
1 week ago | |

Eight college students of a business school on the outskirts of Hyderabad have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody. The police have initiated legal action against nine college management officials for negligence as well. In addition, the FIR has been altered to charge the accused with an additional section for promoting enmity between different groups.“With reference to the crime reported at IBS, Shankarpally, 8 accused have been arrested and remanded. In addition, legal action was initiated against 9 members of college management for negligence,” the official handle of Cyberabad police tweeted Monday evening.“Three accused were arrested today while five were arrested on Saturday. Two are still absconding. We have also added IPC Section 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, and residence) in the FIR because the complainant was made to say religious slogans. But it is not a case of communal nature,” a senior police officer told indianexpress.com.Further, he said that a ragging angle is not ruled out given two of the accused were seniors. “Nine people from the college management are booked under Section 7(1) r/w 6(1) of Telangana Prohibition of Ragging Act. The management has suspended 12 students in the incident,” he said, adding that the investigation was in progress. The college authorities have been charged with abetment as they failed to inform the matter to the police.On Friday, based on a complaint from a first-year student of the IBS College in Dhonthanpally, the Shankarpally police station registered an FIR against at least 10 students and booked them for an attempt to murder. Although the incident occurred on November 1, the police said they received a complaint Friday evening.The police invoked Indian Penal Code Sections 307 (murder attempt), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 450 (trespass to commit an offence), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation), read with Sections 149 and 4(I), (II), and (III) of the Prohibition of Ragging Act of 2011.A video of the complainant being physically assaulted in his hostel room had gone viral on social media.The police clarified that the complainant and the assailants were students of first-year BBA and LLB, except a couple of second-year students. According to the police, the complainant and a classmate exchanged derogatory remarks during an Instagram chat on October 14 and as the female student shared screenshots of the same with her friends, they assaulted him to settle scores.In the FIR, the complainant said he was physically and sexually harassed by about 15-20 individuals in his hostel room. In the complaint, he said they tore his clothes, punched his face and abdomen, slapped and kicked him, and even forced him to eat certain powders and chemicals.The student told the police that he had become a subject of mockery in the college after the video and photos of the assault were shared widely. He told the police that his abusers had threatened to beat him up again.

8 students arrested for ‘beating up’ hosteller, 9 Hyderabad college management members charged for negligence
Assistant professor files atrocity plaint against ex-professor
Times of India | 1 week ago | |
Times of India
1 week ago | |

Ahmedabad: An assistant professor with a college in Lal Darwaza and member of academic council in Gujarat University on Sunday filed a complaint of causing hurt and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against a former professor of the varsity.Pankaj Shirmali, 54, a resident of Ruchik Apartment in Ambawadi, said in his FIR with Gujarat University police that he works as an associate professor with LC Mehta Arts College in Lal Darwaza and serves as an academic council member in the Gujarat University.Shrimali said that the accused — Pradip Prajapati, a retired professor from the Social Science department in the Gujarat University — allegedly attacked him and uttered caste-based abusive words on October 17 when Shrimali along with his two friends were going near a tea stall near Gujarat University.Shrimali said that Prajapati rushed to him and began abusing him. “He knew me for around 20 years and also knew that I belong to an SC community. Despite that, he used caste-based abusive words against me and beaten me badly. My two other professor friends, Vipul Patel and Shadab Qazi, rescued me from Prajapati,” said Shrimali.Shrimali said that Prajapati beaten him saying that Shrimali was unnecessarily raising objection in different academic works. Shrimali said before the cops that Prajapati also threatened to kill him and his family members.Police registered a complaint of causing hurt, criminal intimidation and uttering of abusive words under IPC along with the charges of SC/ST Act against Prajapati.tnn

Assistant professor files atrocity plaint against ex-professor
Gujarat polls: Sitting MLA Ishwarsinh Patel to lock horns with brother from Ankleshwar
The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago | |
The Indian Express
2 weeks ago | |

Two brothers will lock horns from rival camps in Ankleshwar assembly constituency in Bharuch district for the Gujarat Assembly elections.The BJP has fielded its sitting MLA Ishwarsinh Patel, 58, while the Congress his brother Vijaysinh Patel, 61.Soon after the candidature of Ishwarsinh Patel was announced, a large number of BJP workers and leaders reached his office and congratulated him for leading the party for the fifth consecutive term.On Friday, the BJP workers and leaders burst fire crackers and distributed sweets to the people of the locality before taking Ishwarsinh to the election branch office at Ankleshwar town. The MLA waved hands from the car roof to the people who stood at the lobbies of their house and thanked them.Ishwarsinh later handed over his nomination form at the election branch office in the presence of his family members and party workers.Ishwarsinh Patel is younger to Vijaysinh Patel, and they belong to Kudadra village in Hansot taluka of Bharuch district. Their father the late Thakoresinh Patel was also the BJP MLA from Ankleshwar in 1990.A Commerce graduate from Kusumben Arts and Commerce College in Ankleshwar, Ishwarsinh was active in VHP since his college days. He later joined BJP in 1989 and later became the BJP unit president of Bharuch district. He debuted in the assembly election in 2002 and defeated Congress candidate Patel Ranjitbhai Balubhai. Since then Ishwar went on to represent Ankleshwar in Gujarat assembly till 2017 and continued the political legacy of his father. He was made the State Co-operation, Sports, Youth and Cultural activities, and Transport Minister in the previous governments headed by Vijay Rupani and Anandiben Patel.Ishwarsinh’s elder brother Vijaysinh also started political career in BJP in 1987 and got elected to the Ankleshwar taluka panchayat and later became the president. He also won the district panchayat election later. Vijaysinh raised his head and complained to the top authorities of the party over indifferences with the elected members of the taluka panchayat for rampant corruption. He quit the BJP on February 4, 2021 after the party leaders did not take any action, and sent his resignation to BJP president C R Paatil.Vijaysinh was also the former chairman of Hansot Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC). He later joined the Congress and became an active member of the party. The Congress party had now fielded him against Ishwarsinh.In the 2017 assembly elections, Ishwarsinh defeated Congress’ Anil Bhagat by a margin of over 46,000 votes.The sitting BJP MLA told The Indian Express that in the 2007 elections, his uncle Patel Karsanbhai Gumanbhai was his rival candidate from the Congress party. “I was then the sitting MLA and I defeated my uncle with a margin of 25,000 votes. Now my elder brother is pitted against me and I am sure that I will win the election with a margin of over 75,000 votes,” said Ishwarsinh who claims not to be in talking terms with his brother ever since he parted ways with the BJP.On the other hand, Vijaysinh said that he would genuinely contest the election against his brother and would work for the victory.Gujarat Assembly elections are slated to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. The votes will be counted on December 8.

Gujarat polls: Sitting MLA Ishwarsinh Patel to lock horns with brother from Ankleshwar
GU exams postponed due to polls
Times of India | 2 weeks ago | |
Times of India
2 weeks ago | |

Ahmedabad: Gujarat University on Wednesday announced that the examinations that were scheduled to begin from November 22 and December 8 have been postponed as they coincide with the state assembly election process. A statement from the university said that the new likely dates are December 12 and December 27 respectively. The statement says that the examinations of commerce, business management, science, law and education courses have been postponed as most of the teaching staff have been assigned poll duties. Many campuses of colleges and universities are also being used as polling stations. The university will announce the detailed exam schedule at a later stage, the university statement said.

GU exams postponed due to polls
  • Gujarat University exams postponed due to polls

    • Times of India

    AHMEDABAD: Gujarat University on Wednesday announced that the examinations that were scheduled to begin from November 22 and December 8 have been postponed as they coincide with the state assembly election process. A statement from the university said that the new likely dates are December 12 and December 27 respectively. The statement says that the examinations of commerce, business management, science, law and education courses have been postponed as most of the teaching staff have been assigned poll duties. Many campuses of colleges and universities are also being used as polling stations. The university will announce the detailed exam schedule at a later stage, the university statement said.

  • Gujarat University postpones exams due to polls

    • Times of India

    AHMEDABAD: Gujarat University on Wednesday announced that the examinations that were scheduled to begin from November 22 and December 8 have been postponed as it collided with the state assembly election process. A statement from the university said that the new likely dates are December 12 and December 27, respectively. The statement says that the examinations of commerce, business management, science, law and education have been postponed as most of the teaching staff have been assigned poll duties. Many of the college and university campuses are also being used for elections as polling stations. The university will announce the detailed exam schedule at a later stage, the university statement said.

Gujarat: NEET repeat! 45% took test again to better score
Times of India | 2 weeks ago | |
Times of India
2 weeks ago | |

AHMEDABAD: Neel Patel scored 432 out of 720 in the Undergraduate National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2021 but did not take admission in medicine. He prepared once again for a year and appeared again in 2022 posting an impressive score of 648. By investing a year, Patel not only got admission in the government medical college in Vadodara, one of the top medical colleges in the state but also saved lakhs in fees. "I took a drop as my NEET-UG score last year wasn't close to my year-round average. I had significant room for improvement. Last year, I was getting admission in management quota which means I had to pay about Rs 75 lakh to Rs 90 lakh in fees," Patel said and added that he didn't want to burden his parents with hefty fees that private colleges demanded. Patel said now that he has got admission in a government medical college, he has to pay Rs 1.25 lakh as fees. Patel is one among 8,715 out of 19,500 applicants for admission in medical, dental, ayurveda and homeopathy courses who had passed class 12 in 2021 or earlier. This number comes to nearly 45%. According to National Testing Agency, there is no restriction on number of attempts for NEET exams. The data was compiled by Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses during verification process for admission in about 6,000 MBBS seats among other courses. Last year, of the total 23,800 applicants 8,855 students were repeaters which comes to about 37% of the total. Experts say the number of candidates adopting repeat approach is growing for a solid reason. To study MBBS at a private college, the fees range from Rs 8 lakh to 14 lakh per year. Government colleges that need higher cut-off marks than most private colleges, have annual fees of about Rs 25,000. At GMERS colleges which are government trust run colleges, the annual fee is about Rs 3 lakh. Patel said his father runs an auto ancillary unit in Ahmedabad and was not able to afford the fees. Another candidate, Alpesh Rathod, who scored 613 in NEET 2022 compared to 450 the previous year, was getting admission at MK Shah Medical College in Ahmedabad which is a private college but wanted admission in a government college. With his latest NEET score, Rathod has got admission in MBBS at Vadodara government medical college. Rathod said that he was getting a MBBS admission last year but his family could not afford high fees.

Gujarat: NEET repeat! 45% took test again to better score
Gujarat: Refund fees to students who cancelled admission, says UGC
Times of India | 3 weeks ago | |
Times of India
3 weeks ago | |

AHMEDABAD: During the pandemic period, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had ordered varsities to refund full amount of fees to students who cancel their admissions, considering the plight of many parents who were dealing with tough financial situation. However, some colleges affiliated to certain universities had denied students the refunds. So, the UGC recently issued a circular to universities to ensure that students who paid fees to confirm their admissions are refunded the full amount. Sources said that many parents had complained that the colleges were not refunding the fees. The circular says if any college is found to be violating the order, UGC will take strict action against them and may even revoke their recognition. NSUI protests against sudden announcement of MSc exam: Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students' wing of Congress, on Wednesday protested against Gujarat University's sudden announcement of semester 3 exams for MSc students. NSUI members said that the university started the curriculum only a month ago and in such a short time it has announced exams. The students' body said that it is impossible for students to take the exams as they did not get any time for preparation.

Gujarat: Refund fees to students who cancelled admission, says UGC
1,800 students confirm MBBS, BDS admissions
Times of India | 3 weeks ago | |
Times of India
3 weeks ago | |

Ahmedabad: The Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC) on Tuesday said that after the first round of admissions to MBBS and BDS courses, 1,818 students got their documents verified and confirmed their admissions. On Saturday, the committee had allotted colleges to 6,942 students after the first round of admissions. However, on Monday the committee reshuffled the college allotments abruptly. Many students had even paid fees to the allotted colleges. The committee statement said that students have paid fees for 3,201 seats. There are 6,008 MBBS seats in Gujarat, 4,796 of which are under the state quota, 285 under the national quota, 288 under the management quota and 639 under the NRI quota. There are 1,225 seats for BDS in the state which includes 36 national quota seats, 984 state quota seats, and 87 management and 148 NRI quota seats. MBBS and BDS courses account for 7,263 seats, the committee’s statement said. According to the rules, 15% of all UG medical seats and 50% of seats in PG courses in the state are reserved for all-India quota students. The remaining are state quota seats which are further divided into government, management and NRI quota seats.

1,800 students confirm MBBS, BDS admissions
Gujarat: Abrupt reshuffle confounds MBBS, BDS students
Times of India | 3 weeks ago | |
Times of India
3 weeks ago | |

AHMEDABAD: The admission committee for professional undergraduate medical educational courses (ACPUGMEC) conducted an abrupt re-allotment of colleges on Monday for students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses. On Saturday, the committee allotted colleges to 6,942 students in the first round of admissions. Many students even confirmed their admission by paying their fees to the colleges allotted. However, on Monday, the admission committee decided to re-allot colleges which left many students who had paid the fees in a fix. Sources said that the new re-allotment is likely to change college re-allotment to many students which will impact the admission process. The last date of confirming the admission has not been extended and remains November 5 which may also lead to a chaotic situation, sources said. Sources said the admission committee did not even inform students about this re-allotment. Medical education experts said this was conducted due to a technical glitch while left out some colleges and did not allot students to them. There are 6,008 MBBS seats in the state, 4,796 of which are in the Gujarat state quota, 285 are national quota seats, 288 are management quota and 639 are NRI quota seats. There are 1,225 BDS seats in the state which includes 36 national quota seats, 984 state quota seats, 87 management and 148 NRI quota seats. MBBS and BDS combined total availability of seats is 7,263, the committee statement said. According to the rules, 15% of all UG medical seats and 50% of seats in PG courses are reserved for the all India quota. The remaining seats are state quota seats which are further divided into government, management and NRI quotas.

Gujarat: Abrupt reshuffle confounds MBBS, BDS students
Age is just a number: 70-year-old retiree is polytechnic diploma topper in Karnataka
The Indian Express | 3 weeks ago | |
The Indian Express
3 weeks ago | |

Three years ago, when civil engineering diploma students aged 16-17 years entered RN Shetty Polytechnic College in Sirsi in Karnataka, they had an unlikely classmate who was 68 but wore the same uniform as they did. Their classmate has now emerged as the state topper by securing 94.88 per cent marks.Meet 70-year-old Narayana S Bhat, who enrolled for a diploma after an eventful professional career and emerged as the topper. When the technical education department announced the ranks, the resident of Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district stood first in civil engineering and 10th in the overall category .Born in 1953, Bhat joined Government Polytechnic College in Karwar in 1973 and completed his diploma in mechanical engineering with a second rank. Though he retired from Ballarpur Industries (now Solaris Chemtech Ltd) in 2008 after stints with several companies in Gujarat and other states, he has continued working as a civil contractor in Sirsi.“I had the experience of taking up civil works in Gujarat after the 2001 earthquake. So when I started to construct houses for people, I did not have the signature authority and it became a big hurdle. So I thought about why I should not take up studies so that I won’t have to stand in front of anyone (to get signatures),” he said.When he was about 67, Bhat called up his two daughters, one a software engineer in Ireland and the other a scientist in the US, to announce his decision to return to college. “I took all of them on a conference call and shared my decision with them. They were happy about it for the simple reason that I would remain occupied. My daughters said that whether I would complete the course or not, my health would remain fine,” he said.According to Bhat, he had expected to get some 70 per cent marks when he took the first-semester examinations. But he secured 90.30 per cent and set it as a benchmark for the rest of the semesters. “It gave me confidence and I set it as a benchmark and went ahead,” he said. He secured 94.88 per cent in the last semester to win the gold medal.Asked how he managed to mingle with his classmates, who were at least two generations younger, Bhat said, “I remember my first week where they stared at me weirdly and did not talk to me or introduce themselves. But things started to change from the second week as we started to get to know each other. Now they are my friends. Also, I have the ability to strike a good rapport with any age group.”“My granddaughter is 12 years old and my grandson is five,” laughed Bhat.Sanjay Koorse, a selection-grade lecturer, said he was very jovial and mingled with everyone in the class. “His classmates had nicknamed him ‘Ajja’ (grandfather) but he never objected to it. He did not miss any class and was very attentive. We were amazed by his enthusiasm. Not just students, he inspires even the college staff,” Koorse said.Venkatesh Badageri, an electronics and communication lecturer, recalled that it was hard for Bhat to get admission. “Initially, the college did not admit him citing age. Then he, along with his friends, had to approach the department of technical education. Eventually, he was admitted. He was a great student as well as a friend for his batchmates,” Badageri said. “At college functions when he stood up to ask questions, the guests were confused as to whether he was a student or a faculty member.”

Age is just a number: 70-year-old retiree is polytechnic diploma topper in Karnataka
Diwali to Diwali: How Killer Miller turned his game around to become one of world’s best T20 batsmen
The Indian Express | 3 weeks ago | |
The Indian Express
3 weeks ago | |

Around Diwali last year, David Miller was facing uncertain times. His hitting prowess was on the wane, his stocks in the franchise league circuit was plummeting and his spot in the national team was not a certainty either. The trip to India in November last year was a last lease. But with an unbeaten 64 off 31 balls at Feroz Shah Kotla, he rediscovered his form and has sustained it ever since. In the last 12 games, he has aggregated 68 runs a game and clocked a strike rate of 178. So much so that he has reclaimed his stature as one of the finest finishers in the game. The 59 not out at Perth was another classic instance of chasing skills. He was a clinical sniper, waiting for the perfect time to fire his gun-shots. He targeted Ravi Ashwin, who he struck for three sixes. He waited for the right balls to hit boundaries, either when the ball was too short or full. He shrewdly manipulated the field, with nudges and deflections to the gaps.In a sense, his game has evolved to such as level that he is no longer a blind hitter of the cricket ball, but a more complete cricketer who could adapt his game to suit different situations. A post shared by ICC (@icc)Thus, he has become his country’ most bankable batsman, often the fortunes of his team hinging on his output. When he dazzles, so does South Africa. When he fizzles out, so does the team, more often than not. “It’s the most enjoyable phase of my career, “ he had said in a press conference last month. But the journey to the phase was riddled with ups and downs, fears and self doubts. ***When David Miller was around three years old, his father Andrew gifted him a plastic golf set. He gently rolled a ball at the toddler, and David, with a fluid straight swing of the miniature club, swung it over his father’s head. “I was expecting him to swing across the line, as kids of his age do. Never imagined that he would hit straight over my head,” Andrew narrates to this newspaper. He screamed in excitement. His wife offered a word of caution. “She was like wait, try once more. Maybe it was fluke. So I bowled once more around the same area. The result was the same, straight over my head,” he says, his voice seemingly recapturing the raw excitement that he felt nearly three decades ago. He blurted out to his wife: “One day, he would play for South Africa. I did not mean it as a prophecy then but the thought came instinctively to me,” he says.Soon, young David set the golf set aside and instead latched onto his father’s cricket bat. Andrew, a racehorse auctioneer, was active in Natal’s club cricket circuit, proudly tells about his lone List A appearance for the province, and he naturally began to drag his son along for practice. He insists that he did not thrust cricket on David; rather cricket thrust itself on David. “Everything happened organically, and yes, he grew up in an environment with lots of cricket and cricketers, some of them were coaches and some of them were active players too, guys like Graham Ford, Robin Smith and Harry Brown (his first coach),” he says. A post shared by ICC (@icc)Andrew also ensured David was put in schools reputed for cricket. Clifton in the Midlands town, for whom he rattled out a 50-ball hundred when he was just 10, and then Maritzburg College, the alma mater, among other luminaries, that of Kevin Pietersen. When he shifted to Durban, he took his son along, so that he could enrol him at Ford’s coaching academy. And David had no other thought or plan about his life other than cricket. “Just cricket. He was fully devoted to the game that we have never discussed an alternative career plan,” he says. One day, for a club game, the father-son pair walked out to face the new-ball against a team full of men his father’s age. “He was just 13, but was bold and firm. I was confident because I have seen his comfort-level against the bowlers of my team,” he says. But it was not the last time he turned up for a level beyond his age and proved that he belonged there.***The image remains fresh in the mind of Mike Bechet, the coach of Miller at the Maritzburg College. Miller lay sprawled on the pitch, writhing in pain after a short-pitched ball had cannoned onto his chest during an U-19 game between Maritzburg and St John’s. Even 17 years later, the coach remembers his name. “It was Scott Spedding, a nasty opening fast bowler,” he dusts up the memory to this newspaper, helped undoubtedly by that Spedding soon switched the sport and country and played rugby for France. A post shared by ICC (@icc)“The world around me spun. The decision to thrust a 14-year-old debutant into an U19 game was not a popular one amongst the school leadership. That too, he was opening against a strong team.” “Did I err in my judgement?” his brain buzzed. His judgement was based on two cues that wizened old coaches probe in their wards. Natural athleticism and hand-eye coordination, more than technique. Miller had both, he says, and in so generous amounts, that he evoked memories of another product of his, Jonty Rhodes. “My gut feeling was that it was the right thing to try and fast track him. He was totally bossing the bowlers of his age,” he remembers. But by the time the day’s play ended, Bechet spotted another trait that stamped his unfolding prodigy. Courage. A few seconds later, as the coach and others wondered whether they needed to rush him to the hospital, he scrambled onto his feet. During a break, the coach even asked him whether he was fine to bat. “David just stared back at me with a stern smile, and I knew what was running through his mind,” he says. An hour later, to the loud applause of his teammates and adversaries, he returned to the pavilion. “At that precise moment, I knew that he was destined for bigger things in his career,” he says. Just like his father sensed that day he swung the golf ball over his head. Cool and calm 💪#INDvSA #T20WorldCup #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/rhAbGh8UlB— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 30, 2022It did not take much time for the coaches or peers to be convinced of his potential. “Not just talent, he was incredibly humble and determined. Dave’s natural athleticism and physicality saw to it that he did start clearing the boundary ropes as he grew older. He had a 360 degree game and was always the prize wicket for the opposition. And that was the time before T20 became mainstream,” he says. By the end of Miller’s term, they were more like a father and son, and at times, he had to stern. “I was his boarding housemaster at Maritzburg College and unintentionally caught him bunking out twice in his final year. The second time was right at the end of the year so he had to leave the boarding house!,” he says. Six years after he lay sprawled on the deck, he was draped in the Protea robes, and playing county cricket for Yorkshire, alongside a fluffy-haired Joe Root, and on the payroll of Kings XI Punjab, rubbing shoulders with his idols, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, and soon setting the IPL on fire himself. He blasted into the psyche of cricket-watchers with a 38-ball 101 (against AB’s RCB) in 2012 and reeled out sentences with verbal flourish: “If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree. If it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park.” And far away in Pietermaritzburg, there were two proud men. His father and the coach. ***Neither the bright eyes nor the sharply contoured face is a mirror to Miller’s mind. “You don’t know whether he has scored a hundred or gone for a duck. He won’t brag about a hundred or mourn a zero. He takes both as part of life and moves on. Success doesn’t get into his head. Failures don’t push him to desperation,” says Miller senior. There were two rare exceptions. His father has never seen him as devastated as he was when he was left out of the squad for the 2011 World Cup. Later, after a difficult 2016— a dry spell of runs, axing from the national team, ouster as Kings Eleven Punjab captain after just five games in charge, a virus infection that saw him hop from one hospital to the other and losing 10kg in a months, relegated to A team duties and mindlessly trolled on social media—he deliberated on quitting the game. After another failure during the A tour to Australia, he plunged into a dark corner of the room. “I was in a really dark space at that time. I thought I would quietly quit the game altogether. There were so many things going through my brain and I was frustrated,” he says in a David Miller interviews Himself show, shot during his Rajasthan Royals tenure last year. His father tried to put things in perspective for him. “When you look at a successful career, you fail rather than succeed in most innings. Take the example of any great cricketer, you realise this. The thing is you have to keep working hard to get through difficult phases and then latch onto the opportunities.Bechet too stepped deep into the heart of his malaise. “Dave really wanted to play Test cricket but was never given the opportunity and I do believe that this was foremost on his mind during that time as he saw other lesser players (in my opinion) getting opportunities ahead of him. “I reminded him of that day when he was felled by the short ball,” he says. Fight Miller did. He realised the need to unwind and scatter his single-minded focus from cricket. He went out in the ocean, which he says was always his passion. He started golfing more often and squeezed in time to visit the Kruger National Park. The mind and head cleared. This season, bestowed the freedom to get the eye in before unfurling the big strokes, he blossomed and finished games that seemed beyond the Titans’ grasp. “In the past, I was trying to hit the very first ball out of the park, and when I could not, the frustration just kept building.” Miller would admit. Miller’s moments of fragility had long vanished, and those early memories begin to flood them—him swinging the plastic ball over Andrew’s head or him recovering himself from a blow on the chest, and producing a brave knock, and how their instinctive impressions about Miller have turned prophetic.

Diwali to Diwali: How Killer Miller turned his game around to become one of world’s best T20 batsmen
Mumbai agent dupes 16 GNLU students of Rs 2.7 lakh
Times of India | 3 weeks ago | |
Times of India
3 weeks ago | |

AHMEDABAD: A 22-year-old student of Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) registered a complaint of cheating and breach of trust on Saturday against one Vikas Singh who allegedly cheated her and 15 other students of Rs 2.73 lakh. The accused had promised the complainant a paying guest accommodation in Mumbai and got the amount transferred online. According to the complainant, she had spoken to one of her friends for a paying guest accommodation in Mumbai for her college internship. Her friend gave her the reference of one Vikas Singh with whom she was coordinating for a house and informed the complainant that she had got a house in Lower Parel through Singh. She stated that she called Singh who sent her some photographs of a flat and informed her that three persons can stay in one room and the rent was Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 security deposit. The complainant stated that she transferred Rs 15,000 to Singh online. She stated that she was even given a receipt of the money. But later she started suspecting Singh. The complainant asked Singh to make a video call and show the property but he was very reluctant and refused for a video call. The complainant then asked for Singh's Aadhaar card. Instead of his Aadhaar card Singh provided her his business card. Later, the complainant came to know from her college friends that 15 other students had been cheated by Singh. She stated that when she asked him to return her money, he blocked her phone. She informed her other college colleagues after which they lodged a complaint with Infocity police.

Mumbai agent dupes 16 GNLU students of Rs 2.7 lakh
  • Mumbai agent dupes 16 GNLU students of ₹2.7L

    • Times of India

    Ahmedabad: A 22-year-old student of Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) registered a complaint of cheating and breach of trust on Saturday against one Vikas Singh who allegedly cheated her and 15 other students of Rs 2.73 lakh. The accused had promised the complainant a paying guest accommodation in Mumbai and got the amount transferred online.According to the complainant, she had spoken to one of her friends for a paying guest accommodation in Mumbai for her college internship. Her friend gave her the reference of one Vikas Singh with whom she was coordinating for a house and informed the complainant that she had got a house in Lower Parel through Singh.She stated that she called Singh who sent her some photographs of a flat and informed her that three persons can stay in one room and the rent was Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 security deposit.The complainant stated that she transferred Rs 15,000 to Singh online. She stated that she was even given a receipt of the money. But later she started suspecting Singh. The complainant asked Singh to make a video call and show the property but he was very reluctant and refused for a video call. The complainant then asked for Singh’s Aadhaar card.Instead of his Aadhaar card Singh provided her his business card. Later, the complainant came to know from her college friends that 15 other students had been cheated by Singh.She stated that when she asked him to return her money, he blocked her phone. She informed her other college colleagues after which they lodged a complaint with Infocity police.

Principal told students to attend PM event, says Gohil, shares image
The Indian Express | 1 month ago | |
The Indian Express
1 month ago | |

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil on Thursday uploaded an image of a note written by the principal of a government college in Tapi district to students, asking them to attend the event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Songadh on October 20.The purported letter in Gujarati, dated October 17, signed by principal KR Bhatt of Maa Devmogra Government Arts College in Uchhal, Tapi, asks students to be present at the PM’s meeting “as instructed by Tapi district collector and DDO (district development officers”.“Students should register their names with the professors… have lunch at home and reach college at 2 pm. Buses will be arranged to take you to the venue and drop you back at the college,” the letter says.Posting a photo of letter on Twitter, Gohil wrote in Hindi, “…using public money and forcing students to listen to political speech… Is it okay?” The photo he shared has been widely circulated on social media.Congress MLA from Mandvi seat in Surat district and Senate member of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU), which the college is affiliated to, said, “The University authorities had instructed colleges to intimate students to remain present for the PM’s event. The principal has to act on the instructions.”

Principal told students to attend PM event, says Gohil, shares image
Private engineering colleges demand representation on Gujarat Technological University governing board
Times of India | 1 month ago | |
Times of India
1 month ago | |

AHMEDABAD: An association of private diploma engineering college managements has opposed the recent appointments of members to the board of governance by Gujarat Technological University (GTU). Sources said the term of the seven members of GTU's board expired recently and the university made appointments to the body. However, there are no representatives from private diploma engineering colleges among the new members. Sources said the association wrote to the state education minister demanding that one representative from private diploma engineering colleges be appointed to the board. Copies of the letter were also marked to the chief minister and governor. Sources said the letter says that there are about 5 lakh students at 500-odd private degree and diploma engineering colleges in the state and the GTU board of governance should have one representative from these colleges.

Private engineering colleges demand representation on Gujarat Technological University governing board
Question papers for ongoing BA exams opened a day before in Surat college
The Indian Express | 1 month ago | |
The Indian Express
1 month ago | |

ABVP has demanded a probe from the vice-chancellor of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) after authorities of MTB Arts College in Surat opened three question papers of the Semester 4 Bachelor of Arts (BA) a day before the exam. A fact-finding team, comprising four professors and headed by Professor Falguniben Thakker, has been appointed to look into the incident.On Saturday, ABVP members staged a dharna at VNSGU campus and handed a memorandum to the vice-chancellor Dr. Kishorsinh Chawda demanding a fact-finding committee to take action.Sources said the university authorities have also asked for CCTV footage of the strong room of MTB Arts College.The university authorities used to send question papers on the eve of the exam to the affiliated colleges in Surat. Sources in the university said that, as per the rules, the question paper sealed bundles should be opened only on the same day of the exams.The Semester 3 exams for Arts students commenced on October 11 and the students were giving offline exams on the college campus. The ABVP leaders learned that the incharge principal of MTB Arts College had adopted the practise of opening the question papers on the eve of the exams. ABVP members contacted the principal and sought an explanation on the same.“On October 11, we opened the question paper bundle on the same day of exams but we faced lots of problems due to a shortage of staff. We even had to separate the OMR sheet from the question papers, so it takes a lot of time. On October 12, 13 and 14, we decided to open the sealed bundles a day before in the evening in a strong room and separate them so that we could give them on time to the students the next day at 11.00 am. I and two others, including a helper and a professor, were involved in separating the OMR and question papers in the strong room,” Bhavnaben Champaneria, incharge principal of MTB Arts College, told The Indian Express.“The university should have sent question papers and OMR sheets separately but the workload had been put on the college authorities. Not a single exam paper was leaked and we worked carefully. Today, we opened the university-sealed bundle on the same day as the exam. We also have CCTV footage and we will hand it over to fact-finding team of VNSGU,” she added.ABVP Surat Secretary Manoj Jain said, “The paper has not been leaked but opened a day ago in the strong room of MTB college. We want the university to set paper and OMR sheet separately to the affiliated colleges so that such incidents cannot be repeated and also check whether any irregularities are done in MTB College or not.”VNSGU VC Dr Chawda said, “We have set up a team to probe into the allegations made by the ABVP. We will also work in the direction of sending question papers and OMR sheets separately.”

Question papers for ongoing BA exams opened a day before in Surat college
Will redevelop Unai Mata temple, Congress did nothing for tribals: Union Minister Amit Shah
The Indian Express | 1 month ago | |
The Indian Express
1 month ago | |

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday alleged that the Congress ruled the nation for 58 years and did nothing for the tribals and added that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was formed and SC/ST Commission was set up when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister.He also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana in Gujarat as chief minister and said,  “Bhupendrabhai (Chief minister of Gujarat), told me, he taken a vow that once we form the government after assembly elections, we will redevelop Unai Mata temple.”Shah was speaking after the launch of BJP’s Birsa Munda Adivasi Gaurav Yatra from Unai, which falls in Vansda constituency represented by Congress MLA Anant Patel, who was recently attacked.In the 1068-kilometre march from Unai to Ambaji, the BJP plans to cover 14 districts and 31 Assembly seats in nine days with 28 public meetings.People came from Surat, Tapi, Navsari and Dang districts joined the yatra.Sources said that BJP chose Unai for Shah’s meeting as the place is famous for its hot water springs at Unai Mata temple, a deity worshipped by tribals.  Shah had visited the temple before launching the yatra.A member of the administration team of the Unai Mata temple Himanshu Goswami said, “The village has ancient roots of the presence of Lord Ram and Sita. Even today many people visit Unai Mata temple and take bath in the hot water stream to get rid of skin and other diseases. Not only tribals, but all people have great faith in this hot water stream.”Shah said that the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act had already been implemented in Gujarat and the “state government had cleared glitches and allotted 1.52 lakh acres of land to the 91,884 tribal population in Gujarat. Till date, starting from Narendrabhai to Bhupendrabhai, the irrigation facilities had been implemented in 11 lakh acres of land,” he said, referring to the period from the chief ministership of Modi to Bhupendra Patel.The Centre and Gujarat government had been compelled to scrap the Par-Tapi-Narmada river-linking project, after Congress MLA from Vansda Anant Patel had led a huge protest against it earlier this year.Shah said that the government had spent Rs 984 crore to set up 122 substations so that the tribal areas from Umargam to Ambaji get 24-hour power supply.“Today 98.3 tribal villages get road connectivity with the main roads in Gujarat. The BJP government had started medical colleges in Dahod, Valsad and Banaskantha and our Bhupendrabhai (chief minister of Gujarat) had given approval for new medical colleges in Navsari, Tapi, Narmada and Panchmahal in Guajrat. So, the tribal students won’t have to go far to study medicine”.Attacking the Congress, Shah said it was “during the Sonia (Gandhi) and Manmohan (Singh) governments that daily Pakistani terrorists would cross the  border and behead our jawans and those seated in the central government kept silent. You have made Narendrabhai Prime minister…there was an attack in Uri and Pulwama… Pakistan forgot that the government had changed in  India. Narendrabhai had in just 10 days carried out surgical strikes and air strikes in Pakistan and taken revenge.”Mukesh Halpati, a resident of Dharampur in Valsad district who had come for the public meeting, said, “There are over 200 people from our village and neighbouring villages who had come to attend the programme. We have been given food and transportation facilities by local BJP leaders. We have given support to Anant Patel in his protest rally of Par Tapi Narmada river project. Our lands will be snatched away through this project. We have come here just to show our presence but not to support the BJP.”Anant Patel is recuperating from injuries from an attack on him on October 8 by a mob allegedly led by Navsari district panchayat president and BJP leader Bhikhubhai Ahir at Khergam village.A complaint in this connection was lodged by Anant Patel who is presently in hospital undergoing treatment.The BJP started five Gujarat Gaurav yatras from different locations Wednesday and Thursday.The Gujarat Gaurav Yatra will pass through 144 assembly seats and showcase the achievements done by the BJP government in past 20 years.

Will redevelop Unai Mata temple, Congress did nothing for tribals: Union Minister Amit Shah
Engineering seats for those without GujCET, JEE
Times of India | 1 month ago | |
Times of India
1 month ago | |

AHMEDABAD: To fill the vacant engineering degree seats in government and grant-in-aid colleges, the Admission Committee for Professional Courses (ACPC) has announced that students who have not cleared common entrance tests such as GujCET or JEE will also be admitted. The admission committee said there are 5,116 seats vacant at such institutes in the state. Earlier, the admission committee allowed self-financed engineering colleges to admit students on their own to fill vacant seats. There are 53,438 engineering degree seats at 130 government, grant-in-aid and private colleges in the state. According to the admission committee statement, those who want to apply to government colleges can do so from October 13 to 16 and the committee will announce the merit list on October 17. Those on the list will be called in person on October 19 to submit documents.

Engineering seats for those without GujCET, JEE
Gujarat Commerce, Shree Narayana to clash in final
Times of India | 1 month ago | |
Times of India
1 month ago | |

Ahmedabad: Niraj Rathod’s five-wicket haul helped Gujarat Commerce College march into the final of the CBCA Dhirubhai Ambani Inter-College Tournament (U-23) 2022-23, on Thursday. In the semifinal, Gujarat Commerce College posted a thumping 123-run win over St. Xavier’s College. They will play Shree Narayana Guru College of Commerce, who defeated R J Tibrewal Commerce College by four wickets, in the final on Monday.Opting to bat first, Gujarat Commerce College began on a disastrous note, losing captain Vibhesh Solanki for a duck in the third over. Bhavik Darji (44) and Nandan Upadhyay (30) steadied the ship with a 63-run second-wicket partnership before the latter was dismissed. Wickets continued to tumble but Yash Suthariya’s 50-run knock proved to be the glue around which the middle-and-lower order batters accumulated the runs. In the end, Gujarat Commerce College were bowled out for 223 in 50 overs. For St. Xavier’s, Pankaj Chaudhary picked up three wickets.In reply, despite a sedate 51-run opening wicket stand, St. Xavier’s crumbled like a pack of cards and were bowled out for 100 in 30.5 overs. Opener Ojha Abhay top scored with 38. Off spinners Rathod (7/5) and Panth Pandya (16/3) spun a web around Xavier’s batters to take their team into the final. In the other semifinal, captain Deepansh Chauhan’s all-round performance (22 not out and two wickets) while two wickets apiece from three other bowlers — Advait Nagori, Arya Rathod and Shrey Parsania — helped Shree Narayana bowl out R J Tibrewal for 118. Parth Thakor and Aryan Patel galloped to 47 in 8 overs but a flurry of wickets in the middle-order pegged Shree Narayana to 61-4. However, Chauhan played a composed, unbeaten knock of 22 to steer his team to the final.

Gujarat Commerce, Shree Narayana to clash in final
Gujarat: Question papers for BBA, BCom leaked, Saurashtra University postpones exam
The Indian Express | 1 month ago | |
The Indian Express
1 month ago | |

The Saurashtra University postponed its examination for semester-V of the bachelor of commerce (BCom) course and replaced the question paper for the semester-V examination of the bachelor of business administration (BBA) course on Thursday after original question papers for these were allegedly leaked late Wednesday night.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the alleged paper leak, saying it had ruined the future of students and youth and the people will ruin the future of BJP leaders in the Assembly elections due to be held in December.The latest paper leak comes around a year after the question paper of economics for semester-III of BCom was allegedly leaked in December last year.Nilesh Soni, the examination controller of the SU, told media persons that the Rajkot bureau office of Gujarat Samachar, a Gujarati daily, reported to the Bhaktinagar police station in the city that someone had dropped a photocopy of question paper for the semester-V examination for the subject of Direct Taxation for the BBA course in the letterbox at its office late on Wednesday night.Soni said that around midnight, the police contacted officers of the SU to inform them about the leak. Meanwhile, another Gujarati newspaper Divya Bhaskar published a news report Thursday saying it “got question papers for the subject of Direct Taxes (new course) for semester-V examination for BBA course and Audit and Corporate Governance for semester-V examination of BCom course a day before the examination scheduled on October 13 but didn’t report the same to Saurashtra University with an objective to reform examination system”.Soni said that between 3:30 am and 4:30 am on Thursday, the examination department of the SU contacted examination centres and informed them about the leak of the BBA question paper and directed them to return to the SU headquarters the parcels of question papers as they were.In an official release, vice-chancellor Prof Girish Bhimani said the varsity supplied an alternative question paper for the BBA examination and therefore the examination for the Direct Taxes subject was conducted as per schedule on Thursday.However, sources said that the varsity was not aware that the question paper for the BCom examination had also been leaked until newspapers started circulating in the morning and therefore, it had no time to send alternate question papers.SU officers said that while the BBA examination was conducted with a new question paper, the BCom examination had to be cancelled and its new date would be announced later.Around 4,000 students were to take the BBA examination and around 12,000 the BCom examination.Prof Bhimani told mediapersons that 17 BBA colleges in Rajkot city returned the question papers by morning and they expect the same from from 20 other colleges located in five districts of Saurashtra. “The university will check them (parcels) and whoever is found guilty will be punished, be it the administrator of a college, principal, teacher or staff member. No one will be spared and strict action, including police action, will be taken” said the VC.Incidentally, the SU question paper of economics subject for BCom semester-III examination was allegedly leaked from a college in Babra taluka of Amreli district last December. The police had booked six persons, including the then principal of the Babra college, for allegedly leaking the question paper.The VC also said that instead of the present practice of sending parcels of hard copies of question papers to examination centres, the SU would only email soft copies of question papers to the principal of respective colleges with QR code hours before the scheduled start of examinations to curb the menace of papers getting leaked.After the news of the question paper leak broke, volunteers of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students’ wing of the Congress, burned copies of the leaked question papers on the SU campus. AAP workers also submitted a memorandum to the SU VC demanding strict action against those involved in the paper leak.Addressing a press conference, AAP’s co-incharge for Gujarat and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha attacked the ruling party. “The BJP is the party which has trampled youths and students of Gujarat under its corrupt politics,” said Chadha, adding, “Over the past six years, 12 important question papers got leaked, including that of talatis, constables, non-secretariat clerks etc… Today, the situation in Gujarat is such that question papers of not only competitive exams but also that of routine courses like BBA and BCom are getting leaked.“I want to tell the people of Gujarat that the BJP has not leaked the paper but ruined the future of your children. You will have to answer by ruining the future of the BJP leaders when they take their five-yearly examination, the 2022 Assembly election in Gujarat,” Chadha said.

Gujarat: Question papers for BBA, BCom leaked, Saurashtra University postpones exam
Gujarat: Third round of intake begins for degree engineering courses
Times of India | 1 month ago | |
Times of India
1 month ago | |

AHMEDABAD: To fill up the vacant degree engineering seats in government-run and grant-in-aid engineering colleges, a third round of admissions has started in the state, the Admission Committee for Professional Courses (ACPC) said in a statement. Sources said that there are about 4,000 seats still vacant in the government and grant-in-aid institutes in the state. There are a total of 53,438 engineering degree course seats in 130 government-run, grant-in-aid and private colleges across the state. As per the statement, the students who have been admitted in other colleges will have to give consent for admission by October 12 to get into the government or grant-in-aid colleges. The students who have consented the admission will have to complete their choice filling and based on that the committee will allot colleges to students on October 14. The students will have to confirm their admissions by paying fees from October 14 to 18. Sources said that if seats remain vacant even after this round the committee will conduct another round of admission in which the students who have not cleared GujCET or JEE will also be able to apply for admissions. The committee will announce this round on October 14.

Gujarat: Third round of intake begins for degree engineering courses
Gujarat: 71 ad hoc teachers terminated from polytechnic colleges
Times of India | 1 month ago | |
Times of India
1 month ago | |

AHMEDABAD: The state department of technical education has ordered termination of 71 lecturers working on ad hoc basis in various government polytechnic colleges. Sources said that the termination comes amidst a demand for recruitment on the positions lying vacant for years in government polytechnics. Sources said that the recruitment of lecturers in polytechnic colleges is a burning issue as many candidates who had cleared Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC) exams had approached the court. Sources said that the colleges had recruited lecturers on ad hoc basis as the government had not recruited lecturers through GPSC. However, as the GPSC recruitment was carried out, the high court had ordered the government to relieve the teachers posted on ad hoc basis after their 11-month contracts expired. Following this, 71 teachers including 33 lecturers from mechanical engineering faculty and 38 from electrical engineering faculty, were issued termination orders.

Gujarat: 71 ad hoc teachers terminated from polytechnic colleges
Daily Briefing: Big infrastructure ministries record fast pace spending; RSS chief on uplifting Dalits
The Indian Express | 1 month ago | |
The Indian Express
1 month ago | |

Good morning,Big story🔴As the economy picks up the thread post Covid-19, both Railways, and Road transport and Highways ministries have recorded a fast pace of spending in the first five months of the current financial year. In fact, these two ministries account for nearly half of the entire capital expenditure budgeted for 2022-23. What is of importance in their spending pattern is that the bulk of it was capex.🔴 Two days after a video clip surfaced of him attending a religious conversion event, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam submitted his resignation on Sunday. As per a video clip shared by BJP leaders, Gautam had taken part in an event where thousands were reported to have converted to Buddhism and reportedly pledged to not consider Hindu deities as gods.Only in the Express In an interim order passed on October 8, the Election Commission of India froze the well known ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol of the Shiv Sena. Whenever parties split, there are chances of a dispute arising over claims to its election symbol. We explain what led to the freezing of the Shiv Sena’s symbol and how the ECI decides who gets the symbol.In the latest edition of the Idea Exchange, Shiv Sena leader and Thackeray scion Aaditya Thackeray spoke on Eknath Shinde’s betrayal, the need for governance over politics, working trouble-free with the Congress-NCP combine and Vedanta Foxconn moving to Gujarat.From the Front PageEven as the election to choose the next Congress president is right around the corner, The Indian Express reviewed the list of PCC delegates who will cast their votes at the 67 booths across the states and at the AICC headquarters. While a 22-year-old MBBS graduate is the youngest among them, former Karnataka Speaker Kogodu Thimmappa, 90, is the oldest of the delegates.After stating two days ago that the caste system had no relevance in the 21st century, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Sunday assured that his organisation would back all those who worshipped Maharishi Valmiki. “(Though) Dr Ambedkar said that now the Dalits would sit with everyone, mere provisions won’t be enough. The mindset needs to change, and an awareness brought about,” he said.Addressing a ‘Virat Hindu Sabha‘ organised by Hindu outfits in the capital on Sunday, BJP MP from West Delhi, Parvesh Verma, called for the “total boycott” of “these people”. He did not, however, name any community. The meeting was held to protest against the killing of a man who was stabbed over 20 times as he was returning home in East Delhi’s Sunder Nagri last week.On a day internal differences clouded the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s national executive meeting in Delhi, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav appealed to party leaders to not allow personal differences to “dilute” the larger goal of defeating the BJP, saying such instances put the party on the defensive.Must ReadTrainee mountaineers Rohit Bhatt along with Vinay Panwar, and Kapil Panwar went to trek, little did he know that he would be the only one left to tell the story of the grisly turn that took place at Uttarkashi on October 4. An avalanche hit Rohit’s team of 41 mountaineers, killing Vinay and Kapil, besides 25 others. Read Rohit’s storyAs part of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Badanavalu, a village in the Karnataka’s Mysuru district, and inaugurated a path with colourful interlocking tiles connecting the Dalit quarters of the village with that of the Lingayat community. Named ‘Bharat Jodo’ Road, the path was renovated in a matter of 48 hours by the Congress that said it aimed to send out a message of harmony among communities. The path connecting the Dalit and Lingayat homes in Badanavalu village had been cut off since 1993, when three Dalits were killed in a clash over temple entry. From today’s opinion section, we bring to you the discussion on the current debate on ‘revdi culture’ and what it tells us about our perception of India’s voters. The debate on freebies shows an implicit distrust of voters, especially poor voters, says political philosopher Bastian Steuwer.And FinallyFrom bunking college in his third year, the all-rounder moved 1500 km away from Haryana to Bengal, stayed in a small 12×12 room, all for the love of the game. ‘Jaanbaaz Shahbaaz’ donned India’s blue jersey on Sunday. Read cricketer Shahbaz Ahmed’s journey from engineering college to the cricket field. Delhi confidential: Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s book on Ambedkar will be launched later this week. The launch of “Ambedkar: A Life” comes at a time when the October 17 Congress presidential race, in which Tharoor is pitted against veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge, is picking pace.🎧 In today’s episode of the ‘3 things’ podcast, we discuss Centre setting up a commission to see whether Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims should be granted the Scheduled Caste status. We also explain why the Election Commission has decided to freeze Shiv Sena’s party symbol and the Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo’s Nobel Prize for Medicine.Until tomorrow,Anandu Suresh and Susobhan Roy

Daily Briefing: Big infrastructure ministries record fast pace spending; RSS chief on uplifting Dalits
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