Only 6% of doctors held for sex-selection practices convicted

NEW DELHI: Only around 6% of cases filed against doctors involved in sex-selection practices in the 17 states, which have the most skewed sex ratio, have ended up in convictions till date. 

According to Union health ministry's latest data — prepared for a crucial meeting of health secretaries of the 17 states on Wednesday — a total of 805 cases have been filed in court against doctors till March 31, ever since the revised Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act ( PC and PNDT Act) came into force. Only 55 convictions have been recorded since then. 

The rest of the cases are either in progress or dropped for "poor investigation and insufficient evidence against the accused". Convictions were highest in Haryana (23), followed by Punjab (22), Gujarat (4), Maharashtra (3), Delhi (2) and Chandigarh (1). Interestingly, the highest number of cases against doctors was filed in Rajasthan (161), but none has resulted in conviction. 

Maharashtra filed 139 cases, Punjab (112), Gujarat (82), Madhya Pradesh (70), Delhi (61), Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (54), Andhra Pradesh (19), Bihar (10), Uttaranchal (9), Chhattisgarh (5), Jharkhand (3) and Chandigarh (2). 

Gujarat leads the pack in sealing of ultrasound machines (168), followed by Haryana (133). While, Maharashtra sealed 82 machines, Rajasthan (76), Orissa (68), Delhi (48), Punjab (26), UP (37), Jharkhand (13) and Andhra Pradesh (12). 

"On Wednesday, the meeting will emphasize on following up on court cases, building a strong case for prosecution and putting in place the mechanism for legal assistance and engaging with state legal services authorities apart from training workshops for judiciary and public prosecutors," an official said. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Only-6-of-doctors-held-for-sex-selection-practices-convicted/articleshow/8032214.cms

Union health ministry Ghulam Nabi Azad has been very proactive in rectifying the nation's shameful sex ratio. 

An official added, "India's conviction rates are shockingly low. That's because doctors who carry out the search and seizure operations aren't good with filing legal cases and presenting a full-proof investigation. Hence, violators go scot free." 

On Wednesday, these 17 states will be told by the Union health ministry to identify and map their worst-affected districts, blocks and even localities. 

Once identified, vigilance will be heightened in these places on doctors and clinics to "nab those involved in sex selection" in clinics or by use of portable ultrasound machines. 

In the meeting — the first since the provisional Census figures were released — the states will also be told to register every ultrasound clinic and machine (portable or stationary) being used as per the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC and PNDT Act). Violation of any provision in this Act will entail a three-year jail term and Rs 50,000 fine. 

"States will be told to approach ultrasound manufacturers as per the Act to identify how many machines have been sold and to whom," sources told TOI. 

Pressure will also be intensified on states to get every ultrasound clinic to fill up Form F. According to the Act, every radiologist is required to fill Form F before conducting an ultrasound on a would-be mother. The form has important questions, including the reason for conducting sonography along with details of the patient and the doctor. 

Clinics that carry our prenatal selection and selective abortion leave most of the details incomplete, deliberately skipping sections mentioning the doctor's name, signature, the patient's address, age of the fetus and record of the would-be mother's previous children. 

"A careful examination of the form — which doctor referred the patient and why, if the ground for an ultra sound test is vague and if it is self referred instead of a doctor — will tell us who is involved in sex determination," an official added. 

States will also be told to improve or put in place inter-state, and more importantly inter-border coordination for regulating ultrasound clinics in border districts. 

As per the agenda of the meeting, the states will be told to dedicate a PNDT cell in the state, follow up on court cases, set up of a state supervisory board, which will meet once every four months, notify a multi-member state appropriate authority and take action in case of default. 

At the district level, some states have given the district collector supreme power, search and seize illegal and unregistered ultra sound machines while other states have put the chief medical officer in charge. Workshops to sensitize judiciary, public prosecutors and advisory committees will also be held. 

A ministry official said, "The latest Census figures show that the female girl child is still a curse and unwanted. Their number has fallen to an all-time low since Independence. The sex ratio for 2011 stands at 914 girls — down from 927 girls for 1,000 boys in 2001."

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Only-6-of-doctors-held-for-sex-selection-practices-convicted/articleshow/8032214.cms

Primary school intake drops, UP prime culprit?

NEW DELHI: The mysterious decline in enrolment of more than 10 lakh children in class I to V in Uttar Pradesh alone over a year has pulled down India's primary admission by over nine lakh in 2009-10 as compared to 2008-09.

However, there has been an increase in enrolment of Muslim children both at primary (class I-V) level at 13.48% in 2009-10 from 11.03% in 2008-09, and upper primary (class VI-VIII) level 11.89% in 2009-10 from 9.13% in 2008-09.

Karnataka has shown a big improvement from 14.67% in 2008-09 to 35.52% in 2009-10. Muslim girls form nearly 50% of the community's enrolment at both primary/upper primary level. Enrolment of children belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class has seen a marginal decline.

There has been improvement in percentage of schools with computers — Kerala, Punjab, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Delhi schools have computer coverage ranging between 85% and 100%. Bihar brought out the rear. The state has only 2.5% schools with computers. Mid-day meal is being provided in 87.45% schools. Karnataka fared poorly on this count, where the coverage extended to only 45.87% schools.

The exhaustive statistics on primary/upper primary education by National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) — to be released on February 1 — says in 2009-10, 13.34 crore children were in class I-V. In 2008-09, the corresponding figure was 13.43 crore.

While Uttar Pradesh made the maximum contribution, marginal decline was noticed in Uttarakhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and a few other states. While maintaining that decline in UP is a cause for concern, experts in NUEPA attribute the marginal decline to stabilization in enrolment at primary level, but point to parallel increase in upper primary (VI-VIII) admissions. "Enrolment at primary level has almost become constant nationally at 1.34/1.33 crore, but at upper primary it will go on increasing," said Arun Mehta of NUEPA.

In 2009-10, enrolment in upper primary was 5.44 crore — an increase of 11 lakh — as compared to 5.33 crore in 2008-09. Enrolment in government and private management schools stood at 69.51% and 30.42%, respectively.

Bihar and Lakshwadeep have almost 100% enrolment in government schools. But private schools (aided by government as well as unaided) dominate in Goa, Kerala, Puducherry, Meghalaya and other states. Percentage of private share to total schools was 19.49%.

Between 2002-03 and 2009-10, the government added 1.32 lakh primary and 58,720 upper primary schools. More than 40% primary schools have pupil-teacher ratio of more than 30:1 and 33.17% upper primary schools have pupil-teacher ratio of more than 35:1. Survey also showed that 14 days were lost on account of teachers being asked to perform non-teaching jobs.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Primary-school-intake-drops-UP-prime-culprit/articleshow/7368964.cms