Dharmendra Pradhan is BJP’s poll in charge for Karnataka, ex-cop Annamalai is co-in charge

Bengaluru, Mar 10: The Karnataka High Court has quashed the circular issued by the state government changing the method of assessment for class 5 and 8 students for the academic year 2022-23.

Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur said that the circular issued in this regard is not in consonance with section 38 (4) of the RTE Act which states that every rule or notification shall be placed before the state legislature as soon as possible.

The court also said that the order does not stop the state government from implementing the new method of assessment in accordance with the provisions under RTE Act. 

The petitioners had challenged the decision to conduct state level ‘board exams’ instead of school-level assessment. The petitions filed by the Organization for Unaided Recognized Schools, Registered Unaided Private Schools' Management Association and others had challenged the December 12, 2022 circular issued by the state government.

The petitioners claimed that the decision to change the assessment has come at a time when the students were preparing for their final examinations. They claimed the introduction of board exams would adversely affect the interest of both the students as well as the teachers.

Udupi, Mar 12: Two elderly women from Udupi district passed away at the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia during their Umrah pilgrimage. 

The deceased are Mariyamma and Khatijamma, both in their late sixties. They were residents of Kota in Brahmavara taluk of Udupi. 

The two women, said to be relatives, were part of nearly three dozen pilgrims that had undertaken pilgrimage through a Mangaluru based agency. They had started journey on March 1.

It is learnt that Mariyamma died of heart attack on March 9 in Makkah when the group was gearing up to head to Madeenah after completing Umrah rituals. Khatijamma, who had fallen sick, passed away a couple of days later, i.e. on March 11. 

The last rites of both the women were held in Makkah. 

Mangaluru, Mar 13: The Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), the second busiest airport in Karnataka, handled 2,00,527 national and 92,290 foreign travellers in the first two months of the calendar year.

The MIA had handled 1,38,510 domestic and 56,506 international passengers in the corresponding two months of the previous calendar year, thus effectively ensuring that MIA handled 97,801 more passengers in the first two months of this calendar year, a release from the Adani-run MIA said here Sunday.

With more routes and airports opening, the development of airports has improved increasing the country’s investment opportunities while simultaneously increasing job prospects, the release said.

All seven Adani airports saw an increase of 92 per cent in domestic and 133 per cent in international travellers. There has been a rise in the number of domestic flights by 58 per cent and international flights by 61 per cent.

The air traffic jumped by around 100 per cent compared to the previous year, taking the number to pre-pandemic levels with more than 14.25 million passengers using these airports during the last year.

This upward trend is expected to continue and it is anticipated that the number of trips people will take in a year will increase. One of the factors driving this growth is the restart of tourism after the pandemic.

Being the second busiest airport in the country, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) recorded nearly 8.44 million passenger movements in January-February this year. CSMIA witnessed nearly 2.22 million international and 6.22 million domestic passengers.

The first two months also saw a huge rush at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in Ahmedabad. It had 1.74 million domestic passengers flying in and out of the airport. Its international traffic recorded 2,83,379 travellers.

Jaipur is the 11th busiest airport in the country. Jaipur International Airport (JIAL) recorded nearly 0.95 million passenger movements. JIAL experienced significant growth, with nearly 69,300 international passengers and around 0.88 million domestic passengers.

Being the busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) recorded nearly 1.04 million passenger movements in both months. CCSIA witnessed a fruitful first two months with nearly 1,36,880 international and around 9.03 lakh domestic passengers.

Considered the gateway to Northeast India, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport has flights to and from 32 domestic and two international destinations. It recorded a footfall of 9,02,694 passengers, witnessing a sharp increase from the corresponding months last year.

Thiruvananthapuram recorded 2,99,850 and 2,99,770 domestic and international footfalls. The airport has connectivity to ten domestic and 12 international airports.

The growth in traffic is proof of Adani Airports’ attempts to promote passenger confidence through initiatives like e-gates, barcode scanners, friendly and cooperative ground staff, Pranam Service, free Wi-Fi, retail and F and B stores and automated parking systems.

The rise in passenger traffic was driven by positive sentiments among air travellers and a strong surge due to the festive holiday season, the release said.