NEWS TODAY 27.07.2026

Eight among top 100 NIRF institutes face retraction of research work authored by VCs, directors

Eight among top 100 NIRF institutes face retraction of research work authored by VCs, directors 

Divyansh.Kumar@timesofindia.com 27.07.2026

EDUCATION TIMES BHOPAL

An analysis of research output at India’s top 100 NIRF-ranked universities has found a string of paper retractions linked directly to sitting vice chancellors and directors at eight institutions, including six government-run, two private, with reasons ranging from image manipulation and AI-generated content to plagiarism and compromised peer review. 

The findings compiled using the Author Trends database and manually verified against Research Watch Database, to isolate retractions attribut able to alleged misconduct rather than honest error, cover only universities placed in the top 100 of the NIRF overall rankings. A prominent state university in Tamil Nadu has recorded nine retractions, almost all flagged for image manipulation. Most of these retractions occurred after thei ndividual took charge as vice chancellor, and the institution recorded a sharp rise in its NIRF standing over the past year. 

In at least one of these cases, the retraction notice records that the authors, including the vice chancellor, did not agree with the decision to retract. At a private university in Maharashtra, two retractions were traced to AI-generated content and what reviewers termed ‘tortured phrases’, a hallmark of paper-mill writing. 

Sources familiar with the university’s internal practices said its vice chancellor has directed researchers to publish atleast four papers annually. Other six institutions, including two IITs and an AIIMS, each retraction attributed to the institute’s director or executive director, for reasons spanning possible plagiarism, compromised peer review, tortured phrases and duplication. India ranks 8th globally for retractions due to misconduct, with 22.5 retractions per 10,000 citable documents.

It trails nations like Pakistan (64.1), Saudi Arabia(42.8),andNigeria(35.7). ArecentLinkedInpollbyIndianResearch Watch (IRW), drawing near 200 responses, found 83% of respondents believe individuals with misconductlinked retractions should not remain in or be appointed to VC and director posts; only 11% said it did not matter given the administrative nature of the role. 

Education Times reached out to most universities listed in the data base for their comments; but none had responded. “When institutions begin to chase publication counts, citations and patent numbers a starget sin

themselves,there is a risk that the metric becomes more important than the purpose behind it. However, every retraction should not automatically be treated as evidence of fraud and responsibility must be established through a fair and credible investigation,” says V Ramgopal Rao, group vice chancellor, BITS Pilani, and former director,IITDelhi. 

Institutional credibility hinges less on whether misconduct occurs than on the response to it. “Attempts to suppress a problem,delay an investigation or protect an individual because of position cause far greater reputational damage than the original allegation,” he says, calling for cases involving top leadership to be referred to an external research integrity panel with no prior ties to thei ndividual concerned. Prof S C Lakhotia, distinguished professor, Banaras Hindu University and former SERB Distinguished Fellow, calls the ranking system itself “the real root-cause for the expanding research misconduct in India.” 

He adds, “The pressure to publish had fed a self-sustaining vicious circle involving predatory and paper-mill journals. Ranking bodies must severely penalise retractions and unethical collaborations, which are often purchased or sold. Where allegations against leaders are established, the involved person should be immediately removed from the position being held by them and also debarred from holding any academic positions in future.” 

Achal Agrawal, founder, IRW, says, “People at the highest levels need to have a clean record to have the moral authority to ensure integrity in their institutes. More often than not, it is the students researchers who are thrown under the bus and those in power face no consequences. In the USA, even Stanford and Harvard presidents had to resign last year after accusations of misconduct. Ensuring accountability from the top will enhance the academic reputation of India as a country that takes research integrity seriously.”

NEET PG 2026 tightens anti-leak measures

NEET PG 2026 tightens anti-leak measures 

Candidates will undergo multistage authentication during registration

 Divyansh.Kumar@timesofindia.com 27.07.2026

Education times 

To insulate the upcoming NEET PG 2026 entrance exam from the malpractice that derailed NEET UG, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) is deploying a multilayered digital security framework.

 The exam scheduled on August 30 will have mandatory Aadhaarbased authentication at multiple stages, alongside technology-enabled analytical monitoring introduced this year, to flag suspicious answering patterns. The measures come less than three months after the NEET UG 2026 paper leak triggered the cancellation of exam, followed by a retest. 

While NEET PG has long been conducted as a ComputerBased Test (CBT), officials say a post-crisis review led to additional safeguards aimed at preventing impersonation, organised cheating and unauthorised access to examination content. “After concerns raised in other examinations, NBEMS undertook a comprehensive review of the exam processes in consultation with the stakeholders concerned, including the technology partner and security agencies to identify areas where safeguards could be further strengthened. 

The review resulted in additional preventive measures and refinement of existing protocols,” a senior NMC official tells on the condition of anonymity. Aadhaar authentication is introduced to control the impersonation loophole that has plagued entrance exams. “The objective is to ensure that the genuine registered candidate appears for the examination, thereby preventing impersonation and protecting the interests of honest candidates. Checks would apply at several stages: application submission, entry into the exam hall and even after bio-breaks, as efforts to prevent organised cheating,” the official added. Beyond biometrics, the architecture of CBT mode exam itself serves as a deterrent to networkdriven leaks. “Unlike paper-based exams, there is no mass printing, transportation, storage or physical distribution of question booklets to thousands of examination centres. 

Digital delivery through secured systems considerably limits exposure of examination content,” adds the official. System-driven question randomisation also helps control cheating inside exam halls, under which each candidate receives questions in a different sequence. “This ensures that neighbouring candidates are extremely unlikely to view questions in the same order. Randomisation changes only the presentation of questions and not the assessment standard, and all candidates are evaluated against the same paper despite differing sequences on candidate consoles,” he says. NBEMS has also deployed technology-enabled analytical processes to detect unusual answering patterns. 

However, no adverse action is taken on automated flags alone. “Any flagged instance is subjected to detailed review process using multiple sources of evidence before any conclusion is reached,” adds the official. After assessment, the testing body has identified high-risk centres or regions, where it has deployed enhanced monitoring, and closer coordination with test delivery partners and law enforcement agencies. Changed Pattern Medical aspirants preparing for the single-shift exam will also contend with a revised pattern. NEET PG 2026 will have 180 questions instead of 200, within the same threehour, 30-minute duration, split into five sections of 36 questions each with a strict 42-minute time-lock per section, and candidates cannot return to a completed section once its window closes. Maximum marks drop from 800 to 720, though the fourmark award and one-mark penalty per question remain unchanged. 

“The NEET PG exam now includes more problem-oriented and clinically oriented questions, which are lengthy at times and require more time,” says the official. 

 Times of India ePaper ahmedabad - Read Today’s English News Paper 

NDC scraps provisional registration rule to save dental students from suffering internship delays

NDC scraps provisional registration rule to save dental students from suffering internship delays 

Divyansh.Kumar@timesofindia.com 27.07.2026

Around 25,000 Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) graduates will not have to wait for the administrative approvals as the National Dental Commission (NDC) aims to smoothen their transition from college to dental hospitals. The NDC abolished the mandatory requirement of acquiring provisional registration from State Dental Councils (SDCs) before commencing their mandatory internship. 

This will reduce paperwork, lower financial burden, and accelerate the entry of young dentists into the healthcare workforce. In the earlier process, introduced by the erstwhile Dental Council of India (DCI) in November 2021, the students had to submit multiple documents, frequent council offices, and wait for approval before starting their clinical training. 

The SDCs will now immediately issue permanent registration directly after successful completion of the internship, removing an entire layer of regulatory compliance. Dr Sarjeev Singh Yadav, principal, Government Dental College and Hospital, Hyderabad, says, “The reform removes an unnecessary administrative bottleneck, ensuring timely commencement of compulsory internship. It reduces administrative workload for both institutions and regulatory authorities. This is a landmark student-centric reform embodying the vision of Ease of Doing Business and Minimum Government, Maximum Governance by simplifying regulatory processes without compromising quality.” 

Timely internship completion will now enable smoother eligibility for postgraduate admissions, employment and career progression, he says.

 Seamless Transition

For students, however, the biggest gain is time. Dr MD Manzur Ahmed, national president, All India Dental Students & Dental Surgeons Association (AIDSA), says the reform eliminates one  of the biggest administrative hurdles that delayed graduates despite having completed all academic requirements. “Before November 2021, students began their compulsory rotatory internship immediately after passing their final BDS exam. However, once provisional registration became mandatory, many were forced to wait for administrative approvals before starting clinical training,” he says. “Depending on the SDC, this reform could save several weeks to a few months. More importantly, it eliminates uncertainty. 

Students can now move seamlessly from graduation to internship, obtain permanent registration on time, become eligible for postgraduate admissions sooner, and enter the dental workforce without unnecessary administrative delays,” Dr Ahmed adds. Delays in internship commencement automatically postpone internship completion, which in turn affects eligibility for permanent registration, postgraduate admissions, government recruitment and private employment. “Their career progression gets delayed not because they lack competence, but because of avoidable administrative procedures,” he says. 

Financial Stress

Provisional registration contributed little to patient safety or academic supervision and had largely become a bureaucratic exercise. Dr Divakar Moodautiya, assistant lecturer, Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry, Gwalior, says, “Provisional registration was purely paper pushing that burdened students. It made no tangible contribution to responsible clinical care or patient safety on the ground.” The process also imposed an unnecessary financial burden on graduates. “Beyond the procedural chaos, graduates faced a compounding financial strain, paying twice for both temporary and permanent registration fees, alongside out-of-pocket expenses for legal documentation, affidavits, and mandatory travel to state council headquarters for physical verification,” says Dr Moodautiya.

Sold your car? Ensure ownership transfer

Sold your car? Ensure ownership transfer

One can’t simply hand over the keys, collect the money and move on. Getty Images/iStock

K. Nityakalyani. 27.07.2026

Apparently, nightmares come in a few familiar forms: turning up unprepared for an examination, desperately trying to reach somewhere on time or you/ your loved ones being threatened, chased or attacked.

Receiving a court summons in a motor accident compensation case involving your vehicle. The one you sold five years ago.

Ok, that one may not feature in psychology textbooks. But it is certainly a nightmare you do not want to experience.

A relative of mine did. Almost.

Last week, he received a traffic challan for a car he had sold years ago. Alarmed, he logged on to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' Parivahan portal, only to discover that the vehicle was still registered in his name. The buyer had never completed the transfer of the Registration Certificate (RC). That meant that legally my relative was still responsible for anything to do with the vehicle.

The discovery was enough to ruin his week. And mine. Because his next outreach was to me.

The mighty paperwork

There is an old saying: "It's not done till the paperwork is done". Nowhere is this truer than when selling a vehicle.

You cannot simply hand over the keys, the RC and the transfer forms, collect the money and move on. Until the ownership transfer is completed, you remain exposed.

Here is what should be done. Both buyer and seller must sign Forms 29 and 30 clearly mentioning the date of sale and each should retain an original. The buyer should clearly be named with address, mobile number and an identify proof. This fixes the timeframe for transfer and identifies the buyer.

Brokers many a time take over the vehicle claiming they are the buyers and then hunt for customers. That is why they will cajole you into signing blank forms. Please don't.

The seller, you, should send a letter to your RTO, saying you have sold the vehicle and disclaiming any further liability. Attach copies of Forms 29 and 30, the identify proof of the buyer and sale proof. Send it by Speed Post, preserve the receipt, track the delivery online and keep proof of delivery safely.

To be fair, my relative had done everything required. Except check if the actual transfer had taken place.

Not a first

Sadly, this is not an isolated case. I have heard several such stories. I have faced it myself.

One friend discovered that a vehicle he had long since sold had been implicated in an illegal drugs case. Imagine receiving notice in a fatal accident claim.

Point of sale formalities apart, the system itself needs improvement. Both buyer and seller should be able to track the ownership transfer online, and automatic alerts should be sent to them, and to the authorities, whenever a transfer remains incomplete beyond a reasonable period.

In an age of digital records, instant communication and online services, this is not too much to ask.

If the police can send us a traffic challan by SMS within seconds of a violation, surely our transport system can tell us when ownership of a vehicle worth several lakh rupees has not changed hands.

(The writer is a business journalist specialising in insurance & corporate history)

Medical PG student dies by suicide

Medical PG student dies by suicide 

26.07.2026

Hyderabad: A 29-year-old postgraduate medical student died after allegedly jumping from the terrace of her family’s five-storeyed apartment in Nagaram under Keesara police station limits on Friday. 

Her family told police that she may have taken the extreme step due to academic stress and said they had no suspicion against anyone. The deceased was identified as Vadlakonda Dikshitha, a postgraduate student of ophthalmology at a medical college in Karnataka. 

According to police, Dikshitha had recently returned home and was staying with her family at Nagaram. In a complaint lodged with Keesara police, her father, V Anandam, a farmer, stated that Dikshitha had been pursuing her medical postgraduate course at a college and hospital in Agalkot, Karnataka, for the past six months. TNN

NEWS TODAY 26.07.2026