Latest news with #GoaUniversity
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Sister tutor can work till 62 as institute affiliated to GU: HC
Panaji: The high court of Bombay at Goa has directed govt to permit a sister tutor of the Institute of Nursing Education, who retired at 60, to resume duties until the age of 62. After the sister tutor of the institute retired in Feb 2025, she went to the high court. The high court issued a notice to state govt and the directorate of health services regarding the superannuation age of teaching staff of the institute. Govt then placed before the high court a decision dated May 7, 2025, taken by the directorate of health services. This referenced the communication by the under secretary health II from the public health department, stating that as per provisions of Section 15 A of the Goa University (Amendment) Act 2009, the age of superannuation for the teaching staff of Goa University and its affiliated colleges, including principals, whether aided by govt or not, shall be 62 years. The high court observed that since the Institute of Nursing Education is affiliated with Goa University, it is bound by its decision that teaching staff working in the institute continue until the age of 62. 'Since the petitioner was made to retire in Feb 2025, a decision shall be taken continuing her services in all aspects, including continuity, payment of salary, as well as counting of her continuous service for the purposes of pensionary benefits,' said justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Two women receive Sahitya Akademi awards for Konkani literature
1 2 Margao: Konkani writer Nayana Adarkar was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025 for her collection of stories 'Belabaicho Shankar Aani Haer Kanyo'. Glynis Dias received the Yuva Puraskar for her work 'Gaavgaathaa', a collection of short stories that captures the essence of rural Goan life. Adarkar's body of work spans multiple genres, including poetry collections such as 'Pratima', 'Mansanvar', and 'Kisran', alongside her story collections 'Spandan' and 'Krishnachud'. Her literary essays 'Povanam', 'Chanfo', 'Kantekunvar', and 'Batmogrim' resonated deeply with readers and critics alike. Her dedication to nurturing young minds through children's literature is particularly noteworthy, with numerous storybooks that enriched Konkani literature for younger audiences. Her writings were incorporated into the curriculum of the Goa Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, as well as the BA course at Goa University. Earlier, Adarkar received Goa govt's Yashodamini Puraskar and the Kerala Prachar Sabha's Saraswatibai Sahitya Puraskar. The Konkani Akademi and Konkani Bhasha Mandal both awarded her their respective Sahitya awards. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Dr T M Pai Foundation Prashasti Puraskar. Dias is an assistant professor of Konkani at the Govt College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Quepem. Her award-winning collection 'Gaavgaathaa' draws extensively from her intimate knowledge and observations of rural life. The title story of her collection holds particular poignancy, chronicling the tale of Kurdi village, which disappeared beneath the waters following the construction of the Selaulim dam more than three decades ago. Dias, whose parents originated from Kurdi, crafted a touching narrative around this submerged village that briefly resurfaces during the summer months when water levels recede. The award presentation ceremony will be announced later.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Agents defraud students in Goa with invalid degrees, high fees
Panaji: Anita Rodrigues (name changed) found herself breaking down, a few years ago, after visiting the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) regional centre in Porvorim and learning that her multiple postgraduate degrees earned through 'correspondence' and 'external' means by paying thousands of rupees were invalid. The Ignou centre receives multiple queries from police every year to verify certificates, which are invariably found to be fake. The certificates are sometimes issued at a price by scamsters to students who are fully aware it is fake, but, in a majority of the cases, the fraudulent certificates are issued by 'agents' who pose as authorised centres to issue 'correspondence' or 'external' degrees. 'Students should know that the word 'correspondence' and 'external' are long outdated. There is no such concept now. There are some who pose as centres and present students a list of universities from where they can issue a degree. Students should become suspicious if someone, for instance, says they can issue a degree from Sikkim or Jammu university. If Goa University cannot issue a degree to a student sitting in Sikkim or Jammu, how can it work the other way around,' said Ignou centre regional director G Shrinivas. He said that only a university like Goa University established by an Act in the assembly and Ignou established by an Act in the Parliament can issue degrees. 'Unless you are sent to that university to answer an exam in Sikkim or Jammu, for example, they cannot issue you a degree. Many come to us to do their masters degree and when they learn from us that their graduation degree is fake, they are in shock. 'Agents' also tell students they can answer all three years' exams for degree programme at one go. This concept of permitting answering of exams for all years at a time was stopped by University Grants Commission in 1989,' said Shrinivas. Rodrigues had to spend years answering doing her postgraduate programme again through Ignou, affecting her career growth. She learnt how she was scammed only after approaching Ignou to pursue her doctorate. 'Now, it is not correspondence or external, there is only open and distance education in force. Many universities like Shivaji, Annamalai, etc were offering programmes in correspondence and external mode in other states earlier. But in the 2000s, the UGC put a stop to this and said universities do not have jurisdiction outside their states. In the meantime, Rodrigues has been able to complete here postgraduate as well as doctorate programmes through Ignou. However, 'agents' have been found continuing to scam students openly operating offices across Goa, promising 'external' degrees. 'Some of them offer students admissions to Ignou programmes using our website itself. Then they charge the students a fee of Rs 25,000 for a graduate programme on offer at Rs 5,000 fee at Ignou. They charge fee for every assignment, project or dissertation submission, which is actually free of cost. The 'agent' then drops off the assignment for free at Ignou centres. Students often realise after they have lost thousands of rupees and many precious years,' said Shrinivas.
Mint
6 days ago
- Business
- Mint
CAG to deploy AI, machine learning for faster, accurate audits
New Delhi: India's apex auditor will integrate generative AI, machine learning and optical character recognition into its processes to fast-track work and reduce manual burden, according to two deputy heads of the federal auditing body. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) will use these tools for voucher verification and risk detection and will expand remote and hybrid audits in complex revenue areas such as goods and services tax, stamp duty and public works, deputy CAGs A.M. Bajaj and K.S. Subramanian said in an interview. These technologies are expected to significantly reduce manual workload, enhance anomaly detection, and enable predictive identification of high-risk areas, making audits more focused and data-driven, they said. Also read: GDP's dirty little secret: Why we should be tracking GVA instead CAG is reshaping audit practices to match the complexity of India's growing economy and sprawling governance structure. With over 700 central public sector units, 1,600 state enterprises, 485 central autonomous bodies and thousands of panchayats and urban local bodies now under its jurisdiction, the federal auditor is adapting to not just the size, but also the changing nature of public service delivery, they said. The CAG is conducting multi-state audits on key welfare and infrastructure areas, including solid-waste management in urban bodies, welfare of construction workers, management of District Mineral Funds, implementation of rural jobs guarantee programme, functioning of regional transport offices and the Jal Jeevan Mission. All-India audits covering the Green India Mission, Smart Cities, MSME support and skill development are also underway and are expected to be completed by mid-2025. These audits aim to assess how effectively these national initiatives are delivering measurable benefits to citizens and improving their lives. For the first time, the CAG has institutionalized stakeholder consultations at all stages of the audit cycle from planning to reporting, said Bajaj. 'We've made it mandatory to consult the Secretary, senior officials, academia, and civil society while finalising the Annual Audit Plan and audit reports. This inclusive process helps ensure our audits are grounded in real issues and deliver meaningful value to both institutions and citizens," Subramanian added. Also read: You're absolutely right, as the AI chatbot says Dattesh Parulekar, assistant professor of International Relations at Goa University, said, 'The CAG's digital-first and stakeholder-led approach signals a decisive shift from traditional compliance checks to dynamic, technology-enabled, performance-linked audits. If sustained, this could mark a new era in public accountability—where audit reports not only flag inefficiencies but help shape more responsive governance." Focus on training Training remains central to this revamp. The CAG has signed eight memoranda of understanding with institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, the Indian Institution of Management Ahmedabad, Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics and the National Institute of Urban Affairs to co-develop specialised curricula. 'For capacity building, we are training audit staff in AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, and public policy at top institutes, including a nationwide boot camp on AI and machine learning for audit at IIT Delhi," said Bajaj. A nine-month AI and cybersecurity diploma programme is already underway at IIT-Madras for CAG officers, with modules on environmental audit, ESG reporting, procurement, and non-cognitive skills running in parallel across various centres, said Subramanian. Also read: Bengaluru shocker: Driver runs away with employer's ₹1.5 crore, spends on family and donates at temples The CAG submits audit reports to the President or governors, which are then tabled in Parliament or state legislatures. These reports have historically played a key role in ensuring financial accountability and transparency in governance, uncovering issues from expenditure irregularities and poor scheme implementation to systemic inefficiencies. These audits have led to policy reforms, public debates, and accountability at the highest levels.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Long-term Konkani proficiency course offered once more at GU
Panaji: The Goa University will once more offer a Konkani proficiency certificate course to impart basic knowledge in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The programme for the academic year 2025-26 will have 25 seats on offer. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Any person is eligible for admission to the programme if he/she has passed Class XII or an equivalent examination from a recognised board, securing a minimum of 45% marks on aggregate, or an equivalent grade. Registration for the programme will be open up to June 15 and the course will begin from June 23. The programme will impart basic and functional knowledge of spoken and written Konkani, 'inculcate love and affection towards Konkani language among Konkani/non-Konkani speakers', to impart knowledge of Konkani culture and history through Konkani language, and to impart scientific education of the language. Students will be charged Rs 9,255 and the course will consist of four contact hours per week for Wednesday and Friday, of two hours each, in offline mode, from 5pm to 7pm. The duration of the course will be 25 hours per module, adding up to a total of 100 hours. The GU has said that 75% attendance is compulsory as per the Goa University Ordinance. Students have to apply for admissions online through the e-Samarth portal. Even as Goa witnesses a change in demography, with many from outside the state making Goa their home, Goa University introduced the year-long proficiency certificate programme in Konkani for the first time last year. The programme is the first of its kind and comes in response to increasing demand for a structured course in the language. Although organisations like the Konkani Bhasha Mandal and others have shorter courses in Konkani, the varsity's course is the first year-long one. It will be conducted fully offline and have two semesters, with two sessions every week. The course has been designed keeping in mind even people who are completely unfamiliar with the language.
