by rakesh | May 9, 2007 | India News
The Minister of External Affairs, Shri Pranab Mukherjee informed the Lok Sabha today in a reply to a Starred question that a number of decisions have been taken to simplify the Passport Issuance Procedures with effect from 23 December 2006.
These guidelines have made the issuance of passports simpler and speedier for the passport applicants. The average time taken for issuing a passport is now 30 days subject to completion of requisite formalities.
Salient features of the new scheme are as under:
1 Revised Rules relating to issue/reissue of passports
Presently fresh passports are issued under Normal and Tatkal categories – (1) Under first category, passports are issued on receipt of clear police verification reports and (2) Under the Tatkal scheme, a passport valid for 10 years is issued on the basis of a Verification Certificate (VC) obtained from the authorities indicated in para 2(B) and on payment of additional fee of Rs. 1500/- in case the applicants desire to have the passports in 1-7 days (as opposed to the earlier slab of 1-10 days) and additional fee of Rs. 1000/- in case the applicant desires to have the passport in 8-14 days (as opposed to the earlier time slab of 11-20 days).
Under the Tatkal scheme, passports are issued on post-police verification basis OR on submission of (i) three documents from the list of following 14 documents given at 2(A), provided one of the three documents is a photo identity document and at least one of the three is amongst the documents indicated at (a) to (i) below, and (ii) a standard affidavit duly attested by a Notary:
2(A) List of 14 documents:
a) Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC)
by rakesh | May 3, 2007 | India News
Some pirates had hijacked an Indian ship M.V. Nehm Tulah alongwith its 14 members crew on 1st April, 2007.
As per reports received from the owners of the vessel, the vessel, cargo and all the 14 crew members have been released at around 1120 hours Indian Standard Time on 6th April, 2007. The crew comprising all Indian nationals are safe. The Government is not aware of any conditions attached to the release of the said vessel.
The Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai had issued a circular on 27th April, 2006 informing all concerned about the incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships especially in the vicinity of the Somalian coast where incidents of piracy and attacks on ships have been on the rise. The Indian National Ship owners Association (INSA) and Federation of All India Sailing Vessels Industry Association have also been informed to convey to their members that they should keep away from the Somalian coast.
Subsequently, the Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai issued another circular on 8th January, 2007 drawing attention of the shipping fraternity and seafaring community of attacks against ships in Somalian waters. This circular also contained detailed guidelines to avoid such attacks and acts of piracy.
This information was given by the Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Shri T.R. Baalu in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
by rakesh | May 3, 2007 | India News
According to the information furnished by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), any university set up by the Act of Parliament/State legislature or deemed to be university can offer distance education programme subject to the fulfillment of norms and guidelines laid down by the Distance Education Council (DEC) and other apex bodies. DEC in its meeting held on March 23, 2007 had resolved that it would not insist on territorial jurisdiction to be followed by institutions in offering programmes through distance mode and on that matter universities should be governed by their own Act and Statutes.
A list of the universities including deemed universities running distance education courses is annexed. IGNOU has informed that DEC does not maintain the details of the courses offered by these universities.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
…..
HB/RP/SB
Annexure
Central Universities
Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.
Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, AP.
University of Hyderabad, AP.
North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya.
Jamia Milia, Islamia, New Delhi.
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.(U.P.)
University of Allahabad U.P.
Pondicherry University, Pondicherry.
University of Delhi, Delhi.
Deemed Universities
——————–
Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Hyderabad, AP.
Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati, AP.
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Jharkhand.
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab.
Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
International Institute for Population Sciences, Deonar, Bombay, Maharashtra.
Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth Pune, Maharashtra.
Jain Vishwa Bharti Institute, Ladnun, Rajasthan.`
The Gandhigram Rural Institute, Gandhigram, Tamilnadu.
Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, Viswa Mahavidyalaya, Kanchipuram,
Shanmugha Arts, Science, Techno and Research Academy, Thanjavur (T.N.)
Jamia Hamdard, Delhi.
Symbosis Centre for Distance Learning, Pune (Maharashtra).
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (Maharashtra).
Sri Ram Chandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, T.N.
SRM University Chennai, T.N.
Manipal Acadmey of Higher Education,Manipal, Karnataka
Swami Vivekananad Yoga Anusandhan Sansthan, Bangalore, Karnataka.
Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi.
Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyala, Haridwar, Uttaranchal.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
State Universities
——————-
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, A.P.
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, A.P.
Kakatiya University, Warangal, A.P.
Osmania University, Hyderabad, A.P.
Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, A.P.
Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Ananthapur, A.P.
Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupathi, A.P.
Sri Padmavati Mahila Vishvavidyalaya, Tirupati, A.P.
Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad, A.P.
Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar, A.P.
Bangalore University, Bangalore, Karnataka.
Kannada University, Hampi, Karnataka.
Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka.
Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Karnataka.
Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta, Karnataka.
University of Mysore, Mysore, Karnataka.
Goa University, Goa, Karnataka.
Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam.
Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam.
B.R.A.Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga, Bihar.
Patna University, Patna, Bihar.
Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, Bihar.
Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa.
Sambalpur University, Sambalpur, Orissa.
Berhampur University, Berhampur, Orissa
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, Orissa
North Orissa University, Mayurbhanj, Orissa.
Tripura University, Tripura.
University of Burdwan. West Bengal.
Vidyasagar University, Midnapur, West Bengal.
Jadavpur University, West Bengal.
Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkatta West Bengal.
University of Kalyani, Distt,Nadia. West Bengal..
Guru Jambheshwar University, Hissar, Haryana.
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana.
M.D University, Rohtak Haryana.
H.P.University Shimla (H.P).
University of Jammu. J& K.
University of Kashmir, Srinagar, J & K.
Punjab University, Chandigarh, Punjab.
Punjabi University, Patiyala, Punjab.
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab.
G.B.Pant University, Pantnagar, Uttaranchal.
Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttaranchal.
B.R Ambedkar University, Agra , UP.
University of Lucknow, Lucknow, UP.
Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
Avdesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa, MP.
Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal , M.P.
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore , M.P
Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar , M.P
Jiwaji University, Gwalior, MP.
M.G Chitrakoot Gramodya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot , M.P
Rani Durgawati University, Jabalpur, MP.
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra.
SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
University of Mumbai Vidyanagari, Mumbai.
Amravati University, Amravati.
Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded, Maharashtra.
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala.
University of Calicut, Calicut, Kerala.
Kannur University, Kalliasseri, Kerala.
University of Kerala, Trivendrum. Kerala.
Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamilnadu.
Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu.
Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.
Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu.
Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai. Tamilnadu.
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Thirunelveli, Tamilnadu.
Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal. Tamilnadu.
Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.
University of Madras, Madras, Tamilnadu.
Periyar University, Salem, Tamilnadu.
Tamilnadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai
State Open Universities
————————
Nalanda Open University, Patna, Bihar.
Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, Karnataka.
YCMOU, Nashik, Maharashtra.
Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad, A.P.
Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota, Rajasthan.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
U.P.Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad, U.P.
Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, West Bengal.
M.P.Bhoj (Open) University, Bhopal, M.P.
Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai, T.N.
Pt. Sunderlal Sharma Open University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
Uttaranchal Open University, Haldwani, Uttaranchal
Institute of National Importance
———————————-
National Law School of India, Bangalore, Karnataka.
by rakesh | May 2, 2007 | India News
The attention of the Government is drawn to the incident being broadcast by Star News involving a case of corruption in getting a job as loader through a cargo complex employee.
According to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), prima facie there appears to be no security breach as the cargo complex falls within the city side of the airport, an area controlled by the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).
Security of IGI Airport International Cargo Complex is the responsibility of DIAL. For the Cargo Complex, DIAL issues pass for entry only into the cargo complex building, and these passes do not allow for entry into the operational airside area of the airport.
There is total segregation of the Cargo Complex from the airside operational area of the airport by means a steel chain link 12 ft high along the boundary. There is only ONE exit and ONE entry gate in this boundary, which is guarded by CISF. Access from International Cargo complex to airside areas is effectively controlled by CISF and all persons entering the airside areas even with authorised documents are subjected to screening and frisking before each entry.
In this case, the person who obtained employment and a DIAL pass as loader does not seem to have gone beyond the chain link into the operational and vulnerable area of the airport and was shown to be within the cargo complex till where his entry was restricted.
The current incident is more a case of malpractice involved to get a job as a loader through a Cargo Complex employee, rather than a case of a security breach, and appropriate authorities will look into it.
In case there has been any security breach, it will be investigated thoroughly by CISF and BCA S.
The issue needs to be seen in the above perspective so that unnecessary alarm is not generated as has happened in the instant case.
by rakesh | Mar 7, 2007 | India News
In the year 2003, Government of India decided to take over 17 Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) and upgrade them as National Institutes of Technology (NITs). Thereafter, on the request from the respective State Governments, three more Engineering Colleges namely Bihar College of Engineering – Patna, Government Engineering College – Raipur and Tripura Engineering College – Agartala were upgraded as National Institutes of Technology (NITs) in the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively.
Presently 20 NITs, one each in following States are functioning in the country: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
In principle approval has been accorded to convert Manipur Institute of Technology, Imphal to NIT. There is no other proposal under consideration of the Government.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
