FJIPMER to open branch in Karaikal in next academic yr: CM

: The Centrally sponsored JIPMER here would open a branch in Karaikal in the 2016-17 academic year, which would start admissions for the first MBBS year course, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said here today.
He said the governing body of JIPMER had met at Delhi yesterday, where it was decided that the branch would start admitting students to first MBBS year course in Karaikal during the cnext academic year.
The government had in fact first planned to open a State government run medical college in Karaikal. But it was decided subsequently that JIPMER would open its branch there and government had placed at the disposal of JIPMER a 78 acre site for the college project in Karaikal, he said.

The CM was speaking at a 'Children's day function after distributing cash awards to students of government and private schools who had scored highest ranks in Class X and XII public exams.
Lauding the performance of government schools in the exams, he said the government was keen that there should be no vacant posts of teachers. A drive had been launched to recruit efficient teachers. Puducherry had become an education hub and very soon the literacy rate here would be 100 per cent, up from around 90 per cent now, he said.
Electricity and School Education Minister T Thiagarajan presided.

Opposition AIADMK legislator A Anbalagan was among those who felicitated the children for their performance.
Children's day could not be celebrated on November 14 in view of incessant rains.