Higher edu council summons pvt varsity officials for records

Higher edu council summons pvt varsity officials for records 

01.10.2028 TIMES BENGALURU

Bengaluru: Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) Wednesday summoned vicechancellors, registrars and finance officers of private and deemed-to-be universities in the state for a meeting, seeking extensive financial, academic and administrative records, including five years of audited accounts. 

The meeting, convened under the chairmanship of higher education department principal secretary Thulasi Maddineni, follows a Sept 17 Supreme Court order. The universities were asked to submit information and documents listed by the council in both hard and soft copies. 

The state has 28 private universities, one public-private university and 11 deemed varsities. However, not all submitted data, citing that some of them have huge enrolments and submitting such numbers could be cumbersome. Among the documents sought are five-year signed audited financial statements, income-tax returns and computation records, general ledgers, bank statements, cash books, investment records and details of opening and closing balances of various funds. 

The council also sought course-wise fee details, including development and special-event fees, along with admission rules, prospectus, merit and entrance records, student ledgers, fee receipts, refunds and scholarship details. The scrutiny covers university governance and functioning, with institutions asked to furnish details of sponsors, trusts or societies, board members, related-party transactions, remuneration, leases, procurement and service contracts, along with invoices and payment records. 

The council has also sought information on course approvals, examinations, question-paper preparation, answer-script evaluation, staff recruitment, contracts, service rules, payroll, attendance and class registers. The Supreme Court has emphasised financial accountability and transparency in private universities, including disclosure of funds generated and utilised and payments made to nonoperational individuals or governing board members. Times News Network

Fake details, blank documents: ‘Donkey’ gets nursing certificate

Fake details, blank documents: ‘Donkey’ gets nursing certificate

30.09.2026

Jamal.Ayub@timesofindia.com 

Bhopal: An online nursing registration application submitted in the name of a donkey was approved by the Madhya Pradesh Nurses Registration Council, raising questions over the verification process of its newly launched portal. 

The application was submitted by NSUI state vice-president Ravi Parmar as a test of the council’s online system. According to Parmar, the form carried the name “Donkey”, a photograph of a donkey and fictitious details, including “Donkey Father” and “Donkey Mother” in the parents’ fields and “Animal” in the caste column. 

Despite the details, a temporary nursing registration certificate was issued after an online payment of Rs 2,050, Parmar claimed. He said the certificate was generated around five minutes after the application was submitted and payment made on Sept 25.

The application also contained arbitrary Class 10 and 12 examination details, while Bhopal Nursing College and Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre were entered as training institutions. Blank sheets were uploaded instead of training completion and degree or diploma certificates, Parmar said. 

The council’s response was not immediately available. Parmar has sought an inquiry into the portal and the agency managing it, saying the probe should establish how the application was approved without verification.

NEET-PG: Only 114 cross 600 mark

NEET-PG: Only 114 cross 600 mark 

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com 26.09.2026

New Delhi: Only 114 candidates scored 600 or more out of 720 in NEET-PG 2026, with the highest score at 641. A score of 601 was enough to secure a place in the top 100, according to the detailed result data released by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. 

The top three ranks went to candidates scoring 641, 633 and 626, while four candidates at ranks 4 to 7 scored 625 each. The number of candidates rose sharply as the score cut-off fell. 

As many as 2,614 candidates scored 550 or more, while 12,111 scored 500 or above. The number rose to 29,130 for 450 or more and 51,729 for scores of 400 or above. The score-to-rank gap widened sharply at lower scores. 

A score of 570 corresponded to rank 1,000, 532 to rank 5,000, 508 to rank 10,000 and 403 to rank 50,000. The scores are not directly comparable with last year’s results, as NEET-PG 2025 was scored out of 800, compared with 720 this year. The detailed result also showed 194 candidates with scores below zero. The median score was 262, while the mean was 274.4 among records carrying numerical scores. The detailed result contain 2,73,096 records, including 7,136 candidates marked absent and one result withheld.

Compassionate ground can’t be used to seek higher posts: HC

Compassionate ground can’t be used to seek higher posts: HC

Vasantha.Kumar@timesofindia.com  24.09.2026

Bengaluru: A compassionate appointment is a one-time measure arising from an exceptional circumstance and cannot be converted into a recurring claim for higher posts or better service benefits, the Dharwad bench of Karnataka high court ruled. 

A division bench of Justices M Nagaprasanna and Hema Kulkarni, in a judgement delivered on Sept 22, also cautioned state govt against allowing transposition from one Group C post to another merely because a compassionate appointee possesses higher educational qualifications. The court made the observations while allowing petitions filed by govt and reversing orders of Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT) in two cases involving Sathish V Gulla and Sandeep Kumar V Kulkarni. 

Both men had been appointed under the compassionate appointment scheme to the post of second division assistant (SDA). KSAT had directed govt to consider their cases for appointment as first division assistants (FDAs), taking into account their higher educational qualifications. Govt challenged the orders, contending that compassionate appointment was not a form of direct recruitment in which qualifications and other eligibility criteria were assessed for appointment to a higher post. 

The high court agreed with govt’s position, holding that the purpose of compassionate appointment was to provide immediate financial assistance to a family suddenly deprived of its breadwinner. “Once that compassion has translated itself into public employment and the appointment has been accepted, the stream of compassion cannot be permitted to flow endlessly into claims for higher posts, better cadres or superior service benefits,” the bench observed. It said the purpose of the scheme was fulfilled once the eligible family member was appointed to the post contemplated under it. Possession of qualifications for a higher post, by itself, could not justify invoking compassion afresh for appointment to that post. 2

The bench also warned govt about making individual exceptions outside the governing scheme. Picking and choosing individuals for such benefits, it said, could disturb administrative discipline and lead to grievances of unequal treatment.

11 varsities to get interim VCs: Edu min

11 varsities to get interim VCs: Edu min 

V.Srivatsal@timesofindia.com 24.09.2026

Trichy: Universities under the higher education department without vice-chancellors (VCs) would soon have in-charges as an interim arrangement, higher education minister P Viswanathan said on Wednesday. He said the present govt, unlike the previous DMK govt, would adopt a “nonconfrontational” approach with governor to find a permanent solution. The minister’s statement comes after a similar arrangement recently put in place at Alagappa University in Karaikudi and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli. 

The arrangement, according to the minister, will now be extended to the other 11 universities. Speaking to reporters in Trichy after a consultation meeting with staff and students at Bharathidasan University, Viswanathan said that then Governor R N Ravi had insisted on inclusion of a UGC nominee in the VC search panels, which became a bone of contention between DMK govt and governor. Towards the end, DMK govt also initiated interview processes to appoint VCs to Bharathidasan, Bharathiar and Periyar universities. However, the matter got stalled in court.

College ‘ran’ BEd course on paper for years

College ‘ran’ BEd course on paper for years 

20.09.2026

Bhopal: A private college in Jatkhedi has come under police scrutiny over alleged irregularities in its B.Ed course, with claims that the institution was not physically functioning for nearly a decade even as admissions, practicals, examinations and degree records were maintained every year. 

Bag Sewania police registered a case on Saturday on a complaint by Amin, a B.Ed student from Ashta, who said he enrolled in 2025 after being told the college was affiliated to Barkatullah University, was charged an excessive fee, shown another building as the premises and later told his admission was not cleared. A BU inquiry allegedly found the college non-functional. TNN

Andhra student falls to death at Rajkot univ hostel

Andhra student falls to death at Rajkot univ hostel 

20.09.2026

Rajkot: A second-year engineering student from Andhra Pradesh died after falling from the 10th floor of her hostel at Marwadi University in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Saturday morning. Police suspect it to be a suicide. 

The deceased, Sobarnika Venkatesh Alla, was pursuing a BTech degree in computer science and engineering with a specialisation in AI. According to police, the student fell around 10:30 am. Students, wardens and campus staff rushed to the spot after hearing the impact. 

Emergency medical services were called, but paramedics declared her dead at the scene. No suicide note was found in her room. Police have begun an investigation and are examining her phone records. 

DCP Hetal Patel said, “Her roommate told us that she had been shouting at somebody on the phone and suddenly jumped. We will know more after unlocking her phone and examining the call detail records.” The university’s deputy registrar, Varghese Nidheesh, said emergency assistance was sought immediately after the incident. The deceased’s cousin, who was in the city, was informed, and her family in Andhra Pradesh has also been notified. Investigators are recording statements from hostel residents and classmates as part of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death. tnn

Docs slam interview process for DME post

Docs slam interview process for DME post 

20.09.2026

Chennai: Admissions to UG medical and allied health studies are underway, and courses are now commencing at govt medical colleges across the state, but still the post of director of medical education, who holds administrative control of all medical colleges, has been lying vacant since July 31. 

While officials say selection is in progress, doctors ‘ bodies such as the Service Doctors and Postgraduate Doctors’Association, have objected to the health department’s interview-based process for selecting the next director. The association says the mandatory promotion panel was not published before the exercise. In a press release, the association general secretary Dr A Ramalingam said 10 medical college deans were interviewed for the post, which fell vacant after former DME Dr Suganthy Rajakumari retired in July. 

“Appointments in the department were usually made by preparing a promotion panel every year, based on the eligibility and seniority of doctors as on March 15. The panel would then be used to grant promotions and make appointments to senior administrative posts,” he said. The association urged the state govt to appoint an eligible senior doctor as DME on the basis of promotion panel. It also demanded that promotions to professor and associate professor posts be completed annually without delay. TNN

Masters in physiotherapy & occupational therapy not general degrees: UGC

Masters in physiotherapy & occupational therapy not general degrees: UGC 

20.09.2026

Chennai: University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that MPT (Master of Physiotherapy) and MOT (Master of Occupational Therapy) degrees should not be awarded as general degrees. 

“Based on a communication from National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), the degrees MPT and MOT shall be awarded with the respective specialisations and not as generalised ones. However, for admissions made prior to the academic year 2026-27, the degrees may be awarded in accordance with the earlier UGC notification,” said the notification issued by UGC secretary Shyama Rath on Sept 16 . 

The list of specialisations for MOT includes rehabilitation, mental health, geriatrics, hand and oncological sciences, while the specialisations for MPT includes neurosciences, cardiopulmonary sciences and sports sciences. It also includes new specified degrees such as bachelor of medical laboratory science, bachelor of emergency medical technologist (paramedics), master of advance care paramedics, bachelor of anaesthesia and operation theatre technology, bachelor of psychology, and master of medical social work. Times News Network

TN must change mindset, allow Hindi in schools: SC

TN must change mindset, allow Hindi in schools: SC 

‘States Should Not Act Like Countries’   18.09.2026

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Thursday told Tamil Nadu govt that it needed to change its mindset towards teaching Hindi in schools and should thrash out issues with Centre on setting up Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district. As Vijay-led TN govt took the same stand taken by the previous DMK govt, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and A G Masih said individual states cannot act like an individual country. “You have to change your mindset, it can’t be that Hindi will not be taught on the soil of TN,” the bench told the state govt. 

TN has been opposing setting up of these schools as they follow a three-language policy, including Hindi, which is against TN’s two-language policy. “We are saying in addition to all the good things you’re doing in your state, having something in addition will not bring down your standards. 

Coming from Delhi, will not lower the standards of Chennai. People in Chennai should not alienate Delhi and vice versa,” SC said. Senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for TN, submitted it is against federal structure to impose Centre’s decision on a state. “It is against the state policy. It supersedes Tamil. This kind of unification is not the purport of the Constitution. It is not a central govt school. It is a school run by a society. There is an adamancy that Hindi must predominate,” he told SC. Gupta submitted that cooperative federalism would never work in only one direction and such policy should not be enforced by SC. 

The bench, however, asked the state to comply with its order and posted the case for further hearing in Dec. Last Dec, it had directed TN to identify land required for establishing Navodaya Vidyalayas in each district within six weeks. “Comply with our earlier order. We are not asking you to acquire land. We are only asking to identify. We are concerned with the good of everybody. You can’t say I won’t accept a policy. Today it is education, tomorrow it will be something else. You have to relax this rigidity in your mind,” SC said.

Changes in varsities Act opposed

Changes in varsities Act opposed

The Hindu Bureau

MADURAI 13.09.2026

The members of the Madurai Kamaraj, Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Mother Teresa, Alagappa, Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Education and Anna University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) have objected to the recent amendments to Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2026, passed in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly recently.

Under the original Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act enacted in 2019, institutions were required to possess a minimum of 100 acres of land and maintain a permanent fixed deposit endowment of ₹50 crore.

According to A.T. Senthamarai Kannan, general secretary of MUTA, the State government has successfully passed the amendment in the Assembly following an earlier ordinance in October 2025 that met with an intense public backlash.

The revised legislation significantly lowers these entry barriers.

“The minimum land requirement is now slashed to 12 acres within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits, 18 acres in other corporations and municipalities, and 25 acres in rural areas. Additionally, the mandatory permanent endowment fund has been halved from ₹50 crore to ₹25 crore,” he added.

He argued that while State-run universities—which uphold social justice and reservation policies while providing affordable education—struggle with chronic underfunding, the government is rolling out the red carpet for private players.

He warned that proliferating private campuses without robust regulatory guardrails could lead to exploitative labour conditions and job market vulnerabilities for graduates.

Mr. Senthamarai Kannan urged the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider the legislative amendment.

MUTA demanded that the State instead focus its resources on strengthening State-funded institutions to safeguard educational equity and the reservation system.

Karnataka salutes teachers with prefix of their own, ‘Tr’

Karnataka salutes teachers with prefix of their own, ‘Tr’

Bengaluru/Vijayanagar: 06.09.2026

Move over, ‘Dr’ and ‘Prof’. Karnataka’s educators are soon going to get their own official upgrade. In a likely first for the country, state govt is all set to introduce ‘Tr’ as an exclusive title prefix, giving the teaching profession a distinct identity. Announcing the decision on Teachers’ Day while launching Prajaseva programme in Kudligi, Vijayanagar, Saturday, chief minister D K Shivakumar said: 

“A society that honours its teachers honours its future.” “To every teacher who has guided us, corrected us, encouraged our dreams and believed in us before we believed in ourselves, Karnataka salutes you.” The move puts teachers alongside professions that use prefixes such as ‘Dr’ for doctors and doctorate holders and ‘Prof’ for professors. Prefixes such as ‘Er’ or ‘Engr’ for engineers and ‘Ar’ for architects are also used, though less commonly. 

Explaining the decision’s significance, the CM said ‘Tr’ was society’s recognition of those who dedicate their lives to shaping others. In a post on X earlier in the day, he said a teacher helps build the individual who goes on to build the nation and therefore deserves an honorary prefix. He said India has over 1 crore teachers, including nearly 4.5 lakh in Karnataka. 

Highlighting influence teac-hers have across professions, he said: “Every doctor who heals, engineer who builds, farmer who feeds, officer who serves, entrepreneur who creates and leader who guides us has a teacher behind them — someone who first recognised their potential and showed them what was possible.” 

Class 9 student dies after suspected heart attack in school

Class 9 student dies after suspected heart attack in school 

03.09.2026

Mandya: A 14-year-old student died after reportedly suffering a heart attack during lunch break at SCMM High School in Somanahalli village of Maddur taluk Wednesday. The deceased is Veeramani, who was staying with his grandparents while his parents were residing in Tamil Nadu. According to school authorities, the incident occurred during lunch break when Veeramani suddenly collapsed while drinking water. He was a class 9 student at the school. Teachers immediately rushed him to Maddur Public Hospital in a school vehicle, where he was provided first aid. 

As his condition was critical, doctors advised that he be shifted to Mandya MIMS Hospital for further treatment. However, doctors at MIMS confirmed that the boy had died. Dhananjay, BEO, Maddur, confirmed the death of Veeramani and mentioned that the student was very active in school. The news of Veeramani’s death left his parents and relatives devastated, with the family mourning outside MIMS hospital. Maddur police have registered a case and are conducting an inquiry into the incident. tnn Lunch-hour tragedy

Foreign universities find their feet in India

Foreign universities find their feet in India

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 31.08.2026

Bengaluru: Foreign universities that have set up campuses in India are reporting a positive response, with several institutions already operational and conducting classes, while others are preparing to begin their inaugural programmes. The University of South Wales (UNSW), for instance, began classes in Bengaluru in Aug with 100 students across four programmes, after receiving more than 700 applications. Its inaugural offering includes bachelor’s degrees in business, data analytics, and computer science, and a master’s in cybersecurity. 

The campus at Embassy Manyata Business Park in north Bengaluru spans approximately 70,000sqm. About one-third of the inaugural cohort is from Karnataka. “We’re particularly pleased with the geographic diversity of the cohort, which reflects the strong national appeal of the programmes. UNSW’s approach to its operations in India is deliberately starting small, ensuring an excellent student experience, with a progressive expansion plan. Our goal is to increase the student body to about 5,000 students in five years,” said professor Payyazhi Jayashree, rector, UNSW Bengaluru. At the University of York Mumbai, Prof Lindsay Oades, president and academic provost, said the university is seeing interest from graduates who had completed UG education overseas and were considering further studies closer to home. There is also interest among students with entrepreneurial ambitions, particularly in postgraduate programmes in management, finance and artificial intelligence. “For parents, the lower tuition cost compared with the UK, coupled with the elimination of overseas accommodation and living expenses, is a key consideration.” 

The Mumbai campus offers five UG programmes, including business and management, computer science, computer science with AI, and computer science with cybersecurity, as well as one-year PG programmes in AI, management and finance. Illinois Institute of Technology has received close to 10,000 inquiries from across India, along with interest from students in the Middle East and Indian-origin students overseas considering returning to India for education, said Mallik Sundharam, vice-president for enrollment management and student affairs. 

The Mumbai campus in Vikhroli’s Godrej   Business District is operational. Orientation is scheduled from Aug 31 to Sept 3, with regular classes beginning Sept 7. The University of Liverpool said its BSc Biomedical Sciences and BSc Accounting and Finance programmes have attracted particularly strong interest. Biomedical sciences has appealed to students seeking careers in healthcare, life sciences and research, while accounting and finance has drawn those seeking internationally recognised qualifications and pathways into global business and financial services. 

“The admissions cycle is progressing positively, and we are on track to meet targets for our initial intake,” said professor Richard Grose, provost, University of Liverpool Bengaluru. The university plans to grow its Bengaluru campus to 10,000 students over the next 10 years. Classes will begin on Sept 28, 2026, with induction on Sept 21. The Whitefield campus has been ready since March 2026.

IIMB’s first UG branch has more boys and CBSE students

IIMB’s first UG branch has more boys and CBSE students 

Sruthysusan.Ullas @timesgroup.com  27.08.2026

Bengaluru: From a whopping 12,000 applications, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) has selected its first batch of undergraduate students. The batch comprises 56 boys and 24 girls, with an equal mix of commerce and science students. IIM-B is launching its BSc (hons) programmes in data sciences and economics at its new campus, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore–Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies, in Jigani-Anekal area. 

Each programme has 40 seats. In Dec 2025, TOI had reported that the institute had received an overwhelming 12,000 applications. Subsequently, 453 candidates were shortlisted for interviews for 2026–30 academic year. Classes are set to begin on Aug 31, 2026. The inaugural cohort has 56 male and 24 female students. Of these, 39 have studied commerce, 39 science, and two arts and humanities. “Together, they bring a healthy mix of analytical and quantitative foundations to the incoming cohort, true to the multidisciplinary nature of the programmes,” said the premier institute. The incoming batch also brings an “exceptional academic track record”, the institute added, with more than half of the batch having scored above 90% overall in their class 12 examinations, 24 scoring more than 80%, and 44 students scoring above 90 marks in mathematics. The batch also reflects a diverse educational and geographic footprint. On the schooling board front, the majority of students – 51 – come from a CBSE background, followed by 23 from state boards, four from the IB curriculum, and one each from National Institute of Open Schooling and CISCE. 

The batch draws students from across the country, with the largest contingents coming from Maharashtra (18), Karnataka (13), and Uttar Pradesh (10), and representation spanning 20 states in total, “reflecting the pan-India appeal of the programme”.  Recently, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between IIM Bangalore and Tata Trusts (Sir Dorabji Tata Trust), formalising a significant philanthropic contribution by Tata Trusts towards development of the school. The school was thus renamed Indian Institute of Management Bangalore – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies. The campus is located approximately 23 kilometres from IIMB’s Bannerghatta Road campus and is being developed as a dedicated residential academic environment designed to foster interdisciplinary learning, research and innovation.

Endoscopic camera used to copy paper in sealed packet CM orders probe

Endoscopic camera used to copy paper in sealed packet CM orders probe

23.08.2026

Raipur: A tiny endoscopic camera was allegedly slipped through a pinhole in a sealed question paper envelope to film a BSc agriculture entomology paper without opening the packet, exposing a startling loophole in exam security at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) in Raipur, Chhattisgarh police said Saturday, reports Rashmi Drolia. 

The paper leak surfaced on Aug 20, shortly before the exam. The test was cancelled and rescheduled for the first week of Sept. About 1,200 students from 27 agriculture colleges were to take it. Six people have been arrested, including Yogesh Sonkesariya, a professor at a private college in Durg, and five students who allegedly paid Rs 12,000 each for the leaked paper, DCP Smritik Rajnala said Saturday.

C’garh police searching for two more suspects, CM orders probe 

Raipur police are searching for two more suspects and are probing if the group was part of a wider network. Sonkesariya allegedly took the sealed entomology paper home, pierced its envelope with a needle and another pointed tool, inserted an endoscopy camera costing about Rs 2,500 and filmed the contents through the tiny opening. The camera, normally used to inspect narrow and hard-to-reach areas inside the human body, allowed him to access the paper without visibly opening the packet. Police said Sonkesariya allegedly reconstructed the questions from the video, sold the paper and passed it to a student network that circulated images through WhatsApp about two hours before the exam. When university officials compared the paper being distributed at exam centres with the viral copy, the questions matched. Police said an FIR was registered under Chhattisgarh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2008 and BNS sections. CM Vishnu Deo Sai has ordered an impartial probe, while the university formed a five-member panel.

CJI, Nalsar students have one query for BCI: ‘Who are you?’ It Is Between Me And Them, Says Surya Kant

CJI, Nalsar students have one query for BCI: ‘Who are you?’ It Is Between Me And Them, Says Surya Kant 

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesofindia.com 15.08.2026

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Friday castigated Bar Council of India (BCI) for threatening to deny licence to practice to Hyderabad-based NALSAR university students who opposed CJI Surya Kant as their convocation chief guest, shielded them against coercive action and offered the law graduates a start as legal aid counsel in SC. 

Taking cognizance of the controversy created late last evening by BCI through an unprecedented letter which had to be hastily retracted, a three-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant said, “This is absolutely uncalled for. BCI has nothing to do with it. The students might have written a letter to me. It is a dialogue between me and students. Who are they (BCI) to unnecessarily create an issue? This action is totally uncalled for.” Senior advocate K Parameshwar sought SC’s urgent intervention in quashing the illegal and arbitrary action of the BCI in seeking to coerce VC of NALSAR University, one of the top law schools, to conduct an investigation and identify students who had opposed CJI’s participation in the convocation as chief guest and issuing the now-withdrawn threat that those identified would be denied registration for licence to practice by all state bar councils.

NEET toppers skew the curve in 2026, MBBS cut-off may go up by 40 marks Admissions Won’t Get Tougher, Say Experts

NEET toppers skew the curve in 2026, MBBS cut-off may go up by 40 marks Admissions Won’t Get Tougher, Say Experts

 

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 11.08.2026

Chennai: The cut-offs for MBBS/BDS admissions to govt colleges in Tamil Nadu are likely to increase by up to 40 marks for the open category and between 21 and 41 marks for some reserved categories this year. This is because the number of top scorers in NEET 2026 is higher than that of the previous year. This may not mean that admissions will get tougher now, experts say, as the selection committee will allot seats based on the order of merit in the eligibility test and 69% rule of reservation. 

Counselling for MBBS and BDS will begin on Aug 13. Offline counselling will be held for candidates under special category on the same day. The MBBS/BDS rank list for 2026 admissions was released on Monday by health minister K G Arunraj. There were 90 students with a score above 700 in 2024, 29 students in 2023, and five in 2022. The number of students above 500 marks in 2026 was more than 6,000 compared to less than 4,000 in 2025. Between 350 and 499, there were 15,800 students, fewer than 17,431 recorded in 2025. This year, TN has 9,999 MBBS seats. After surrendering seats to the Centre under all India quota, the seat matrix will open with 7,157 seats—4,473 state-quota seats in govt colleges and 2,684 govt quota seats in self-financing colleges. 

For the first time in five years, the state has 50 MBBS seats each in three existing medical colleges. At least 700 MBBS seats have been added to private colleges, taking the additional seat tally to 850. But this will not reflect in the seat matrix. Four institutions with 800 MBBS seats were removed from the state list and added to the Centre’s list as they were granted deemed university status. While the health minister said the new seats will ease competition, counsellors say the loss of seats will also mean higher fee, no quota for meritorious students, no reservation under 60% or for govt school students. 

This year too, the middle is crowded,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. Analysis shows more than 3,800 students are bunched between 500 and 599 marks. Open category seats in govt run medical colleges, which ended at 1,508 rank in 2025, and a cut-off score of 533, will now have a cut-off hovering above 570. The BC cut-off will hover around 535, compared to 506 last year, while BCM and MBC will be around 523 and 525 respectively. In the SC/SCA and ST, cut off will be around 465, 435 and 430. Scores of students in the 7.5% quota, where seats were reserved for govt school students, have improved in 2026. Top six students under this category had scores hovering between 585 and 599, compared to last year’s topper who had a score of 572 out of 720. 

For BDS, there are 1,383 seats: 213 in govt colleges and 1,170 govt quota seats in selffinancing colleges. “Seats have come down as one college has been derecognised and one has been sent to the central pool after it was granted deemed university status,” Arunraj said. Experts say it is difficult to predict the cut-offs for dental seats, as BDS is no longer the natural choice for students who don’t get into MBBS—many wait to retake NEET.

State song issue, cert handover disrupt convocation at varsity

State song issue, cert handover disrupt convocation at varsity

 

Ram.Sundaram@timesofindia.com 29.07.2026

Madurai : A fresh row broke out between political parties and Tamil Nadu governor R V Arlekar on Tuesday as ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazthu’ was sung third, after ‘Vande Mataram’ and National Anthem at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University’s 33rd convocation. 

State higher education minister and pro-chancellor P Viswanathan as well as TVK MLAs from the district boycotted the event. TVK, its allies as well as opposition DMK flayed the governor for ‘relegating Tamil Thaai Vaazthu to third position.’ State law minister R Nirmalkumar accused the governor of imposing the Union govt’s agenda while disregarding public sentiment. 

“He should confine his agenda to Lok Bhavan and respect TN’s people,” he said. DMK MP Kanimozhi questioned chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s silence. She said that it was the first time that a university convocation ceremony in TN opened with ‘Vande Mataram’ pushing the state song to third place. 

“Will CM Vijay open his mouth over the issue,’’ she asked. CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said, “We want the state govt to enact a law in the upcoming assembly session to guarantee that ‘Thamizh Thai Vaazthu’ is sung first.” Meanwhile, 758 doctoral scholars created a flutter as they protested against the announcement that only 113 medallists would receive degrees directly from the governor. 

The decision was eventually withdrawn. Organisers announced as the governor was unwell and would not be able to stand though out the ceremony. The announcement triggered objections across the hall. University vice-chancellor N Chandrasekar spoke to Arlekar and announced that the governor would present certificates to all the candidate. Arlekar apologised, saying he would not disregard scholars who had waited after years of work to receive degrees from the chancellor

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.”