Latest news with #Pugalendhi
Time of India
15-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
TN unveils action to improve learning outcomes in schools
Chennai: Headmasters and teachers of govt and aided schools will soon need to change their teaching strategies, with the govt releasing school and student-wise results of the State-level Achievement Survey (SLAS) 2025. Held under the guidance of the state planning commission (SPC) for students of Classes III, V, and VIII in 2025, school, student and district-wise results have been shared with the respective block, chief, and district education officers. According to the SPC findings, students of govt and govt-aided schools in Chennai and its suburbs have fared poorly in reading, comprehension, and mathematics compared to the rest of the state. In a release, the govt has asked authorities to ensure that schools improve their performance. "CEOs and DEOs should conduct inspections three days a week and hold meetings with the HMs. BEOs must visit schools under their jurisdiction four days a week," the circular read. "We drafted an action plan and are looking to intensify efforts to train teachers in collaboration with district institutes of industrial training. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Akron: Here's The Average Price of a 6-Hour Gutter Upgrade Read More Undo Teachers will be encouraged to alter their methods to help students connect with the subject. Moreover, efforts will be made to clamp down on absenteeism in schools." Chennai CEO A Pugalendhi told TOI. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Asked why Chennai's average was less than the state's in all subjects surveyed for all the classes, Pugalendhi added: "With the expansion of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), several other govt and aided schools from outer areas were brought under our purview. It will take some time to train the students and make them fall in love with the subjects" In some other districts, a meeting will be held this week comprising CEOs, BEOs, and HMs of low-performing schools. "The role of every individual authority will be discussed, and steps will be taken to ensure they are implemented. Efforts will be made to ensure the focus is on each school and every low-performing student…," says Tamizhselvi, DIET principal, Kancheepuram.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Time of India
HC directs strict adherence to NDPS pre-trial disposal rules across TN
Madurai: Madras high court has directed all investigating officers, prosecuting agencies, and special courts handling NDPS cases across the state to strictly comply with the procedures under Section 52A of the NDPS Act and the NDPS (Seizure, Storage, Sampling and Disposal) Rules, 2022, for pre-trial disposal of materials and vehicles seized. Justice B Pugalendhi directed that priority must be accorded to pre-trial disposal wherever permissible. Disposal shall be treated as an integral part of case processing, and not as a postscript. Special courts shall actively monitor compliance, and drug disposal committees shall expeditiously process referred properties to prevent administrative delay and loss of evidentiary integrity. The home secretary and registrar general of the Madras high court are expected to issue a comprehensive circular in this regard. The court passed the order while hearing an appeal by R Manimaran (appellant). The Trichy district NIB-CID officials seized a truck in connection with a case registered for an offence under the NDPS Act in 2021 and produced the same as material evidence in the trial. The trial culminated in a judgment of acquittal in 2023. Thereafter, the appellant submitted an application before the trial court claiming ownership of the truck and seeking its return. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You To Read in 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo However, the trial court dismissed his application. Challenging the order, the appellant preferred the present appeal. Justice Pugalendhi observed that the court finds that the appellant's conduct raises legitimate concerns. as the appellant surfaced with a claim for release only after the judgment of acquittal. The timing appears to be calculated. Equally glaring is the failure of the investigating officer to initiate pre-trial disposal proceedings under Section 52A of the NDPS Act. "Right to property is no longer a fundamental right but a constitutional right guaranteed under Article 300-A of the Constitution. However, it has to be exercised in conformity with constitutional mandates and subject to law. Therefore, the petitioner's plea for the return of the vehicle under a mere assertion of ownership, without addressing the statutory bar and the procedural mechanism under Section 52-A and the 2022 Rules, cannot be accepted," observed justice Pugalendhi. In the present case, since the investigating officer has already moved the trial court for permission to refer the vehicle to the drug disposal committee, the trial court shall dispose of the application expeditiously and take steps for referral of the vehicle to the drug disposal committee as per NDPS Rules, the judge directed and disposed of the petition.
Hans India
04-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
TN launches daily practice sessions for Class 10, Class 12 students in low performing schools
To improve pass percentages in Class 10 and 12 public examinations, the Tamil Nadu School Education Department has rolled out a new initiative to provide daily practice questions to students in government schools across Chennai. As part of the plan, students will be given one-mark and two-mark questions every day to help reinforce subject knowledge and develop exam readiness. Senior education department officials said a panel of top educators will prepare the questions, which will be distributed to schools for daily sessions. 'Headmasters and assistant headmasters have been tasked with ensuring that students engage with these practice questions regularly. The goal is to develop consistent study habits and improve familiarity with the syllabus,' said a senior official from the department. To complement this effort, monthly assessments will be conducted to identify 'slow learners'. Those students will then receive focused remedial training to help close learning gaps. In addition, the department will pay special attention to schools that recorded lower pass percentages in the most recent board exams. 'A block-wise analysis will be carried out to identify underperforming schools,' said Pugalendhi, a senior official involved in the initiative. 'Headmasters and assistant headmasters of such schools will receive counselling and guidance on how to improve student outcomes. These measures will be implemented with urgency over the next two to four months,' he said. The intervention follows disappointing performances by Chennai's government schools in this year's board results. The city ranked 37th in the SSLC (Class 10) examinations with a pass percentage of 82.84, and 35th in the Higher Secondary (Class XII) results with 87.86. However, the initiative has drawn criticism from educationists who warn against a purely marks-driven strategy. Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System, said the approach mimics the private school model without addressing deeper educational needs. 'Prioritising marks over meaningful learning sends the wrong message,' he said. 'Students should be encouraged to understand the purpose of education. Once that is achieved, improved results will naturally follow. The focus should first be on strengthening infrastructure and ensuring government schools offer facilities on par with private institutions,' he said. Despite the criticism, the government plans to aggressively pursue the strategy in the coming months to bridge academic gaps and raise overall learning standards in state-run schools.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Daily mock tests to prepare Class X, XII GCC students
Chennai: To increase the pass percentage of Class X and XII students in govt schools across the city, officials have decided to offer them one-mark and two-mark questions for practice every day. "An executive meeting, involving top authorities will prepare questions and circulate it to schools. Headmasters and assistant headmasters have been tasked with ensuring students go through these questions on a daily basis. The move is intended to get students accustomed to the syllabus and learning on a daily basis," chief education officer A Pugalendhi told TOI. Assessment exams will be conducted monthly for students to identify "slow learners," who will then be offered special training. Steps have also been taken to focus on schools that recorded a lower pass percentage in this year Class X and XII results. "A block-level analysis will be done, and schools will be identified. Headmasters and assistant headmasters of such schools will be provided counselling and tips on dealing with students, ensuring that they pass," Pugalendhi said, adding that these steps would be vigorously pursued in the next two to four months to ensure strict adherence. State Platform for Common School System general secretary and educationist Prince Gajendra Babu, however, contends that a mark-based approach towards education will set a bad precedent. "This approach is akin to the one followed by private schools. The right approach will be to make students realize the importance of education. That, in turn, will automatically reflect in the pass percentage. Besides, govt schools must first offer facilities to students on a par with private schools. That must be the primary focus, instead of striving for a 100% pass rate," he said. In this year's SSLC (Class X) and Higher Secondary (Class XII) results, in terms of district-wise performance of govt schools, Chennai ranked 37 with a pass percentage of 82.84 and 35 with a pass percentage of 87.86, respectively.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Amend TNPID Act, allow IOs attach properties in financial fraud cases: Madras High Court
MADURAI: Observing that District Revenue Officers (DROs), who are authorised to file attachment applications, are overburdened resulting in delay in attaching and selling properties of accused persons in financial fraud cases, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has directed the state government to take steps to amend the relevant provisions of the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors (TNPID) Act, 1997, delegating the power to investigating officers. Justice B Pugalendhi gave the direction while hearing a batch of petitions filed by some of the victims in a case registered by Economic Offences Wing, Madurai, against Apsal India Pvt Ltd and its sister concerns, which allegedly lured depositors promising high returns but cheated them. The petitioners alleged delay in the investigation and sought to speed up the same or transfer the probe to some other agency. The judge pointed out that in cases of the above nature, if the government is satisfied that a financial establishment is not likely to return the deposits, the designated officers under TNPID Act, namely the DROs, can pass an interim order of attachment attaching the money or other properties of such financial establishments and later file an application before the Special Court within 30 days to make the attachment order absolute. They can also seek a direction to sell the attached properties through public auction so that the amount could be returned to the victims. However, since DROs are already overburdened with other works, there is a delay in filing attachment applications, the judge noted and gave the above direction to enable the investigating officers to file the applications directly. Justice Pugalendhi further recalled that in 2020, the court had appointed a committee under a retired HC judge to ensure the deposits are returned to the victims. But the chairman of the committee recused himself from the post in 2023 citing non-cooperation by the company. While explaining the delay in investigation, the investigation officer (IO) contended that based on the court's direction, EOW had been only assisting the committee all these years and after the chairperson's recusal, they have sought a clarification from the court on further course of action. Rejecting this as a lame excuse, Justice Pugalendhi observed that the appointment of committee did not preclude the IO from investigating the case. Since the accused persons had obtained bail and anticipatory bail by undertaking to co-operate with the committee and later failed to do so, the judge advised the IO to move necessary applications to cancel their bail. Further noting that the case has been pending since 2017, the judge directed the IO to expedite the probe and file final report, preferably within six months.
