YMI

Failed in board ‘XAM but boy clears AIIMS entrance – board not showing him his papers

The AIIMS result, which was published on June 25, showed that Ravi got the 18th rank in the OBC (other backward class) category. Prior to this, Ravi’s intermediate result came out on June 17 in which he got 60 in Physics, 60 in English, but only 10 in Chemistry.The BSEB chairman LP Singh was also taken aback when he came to know about it. “How can a boy, who secured good rank in AIIMS entrance examination, get merely 10 marks in Chemistry,” he asked the joint secretary of the BSEB Harihar Nath Jha and instructed him to rectify the mistake in the marksheet, if any, within a day. The answer copy was sent for scrutiny. However, the marks remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, Ravi, who studied in MS College at Alauli in Khagaria (ancestral place of Ram Vilas Paswan), was asked to attend the counselling session at AIIMS on July 8. Ravi went to New Delhi but without the marksheet (as it was still under scrutiny of the BSEB).
The authorities in New Delhi did not allow him to attend the counselling session and gave him another three days time to come again with the original marksheet. Ravi is now running from pillar to post to get his answer-book re-evaluated.
“It’s impossible that I could score only 10 in Chemistry. I should be allowed to see the copy,” said Ravi, who spends the entire day at the BSEB office hoping against hope that once his marksheet is corrected, he would get admission in the prestigious institution.“The chairman of BSEB has himself seen the answer-copy. There is no scope to increase even a single mark. He will get marks according to what he has written,” said the secretary of the examination committee Ashutosh Kumar.
The 17-year-old student is now ruing his fate. “I have to appear for counselling in Delhi on July 12 with the improved marksheet. The BSEB should at least show me the answer-book to clear any misgivings,” he reiterated.

Rupee wise & 1000 foolish

New Delhi:  The National Green Tribunal spent more than Rs 30,000 to recover the Rs 10 fee from an RTI applicant, drawing sharp reaction from the CIC which said it was a case of "penny wise pound foolish".

"After hearing story of spending for legal battles to deny information up to Rs 30,000 for an IPO of Rs 10, the proverb 'penny wise pound foolish' has to be rewritten as 'rupee wise and thousand foolish'," Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu said in his order.

The appellant had paid the fee of Rs 10 in the form of court fee stamp, which the NGT said cannot be realised by their office, and thereafter, the office wrote to the appellant to pay the Rs 10 fee in the form of IPO or demand draft.

He was also asked by the NGT to collect the information from their office. During the hearing it emerged that neither the copy of the letter nor proof of dispatch was presented to the Commission.

When Acharyulu questioned the standing counsel of the NGT, whether around Rs 50 was spent on writing a letter asking for Rs 10, the counsel said 'yes'. "If the appellant, as asked pays Rs 10 by IPO/DD, NGT would spend another Rs 50 to send back information. If appellant paid Rs 10, NGT's loss still remains Rs 40. If information is dispatched, cost will go up to Rs 100," Mr Acharyulu said.

The Commissioner said instead of all this spending CPIO should have sent the information sought. The learned counsel said if not the audit would object why money due to government is not collected, he noted.

Acharyulu pulled out a certified copy of a document from NGT regarding engaging an advocate for their RTI cases.

As per this rate, the advocate is paid Rs 31,000 as retainer per month, Rs 700 for conveyance for conference, Rs 11,000 for conducting first appeal and Rs 21,000 for second appeal plus 10 per cent clerkage charges besides miscellaneous expenses, the Commissioner pointed out.

"The NGT pays Rs 31,000 as retainer, Rs 11000 plus Rs 21,000 for first and second appeals asking its advocate to present 'expert argument' how absence IPO for Rs 10 is stumbling block to furnish information about selection and rejection of candidates for some post," he said in the order.

The Commission said this reflects lack of concern for transparency and also for public money and leaves common man wondering reasonability of this attitude.

"Is it worth spending Rs 33050 plus to deny information? Because of such attitude, doubts raise about 'fairness' of process for recruitment for Group D-Multi Task Staff. This also indicates a dire need for to sensitise personnel in NGT to break this kind of mindset of denying the RTI at the huge cost of state exchequer," he said.

 

When leaders stood with schools

Mumbai: A meeting of the joint action committee of city-based schools took place to stand with 35 schools in Malwani area in Malad which are under hammer as they are constructed on the government land. Shikshak Bharti president and legislator Kapil Patil said, “Principals and teachers of 35 schools are on strike from earlier this week. It is a very sensitive issue as it is concerned with 35,000 students in these schools.” The concerned schools in Malawani received a demolition notice from the High Court as these buildings are constructed on the plots belonging to the government. To protest against the notice all schools are kept shut down. Patil added, “BJP MP Gopal Shetty, Congress legislator Aslam Shaikh were present for the meeting which unanimously stated to stand up with these schools. We had requested the Chief Minister to help these schools and the CM had agreed to our demand. We have next date in the court. If  things go wrong, we will protest on larger scale.”

If onions stolen visit astrologer

Mumbai: A farmer in north Maharashtra, who had approached the police recently to complain about the theft of his onions, was left stunned after he was allegedly told to contact an astrologer to trace the thieves. “I was taken aback after the police told me to contact an astrologer to trace those who stole my onions,” farmer Sunil Patil of Lonikhede village in Dhule district told PTI.

Patil said that after he approached the nearby police outpost to file a complaint, the police did not register his complaint but visited the village to undertake a panchnama, which is normally done after a case is lodged.

“The police asked me whom I suspected to be behind the theft. Now, why would I approach the police if I had known who stole my onions,” he said. The theft was of around 40 bags, containing onions worth Rs 80,000, the farmer said. However, Dhule Superintendent of Police Sahebrao Patil, denied that the policemen on duty had asked the farmer to approach an astrologer.“If it is proved after an inquiry that policemen did tell the farmer to go to an astrologer, they will be suspended immediately,” the district police chief told PTI over phone from Dhule.

“I have looked into the matter. My officers have visited the spot. I spoke to the policemen on duty at the outpost,” he said.

Teachers not eligible but they evaluate SCC/HSCC answer papers

Mumbai : Member of Legislative Council, Ramnath Mote, created a sensation by alleging that unauthorized teachers have been checking and evaluating the answer sheets of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examinations conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

Mote, in a letter to education minister Vinod Tawde, alleged that scores of teachers who are checking SSC and HSC answer papers are not authorised by the education department. This raises a question mark over the quality of evaluation in the state board. Every year, some 3 million students appear for the SSC and HSSC examinations and over five lakh students appear for re-examination. According to the board guidelines, there should be one teacher for every 250 students and one moderator per ten teachers for evaluation work. Only experienced teachers should be given the task of paper checking and those who have long experience are entrusted with moderator’s responsibility. Only these authorised teachers should carry out the checking and monitoring task of board answer papers. Mote alleged that board officials illegally give the task of paper checking to inexperienced teachers for their vested interests. These teachers do not have required educational qualification and teaching experience of the concerned subject.

Mote said that he made repeated complaints to the state board officials in this regards, however, the board did not take cognizance of it. He said that if the situation continues, then he will approach the court in this matter. A board official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “On several occasions it is observed that major schools and senior teachers are reluctant to take responsibility of paper checking and moderation. Board always gives preference to experienced teachers and when they say refuse to carry out this work then the board goes for next in seniority.”