World
Oxford faces trial over Indian-origin student’s lawsuit
London: In a landmark ruling, the UK Supreme Court has ordered Oxford University to stand trial after an Indian-origin student filed a 1 million pound ($1,245,100) compensation claim saying “appalling bad and boring tuition” in the varsity resulted in him getting a second class degree, a newspaper here reported.Faiz Siddiqui, a modern history graduate, says he would have enjoyed a career as a top international commercial lawyer had he not been held back for obtaining a 2:1 grade when graduating in June 2000, reported the Daily Mail on Sunday.
He later trained as a solicitor, but says his life and career have been blighted by his failure to obtain a first class degree while at the university’s Brasenose College.The 38-year-old is suing Oxford University saying the tuition he received was “negligent”, especially on a specialist subject course on Indian imperial history during his final year.The university then applied to the high court to strike out the claim branding it “hopelessly bad” and “time barred’.But in a newly-released 18-page judgement, Justice Brian Francis Kerr ruled that the university has a case to answer and that a trial should take “as soon as possible.”And if Siddiqui’s case is successful, it could pave the way for thousands of other students to launch similar claims about universities up and down the country, with many of them charging large amount of money in tuition fees.
Professor Alan Smithers, education expert at Buckingham University said: “In the past, universities have been quite cavalier about the quality of their teaching. If Siddiqui wins, it will open the door to other students who do not think they got the degree they deserved because of issues about the teaching they received.At a previous hearing, the university admitted that it had “difficulties” teaching Asian history in the year Siddiqui graduated, because more than half of the faculty teaching staff were on sabbatical leave at the same time.Siddiqui said the standard of tuition he received suffered as a result of the “intolerable” pressure the “eminent historian” was under.As a result of which, Siddiqui said he “underachieved significantly”, causing his overall course grade to bomb.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.