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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Proud moment for Shivaji University researchers

Indian patent for portable sound absorption testing device Kolhapur: Researchers from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, have developed a portable sound absorption testing device that can scientifically assess whether an installed sound system and its acoustic treatment are functioning effectively. The innovation has been granted an Indian patent, marking a first-of-its-kind development in this field, the university said on Thursday. The patented device, named the Portable Sound Absorption Tester,...

Proud moment for Shivaji University researchers

Indian patent for portable sound absorption testing device Kolhapur: Researchers from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, have developed a portable sound absorption testing device that can scientifically assess whether an installed sound system and its acoustic treatment are functioning effectively. The innovation has been granted an Indian patent, marking a first-of-its-kind development in this field, the university said on Thursday. The patented device, named the Portable Sound Absorption Tester, has been developed by senior chemist Dr Kalyanrao Garadkar of Shivaji University, along with Dr Sandeep Sable and Dr Rohant Dhabbe of Jaysingpur College, and Dr Chandrala Jatkar of the D K T E Society’s Textile and Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji. The device is designed to test the sound absorption capacity of professional acoustic systems used in recording studios, theatres, auditoriums and soundproof chambers. Until now, the effectiveness of such sound-absorbing installations has largely been assessed through experience and trial-and-error after installation. The newly developed portable tester allows for immediate and scientific evaluation of sound absorption performance once the system is installed. Sound-absorbing sheets and panels are widely used in theatres, studios and vocal recording rooms to absorb echo around microphones and create a controlled acoustic environment, enabling cleaner and more professional audio output. The new device can be used to evaluate a wide range of absorbers, including perforated foam, fibre, fabric, membranes, panels and resonant absorbers, helping improve the quality and effectiveness of acoustic materials. Explaining the working of the device, Dr Garadkar said that the human audible frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The device generates sound waves within this spectrum and projects them onto the acoustic material under test. The sound waves that are not absorbed are detected by a microphone and displayed on the screen in the form of current or voltage readings. This enables users to instantly determine whether the sound absorption system is functioning as intended and make corrective interventions if required. The researchers said the device would also be useful for those engaged in acoustic fabrication and sound absorption research. Apart from being portable and easy to transport, the device is also cost-effective, making it suitable for field applications. The team expressed confidence that it would prove highly useful in the sound system testing sector. Shivaji University’s in-charge Vice-Chancellor Dr Suresh Gosavi and in-charge Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Jyoti Jadhav congratulated the research team on securing the patent.

HC rejects decision denying HIV positive personnel promotion, appointment in paramilitary forces

  • PTI
  • Mar 31, 2025
  • 2 min read

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has held that authorities are under a legal obligation to provide "reasonable accommodation" in employment to those suffering from HIV, and rejected the denial of promotion and appointment to three men in the paramilitary forces who were found positive for the virus.


In the present case, two petitioners -- constables in Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force -- were denied promotion while the third petitioner, a constable on probation in the Border Security Force, was denied appointment in 2023.


The petitioners contended that they were denied their respective promotions and appointment solely on the ground of their HIV positive status, which was in violation of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control), Act (HIV Act).


Granting relief, a bench headed by Justice Navin Chawla said the HIV Act protected HIV-positive persons against discrimination in matters of employment unless the employer was able to "certify" the administrative or financial hardship for not providing such a person a reasonable accommodation.


The bench, also comprising Justice Shalinder Kaur, held the petitioners were "wrongly denied" promotion and the same could not be refused to them only because they were not in the "SHAPE-1" medical category on account of being HIV positive.


The court said such a denial would defeat the protection granted to them under the HIV Act and directed the authorities concerned to review the issue of their promotion.


Similarly, it ruled that termination of service of the third personnel on probation only on the ground of him being HIV positive would also result in discrimination and directed that a fresh determination shall be made regarding the retention/removal of the third petitioner from service.


"We have, hereinabove, considered various categorizations of the medical categories relating to HIV-positive personnel. We have also noticed that in spite of being HIV positive, such personnel can be deemed 'fit' for the performance of duties, in some cases at all places, while in some cases there may be restrictions for the place of their posting or the nature of the work/duties that they can perform," the court said in the judgement dated March 28.


"It is only the personnel who are placed in the P5 Medical Category, who are deemed permanently 'unfit' for any type of service and can be invalidated out from the service. We have also held that the respondents are under a legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to persons suffering from HIV," it further said.


The court said the 2008 office memorandum, which mandates that personnel are required to be in 'SHAPE-I' medical category for promotion has to be "read down" for HIV-positive personnel and there was an obligation cast on the authorities to show that such persons, on being granted promotion, would not be able to be accommodated in any other work.


It clarified in case the petitioners, who were "wrongly denied" promotion, were found "fit" in reassessment, they would be entitled to notional seniority and other consequential benefits from the date they were denied promotion, except for the differential in salary for the two posts.

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