Only PCI Can Inspect Pharmacy Colleges: Council Warns States, Universities Against Re-Inspections

Only PCI Can Inspect Pharmacy Colleges: Council Warns States, Universities Against Re-Inspections 

Written By : Susmita Roy

Published On 17 May 2026 11:12 PM | Updated On 17 May 2026 11:12 PM

New Delhi: The Pharmacy Council of India has directed all state governments, universities and examining authorities to refrain from conducting re-inspections or subsequent inspections of pharmacy institutions that have already been inspected and approved by the Council, warning that such actions violate the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and may invite strict legal action.

In a circular issued to all State Governments/UTs, Examining Authorities approved by PCI, State Admission Committees and Central Council members, the PCI clarified that under Section 16 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, the statutory authority to inspect pharmacy institutions rests exclusively with the Council.

The Council stated that it has come to its notice that several universities and state authorities are continuing to conduct inspections of pharmacy institutions even after PCI approval has been granted, despite court rulings stating that such authorities do not possess statutory powers under the Act to undertake these inspections.

Also Read:PCI Mandates Implementation of New B.Pharm Syllabus from 2026-27 Under NEP 2020 

Referring to recent judicial pronouncements, the PCI cited an order dated October 6, 2025, passed by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court in the case of Gramin Vikas Multipurpose Education Society and Prabhat Institute of Pharmacy vs PCI & Others. The Court held that if a statute prescribes a particular procedure, it must be followed in that manner alone, and observed that the Joint Director had no authority under the Pharmacy Act or PCI norms to inspect a pharmacy college once the No Objection Certificate (NOC) had already been issued.

The Court further observed that if complaints were received by the State Government or Joint Director, they could be forwarded to PCI, which alone could carry out inspections in accordance with the law.

The Council also referred to a November 26, 2025 judgment of the Karnataka High Court in Karnataka Pharmacy College Management Association vs Union of India and Others, where the Court ruled that the State Government lacked jurisdiction or authority to conduct inspections of pharmacy colleges in the absence of any statutory provision empowering it to do so.

According to the PCI circular, once the initial verification process for issuance of the first-time approval of the Examining Authority and NOC for starting a new pharmacy institution or course is completed, the concerned State Government, state authorities or universities cease to have jurisdiction to conduct re-inspections or subsequent inspections under the Pharmacy Act, 1948.

The Council reiterated that powers relating to inspection, monitoring, approval of courses, intake capacity and verification of pharmacy institutions vest exclusively with PCI under Section 16 of the Act.

PCI further directed that if any complaint, deficiency, irregularity or allegation concerning a pharmacy institution comes to the notice of any state government, university or authority, such details must be forwarded to the Council for appropriate action and further inspection, wherever necessary.

Warning against non-compliance, the Council stated that any violation of the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and regulations framed thereunder by any authority, institution or examining body would be viewed seriously and strict action would be initiated in accordance with law.

One-Year PG vs Two: Reimagining the master’s degree under NEP 2020

One-Year PG vs Two: Reimagining the master’s degree under NEP 2020 

Given the diversity of higher education landscape, both pathways may need to coexist for some time, allowing varsities to adopt models aligned with their academic strengths 

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesofindia.com 18.05.2026

As the implementation of NEP 2020 gathers pace, postgraduate education is undergoing one of its biggest transformations in decades. Universities are introducing multiple pathways to a master’s degree — a one-year PG for students completing a Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), alongside the conventional two-year master’s route for students with a three-year bachelor’s degree. 

The shift is aimed at aligning higher education with global norms, improving flexibility, and creating research-centric academic trajectories. Since India’s higher education system is currently operating within multiple parallel academic structures involving traditional three-year UG programmes, FYUP models, autonomous university systems, and professional pathways, experts claim that a one-size-fits-all approach will no longer work. In such a diverse environment, an overly rigid approach may create unintended inequities.

 “Traditionally, the master’s degree functioned largely as an extension of UG learning. Today, however, PG education is increasingly being viewed as a stage of advanced specialisation, research orientation, innovation, and professional preparedness. This transition has been shaped both by NEP 2020 and the changing realities of the global knowledge economy. Universities are now expected to prepare graduates who are multidisciplinary, research-oriented, globally competitive, and capable of adapting to rapidly evolving sectors driven by technology and innovation. The one-year PG model emerges from this context. It assumes that students completing an FYUP, particularly Honours or Honours with Research, would have already acquired substantial academic grounding, research exposure, internships, and cross-disciplinary learning during the fourth year itself.

 This distinction has also been formally recognised in the UGC framework,” says Prof Raghavendra P Tiwari, vice-chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. Global Benchmarks Considering the Indian one-year PG is still at the early stages of implementation and the first FYUP cohorts are only now entering the pipeline, quality will vary widely across institutions. “The UK one-year master’s degrees work because they sit on top of rigorous honours programmes with strong final-year research component besides being backed by established universities. The Indian variant will take years to build comparable credibility. Until then, a two-year PG from a reputed Indian institution carries far greater weight with international peers and employers than a one-year PG from an average university,” says Ram Kumar Kakani, vice-chancellor, RV University. 

“The need for the oneyear master’s is not organically driven nor is it choice of central universities,” says Abha Dev Habib, associate professor, Miranda House, University of Delhi (DU) advocating the need for a 3+2 PG format which is structurally more robust. “NEP 2020 introduced a flexible 4+1 structure with multiple exit options for UG and PG degrees, but it also made the system more ‘porous’. The added fourth year has increased student numbers without additional faculty, space, or research facilities. Colleges now face higher teaching loads, inadequate student-teacher ratios, and limited capacity to support undergraduate research. 

Under the new system, students who complete the fourth year of their undergraduate programme are eligible for a one-year MSc. However, no additional infrastructure or funding has been provided to support this change,” she adds. Pointing to the larger picture, Prof Tiwari says, “The one-year PG is envisioned as a more focused and intellectually intensive phase where students engage with specialised domains, emerging technologies. However, the effectiveness of this model will ultimately depend on the quality of FYUP implementation.” Given the diversity of the higher education landscape, both oneyear and two-year postgraduate pathways may need to coexist for some time, allowing universities to adopt models aligned with their academic strengths, regional realities, and student aspirations.

 18/05/2026, 06:50 Times of India ePaper ahmedabad - Read Today’s English News Paper Online https://epaper.indiatimes.com/timesepaper/publication-the-times-of-india,city-ahmedabad.cms 2/4 18/05/2026, 06:50 Times of India ePaper ahmedabad - Read Today’s E

State unlikely to enforce NMC order on MBBS fees for four­ and­ a­ half­ years

State unlikely to enforce NMC order on MBBS fees for four­ and­ a­ half­ years

 The Hindu (Kochi) A.S. Jay­anth KOZHIKODE 4 May 2026

The recent dir­ect­ive of the National Med­ical Com­mis­sion (NMC) to med­ical col­leges in the coun­try to levy fees from MBBS stu­dents only for four­ and­ a­half years is unlikely to be imple­men­ted in Ker­ala now.

In the order issued on April 7, the NMC had said that col­lect­ing fee from stu­dents for the entire dur­a­tion of the course for five years or five­ and­ a­ half years would not be per­mit­ted. The MBBS course com­prises four­ and­ a­ half years of aca­demic study, fol­lowed by one year of com­puls­ory rotat­ing intern­ship. In gov­ern­ment med­ical col­leges in Ker­ala, the annual fee is over ₹30,000, while in self­f in­an­cing col­leges it is around ₹8 lakh and above for the gen­eral cat­egory and ₹21 lakh and above for the NRI cat­egory.

This fee is determ­ined and revised by a fee reg­u­lat­ory com­mit­tee. It is now headed by retired High Court judge K.K. Dineshan. However, the incum­bent LDF gov­ern­ment is unlikely to take a decision on the dir­ect­ive now, as its ten­ure is set to end soon.

Mr. Dineshan told The Hindu recently that the fee reg­u­lat­ory com­mit­tee was bound by judg­ments of the Supreme Court of India and the Ker­ala High Court, as well as laws passed by the Ker­ala Legis­lat­ive Assembly. 

He said the fee fixed by the com­mit­tee for a batch would remain in force for the entire five year course. He poin­ted out that the High Court had, in 2022, cla­ri­fied that the NMC’s office memor­andum stip­u­lat­ing gov­ern­ment fees for 50% of seats in self­ fin­an­cing med­ical col­leges need not be imple­men­ted in Ker­ala.

Mean­while, the Ker­ala Uni­versity of Health Sci­ences (KUHS) is of the view that the dir­ect­ive should be imple­men­ted in the State.

KUHS Vice­ Chan­cel­lor Mohanan Kun­num­mal told The Hindu that other States such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were already plan­ning to enforce it. “However, we are not in a pos­i­tion to express our views on this because KUHS is not part of the fee reg­u­lat­ory com­mit­tee… There is a con­ten­tion that the entire course fee is divided over five years, so it can con­tinue that way. 

But such an argu­ment has not been explained any­where offi­cially,” he added. ‘The NMC said that col­lect­ing fees for five years or more was not con­sist­ent with the pre­scribed aca­demic struc­ture of the MBBS pro­gramme and could res­ult in charges for peri­ods that do not con­sti­tute aca­demic teach­ing. 

“Any instance of non­com­pli­ance shall be viewed ser­i­ously and appro­pri­ate action ini­ti­ated by the Com­mis­sion, as per the extant stat­utory and reg­u­lat­ory pro­vi­sions,” the order added.

Include foster parents’ names in birth certificate, orders HC

Include foster parents’ names in birth certificate, orders HC

 K.Kaushik@timesofindia.com 14.05.2026

Madurai : Dignity and the right to construct one’s own identity with reference to gender, familial and societal contexts is part of the right to privacy, Madras high court observed while granting relief to a woman who sought to include the names of her foster parents in her birth certificate without removing the names of her biological parents. 

The court was hearing a petition filed by a woman from Madurai, who is pursuing a UG degree. The petitioner stated that she was born in 2005. After her father passed away in 2006, her mother also deserted her. Her paternal uncle and his wife (aunt) raised her as their own daughter. The petitioner stated that in all her identity-related documents, her uncle and aunt’s names are mentioned as parents’ names. However, in the birth certificate alone, the biological parents’ names are mentioned. 

This has affected her right to be known as the daughter of her uncle and aunt and it also leads to serious prejudice to her education and career as well. Therefore, the petitioner made an application to include the names of her uncle and.as her father and mother in the birth certificate. However, the same was rejected on the ground that the petitioner should be validly adopted as per the provisions of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956. 

Challenging the order, the petitioner moved court. The woman’s counsel submitted that she did not seek to remove the names of the biological parents, but to include the names of her uncle and aunt as well. Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy observed the petitioner is not praying for proprietary rights in the foster family. She wants to be known as their daughter. The same would be within her fundamental right. This apart, her identity itself will be disputed and her education and career will be jeopardised since the names of her parents in all other certificates and birth certificate are different. 

The judge observed that there is not only an obligation on the state to respect the child’s right to preserve her identity, but there is also an obligation to provide appropriate assistance. Hence, the judge directed the petitioner to file notarised affidavits of her uncle and aunt, consenting to their names being added to the birth certificate of the petitioner with the suffix ‘foster’. Upon filing such affidavits, the chief registrar of births and deaths, shall also include the names of the uncle and aunt in the appropriate columns, the judge directed

ACADEMICS PIN HOPES ON NEW GOVRNMENT

NMC lifts MBBS seat cap, relaxes medical college expansion norms

NMC lifts MBBS seat cap, relaxes medical college expansion norms 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 04.05.2026

The NMC has amended key provisions of its UG medical education regulations, removing longstandingcaps on MBBS seats and easing infrastructure norms.The amendmentnotification revises provisions under the UG-MSR 2023 and the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, signallinga move towards greater institutionalflexibilityandcapacity building. Among the most consequentialchanges is the deletion of provisional capping MBBS intake at 150 seats per college, effective from the 2024-25 academic session. By removing this ceiling, the NMC has opened the door for medical colleges to expand intake beyond earlier limits, subject to meeting regulatory standards. NMC has removed population linked restriction that required states and Union Territories to maintain a ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population. This marks a departure from a planning framework that tied seat expansion to demographic benchmarks, potentially enabling fasterscaling in states with adequate infrastructure.NMC has revised norms governing the proximity between medical colleges and their associated teaching hospitals. Instead of a traveltime-based cap of 30 minutes, the new guidelines specify a maximum distance of 10 km between the two facilities.For institutions inthe Northeastern and Himalayan regions, this limit has been relaxed to 15 km to acknowledge geographical constraints. The changes are expected to have wide ranging implications.

HC bins RGUHS move to exclude senate members from panel

HC bins RGUHS move to exclude senate members from panel 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  03.05.2026

Bengaluru : The high court quashed a 2024 resolution of a syndicate meeting of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) excluding senate members from the local inspection committee on continuation of affiliation of colleges. 

J Nandeesh and other RGUHS senate members had challenged the resolution, contending the syndicate did not obtain the assent of the senate which has power to make, amend or repeal statutes under the RGUHS Act. Justice ES Indiresh pointed out that for amending or repealing the statute, the syndicate has to submit its proposal to the senate which has the power to give assent. Thereafter, such a resolution along with the recommendation of the senate should be placed before govt for assent. 

Even for continuation of affiliation, local inspection committee members have to verify the entire records pertaining to various requirements and even if there is any lacuna in compliance of mandatory provisions, it is the duty of the committee to withdraw the affiliation of the college concerned. In view of the matter, excluding the members of the senate would affect the foundation for decision making process, the judge said.

UGC allows state colleges to apply for deemed university status or become off-campus of universities

UGC allows state colleges to apply for deemed university status or become off-campus of universities 

The amendment, notified in the April 21 Gazette notification, also allows colleges to become off-campus centres of another deemed university or university. The changes have been formalised through a Gazette notification titled University Grants Commission [Institutions Deemed to be Universities] Amendment Regulations, 2026. 

ANI Published On Apr 26, 2026 at 12:07 PM IST 

The amendment, notified in the April 21 Gazette notification, also allows colleges to become off-campus centres of another deemed university or university New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed autonomous and constituent colleges of state universities to apply for deemed-to-be university status, subject to permission from the respective state government. The amendment, notified in the April 21 Gazette notification, also allows colleges to become off-campus centres of another deemed university or university.

The changes have been formalised through a Gazette notification titled University Grants Commission [Institutions Deemed to be Universities] Amendment Regulations, 2026. 

According to the notification, "Universities established under clause (f) of section 2 of the Act or a constituent unit of a University may also apply to become an institution deemed to be a University or an off-campus of another institution deemed to be a University," provided they submit a no-objection certificate from the state government. It further clarifies that the state government must agree to de-notify such institutions, stating that they "shall be permitted to admit students or work as an off-campus or a new institution deemed to be a university only after formal de-notification by the concerned State Government." These changes have been introduced in the University Grants Commission's Institutions Deemed to be Universities Regulations, 2023. An institution of higher education can be deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.

Such institutions enjoy the academic status and privileges of a university, which helps strengthen their academic activities in specialised fields. There are a total of 146 deemed-to-be universities in India so far.

The amendments also revise accreditation-related provisions, removing the requirement of NAAC accreditation with a 3.01 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) for three consecutive cycles. Instead, institutions are now required to have accreditation "for three cycles, including the latest cycle," or an equivalent National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grade. Advt

In the 2023 regulations, one of the conditions for deemed university status was valid NAAC accreditation with at least a 3.01 CGPA for three consecutive cycles. "In sub-regulation ... for the words 'for three consecutive cycles', the words 'or equivalent National Assessment and Accreditation Council grade, for three cycles, including the latest cycle' shall be substituted," the amended notification read.

The amendment also mentions that deemed universities receiving 50 per cent or more of their funds from the central or state governments may continue with their existing Memorandum of Association (MoA) for a specified period, subject to certain conditions.

As per the notification, such institutions must demonstrate "through its duly audited books of accounts that it is able to generate a minimum of fifty per cent of its revenue on its own, that is, total receipts."

Additionally, the clause specifies that "total expenses of the institute are more than twice the government grants given to them," along with fulfilment of other criteria within a defined period, as permitted by the central government.

UGC allows autonomous colleges to seek deemed university status

UGC allows autonomous colleges to seek deemed university status 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  27.04.2028

The UGC has permitted autonomous and constituent colleges of state universities to apply for deemed-to-be university status. The newly introduced provisions also allow these colleges to operate as off-campus centres for existing deemed universities. 

These structural changes were formalised through a Gazette notification issued recently, titled University Grants Commission [Institutions Deemed to be Universities] Amendment Regulations, 2026. The amendments modify the previous UGC regulations established in 2023. 

Currently, there are 146 deemed-to-be universities operating under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, enjoying the academic privileges of full-fledged universities to strengthen their specialised fields of study. While the path to deemed status has been opened, the transition hinges on strict clearance from state authorities. Institutions must secure a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from their respective state governments to move forward.

T.N. varsities to hold tests for Ph.D. admission despite UGC emphasis on NET

T.N. varsities to hold tests for Ph.D. admission despite UGC emphasis on NET

University of Madras and Bharathidasan University have already held their Ph.D. admissions; Bharathiar University initiates process for its common entrance test to be conducted in May

Bharathiar University has specified a minimum score of 15 out of 50 marks in the common eligibility test to be eligible for admission to its Ph.D. programmes. File photo

The Hindu Bureau. 21.04.2026

COIMBATORE

State universities have chosen to conduct their own exams for Ph.D. admissions 2026, for the second consecutive year despite the emphasis by University Grants Commission on UGC-NET (National Eligibility Test) as the sole national entrance test.

Ph.D. admissions have already been conducted by the University of Madras, Bharathidasan University and a few other State universities, and Bharathiar University (BU) has initiated the process for its common entrance test to be conducted in May.

Universities adopt different methods for admissions. The entrance exam by the University of Madras was based on entrance exam for 50 marks split into written (35 marks) and oral (15). Bharathidasan University had split the assessment of interview portion that was assigned 30 marks into three parts: subject knowledge expertise (15 marks), research aptitude (10 marks) and communication skills (five marks).

BU has specified a minimum score of 15 out of 50 marks in the Common Eligibility Test to be eligible for admission to Ph.D. programme.

In March 2024, the UGC requested vice-chancellors of Central, State, deemed and private universities to utilise the NET score conducted by National Testing Agency for admission to Ph.D. programmes instead of conducting their entrance tests from the 2024-25 academic session.

However, State universities in Tamil Nadu, it is learnt, have been instructed to desist from falling in line since the policy of one national entrance test for admission to Ph.D., according to the UGC, constituted implementation of the National Education Policy, 2020.

The public notice by the UGC stated that NET candidates will be declared eligible in three categories: category 1 - eligible for admission to Ph.D. with JRF and appointment as assistant professor; category 2- eligible for admission to Ph.D. without JRF and appointment as assistant professor; and category 3 - eligible for admission to Ph.D. programme only and not for award of JRF or appointment as assistant professor.

The State universities have, however, made sure that the UGC stipulation is also fulfilled by exempting those with UGC-NET qualification from their entrance tests.

BU Registrar R. Rajavel said the pattern of CET (Common Eligibility Test) would be based on National Eligibility Test (NET).

The BU has specified that candidates who have qualified UGC-NET, awardees of DST-INSPIRE fellowship, scientists working in the DRDO, faculty of Air Force Administrative College, candidates possessing M.Phil degree with a minimum score of 55%, holders of teacher fellowships (like Faculty Induction Programme and Faculty Development Programme) and candidates of foreign origin possessing prescribed qualifications shall be exempted from appearing for CET.

Six global universities to launch international campuses in India

Six global universities to launch international campuses in India 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  20.04.2026

 TIMES OF INDIA LUCKNOW

As India steps up efforts to position itself as a global education hub, six international universities – the University of Aberdeen, the University of Bristol, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the University of Liverpool, Victoria University and the University of York – have collectively committed a scholarship pool worth Rs 1,000 crore to improve access to global education within India thro ugh programmes offered at their upcoming India campuses.

 The initiative aims to expand seat capacity and programme offerings across high demand disciplines, particularly in AI and STEM, while also improving affordability for Indian students through a mix of meritand need-based financial support. All six universities are set to begin campus intake in India from August–September this year. The scholarship framework will support both undergraduate and postgraduate students, with tuition fee waivers ranging from 10% to 100% for selected candidates. 

The scholarship framework is designed to widen access across multiple segments. Merit-bas ed support will enable highperforming students, who might otherwise pursue education abroad, to access globally aligned degrees within India through partial tuition waivers. At the same time, need-based scholarships aim to extend opportunities to students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, including first-generation learners.

NEET NOT Mandatory for Physiotherapy, occupational therapy admissions this year, requirement deferred to 2027-28

NEET NOT Mandatory for Physiotherapy, occupational therapy admissions this year, requirement deferred to 2027-28 

Written By : Adity Saha Published On 6 Mar 2026 12:47 PM  |  Updated On 6 Mar 2026 12:47 PM

New Delhi: The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has announced that appearing in the National Eligibility-Entrance Test (NEET UG) will not be mandatory for admission to Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) undergraduate programmes for the academic year 2026-27.

In a letter issued to the University Grants Commission (UGC) on March 2nd, the Commission stated that the earlier decision to conduct admissions to these courses through NEET has been deferred to the next academic year 2027–28.

Earlier, the Commission had proposed that admissions to BPT and BOT courses, which fall under the schedule of the NCAHP Act, 2021, should be conducted through NEET.

Medical Dialogues in 2024 reported that NEET was made a mandatory entry requirement for admission to Undergraduate-level Physiotherapy courses. Releasing the draft curriculum of Physiotherapy, the Interim Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (ICAHP) had mentioned that the students entering the Physiotherapy program, "must have appeared in National eligibility entrance test (NEET)."

However, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the NEET-UG 2026 examination is already in an advanced stage of preparation. Including BPT and BOT courses in NEET this year could lead to a sudden increase in the number of candidates and create logistical challenges in conducting the exam.

Considering the logistical issues, NCAHP decided to postpone the mandatory NEET requirement for these courses for one year.

"Further, vide Ref (1) above, it was informed that, the admission in Physiotherapy Under-Graduate (UG) programmes i.e. Bachelor of Physiotherapy (B.PT) and Occupational Therapy Under-Graduate (UG) programmes i.e. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (B. OT) listed in Categories 3 and 6 respectively of the Schedule of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 shall be through National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).

In this regard, vide Ref (2) & (3), the National Testing Agency (NTA) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have informed that the NEET (UG)-2026 is at its advance stage and inclusion of Bachelor of Physiotherapy (B.PT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (B. OT) may lead to an unexpected increase in the number of candidates, potentially creating logistical challenges in the conduct of the examination.

Considering the logistic issues, as intimated vide letter Ref (2) & (3) of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) respectively, the Commission hereby notifies that the admission process for Bachelor of Physiotherapy (B.PT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (B. OT) Under-Graduate programme’s mandatory requirement of appearance in NEET (UG)-2026 examination, be deferred till next academic year 2027-28," mentioned the letter.

However, the admission to these programmes will be conducted based on the marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) in the Class 12 examination, as per the eligibility criteria already notified earlier.

As per the criteria, candidates must have passed 10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (or Botany and Zoology) along with English. Students from the General and EWS categories must secure at least 50% aggregate marks in PCB, while SC, ST and OBC (NCL) candidates require a minimum of 40% marks. The minimum marks for PwD candidates are also 40% in the qualifying examination.

The Commission clarified that all other eligibility conditions for admission to these programmes will remain the same, except the requirement of appearing in NEET for the academic year 2026–27.

"The admission in these programmes shall be in accordance with the basic eligibility criteria and other common criteria, as notified earlier vide Ref (1) above, for the Academic Year 2026-27, except the mandatory requirement of appearance in NEET (UG) examination. Accordingly, the merit list to be prepared on the basis of aggregate marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) in 12th standard examination, with minimum 50% marks i.e. “Candidate must have passed Senior Secondary (10+2) or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry & Biology (or Botany & Zoology) with 50% aggregate with English pass. However, in respect of the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or Other Backward Classes (NCL), the minimum marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are taken together in the qualifying examination shall be 40% marks instead of 50% marks for Unreserved and General-EWS Candidates. In respect of PwBD/PwD candidates the minimum marks in the qualifying examination in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (or Botany & Zoology) taken together shall be 40% instead of 50%. English pass required for all categories," added the letter.

U-turn on same stipend for all medical undergrads

U-turn on same stipend for all medical undergrads

Earlier, the Union health ministry had twice written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “examining” the issue of pay parity. And NMC had accepted that there is no stipend parity.

Image used for representational purpose.File photo | Express

Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Updated on:

12 Apr 2026, 7:23 am

NEW DELHI: The centre appears to be backtracking from its earlier stand on bringing pay parity for all undergraduate medical interns, whether they are studying in government or private medical colleges.

Earlier, the Union Health Ministry had twice written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “examining” the issue of pay parity. The NMC, on its part, had also accepted that there is no stipend parity.

The next step was for the NMC to amend the key provision of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (CRMI Regulations 2021), which states that “all interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State.”

This provision contrasts with the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulation-2023, which makes no distinction between interns working in government or private medical colleges.

However, within months, the ministry has taken a U-turn, even though the Supreme Court had slammed the medical regulatory body, saying that it is “dragging its feet without any serious concern” on non-payment of stipend to interns and had urged it to “wake up from its slumber and take appropriate steps” in its October 28 order.

After showing keenness over the issue, in its RTI reply, the Medical Education Policy Section (MEP) under the Union Health Ministry said, “The National Medical Commission (NMC) is the apex statutory body constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, for regulating medical education and profession in the country. All matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC.”

“Therefore, in view of the above, no further action is required to be taken by the MEP Section in the matter, as the subject falls within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC)," said the April 2 response to Kerala-based RTI activist, Dr KV Babu when he reminded the ministry on the action NMC has taken to its directions on pay parity.

Speaking with this paper, Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the twin issue of non-payment of stipends to interns and pay parity, said, “The issue of stipend parity has been pending with the NMC and government for almost five years.”

“Though following the SC order, the government took a proactive decision to amend CRMI regulations in line with PGME regulations, the nominated, almost vacant, UGMEB is not inclined to amend the regulations for stipend parity even after harsh criticism from the SC and the communications from the government.”

“It should be noted that though the government have the authority to direct the NMC/UGMEB to amend the regulations for stipend parity, they are absolving the responsibility, though they had no hesitation in directing the NMC to act on issues that suited them earlier,” he said.

“It should be presumed that the government and the nominated vacant UGMEB are hand in glove in denying stipend parity to the hapless interns," Dr Babu added.

Interestingly, the NMC’s Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), which determines undergraduate medical education standards, is without a president. The issue of 19 posts being vacant at NMC, out of the 54 sanctioned strength, was also highlighted in the Parliament.

In its February 18 response to the ministry’s reminders, NMC had said that “any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021, if required, would need consideration in accordance with the statutory process and after due consultation with all concerned authorities.”

However, the NMC continued to sit on the issue, and the ministry also took a U-turn on the matter, which has been agitating medical students and also taken up by various associations, such as FAIMA and FORDA

NMC declares unrecognised dept teaching invalid for medical professionals

NMC declares unrecognised dept teaching invalid for medical professionals

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, Updated At : 12:28 PM Apr 11, 2026 IST

Photo for representation. iStock

Now, any teaching experience certificate issued on the basis of service rendered in an unrecognised department/unit would be treated as “invalid” for determining eligibility, appointment, promotion, or academic recognition.

In a significant move aimed at maintaining standards in medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an advisory directing all health universities, state governments, and medical colleges not to count postgraduate teaching or training experience obtained from unrecognised departments.

The commission has also declared that teaching experience certificates issued on such a basis will be treated as invalid. A communiqué in this respect has been circulated to Vice-Chancellors of health universities, Directors General of Health Services of states and Union Territories, and heads of all medical colleges offering postgraduate courses, seeking strict compliance.

“The NMC has observed, in certain instances, that teaching experience certificates and postgraduate training experience are being claimed by the faculty or certified by universities/institutions on the basis of departments or units that are not recognised or permitted by the commission for conducting postgraduate medical education,” reads the communiqué.

The NMC clarified that such practices violate existing regulations governing postgraduate medical education. It has also placed the responsibility on universities and institutions to verify the recognition status of departments before issuing teaching experience certificates. Medical colleges and affiliating universities have been directed to ensure that no certificates are issued for experience gained in unapproved departments. The NMC reiterated that teaching experience for faculty appointments or recognition as postgraduate teachers must be obtained only from recognised medical colleges and duly approved departments.

These departments must have approved infrastructure, adequate faculty strength, and permitted postgraduate seats as per NMC records and regulations, including the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, and the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025. The advisory further stated that postgraduate training or teaching experience obtained from unrecognised departments will not be counted for eligibility to appear in postgraduate examinations, recognition as a postgraduate teacher or guide, appointment or promotion to faculty posts, or determination of teaching experience for academic and administrative purposes.

Additionally, the commission made it clear that any teaching experience certificates issued on the basis of service rendered in unrecognised departments or units will be considered invalid for appointments, promotions, or academic recognition. “The move aims to curb irregularities in faculty appointments and ensure quality medical education across the country,” said an official at the University of Health Sciences, Rohtak.

Registrar questions own varsity’s high NAAC ranking via emails, shunted out

Registrar questions own varsity’s high NAAC ranking via emails, shunted out

Ramendra.Singh@timesofindia.com TIMES OF INDIA BHOPAL07.04.2026

Bhopal : In a surprising selfindictment, the registrar of Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV) challenged the favorable NAAC accreditation for his own university. RGPV was awarded A++ in 2025. TOI has access to a copy of the mail sent by him to the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). 

The registrar in question was removed from his post on April 1. The controversy erupted as RGPV, which oversees dozens of engineering colleges across Madhya Pradesh, faced scrutiny over its credi-bility and ranking. Affiliated institutions rely on the parent university’s NAAC grade for their own standings. Former registrar Mohan Sen had fired off emails to the NAAC on several occasions in the past three months, alleging inflated marks for nonexistent campus facilities and manipulated data in the Self Study Report (SSR) submitted for Cycle 2 in Nov 2024. 

Sen demanded that the awarded grade be withheld until a thorough probe. Despite the complaints, NAAC remains silent. Sen, who assumed the registrar’s role in Feb 2024, claimed in mails that the SSR data was never verified by current university authorities, including himself, the controller of finance, and director of UIT RGPV Bhopal. “These are just a few examples,” his letter concludes. When contacted, the then registrar, Sen, said, “The last NAAC ranking given to RGPV was A++. Several questions were raised from different corners of society, challenging such a high ranking. I investigated the issue and found that even those parameters, for which the university has no facilities, were considered. I then requested NAAC authorities to physically verify the claims made so that the truth would come to the surface. Unfortunately, NAAC has never responded to any of my emails.” RGPV's spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Akela refused to comment on the matter.

NEET PG: Rajasthan HC relief to doctor denied admission over permanent registration certificate Written By : Barsha Misra

NEET PG: Rajasthan HC relief to doctor denied admission over permanent registration certificate Written By : Barsha Misra

Published On 4 Apr 2026 3:17 PM  |  Updated On 4 Apr 2026 3:17 PM

Rajasthan High Court  06.04.2026

Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court provided relief to a NEET PG 2025 candidate who was earlier denied postgraduate medical admission due to the lack of a Permanent Registration Certificate.

Referring to Rule 8(3) of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, the HC bench comprising Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati clarified that as per these regulations, candidates are given a period of one month after admission for obtaining permanent registration and when the law provides a period of one month, the State Government cannot impose a more stringent condition through the information booklet.

The bench clarified that administrative instructions or information bulletins cannot weaken or repeal any statutory rule and directed the college to grant her admission.

As per the latest media report by Live Law, the concerned petitioner in this case obtained a temporary registration from the Chhattisgarh Medical Council after completing MBBS and was performing the necessary service for permanent registration. However, during this time, the petitioner appeared in the National Eligibility-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025 examination and was allotted a medical college.

When the petitioner reported to the college, admission was denied on the grounds that the petitioner did not have a permanent registration certificate.

While considering the matter, the bench cited Rule 8(3) of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 and observed, "This provision has been made with the objective that meritorious students who are in the registration process at that time should not face unnecessary hardship."

In this regard, the bench clarified that when the law itself provides a periof of one month, the State Government impose a more stringent condition through the information booklet.

Terming this move of the State as arbitrary and against the law, the bench said that it was wrong to deny admission only based on lack of certificate. Accordingly, the bench issued directions to the State Government to grant immediate admission to the petitioner.

Students generate Rs 40 cr under EMC by state govt

Students generate Rs 40 cr under EMC by state govt 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  06.04.2026 TIMES OF INDIA CHANDIGARH

Over 1.2 lakh UG students in Punjab have collectively generated near ly Rs 40 crore of revenue within a single academic term under the state government’s newly mandated Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum (EMC). Rolled out for the 2025-26 academic year across 20 universities, 320 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and 91 polytechnics, the programme has successfully transformed over one lakh students into active entrepreneurs. The curriculum’s delivery was spearheaded through the ‘Punjab Startup App’, an AI-powered, mobile-first platform designed in partnership with Masters’ Union School of Business. During the first term, from October to February, the initiative achieved remarkable financial milestones. Reaching 1.5 lakh students in its first year alone, the state now targets scaling the programme to 5 lakh students by 2028-29. 

The EMC makes job creation a core outcome of undergraduate education through a mandatory, credit-linked course. Universities must ensure a minimum of two credits per semester, shifting student evaluations away from traditional written exams. Instead, students are graded on practical execution, market reflections, customer feedback, and actual revenue impact tracked via the app. Learners choose practical business tracks like e-commerce or freelancing, progressing through structured milestones covering budgeting, go-to-market strategies, and order fulfilment

Madras univ raises fees

Madras univ raises fees 

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 02.04.2026

Chennai : The University of Madras on Wednesday increased fees by 10% for all courses and by 15% for selfsupported courses. “A majority of the courses collect less than ₹5,000 per year as fees. This amount will not help resolve a financial crisis,” said aprofessor. The university also passed a resolution to disaffiliate Dr MGR Janaki Arts and Science College for Women at Raja Annamalaipuram. The college, which was founded in 1996 by Latha Rajendran in memory of chief minister M G Ramachandran and his wife V N Janaki, will be brought under Vel’s Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies from 2026-27 academic year. “The proposal was mooted by the college. Following the payment of the provisional affiliation fees from 2013-14 to 2020-21, the university would grant approval for the disaffiliation,” a sourcesaid

IGNOU DEGREE

NMC tightens grip on PG medical courses with revised norms; check new requirements here

NMC tightens grip on PG medical courses with revised norms; check new requirements here 

The National Medical Commission has released updated Minimum Standards of Requirements for Post-Graduate Courses, 2023, effective immediately. These revised rules mandate enhanced infrastructure, digital integration, stricter faculty attendance, and improved patient load requirements for all medical colleges. The changes aim to elevate the quality of postgraduate medical education across India.

TOI Education

Mar 22, 2026, 12:01 IST

NMC tightens grip on PG medical courses with revised norms The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a fresh notice announcing changes to the Minimum Standards of Requirements for Post-Graduate Courses, 2023. The updated rules have come into effect immediately and all medical colleges must follow them. The notice was issued by the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), which works under the NMC and is responsible for setting rules for postgraduate medical education in India. 

What is this notice about 

The notice updates the existing Post-Graduate Minimum Standards of Requirements (PGMSR), 2023. These standards define what medical colleges need to have in order to start and run postgraduate medical courses. This includes rules related to infrastructure, faculty, hospital facilities, equipment and patient load. The standards were earlier released in January 2024 and updated in August 2024 and January 2025. Now, another amendment has been issued in February 2026. 

Key message from NMC

All medical colleges and institutions offering postgraduate medical courses must follow the updated rules from now on. There is no transition period. The changes apply immediately. What has changed: Explained simply

Basic hospital and infrastructure requirements Medical colleges must have proper hospital buildings and facilities as per government rules. This includes outpatient departments, inpatient wards, operation theatres, Intensive Care Units (ICU), laboratories and emergency services. All required approvals from authorities must already be in place.

Equipment and learning facilities Departments must have modern equipment and proper training facilities. Colleges must also provide digital libraries, seminar halls and internet access. Teaching rooms with audio visual facilities are now mandatory for each department.

Patient load requirement Hospitals must have enough patients for proper training. At least 80 percent of hospital beds should be occupied throughout the year Departments must have enough ICU and High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds Patient records must be maintained digitally

Faculty rules All faculty members must work full time and cannot do private practice during working hours. They must have at least 75 percent attendance in a year.

New monitoring measures CCTV cameras must be installed in medical colleges Attendance of staff must be recorded digitally through Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) Colleges must maintain proper patient data and hospital records

Mandatory college website details Every medical college must have a website and regularly update it. The website should include List of departments, PG courses and number of seats, Faculty details of last three years, Student admission details, Patient attendance and bed occupancy, Number of surgeries performed.

Bed and department requirements Standalone postgraduate institutes must have at least 220 beds and certain compulsory departments like: Biochemistry Pathology Microbiology Radio diagnosis Anaesthesiology

New digital health integration Colleges must link their systems with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and generate ABHA IDs for patients.

Limit on PG seats In non government medical colleges, a maximum of four seats will be allowed per year when starting a new postgraduate course or increasing intake.

Workload requirements for training The notice also sets clear rules for clinical workload. For example minimum number of patients per day, minimum surgeries per week, required number of X-rays, CT scans and other tests, specific workload targets for departments like pathology, microbiology and radiology. These ensure students get enough practical exposure during training.

Faculty to student ratio The number of teachers required depends on the number of students. For example: Professor can guide 2 to 3 students Associate Professor can guide 2 students Assistant Professor can guide 1 student

Limits on units and beds 

Each department can have a maximum of six units and each unit can have up to 40 beds. Read the official notice here. The new rules focus on improving quality in postgraduate medical education by ensuring better infrastructure, enough patients for training, stricter monitoring and proper faculty availability. Medical colleges across India are now required to immediately follow these updated standards.