log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY APRIL 29, 2026 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 311 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 2 Goa University gives priority to non-Goans for integrated prog Tar balls come back to haunt Cavelossim–Mobor shoreline GOA INFO Mango, cashew orchards in Sattari suffer rain damage Rapid recovery: How to replenish electrolytes quickly 35 SEATS ALLOCATED TO APPLICANTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, JUST 15 RESERVED FOR GOAN STUDENTS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a move likely to spark debate over access to higher education for local students, Goa University has allocated more than double the number of seats to non-Goan applicants than to Goan students in its five-year integrated programmes for 2026-27, raising questions over priority in the sole State-run varsity. As per the university’s admission notification issued on Tuesday, each integrated programme offers 15 seats for candidates who have passed Class XII from Goa, while 35 additional seats are reserved for students from other States. The integrated programmes, spread across disciplines such as sciences, social sciences, management, media, and public policy are being offered under the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Admissions will be based on merit derived from Class XII marks. While the 15 seats allocated for Goan students are subject Govt delays rollout of 4-yr UG prog to the State’s reservation policy across categories such as SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwD, the 35 seats for students from outside Goa are supernumerary, meaning they are over and above the base intake. “The University may decide to revise the number of seats depending on demand and available infrastructure with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor,” the notification stated. The development is likely to spark debate over access and priority for domiciled students in State-funded higher education institutions. Online applications for the programmes are open from April 28 to May 10, with sep- arate application processes for Goan and non-Goan candidates. The five-year integrated programmes offered are as follows. At Shenoi Goembab School of Languages and Literature, the GU is offering an Integrated MA in Media and Cultural Studies with a minor in languages. The D D Kosambi School of Social Sciences and Behavioural Studies offers an Integrated MA in Social Sciences with a minor in AI, while the Manohar Parrikar School of Law, Governance and Public Policy has an Integrated MA in Public Policy and Governance. In the sciences stream, the PANAJI: In a major policy pause, the State government has put on hold the crucial transition from the three-year degree programme to a four-year undergraduate structure under the National Education Policy (NEP), which was slated for rollout from the upcoming academic year 2026-27. Director of Higher Education Bhushan Sawaikar said the govt decided to roll out the four-year degree under graduate programme post 2026-27 academic term to ensure a smoother rollout, as concerns were raised over academic alignment, infrastructure readiness, and institutional capacity. “We need to consult the stakeholders,” he said.  >> See pg 3 School of Physical and Applied Sciences is offering an Integrated MSc in Physics with a minor in AI, the School of Chemical Sciences has an Integrated Master’s in Chemical Sciences, and the School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology offers an Integrated MSc in Life Sciences with options in AI, Wildlife Biology and Computational Biology. The School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences is offering an Integrated Master’s in Earth System Sciences EACH GRAIN CARRIES A STORY: GOA’S SALT MAKERS IN CHANGING TIMES INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY: CELEBRATING GLOBAL RHYTHMS AND INDIA’S RICH DANCE HERITAGE AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA Khattar in hospital, brother gets bail NEW DELHI: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday asserted that it will leave OPEC effective May 1, stripping the oil cartel of one of its largest producers and further weakening its leverage over global oil supplies and prices.   >> See pg 8 NET WORTH: Fishermen haul in a huge catch of sardines at Caranzalem beach on Tuesday, drawing a large crowd eager to witness the fresh bounty.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Plea in High Court challenges delay in municipal elections THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI A Mapusa resident has moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa over the alleged delay in municipal elections at 11 councils. In a writ petition, Shitesh More, 30, has sought the quashing of the State govern- ment’s recently promulgated Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, calling it an unconstitutional attempt to postpone polls to 11 municipal councils and prolong rule through appointed administrators. The petitioner also attacked the State’s decision to enact the ordinance after the mu- nicipal councils' tenure had already expired, alleging that the move is a colourable exercise of power designed to derail the democratic process. The plea contended that the ordinance, promulgated by the Governor on April 22 and published in the Official >Continued on P8 Richer coastal panchayats like Calangute and Candolim in North Goa, and Benaulim and Colva in the south, along with well-to-do and larger panchayats in urban pockets such as Penha de França in Bardez and Navelim in Salcete, are yet to roll out online citizen services. In contrast, smaller panchayats in rural talukas -- Tuem, Varkhand-Nagzar, Virnoda and Casnem-Amberem-Poroscodem in Pernem -- have already gone online, underlining a striking divide where initiative, rather than resources, appears to be driving adoption of e-governance at the grassroots. Even as the government continues to promote e-governance to bring services closer to citizens, adoption at the village level remains uneven, with several panchayats still dependent on manual systems for routine services. Officials from the Directorate of Panchayats said that 13 Major boost for IIT Goa, Centre waives land norm   lakh sq metres requirement relaxed 10  Goa identifies land within GEC campus SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI A major hurdle in setting up the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Goa has finally been cleared, with the Union Ministry of Education waiving the mandatory requirement of 10 lakh square metres of land for the institute. Following the relaxation, the Goa government has identified around 4.5 lakh square metres within the premises of Goa College of Engineering (GEC) at Farmagudi for the proposed campus and has forwarded a fresh proposal to the Centre. An inspection team from the Union Ministry is now expected to visit the site to assess its suitability for the permanent campus. “The State had approached the Ministry seeking relaxation of the 10 lakh sq mts requirement, as it was difficult to find such a large contiguous land parcel in a small State like Goa. Several sites identified earlier either faced public opposition or were not approved,” a senior official said. „„Goa identifinalised fies 4.5 lakh THE ROAD „„Move sq mts within AHEAD FOR resolves earlier GEC campus land constraints IIT GOA „„Fresh proand public opposal submitted position issues to Union Ministry „„Central approval of Education to be based on inspection „„Central inspection findings team to visit site for „„If cleared, groundwork suitability check for permanent IIT Goa „„Visit schedule yet to be campus to begin “Considering these constraints, the Centre agreed to waive the standard criteria. We have accordingly identified around 4.5 lakh sq mts within the GEC campus, from where IIT Goa is currently functioning,” the official added. Nearly a decade after its establishment in 2016, IIT Goa continues to operate from its temporary campus at Farmagudi, underlining the urgency of securing a permanent facility to enable expansion in academic, research, and residential infrastructure.  ONLY 16 OFFER ONLINE SERVICE PLATFORMS  SMALLER RURAL BODIES LEAD E-GOVERNANCE IN SHORT >> Blow to oil cartel, UAE to leave OPEC Rajasthan Royals hand Punjab Kings their first defeat Affluent, urban panchayats yet to take the digital route >PG 6 PANAJI: Gautam Khattar, arrested by the Crime Branch for allegedly making derogatory statements against St Francis Xavier at an event in Vasco recently, was admitted to North Goa District Hospital, Mapusa, after he complained of discomfort. Madhav Khattar his brother, meanwhile, was granted conditional bail by Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco, on Tuesday.  >> See pg 2 with a minor in AI. In addition, the School of Sanskrit, Philosophy and Indic Studies has an Integrated Master’s in Sanskrit Studies and Philosophy. From the commerce and management stream, the Goa Business School is offering an Integrated MBA in Financial Services. These programmes are open to students from arts, science and commerce depending on course-specific eligibility, with admissions based on Class XII performance. 10 SPORTS „„Wealthy coastby local effort al and urban than financial THE GREAT strength p’yats lag „„Smaller rural PANCHAYAT „„Many p’yats DIVIDE ones lead in still rely on mangoing online ual systems for basic services „„Calangute, Candolim, „„Only 16 of Benaulim, Col191 panchayats va yet to adopt (8%) offer while Tuem, online services Varkhand-Nag„„Digital framework zar, Virnoda already online ready, but implementation „„Adoption driven more inconsistent while the digital framework is in place, the pace of implementation varies widely across panchayats. “Financially stronger panchayats are better placed to adopt online systems, but even then, the transition depends on local priorities and initiative,” a senior official said, indicating that resources alone are not the deciding factor. In all, only 16 of Goa’s 191 village panchayats have operational online service platforms – barely 8% coverage. These include Chicalim, Chicolna-Bogmalo, Bastora, Bhatti, Carambolim, Alorna, Khazem-Amberem-Poroscodem, Varkhand-Nagzar, Keri-Tiracol, Tamboshem-Mopa-Ugvem, Virnoda, Tuem, Curca-Bambolim-Telaulim, Agonda, Poinguinim and >Continued on P8 Officials confirmed that the proposal has been formally submitted and the Centre’s inspection team is likely to visit soon, although dates are yet to be finalised. “There is no confirmation on the schedule of the visit,” the official said. The move comes months after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, during campaigning for the Ponda by-election, announced that the permanent campus of IIT Goa would come up at Farmagudi. >Continued on P8 Centre grants nod for veterinary college at Ponda THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Centre has issued a Letter of Permission (LoP) for setting up the Goa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Curti in Ponda under Goa University. Granted by the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the approval allows the college to offer the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH) programme with an annual intake of 40 students. The LoP is applicable for the 2026–27 academic year and covers the initial two years of the course. It has been issued following recommendations from the Veterinary Council of India, which found the proposed institution compliant with prescribed norms relating to land, infrastructure, clinical and livestock facilities, equipment, and other requirements. The State has been instructed to ensure full compliance with all regulatory norms, including the appointment of qualified faculty and maintenance of infrastructure and academic standards. The permission is subject to periodic inspections and verification by the Veterinary Council of India. Airline industry on edge of shutting P’yat pulls plug on traffic police over power dues Ops, sends Mayday call to Centre `16 LAKH BILL OVER 15 YEARS THE GOAN I NETWORK AIR INDIA, INDIGO, SPICEJET SEEK ATF PRICE RELIEF PTI NEW DELHI Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have told the government that the country's airline industry is under extreme stress and on the verge of "stopping operations", as they sought revision in ATF pricing and financial support. The West Asia turmoil has pushed up oil prices, and airspace restrictions have increased airlines' operating costs, especially on long-haul routes. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) accounts for around 40 per cent of a carrier's operational expenses. Against this backdrop, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has written to the civil aviation ministry, seeking steps to extend the same fuel pricing mechanism uniformly across both domestic and international operations as was done in the past with the establishment of the crack band. With a steep rise in jet fuel prices and exorbitant crack/ differential between crude and ATF, the federation said the operation of airlines is being challenged in totality. "... any ad hoc pricing (domestic vs international) and/ or irrational increase in the price of ATF will result in losses for airlines and will lead to grounding of aircraft, resulting in cancellation of flights," the federation, which represents AI, IndiGo and SpiceJet, said. MAPUSA n a rare face-off between two arms of the government, the Calangute village panchayat switched off electricity to the local traffic police premises after the department failed to clear its share of power dues accumulated over nearly 15 years. The disruption, which lasted five days, was resolved on Tuesday after assurances of payment from the police department. The traffic police have been operating out of a building owned by the panchayat since I „„Traffic police operating in panchayat building since 2011 „„Electricity billed to panchayat meter (Rs 16 lakh total) „„Panchayat asks police to pay Rs 8 lakh (half share) „„Repeated notices ignored by police department „„P’yat switches power off after due procedure „„Police work disrupted for 5 days „„Issue resolved after MLA intervenes; cops agree to pay 2011, drawing electricity from a meter registered in the name of the Calangute panchayat. According to sarpanch Joseph Sequeira, the panchayat received a cumulative bill of around Rs 16 lakh. “We asked the traffic police department to pay Rs 8 lakh while the panchayat would bear the remaining amount,” Sequeira said, adding that repeated notices to the department and letters to senior police officials went unanswered. The matter was also escalated to the chief minister. Sequeira pointed out that the panchayat had not only been paying the electricity bills but also maintaining the premises using public funds. “We are spending public money on repairs as well as electricity. We requested the department to at least share half the burden,” he said, stressing that dues owed to the panchayat must be cleared. Defending the move, the sarpanch clarified, “We have not cut the power. We only put the power off,” adding that the action was taken after following due procedure. The power shutdown disrupted routine functioning at >Continued on P8