log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 150 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Jobs-for-cash snowballing into a full-blown scandal NEARLY 100 VICTIMS, 29 FIRs, 33 ARRESTS TILL DATE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Nearly 100 victims, 29 FIRs, 33 arrests, and some cash and gold recoveries are the latest updates in a multi-crore jobsfor-cash scam that has rocked Goa for over a fortnight. With more complainants coming forward and allegations of political links emerging, Goa Police have denied any external interference asserting the investigation is unbiased. Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar also claimed that there is no need for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) as the cases are being handled effectively at the police station level. He added that senior officers are closely monitoring the cases to ensure profes- Ministers wade into jobs-for-cash politics, Opposition up in arms PANAJI: At a time when the needle of suspicion in the ongoing job-for-cash scam playing out in the State is poised in the direction of politicians in the saddle, public statements made by at least three members of the Pramod Sawant cabinet has earned them the ire of the Opposition which has been hankering for an independent judicial probe. Three ministers -- Ravi Naik, Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate and Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar -- have broken their silence over the scandal. While Monserrate has virtually endorsed the Opposition demand for an ‘independent probe’ by a retired judge, Dhavlikar has said the matter is of “grave concern”. >> See pg 5 sionalism. “We are acting against all names emerging during the investigation. Arrests are being made and the probe is being conducted in a fair and transparent manner, without any interference. Complainants are confidently approaching police stations. Cases are being promptly reg- istered,” Kumar said as senior officers held a press conference on Saturday to provide updates on the ongoing probe into the jobs-for-cash scam. DGP further stated that arrests are being made, properties seized and other investigative processes are progressing effectively. “There is no unfairness in the investigation. All facts are being thoroughly examined and accordingly, action is taken,” he added. On the demand for an SIT from certain quarters, the DGP firmly denied any such move. “The probe is progressing well under the supervision of DGP, Inspector General of Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police DIG to ensure it meets the required professional standards. At present, there is no need for an WORLD DAY OF REMEMBRANCE: ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS >> SEE PG 2 EXPOSITION: THE FINAL TOUCHES MAGAZINE MAGAZ 9 Film festival to spotlight Goan talent A legacy of cinema theatres of yesteryears Diabetes knows no age: Early signs and effective management Asking ChatGPT vs Googling: Can AI chat bots boost human creativity? 10 11 Strengthening public accountability in Goa’s recruitment process Figures paint grim picture of accident scene in Goa n One life lost every 30 hours n 7 mishaps daily VIBHA VERMA THE GOAN I PANAJI An average of one life is lost every 30 hours and seven accidents are reported daily – this is the grim picture of Goa’s accident scenario. As World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is observed today, data from the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) indicates that trauma and accident cases account for nearly 25 per cent of its daily emergency caseload, which averages around 170 cases. While Goa witnessed a 9.75 per cent decline in road accidents up to September this year, the death toll remains unchanged at 219 fatalities compared to the same period last year. This stagnation in improvement has been attributed to a shift in accident patterns with high-speed multi-vehicle collisions on highways becoming increasingly common. CRASH, BOOM, BANG High-speed and multi-vehicle collisions on rise Doctors emphasise COLS training for bystanders to save lives Four ambulances allotted for highways across Goa GMC data indicates trauma & accident cases account for nearly 25% of its daily emergency caseload Steady rise in accidents, shift from villages to highways GMC Medical Superintendent Dr Rajesh Patil revealed the alarming ‘steady rise’ in accidents and a shift from villages to highways. “There is a steady increase in accidents. About 20-25 per cent of total emergencies handled daily constitute trauma/accidents. We are seeing high-velocity, multi-vehicle collisions, particularly on highways and well-maintained roads. The shift in pattern from low-speed crashes in villages to high-speed ac- cidents on major roads has resulted in more casualties and serious injuries,” he said speaking to The Goan. Head of Forensic Medicine at South Goa District Hospital Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar echoed these concerns while also citing a rise in pedestrian fatalities caused by four-wheelers. “Helmet-less riding fatalities have decreased but deaths from bulk accidents and >Continued on P6 Shubman Gill fractures left thumb, out of Perth Test Pg8 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 SIT,” he said. Of 33 cases registered till Saturday evening, North Goa police stations registered 12 FIRs with Bicholim police station registering the highest five cases and 17 FIRs in South Goa. Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal informed the media about the arrest of 13 accused, some of whom are linked to multiple cases. In North Goa, 44 victims have been identified while in South Goa, over 50 victims have been duped. “The accused received payments both in cash and through bank transactions. We are collaborating with bank officials to trace the source and destination of these transactions. The >Continued on P6 Manipur protests escalate; mobs target houses of ministers, MLAs Govt mulls semester system for Class 11 from next year Panel proposes shift to align with NEP SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI After Class 9, the Goa Government is contemplating introducing semester pattern for Class 11, most preferably from the academic year 2025-26. Gearing up to restructure the academic term -- starting from April instead of June -- the government may, subsequently adopt a semester pattern at the secondary school education level -- Class IX to XII. The Committee for Development of Goa State Curricular Framework for School Education in their report has proposed the new shift in the education system that aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP). The report, submitted to the government, recommends transitioning to a semester-based approach for higher secondary education, which involves splitting examinations into two parts. From this academic year, NEW ERA FOR CLASS XI Like Class IX, Class XI to also have two semesters Results to be determined by scores from both semesters Exams likely to be scheduled for November & March November exams to feature multiple-choice questions while March exams will include descriptive and short-answer questions FLASHBACK: NEP was implemented for Class IX, with two semester examinations -- October and March -- for which exam papers for core subjects are set by Goa Board NEP 2020 was implemented for Class IX, with two semester examinations -- October and March -- for which the exam papers for core subjects are to be set by the Goa Board. Sources said that, like Class IX, Class XI will also have two semesters, and the results would be determined by scores from both semesters, scheduled for November and March. The November exams will feature multiple-choice questions (MCQs), while the March exams will include descriptive and short-answer questions. Sources informed that the Committee has focused on introducing National Curriculum Framework (NCF) starting with grade 9 from the ongoing academic year and subsequently covering the entire secondary stage -- Class >Continued on P6 Cruise tourism season kicks off, two ships dock at Mormugao 1 A day after the bodies of three persons out of six missing people were recovered from a Manipur river, protestors attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs, prompting the government to impose prohibitory orders in five districts. 2 Protesters ransacked the houses of three of six legislators, including that of Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s son-in-law, and set their properties on fire while security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters in different parts of Imphal, police said. 3 The bodies of two women and a child, who had been missing since Monday from a camp for the displaced, were recovered from Barak River in Jiribam on Saturday, while three other bodies, including a woman and two children, were found on Friday night. >> See pg 6 International cruise ship ‘Vasco da Gama’ docked at Mormugao Port on Saturday. THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO It appeared to be a befitting start to the cruise tourism season in the State on Saturday, when the international cruise ship ‘Vasco da Gama’ docked in the city that it shares its name. The vessel, which arrived from Mumbai, brought with it 590 passengers and 416 crew members. Following its stop at Mormugao Port, ‘Vasco Da Gama’ was scheduled to sail to Kochi port later in the day. In addition to the international cruise ship, the domestic cruise-liner Empress, carrying 1,300 passengers, also arrived at Mormugao Port on Saturday, adding to the excite- ment. MPA officials have expressed optimism about a bustling tourism season, with a total of 44 international and domestic cruises expected to call at the port in the coming months. This development is anticipated to give a significant boost to the local tourism and hospitality industry. Time to unlock e-tracking tech UK sees steep decline in Indian student numbers: Data LONDON HOME OFFICE STATISTICS for prison inmates: SC report PTI AGENCIES NEW DELHI As the prison system in India faces significant challenges, with overcrowding being a pressing issue, a recent report by the Supreme Court’s Centre for Research and Planning has called for launching pilot programmes to use electronic tracking devices for releasing undertrial prisoners (UTPs) to ease prison overcrowding. The report, titled ‘Prisons in India – Mapping Prison Manuals and Measures for Reformation and Decongestion’, was released by President Droupadi Murmu recently. “In India, to assess community readiness, a pilot run of According to the report foreign jurisdictions around the world, including in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia and other countries, have been using electronic tracking devices to ease overcrowding in prisons electronic monitoring may be done firstly on low and moderate risk UTPs having good conduct, who may be released on prison leaves like parole or furlough. Depending on the success rate of the use of technology in offender manage- ment, it may later be extended to other prisoners,” the report said. The prison statistic as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) states that on December 31, 2022, of the total capacity of 4,36,266 inmates in all jails across India, the inmate population was 5,73,220, highlighting an overburdened system with 131% occupancy rate. Additionally, 75.7% or 4,34,302 inmates are UTPs. The report said foreign jurisdictions around the world, including in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia and other countries, have been using electronic tracking devices to ease overcrowding in prisons. LONDON ndian students are being put off applying to UK universities, adding to their financial woes at a time when education institutions are already coping with constrained budgets, a new report into the stability of the higher education sector in England has revealed. Based on UK Home Office data on confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) by UK providers from 202223 to 2023-24, an Office for Students (OfS) analysis shows a 20.4 per cent drop in Indian student numbers down from 139,914 to 111,329. Indian student groups in the UK said the fall was to be expected amid limited job pros- I 20.4% drop in Indian student numbers down from 139,914 to 111,329 Indian student groups in UK say the fall was expected amid limited job prospects Safety concerns following recent anti-immigration riots also cited Data shows an 11.8% decline in total number of sponsor acceptances issued pects and also safety concerns following recent anti-immigration riots in some cities. There has been a considerable decline in student visa applications from prospective non-UK students in some to international students Largest declines reported in number of CAS issued to Indian and Nigerian major source countries, notes the report by OfS, a non-departmental public body of the government’s Department for Education. This data shows an 11.8% decline in the total number of students Universities that depend on students from India, Nigeria and Bangladesh are likely to be affected PROJECTIONS: By 2025-26, the sector could see a GBP 3,445 million income drop and a GBP 1,636 million deficit, with 72% of providers in deficit and 40% facing low liquidity sponsor acceptances issued to international students, as well as considerable variation for students with different nationalities, with the largest declines reported in the number of CAS issued to Indian and Nigerian students, down 28,585 (20.4%) and 25,897 (44.6%) respectively, it said. It warns that universities with financial models that depend heavily on students from countries such as India, Nigeria and Bangladesh are likely to be significantly affected due to this downward trend. The number of international students from certain countries that send significant numbers to study in the UK has decreased significantly, OfS cautions. By 2025-26, based on current trends and not taking into account significant mitigating action, we estimate a net income reduction for the sector of GBP 3,445 million, and, without significant mitigating actions, a sector-level deficit of minus GBP 1,636 million.
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