NRIs demands to ease norms for MBBS seats: NRI Sabha Canada

Edmonton - After denied admission in the MBBS course in Punjab, many NRI students have approached the Medical Education and Research Dep...

Ease norms for MBBS seats, demand NRIs

Edmonton - After denied admission in the MBBS course in Punjab, many NRI students have approached the Medical Education and Research Department, seeking abolition of new rules under the All-India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMET) on July 6.
Earlier, all NRI quota seats in medical colleges of Punjab were filled on the basis of marks obtained by the candidates in exams equivalent to Class XII of the PSEB or CBSE. Under the new rules, it is mandatory for every candidate to appear in the AIPMET and get a minimum 50 per cent marks to be eligible for MBBS and BDS courses.
The seven state medical colleges have 72 NRI quota seats, but the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) could find only two eligible candidates.
A number of other applications were rejected as the candidates had scored less than 50 per cent marks in AIPMET. Several others did not even appear in the AIPMET.
In their representation to Minister, Medical Education and Research Department, Punjab, the NRI students said they had passed their qualifying examination (equivalent to Class XII) from the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other countries. They maintained that they had different curriculum than the one taught in India, so they had no exposure to the Indian examination system.
Dyal Sharma, father of Akanksha Sharma, an NRI student, said: "Since the academic period in India and in several foreign countries is different, it is not practical for NRI students to travel to India and appear in the AIPMET."

NRI Sabha, Canada urged Punjab Govt. that these conditions must be relaxed else all NRI seats will remain vacant in the state, the students said in their representation.

Charges against US Sikh dropped

New York - A US court here has dismissed criminal charges against a Sikh for carrying a kirpan to a city airport. The New York City Port Authority Police Department had in May issued criminal summons to Maninder Singh for carrying two kirpans through security checkpoint at the John F Kennedy International airport here.

The summons had charged Singh with violating city federal rules, which prohibit carrying of knives with blade lengths of four inches or more. Singh had faced a USD 300 fine as well as imprisonment of up to 15 days.
The Queens Criminal Court dismissed the criminal summons after rights group Sikh Coalition’s staff attorney Gurjot Kaur represented Singh during a hearing where Kaur explained the religious significance of Singh’s kirpans and the peaceful nature of his religious practice, the Sikh Coalition said in a statement.
Kaur also argued that the law in question provided many secular and recreational exemptions, including exemptions for individuals who carry knives for fishing, hunting and camping purposes and for members of the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts. She said the law should provide an exemption to Sikhs who carry kirpans as part of their First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion.

She cited a similar case in 1987 where the court had dismissed all criminal kirpan charges against the Sikh defendant. 

Two Jalandhar boys feared drowned in Italy

The NRI Post - Largest NRI News Portal: 2 Jalandhar boys feared drowned in Italy: Jalandhar, August 23 Two Punjabi boys, Ravinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh from village Sanora in Jalandhar, are reported to have died after...