Mangaluru: K MC Manipal lifts Medi Quiz 2019 trophy

The decision of the Indian government to ease the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions imposed on those having OCI cards has given a big relief to many stranded overseas citizens of India across the world.

OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin globally which gives them almost all the privileges of an Indian national except for the right to vote, government service and buying agricultural land. The OCI card gives them a visa-free travel to India.

On Friday, the central government allowed certain categories of OCI card holders, who are stranded abroad, to come to the country. Earlier, according to the regulations issued by the Indian government in April, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards were suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This privilege of visa free travel to India was causing distress among a large number of people of Indian-origin and Indian citizens in countries like the US whose children were OCI card holders as they were born in this country.

Many Indian parents, several of whom lost their jobs as a result of the economic crisis due to coronavirus pandemic, but were not allowed to take the special evacuation flights of Air India from various US cities, took to social media and urged the Indian leaders to allow them to travel to India.

“This is a big relief for the OCI card holders. It was a humanitarian crisis in the making. I am pleased that the Indian Government listened to their voices,” said social activist Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, who has been taking up the cause of the OCI card holders.

Dr Arathi Krishna, former deputy chairperson of NRI Forum of Karnataka government, who had been demanding this relaxation, many of the thousands of stranded OCI card holders in defferent parts of the world were in pursuading her to exert pressure on the authorities concerned for this much needed relaxation.

The restrictions on traveling of OCI card holders to India was issued by govt of India on March 13 in the wake of global outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. 

She said: "Many parents who are Indian nationals could not travel for emergency purpose to India after repatriation flights started due to their minor children being OCI card holders. Many children who were OCI card holders could not travel to India to perform last rites when there was death in their family due to these restrictions"

"I was constantly pressurising and bringing these issues to the attention of ministry officials in External Affairs and Home Affairs departments. I was following up with Mr Dammu Ravi who is heading the COVID task force  task firce in the ministry of overseas Indian affairs who took interest in solving this problem through his consistent efforts with MHA. Iam thankful to Fireign Secretary too for his efforts and concern and to MHA for making it easier now for OCI card holders to travel in repatriation flights with emergency reasons," she said.

Marriages will have to shed decadence as the state government, in an advisory, has restricted the number of guests to 50 and barred consumption of liquor at such events. 

The advisory was issued in anticipation that the COVID-19 lockdown will be eased in a phased manner. 

The advisory, issued by the Department of Health & Family Welfare, states that events can be held in a “suitable public place with good natural ventilation (no air condition).”

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All guests must have the Arogya Setu app on their phones and the contact details all marriage attendees should be maintained. 

No person from a containment zone will be allowed to attend the event, and persons aged above 65 years, pregnant women and children below 10 years are not permitted. 

Sanitizers are to be provided at the entry and at “appropriate” places. Thermal screening is a must at the entry point of the venue. The scanner should be held 3-15 cm away from a person’s forehead. “Anyone found having a fever (37.5 degree centigrade or 99.5 farenheit), cold, cough, difficulty in breathing shall not be permitted to attend the event and immediately referred to seek medical advice,” the advisory said. 

Besides prohibition on consumption of alcohol, the advisory said paan, gutka and tobacco will not be allowed. 

Face masks are compulsory and all persons should maintain a physical distance of more than one metre. The venue shall be clean and hygienic, with a prohibition on spitting in public places.

A nodal person should be identified to oversee the arrangements, the advisory said.

Mangaluru, Jan 3: Vishruth Bhat, a Class VI student from CFAL is the topper in Dakshina Kannada District in the first round of the VVM examination (VI Standard category) and now advances to the ‘State Level Camp’.  Proving their mettle, 12 students from CFAL have qualified for the “State Level Camp” of Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM) - a national programme to educate and popularise science for classes VI – XI. A total of 129 students are selected from Karnataka to participate in the State Level Camp, out of which around 9.30% students are from CFAL. These students were selected on the basis of their performances in the first stage, an online exam. The State level camp shall include written test, observational analysis of video clips, situation problem solving and hands on activities.

The selected students are:  B Vishruth Bhat, Pratham D, Chinmayee Adiga, Chirag J Sunil, Nidhi Noronha, K Sai Prathiksha, Aryan Atul Surana, Rakshith K R, Anupama Kamath, Krithi, Mavith Saldanha and Vignaraj. Among the selected students Kirti, Mavith and Vihnaraj are TLC PU College students.

About VVM:

VVM is a national program jointly organized by Vijnana Bharati, NCERT and Vigyan Prasar for educating and popularizing science among the school students of Classes VI to XI. The main objective of the program is to identify keen knowledge seekers in Science and then nurture them for higher level of science education. Students participating in VVM undergo the following multi-level testing procedures:

•        Objective type question answering

•        Comprehensive writing

•        Presentation and Group discussion

•        Role play

•        Practical examination

•        Methods of Science

The program also includes organising visits to reputed National Science Laboratories and Centres. To enable deserving students to have interaction with renowned scientists of the Nation. The VVM will identify Vigyan Jigyasu (Keen Knowledge Seeker of Science) at National level.  

This exam is conducted in three phases.  The first phase is an online exam conducted in the school itself.  In the second phase (State level camp) top 20 rankers per class, per state will be identified to participate in two days State Level Camp. Eminent scholars and scientists from different fields will guide the students. Practical examination will be conducted to select top 2 students from each class to participate in the national camp. Toppers will get certificates and cash awards.

In the third phase (National camp) which is a 2-day camp, comprise presentations, scientific understanding, innovation, and creativity, out of box activities and assessment of leadership qualities. Toppers are awarded with certificates and cash awards.