Prep course cutoffs for SC/STs to dip by 55%

http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/India/ Prep_course_ cutoffs_for_ SCSTs_to_ dip_by_55/ rssarticleshow/ 3339591.cms

8 Aug 2008, 0309 hrs IST, Hemali Chhapia,TNN

MUMBAI: For the first time in the history of IITs, a second round of
admissions is on to fill vacant seats at all its 13 campuses. More
students will also be accommodated in the preparatory course, which is
like a feeder class that trains SC and ST students for a year to equip
them to qualify for the IITs. Students need to take a test at the end
of the year-long tutorial.

If they qualify, the gates of IITs are opened to them. For the
preparatory course, each IIT relaxes the lowest SC and ST cutoffs by
55%. With that figure being 104 for both reserved categories this
year, the preparatory course cutoff turned out to be 57 out of a total
of 489. This cutoff will dip further if additional students have to be
admitted.

Prasad said, "We will also begin running the preparatory course at the
six new IITs from this year.'' While this will put an additional
burden on the overnight-born institutes, it will prevent a repeat of
the ''vacant seat'' scenario next year as those candidates will be
eligible for admission then.

The older IITs managed to fill some SC/ST seats with students who were
admitted to the preparatory course in 2007, but there were no such
admissions at the new IITs. This year's sorry situation was the result
of the government commissioning six new IITs (thus increasing the pool
of seats by 720), which simultaneously led to the increase of quota
seats (for which there were not enough eligible applicants).

Despite lowering the cutoff percentage in the name of affirmative
action, not enough reserved category students could make the grade.

Dalits upset with TTD's tokenism

http://www.deccanhe rald.com/ Content/Aug82008 /panorama2008080 783303.asp

By R Akhileshwari

Most of the TTD's income is from oppressed Hindus, who form 80-90 per
cent of the pilgrims.

The Dalita Govindam programme by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
(TTD) to win over the Dalits and keep them within the Hindu fold seems
to have rebounded. The Dalits are outraged that, in the name of God,
they have once again been humiliated and shown that they cannot be
part of the religion as practised by a few.

While Dalit activists are threatening to file a case against the TTD
under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for 'humiliating' the
Dalits, political parties — including the Left and the BJP — have
dismissed the programme as a 'gimmick' and a 'farce'.

The issue is that the idols of Sri Venkateswara and his two consorts
that were taken to the Dalitwada — in Vemuru village, Chittoor
district, a few kms from Tirupati — have been kept in a room used by
priests rather than in the sanctum sanctorum. In response to the Dalit
outrage that this was yet another face of social discrimination
against the Dalits, the TTD insists that placing the idols in the
sanctum santorum would be a violation of Agama Sastras that rule the
rituals in the Tirumala temple. The Dalit organisations have sought
redressal and have taken the issue to the SC-ST Commission and have
also appealed to the President of India to intervene.

The TTD organised the programme, the brainchild of its chairman B
Karunakar Reddy — who was once a Left activist. For the first time
ever, the deities of Sri Venkateswara and his two consorts were taken
to Vemuru village's Dalitwada last April. Pujas were performed and a
feast was held. Priests blessed the community enmasse with Veda
Asirvadam and the devotees were given Srivari Prasadam both of which
are normally given to VVIPs when they go to the Tirumala temple for
darshan.

After a night's halt in the Dalitwada, they were brought back to
Tirumala. The initiative, Reddy explained, was to spread the message
that everyone was equal in the eyes of God and that Hindu religion
does not support caste or caste-based discrimination. The caste
system, he said, was enforced by influential sections in the middle
ages for their own benefit. Over the years, a schism developed in the
society with the exclusion of weaker sections like Dalits and the BCs.
Untouchability, said Reddy, had done irreparable damage to the Hindu
society.

The TTD found it worrying that the numbers of the Hindus converting to
other religions were much higher in the last 50 years than in the rule
of Mughals or the colonial period. Therefore, the TTD took up
programmes with 'social' dimension like Dalita Govindam, Matsya
Govindam and Girjana Govindam. In the last programme, select tribal
youth have been taught religious rituals and mantras that can be used
along with their tribal worship, according to the TTD. Interestingly,
Reddy had, as an activist, led an agitation some years ago and
succeeded in getting Dalits to enter a local temple and do puja.

However, his efforts this time round seem to have rebounded given the
controversy over the idols. P Anjaiah, state general secretary,
Republican Party of India, believes that Dalits were 'cheated' and
excluded in every aspect of the Dalita Govindam programme.

First, the TTD announced that the deities that are in the sanctum
sanctorum, one of the five sets of deities that are moved out for
various pujas and festivals, would be taken to Vemuru Dalitawada.
Instead, enquiries showed, idols were newly made for the Dalita
Govindam; decorated with 'gilded' ornaments and taken to Vemuru. On
return, they were confined to a building used by temple priests. When
asked, the TTD explained that the idols were not "sanctified" or
"given life" and therefore they could be placed in the sanctum
sanctorum..

"We have been once again cheated by 'dead' deities and false
ornaments. We were cheated socially and politically; now we are being
cheated in the name of god," said Anjaiah.

Also, if the TTD really wants to include Dalits, then during the
programme, the priests should have eaten the food prepared in Dalit
kitchens and slept in their huts. This would have sent a far more
powerful message than a 100 Dalita Govindams, Dalit activists point
out.

They also point out that the TTD's annual income of Rs 1,800 crore is
the contribution of the oppressed Hindus, who comprise 80-90 per cent
of the pilgrims to Tirumala. Yet, the posts in the TTD are 'reserved'
only for upper castes. Also, in the numerous educational institutions
run by the TTD, the number of Dalit and other oppressed caste
employees is minimal. Why should not the TTD run 'Vedic' schools
specially for Dalit children, they ask.
If the TTD genuinely believes that caste discrimination is not
supported by Hindu religion, then it should do more than have a
one-night Dalita Govindam. Tokenism is insincerity. In fact, it is
cheating.

Mayawati to put up more of her statues

http://www.thaindia n.com/newsportal /politics/ mayawati- to-put-up- more-of-her- statues_10080876 .html

August 7th, 2008 - 12:35 pm ICT by IANS

Lucknow, Aug 7 (IANS) Undaunted by all the criticism from her
adversaries, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Mayawati is to get three more of her statues installed in the
state capital where two imposing bronze memorials are already in
place. An 18-feet-tall statue is proposed in the neighbourhood of
BSP's Prerna Sthal (inspiration home) where Mayawati had got her first
statue installed inside an imposing stone structure shaped like a
Buddhist stupa.

The space for the statue was created after demolition of BSP's own
office that was built barely four years ago on a 50,000 sq ft plot
just behind the state governor's house.

The statue will adorn what has been christened Bahujan Nayak Park,
being laid in place of the party's state headquarter, that has been
shifted to a brand new building erected over the debris of a
government bungalow.

An identical statue is planned for Kanshi Ram Memorial that was coming
up on a sprawling 32-acre plot of land taken from the Lucknow district
jail. The memorial is slated to cost the state exchequer about Rs.3.5
billion.

The third statue is likely to find place at a prominent spot in
Mayawati's first ever dream project - Ambedkar Park cum Memorial that
was being built on a giant scale at a cost of nearly Rs.5 billion.

Officials dealing with the statue projects were tight-lipped.

However sculptor Ram Sutar, who has been assigned to create the three
statues in bronze, admitted that he was on the job and had been asked
to accomplish the task at speed.

"I have assured the administration I'll complete the statues in record
time", he told IANS.

While none was willing to divulge the cost of these statues
officially, it is said that each will weigh between 20 and 25 tonnes.

Mayawati justified her decision to install her first statue at the
Prerna Sthal, saying: "I always felt that memorials should be built
during the lifetime of icons.

"That is why I got the first statue of my mentor Kanshi Ram installed
in Lucknow during his lifetime. But because he wished that I should
also have my own statue next to his, I decided to put mine too."

The same explanation was repeated when she unveiled her own statue
along with that of her mentor Kanshi Ram last June.

Mayawati's arch adversary Mulayam Singh Yadav had not only condemned
her fad for installing her own statues but also threatened to get
these bulldozed once he came to power.

Quota seats go empty at mining college

http://www.telegrap hindia.com/ 1080806/jsp/ jharkhand/ story_9653008. jsp

AMIT GUPTA & SANTOSH K.. KIRO
Ranchi, Aug. 5: At least 149 seats, reserved for SC and ST students,
would go empty at the Indian School of Mines University (ISMU),
Dhanbad, this year.

Admission to this coveted mining engineering college was through
IIT-JEE, but ISMU authorities believe that out of a total of 612
seats, this year would record 149 vacancies, most of them in seats
reserved for students belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled
Caste (SC) categories.

At IITs, too, initial calculations suggest about 432 seats would remain vacant.

This trend, both at ISM and the IITs, is a direct fallout of six new
IITs that have been commissioned by the Centre leading to an increase
in the number of quota seats.

"Out of 159 seats reserved for SC/ST students, only 10 SC category
students got admission to the BTech course," said T Kumar, ISMU
director. "No one from the ST category has got admission."

If it's any consolation, 99 students had been chosen from both
categories to be admitted to ISMU's preparatory course which would
equip them to join the main course next year. These students, 34 more
than last year, would be trained in basic physics, chemistry,
mathematics, English and Hindi.

These students, who qualified through the IIT JEE, aren't as
proficient as their counterparts in the general or OBC categories.
"Hence they are trained for a year before they are inculcated into the
full-time programme," Kumar explained. "Only after completing the
training some of them would they be inducted into the first year BTech
course for the academic session 2008-2009," he added.

Tribal organisations are alarmed at this trend. Some even allege foul
play. "It is hard to believe that there is a dearth of talent among
tribal students. The vacancies of reserved seats in the IITs were
probably created because something went wrong somewhere," said Nishit
Ekka, secretary of the Tribal Medical Association.

Ekka pointed out that in 2005, only one boy had qualified to study
medicine in Jharkhand as against 12 in 2006. "However, after we
intervened and told the state to rectify the process of selection, the
number of tribal students who qualified for medical colleges increased
up to 38 in 2007. Also, 87 others qualified for medical colleges out
of the state," he noted.

Special secretary in the welfare department B.C. Nigam attributed the
issue to lack of coaching facilities for tribal students aspiring to
get into IITs. "Though there is no dearth of talent among tribals,
they fail to make the mark due to inadequate opportunities, " he said.

He said Jharkhand needed to focus on imparting high quality coaching
for IIT aspirants so that they could qualify in the entrance
examinations. The welfare department, he added, ran various schemes
through which it financed coaching for tribal students aiming to
become doctors, engineers or civil servants.

But as of now, these are yet to show results.

Six arrested for assaulting dalit woman

[Hindustan Times]

Press Trust Of India

DSS to protest for Budget allocation for SC/STs

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=87523

Udupi August 5: Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samithi (DSS) (Bhimvad)
would organise a protest rally to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappas home
office on August 12, demanding Budget allocation to SC/STs based on
their population in the state.

Addressing a press conference here today, R Mohanraj, the state
committee convener of DSS said " at least 1000 members from each
district of the state would participate in the protest rally. He added
that the budgetary allocation for various developmental activities for
SC/STs in the state was only seven per cent as against their
population in the state which is 22.5 per cent." Despite their appeal,
the Chief Minister had failed to evolve schemes for the social and
economical development of these sections. The budgetary allocation
should be made on the basis of their population, Mr Mohanraj demanded.
"This would be the first step of the protest against the government
before taking further agitational steps if the government failed to
fulfil their demand," he said.

He added that the DSS besides other things, would demand
implementation of Single Window System for the schemes for SC/STs,
scholarships for SC/ST students on par with other states, construction
of more hostels for these students, waiver of loans for those availed
loans from Dr Ambedkar Development Corporation till 2007, reservation
to these sections in the private companies and industries, reservation
in the appointment of 'Archakas' (priests) in the temples under Muzrai
department and actions against those employed in the government
offices with fake caste certificates.

Buta Singh’s Lucknow visit to probe death a fiasco

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/03/stories/2008080355530800.htm

Atiq Khan

LUCKNOW: The visit of the Chairman of the National Commission for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Buta Singh, here for an inquiry
into the suicide by a Class III employee of the Vidhan Sabha
Secretariat ended in a fiasco.

Mr. Singh, who came at the head of the entire Commission, returned to
New Delhi on Saturday without conducting any meeting with Uttar
Pradesh government officials.

The Commission members airdashed here on Friday evening after taking
cognisance suo motu of the suicide by review officer Subedar Singh,
who belonged to an SC.

A meeting with the Chief Secretary, the Director-General of Police,
the Principal Secretary, Home, the Principal Secretary of the Vidhan
Sabha and Social Welfare Department officials was scheduled for 9 a.m.
But it could not take place as Mr. Singh and his colleagues stayed
away. The meeting, originally planned for Friday night, was postponed
at the behest of Mr. Singh, who wanted the government to submit some
documents.

The first information report and the dying declaration were presented
on Saturday. But Subedhar Singh's annual confidential report could not
be obtained as Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar is out of station. The
Commission Chairman also sought the doctor's certificate on the dying
declaration. But Saturday being a holiday, the Chief Medical Officer's
office was closed.

The actual reason why the Commission returned without conducting a
hearing was that it mistook Subedar Singh for an IAS officer, official
sources said. Information Secretary Diwakar Tripathi pointed out that
in the Commission's message on Mr. Buta Singh's visit, received by the
Chief Secretary's office on Friday, Subedar Singh was twice referred
to as "IAS".

The sources said Subedar Singh, though working as review officer,
belonged to the clerical cadre. Some posts were given a different
nomenclature by a government order issued about a decade ago.

The sources alleged that the Commission was trying to politicise an
unfortunate incident though the State government had made an ex gratia
payment of Rs. 2 lakh to the bereaved family. "Arrangements have also
been made for Mr. Subedar Singh's son to pursue his studies in a local
engineering institute," said an official of the Chief Minister's
Secretariat.

On reaching Lucknow on Friday, Mr. Buta Singh and other panel members
visited the Rajajipuram residence of the deceased. Later talking to
journalists, he alleged that the State government was trying to
conceal facts on the death of the employee. He denied that the
Commission was trying to target Uttar Pradesh. "The panel members were
in Lucknow to fulfil their responsibility."

Quotas for IIT faculty unlikely this year

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Education/Quotas_for_IIT_faculty_unlikely_this_year/articleshow/3342498.cms

NEW DELHI: Quotas in the selection of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) faculty are unlikely to be implemented this academic year as these premier tech-schools want the government to reconsider the controversial proposal. All the 13 IITs, including the six new ones, have requested the human resource development (HRD) ministry for a “second thought” about implementing quotas for marginalised sections of society in the faculties.

“Nothing is finalised as yet. It's under review again,” IIT Delhi director Surendra Prasad told IANS. "Experts and the authorities are deliberating the situation in the ministry." The HRD ministry directed all the IITs in June to implement 27 percent quota for Other Backward Classes, 15 percent for Schedules Castes and 7.5 percent for Scheduled Castes in its faculty selection.

The decision came after the implementation of 27 percent quota in all central government aided higher educational institutes, albeit partially, this year. Soon after the direction was passed on to the IITs, the premier engineering colleges expressed their displeasure by protesting in campuses.

At least three IITs, including IIT Delhi, had carried out candlelight marches to express their dissent over the government decision. “We have lot of things to say but can we?” asked an IIT Delhi professor. “It's sad that government is not understanding the situation. In the IIT system, the best teachers should get a chance to mould students into leaders. There is no feeling of any social strata in the IITs,” the professor said requesting anonymity.

“The only consideration is talent and let's not dilute it.” An official of IIT Kharagpur said instead of implementing quota in faculty positions, the government must come forward to fill up the all ready vacant teaching posts. The shortage is most acute at IIT Roorkee, which has a sanctioned strength of 575 faculties but at present it has little less than 350 faculty members.

Similarly, IIT Delhi and IIT Guwahati are facing a faculty shortage of up to 15 percent. The situation in other IITs is not much different either. An IIT director told IANS that though all the IITs had asked the HRD ministry to reconsider the proposal, they were “almost helpless”. “Let me be very frank. We are government institutes and cannot defy government order. If they (government) think that whatever they are doing is right, there is no way we can stop them. The only victim will be quality,” the director said adding: “Let's watch.”

IITs to push for deserving vacant seats

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/IITs_to_push_for_dereserving_vacant_seats/articleshow/3321013.cms

3 Aug, 2008, 1338 hrs IST,Hemali Chhapia, TNN

This year, six new Indian Institutes of Technology were brought into
being, each with 120 seats — that's a total of 720 seats.

And yet, because the OBC, SC and ST quotas could not be filled up (as
enough applicants could not get the generously-relaxed pass marks set
for these categories ), as many as 432 seats will go abegging.

Consider the absurdity of the situation. On the one hand, new IITs are
being created at enormous cost; on the other, as many as 432 seats —
that's the equivalent of three and a half IITs — are being allowed to
go waste.

In Saturday's edition, we wrote a Times View saying: '' To let over
430 seats in IITs go vacant is a criminal waste of infrastructure
(such as faculty and physical facilities ). Reservations are meant to
give disadvantaged sections of society a boost.

But where quotas cannot be filled because there aren't enough suitable
candidates, the cutoff for general category should be relaxed so that
all seats are used up — the cutoff will still be higher than for
SC/STs, so no one can argue that it will dilute academic standards. As
with airlines seats and hotel rooms, these seats are 'perishable' ,
they must be filled the same year. This should not affect next year's
quota.''

This sorry situation is the result of two major education policies
framed by the Centre. The government not only commissioned six new
IITs, but simultaneously increased the number of quota seats (for
which there are simply not enough eligible applicants). Despite the
cutoff percentage being lowered in the name of affirmative action, the
students have not made the grade. The old IITs can fill some of the
seats with students from the preparatory course, but the new IITs have
nothing to fall back on.

IIT-Guwahati director Gautam Barua said that the institute heads who
are meeting later this month may ask the HRD ministry to dereserve
unfilled quota seats. '' There is no time this year but we may try to
seek permission to transfer the vacant seats to the general category
for next year,'' said Barua.

The prospect of empty chairs in the classroom has disheartened faculty
members , many of whom echoed Saturday's Times View.