Indian Institute of Technology director backs students on campus curfews

April 20, 2012
IIT

Chennai, April 20: The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, which is on a safety-cum-morality drive, is having trouble keeping its house in order.

At an open campus forum on Thursday, IIT-M director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said hostel wardens don't have the authority to impose curfews without his approval.

The director's statement comes in the wake of reports that a few wardens are imposing their own rules in hostels claiming that they have the rights to do so.

The open discussion held at the central lecture theatre, which attended by the undergraduates, postgraduates and executive council members, discussed the controversial remarks made by some senior faculty members and wardens.

Ramamurthi clarified that views of some individuals is not that of the institution. "Individual views are immaterial and they depend on how that individual was brought up. But, just because the students are adults, we cannot evade rules," the director reportedly told the students as an introduction.

A student, who attended the meeting, said the director was more democratic in his opinions. "The director listened to the complaints of students on the new rules imposed by a warden at Tapti hostel and he promised them that such complaints will be considered," said the student. During the discussion, the students raised the issue of a set of rules in Tapti hostel like the right of room cleaners to continuously knock student rooms until they open and strict restrictions to stay in the hostel rooms from 9am to 4pm. The director disagreed with them and said, "Any decision to be taken finally will be collective."

Another proposal from the management -- a declaration to be signed by all students -- also invited protest from students. The declaration says, "The signatory is aware of the risks faced by wandering in the night outside safe zones and of the potential consequences of taking these risks." A senior faculty said rather than admitting and publicizing dangerous zones, the administration should have taken measures to make them safe. The management's move to curb the freedom of students continues to get brickbats from several faculty members in closed-group email communications.

A department head told TOI that imposing any individual views and rules on the student community will make them apolitical. "Our students are better informed and are mature than many of us. Their source of information and ideas should be respected at any cost and the errors should be corrected in a democratic way," he said.

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Agencies
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11 Congress's performance touched a record low in the Delhi Assembly election as the party bagged less than 5 per cent of the total votes polled and 63 of its candidates lost their deposits.

The party, which ruled Delhi for 15 years on the trot under former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, failed to open its account for the second consecutive assembly election in Delhi.

Only three of its candidates Arvinder Singh Lovely from Gandhi Nagar, Devender Yadav from Badli and Abhishek Dutt from Kasturba Nagar managed to save their deposits.

Security deposit of a candidate is forfeited if he/she fails to secure one-sixth of the total valid votes cast in a constituency.

Most of Congress candidates got less than 5 per cent of the total votes polled in their respective constituencies.

Delhi Congress chief Shubhash Chopra's daughter Shivani Chopra, who was the party candidate from Kalkaji, also could not save her deposit.

Former Delhi Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri's daughter Priyanka Singh also forfeited her deposit.

The party's campaign committee chairman Kirti Azad's wife, Poonam Azad, lost badly and stood fourth, polling only 2,604 (2.23) votes.

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News Network
March 28,2020

Mumbai, Mar 28: Industrialist Ratan Tata on Saturday announced that Tata Trusts has committed Rs 500 crore for the medical supplies and equipments which will help combat the coronavirus outbreak.

"The COVID-19 crisis is one of the toughest challenges we will face as a race. The Tata Trusts and the Tata group companies have in the past risen to the needs of the nation. At this moment, the need of the hour is greater than any other time," said Ratan Tata, in an official release.

"Tata is committing Rs 500 crore for: personal protective equipment for the medical personnel on the frontlines; respiratory systems for treating increasing cases; testing kits to increase per capita testing; setting up modular treatment facilities for infected patients and knowledge management and training of health workers and the general public," Tata added.
Tata Chairman also expressed his deep gratitude for the members of all the organizations who are fighting coronavirus at the frontline, puting their life at risk.

"The Tata Trusts, Tata Sons and the Tata group companies are joined by committed local and global partners as well as the government to fight this crisis on a united public health collaboration platform which will strive to reach out to sections that are underprivileged and deprived," he added.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), there are 873 confirmed cases of coronavirus cases in the country and 19 fatalities have been reported.

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News Network
June 13,2020

New Delhi, June 13: A quarantine notice pasted outside former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s 3, Motilal Nehru Place residence has raised speculations among media and political circles.

According to reports, the daughter of a domestic help who works at Singh’s residence has tested positive. She and her family, who live in the servant quarters, have been quarantined.

Singh, who has not been keeping well for some time, is slowly getting active. Congress leaders said the former Prime Minister attended a meeting of the party’s consultative committee on Thursday through video conference.

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