We attend first Senate Meeting

Senate Meeting was attended by RAS and AAS along with me.

• Whereever felt we shared our comments.
• In the reporting of MoMs of Prize Distributin Committee one point was missing. I had suggested constituting some kind of award/prize for MS students as there is no provision at present. It was well received and committee had decided to recommend it to Senate. I brought this omission to Senate's notice. The Director and DoAR replied saying such awards can be thought of. I take it as a verbal commitment.
• There has been increases in various fees in the proposal of a committee constitued for revision of fees. One of them happens to be the advance payment of Rs 8000 per semister as dining charges. This decision falls inline with some other IITs. I have expressed our difficulty in this onetime payment as the notice period for the payment, most likely beginning of new semister, is too small. I have mentioned in my speach that one time payment is going to be a big problem to all of us including myself. Director has assured that individual cases will certainly be given due consideration.
• The same committe has proposed fees hike to Rs 500 from existing Rs 100 for making duplicate ID card. DoS has clarified that as Smart Cards will be introduced this fees has to be increased and the proposed amount is the cost of the card. This is quite reasonable explaination.

Still there remain a few things to be addressed. One of them is the lab contingency fees. It is increased to Rs 2500 per semister. This fee is renamed to the fees for internet and computational facilities.

New Insurance Plan for Students with Less Annual Premium

During the negotiations with the insurance company the following changes in the exsting plan were finalised.

• The annual premium will reduce to Rs 528. Previously it was Rs 541. The excess amount collected through fees of next semister will be adjusted with next semister fees.
• Insurance coverage of Rs 3,00,000 to the student in case of loss of earning parents.
• Provision of special contingency of Rs 30,00,000 in case of illness of student with a limit of Rs 1,25,000.
• Upper limit of Rs 25,000 in case of hospitalization of student in place of Rs 35,000. This decision was taken in the lieu of the statistics of insurance claims submitted last year which shows most cases were below Rs 25,000. If the cost of hospitalization and treatment increases above this limit the special contingency fund mentined earlier will take care of the additional expenses. This single has reduced the annual premium significantly.

The accident coverage under RAK remains unaltered.

Director visits Sarayu and Sharavati

I met DoS in the morning. He explained his proposal for about the Sarayu where he suggests to divide the building in two by mere partitining. Girl will stay in the front portion and the boys will stay in the rear portion. A proper access path will be built for the rear portion. Rest Sarayu boys will be shifted to new block (3 floors will be ready by monthend). This arrangement will exist for one month and then rest of the boys will be shifted to new block where work for rest blocks will be over by that time and Sarayu will become another girls' residence. Director visited Sarayu with DoS, Wardens, Registrar and Chairman Engg Unit. I too was present there. After some inspection he approved DoS's proposal.

During the visit to Sarayu, it was found that the toilets were smelling. The contractor was called and asked about the reason. He has informed that he is not supplied with the cleaning material. This material supply is done by Council of Warden Office. From that I suggested, though lighheartedly, that we should arrange visit of Director to every hostel once in a while. Whithout delay of a second the Director graciously accepted and proposed to have it once in a month to each hostel. I appreciated him and thanked him.