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Thursday, October 22, 2026

NEWS TODAY 22.10.2026

NMC denotifies medical education standards rules

22.10.2026 TIMES BENGALURU

The National Medical Commission has denotified the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (MSMER-2023).

With the denotification, all specific penalties against medical institutions that fail to comply with any of the statutory provisions and regulations or minimum standards are no longer applicable.

The notification states that any action taken while the regulation was in force would not be affected by the denotification. However, the NMC has not taken any action against many colleges found flouting regulations as in the case of non-payment of mandatory stipend to MBBS interns and doctors doing postgraduation.

With the denotification, medical colleges have little to fear if they do not pay stipend in future as the penalty for specific violations is not specified in the NMC Act. The Act only states that the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) shall take such measures, including issuing warning, imposition of monetary penalty, reducing intake or stoppage of admissions or recommendation for withdrawal of recognition against a medical institution for failure to maintain the minimum essential standards specified.

“Notwithstanding such de-notification, the requirement of furnishing the Annual Disclosure Report (ADR) shall continue to operate” in accordance with the relevant sections of the NMC Act 2019, stated the denotification announcement gazetted on October 14. The NMC Act stipulates that the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board and the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board shall specify norms for compulsory annual disclosures, electronically or otherwise, by medical institutions.

The 2019 Act also states that MARB may conduct evaluation and assessment of any medical institution at any time without prior notice to assess and evaluate the institution’s performance, standards and benchmarks. However, denotification has also removed requirements for evaluation reports to verify physical infrastructure, required faculty numbers and review student feedback.

Heavy rainfall may return to city on Sunday

22.10.2026 TIMES CHENNAI

Chennai: A low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast is unlikely to bring heavy rain to Chennai and suburbs until this weekend, with the city likely to get moderate rain over the next three days.

The system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rain (orange alert) to 17 southern and delta districts on Thursday and heavy rain (yellow alert) to nine districts.

On Friday, an orange alert will cover three southern and western districts, while 24 districts will be under yellow alert.

India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rain in 29 districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kancheepuram, on Oct 25. V R Durai, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said heavy rain could return to Chennai and neighbours on Oct 25 as the system moves northwards. Another system may form over the southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal on Oct 23 and intensify into a cyclone, but is unlikely to bring rain to TN.

“The low pressure area is not strong enough for red alerts to southern districts. It may weaken in a few days and move north, bringing heavy rain to Chennai and neighbours. For the next three days, the city may get moderate rain,” he said. On Thursday, Chennai may get moderate rain, with thunderstorms and lightning in few areas. Cloudy skies are expected to keep temperatures at a maximum of 32°C and minimum of 25°C. IMD withdrew Sunday’s red alert after the circulation weakened.

Metro Phase 2 services to start at 6 am

22.10.2026

Chennai: Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) will advance the services on the Phase-2 Yellow Line to 6 am from Oct 23, following commuter feedback. Services on the 15km Corridor-4 stretch between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani will operate from 6 am to 9 pm in both directions.

Currently, services begin at 7am. The revised timings are intended to make early-morning travel towards Vadapalani and Poonamallee more convenient. From Monday to Saturday, trains will run every 10 minutes during peak hours — 8am to 11am and 5pm to 8pm. During non-peak hours, services will operate every 15 minutes, between 6am and 8am, 11am and 5pm, and 8pm and 9pm. TNN