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.

UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION 29.10.2026

 

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. 

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

NMC denotifies medical education standards rules

NMC denotifies medical education standards rules 

22.10.2026 TIMES BENGALURU

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

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medical institutions that fail to comply with any of the statutory provisions and regulations or minimum standards are no longer applicable. 

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

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

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

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

Anna univ grants 1-yr extension to students with pending courses

Anna univ grants 1-yr extension to students with pending courses 

21.10.2026

Chennai: Anna University has granted one-year permission to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students who have exceeded the maximum period of study but could not complete prescribed additional courses due to changes in academic regulations. 

According to Anna University’s academic regulations, students must complete BE and BTech courses within seven years and ME and MTech courses within four years. The decision, approved at the university’s Academic Council, will allow students to complete pending courses during the academic year 2026-27. The provision applies to students enrolled under various regulations in the university’s UG and PG degree programmes, a university circular said. The permission covers students of Anna University departments, affiliated institutions and the Centre for Distance and Online Education. TNN

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.

TN plans to fund degrees in the world's top 100 universities and make students pay in kind.

TN plans to fund degrees in the world's top 100 universities and make students pay in kind.

The scheme will cover scholars’ academic and overseas living costs in exchange for three years of service to the state after graduation.

Binita Jaiswal

Updated on:

19 Oct 2026, 7:56 am

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is planning to roll out a landmark scheme to fully fund the tuition and living costs of TN students who secure admissions to the world’s top 100 universities such as Stanford, Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge.

Under the proposed scheme, eligible scholars would have their full academic and overseas living expenses covered in return for a commitment to contribute to the state’s development for three years after their graduation.

The obligation can be fulfilled through three specific ways: working as policy advisers or consultants to the government, serving as visiting faculty at higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu, or setting up enterprises and investing in the state.

The ‘Respect for Knowledge’ proposal, which figures in TVK’s vision document for the Higher Education Department, aims to bring the expertise students acquire at leading international institutions back to Tamil Nadu through roles in government, higher education, and industry.

The proposal is intended to address concerns over brain drain by making overseas education an investment for the betterment of Tamil Nadu’s own institutions and economy, officials said.

According to a rough estimate, 35,000 to 40,000 students from Tamil Nadu go abroad for higher education each year. Of them, around 5% to 6% enrol in the world’s top 100 universities.

Officials also said graduates could bring global expertise into policymaking, strengthen teaching and research, and mentor students in the state. The details, however, are still being worked out.

Higher Education Secretary Dheeraj Kumar told TNIE that the department was consulting stakeholders to devise an arrangement that would be practical for both the government and the students.

“We are working on how to implement the scheme efficiently. It needs to be designed carefully, taking into account the concerns and feedback of students who go abroad for higher education. If the conditions imposed by the state are perceived as cumbersome or burdensome by the students, then the scheme may not achieve its intended objectives. We have to be very careful about it,” he said.

“We have our avenues for consultation and we are working towards an arrangement that is practical and mutually acceptable,” he added.

Officials said the department plans to consult students currently studying abroad, alumni of leading global institutions, and academicians in Tamil Nadu before finalising the framework.

Details including eligibility, the method of identifying the top 100 universities, the selection process and how graduates would fulfil their three-year commitment, are still being worked out, officials said. The policy will also have to specify what happens if a beneficiary does not meet the conditions.

UGC seeks governors’ help to ensure fee refund for cancelled admissions

UGC seeks governors’ help to ensure fee refund for cancelled admissions

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 19.10.2026

Chennai: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has sought intervention from governors of various states over higher education institutions refusing to refund fees after cancelled admissions. The communication lists 150 complaints involving 82 institutions in Tamil Nadu relating to admissions cancelled during the academic years 2021–22 to 2025–26. Students paid fees ranging from 2,535 to 4 lakh. 

The listed institutions include 11 deemed universities, three private universities, 16 public universities and state-run institutions, and 54 private colleges, according to the details enclosed with the UGC’s communication. “UGC has made considerable efforts to ensure compliance, including forwarding student grievances to the institutions concerned and convening consultative meetings. However, these measures have not yielded the desired results, as the institutions continue to disregard the guidelines,” UGC secretary professor Shyama Rath said in a demi-official letter dated Oct 7. 

The letter was addressed to secretaries to the governors of 28 states, including TN. “Such violations not only infringe upon students’ rights but also erode the integrity and credibility of the higher education system. Despite repeated written communications and telephonic follow-ups with the universities concerned and their affiliated colleges, several institutions continue to disregard the UGC directives, thereby causing undue hardship to students,” Rath said. 

The UGC has requested the respective governor’s office to ensure strict enforcement of its fee-refund policy and issue directions cautioning institutions against further violations. Under the UGC’s 2024–25 fee policy, institutions must provide a full refund for admissions cancelled or migrated up to Sept 30.

Fees for professional courses can be hiked midstream only in exceptional cases: SC

Fees for professional courses can be hiked midstream only in exceptional cases: SC

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesofindia.com 16.10.2026

New Delhi: In a relief to students pursuing professional courses like engineering and medicine in private colleges who have to face a fee hike midstream, Supreme Court has held that any change in fee structure after admission can be allowed only in exceptional circumstances. While appreciating the contribution of self-financing institutions to the education sector, a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said there should be certainty regarding fees, and students must not be forced to pay more than that prescribed at the time of admission. 

“For the overwhelming majority of households, the fee payable for a professional course constitutes a substantial part of the family’s income and savings; it is not a matter of incidental expenditure. The parents make provisions for the fees... with the aspiration that their children will acquire better qualifications, secure better opportunities and build a future that may be better than their own. 

Many students and families also depend on educational loans to finance professional higher education,” SC said, noting fees charged in professional courses are reported to be 711% higher than in general courses. The court said it was a matter of good governance for the state and its regulatory bodies to create an ecosystem in which there was certainty about the financial obligation that students and their families need to undertake to acquire professional qualifications. 

“Adverse variations in financial commitment, and the insecurities that it may create, will impact the student and the family, and, in the long run, have an adverse effect on the quality and character of the professionals in the making. We are of the opinion that it is not difficult to formulate a scheme through which such uncertainties can be avoided,” it said. SC quashed a 37% fee hike for BTech courses for the 2023-27 cohort at Dr BC Roy Engineering College in West Bengal. The college had also imposed a new development fee. Passing an order in favour of students who had challenged the fee hike, the bench said, “The regulatory regime for fixation of fees, as contemplated in the decisions of this court, AICTE regulations, National Education Policy 2020 coupled with principles of certainty, necessitates the relevant authorities to notify fee payable for the entire course before a student takes admission... Variation is permissible only in exceptional instances such as unforeseen increase in the expenditure.”

Supreme Court Directs UGC, Regulators To Issue Public Advisory After Fake Medical College In Etah Farmhouse

Supreme Court Directs UGC, Regulators To Issue Public Advisory After Fake Medical College In Etah Farmhouse

By Priyanka Jha12 October 2026, 2:03 PM

14.10.2026

A fake medical college operating from a farmhouse in Uttar Pradesh has prompted the Supreme Court to direct the UGC and all regulators to warn students and the public before they take admission anywhere.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has taken note of a fake medical college allegedly run from an old structure in a field at Etah in Uttar Pradesh, and has directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) and all regulatory authorities to issue a public advisory cautioning students, institutions and the public to verify the authenticity of an institution before taking admission in it or dealing with it. The Court also directed the Union of India to monitor compliance [Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida and Others].

A Bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice N.V. Anjaria passed the order on October 9, 2026, on an interlocutory application filed by Dr. R.M. Sharma, the person nominated by the Court to assist it on the functioning of educational institutions.

The report that triggered the order

The application drew the Court’s attention to a newspaper report of September 1, 2026, which described an institution in Etah district operating from a farmhouse and offering courses such as B.Pharma, B.Sc. Nursing and BAMS. The Court recorded that the premises appeared to be an old structure of two or three rooms in a field. The man shown as the institution’s chairman, described as an illiterate tea seller, is stated to have admitted that he regularly signed college documents handed to him by one Satender Kumar.

Local police have acted against Satender Kumar and three others. These are allegations and no finding of guilt has been recorded. The Court expressed no view on the merits and the presumption of innocence applies to all those named.

What the State told the Court

Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh, submitted that the police investigation is proceeding, will be taken to its logical conclusion and that the trial will be fast-tracked. The Court noted that the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh has ordered an independent inquiry, which it found necessary, and appreciated the State’s prompt response.

ALSO READ: No Private University Shall Be Run As A Profit-Making Institution: Supreme Court Orders A Sweeping Financial And Admissions Audit Of Universities And Colleges

The UGC letter and the advisory Counsel for the UGC had written to the Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh, and the Court took the letter on record. The ASG then suggested that a public advisory be issued. The Court accepted the suggestion and held:

“a direction is issued to the UGC and all the regulatory authorities to issue such public advisory to act accordingly.”

Union to monitor compliance

The Court directed the ASG appearing for the Union of India to communicate the order to all regulatory bodies, and added:

“The Union of India is also directed to monitor that these directions are duly complied with”

Child Safety Monitoring Committee

The Court did not deal with a sealed cover report filed by Dr. Sharma on the Child Safety Monitoring Committee, which was transferred to it from the Delhi High Court, and directed that the report be resealed and kept on record. Dr. Sharma was authorised to reconstitute the Committee with four members in addition to the Chairman. The matter will next be heard on November 19, 2026.

ALSO READ: “Private Universities Must Answer to Students and the Law,” Says Supreme Court, Orders Nationwide Audit After Amity Case

Why the order matters

The Amity University case has grown into a nationwide supervisory exercise on how schools, colleges and universities function. This order shows how that exercise is now reaching individual rogue institutions: an unverified claim of recognition can sit behind a courses list that looks real to a prospective student.

By ordering a public advisory from every regulator, and making the Union responsible for monitoring compliance, the Court has moved the burden of warning students from after-the-fact police action to a standing duty on regulators. The criminal case against those named remains at the investigation stage.

Case Title: Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida and Others [W.P. (C) No. 531/2025, IA No. 296269/2026]

Bench: Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice N.V. Anjaria, Supreme Court of India

Date of Order: October 9, 2026

Appearances: Dr. R.M. Sharma (court-nominated assistant); K.M. Nataraj, ASG, for the State of Uttar Pradesh; Archana Pathak Dave, ASG, for the Union of India; Dr. N. Visakamurthy, AoR, for the UGC; Charu Mathur, AoR, for the petitioner

Private entities can’t mandatorily collect caste details, says HC

Private entities can’t mandatorily collect caste details, says HC

The Hindu Bureau

MADURAI. 11.10.2026

No private educational institution or employer in Tamil Nadu can mandatorily collect caste details, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed.

A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel issued the direction while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that had sought a direction to prohibit private educational institutions and private employers in Tamil Nadu from mandatorily collecting caste or community details in application forms unless specifically required under statutory provisions.

The petitioner, N. Vikraman of Virudhunagar, said several private educational institutions and establishments were mandatorily collecting caste and community details in application forms for admission and employment even though there was no statutory requirement for such disclosure. He said such compulsory collection of caste information at the initial stage facilitated discrimination in selection and admission processes.

NMC bars hosps from using AI for promos Move Aimed To Protect Patients From Misleading Claims

NMC bars hosps from using AI for promos Move Aimed To Protect Patients From Misleading Claims 

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com 08.10.2026

New Delhi: Doctors and hospitals cannot use AI to create patient testimonials, clinical outcomes or promotional content, nor can they pay to manipulate rankings like those on search engines and apps, under new ethical advertising guidelines issued by National Medical Commission (NMC) on Tuesday. 

The guidelines, effective immediately, come in the backdrop of a Supreme Court petition seeking tighter regulation of corporate hospital advertising. They aim to curb commercialisation of medical practice and protect patients from misleading claims, while bringing AI-generated content, influencer marketing and search-engine manipulation under the medical ethics framework. 

NMC has specifically barred registered medical practitioners (RMPs) and hospitals from using AI-generated or AI-assisted content to advertise their services, solicit patients or disseminate misleading or unverifiable information about diagnoses, treatments or outcomes. 

AI cannot be used to create synthetic patient testimonials, voices, clinical outcomes or fake endorsements, or misrepresent the nature or quality of medical services. In another significant provision, doctors cannot pay for or manipulate search rankings, visibility or algorithms to create a misleading impression of their professional standing. They also cannot make unverified claims such as “best”, “number one”, “most trusted”, “guaranteed cures” or “100% success”. The guidelines also target the growing use of influencers and digital marketing agencies in healthcare. Doctors cannot engage influencers, advertising agencies or online platforms in arrangements involving payment linked to procuring or referring patients. Discounts and inducements are also restricted. Doctors and hospitals cannot offer limited-period discounts, coupons, gift packages or referral benefits if these are likely to encourage unnecessary consultations, diagnostic investigations or treatment. 

However, NMC allows doctors to use social media for factual, non-promotional health education, disease information and public-health communication, provided they do not promote their practice or commercial interests. Hospitals can similarly share objective, verifiable details about their location, departments, facilities, services, accreditation, charges and contact information. Patient testimonials, before-and-after images and treatment-success claims that could create unrealistic expectations or mislead are also prohibited. NMC has prescribed graded penalties, from a warning and mandatory ethics training for a first violation to censure and monetary penalty for a second, suspension for three to six months for a third, and six to 12 months for serious violations. Repeated violations can lead to removal from the medical register for one to three years

Pressure to perform weighs on medical students, 77% of those surveyed stressed

Pressure to perform weighs on medical students, 77% of those surveyed stressed 

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com 07.10.2026

New Delhi: The pressure to perform, fear of poor marks and the worry about not being able to answer teachers weigh heavily on the minds of medical students, 77% of whom have shown moderate to high stress in a New Delhi study. The study comes amid growing regulatory focus on student well-being. 

In Aug, the National Medical Commission (NMC) directed medical colleges to comply with Supreme Court directions on reporting student suicides and unnatural deaths and maintain updated institutional records. Published in the Indian Heart Journal, the study assessed 406 MBBS students across all four years at a govt medical college in New Delhi. 

Of them, 54.43% reported moderate stress and 22.66% high stress. The research involved teams from GB Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Maulana Azad Medical College and IIIT-Delhi. “What was revealing was that more than three-fourths of the students had moderate-to-high stress. Asking a student whether they are stressed is not enough. We need to systematically assess stress and build strategies into medical education to help students deal with it,” said Dr Mohit Gupta, lead author of the study. 

He added that a more inclusive, practical and balanced curriculum, with scope for recreation, could help reduce academic stress. The pressure to do well was the biggest source of stress. Students also reported worrying about not being able to answer teachers’ questions, poor marks and the vast coursework. Many said they felt their efforts were not recognised or that they were not good enough. The findings also echo recommendations of NMC’s national task force on mental health and well-being of medical students, which called for accessible counselling, crisis intervention, mental-health services and greater institutional support. 

“We need to make our students intellectually strong, but we also need to make them emotionally stable. Our education system cannot focus only on academic achievement. We also need to create an environment where students can seek help, manage stress and remain emotionally resilient,” Gupta said. 

Second-year students had the highest proportion of high stress, at 30.11%, though researchers said this could reflect differences between batches. Overall, heart-rate variability (HRV) did not differ significantly between students with mild, moderate and high stress. Final-year students had 29.1% lower RMSSD, an HRV measure, than second-year students after adjustment, but the pattern was inconsistent across years and does not show progressive changes in cardiac autonomic function. 

The researchers said regular monitoring of student stress and structured institutional support are needed, particularly around academic and teaching-learning pressures. They also called for longer-term studies to understand how stress and cardiac autonomic measures change during medical education. The study was conducted between May and Nov 2025 among students aged 18-25 years. As a single-centre, cross-sectional study, it cannot establish causation or represent all medical students in India.

In a record, over 10k women clear JEE(A) 17.8% of qualifiers,

In a record, over 10k women clear JEE(A) 17.8% of qualifiers

Manash.Gohain @timesofindia.com  06.10.2026

New Delhi: Women’s success rate in JEE-Advanced reached a record high in 2026 despite fewer registrations, with over 10,000 qualifying for the first time during this period. Yet their share of IIT seat allotments barely changed, from 20.15% to 20.22%. 

Of the top 100 rankers, 97 were allotted seats at just three IITs — Bombay, Delhi and Madras — with Bombay alone taking 68. This time, a total 18,861 admissions were made in IITs, with 20% being female candidates. Among the top 25 rankers, 8 candidates each took admission in IIT Delhi and IIT Madras, while six toppers took admission in IIT Bombay. 

The Joint Implementation Committee report, prepared by IIT Roorkee, shows sharp gains for SC and ST candidates. Including candidates with disabilities in both years, their qualification rates among registered candidates rose by 9.9 and 8.3 percentage points, respectively, to 50.2% and 42.1%. SC qualifiers increased from 12,528 to 15,856, while the ST count rose from 5,017 to 6,379. Both increases were around 27%, faster than the 4.6% rise in the number of qualifiers, from 54,378 to 56,880

Students get 20L fee shock after counselling allotment at city univ

Students get 20L fee shock after counselling allotment at city univ

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 06.10.2026

Chennai: Students allotted govt-quota seats on merit at Sri Venkateswaraa University said they were asked to pay an annual fee of 20 lakh, more than three times the 6.4 lakh fee published before the first round of seat allotment. Admissions to medical colleges in the state — govt-quota seats in govt colleges and all seats in self-financing colleges and state private universities — are conducted by the state selection committee through single-window counselling, based on NEET merit and reservation rules.

Private universities and self-financing colleges surrender 50%-65% of their seats for admission under the govt quota. Under the present structure, annual MBBS tuition, fixed by the fee committee, ranges from about 4.35 lakh to 5.40 lakh for govt-quota seats in self-financing colleges and state private universities. For management-quota seats, annual fees range from 15 lakh to 16.20 lakh. Before the first round of counselling in the second week of Aug, the selection committee listed Sri Venkateswaraa University’s total fee at 6.4 lakh, with an additional 2.25 lakh to 3.35 lakh for students opting for hostel accommodation. 

Students said they locked in their choices based on this amount. However, after students locked in their choices and before the first-round results were announced, the selection committee revised the fee structure to 11.5 lakh, excluding hostel charges. The university subsequently revised the fee twice on its website: to 21.9 lakh on Sept 30 and to 23.9 lakh on Monday. This is yet to be updated on the selection committee portal. 

In an advertisement announcing a uniform fee for govt and management-quota seats, the university said it was authorised, under a Supreme Court order in SLP No. 29551/2026 dated Sept 31, to collect 20 lakh as MBBS tuition from govt and management-quota students and 25 lakh from NRI-quota students for 2026-27, as fixed by its fee committee. 

Students admitted in the first two rounds were asked to pay the additional fee or opt for an upgrade and seek a seat in another college in subsequent rounds. “I joined this college because I could not afford fees in deemed universities. Now, the fee is on a par with them. I do not know if I will get a seat in round 3 or 4,” said a student. 

Several students said they had taken education loans based on the initially displayed fee. Banks had sanctioned loans for that amount and were unwilling to increase the limit after the revision, they said. Student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam said the selection committee must intervene. “It must either tell the college that the order cannot be implemented retrospectively or place students in colleges of their choice before the third round,” he said. He added that the Selection Committee’s webpage carried no mention of the revised fee. State health department officials said they were working with the legal team to move the Supreme Court.

Back in demand, BDS colleges up mgmt quota fee

Back in demand, BDS colleges up mgmt quota fee

04.10.2026

Sruthysusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 

Bengaluru: After a few years of slump, BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) has come back as one of the popular choices among students, leading to a hike in management quota fees by colleges across Karnataka. While last year there were no vacant seats, colleges are hoping the trend will remain the same this year. The third round of counselling is underway. 

For instance, MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences rebounded strongly from Rs 6.5 lakh to over Rs 10 lakh per year, making it the highest fee in the state. Oxford Dental College also hiked its fee by Rs 3 lakh (from Rs 5.6 lakh to Rs 8.6 lakh). Raja Rajeshwari Dental College increased it by Rs 2 lakh (from Rs 4.6 lakh to Rs 6.6 lakh). Dr Girish B Giraddi, director-cum-dean of Govt Dental College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, said:

 “After a slump for 5-6 years, BDS is now popular again. Options for MBBS in many foreign countries like Ukraine, Russia have come down. Since they are not able to go there, students are also opting for BDS here. Moreover, Gen Z believes in work-life balance. They don’t want night duty and additional work. The counselling process has also improved and made choosing BDS much easier.” 

More students are writing National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and are becoming eligible for admissions. “There are also only two slabs of intake now – either 50 or 100. Many colleges with seats between 50 and 100 reduced them back to 50, thus bringing down seats. All these have helped colleges to fill all their seats,” said SNVL Narasimharaju, chairman, Oxford Dental College. 

“Both medical and engineering streams seem to be under a lot of stress right now. After years of slump, demand for dental course is back. Some colleges may have increased the fee this year. But if you look at 10-year statistics, the hike has been minimal. For the amount of investment required in dentistry and the inflation, it really does not matter,” said MR Jayaram, honorary secretary, Karnataka private medical & dental colleges association.

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

Jamia’s first PG dental surgery batch asked to sign nostrike undertaking

Jamia’s first PG dental surgery batch asked to sign nostrike undertaking

27.09.2026

Sugandha.Jha1@timesofindia.com 

New Delhi: Candidates allotted seats in Jamia Millia Islamia’s first batch of Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) this year are being asked to sign an undertaking that prohibits them from participating in or associating themselves with any strike or activity deemed “prejudicial to the interests, discipline, peace and functioning” of the university. The undertaking, which is part of the documents required for completing admission formalities, comes alongside a Rs 10-lakh bond that MDS students are required to furnish if they leave the course midway. 

The bond requires the student and the surety to pay Rs 10 lakh, with 15% interest till realisation, if the student withdraws from the course “for any reason whatsoever”. Jamia, however, said the undertaking “will have no bearing” on admission. The university said MDS seats were being allotted through counselling by Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) on the basis of NEET-MDS merit and the undertaking was merely an admission formality. 

“In case someone does not sign the undertaking, it does not mean that admission will not be granted as seats are allotted by MCC,” chief public relations officer Saima Saeed told TOI. The bond, Saeed said, is intended to compensate for the public investment in infrastructure, faculty, manpower and clinical resources and the loss of a PG seat once the programme has commenced. It is intended to ensure that scarce MDS seats are utilised responsibly, she added. 

However, Jamia’s newly framed ordinance for the course, approved by its executive council in June, says admissions will be in accordance with the rules prescribed by National Dental Commission (NDC) and the university. The undertaking and bond are among the documents prescribed by the ordinance, but NDC doesn’t ask for them. Explaining the no-strike clause, Saeed said it was intended to maintain academic discipline in the demanding postgraduate programme. 

“As these are rigorous courses, attendance is a major requirement and indulging in protest, etc., can impact that. That clause is there to ensure general discipline and maintain a cordial and healthy environment,” she said.

Jamia claimed that no other course had a no-strike clause. Its Bachelor of Dental Surgery students, however, are required to furnish a Rs 3-lakh discontinuation bond. Such bonds are also introduced by several other institutions. Maulana Azad Dental College has a Rs 10-lakh bond, while Aligarh Muslim University and Banaras Hindu University have bonds of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. 

The PG programme is a sought-after choice among candidates appearing for the highly competitive NEET-MDS examination, Jamia said.

2 yrs on, colleges await new NAAC rules rollout

2 yrs on, colleges await new NAAC rules rollout 

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 26.09.2026

Bengaluru: Higher educational institutions are awaiting implementation of National Assessment and Accreditation Council’s (NAAC) new accreditation framework almost two years after it was announced, with applications suspended since 2024. NAAC had proposed replacing its CGPA-based grading system, ranging from A++ to D, with a two-tier model comprising binary accreditation and maturity-based graded levels. 

The proposal followed recommendations of Radhakrishnan Committee on transformative accreditation reforms, approved by the ministry of education in July 2024. NAAC has not specified when the framework will be introduced. 

For institutions whose tenure has expired, NAAC has posted a circular on its website extending the validity of expired accreditations until the maturity-based graded system is launched. The delay has affected colleges seeking improved ratings to apply for autonomous status or transition to universities from autonomous colleges. “Institutions could also lose recruitment opportunities because employers consider rankings and ratings,” a faculty member overseeing accreditation at a private higher educational institution said. 

NAAC director Ganesan Kannabiran said the council is working to introduce a basic framework suitable for a sector with a large number of unaccredited colleges. “The framework must accurately measure quality without setting unrealistic standards that discourage institutions from applying,” he said. “I cannot give an exact timeframe, but it will happen soon.” Explaining the delay, Kannabiran said NAAC had received nearly 2,350 applications by the time they stopped accepting new ones in 2024. 

“We had a commitment to complete those existing applications, which continued until last Sept, as running parallel processes could have caused confusion,” he said. “A committee is reviewing modifications intended to bring more institutions within the accreditation system while maintaining a threshold level of quality. NAAC will launch the framework after its approval, while other preparations are proceeding simultaneously,” he said.