Tara Murali, architect and activist, passes away at 75
Tara was an alumnus of Madras University, where she pursued her bachelor's degree in architecture. She then worked for a Chennai-based architecture firm and was also the secretary of the Indian Institute of Architects.
Tara was vice president of the Palani Hills Conservation Council, which was formed in 1985 by a group of ecologists, botanists and environmentalists to work towards sustainable development.
The group petitioned the High Court of Madras against the state government's 1994 order that granted an exemption to the Pleasant Stay Hotel to construct a seven-floor building. In the legal battle, led by Tara, the PHCC obtained a stay from the Madras High Court, which also quashed the Government Order allowing the construction.
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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
CUET and centralised online admissions delay college access, leave thousands of seats vacant across India
For years, State governments and central universities have been conducting online admissions and counseling for professional courses such as Engineering, Medicine and Law. However, this process was not present for degree programs in Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Commerce, Management, Computer Applications, and similar fields, which traditionally followed an open admission system, individual university/college-level assessments or merit based cut-offs. To centralise admissions for central universities, moving away from their individual assessments based on traditional cutoffs or merit, the National Testing Agency (NTA) was assigned the task of conducting the Central University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate (UG) programs. CUET was first introduced in the academic year 2022–23, and since then, admissions to central universities have been based on CUET scores. Apart from central universities, several States, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, have introduced their own centralised online admission portals for public institutions. While these measures were intended to streamline admissions and improve the track, they have inadvertently created new barriers particularly for students from non-metropolitan areas, and further delays in admissions through delays. The experience of students in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh. Delhi shed light on this. Toll on students, setback for government colleges in Andhra Pradesh 'It is a nightmare to sit idle at home and watch my friends join college and make new friends,' says Krishna Chaitanya (name changed), an eighteen-year-old student from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, who has been waiting for his degree admission for the past three months. Chaitanya secured 45 percent in his intermediate exams, the results of which were announced in April, but his admission to a computer science stream in a private college was denied as they no longer admit students with less than 50 percent marks. The student is thus left with the option to apply through the Online Admission Module for Degree Colleges (OAMDC), an online application initiative started by the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct admissions for Government, Aided, Private Unaided, and Autonomous Degree Colleges in Andhra Pradesh from the academic year 2020–21. However, for this academic year, although the Andhra Pradesh government has issued the Government Order (45) for admissions, it has not mentioned any dates, and is yet to open the OAMDC application process to invite students to apply to both. It's already July end, and the first semester exams are generally held by December/January. Even if the Andhra Pradesh government issues notice for first phase admission, it will take at least a month to complete the admission process. So, the colleges will have only two-three months to complete the syllabus. It is ultimately the students who pay the price, says Students Federation of India (SFI) State secretary K. Prasanna Kumar. While private colleges contest the government's decision to include them alongside government institutions in the online admission process, viewing it as a check on their autonomy, government college professors argue that although the system has helped curb some exploitation by private colleges, the online admission process would have been more beneficial for government colleges if there was sufficient demand for degree courses. Out of an estimated 4,00,000 available seats, only 1,68,000 were filled in the 2024–2025 academic year, according to an official in the education department. 'Introducing an online admission system for government colleges makes little sense when seats remain vacant due to low application numbers,' said the principal of a government degree college, who added that his institution saw only 20 admissions out of 120 sanctioned seats. In Andhra Pradesh, there are no dedicated centres to facilitate the admission process. Students, especially those from rural backgrounds who may lack awareness of how to apply, or access to digital infrastructure like smartphones or laptops, end up relying on private colleges. These private institutions often submit applications on behalf of students, prioritising their own campuses by promoting better infrastructure and promises of campus placements. In the latest guidelines, the government has just authorised colleges to collect and submit applications under the OAMDC (Online Admissions Module for Degree Colleges). This would be advantageous for the private colleges, as many government colleges lack the human resources to assist students through this process, according to a representative of the Andhra Pradesh Junior and Degree Colleges Association, who wished to remain anonymous. Technicality, glitches mar admissions in West Bengal A second-year undergraduate student from a government college in West Bengal shared that he had to travel around 10 km to apply through the Centralised Admission Portal for undergraduate courses. Despite his efforts, he encountered technical glitches on the portal, and the toll-free number provided for assistance was non-functional. He added that it is especially difficult for his other friends from non-metropolitan areas who either don't own mobile phones or, even if they do, struggle to upload documents, digital signatures, and certificates due to limited digital literacy or poor device performance. The student said that although the government advises students to seek help from Bangla Sahayata Kendras (government service centres) if needed, these centres are either inaccessible or already overwhelmed with other services such as Aadhaar updates, caste certificates, municipal tax payments, and so on. Arko Sen, a second-year Master's student in English at Jadavpur University and a member of the SFI, was part of a help desk initiative that assisted students applying to Jadavpur University and other institutions. He observed that many individual college websites were unreliable and often non-functional, offering little or no additional information. 'Some colleges display the fee structure online and allow payment through the portal, but during physical verification, students are asked to pay additional amounts,' he alleged. 'I wouldn't say a large number, but a section of students are either dropping out or moving away from government colleges to other universities and institutions,' he added. In West Bengal, the State Council of Higher Education introduced a Centralised Admission Portal starting from the 2024–2025 academic session. Admission to undergraduate courses in 17 universities and 460 government and government-aided affiliated colleges and higher education institutions is now conducted through this portal. However, self-financing/private colleges, autonomous colleges, minority institutions, and colleges offering courses in Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Crafts, Dance, and Music are excluded from this centralised system. For the current academic year, the first phase of the admission process, launched on June 17, has seen multiple deadline extensions, the latest being July 30, largely due to a legal dispute involving the OBC list. The Hindu had earlier reported that 3.2 lakh students have registered on the portal so far, out of some 9 lakh available seats. While there are several reasons behind the large number of vacancies, the situation would likely have remained the same even under an offline system, said Professor Rajeshwar Sinha of Jadavpur University. He explained that the primary reason is the limited employment opportunities in the state for students graduating in these disciplines. 'This pushes students toward professional courses or encourages them to seek admission in more reputed universities or private institutions.' 'Instead of focusing solely on online admissions,' he added, 'efforts should be directed toward creating job opportunities in various government sectors that depend on these academic streams. That is the only way to improve the gross enrolment ratio in colleges. Otherwise, we will continue to see students dropping out.' CUET disrupts academic calendar In States like Delhi, admissions to colleges under Delhi University (DU) are being considered on CUET scores. Since 2022, DU has admitted students solely based on these scores, having done away with the traditional cut-off system. The university is offering 71,624 undergraduate seats across 69 colleges and departments for this academic session. Around 93,166 seat allocations have been made against these 71,624 seats across 79 undergraduate programs in the 69 affiliated colleges. The higher number of allocations is based on past admission trends, which show that candidates often change colleges and courses during subsequent allocation rounds . As per an official from the admissions office, a total of 87,335 allocations have been made in the first two rounds of admissions so far. However, ever since CUET-based admission has been considered for the DU, about 15,000 seats have gone unfilled over the past three years, says Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor at Miranda House, DU, and Secretary of the Democratic Teachers' Front. In 2022, about 5,000 seats went unfilled, the number rose to 7,000 in 2023, and in 2024, nearly 3,000 seats remained vacant despite multiple efforts to fill them, she added. Sohan Kumar Yadav, a student of Delhi University and a member of the SFI, shared that the CUET-UG process is complex and, by its nature, excludes students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The application fee itself is a barrier, students must pay a minimum of ₹800 to ₹1,000 to choose three subjects, and ₹350 to ₹400 for each additional subject. Students are allowed to choose up to five subjects from the 37 options available. Additionally, the registration fee for DU colleges is ₹250 to ₹100. 'Traditionally, Humanities and Social Sciences have served students from diverse economic backgrounds, those who could not afford professional courses or came from other States with a strong interest in these fields,' he said. 'But now, students feel pressured to take CUET coaching classes, which are based on the NCERT-CBSE syllabus and consist of objective questions. This disadvantages students from state board backgrounds and places an extra burden on those from rural, suburban, and economically weaker sections. Ultimately, only those who can afford coaching are able to secure seats.' Speaking about the vacant seats, Ms. Habib noted that delays have consistently plagued the CUET-UG process, disrupting university academic calendars and contributing to rising vacancies, even in highly sought-after central universities. 'Earlier, we never heard of vacant seats in some of the best colleges,' she said. 'Just imagine, at St. Stephen's College, one-third of the seats in the Physics department are lying vacant. In Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, another campus college, Physics seats are going unfilled.' Ms. Habib further explained, 'If admissions are only through CUET, the local population is often not applying. And students from outside don't always view these colleges as attractive enough to pursue admission, especially when faced with constant delays. If results are declared late and the admission cycle overlaps with NEET or JEE, science students face a real crisis. The pressure from families to opt for a NEET or JEE instead becomes overwhelming.' 'In earlier years, students would take admission by the end of July. They would start attending college, make friends, and could convince their families to let them pursue a passion, like Physics or Chemistry honours. But now, with delays in results and admissions, students don't get to visit the college or experience campus life. This disconnect makes it harder for them to make a case for continuing in these fields,' she added.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Elephant relocated to Gujarat facility run by Vantara from Kolhapur; devotees bid emotional adieu
People gave an emotional farewell to a 36-year-old female elephant, Mahadevi, at a mutt in Maharashtra's Kolhapur as the tusker moved to a new home, a Jamnagar-based animal welfare facility. The elephant was transferred to representatives of the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust run by Vantara, an animal welfare centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, from the Kolhapur mutt on Monday. The relocation took place after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt, challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding the decision of a High Powered Committee (HPC) to relocate the animal to the Gujarat facility. The pachyderm was given an emotional farewell by devotees of Swasthishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, a religious body, as well as residents of Nandani village under Karvir tehsil of Kolhapur late Monday evening. On July 16, the HC upheld the HPC's decision to relocate the jumbo to the Gujarat-based facility, citing an elephant's right to quality life must take precedence over humans' right to use it for religious purposes. A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale noted in their order that the mental and physical health of the elephant -- Mahadevi alias Madhuri -- suffered when it was with a Kolhapur-based trust. The court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt against December 2024 and June 2025 orders passed by the HPC to transfer the elephant to the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust. According to officials, the elephant will reach the Gujarat facility on Wednesday in an animal ambulance. A large number of villagers came to bid farewell to the elephant with whom they developed a bond over the last several years. The original transfer was ordered following a complaint lodged by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India about the animal's condition. The Kolhapur-based trust contended it owned the elephant since 1992, and its presence at religious programmes was a part of a tradition. But the High Court cited a June 2024 report about the elephant's health, diet and nutrition, social environment, hygiene and cleanliness of shelter, veterinary care and work schedule, and said they "appear to be absolutely dismal". As per the report, the elephant suffered from "decubital ulcerated wounds" on its hip joints and a few other body parts.
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
Making room for pets
A home is no longer an oasis just for people. With the number of pets in Indian households growing sharply from 26 million in 2019 to 32 million in 2024 (according to a report by consulting firm Redseer), Indian homes are now being conceptualised, designed, or retrofitted to suit the personalities of all residents — fur babies included. With Gen Z and millennials choosing to be pet parents and seeking safe homes for them, we speak to a canine behaviourist, a canine nutritionist, and architects on what it takes to meet this unique brief — whether you're designing a home, buying a finished space, or renting one. Materials matter When Bengaluru-based Manssi Vedhya Karambelkar, canine nutritionist, holistic wellness practitioner and founder of Doggiliciouus, was looking to build a forever home, she was clear about what she wanted and, equally important, what she did not. 'Her brief to us was to design a sustainable space that would be not just a home for herself and her two pet dogs but also an office and production unit, with both areas to be well separated from each other. The physical and emotional needs of her pets – both rescues with anxiety issues – and the ease of maintenance were to be considered in every aspect of the design process,' says Rosie Paul, principal architect and co-founder at Masons Ink. Her team worked on the Brick Loft – a multi-storey home dreamed in brick, with large French windows, tall ceilings and repurposed heritage doors. The focus was firmly on choosing textured, natural and non-toxic materials, from construction to décor. Karambelkar adds, 'For my dogs, mud flooring is the most appropriate, but it's only possible to accommodate this if you're building a house, not moving into one. We also chose raw Kota stone and local, unpolished black Kadappa stone that offers texture for the dogs' footpads.' In terms of materiality, less is more, opines Mitali Salvi, a Mumbai-based canine behaviour therapist and trainer, who votes for simple solutions, especially for apartments. 'I suggest using thick gym mats or interlocking tiles over smooth marble flooring or glossy vitrified tiles. Ensuring your animals are groomed with short nails/claws is important, or else any discomfort with the flooring can affect their stance, and that leads to joint issues later on.' Salvi's quick tip for upholstery choices – use shades that match your animals' coats; that way when they shed and they will, it doesn't offer as much of a contrast. A thorough cleaning every day is also non-negotiable, she said. Safety is paramount Pet parents must be mindful when decorating, choosing sturdy rugs, and making accessible areas for the comfort of their pets. Chennai-based Sripriya Ganesan, architect, co-founder of Studio Neon Attic and proud mother of toy poodle Ralph, adds, 'Low pile, natural fibre rugs, fashioned from hemp, jute or even old Indian dhurries, are ideal. In terms of feeding and cleaning, create pullout drawers for the food and water bowls in the kitchen and make sure they are out of sight but within reach whenever hunger strikes. A shower faucet in the utility area is great for a quick rinse after your pet has been outdoors.' While not every home has a garden, pets still need to relieve themselves, and having a small emergency toilet area indoors works wonders if the dog does not get a walk outdoors, says Ganesan. 'Adding a strip of artificial turf on the balcony for your small breed dogs and having a well-ventilated space for the kitty litter is important. Make sure the balconies are safe as well. An invisible mesh is great to ensure animals don't fit in between vertical bars or try to jump.' The same safety concerns apply to stairwells and railings, where mesh or tightly wound ropes can keep smaller dogs from falling through. Safety or structural glass for external surfaces is recommended as well. 'Another concern is exposed wiring, especially if you have a curious puppy. It's best to keep them sheathed in pet-proof protector cords, easily available online,' says Salvi. Carefully considering furniture, paint and plant choices is crucial to creating an aesthetic and safe space for a mixed-species home. 'Like you would plan a nursery, organise your house with your pet's schedule and personality. Place a leash holder near the door, offer scratching surfaces for your cat and don't forget to create cozy nooks where they can hang out with you. For your sofas, choose natural fabric over PU-finished products, and while picking paint, make sure it has a low VOC score (volatile organic compound),' Ganesan said. Plants like aloe vera, lilies and pothos can be toxic to dogs, so it's best to check with a veterinarian before picking foliage, though Manssi assures, 'If your dogs are well fed and cared for, they won't go around any toxic plants.' Finally, whether adopting a pet or retrofitting a house, the important checklist for any interior designer or architect is always 'Accommodating the aesthetic sensibility, ease of maintenance and the comfort of both the human as well as the furry occupants of the home, at every stage and while choosing every detail,' Paul concludes. The freelance writer is based in Chennai.
