NEET PG: 52% top rankers in state choose general med

NEET PG: 52% top rankers in state choose general med

Preference In Sync With Nat’l Trend 

Sruthysusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com  12.11.2026

Bengaluru: The favourite MD/MS programme of NEET-PG aspirants in Karnataka is in tune with the national trend. While the first student to take a seat chose MD in radio diagnosis, around 52% of the students who picked a seat through Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) counselling went for general medicine. 

As per the final allotment list of the first round of counselling, 52 of the top 100 students chose general medicine. MD in radio diagnosis was the second most chosen branch (25 seats), followed by MD in dermatology (11 seats). Together, these top three non-surgical specialties accounted for 88% of all allotments. 

Surgical and procedural specialties like MS in orthopaedics, general surgery and obstetrics & gynaecology (OBG) and MD in paediatrics made up the remaining 12 seats. The trend is similar to that witnessed at the medical counselling committee’s counselling. 

“Radio diagnosis has taken a hit after a general feeling that artificial intelligence will affect the prospects of the stream. Orthopedics and surgery seem to have reached a saturation stage. General medicine is the new favourite now. It covers a wide range of subjects and aspirants feel they have a lot of options to pursue in super speciality ranging from nephrology to geriatric medicine. 

They can work independently in their own clinics and also have the opportunity to have constant interaction with patients,” said Bhagavan BC, vice-chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS). Meanwhile, colleges are worried about seats in pre- and para-clinical courses going vacant. 

“Like last year, we will continue to waive the fees for some of the pre- and para-clinical courses as we are unable to find takers. The number of queries are low for these programmes this year too. The students will get stipends,” said the chairperson of a private college in Bengaluru. Many colleges also provide placements for these students as faculty in their departments. Karnataka has 9,887 seats this academic year, the highest in the country. Last year, over 700 seats were vacant in the state.

4 out of 5 foreign medicine grads fail qualifier

4 out of 5 foreign medicine grads fail qualifier 

11.11.2026 TIMES BHOPALNEET

New Delhi: Nearly four out of five foreign medical graduates (FMGs) who appeared in the Oct 2026 Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, mandatory for foreign-trained doctors seeking to practise in India, failed to qualify. 

Only 9,354 candidates passed, as against 31,539 who failed, taking the pass percentage to 22.9%. The results come after months of protests by FMGs over the June examination, following which the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences announced a series of measures, based on a committee’s recommendations. However, the national FMG In-charge, said feedback suggested the Oct paper didn’t appear to follow the recommendations. — Anuja Jaiswal

400+ MBBS SEATS FIND NO TAKERS

 

409 MBBS seats unallotted despite spl round

409 MBBS seats unallotted despite spl round 

Steep Fees At Private Colleges Likely Deterrent 

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com TIMES CHENNAI  11.11.2026

New Delhi: As many as 409 MBBS seats remained unallotted even after the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducted a special stray vacancy round, with the high fee structure in private medical colleges potentially being one of the factors behind the seats remaining unfilled. 

Of the 946 vacant MBBS seats included in the special round’s seat matrix, only 537 were allotted, leaving 409 unfilled. This means allotments were made against around 57% of the vacancies, while more than 43% remained unallotted. 

The vacancies raise questions about the affordability of medical education, particularly in private colleges where fees can run into lakhs of rupees. High costs may have deterred some NEET-qualified candidates from opting for these seats, although the allotment data does not establish the reasons for individual choices. 

The 946 vacancies included 837 seats that had remained vacant after the previous stray vacancy round. Another 109 seats were added after candidates who had been allotted seats in that round failed to join their colleges. These additional cases took the vacancy count to 946 for the special round. 

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry accounted for the bulk of the vacancies, with 688 and 187 seats, respectively, in the special-round matrix. Together, the two accounted for 875 of the 946 vacancies. An overwhelming majority of the seats on offer were in deemed universities. The vacancies were heavily concentrated in a handful of private medical colleges. Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute in Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of seats without allotments. 

Of its 188 MBBS seats listed in the special stray vacancy matrix, only seven were allotted. As many as 91 of the 95 seats in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry remained unallotted, while 77 of 82 seats in Sree Balaji Medical College in Chennai went without allotments. Together, these three colleges accounted for 349 seats that did not receive allotments in the round.

Adult vaccination remains low, elderly miss cover against flu, pneumonia and shingles

Adult vaccination remains low, elderly miss cover against flu, pneumonia and shingles 

10.11.2026  TIMES BHOPAL

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com New Delhi: 

Despite vaccines being available to prevent several infections that can be particularly serious for older people, adult immunisation remains low in India. Influenza, pneumococcal disease and shingles are among the key vaccine-preventable illnesses that pose a risk to older people, but studies point to poor awareness and low uptake of these vaccines. 

Ahead of World Immunisation Day Tuesday (Nov 10), the findings highlight a significant gap in protection beyond childhood. A multicentre study of 4,998 people aged 60 and above across Chennai, Ballabgarh, Kolkata and Pune found only 1.4% had ever received an influenza vaccine. While just 19.7% had heard of influenza, 35.9% considered vaccines safe and 65.3% were unwilling to pay for vaccination. 

However, uptake rose to 29.7% when vaccines were offered free of cost at community health camps. Published in ‘BMC Public Health’ in 2026, the study highlights gaps in awareness, acceptance and access to vaccination among older people. The disease burden is substantial. A separate study published in ‘Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses’ in April 2026 estimated that influenza among Indians aged 60 and above accounted for 5.3 million respiratory infections, 36,149 hospitalisations and 84,613 deaths in 2021. 

The researchers found that an annual influenza vaccination programme for older adults could be cost-effective under most of the scenarios assessed. “Influenza and pneumococcal infections cause a significant burden among older Indians, accounting for an estimated 1.2 lakh deaths annually. Studies show that influenza vaccination can reduce influenza-associated pneumonia cases by 52% and deaths by 70%, while pneumococcal vaccination can lower hospitalisations by around 27% and deaths by 34%. 

Yet vaccination coverage among the elderly remains very low,” said Dr Neetu Jain, senior consultant, pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine, PSRI Hospital. “Annual flu and pneumococcal vaccination is particularly important for people above 60 and those with COPD, asthma, diabetes or heart disease, as infections can lead to serious complications, including respiratory failure and prolonged hospitalisation,” she said. 

Evidence is also emerging of the economic value of pneumococcal vaccination. A study published in ‘Infectious Diseases and Therapy’ in Oct 2026 examined the cost-effectiveness of a single dose of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) for older adults and people at higher risk. It found that the vaccine could be a cost-effective option compared with existing vaccination approaches. Another infection of concern among older adults is shingles, caused by reactivation of the virus responsible for chicken pox. It can lead to prolonged nerve pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia. 

A 2026 paper in ‘Indian Journal of Community Medicine’ noted the lack of robust population-based data on shingles in India, while citing an estimate of around 45 lakh cases annually. An Indian phase-3 trial of the recombinant zoster vaccine, published in ‘Vaccine’ in 2025, reported an immune response in 85.7% of participants aged 50 and above. “Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines can reduce cases of severe illness, hospitalisation and complications, particularly among older people and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and COPD. 

Both are non-live vaccines and can be given to elderly people, including those with multiple conditions,” said Dr Jatin Ahuja, infectious disease specialist, Apollo Hospitals, Delhi. “India also needs to expand adult vaccination to cover shingles. The two-dose recombinant zoster vaccine is recommended for adults aged 50 and above and offers over 90% protection. Tdap or Td boosters, hepatitis B and, where indicated, Covid-19 and RSV vaccines should also be considered,” he said. Goa has taken a step towards expanding vaccination beyond childhood through its Lifecourse Immunisation Policy 2026-2036, launched in Sept. 

The policy identifies influenza, pneumococcal and hepatitis B vaccination among its priorities for elderly, those with chronic illnesses, immunocompromised individuals and healthcare workers. 

Return documents of student who quit MD course: HC to BMHRC

Return documents of student who quit MD course: HC to BMHRC

Ashutosh.Shukla@timesofindia.com TIMES BHOPAL 10.11.2026

Bhopal/Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh high court has directed Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC), administered by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), to return the original educational documents of a former MD (microbiology) student who quit the course midway. 

The hospital had withheld her marksheets and other papers, demanding a penalty of Rs 25 lakh under a bond signed at the time of admission. A division bench of Chief Justice Alpesh Y Kogje and Justice Pramod Agrawal passed the interim order on Friday on Dr Priyanka Yadav’s petition, subject to its final outcome. 

Yadav, admitted under the OBC quota in 2024-25, alleged excessive work pressure and additional assignments caused symptoms of depression, prompting her to leave. She said she had contemplated suicide on several occasions. Senior counsel Aditya Sanghi said she needed her marksheets, caste certificate and other documents to appear for NEET-PG again, but BMHRC demanded payment before releasing them. 

Citing an earlier high court ruling, Sanghi argued that educational documents were personal assets and could not be withheld. He said Yadav could not afford the penalty and withholding her documents could jeopardise her career. The bench directed the hospital to return the documents pending its final decision.

HC refuses to relax 30% cap on in-service docs’ PG admissions

HC refuses to relax 30% cap on in-service docs’ PG admissions 

07.11.2026  TIMES BHOPAL

  

Bhopal/Jabalpur: Madhya Pradesh high court on Thursday extended its stay on admissions of in-service doctors to postgraduate medical courses beyond the 30% quota, rejecting the director of medical education’s (DME) request to relax the restriction. Chief Justice Alpesh Y Kogje and Justice Vivek Jain declined to modify the interim order limiting such admissions to 30% of PG seats in state medical colleges. The restriction thus remains operative. Petitioners Jahnavi Batra and Dr S Singh challenged admissions of inservice doctors under both their reserved quota and the open category, alleging this pushed their selection beyond the prescribed limit. 

They said first-round counselling was complete and the selection list released. Document verification was underway, with counselling scheduled to continue until Nov 10. The petitioners alleged in-service doctors were securing open-category seats, including in soughtafter specialities, despite having a separate quota. Their counsel, Aditya Sanghi, argued candidates appearing for the entrance examination as in-service doctors should be considered only against their designated quota, not opencategory seats. TNN

NMC adds 9,783 PG medical seats; total rises to 68,305

NMC adds 9,783 PG medical seats; total rises to 68,305 

07.11.2026  TIMES BENGALURU

New Delhi: India’s postgraduate medical education system is set for a major expansion, with 9,783 seats being added for the 2026-27 academic year. The increase takes the total approved postgraduate (PG) intake to 68,305, up from 58,522, with govt medical colleges accounting for the largest share of the new seats, reports Anuja Jaiswal. 

Of the additional seats, 4,373 have been added in govt medical colleges, 4,148 in private colleges and 1,262 in deemed universities, Dr M K Ramesh, president of the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) medical assessment and rating board (MARB), told TOI. PG medical seats are spread across several states, with five accounting for a little over half of the national intake. Karnataka has the highest number, with 8,998 approved seats for 2026- 27, followed by Maharashtra with 7,682. Uttar Pradesh has 6,983 seats, Tamil Nadu 6,819 and Telangana 4,417. Together, these five states account for 34,899 seats, or around 51% of the total approved PG broad speciality intake of 68,305.

Explaining the increase, Ramesh said a change in the rules has allowed medical colleges to apply for postgraduate courses much earlier than before. Earlier, colleges could apply to start PG courses only after four-and-a-half years of establishment, when their first MBBS batch had passed out. Under the revised process, they can apply from the second year itself. He also pointed to the sharp rise in the number of medical colleges over the past decade, saying more institutions are now applying to start postgraduate courses. “I have given more to govt colleges,” he said, referring to the larger addition in govt institutions.

43% MBBS seats go unallotted in stray round

43% MBBS seats go unallotted in stray round 

07.11.2026

Chennai: A total of 410 of the 946 MBBS seats offered in Medical Counselling Committee’s special stray round had no takers. On Friday, when the committee released the results of special stray round, all 207 seats in BDS and 66 seats in nursing listed in the seat matrix were allotted to students, but MBBS seats in eight medical colleges in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry remained. If students allotted seats don’t join colleges, vacancies may go up again. 

All MBBS vacancies were in eight colleges: 181 or 250 sanctioned seats in Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, 91/250 at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry, 77 seats in Shree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, 36 seats in Vinayaka Missions Kirupananda Variyar Medical College in Salem, 17 seats in ACS Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, and six seats in SRM Medical College and Research Institute. One seat each in Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute and Savitha Medical College and Hospital were vacant. 

At the end of the previous stray round, 837 MBBS seats were unallotted. High fees appear to be the main reason seats at deemed universities remain empty. Parents said many institutions, including some in Karnataka and TN, offered annual fee concessions, mostly in private discussions with students and their families. “The discounts were not announced publicly, so students who didn’t get them may have turned down the seats,” said R Kaliarasan, a NEET coach. Times News Network

TN & Pondy account for 93% of vacant MBBS seats; 97% in self-financed quota ‘Colleges Must Reduce Fees To Fill Vacancies’

TN & Pondy account for 93% of vacant MBBS seats; 97% in self-financed quota ‘Colleges Must Reduce Fees To Fill Vacancies’

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com  04.11.2026

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry account for nearly 93% of the 946 MBBS seats listed in the special stray vacancy round of NEET-UG counselling 2026. The state and Union territory together have 875 vacancies, with Tamil Nadu accounting for 688 and Puducherry, 187. 

Of the 946 vacancies, 920 (over 97%) are under the self-financed merit seat quota, with just 26 falling under other categories, including all India, open seat, Delhi University and nonresident Indian quotas. 

Karnataka has 25 vacancies and Maharashtra, 13; followed by Telangana, 5; Gujarat, 4; Bihar, Uttarakhand and West Bengal (3 each), and five other states with two vacancies each. 

Goa, Haryana, Keralam, Meghalaya and Sikkim have one vacancy each. 

A senior official in health ministry told TOI that high fees were the main reason for the vacancies, with students from north India also reluctant to travel to the South because of language and cultural differences. “The South has a longer history of medical education and more established medical colleges, while many institutions in the North have come up in recent years.

With the number of seats rising, particularly in private colleges, and govt options also expanding, students are increasingly unwilling to take up expensive private seats. Colleges are now offering fee concessions, in some cases of 40-50%. Rather than lowering MBBS qualifying percentile, colleges should reduce fees to fill vacant seats,” the official said. 

The official also recalled an earlier advisory asking private medical colleges to charge govt rates for 50% of their seats but said it could not be implemented as the matter went to court. Just a few colleges account for a large share of the vacancies. 

Tamil Nadu’s Shri Sathya Sai Medical College has 188 seats, followed by Meenakshi Medical College with 117. In Puducherry, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College has 95 and Sri Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences 88, while Tamil Nadu’s Sree Balaji Medical College has 82 vacancies.  

The fifth round of BDS counselling has 207 vacancies, led by Maharashtra, 54; Karnataka, 27, and Tamil Nadu, 25. Of these, 112 are under the all India quota and 71 under the NRI quota, while 11 are self-financed merit seats. The official attributed the vacancies to limited job prospects and a rapid expansion of dental colleges. 

Many students view BDS as a basic degree and opt for an MBA or hospital management course instead, the official said, adding that some colleges struggle to fill even half their seats. The BDS qualifying percentile was lowered once around three to four years ago, but no similar relaxation has been made for MBBS. 

The matrix also lists 66 BSc Nursing vacancies, including 38 in Delhi, 17 in Karnataka and 11 in Uttar Pradesh. This takes the total number of vacancies across MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing courses to 1,219.

3 lakh deposit must for fresh MBBS, BDS intake

3 lakh deposit must for fresh MBBS, BDS intake 

03.11.2026 TIMES AHAMEDABAD

Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC) has announced an additional admission round to fill vacant MBBS and BDS seats after the admission deadline was extended to Nov 15. 

Students wishing to participate in the new round will have to deposit Rs 3 lakh with the admission committee. Only those who make the mandatory deposit will be eligible for seat allotment. For the first time, a significant number of medical and dental seats have remained vacant even after completion of the regular admission process. With similar vacancies reported in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other states, the demand for an extension of the admission deadline was raised before the central admission authorities. 

Under the state quota, 56 MBBS and 32 BDS seats will be filled through the additional round. The vacant seats include seven at NHL Municipal Medical College, 18 management quota seats at Namo Medical College and nine seats at Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, including eight ST and one SE category seat. Bhagoday Medical College, Kadi, also has three vacant management quota seats. In the dental stream, 32 seats are vacant across 16 colleges, with Ahmedabad Dental College reporting the highest number of vacancies at six. Eligible candidates have been instructed to complete choice filling by Nov 4. 

Students who are allotted seats but decline admission will forfeit the Rs 3 lakh deposit and will have to pay a Rs 10,000 penalty. Candidates who confirmed the allotted seats in a previous round are not eligible. Those allotted seats in the fourth round but who did not confirm their admission are also barred from participating

At least 2K MBBS seats vacant, regn from Nov 2

At least 2K MBBS seats vacant, regn from Nov 2 

Chennai: With at least 2,000 MBBS seats remaining vacant, Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will hold a special stray vacancy round for MBBS admissions and a fifth round for BDS and BSc Nursing, as part of NEET-UG counselling 2026. 

Registration opens on Nov 2. Candidates can register and pay fees from 10am on Nov 2 until 6 pm on Nov 4. Registration closes at 3pm on Nov 4, according to the schedule issued under Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 

Choice filling will run from Nov 2 to 11am on Nov 5. Choice locking will be available from 4pm on Nov 4 until 11am on Nov 5, as per server time. MCC will process seat allotment on Nov 5 and 6 and publish the result on Nov 7. Allotted candidates must report at their colleges between Nov 7 and 16. The reporting deadline on the last day is 5pm, as per server time. The whole round runs for about two weeks, from registration to the end of reporting. Times News Network nov 4 deadline

Gen med tops NEET-PG choices among first 100

Gen med tops NEET-PG choices among first 100 

28.10.2026 TIMES AHAMEDABAD 

New Delhi: General medicine accounted for more allotments than radiodiagnosis among top entries in the first round of NEET-PG 2026 counselling, highlighting the competing career attractions of the two sought-after PG specialties, reports Anuja Jaiswal. 

An analysis of Medical Counselling Committee’s Round 1 allotment list shows 51 allotments in general medicine as against 28 in radiodiagnosis among the first 100 entries. 

Dermatology was a distant third with six allotments, while paediatrics and general surgery had three each. Doctors say the choices reflect different career priorities. Radiology attracts candidates because of its good work-life balance

TN yet to release PG medical rank list even as nat’l counselling moves ahead

TN yet to release PG medical rank list even as nat’l counselling moves ahead 

28.10.2026 TIMES CHENNAI

Chennai: The state selection committee has not yet published the provisional rank list for postgraduate medical degree and diploma admissions, although the Centre’s Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has completed the first round of all-India counselling. MCC completed Round 1 on Oct 24, and candidates have until Nov 2 to join their allotted colleges. 

States were scheduled to hold their first round between Oct 21 and Nov 2, with Nov 10 as the last date for joining. NEET PG 2026 was held on Aug 30, and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences declared the results on Sept 24. 

The state committee has published the prospectus and closed applications for PG degree and diploma courses. “We are scrutinising more than 12,000 applications. Every application is verified. The grievance portal is now open for correction and reverification. The rank list will be released once this process is complete. It will take a few days,” said selection committee secretary Dr V Lokanayaki. 

If the rank list is released on Oct 29, candidates will have a few days to lock their options on the portal, and the process will be completed by Nov 2, officials said. The delay has left candidates uncertain. Those with all-India seats must decide whether to join before they know their state rank. “In PG, there is preference for course and institution. Candidates need time to decide what they want to choose because the course decides what they will do for the rest of their lives,” said a govt doctor waiting for admission.

191 MBBS seats vacant after record 7 counselling rounds

191 MBBS seats vacant after record 7 counselling rounds 

Colleges Reduce Fees; State Seeks Relaxation In Eligibility

Sruthysusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 27.10.2026

Bengaluru: In a first in the past five years, as many as 191 seats in Karnataka’s medical colleges have remained vacant, with counselling drawing to a close Monday night. Not a single medical seat was vacant in Karnataka in the past five years. This year, all BDS seats have been filled. 

Multiple efforts have been simultaneously launched in a bid to fill these management seats. The directorate of medical education (DME) has written to National Medical Commission to lower the entry barrier so that candidates get a chance to pick a seat; colleges are offering deep discounts to sweeten the deal; and Karnataka Examinations Authority has called for a last-minute round, asking students to enter options by 5pm and report to colleges by 6pm. 

With this, seven rounds of counselling were conducted. After the second stray vacancy round Sunday, a total of 273 medical seats remained vacant. KEA conducted two different rounds Monday, where 84 medical seats were allotted. In the morning round, 62 medical and six dental seats were allotted. In the evening round, 22 medical and five dental seats were allotted, he said. 

In recent years, “this is the first time that allotments have been carried out across so many rounds”, said KEA executive director H Prasanna. “If Medical Counselling Committee grants further permission to fill the remaining vacant seats, KEA will conduct additional rounds of counselling and allot the seats accordingly,” he added. 

An often-overlooked key factor for sluggish uptake is that NRI quota was introduced in govt colleges last year. Fees in govt colleges are way cheaper than in private colleges. Karnataka has the highest number of MBBS seats in the country, with 15,395 on offer.

In 2024, there were 9,282 seats in 65 colleges. In 2025, it rose to 10,559 in 66 colleges. With the govt planning to establish one medical college in every district, there are high chances the state will add more seats in the near future. 

Sujatha Rathod, director of medical education, said the cut-off percentile now is 50. “We’ve requested NMC to pare the percentile by a few points so that more students could make the  cut,” she said, adding they sent a letter in this regard on Thursday.

Every seat unfilled is lakhs of revenue lost. Many colleges are now offering seats for about Rs 80 lakh for 4.5 years, including hostel fees, much lower than what’s communicated to KEA at the beginning of admissions. Also, govt colleges offer NRI seats at Rs 25 lakh per annum. “It’s clear a large number of management seats would go vacant this year unless qualifying cutoff marks are lowered,” said Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje, founder, National Pre University Students, Parents and Teachers Association. “Medical colleges run on NRI fees. It makes up for subsidised fees of the other categories. It is important for colleges to have this category filled up,” said the owner of a medical college. 

While many seats came into the pool late, high fees for management quota is a deterrent. “Also, this generation is very particular about colleges they pick and they usually go by popular opinion,” added the DME. NRI quota in govt colleges is a story in itself. For instance, some 105 seats in 14 colleges are available at Rs 25 lakh per annum against nearly Rs 40 lakh per annum in private institutes. 

The NRI fee at MS Ramaiah Medical College, Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, and Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research is prohibitively high. Some 24 lakh write entrance test for 1.4 lakh seats. “While the cream gets government seats, the rest of the students cannot afford a management-quota seat,” said Bhagavan BC, vice chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, the umbrella university for all medical-related programmes. “We’ve no control over the management-quota free matrix. At best, we’ve been recommending private colleges to reduce fees,” he added. 

All MBBS seats allotted in state counselling stray round

All MBBS seats allotted in state counselling stray round 

24.10.2026 TIMES CHENNAI

Chennai: The state selection committee allotted every MBBS seat under its counselling process by the end of the stray round. This is in sharp contrast to central counselling, which left more than 800 seats in deemed universities unfilled. While annual fees of up to 35 lakh kept students away from deemed universities, a late fee cut helped one private university fill more than 100 seats in the state’s final round. 

The state’s stray round opened with 311 MBBS seats. The allotment list published on Thursday showed that the committee had allotted every seat based on NEET merit and reservation rules. In BDS, 49 seats remained vacant, none in govt colleges. 

Officials in the committee say most students who opt for seats in the stray round take them as penalties are high. Closing ranks showed that in govt colleges, admissions reached further down the state merit list in the open, BC and BCM categories, even though the corresponding NEET scores rose. “This was because more students got into govt medical colleges this year. The state added 150 seats to its seat matrix,” an official said. MBC, SC, SCA and ST categories, however, closed at better ranks than last year. In self-financing colleges, where annual tuition for govt-quota students is up to 4.50 lakh, open-category, BC and MBC admission ranks rose marginally, while BCM showed a larger shift. SC, SCA and ST admissions closed at better ranks. 

The largest shifts came in private universities. At Sri Venkateswaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, the prescribed annual tuition for govt-quota students was 5.40 lakh, but the institution said that it would charge 20 lakh, said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Fee is one of the key factors in admissions,” he said. “After three rounds, the college had more than 130 vacant seats. It reduced tuition to 7.40 lakh for govt quota seats and 16.40 lakh for management-quota seats. All seats were allotted.” Times News Network

FMG interns detained after protest for equal stipends

FMG interns detained after protest for equal stipends

23.10.2026

Sakshat.Tornekar@timesofindia.com  TIMES HYDERABAD 

Hyderabad: Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) interning at govt general hospitals in Telangana were allegedly detained by Hyderabad police during a protest outside the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) office in Koti on Thursday. The protesters were demanding stipend parity with Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs). A Sultan Bazaar police officer said around 91 protesters were taken into preventive custody at 3 pm and released at around 7 pm. 

Police said the protesters were taken to the Malakpet, Dabeerpura and Chikkadpally police stations. The action was taken because “protests were not permitted outside the DME office,” the officer said. “We have been asking for equal pay for equal work, but nobody is willing to meet us. The DME is avoiding us, and neither the health secretary nor the health minister has agreed to meet us. We have not received any written assurance so far,” said Suhas Mareedu, 27, an FMG intern who studied medicine in Jamaica. 

The protesting doctors cited a National Medical Commission (NMC) public notice dated Nov 22, 2023, in support of their demand for stipend parity. The notice provides for stipends on a par with those of IMGs for specified categories of FMGs, including students who completed their medical education in Ukraine. However, the applicability of these provisions to the protesting doctors, including those who graduated from other countries, remains to be clarified. 

The FMGs said they had been raising the issue for nearly a month after informing the DME of their proposed protest on Sept 23. They had earlier staged demonstrations at Dharna Chowk, People’s Plaza and the Telangana State Medical Council office before gathering outside the DME office on Thursday

Denotification of rules won’t dilute med edu standards: NMC

Denotification of rules won’t dilute med edu standards: NMC 

23.10.2026

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has said that the denotification of the 2023 medical standards regulations was done only as a “measure of regulatory rationalisation intended to remove overlapping procedures” and that it would not “in any manner, dilute the prescribed standards of medical education or the regulatory oversight exercised by NMC”. 

It said that under the NMC Act, undergraduate and post-graduate medical education boards were primarily entrusted with prescribing academic standards, while the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) was empowered to initiate “appropriate regulatory measures against institutions found deficient”. 

The 2023 regulations created a “parallel mechanism” and the NMC decided after “judicial observations and a detailed examination of the statutory framework” to “remove this duplication”. “NMC remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of medical education while ensuring that regulation is transparent, effective and free from unnecessary duplication,” it said. tnn

AIIMS Madurai to open with 150 beds in Jan, says MP

AIIMS Madurai to open with 150 beds in Jan, says MP 

21.10.2026

Madurai: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Madurai will begin functioning with 150 beds from Jan 2027, AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP IS Inbadurai said on Tuesday following a meeting with institute director Dr Vir Singh Negi. Inbadurai, who was nominated to the institute’s governing body by the Union health ministry in Sept, said Negi briefed him on construction progress at Thoppur. 

“I am happy to learn that Madurai AIIMS will begin functioning with 150 beds in the first phase from January,” he said in a post on X, adding that construction had reached its final stages. The announcement follows Centre’s Sept 17 submission before Madras high court that fullfledged outpatient services would commence on Jan 1, 2027. However, that undertaking did not specify when inpatient services would begin. In its status report, the Centre said overall project completion would reach 59% by Sept-end, with 88% of Phase I and 35% of Phase II works completed. Five batches of MBBS students, previously accommodated at Ramanathapuram Government Medical College, were shifted to the Thoppur campus by Aug 31. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in January 2019, but construction began only in May 2024. The project is largely financed through a Japanese development loan. Times News Network

Sky-high fees leave 836 MBBS seats empty in final counselling round

Sky-high fees leave 836 MBBS seats empty in final counselling round

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 21.10.2026

Chennai: Deemed universities in TN and Puducherry priced out 824 of their MBBS seats, which stayed empty in final round of all-India counselling. With annual fee ranging from 23 lakh to 35 lakh, these seats went unfilled although 11 lakh candidates cleared NEET-2026 qualifying cut-off. The seats will stay vacant as the admission process is over. Unless, of course, the govt decides to allow a mop-up round. Medical Counselling Committee holds counselling for 15% of seats in state govt medical colleges and for all seats in central institutions and deemed universities. 

This year, its stray round opened with 3,426 MBBS vacancies, including 1,171 all-India quota seats. Of these, 837 went unallotted. One is at AIIMS Madurai, and 12 are at Chettinad Institute in Kolar, Karnataka. The remaining 824 are in 14 deemed universities in TN and Puducherry. 

Four colleges, each with 250 MBBS seats, account for most empty seats. Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai tops with 188 vacant — 75%. Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute in Kancheepuram has 117 (47%), Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry has 92 (37%), and Sree Balaji Medical College, Chromepet has 82 (33%). SRM Medical College and Research Institute, Saveetha Medical College and Chettinad Medical College & Research Institute also have vacancies. 

Deemed universities in TN and Puducherry charge 23 lakh to 35L a year. Elsewhere in India, the average is 22.68L. In Maharashtra’s deemed universities, where all seats are filled, the average fee is 24.58 lakh. 

In Karnataka’s, it is 20.85 lakh. Over a 4.5-year course, the gap between TN and Puducherry and rest of India comes to about 21L, consultants say. “Fee-hungry institutions must take the blame,” said DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson. “It’s time Union ministry caps fees on deemed universities. Their fees range from 18 lakh to 35 lakh across India. Without a cap on tuition, institutions raise fees every year. It’s profiteering.” Some high-fee colleges managed to fill their seats, but their closing ranks fell sharply. 

At Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, the cut-off rank dropped from 7.3 lakh to 10.68 lakh. “Seats in this college usually fill by the third round. This year, students with minimum scores got in at the stray round. Those with better marks haven’t opted  because they can’t pay this fee. It defeats the spirit of NEET,” said Manickavel Arumugam, who counsels students on medical admissions.