SC orders all-India audit of pvt & deemed universities Focus On Structural Opacity & Examining Role Of Regulatory Bodies

SC orders all-India audit of pvt & deemed universities Focus On Structural Opacity & Examining Role Of Regulatory Bodies

 

Manash.Gohain@timesofindia.com New Delhi : 28.11.2025

Supreme Court has ordered an unprecedented nationwide audit of all private and deemed universities, transforming a student grievance into a deep scrutiny of India’s sprawling higher education sector. In a sweeping directive, apex court has asked Centre, all states and UTs, and University Grants Commission (UGC) to submit personally sworn affidavits disclosing how these institutions were set up, who governs them, what regulatory approvals they hold, and whether they truly function on a notfor-profit basis. 

The move comes in response to a petition filed by a student of Amity University, Ayesha Jain, who alleged the institution harassed and barred her from attending classes after she legally changed her name. What began as a single case of administrative apathy has now turned into a judicial inquisition into the governance and financial practices of the entire private university ecosystem. 

Supreme Court’s focus is clear — expose the structural opacity and examine whether regulatory bodies like UGC have adequately performed their role. Past interventions show this isn’t unfamiliar terrain. In 2005, the court struck down Chhattisgarh Private Universities Act that had allowed over 100 shell institutions to operate without basic academic infrastructure. 

In 2009, a central review found 44 deemed universities unfit for their status due to poor academic and governance standards. In 2017, a Supreme Court verdict invalidated engineering degrees awarded via unapproved distance mode by deemed universities and barred them from conducting such courses without clear regulatory approval. This current review cuts deeper. It questions how private universities acquire land, appoint leadership, handle finances, and whether they have credible grievance redressal mechanisms.

 The demand for personal accountability — from chief secretaries to the UGC chairperson — signals judicial impatience with the status quo. A UGC official, on condition of anonymity, acknowledged: “There have been longstanding compliance gaps. This is a chance to restore public trust.” The official added that in the current case, the commission “in fact recommended the university to consider the name change request”. 

Private universities, many of which operate under different state and central laws, are rattled. “This is a sweeping brush,” said a vice chancellor of a reputed state private university. “We support transparency, but we also fear being tarred with the same brush as a few errant institutions.” Observers see timing in the court’s action. Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, intended to overhaul regulation and merge UGC, AICTE, and others under one roof, is expected in the upcoming Parliament session.

 “An issue concerning a private university legislated by state law is now expanded to rope in all private deemed universities governed by separate regulations under a central law. In a similar exercise, in 2017 in the case of Orissa Lift case, an issue concerning four deemed universities affected all in an irreversible manner. With HECI round the corner, it is hoped that the present issue finds a policy solution through HECI Bill,” said an academic policy expert.

Supreme Court orders nationwide audit of private universities after Amity University harasses student for changing her name

Supreme Court orders nationwide audit of private universities after Amity University harasses student for changing her name 

The student claimed that university officials harassed her, barred her from attending classes and even taunted her over her religion.

Supreme Court. 27.11.2025

Ritwik Choudhury Published on: 26 Nov 2025, 6:14 pm 4 min read Follow Us The Supreme Court recently directed the Union government, all States and Union Territories, and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to disclose how private universities across the country were established, regulated and monitored [Ayesha Jain vs. Amity University, Noida & Ors.].

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria said it was necessary, in the larger public interest, to examine how private universities were created, the statutory framework under which they function and the benefits granted to them by governments.

It directed all governments to file comprehensive affidavits detailing the background, legal basis, and financial or administrative benefits extended to private universities, including land allotments and preferential treatment.

The Court also sought information on who actually controls and manages these institutions, and how their governing bodies are constituted.

Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria The Bench was hearing a petition by 23-year-old student, one Ayesha Jain, who approached the Court after Amity University allegedly refused to change her name in its rolls despite her furnishing all legal documents. She claimed that university officials harassed her, barred her from attending classes and even taunted her for changing her name to a muslim name.

Her petition detailed a series of complaints made to the UGC and the Ministry of Education, alleging that despite their intervention, the university refused to take corrective action.

The petition also accused Amity of misusing its authority and said that she lost a year of studies because of its conduct.

The controversy dates back to 2021, when the petitioner changed her name from Khushi Jain to Ayesha Jain and published it in the Gazette of India. In 2023, she completed a certificate course at Amity Finishing School under her new name and later joined Amity Business School for an MBA (Entrepreneurship) programme in 2024. However, the university allegedly refused to update her records, preventing her from attending classes and sitting for exams.

After multiple unanswered representations and complaints, Jain approached the Supreme Court in mid-2025, accusing the university of arbitrariness and discrimination.

During earlier hearings, the Court had expressed strong disapproval of the university’s conduct. On October 9, it directed Amity’s chairman and vice-chancellor to personally explain their position.

When the matter was next heard on October 14, the Court remarked that the university had made a “mockery” of its orders after it attempted to tender ₹1 lakh as compensation. It then directed the presence of Dr. Atul Chauhan, President of the Ritnand Balved Education Foundation (which runs Amity Universities), and the Vice-Chancellor at the next hearing.

When the matter came up again on November 20, both officials were present before the Court and submitted their affidavits. However, instead of concluding the matter, the Bench expanded its scope significantly, observing that the issues involved in the case carried wider implications for governance and regulation of private higher education in India.

It emphasised that it wished to examine how private universities came into existence, what statutory provisions or notifications enabled their creation, and what benefits they receive from governments.

“The issues have now come before this Court, which the present coram has also deliberated in detail, in the larger public interest, it is deemed appropriate to examine the aspects relating to the creation/establishment/setting-up of all private Universities, either under the State Governments/Union Territories or the Central Government, and connected concerns,” it noted.

The Court then directed the Centre and all State and Union Territory administrations to disclose the legal basis under which each private, non-government or deemed university was established. The Court also sought complete information on the benefits granted to these institutions, including land allotments, statutory relaxations, preferential treatment and any financial or administrative concessions.

It further sought full details of the organisations and individuals who run such institutions, including the composition and selection process of their governing bodies.

“Full details of the concerned personnel connected with the establishment/management of such Universities shall be placed on record,” it said.

The UGC was also asked to explain its regulatory authority over private universities and the actual mechanism it follows to ensure compliance with statutory and policy requirements.

“The affidavit by the UGC shall cover what the statute/policy mandates as also the actual mechanism to monitor/oversee compliance by the institutions,” the Court said.

The order also called for disclosures on admissions policies, recruitment of faculty, checks on compliance with legal obligations, whether institutions claiming to operate on a “no profit, no loss” basis are doing so in reality, grievance redressal systems for students and faculty, and whether minimum statutory salaries are being paid.

The Court made the responsibility for these disclosures explicit.

“Responsibility for every disclosure and its correctness shall rest with the deponent concerned,” the Court said.

It underscored that any attempt to suppress or misrepresent facts would be viewed sternly.

“If there is any attempt to withhold, suppress, misrepresent or mis-state facts in the affidavits called for, this Court will be compelled to adopt a strict view,” the Bench said.

To ensure accountability at the highest level, the Court directed that the affidavits must be personally affirmed by the Cabinet Secretary of India, Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, and the Chairman of the UGC, without any delegation.

The matter is slated for further hearing on January 8, 2026 when the Court is likely to examine the disclosures in detail.

The petitioner was represented by advocates Mohd Fuzail Khan and Shisba Chawla.

The respondents were represented by advocates Amitesh Kumar, Priti Kumari, Pankaj Kumar Ray, Abhinav Singh, Shashank Shekhar Singh, Parmanand Gaur, Vibhav Mishra and Megha Gaur.

Settle terminal benefits to ex-varsity staff: HC tells TN

Settle terminal benefits to ex-varsity staff: HC tells TN 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 05.11.2025

Chennai : Terming as alarming the non-payment of terminal benefits and pension arrears to former staff and their families of Madras University to the tune of ₹95.44 crore, Madras high court directed the state and the university to take steps to settle the arrears. Relying on a report filed by the state on the total terminal and pension benefits payable from Apr 2015 to Sept 2025, Justice N Anand Venkatesh said, “It is clear from the above that a total of 87 teaching staff, 249 non-teaching staff, and 129 family pensioners are yet to be settled with the terminal benefits, which runs to the total tune of ₹95,44,21,085. 

“The above figures are quite alarming and the finance secretary of Tamil Nadu govt must necessarily come up with a solution to settle the entire pensionary benefits to the teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and family pensioners,” the judge said. The secretary, while filing a status report on an earlier occasion, took a stand that they would continue to extend their cooperation and guidance to ensure that there is timely disbursement of the pensionary dues. This commitment that was expressed before this court shall be translated into action by immediately allocating funds for settling the entire terminal benefits, the court added. The observations were made on a contempt of court petition.

Withdraw T.N. Private Universities (Amendment) Bill: former V-C

Withdraw T.N. Private Universities (Amendment) Bill: former V-C

E. Balagurusamy

The Hindu Bureau

Chennai 27.10.2025

Former Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of Anna University E. Balagurusamy has urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to withdraw the recently introduced Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

In a letter to the Chief Minister on Sunday, a copy of which was shared with the media, he highlighted that the conversion of government-aided colleges to private universities would lead to the dilution of public control, uncertainty for faculty and staff, and possible withdrawal of government support. “The private university status can lead to a steep increase in fees, reducing access for students from economically and socially weaker sections who rely on affordable aided-college education,” he contended.

The State government on Saturday decided to review what Higher Education Minister Govi. Chezhiaan called the “Draft” Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, in response to pushback from teachers’ bodies and a section of MLAs. The Bill was passed by the Assembly on October 18. “The dilution of reservation policies and social justice measures threatens equitable access to higher education and undermines decades of progress in inclusive education,” Mr. Balagurusamy added, and 

urged the State to hold consultations with all stake-holders before introducing any amendments to the Act.

Top scientists flag corruption in NIRF rankings, urge overhaul of research metrics

Top scientists flag corruption in NIRF rankings, urge overhaul of research metrics

 Leading scientists warn that flawed NIRF methodology fuels low-quality publications, fake citations, and academic manipulation, threatening India's research credibility 

G.S. Mudur Published 13.10.25, 06:07 AM

University Grants Commission 

Leading Indian scientists have cautioned that government inaction on multiple appeals to reform an annual ranking exercise for higher education institutions introduced in 2016 threatens the quality and integrity of research in the country.

Scientists who wrote to the government four months ago, warning that the pursuit of high ranks in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) has fostered “corruption and unethical practices”, said on Sunday they have yet to see any response.

Their concerns are centred on the NIRF methodology, which includes certain quantitative metrics such as the number of research papers and citations those papers receive. Citations are intended to measure academic influence and credit prior research.

The current methodology grants scores even to students, faculty and institutions engaging in manipulative practices, such as publishing “casual” papers that don’t contribute meaningfully to knowledge, 11 leading scientists wrote in a letter to multiple government departments on June 8.

Advertisement Examples include surveys on eating habits or awareness among students about food. While such papers do little to advance knowledge or train students in research methods, they receive as much credit as serious research, the scientists said.

They also expressed concern that some institutions appear to have instructed students or faculty to cite the work of their own colleagues — whether the citation is relevant or not — adding to the institutions’ citation counts.

A paper on fruit and vegetable consumption published by students and faculty from one university, for instance, had cited a study on diesel engines by others in the same university.

“Such practices have made scientific research a number game… detrimental to the overall ecosystem and reputation of Indian science,” the signatories wrote in their letter sent to the University Grants Commission, the principal scientific adviser to the central government, and the secretary in the higher education department.

The signatories included Partha Majumder, past president of the Indian Academy of Sciences, H.A. Ranganath, former vice-chancellor of Bangalore University, and L.S. Shashidhara, director of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, among others. The letter follows similar concerns some scientists have articulated on other platforms.

“Aspiration for high NIRF rankings has bred abject misuse and an unimaginable system of corruption and unethical practices,” the scientists wrote, cautioning that the manipulative and gaming practices overlooked by the NIRF will undermine academic integrity and quality.

They have sought revisions in the methodology to provide greater weight to qualitative aspects of research output than to existing quantitative measures.

One option would be to rank all institutions through the existing quantitative measures, then evaluate them on qualitative measures through an additional screening process.

“Despite having drawn the attention of the relevant government authorities, no action against such practices has been rapidly implemented,” said Majumder, a population geneticist and the founder director of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani.

Queries sent by this newspaper to the University Grants Commission and the department of higher education seeking their perspectives on these concerns have evoked no response.

The National Board of Accreditation, the agency that runs the NIRF, announced earlier this year that the NIRF exercise would introduce negative scores for retracted papers or for citations of tainted papers.

But many believe these steps aren’t sufficient to curb the unethical practices.

“Negative marks for retracted papers is a welcome move, but not enough to address the large numbers of casual papers being produced only to increase scores and that do not get retracted,” said a physicist in a government institution who requested anonymity.

In their letter, the scientists said the ranking system had turned into a business model with no relevance to academic quality or integrity, driven by manipulative practices and papers published in so-called “predatory” or “paper-mill” journals that publish anything for a fee.

Under this model, some institutions push students and faculty to publish in bulk, flooding predatory journals with low-quality papers that inflate scores and attract more students — a cycle scientists say must be broken.

The scientists said the practice of publishing papers in predatory or paper-mill journals is “so rampant” that India should formally treat publication in such journals as an unethical practice, leading to negative consequences on the career of researchers or profile of institutions.

Universities call for complete revamp in Education Ministry’s NIRF rankings

Universities call for complete revamp in Education Ministry’s NIRF rankings 

There was a controversy over the National Rankings 2025 due to the ups and downs of some universities.

S. Lalitha Updated on: 18 Oct 2025, 10:14 am 2 min read

NEW DELHI: A collective call was given by multiple universities across the country on the need to bring in dynamic reforms in the Education Ministry’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) that is released annually. The criteria used for ranking remains the same since its inception a decade ago and hence the demand for changes in it, said multiple people who took part.

A meet was held at the IISc Habitat in Delhi on Friday evening in connection with the reforms required in these National Rankings. They are decided by the National Board of Accreditation, constituted by the Ministry.

Education Secretary Vineet Joshi chaired the meet in which Chairman of the Executive Council of the National Assessement and Acrcediation Council Anil Sahasrabudhi and representatives of the IITs of Roorkee, Mumbai, Madras, Delhi and Bhubaneshwar took part along with those from many National Institute of Technologies and universities from across the country including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir.

There was a controversy over the National Rankings 2025 due to the ups and downs of some universities. This forced NBA to go in for a third party vetting for the first time by the firm Ernst and Young before they were made public after much delay in September 2025.

A senior educationist told this reporter, on the condition of anonymity, that a key recommendation was the emphasis given to the `Perception’ factor. “Perception is a relative term. By giving ten marks out of 100 in the rankings to this aspect, it was not a fair assessment was the opinion expressed by multiple heads of institutions. Though the ranking committee said they spoke to peers, professors and the general public before assessing the perception factor, representatives of universities expressed their unhappiness over it and recommended that this criterion be dropped,” he said.

Another recommendation was that the 20 marks given to the Graduation Outcome (GO) takes into account the number of graduates who get employed after passing out. “There are hundreds of students who take over their family business or run their own start-ups. This is not given any weightage. Hence, there should be value attached to these aspects too and not just for those who go into traditional forms of employment,” he added.

Many educationists also pointed out that institutes not recognised by the National Medical Commision, the Dental Council of India, the Bar Council of India or the All India Council of Technical Education find place in the rankings. “Such educational institutions need to be dropped,” they felt.

The Head of an institute also pointed out that technical universities in the country, numbering around 20 are left out of the rankings. “They need to be included. Such a competiton will help them improve their professional standings and make them competitive,” he said.

Tamil Nadu introduces Bill to allow existing private colleges to become universities

Tamil Nadu introduces Bill to allow existing private colleges to become universities

As per the draft amendment, 65% of seats in non-minority private universities and 50% in minority institutions will be earmarked as government seats.

Representative imagePhoto | Express Illustrations

Binita Jaiswal


Updated on:
16 Oct 2025, 8:54 a

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday introduced a Bill in the Assembly to amend the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, enabling existing private colleges, including government-aided ones, to be converted into private universities if they meet the prescribed criteria.

Under the existing Act, only greenfield institutions can be converted into private universities.

The proposed amendment introduces a new “Brownfield University” category, which allows the conversion of existing private colleges into universities, and a “Minority Private University” category that permits linguistic and religious minorities to set up and administer universities under Article 30 of the Constitution.

The government may pass the Bill during the current Assembly session that concludes on Friday. AIADMK MLA and former higher education minister K P Anbazhagan opposed the Bill at the introduction stage.

The seats in government-aided courses in all types of private colleges are presently filled as per the state’s reservation policies.

65% of seats in non-minority private univs to be earmarked for govt quota

However, as per the amendment, if such a college becomes a private university, reservation policies would apply only to medical, dental, allied health, and Indian medicine courses, not arts, science, or engineering. Even in the medicine and related courses, reservation will be applied only for seats earmarked as “government seats”.

As per the draft amendment, 65% of seats in non-minority private universities and 50% in minority institutions will be earmarked as government seats.

To protect the interests of staff and students, the Bill states that employees in government-sanctioned posts in aided institutions must not face service conditions less favourable than what was being enjoyed by them before the conversion.

Although it does not explicitly mention that the government will cease funding salaries, sources indicated that this is implied. The amendment also provides that students already enrolled under the affiliating university before conversion can continue and complete their courses in the same institution, with the new brownfield university responsible for facilitating this transition.

The Bill further relaxes the land requirement for setting up private universities. The existing norm of 100 acres of contiguous land is proposed to be reduced to 25 acres within municipal corporation limits, 35 acres within municipalities or town panchayats, and 50 acres elsewhere. If a proposed campus spans multiple local body categories, the requirement of the zone with the larger land share will apply.

Academicians opined that the amendment could encourage several existing colleges to upgrade themselves into private universities, offering greater flexibility and reduced regulatory restrictions. According to the State Higher Education Department’s policy note for 2025–26, Tamil Nadu currently has eight private universities, all established as greenfield institutions.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) has strongly opposed the proposal, claiming it could lead to the corporatisation of government-aided institutions and undermine equitable access. “The entire admission process will shift from merit-based to money-based, and both teaching and non-teaching staff could face job insecurity,” said K Raja, general secretary of AUT, urging the government to withdraw the Bill.

Brownfield university

Pvt colleges can be turned into univs under ‘Brownfield’ category, while minority institutes can become pvt univs under ‘Minority Pvt University’ category

UGC draft Maths LOCF risks diluting academic rigour

UGC draft Maths LOCF risks diluting academic rigour 

Students pursuing a programme need to learn its core elements, but the preponderance of IKS, VAC, SEC may leave them exhausted 

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesofindia.com 13.10.2025

To transform undergraduate Mathematics education by integrating the classical traditions with modern courses, the UGC recently launched the draft Maths Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 

Aimed at offering a robust mathematical foundation emphasising value-based education, interdisciplinary relevance, and integration with the Indian Knowledge System (IKS), the draft has evoked strong opposition from the mathematics educators, as over 900 academics have demanded its withdrawal, saying it is regressive and risks students’ futures globally. 

The Centre has constituted acommittee of experts to review the UGC draft curriculum for various subjects in the wake of allegations regarding factual inaccuracies and inclusion of outdated topics. Discussing what is perceived as grave defects in the draft Maths syllabus, Nandita Narain, associate professor (Retd), Department of Mathematics, St Stephen's College, University of Delhi (DU), says, “The proposed syllabus pushes higher Mathematics in India back by about 56 years. In 1969, modern pure Mathematics was introduced in UG syllabi for the first time and constituted roughly 65-75 % of the syllabus. 

This was to equip students to compete at the international level, where modern abstract Algebra and Analysis were widely accepted as the two pillars on which all of higher mathematics stands. The overall Maths content in the course is severely diluted with only 14 core Maths papers out of a total of 36. This does not look like a syllabus forMathematics Hons. In fact, it is woefully inadequate even for the Mathematics in the BA/ BSc general course and will leave students handicapped at the international level. The preponderance of IKS, Valued added Courses (VAC), and Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC) will  leave them exhausted, confused and ignorant about their core subject.” Mix and Match Pointing at the increasing confusion, Amber Habib, professor, Department of Mathematics, Shiv Nadar University, says, “This is a hodgepodge of all multiple things which lacks a vision. Interdisciplinary relevance and the use of historical context have a place in a Mathematics curriculum, provided they are used to enrich the mathematical experience and not replace it.” 

The focus is on the IKS and its applications. Prof Habib adds, “Students would be led to believe that the contributions of ancient India can serve as a substitute for modern knowledge. Key areas such as Analysis and Algebra would be taught to them in a hurried manner. They would be illequipped for master’s and PhD in India or abroad.” Including IKS IKS occupies a staggering 12 out of 28 in Discipline Specific Electives (DSE) and 12 out of 14 in the VAC. “Even the remaining 16 DSE are mostly computer languages (4) or Applied Maths (10) with only two pure Maths courses that do not cover the essential missing content in Algebra and Analysis. Advanced abstract pure mathematics has almost disappeared from the syllabus,” Narain says. “Since IKS courses are non-mathematical, the content would not last for even 20 hours, let alone the intended 60. Often the content is just a list of items to be memorised, the last thing you want to see in a modern Maths course,” says Prof Habib. 

Though the core component for Maths students is free of IKS, the electives have 12 portion of IKS. “This is an issue because the core component is basic (for eg, only one course each on modern Algebra and Real Analysis), which needs to be compensated by elective. The electives should provide an opportunity for a student to take up advanced courses in Maths, whether pure or applied. Instead, the focus is clearly on ancient Maths. If a Maths student wishing to move towards ML or AI needs options such as Advanced Linear Algebra, Functional Analysis and Convex Optimisation. 

The extra year of a 4-year UG programme ought to provide such courses. Instead, one finds courses such as Sutra-based Arithmetic, Geometry in Shulvasutras and Bhartiya Innovations: World-wide Accepted,” Prof Habib says. He adds, “While it is heart-warming to see our ancestors’ love of numbers and patterns, and this can lead to a more positive attitude to Math, yet the appropriate place for this is school rather than university. A university student needs to learn advanced Maths and itsapplications.”

University of Western Australia launch Mumbai campus

University of Western Australia launch Mumbai campus 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 13.10.2025

The UGC has approved the University of Western Australia’s (UWA)application to establish campuses in Mumbai and Chennai. The campuses will offer undergraduate and master’s degree programmes in STEM, as well as in Business and Commerce. 

A high-level delegation from the university is in India to engage with the government and state agencies and create an ecosystem of partnerships with Indian institutions. According to the university’s official portal, by establishing a physical presence in India, UWA aims to deepen educational and economic ties, create new research and industry partnerships, and foster collaborative opportunities that benefit both countries. The UWA, one of the world’s top 100 universities, will become the first Ivy Leagueequivalent institution and the first from Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities to set up campuses in India.

All benefits as per statutes for Calicut varsity V-C: Arlekar

All benefits as per statutes for Calicut varsity V-C: Arlekar

The Hindu Bureau

Kozhikode 12.10.2025

The office of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who is also the Chancellor of State universities, has issued an order clarifying that P. Raveendran, Vice-Chancellor (V-C), University of Calicut, “shall have all the authorities, powers, duties, and responsibilities, conferred on V-Cs, in terms of the acts and statutes of the university.”

This comes in the wake of the explanations sought by the Kerala State Audit department related to the appointment of certain staff in his office and official bungalow and the use of his official quarters in his capacity as Professor, Department of Chemistry. Mr. Raveendran, originally a Professor in the department, was given full charge of the V-C in July 2024 by the then Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. He was not selected to the post by a search-cum-selection committee as mandated by the University Grants Commission. The Audit department’s actions followed a complaint raised by P.P. Sumod, Left Democratic Front MLA, who is a Syndicate member of the university.

Mr. Sumod pointed out in his complaint that Mr. Raveendran, who has been holding the additional responsibilities as V-C, was not entitled to use the official bungalow. He was also not supposed to appoint staff in the office. Mr. Sumod also alleged that Mr. Raveendran was not discharging his duties in the Department of Chemistry.

The Chancellor’s office, however, clarified in the order issued on October 8 that he should not be treated as an “officer in charge” or “in any manner inferior to the regularly appointed V-Cs”. He shall not be obliged to perform his normal duties attached to his original post during the tenure of his appointment, and he has the discretion to decide on the issue. He shall be eligible for a furnished accommodation as admissible to the V-C, notwithstanding the staff accommodation available to him. Mr. Raveendran is also entitled to other benefits such as an official vehicle with a driver, medical allowances, and leave travel allowance, the order said.

The order shall have retrospective effect from the date of notification of his appointment. However, the order also said that he shall not have any claim for continuance or permanency in the post.

Over 20 autonomous colleges in Odisha function without valid autonomy

Over 20 autonomous colleges in Odisha function without valid autonomy

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC) data, the state has 53 autonomous colleges, including degree and engineering/management colleges.

Berhampur University.(File photo | Express)

Diana Sahu

Updated on:

08 Oct 2025, 9:36 am

BHUBANESWAR: Over 20 autonomous degree colleges in the state, including government and non-government institutions, are functioning without valid autonomy and continue to conduct their own examinations.

Odisha has 1,058 degree colleges and only three per cent of them enjoy autonomous status, which gives them the administrative and academic independence to design their own syllabus, introduce new courses and assess students’ performance.

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC) data, the state has 53 autonomous colleges, including degree and engineering/management colleges. Out of the 53 colleges, 28 degree and two engineering/management colleges have lost their autonomy, but have not reapplied for it for several years. Earlier, the UGC granted autonomous status to a higher educational institution for a period of five years.

Of the degree colleges, the highest 18, are under Utkal University, six under Sambalpur University, four colleges under Berhampur University, one each under Fakir Mohan and Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University (MSCB University). Despite this, the parent universities continue to allow these colleges to conduct examinations in violation of the UGC (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023.

Notably, a college should apply to the UGC for extension of autonomous status at least three months before the completion of the autonomy period. As per the new UGC Regulations, 2023, the grant of autonomy is now based on assessment and accreditation of the colleges. Autonomous status is granted initially for 10 years on the condition that the institution is accredited either by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a minimum of ‘A’ grade.

“Expiry of autonomous status does not just deprive colleges of designing their own syllabus, preparing their own admission rules but also prevents them from conducting their own exams. A majority of the autonomous colleges are without valid autonomy now. On expiry of the autonomy, the government should change their status to ‘colleges that are affiliated to the parent universities’. However, in these cases, there has been no action from the Higher Education department which is why these colleges continue to hold their own examination, which is illegal,” said a senior academician in a public university.

Officials in the Higher Education department said while all the colleges had lost their autonomy till two years back, some of them opted for NAAC and renewed their grades, like BJB and SB Women’s College, and subsequently, their autonomy was restored. The others are preparing to undergo NAAC assessment for the purpose first.

Cabinet adds 10,000 new MBBS, PG seats; faculty shortage could restrict seat expansion

Cabinet adds 10,000 new MBBS, PG seats; faculty shortage could restrict seat expansion

 Unless the paucity is addressed, increasing seats would risk diluting training quality of new doctors 

Sonal.Srivastava@timesofindia.com 06.10.2025

The Union Cabinet approved phase-III medical expansion in September 2025, greenlighting the addition of over 10,000 new MBBS and PG seats to boost India’s healthcare capacity. As the government pushes ahead with expanding MBBS and postgraduate medical seats across the country, experts warn that a chronic shortage of faculty and inadequate infrastructure may dilute the quality of medical education. 

A 2023 NITI Aayog report pegged the faculty shortfall at nearly 30%. According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha, approximately 40% of faculty positions in various AIIMS remained unfilled in 2025. Premier institutions, such as AIIMS New Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur, and Rishikesh, have a faculty shortage of 23%-38% across various levels. 

A senior official from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare acknowledges that the shortage of faculty remains a pressing concern. “The government has put in place stop-gap measures to address the issue as medical seats continue to expand,” he adds. “In a few streams, especially in the preand para-clinical areas, medical colleges are unable to find suitable faculty as fewer students opt for them compared to clinical subjects,” says the official. To increase the faculty number, the government has allowed MSc and PhD candidates to teach preand para-clinical subjects. “This is only for the initial years; eventually, reliance will increase on AI and e-books that will assist the faculty,” says the official.

Broadening the faculty pool through MSc and PhD candidates is necessary; however, preference will be given to candidates with MBBS/MD degrees. Once there is sufficient faculty and the system stabilises, these pressures will gradually subside, he adds.

Doubling MBBS seats without increasing the number of teachers and developing infrastructure will not help sustain the quality of education, says Dr Sajal Bansal, chief advisor, FAIMA, Maharashtra. “The student-teacher ratio is impacted negatively because of faculty shortage. Earlier, one teacher taught 20-25 students; now, a teacher is expected to handle a higher number of students,” he adds. To understand student experiences, FAIMA has launched a nationwide survey of medical students, covering issues such as faculty availability, clinical exposure, libraries, and infrastructure. 

Over 1,700 responses have been received so far. The shortage is particularly acute in non-clinical subjects such as Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Microbiology, where PG seats often remain vacant. “Most students prefer clinical branches because they want patient exposure, and non-clinical departments suffer because opportunities are limited — labs are under equipped, research exposure is poor, and job prospects are uncertain,” says Dr Bansal. Hospitals with more than 220 beds are also being converted into medical colleges to expand capacity. “These measures may bring some temporary relief, but they will not fully solve the shortage,” says Dr Sanjay Teotia, senior consultant, Balrampur Hospital, UP. 

Unless the shortage is addressed, the rapid expansion of medical seats risks diluting the training of new doctors. “Infrastructure and faculty must grow in tandem with seat expansion. Otherwise, the system will produce doctors with limited clinical exposure and inadequate guidance, which will ultimately affect patient care,” says Dr Teotia. SSC introduces reforms to make exams secure and transparent The SSC has rolled out a series of reforms to make its examinations more transparent, secure, and convenient for candidates. Candidates appearing in SSC exams can view their own question papers, responses, and the correct answers. However, restrictions apply during ongoing multishift exams to ensure that papers from later sessions are not compromised. To further assist aspirants, the Commission has also decided to publish selected past question papers as official sample sets at regular intervals. SSC has halved the fee for challenging questions, from Rs 100 to Rs 50 per question, reducing the financial burden on aspirants who wish to contest an answer. 

Another significant measure is the introduction of equi-percentile normalisation. This method compares candidates based on their percentile score rather than raw marks. It removes any 

advantage or disadvantage that may arise from variation in difficulty levels across different exam shifts. Ensuring exam security and fairness has also been a major focus. Aadhaarbased authentication has been introduced to prevent impersonation and to stop candidates from attempting the same exam multiple times.

NEET cut-offs for MBBS, BDS drop after 2nd round of counselling

NEET cut-offs for MBBS, BDS drop after 2nd round of counselling

SEAT MATRIX 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 03.10.2025

Chennai : At the end of second round of counselling for MBBS/BDS admissions, cutoffs in NEET-UG 2025 came down by two to four marks in govt medical colleges compared to first round, and up to 10 marks in govt quota seats in self-financing colleges. While the last mark for a student to get into a medical college (state private university) was 354, the cut-off scores in BDS dropped by up to 100-222 marks in round 2 of counselling.

At the end of round 2, cutoffs dropped in almost all categories, although there was no major difference in ranks. For instance, the OC (open category) cut-off for govt colleges plummeted from 650 in 2024 to 534 in 2025. In 2024, NEET cutoff for a student to get into any college in any category at the end of round 2 was 403 marks. In BDS, the cut-off was 245.

The drop in cut-offs doesn’t indicate an easing of admissions, experts say. “There is only a marginal difference in the ranks of students, though we see big differences in scores,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Students, including many repeat candidates, found the NEET 2025 tougher. Overall performance dropped across India. There was no perfect score, and the top score was 686,” he said.

Students who were allotted seats must join colleges of their choice before deadline, or they will have to take part in the round 3 of counselling for colleges of their choice. 

The National Medical Commission allowed St Peter’s Medical College Hospital to take 100 more students by increasing total seats to 250, while Vivekananda Medical College Hospital and Research Institute will add 50 seats. These seats, along with 50 more in BDS, will be added to seat matrix once the state medical university grants affiliation, said selection committee officials.

NIRF to begin negative marking for dishonesty

NIRF to begin negative marking for dishonesty

Draft Norms For Univ Ranking Aim To Strengthen Internal Checks

Hemali.Chhapia@timesofindia.com 03.10.2025

Mumbai : Centre is rewriting the rulebook for India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), in what could be the sharpest overhaul of the country’s higher education rankings since their inception in 2015. For the first time, penalties are being formally stitched into the ranking methodology, signalling a tougher stance on research malpractice and misrepresentation of data.

The negative marking system will soon be declared. This year, the framework docked some marks from an institute’s overall score if published papers were retracted by academic journals. From the coming year, though, the consequences will be deeper and wider. Not only will universities be penalised for retracted work, but even citations of such tainted papers will draw heavy deductions in the research score — effectively broadening the circle of accountability.

The change is aimed at curbing what officials describe as a “weakness” in India’s research ecosystem. Papers withdrawn for plagiarism, duplication or manipulated data often continue to be cited, giving them a false academic afterlife. “Retractions damage the credibility of the system. And when retracted papers are cited, they really hold no meaning. And hence, such  instances need to be doubly punished with harsher negative marks,” said professor Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairman of the ranking committee. By extending penalties to citations, he  explained, govt is signalling zero tolerance towards dishonesty in academic output.

The revised rules will also push institutions to institute stronger internal checks. Universities that persistently accumulate lapses may face the ultimate penalty — being struck off the rankings  altogether. “While the final decision to debar institutes that continue to deliberately misrepresent has not yet been taken, the committee is serious about such cases and is likely to consider harsh  measures,” added Sahasrabudhe.

 “Rankings are signals to students, employers, investors of faith in an institution. To be rubbed off the table would mean more than a bruise to reputation; it may mean a shut door to opportunity,” said an official. NIRF evaluates institutions across five broad parameters: teaching and learning, graduation outcomes, research, outreach and perception. With over 8,700 institutions participating in the 2024 cycle, its results have become a widely referenced barometer for students, recruiters and policymakers.

Experts point out the higher education sector is at a crossroads: on the one hand, the country seeks a larger global footprint in research and innovation, and on the other, it must work to weed  out malpractice that risks damaging credibility. Sharper rules, they argue, are a warning and an opportunity. Universities need to invest in ethics training, plagiarism detection systems &  transparent review mechanisms, lest a single tainted citation pull down their standing, said

Another KGMU doctor resigns, set to join private hosp

Another KGMU doctor resigns, set to join private hosp 

BRAIN DRAIN

Mohsin  Usmani TNN 02.10.2025

Lucknow : With neurologist Prof PK Sharma submitting his resignation on Wednesday, King George’s Medical University lost another senior faculty member. Sharma will serve a threemonth notice period before joining a private medical institute in Alambagh. Prof Sharma cited personal reasons for his exit but said his years at KGMU gave him “immense recognition.” His resignation follows that of Prof Kshitij Srivastava from neurosurgery and Prof Adarsh Tripathi from the psychiatry department. The series of exits widened recently when four doctors — Dr Manu Agarwal (psychiatry), Dr Tanvi Bhargava (anaesthesia), Dr Ashok Kumar Gupta (plastic surgery) and Dr Karan Kaushik (cardiac anaesthesia) — resigned together.

They deposited three months’ salary in lieu of notice, which allowed immediate release. Dr Bhargava joined SGPGIMS, Dr Gupta moved to RMLIMS while Dr Kaushik and Dr Agarwal accepted a private hospital post. In the past month, KGMU also saw the departure of Prof Ajay Verma (respiratory medicine), who joined RMLIMS as head of department, Prof Srivastava, who shifted to a private hospital in Alambagh, and Prof Tripathi, who is serving notice. Senior faculty members have attributed the resignations to mismanagement and administrative lapses. Another factor is the pay gap. 

Salaries for govt medical teachers range between Rs 1.25 lakh at the assistant professor level and about Rs 3 lakh for professors. Private hospitals are offering salaries upwards of Rs 10 lakh a month, along with incentives. Faculty have also raised uniform pay across departments, which places super-specialists, despite longer training and heavier clinical load, on the same scale as non-clinical faculty. Meanwhile, the KGMU Teachers’ Association has sought govt intervention and demanded a policy should be framed for doctors trained in govt institutions.

UGC cracks down on 10 universities

UGC cracks down on 10 universities

Bhopal : 29.09.2025

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has raised serious concern over noncompliance by 10 private universities of Madhya Pradesh regarding mandatory information disclosure. Despite repeated reminders, these private universities have defaulted in submitting details under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956, and in uploading the required public self disclosure information on their official websites.

Issuing the notice on its official portal, UGC stated that as per the guidelines on public self disclosure by higher education institutions, issued on June 10, 2024, every higher education institution must maintain a functional website carrying all relevant institutional details. "These disclosures should be easily accessible on the homepage without login requirements, and equipped with a proper search facility. The norms mandate transparency, enabling students and the general public to verify key information," UGC authorities stated in the notice. 

In addition to website disclosure, universities were directed to submit detailed information in the prescribed proforma along with duly attested supporting documents. This submission was intended for inspection under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956. Institutions were further asked to host the same documents on their respective websites for public access. The UGC noted that despite multiple reminders through e-mails and online meetings, 10 private universities of MP have failed to comply with these directions. The regulator has now circulated a list of defaulting universities, warning them to ensure compliance at the earliest. UGC has reiterated that transparency in higher education is non-negotiable and universities failing to adhere to the norms could face consequences. TNN

E-office goes offline: Are ministers in love with pen and paper in MP?

E-office goes offline: Are ministers in love with pen and paper in MP?

9 Months Since Its Launch, New System Fails To Bridge The Last-Mile Gap

Ankur.Sirothia@timesofindia.com 29.09.2025

Bhopal : The much-publicised e-office system in Madhya Pradesh, intended to transition government file processing from paper to digital, has failed to gain full traction—particularly among ministers, who remain reluctant to adopt the paperless system. While files now move digitally from clerks to senior bureaucrats like additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, and secretaries, the process breaks down at the ministerial level. 

Once a file reaches a minister, it is printed out and converted back into a physical document for approval. Recently, officials from the General Administration Department (GAD) confirmed that ministers have yet to begin using the e-office system. The system was formally launched on January 1 this year by chief minister Mohan Yadav, who hailed it as a step toward transparency and good governance through digitalization. 

Prior to its launch, departments received training in digital file handling. The system was first introduced in the Secretariat, CM Office, and chief secretary’s office, and later expanded to departmental heads and district collectors. Notably, on October 25, 2024, the chief secretary had ordered all departments to fully implement e-office by January 1, 2025. The objective was to improve transparency, streamline workflows, and ensure timely completion of tasks. However, ministers remain outside the digital loop, with no set timeline for their inclusion. 

This isn't the government’s first attempt at digitalizing file movement. The idea of replacing penand-paper with a digital system was floated as early as 2006, but little progress was made. It was revived in 2016, and serious implementation efforts began in 2017. The e-office system was introduced in April 2018, and the General Administration Department mandated all departments to adopt it. A dedicated control room was established, and around 500 new computers and 150 scanners were installed at the Secretariat. Employees were trained in various aspects of the system—including file tracking, confidentiality protocols, and digital drafting—but the initiative lost momentum due to the 2018 election year. 

When the Congress government took office, it expanded the e-office system to the district level and set deadlines, but the administration changed again within 18 months, followed by the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic. In November 2021, new security guidelines were issued for e-office usage, emphasizing data safety, e-signatures, and limiting physical copies to confidential documents only. However, interest in the system faded once more. The project was relaunched in January 2025 and is now active across the Secretariat and field offices. Yet ministers continue to prefer paper files. “Files in the e-office cannot be held back indefinitely. The e-office system shows when and at which level a file is stuck”, said a senior GAD official.

AICTE proposed PhD framework focusing on responsible AI usage to boost research integrity

AICTE proposed PhD framework focusing on responsible AI usage to boost research integrity 

New guidelines will allow retired professors to supervise scholars, which can help retain valuable expertise 

Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesofindia.com 29.09.2025

To strengthen PhD regulations in technical education, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) task force has drafted a new regulatory framework that enhances the quality, rigour, and relevance of doctoral research, including the mandatory AI disclaimer from researchers. The proposed guidelines reintroduce mandatory publication requirements, set authorship rules, allow retired professors to guide students, and impose stricter quality standards for dissertations. The taskforce, under the chairmanship of KR Venugopal, former vicechancellor, Bangalore University, has been approved by the AICTE Executive Council and is now with the Ministry of Education for final clearance. 

Authorship Concern 

Since the AICTE had relied on the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s PhD regulations till now, the proposed regulations will boost the research ecosystem. Prof Venugopal says, “There are persisting gaps in the current system that have weakened the quality and credibility of research. One of the major issues was the removal of the mandatory publication requirement in 2022, which had earlier existed in the 2016 regulations. Without this, many research scholars began completing their degrees without publishing any substantial work, making it difficult to evaluate their research. The new framework will reintroduce mandatory publication, not only to ensure that students contribute to peer-reviewed journals but also to provide them with recognition, which is crucial for their career prospects and academic validation. In the absence of these norms, there were instances when supervisors claimed first authorship even when the bulk of the work was done by students. Besides, the guides misused the work of their mentee for their own benefit.”

A prominent challenge in the existing system is overburdened faculty members, especially in private colleges, where professors have to handle administrative responsibilities such as admissions, grading, filling forms, and managing inspections, in addition to teaching multiple subjects. Drawing comparisons with practices in Western countries, Prof Venugopal says that retirement should not restrict professors from guiding new researchers. “The faculty find little time or energy to meaningfully guide research students. To address this, the new framework suggests that retired professors and experienced academics be allowed to continue guiding PhD students, ensuring that valuable expertise is not lost after retirement and that faculty who are less burdened can provide stronger mentorship,” he adds. Beyond publication and supervision, there are often problems with the quality of theses and dissertations. Prof Venugopal says, “Many submissions are poorly written, lacking in proper formatting, citations, and references, which undermines the academic value of the work. The new guidelines set clearer standards and guide students on how dissertations should be structured, including aspects such as font size, referencing styles, bibliography formats, and overall presentation. This is intended to improve the professionalism and readability of doctoral work, while also training students in essential academic writing skills that are often missing.” The new guidelines have also proposed a measure to reward merit and efficiency by allowing high-achieving students to submit their theses after two-and-a-half years instead of waiting for the standard three years, provided they have published quality research papers in recognised journals, including Scopus-indexed Q1 journals. Institutional delays have been a persistent problem, with registration processes of students often taking two to three months. “While many institutions have separate research departments and councils on paper, in practice, they do not function effectively. Research is not being taken seriously. The framework calls for a dedicated research department in institutions, strict timelines, and effective monitoring,” he says. 

There are several cases of exploitation by the guide. Prof Venugopal says, “It is found that guides sometimes exploit students, delaying approvals, or demanding undue favours. Furthermore, mandatory progress reviews are often skipped. Beyond procedural issues, institutions lack adequate infrastructure such as wellequipped laboratories for experimental research.” 

Plagiarism Check 

Meanwhile, while AI use is allowed for research work, it should account for less than 20% of the overall thesis and be properly cited, similar to plagiarism disclaimers. HEIs must have a mechanism using well-developed software applications to detect plagiarism/ AI-generated content in research work. V Rajendran, VC, AMET University, Chennai, says, “The framework also opens doors for industry professionals. For instance, BTech graduates with three to five years of work experience and a strong academic record (minimum CGPA of 7.0–7.5) can directly register for a PhD without a postgraduate degree. Students will be allowed to pursue translational research, regardless of their basic degree, thereby encouraging collaboration between fields such as engineering, science, literature, and medicine.” Formalising DSc Degree For the first time, AICTE has also formalised the Doctor of Science (DSc) degree. Until now, no standardised guidelines existed in India. 

The new framework requires candidates to demonstrate substantial post-PhD research output such as publishing at least 50 papers with a combined impact factor of 100 writing books or filing patents. They must also have guided aminimum number of PhD scholars. Unlike the honorary degrees often granted through influence, the DSc aims to genuinely reward senior academicians and industry experts for their contributions. Even professionals from industry without a PhD, but with significant experience, can qualify