Medical students will have to do more than complete a five-and-a-half-year-long medical course to use the ‘doctor’ title. The draft Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2016, unveiled by the Union health ministry on Thursday, said they will have to pass the National Exit Test (NEXT). The test is expected to create a level-playing field in medical education, increasingly becoming privatized. A central government official said NEXT would improve the quality of medical education in the country and help benchmark students. “It will substitute three tests, including NEET for postgraduate admissions,…
Read MoreYear: 2016
PDP, BJP not on same page over petition challenging Article 370
Saffron party reluctant to contest the public interest litigation filed in Delhi High Court Even as the state Law Department has announced that it will fight the petition filed in the Delhi High Court challenging Article 370, the BJP, which is part of the coalition regime, has expressed ignorance about any such decision taken by the government. “I am not aware of any such decision by the government to fight the petition in the Delhi High Court,” said Minister of State for Law Ajay Nanda, who belongs to the BJP.…
Read MoreRevealed; J&K Govt gave citizen certificates to over 700 Pakistan refugees after Center Directive
While 784 ‘domicile certificates’ were issued to West Pakistan Refugees (WRPs) till 2012, the State government ordered revenue officials to ensure no WRP was “harassed” in providing category certificates like SC (Schedule Caste), ALC (actual line of Control) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), according to documents accessed by the news agency GNS. The Union Home Ministry’s Joint Secretary (J&K), Gyanesh Kumar, on 20 September 2016 wrote a letter to state’s Chief Secretary, B R Sharma, for “necessary directions” to the field level officers in this regard. “This is in continuation…
Read MoreKashmir up in arms against ‘Domicile’ Certificates to West Pakistan Refugees
15 injured in clashes in several areas after Friday prayers At least 15 youth sustained injuries in forces’ action as massive clashes broke out across Kashmir after Friday congregational prayers against issuance of “domicile” certificates to non-state subject West Pakistan Refugees, even as a complete shutdown was observed across the Valley over the contentious issue. The call for shutdown was given by Valley’s joint resistance leadership. Shops and commercial establishments remained closed while very thin public transport was seen on roads. In Srinagar, the situation turned ugly at Batamaloo area…
Read MoreMinus the snow, New Year festivity minimal this time
Even as Kashmir is going through a prolonged dry spell with life limping back to the usual after the summer unrest, there will be no major New Year celebrations in the Valley. New Year revellers along with tourists usually celebrate the occasion at Gulmarg but the North Kashmir ski resort is awaiting snowfall. A few high-end hotels will be holding low-profile private parties and events on New Year’s Eve but most of the other hotels have decided to give the celebrations a miss. “There will be no New Year gala…
Read More2016 – The year of Bloodbath, and ‘Challenge’ for forces
An “all-time increase” in militancy-related incidents, alleged ceasefire violations, deaths of forces personnel and nearly 100 civilian killings by forces during the five-month-long uprising, is what 2016 would be remembered for. The year, however, threw up a major challenge for various security agencies operating J&K, according to officials. Official figures with Kashmir Post suggest that since January 1 this year, 305 militancy-related incidents were registered. According to these, there were 170 militancy-related incidents in 2013 which increased to 222 in 2014. The figures saw a slight dip in 2015 but…
Read MorePellet victims left to fend for themselves
Costly treatment pushes affected families to penury Eviction of volunteers from SMHS hospital deprived patients of valuable assistance On July 9 when the protests against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani spread far and wide and casualties started pouring in, various volunteer groups set up stalls at SMHS hospital to help the injured civilians and their attendants. Since the eviction of the volunteers from the hospital compound, the pellet victims have been left to fend for themselves. At a time when the authorities failed to provide assistance in…
Read MoreShutdown, Protests over West Pakistan refugees, Resistance extends protest program till Jan 15
Protests were held at different places after Friday prayers in Kashmir, leading to clashes between protesters and the police while normal life was paralysed across the Valley today on the separatists’ bandh call against identity certificates to West Pakistan refugees (WPRs). Protests that sparked clashes between the protesters and the police took place after the congregational Friday prayers in the Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar, where the Jamia Masjid is located. Youths agitating against the grant of identity certificates to WPRs indulged in stone-throwing on the police and CRPF men…
Read MoreResistance Group enforce bandh across Kashmir Valley, Clashes erupt in Sopore after Friday Prayers
Normal life was affected in Kashmir Valley on Friday due to a strike called by separatists against the issuance of identity certificates to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs). Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments in Srinagar – the summer capital of the state – were shut, while public transport was minimal, officials said. They said there were very few street vendors visible in the city today due to the strike. Reports of shutdown were also received from most of the other district headquarters of the Valley, the…
Read MoreJK Govt to fight petition in Delhi HC challenging Article 370
The PDP-BJP coalition government has decided to fight a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging non-applicability of any constitution amendment in the region under Article 370 of Indian Constitution. The Law department officials told Kashmir Post that they would examine the case and file writ petition against the PIL filed in Delhi High Court challenging the non-applicability of any constitution amendment in Jammu and Kashmir without a Presidential order under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. “We have to thoroughly examine the petition filed in Delhi High Court so that we…
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