SC orders all-India audit of pvt & deemed universities Focus On Structural Opacity & Examining Role Of Regulatory Bodies

SC orders all-India audit of pvt & deemed universities Focus On Structural Opacity & Examining Role Of Regulatory Bodies

 

Manash.Gohain@timesofindia.com New Delhi : 28.11.2025

Supreme Court has ordered an unprecedented nationwide audit of all private and deemed universities, transforming a student grievance into a deep scrutiny of India’s sprawling higher education sector. In a sweeping directive, apex court has asked Centre, all states and UTs, and University Grants Commission (UGC) to submit personally sworn affidavits disclosing how these institutions were set up, who governs them, what regulatory approvals they hold, and whether they truly function on a notfor-profit basis. 

The move comes in response to a petition filed by a student of Amity University, Ayesha Jain, who alleged the institution harassed and barred her from attending classes after she legally changed her name. What began as a single case of administrative apathy has now turned into a judicial inquisition into the governance and financial practices of the entire private university ecosystem. 

Supreme Court’s focus is clear — expose the structural opacity and examine whether regulatory bodies like UGC have adequately performed their role. Past interventions show this isn’t unfamiliar terrain. In 2005, the court struck down Chhattisgarh Private Universities Act that had allowed over 100 shell institutions to operate without basic academic infrastructure. 

In 2009, a central review found 44 deemed universities unfit for their status due to poor academic and governance standards. In 2017, a Supreme Court verdict invalidated engineering degrees awarded via unapproved distance mode by deemed universities and barred them from conducting such courses without clear regulatory approval. This current review cuts deeper. It questions how private universities acquire land, appoint leadership, handle finances, and whether they have credible grievance redressal mechanisms.

 The demand for personal accountability — from chief secretaries to the UGC chairperson — signals judicial impatience with the status quo. A UGC official, on condition of anonymity, acknowledged: “There have been longstanding compliance gaps. This is a chance to restore public trust.” The official added that in the current case, the commission “in fact recommended the university to consider the name change request”. 

Private universities, many of which operate under different state and central laws, are rattled. “This is a sweeping brush,” said a vice chancellor of a reputed state private university. “We support transparency, but we also fear being tarred with the same brush as a few errant institutions.” Observers see timing in the court’s action. Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, intended to overhaul regulation and merge UGC, AICTE, and others under one roof, is expected in the upcoming Parliament session.

 “An issue concerning a private university legislated by state law is now expanded to rope in all private deemed universities governed by separate regulations under a central law. In a similar exercise, in 2017 in the case of Orissa Lift case, an issue concerning four deemed universities affected all in an irreversible manner. With HECI round the corner, it is hoped that the present issue finds a policy solution through HECI Bill,” said an academic policy expert.

A profession left out: Why nursing’s exclusion from “professional degree” signals a looming healthcare crisis in US

A profession left out: Why nursing’s exclusion from “professional degree” signals a looming healthcare crisis in US 

The Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” has sparked fierce backlash after nursing was excluded from the federal definition of a “professional degree,” slashing loan access for aspiring nurses. With borrowing limits reduced and education costs soaring, nursing leaders warn the move will worsen shortages, undermine training pipelines, and further strain America’s already fragile healthcare system.

TOI Education

Nov 24, 2025, 23:00 IST

America's nursing profession 

In a country grappling with chronic hospital staffing shortages, rising patient loads, and spiralling burnout among medical workers, one would expect federal education policy to fortify the healthcare workforce, not constrain it. Yet the latest provisions inside President Donald Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” have done precisely the opposite. 

By excluding nursing from the Department of Education’s definition of a “professional degree,” the administration has triggered an uproar that radiates far beyond academic debate. It cuts into the financial lifeline that enables thousands of students to enter a profession widely regarded as the backbone of American healthcare. The decision, which is embedded within broader student-loan cuts overseen by Education Secretary Linda McMahon, has left nursing organisations “deeply concerned,” warning that the policy “threatens the very foundation of patient care.” Their alarm is not hyperbole, it is an indictment of the profound disconnect between federal priorities and on-the-ground realities. 

A decision with far-reaching consequences Under Trump’s legislation, signed into law earlier this year, Graduate PLUS (Grad PLUS) loans have been eliminated entirely, and federal borrowing limits have been restructured. Only students enrolled in designated “professional degree” programmes are eligible for a higher limit of $200,000. All other graduate students face a cap of $100,000. By removing nursing from the professional category, the administration has effectively priced future nurses, educators, and advanced practitioners out of the very programmes needed to sustain the workforce. Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), captured the gravity of the moment in her remarks to NewsNation: “Nursing is the backbone of the healthcare structure in the United States… 

We are short tens of thousands of nurses and advanced practice nurses already. This is going to stop nurses from going to school to be teachers for other nurses.” Her warning is substantiated by cost realities. A four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing can range from $89,560 to $211,390, according to NurseJournal, figures far out of reach for many students without access to higher loan ceilings. A profession deemed “less than” The administration’s new classification draws an unusual line between what it recognises as “professional” and what it does not. Medicine, law, pharmacy, clinical psychology, and theology made the cut. Nursing, social work, physical therapy, physician-assistant programmes, education, and architecture did not. This hierarchy has provoked political backlash, including from Kentucky Senate candidate Amy McGrath, who wrote on X: “Can someone explain how a theologian is considered more ‘professional’ than a nurse practitioner?”

She further argued that degrees dominating fields “like healthcare, counselling, and social work,” fields where women comprise the majority, were disproportionately excluded, calling it “a way to quietly push women out of professional careers.” The administration pushes back The Department of Education has dismissed the wave of opposition as “fake news.” In a statement to Newsweek, Ellen Keast, the department’s press secretary for higher education, defended the move: “The Department has had a consistent definition of what constitutes a professional degree for decades and the consensus-based language aligns with this historical precedent.” She added that institutions criticizing the change were doing so because “their unlimited tuition ride on the taxpayer dime is over.” Economic priorities under scrutiny While aspiring nurses face tighter borrowing limits, the bill simultaneously ushers in more than $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for the top 5 percent of Americans, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress. To critics, this contrast exposes the ideological calculus behind the legislation: relief for the wealthy, austerity for essential workers. For a profession where the average wage stands at $45 per hour (Bureau of Labor Statistics), the financial return on an increasingly costly education becomes harder to justify, especially when policymakers appear unwilling to classify nursing on par with other highly skilled health professions. 

A healthcare system at a breaking point The implications of this reclassification extend far beyond repayment schedules. Nursing shortages have already forced hospitals to rely heavily on travel nurses, raised patient-to-staff ratios, and accelerated burnout, a cycle that could intensify if the pipeline shrinks further. With the new rules set to be implemented on July 1, 2026, education leaders fear that entire academic departments, particularly nurse-education pathways, may struggle to fill seats. In an ageing nation with rising chronic-care demands, the policy risks hollowing out one of the most indispensable pillars of patient safety. If fewer nurses can afford to train, fewer Americans will receive care. A reckoning looms The controversy surrounding the exclusion of nursing from “professional degree” status is neither semantic nor bureaucratic. 

It is a test of national priorities, one that pits the stability of the healthcare system against an ideological drive to shrink government spending and reclassify entire professions. If federal leaders proceed with these standards unchanged, the United States may soon discover the cost of undervaluing a profession that has long carried the weight of its public-health machinery. And when that bill arrives, it will not be the wealthy beneficiaries of tax cuts who pay it, but the patients left waiting for a nurse who never had the financial means to be trained.

Supreme Court orders nationwide audit of private universities after Amity University harasses student for changing her name

Supreme Court orders nationwide audit of private universities after Amity University harasses student for changing her name 

The student claimed that university officials harassed her, barred her from attending classes and even taunted her over her religion.

Supreme Court. 27.11.2025

Ritwik Choudhury Published on: 26 Nov 2025, 6:14 pm 4 min read Follow Us The Supreme Court recently directed the Union government, all States and Union Territories, and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to disclose how private universities across the country were established, regulated and monitored [Ayesha Jain vs. Amity University, Noida & Ors.].

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria said it was necessary, in the larger public interest, to examine how private universities were created, the statutory framework under which they function and the benefits granted to them by governments.

It directed all governments to file comprehensive affidavits detailing the background, legal basis, and financial or administrative benefits extended to private universities, including land allotments and preferential treatment.

The Court also sought information on who actually controls and manages these institutions, and how their governing bodies are constituted.

Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria The Bench was hearing a petition by 23-year-old student, one Ayesha Jain, who approached the Court after Amity University allegedly refused to change her name in its rolls despite her furnishing all legal documents. She claimed that university officials harassed her, barred her from attending classes and even taunted her for changing her name to a muslim name.

Her petition detailed a series of complaints made to the UGC and the Ministry of Education, alleging that despite their intervention, the university refused to take corrective action.

The petition also accused Amity of misusing its authority and said that she lost a year of studies because of its conduct.

The controversy dates back to 2021, when the petitioner changed her name from Khushi Jain to Ayesha Jain and published it in the Gazette of India. In 2023, she completed a certificate course at Amity Finishing School under her new name and later joined Amity Business School for an MBA (Entrepreneurship) programme in 2024. However, the university allegedly refused to update her records, preventing her from attending classes and sitting for exams.

After multiple unanswered representations and complaints, Jain approached the Supreme Court in mid-2025, accusing the university of arbitrariness and discrimination.

During earlier hearings, the Court had expressed strong disapproval of the university’s conduct. On October 9, it directed Amity’s chairman and vice-chancellor to personally explain their position.

When the matter was next heard on October 14, the Court remarked that the university had made a “mockery” of its orders after it attempted to tender ₹1 lakh as compensation. It then directed the presence of Dr. Atul Chauhan, President of the Ritnand Balved Education Foundation (which runs Amity Universities), and the Vice-Chancellor at the next hearing.

When the matter came up again on November 20, both officials were present before the Court and submitted their affidavits. However, instead of concluding the matter, the Bench expanded its scope significantly, observing that the issues involved in the case carried wider implications for governance and regulation of private higher education in India.

It emphasised that it wished to examine how private universities came into existence, what statutory provisions or notifications enabled their creation, and what benefits they receive from governments.

“The issues have now come before this Court, which the present coram has also deliberated in detail, in the larger public interest, it is deemed appropriate to examine the aspects relating to the creation/establishment/setting-up of all private Universities, either under the State Governments/Union Territories or the Central Government, and connected concerns,” it noted.

The Court then directed the Centre and all State and Union Territory administrations to disclose the legal basis under which each private, non-government or deemed university was established. The Court also sought complete information on the benefits granted to these institutions, including land allotments, statutory relaxations, preferential treatment and any financial or administrative concessions.

It further sought full details of the organisations and individuals who run such institutions, including the composition and selection process of their governing bodies.

“Full details of the concerned personnel connected with the establishment/management of such Universities shall be placed on record,” it said.

The UGC was also asked to explain its regulatory authority over private universities and the actual mechanism it follows to ensure compliance with statutory and policy requirements.

“The affidavit by the UGC shall cover what the statute/policy mandates as also the actual mechanism to monitor/oversee compliance by the institutions,” the Court said.

The order also called for disclosures on admissions policies, recruitment of faculty, checks on compliance with legal obligations, whether institutions claiming to operate on a “no profit, no loss” basis are doing so in reality, grievance redressal systems for students and faculty, and whether minimum statutory salaries are being paid.

The Court made the responsibility for these disclosures explicit.

“Responsibility for every disclosure and its correctness shall rest with the deponent concerned,” the Court said.

It underscored that any attempt to suppress or misrepresent facts would be viewed sternly.

“If there is any attempt to withhold, suppress, misrepresent or mis-state facts in the affidavits called for, this Court will be compelled to adopt a strict view,” the Bench said.

To ensure accountability at the highest level, the Court directed that the affidavits must be personally affirmed by the Cabinet Secretary of India, Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, and the Chairman of the UGC, without any delegation.

The matter is slated for further hearing on January 8, 2026 when the Court is likely to examine the disclosures in detail.

The petitioner was represented by advocates Mohd Fuzail Khan and Shisba Chawla.

The respondents were represented by advocates Amitesh Kumar, Priti Kumari, Pankaj Kumar Ray, Abhinav Singh, Shashank Shekhar Singh, Parmanand Gaur, Vibhav Mishra and Megha Gaur.

NEWS NN

 

Scalpel losing edge: Few medical grads opt for surgery

Scalpel losing edge: Few medical grads opt for surgery 

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com 

New Delhi : India’s top-performing medical graduates have made their preference clear in this year’s NEET-PG counselling — career stability is trumping the operating table. In the first round of NEET-PG 2025, medicine and radiology dominated choices among high-rankers while general surgery saw one of its steepest drops in recent years, reflecting growing concerns over stress, long training pathways and mounting medico-legal pressures. 

Among the first 1,500 candidates, 632 (42%) chose MD General Medicine and 447 (30%) opted for MD Radiodiagnosis. Only 99 students (6.6%) selected MS General Surgery, indicating a widening shift away from high-risk procedural fields. A strong preference for Delhi also emerged, with six of the top 10 candidates choosing Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. 

Dr Neeraj Nischal from the department of medicine at AIIMS said, “MD Medicine is the gateway to almost all superspecialities, so it has always been in high demand. Students feel diagnostics offers a more controlled work life, though that may not always be true.” The fall in interest for surgery, senior clinicians say, is rooted in deeper anxieties. “Surgical branches are very demanding — you need passion. Otherwise, burnout is inevitable,” Dr Nischal said. 

Surgeons themselves acknowledge that the field has steadily lost appeal. “It takes much longer to settle down because general surgery is only the first step — you usually need to super-specialise in neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, urology or paediatric surgery,” said Dr Piyush Ranjan from AIIMS surgery department.

NEWS TODAY 25.11.2025

 

Cyclone may get close to Chennai coast on Nov 29’

Cyclone may get close to Chennai coast on Nov 29’

25.11.2025

B Amudha, deputy director general (addl charge), IMD, said two more atmospheric circulations may influence rainfall, one over Kanyakumari, which may trigger a low-pressure area over the region and adjoining southwest Bay and Sri Lanka on Tuesday, and another over the southeast Arabian Sea. 

“All three circulations may merge due to upper-air changes. We will have details in coming days,” she said. On Monday, weather models suggested the cyclone may move close to the Chennai coast on Nov 29 and 30, though forecasts differ on landfall with models showing the system crossing the AP coast or making a northward movement into the Bay of Bengal before weakening. 

On Nov 28, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Karaikal may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, while Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai may get heavy rain. 

On Nov 29, rain may spread to north TN, with Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpet, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Puducherry likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. 

Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet, Vellore and Karaikal may get heavy rain. On Nov 30, Tiruvallur may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, while Chennai, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Puducherry may get heavy rain. 

On Monday, many parts of TN recorded rainfall with Parangipettai in Cuddalore district recording 4.5cm, Kanyakumari 2cm and Nagapattinam 1.3cm till 7.30pm. Light spells of 3.4mm and 0.7mm were recorded in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam. 

Heavy rainfall over south TN in past few days has pushed up numbers, with at least 22 weather stations logging 10cm20cm in 24hours. Oothu in Tirunelveli recorded 23cm, Nalumukku 22cm, Sethiathope in Cuddalore and Kakkachi in Tirunelveli 21cm each, and Manjolai 19cm.