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Monday, May 11, 2026

Rift widens in AIADMK, rebel netas set to back Vijay during floor test

TIMES NEWS NETWORK HYDERABAD. 11.05.2026

Chennai : Rift in AIADMK appeared to widen Sunday with party seniors C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani holding meeting with MLAs even as general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami convened a separate meeting of district secretaries.

AIADMK sources said majority of MLAs and district secretaries attended the meeting convened by the rebel group. The meetings, held on the day when TVK president C Joseph Vijay was being sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM, also discussed about supporting his party in the assembly during the floor test.

AIADMK sources said the rebel group was likely to vote for TVK, claiming the decision was taken in the meeting of MLAs with Shanmugam at his residence in Chennai. “They have decided to vote for TVK in the assembly and to come out of the NDA headed by BJP,” an AIADMK source said.

In the recently held assembly election, AIADMK got only 47 seats and lost the status of opposition party. This is the first time that AIADMK is not in the opposition for more than five years. Shanmugam and Velumani had proposed the idea of backing TVK soon after the election results came, but EPS refused. Disgruntled, the rebel faction sought the support of MLAs and got backing of more than two-thirds of the MLAs required for immunity from anti-defection law.

Meanwhile, Shanmugam contacted TVK general secretary N Anand. “But Vijay didn’t oblige. He wanted AIADMK MLAs supporting TVK to resign and face bypolls on TVK’s symbol.

But the AIADMK MLAs are reluctant to do so as they might face backlash in their constituencies if they resign,” sources said. AIADMK sources said efforts by few party seniors for patching up the two factions had failed.

Doctors warn parents: Don’t sleep in peace when children snore

Kushagra.Dixit@timesofindia.com 11.05.2026

New Delhi : For many parents, a child’s snoring is little more than a bedtime quirk — an indication of deep sleep or exhaustion after a long day. Doctors, however, warn that persistent snoring, mouth breathing and restless sleep can be red flags for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a potentially serious condition that disrupts breathing during sleep and deprives the brain and body of oxygen.

For 12-year-old Surya Pratap, loud snoring gradually turned into a health crisis that went unnoticed for nearly two years. While studying at a boarding school, he struggled to sleep through the night, breathed mostly through his mouth and showed falling energy levels. Even routine activities left him fatigued, and breathing through his nose was difficult unless he was physically active. “For two years, our family lived in a state of constant exhaustion,” said his father, Rajesh Kumar, adding,“Seeing him finally breathe normally and regain his energy has been an overwhelming relief.”

Doctors say OSA in children is often missed, even though it disrupts deep sleep essential for growth, learning and emotional regulation. Affected children may wake up tired, struggle to focus in class, become irritable or unusually hyperactive, or show declining academic performance—signs frequently mistaken for behavioural issues or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “Because he could not breathe properly through his nose during sleep, he was unable to reach the deep restorative stages crucial for a growing child,” said Dr Rajesh Bhardwaj, consultant ENT specialist at MedFirst ENT Centre, who treated Surya. “The body enters a constant stress response,” he added.

Doctors performed a combination of procedures, including adenoidectomy, septoplasty and turbinectomy, to restore airflow. “The surgery didn’t just stop the snoring; it allowed his normal 1development to resume,” Dr Bhardwaj said. Doctors reported immediate improvement. Health experts warn that untreated sleep apnoea can lead to stunted growth and weakened immunity. “Snoring and mouth breathing point to adenoid enlargement and need proper evaluation,” said Prof Anupam Sibalof Apollo Hospitals Group. Dr Neetu Jain of PSRI Hospital said early treatment was crucial. “Prolonged low oxygen levels can affect brain development, learning and overall growth,” she said.

11/05/2026, 07:22 The Times of India ePaper: Times of India Newspaper Today, Download PDF Now https://epaper.indiatimes.com/timesepaper/publication-the-times-of-india,city-delhi.cms

C JOSEPH VIJAY

NMC removes MBBS seat limit to spur expansion, tackle rural doctor gap

With 24 lakh students competing every year for just 1.3 lakh seats, this relaxation aims to fix the supply-demand mismatch

Divyansh.Kumar@timesofindia.com 11.05.2026

In a policy shift aimed at addressing the shortage of doctors, NMC has revised its 2024-25 regulation that capped MBBS intake at 150 seats per medical college. This relaxation will allow established medical colleges to expand their student intake and increase the overall number of MBBS seats. Additionally, NMC has also removed the population-based quota mandating 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population in a state/UT. This relaxation is primarily an attempt to address a staggering supply-demand mismatch in aspirants with respect to the number of MBBS seats.

Every year, nearly 23 to 24 lakh students sit for NEET UG, competing for around 1.2 to 1.3 lakh available MBBS seats. Detailing the rationale behind the policy reversal, a senior NMC official tells Education Times , “The amendments notified by the NMC are part of a broader process of rationalisation and simplification of regulations based on implementation experience, stakeholder feedback, and evolving healthcare requirements.

The objective is to facilitate expansion of quality medical education capacity while retaining the core safeguards necessary for maintaining standards.” The earlier provisions regarding seat cap and population-linked restrictions were introduced to promote balanced regional growth. “However, during implementation, it was observed that a more flexible framework linked to actual institutional capacity, such as faculty, clinical material, infrastructure and hospital strength, would be a more appropriate regulatory approach than rigid numerical ceilings. This will also help in developing regional hubs of medical education,” the official says, adding, “The removal of the 150-seat cap does not mean unregulated expansion.

Any increase in intake will be subjected to compliance with prescribed norms relating to faculty availability, bed occupancy, patient load, infrastructure, laboratories, teaching facilities, and overall training capacity.” The population-based cap, which mandated 100 seats per 10 lakh population, was introduced just last year but faced massive backlash from southern states highlighting high medical seat densities. A senior Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHFW) official explains that the cap was introduced as 11-12 medical colleges mushroomed in a small pocket in Puducherry and few other regions. “Several southern states opposed the cap, arguing that the permission to start a medical college was given after physical inspections, which confirm required clinical infrastructure and sufficient patient footfall,” says the MoHFW official, adding, “Instead of unnecessarily blocking their growth, the medical colleges should be allowed after strict inspection.

If an area lacks patients, a college naturally will not be able to open or sustain itself there.” New Safeguards Indiscriminate addition of medical seats will push quantity over quality, offering less hands-on practice with patients to students. The MoHFW official highlights new technological safeguards. “We cannot rely on one-day physical inspections. Medical colleges often get tipped-off, and they stage manage the arrangement for a single day. Instead, we need continuous monitor through AIbacked CCTV and automated student and patient attendance tracking systems. If a system monitors a college over an entire month, it cannot be manipulated.”

AN OPEN LETTER TO CM JOSEPH VIJAY

STORYBOARD ARUN RAM 11.05.2026

Dear Chief Minister, I’ve been waiting to write this letter since May 4, when TVK emerged as the single largest party in the assembly election. The political intrigue that followed delayed this letter. Finally, when I sat down to write after watching your swearing-in ceremony, you delivered a speech that answered so many of my questions that I was left with little to write.

Since I have started this letter, however, let me complete it. I didn’t expect you to be the chief minister till 2031. In a way, I am happy that I was wrong: you bring a breath of fresh air to the corridors of power; you speak the commoner’s language; you sound earnest in your promises.

Eradicating corruption in five years may be unrealistic. But you have shown the courage to place clean governance at the top of your agenda (so was it on TOI’s crowdsourced priority list through our campaign ‘thINK’) and warning your party colleagues against nursing any dream of corruption.

Your war cry against drugs, and crimes against women, too, deserves praise. Five days of turbulence before your swearing-in may well prove to be a teaser; brace for five years of backstabbing and frontal attacks. You did the right thing by waiting – so perilously, it seemed – and getting only those parties which are secular and ideologically aligned to you to support your govt. Yet, remember you are on thin ice. Passing bills that unsettle sections of your supporters won’t be easy. Consensus is necessary, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of clarity and direction.

Besides the big barricades the opposition benches may put up, challenges could come from within your ranks. Your warning to those who think “oru aattam aadi pakkalaam” was timely. Power has a way of fostering arrogance. The very cadres and local functionaries who celebrated your rise with firecrackers and fanfare could become your greatest liability if they misuse your name for intimidation, land-grabbing, extortion or settling personal scores. Tamil Nadu has seen this cycle too many times across parties. The moment ordinary citizens begin to fear the ruling party’s men instead of trusting them, the moral authority of a govt starts eroding.

Your warning against corruption must therefore extend beyond ministers and MLAs to every district secretary, ward-level functionary and overenthusiastic supporter who thinks electoral victory is a licence for arrogance. Equally, a word to your ‘virtual warriors’, the young social media army that helped shape the political narrative around TVK and converted fandom into votes. Their energy and creativity deserve acknowledgement; they fought a relentless online battle when mainstream politics dismissed your chances. But victory brings responsibility.

The temptation now will be to troll critics, spread unverified claims, manufacture outrage and treat every disagreement as betrayal. That would only diminish the political culture you promised to change. A movement that rode to power on hope and positivity cannot afford to become an ecosystem o f abuse and misinformation.

Your supporters online must learn that dignity in victory is as important as resilience in defeat. Two Dravidian parties had been alternating in power in Tamil Nadu, and there have been instances of a new govt reversing decisions of the previous regime, including the location of the govt secretariat.

Yet, continuance of major policies of social welfare and industrialisation have kept the state in good stead. Renaming schemes is your prerogative, but changes of policy and practice should be for common good, not political reasons. Tamil Nadu has not elected a hero for a climax scene; it has elected a govt for the difficult middle portions. TOI will back all your good ventures. And, as our profession demands, we will remain the citizen’s watchdog.

We wish you the best. — arun.ram@timesofindia.com

Academicians draw CM Vijay’s attention to higher education

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 11,05.2026

Chennai : Educationists drew chief minister Joseph Vijay’s attention to the pressing challenges faced by higher education in the state, including declining academic standards, huge faculty vacancies, and the absence of vice-chancellors in state universities.

They urged him to immediately take steps to appoint vice-chancellors to all state universities. The new state govt also has to take a decision on whether to accept the National Education Policy (NEP) or implement State Education Policy (SEP) in higher education.

Due to a tussle between the then Governor R N Ravi and state govt on including UGC’s nominee on V-C search panels, as many as 15 state universities out of 22 have been functioning without vice hancellors for a period ranging from one year to three years.

E Balagurusamy, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, said the prolonged vacancies in key leadership positions are adversely affecting academic governance, policy decisions, institution growth and overall quality of higher education. “CM Vijay must initiate comprehensive reforms such as curriculum modernisation, faculty development, industry-academia collaboration and research enhancement to prevent further deterioration,” he said.

University of Madras former vice-chancellor S P Thyagarajan said the CM should ensure financial stability for all state universities. “Students from economically weaker sections and poor families depend on the govt-run institutions for higher education. So, the state govt should not increase the fees of degree programmes. A high-power committee must be formed to find solutions,” he said.

Alagappa University former vice-chancellor S Subbiah said students are affected by the lack of vice-chancellors in state universities. “Students do not get their degree certificates on time. The state universities are crippled due to a lack of academic leadership,” he said.

Tamil Nadu Teacher Education University’s former vice-chancellor G Visvanathan said the new govt should allow the universities to fill their own vacancies. Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) is in the process of recruiting about 2,700 assistant professors to govt arts and science colleges in the state. Professors asked the new govt to expedite the appointments to ensure new faculty members join the colleges before the next academic year.