From July 1, Aadhaar authentication must for Tatkal booking

From July 1, Aadhaar authentication must for Tatkal booking

Dipak.Dash@timesofindia.com 12.06.2025

 New Delhi : From July 1, only users who have authenticated their IRCTC account with Aadhaar will be able to book Tatkal tickets through its website and app. To make the process more foolproof, the use of OTP for Aadhaar authentication will be introduced from July 15, the railway ministry said on Wednesday. 

The new norms have been notified to check malpractices by agents and ensure that only genuine passengers benefit from the Tatkal scheme. The ministry has urged people to ensure Aadhaar linkage with their IRCTC user profiles to avoid inconvenience. Even to buy paper tickets at rail ticket windows from July 15, passengers or their representatives will have to provide a mobile number on which an OTP will be sent for verification purposes.

 “Certain provisions have also been made to ensure that bots (or other software means) are not able to book tickets faster than genuine users,” a senior railway official said. As per the notification, authorised ticketing agents will not be permitted to book opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window, a move aimed at preventing bulk bookings during this critical period. 

“For AC classes, this restriction will apply from 10 am to 10.30am, and for non AC classes, from 11 am to 11:30 am,” it said. Around 2.2 lakh passengers book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website and app daily

RTI: 10 Karnataka institutes not paying stipends to med interns, NMC silent

RTI: 10 Karnataka institutes not paying stipends to med interns, NMC silent

The response was to an RTI filed by Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the issue since last year, and had sought the names of medical colleges not paying stipends to their interns.

Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Updated on:

10 Jun 2025, 9:16 am

NEW DELHI: Even as the National Medical Commission (NMC) continues to ignore the issue of medical colleges not paying stipends to their interns, states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Gujarat top the list of having the most institutes out of the 60 in the country that are not paying any compensation, a series of RTIs have revealed.

Although 60 medical colleges - 33 government institutes and 27 private colleges - do not pay stipends, another 50 pay nominal stipends of less than Rs 5,000, some even Rs 2,000.

An RTI filed by Dr K.V. Babu has shown that as many as 10 of the 60 institutes not paying stipends are in Karnataka, which includes six government and four private medical colleges. Karnataka is followed by Gujarat (three government and four private medical colleges), Maharashtra (six government and one private college), and West Bengal (six government and one private college).

Telangana is not paying stipends in three private and two government colleges. Others are Andhra Pradesh (four government institutes), UP (three government colleges), Tamil Nadu (three private colleges), Assam (two government colleges), Madhya Pradesh (two private colleges), and Delhi (two private colleges), as per an RTI reply, dated April 29.

The response was to an RTI filed by Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the issue since last year, and had sought the names of medical colleges not paying stipends to their interns.

The Kerala-based RTI activist filed another RTI on April 2 seeking NMC’s stand against such medical colleges, and was informed that “NMC is the regulatory body which issues guidelines, regulations from time to time.”

“The implementation of the guidelines is solely at the discretion of the state authorities concerned under which the medical college/institute is located,” the RTI reply said.

Dr Babu said, “The position taken by NMC is absurd. Are they expecting the director of medical education or state medical councils to act against the governments for nonpayment of stipends in 33 government medical colleges? If so, under which law?”

“If it is not the responsibility of the NMC to enforce their regulations regarding stipends of UGs and PGs, then why did they issue a show cause notice on November 28, 2024? Their documents show more than 110 medical colleges are not paying stipulated stipends,” Dr Babu, an ophthalmologist, added.

He further said that NMC has the power and responsibility to take action against medical colleges that don’t comply with the regulations under the MSME regulations 2023.

As per the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations (MSME) regulations, 2023, which were gazetted on September 23, if any regulation, including non-payment of stipends to interns and postgraduate students, is violated, several steps can be taken against the erring medical college and institution.

The violation attracts withholding and withdrawal of accreditation for five academic years and a penalty of Rs. 1 crore.

It is to be noted that NMC, which regulates these medical colleges, issued show cause notices to 198 colleges in November last year only after the apex court prodded them. Despite warning them about taking penal action for not submitting stipend details, no action has been taken until now.

PG medicos launch stir over non-payment of stipend in Telangana

PG medicos launch stir over non-payment of stipend in Telangana

Students have been urging the college administration to clear the outstanding payments, ensure regular disbursal and revise the stipend amount to match those offered in government medical colleges

Students protest over non-payment of stipendPhoto | Express

Aarti Kashyap

Updated on:

10 Jun 2025, 9:33 am

HYDERABAD: Postgraduate interns at Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella launched a strike on Monday, demanding the release of their long-pending stipends.

For several months, students have been urging the college administration to clear the outstanding payments, ensure regular disbursal and revise the stipend amount to match those offered in government medical colleges as per Government Order (GO) 59.

Frustrated by the administration’s inaction, the students resorted to a protest.

According to the agitating students, stipends for second-year postgraduates have been pending since September, while first-year students have not received payment for the past three months. They alleged that the college has been paying only Rs 10,000 per month since the first year — an amount they say is grossly insufficient to cover basic expenses.

“We have been requesting an increase in the stipend since our first year,” said Dr Mohammed Ismail, a second-year PG student, speaking to TNIE. “Even though we managed with RS 10,000 initially, we demanded the amount be revised in line with GO 59. But there has been no response. On top of that, no one in the administration is taking responsibility. We are made to work long hours without fair compensation.”

The GO 59, issued by the state government in 2023, mandates a monthly stipend of Rs 58,289 for first-year PG students and Rs 61,528 for second-year students in government medical colleges. PMRIMS students are demanding a similar stipend structure.

However, the college administration allegedly refused even a proposed increase to Rs 20,000. Students further claimed that the management deposits Rs 50,000 into their bank accounts for official records, but then forces them to return Rs 40,000 — leaving them with only Rs 10,000.

In another serious allegation, first-year students said that when they demanded payment of their three-month dues, the college asked their parents to deposit Rs 6 lakh to facilitate stipend disbursal.

“We have paid our fees on time and work sincerely during long duty hours,” said one first-year student. “We are asking for what is rightfully ours. Instead, the college is asking our parents to deposit additional money to fund our stipends. That’s completely unjust.”

When contacted by TNIE, the college authorities declined to comment on the matter.

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends 

Ajay Tomar

Jun 11, 2025, 4:11 IST

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends 

Hyderabad: Medical students in private colleges across Hyderabad are raising alarm over unpaid or drastically low stipends, despite clear govt norms. These include MBBS interns, postgraduate (PG) residents, and senior residents, many of whom claim they're either paid a pittance or nothing at all — unlike their counterparts in govt medical colleges. While govt-approved stipends in Telangana range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the level of course, several private colleges are allegedly paying as little as Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 a month, which is less than the national floor level minimum wage (NFLMW). Some colleges are not paying stipends at all. 

First-year PG students in govt colleges receive Rs 58,289 per month. In contrast, private institutions are reported to be paying only Rs 18,000 in some cases. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad "In some colleges, even if a stipend is paid, it's delayed for months. In others, management opens bank accounts in student's names, credits the money, and then takes it back — either through backdoor withdrawals or by asking us to return it in cash," alleged a PG student from a private medical college in Suraram.

"We believe forged documents are being submitted to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) showing full payments." On Tuesday, medical students at Malla Reddy Medical College for Women staged a protest on campus, demanding a stipend equal to that of govt interns. Later, Dr Ch Badra Reddy, chairman of Malla Reddy Health City, met with the interns and informed them that the management is already committed to paying a stipend of Rs 4,000 per month. He added that this had been communicated to the NMC.

"All private college managements will discuss the issue and reach a decision soon," said Dr Badra Reddy, requesting one week's time for this. As a result, the interns have temporarily suspended their strike. However, they said they would resume the strike if no response was received within the promised timeframe. On Monday, postgraduates and MBBS interns at the Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella also staged a protest with similar demands. High fees, no pay

There are 23 private colleges in Telangana, many of them in Hyderabad. Students from most of the colleges say the problem is widespread. These colleges charge high tuition fees — up to Rs 1 crore for certain courses — but still fail to honour stipend obligations. "In some colleges, they're asking students to pay lakhs annually as ‘stipend fees', which is illegal. Many of us have family responsibilities. The stipend isn't a luxury — it's a lifeline," said a PG student from a private medical college in LB Nagar. "When we ask for fair compensation, the management doesn't respond or cites the fee hike as an excuse." 

The issue persists despite an Aug 2023 National Medical Commission (NMC) advisory that mandated private colleges pay stipends on par with govt colleges under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2000. However, in Feb 2024, the NMC shifted responsibility to state authorities. While a 2022 and 2023 Supreme Court ruling clarified that stipends must be paid by both govt and private institutions, loopholes remain. The 2021 NMC regulation on MBBS internships vaguely says stipends "shall be fixed by the appropriate authority", giving private colleges leeway to exploit medical interns financially. 

The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) have submitted representations to the director of medical education (DME), urging state intervention. "These practices are causing financial and emotional distress," said Dr D Ajay Kumar, T-JUDA general secretary. "The govt must act immediately." The TAFRC has sought explanations from college managements, alleging "serious irregularities and exploitation". On May 31, health minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha raised the issue with NMC chairman Dr BN Gangadhar during a meeting in Hyderabad. He urged strong action against defaulting institutions, and Gangadhar assured that the matter would be reviewed seriously.

SC says no to TN’s urgent plea over SS fund due from centre

SC says no to TN’s urgent plea over SS fund due from centre

The top court also took note of the fact that the state government filed the petition in May alleging withholding of central funds for 2024 and this year also.

Wilson requested the top court for an urgent hearing on the ground that the constitutional right to free and compulsory education of nearly 48 lakh students in the state is being adversely impacted due to the withholding of the fund. Photo | Express Illustrations

Suchitra Kalyan Mohanty

Updated on:

10 Jun 2025, 8:21 am

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court’s vacation bench on Monday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a plea filed by the Tamil Nadu government against the centre for allegedly withholding over Rs 2,151 crore in central education funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme for 2024-25.

“What is the urgency? There is no urgency in the plea and it can be taken up after the ‘partial working days’ (the new name of summer vacation),” said a two-judge vacation bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Manmohan.

Senior advocate P Wilson, who mentioned the matter as the lawyer on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, sought an expedited listing and hearing, to which, the court questioned him, “For how long has this fund not been given? What is the urgency now?”

Wilson requested the top court for an urgent hearing on the ground that the constitutional right to free and compulsory education of nearly 48 lakh students in the state is being adversely impacted due to the withholding of the fund. The court, however, declined urgent hearing.

The top court also took note of the fact that the state government filed the petition in May alleging withholding of central funds for 2024 and this year also. The petition filed by the TN government under Article 131 of the Constitution pleaded to the court to declare that neither the National Education Policy (NEP) nor the PM SHRI Schools Scheme is binding on Tamil Nadu unless a formal agreement is reached.

The TN government also sought a declaration that the centre’s communications dated February 23 and March 7, 2024, which allegedly link fund release to policy implementation, were illegal, void ab initio, and unenforceable against the state. The TN government’s suit challenges the alleged conditional release of funds based on the implementation of the NEP 2020 and the PM SHRI Schools Scheme.

Re-employment granted to HOD at Periyar University violating norms, allege professors

Re-employment granted to HOD at Periyar University violating norms, allege professors

Professors from the university have alleged that this decision favours the head of the Department of Management Studies, for illegal re-employment for 2025-26.

After the syndicate meeting, the university issued a vacation declaration on April 27, from May 2 to June 30.(File photo | Express)

N Dhamotharan

Updated on:
10 Jun 2025, 9:03 am

COIMBATORE: Breaking away from its Act and Statutes, the academic year for 2025-26 at Periyar University starts on June 30, instead of July 1. Professors from the university have alleged that this decision favours the head of the Department of Management Studies, for illegal re-employment for 2025-26.

A syndicate meeting, chaired by former Vice-Chancellor (V-C) R Jagannathan, was held on March 3, 2025. According to the syndicate minutes, accessed by TNIE, the retirement age for university teachers is 60.

According to the minutes of the meeting, V R Palanivelu, head of the Department of Management Studies will turn 60 on June 14, 2025, and therefore, will superannuate on June 30, 2025. The academic year runs from June 1 to March 31. Since his retirement falls within this academic year, he is eligible for re-employment until March 31, 2026.

After the syndicate meeting, the university issued a vacation declaration on April 27, from May 2 to June 30. But the university’s Act and Statutes in ‘Holidays and Vacations’ paragraph states that full-time teachers of the university shall be entitled to a summer vacation of two months, from May 1 to June 30 (both days inclusive). Besides, it noted that the higher education department secretary, on May 22, informed registrars that the reopening date would be July 1.

An assistant professor, seeking anonymity, told TNIE that while the syndicate minutes cited the Act to state that the academic year runs from June 1 to March 31, this is totally wrong and contradictory.

He stated that the academic year begins on July 1 and ends on April 30 or 31. “Moreover, as Palanivelu attains 60, the university granted re-employment until June 30 during the syndicate meeting. Furthermore, the syndicate approved his re-employment to continue till March 2026,” he claimed.

Another assistant professor told TNIE that it is better to offer re-employment to staff who retires at the beginning, middle or the end of an academic year. This would help the professors complete the curriculum, and prevents any abrupt disruptions for the students.

“In Palanivelu’s case, the state government would lose around Rs 30 lakh in salary due to the re-employment,” he alleged. He stated that a professor from the Mathematics department, who retired in June 2024, was not given re-employment citing the academic year.

Former president of Association of University Teachers, P Thirunavukkarasu, urged the higher education secretary to cancel the re-employment through the syndicate and take legal action against those who approved Palanivelu’s re-employment. Palanivelu refused to comment about his re-employment.

Higher Education Department secretary C Samayamoorthy told TNIE he would look into the matter.

NEET-UG 2025 held peacefully, but paper errors spark anxiety

NEET-UG 2025 held peacefully, but paper errors spark anxiety

 Manash.Gohain@timesofindia.com 11.06.2025

New Delhi : NEET-UG 2025, held on May 4, was conducted securely, thanks to enhanced security measures put in place by ministry of education, in coordination with state authorities. However, students and parents/guardians have raised serious concerns over errors in the question paper and delays in redressal of grievances, urging National Testing Agency (NTA) to respond quickly. 

The exam results are expected later this month. NEET-UG remains the gateway for over 20 lakh students aspiring to get into MBBS, BDS, and other undergraduate medical courses.

In Sikar (Rajasthan) and Gujarat, candidates received faulty booklets with jumbled page numbers. For example, students who received Paper Code 47 in Sikar found that the pages of the question paper were not in order. In Gujarat, particularly in Jamnagar, candidates using the Gujaratimedium Paper Code 48 faced the same issue. Due to the incorrect sequence of pages in the question paper — like question 7 being followed by question 15 — some candidates said they darkened the circle for the wrong question. Others said valuable time was lost trying to figure out the correct corresponding circles on the answer sheet. 

Following the exam, parents/guardians submitted formal complaints to Gujarat govt and NTA, attaching scanned copies of the faulty booklets as proof. “Students even raised the issue during the test but were told to solve the faulty paper,” a parent wrote. 

A state official confirmed the receipt of such complaints. The NTA has declined to comment on the Sikar case, stating the matter is sub judice. Examinees and coaching experts have also flagged certain questions as being beyond the medical syllabus. One example doing the rounds is question 38 of Code 47, which involved solving a calculusbased derivative — a topic more suited to engineering entrance tests like JEE (Main). Although the provisional answer keys were released on June 3, several students say they have not received any acknowledgement from NTA regarding their objections. An NTA official said:  questions were from the prescribed syllabus. The answer keys have been published and objections invited from candidates. These will be reviewed by a committee of subject experts”. He also clarified that there are four versions of the question paper, each with its own answer key. 

However, this does not resolve the concern about misprinted or non-sequential pages, which is a layout issue rather than a content-related one.

 RESULTS BY JUNE END: In Sikar (Rajasthan) and Gujarat, candidates received faulty booklets with jumbled and non-sequential page numbers