National Dental Commission directs institutes to ensure 80 percent mandatory attendance for MDS students appearing for final exams

National Dental Commission directs institutes to ensure 80 percent mandatory attendance for MDS students appearing for final exams 

Medical dialogues

Written By : Divyani PaulPublished On 3 Sept 2026 4:30 PM | Updated On 3 Sept 2026 6:59 PM

New Delhi: The National Dental Commission (NDC) has directed all dental colleges and institutions conducting the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) programmes to strictly enforce a minimum 80 percent attendance requirement for postgraduate dental students seeking to appear in the final examination.

In a circular, the Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Dental Education Board said the prescribed attendance threshold is an essential eligibility condition for appearing in the final MDS examination.

"All Dental Colleges/Institutions conducting MDS programmes are hereby directed to strictly ensure compliance with the prescribed minimum attendance requirement of 80% for all MDS students as an essential eligibility condition for appearing in the final examination," the notice stated.

As per the ND, the Head of the Institution/Dean/Principal shall be responsible for ensuring the following-

1 No MDS student having less than the prescribed 80% attendance shall be permitted, recommended or certified as eligible to appear in the final examination.

2 Attendance records of all MDS students shall be properly maintained, verified and authenticated by the concerned Department and the Head of the Institution.

3 Accurate and duly verified attendance certificates/statements shall be issued by the Institution for the purpose of determining examination eligibility.

"Any Dental College/Institution found permitting or certifying an MDS student who does not fulfil the prescribed minimum 80% attendance requirement to appear in the final examination shall be liable for appropriate regulatory action under the provisions of the National Dental Commission Act, applicable regulations and rules," it said.

The Institutions are advised to exercise due diligence in verifying attendance and examination eligibility before forwarding the examination forms or issuing eligibility certification.

Further, the examination conducting authority of the affiliating University is cautioned not to accept examination forms of students with less than 80% attendance in the MDS Course.

All concerned institutions and universities have been directed to strictly comply with these instructions.

Can’t recover excess salary from retd Class III, IV staff: HC Bhopal/Jabalpur:

Can’t recover excess salary from retd Class III, IV staff: HC Bhopal/Jabalpur:

02.09.2026

Recovery of excess salary payments from retired Class III and Class IV govt employees is illegal, Madhya Pradesh HC has held while dismissing a revision petition filed by the state govt against a 2025 order. The case relates to Ramrao Bhimte, who joined the police force as a constable in 1991 and retired as a sub-inspector after 36 years of service. 

In 2024, seven years after his retirement, the Bhopal DIG ordered the recovery of Rs 10,87,192 from his pension on the grounds of “erroneous payment of ad hoc increase in the salary during his service period”. The division bench of acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal, in its Aug 25 order, referred to a 2015 SC judgement in which the apex court had held that there should be no recovery from Grade C and Grade D employees after retirement. tnn

Don’t collect excess fees, RGUHS warns its colleges

Don’t collect excess fees, RGUHS warns its colleges 

01.09.2026 TIMES BENGALURU

Bengaluru: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has warned affiliated nursing, allied health sciences (AHS) and physiotherapy colleges against collecting fees in excess of govt-prescribed amounts during admission. In a circular, the university said admissions must be made strictly through Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) counselling process and colleges cannot impose additional or hidden charges on students. 

The directions follow complaints that some RGUHS-affiliated nursing colleges were charging exorbitant fees. According to the Aug 8 order issued by medical education department, the prescribed annual fee for nursing admissions is Rs 10,000 for students admitted under govt quota, Rs 1 lakh (management quota for Karnatakadomicile students) and Rs 1.4 lakh (non-Karnataka students). RGUHS directed colleges to maintain a uniform fee structure throughout the course. Colleges cannot charge a higher amount in the first year and adjust or reduce fee in subsequent years. The university has prohibited colleges from making hostel stay compulsory as a condition for admission. tnn

Foreign universities find their feet in India

Foreign universities find their feet in India

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 31.08.2026

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

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

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

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

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

‘T.N. government actively pursuing V-C appointment issue in courts’

‘T.N. government actively pursuing V-C appointment issue in courts’

The Hindu Bureau

Chennai 27.08.2026

The State government has been taking all necessary steps to find a solution to the impasse over appointment of Vice-Chancellors to State-run universities, Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan told the Assembly recently.

Taking part in the debate on the demand for grants for the Higher Education Department, he said the issue had been caught up in litigation at the Madras High Court, and the government was taking steps, legally and administratively, to find a solution.

Twelve out of 13 universities in the State, with the exception of Mother Teresa Women’s University, have been functioning without Vice-Chancellors for several years, with Manonmaniam Sundaranar University and Alagappa University being the latest to be added to the list.

Mr. Viswanathan also announced that the government would implement a Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for teachers of government-aided arts and science colleges, government and government-aided engineering colleges, and polytechnic colleges from September 1, with prospective effect. This has been a long-standing issue for the department, with teachers of government-aided colleges staging multiple agitations over the years, demanding the implementation of CAS.

The Minister announced that the government would take steps to fill the 6,000-plus vacancies in government arts and science and technical institutions through the Teachers’ Recruitment Board in three phases. Besides, the ongoing process of recruitment of 2,708 assistant professors to government arts and science colleges will be completed soon. The honorarium of guest lecturers in government arts and science and technology institutions has been raised from ₹30,000 to ₹35,000 with immediate effect, while guest lecturers in polytechnic colleges will get ₹30,000, up from ₹25,000.

Mr. Viswanathan also announced the setting up of the Periyar Institute of Emerging Technologies (PIET) on the Anna University campus. The government will also enact a law to set up a School of Excellence for education and research in basic sciences.

Colleges pitch MBBS seats before counselling

Colleges pitch MBBS seats before counselling 

27.08.2026

Chennai: “Round 2 is your next chance. Pre-book your MBBS seat,” flashes a social media advertisement, replete with a phone number—a pitch that aims to circumvent the regulated medical-admissions process. Several private medical institutions hold discreet on-campus consultations, offering scholarships, fee discounts and other incentives, parents say. 

Candidates are asked to enter their names in a register and lock choices only for medical colleges affiliated with the university in the upcoming counselling round. “We were told we can try other colleges in the third or subsequent rounds if we don’t make it this time,” said R Elangovan, whose nephew is seeking admission this year. 

Now, institutions like Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Research and Technology have made the practice public through social media advertisements. When TOI called the number on their Instagram ad, someone from the “admissions department” of Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital said admission could be secured in one of two medical colleges under the university—at Perambalur or Samayapuram. “Bring your NEET admit card and scorecard to the college for further discussion,” he said. 

Medical college dean Dr V Visvanathan, however, said the advertisements had been issued by consultants hired by the management. “You can’t pre-book seats. Admissions to our colleges are done by the central counselling committee,” he said. National Medical Commission chairman Dr Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth earlier told TOI that it was illegal for any institution to solicit or admit students directly. 

Under NMC rules, UG admissions must be conducted through central or state counselling authorities in a singlewindow online process. Admissions done outside this process would be cancelled with action initiated against the institution, he said. Experts demanded action against misleading advertisements. “They could create the impression that seats can be secured outside the merit-based system,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Desperate parents and first-time applicants may not know the rules.” Times News Network

Professor used an endoscopic camera to leak question paper in Chhattisgarh, say police

 

Professor used an endoscopic camera to leak question paper in Chhattisgarh, say police

Shubhomoy Sikdar

RAIPUR  23.08.2026

A professor at a private college in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district and five students from the same institution were arrested for their alleged roles in the leak of an Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) entomology question paper, police said on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Cyber) Smruthik Rajanala told The Hindu that 38-year-old Yogesh Sonkesariya, a professor at Bharti Agriculture College in Durg, had allegedly used an endoscopic camera to capture images of the question papers that he received in a sealed envelope and then shared them with his fellow accused before the exam, which was scheduled to be held on August 20.

The officer alleged that the accused were also involved in leaking the question paper of another examination that was scheduled for August 7.

On August 20, an agricultural entomology exam — AENT 221 [Pest Management in crops and stored grains-I(Rabi Crops)] — for second-year students of B.Sc. (Agriculture), was cancelled after it was alleged that the question paper had been leaked. The exam was written by 1,500 students enrolled in different colleges affiliated with IGKV, a government-run university here.

The Deputy Commissioner said Mr. Sonkesariya had received the set of question papers in a sealed envelope on August 17.

“He then inserted an endoscopic camera into the envelope through a tiny hole and captured the contents… The question paper was a one-page document with all the content printed on the same side. He then used glue to cover the opening through which the camera was inserted,” said Mr Rajanala.

After the examination was cancelled, the university administration filed a police complaint, saying that the Agriculture College and Research Centre at Kawardha received an email at 8.41 a.m., in which it was claimed that the paper had leaked. Other officials received the email at 8.54 a.m.

The complaint added that students and their representatives also informed the university through WhatsApp that some purported questions from the paper were circulating.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered against unidentified persons under the Chhattisgarh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2008, and Section 316 (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

A team of more than 100 police personnel, including members of the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit as well as personnel from the Telibandha police station, was formed to probe the paper leak.

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

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

23.08.2026

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

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

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

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

Short On Attendance, Full Degree: BCI Opens Door To Legal Practice

Short On Attendance, Full Degree: BCI Opens Door To Legal Practice 

Offers Relaxation For 2025-26 Batch Of Law Grads Covered By SC’s Order

Sugandha.Jha1@timesofindia.com 

New Delhi: A cohort of law graduates across the country from the 2025-26 academic session, caught in an attendance limbo that prevented them from becoming advocates despite having a law degree in hand, can now cross the hurdle, as Bar Council of India (BCI) has created an alternative route for them to complete their enrolment as advocates. 

So far, in order to enrol, the graduates were required to submit an attendance-cum-character certificate. But having been allowed to complete their courses as a one-time measure despite falling short of the prescribed attendance, the students could not be issued certificates by their colleges stating they had fulfilled the attendance requirement. In effect, even though the students had a law degree, they lacked the document needed to enter the profession. This left many educational institutes in a peculiar bind: issuing a certificate showing the required attendance would mean certifying something that was not true. 

Following representations, including from Delhi University’s Law Centre-I Students’ Union, BCI issued a notice on Aug 12 directing all universities imparting law education and state bar councils to issue alternative attendance-cum-character certificates to the affected students without modifying their actual attendance records. 

“Historical attendance records shall not be altered, rewritten or deemed regular,” the notice stated. The certificate will only certify that the student falls within the protected category, as per Supreme Court’s order, and has lawfully completed the course. The alternative certification is intended only “to identify the candidate as falling within the protected class and to confirm lawful completion of the recognised LLB programme,” it read. 

The issue stems from Delhi High Court’s Nov 3, 2025 judgment in the Sushant Rohilla case, which directed that students should not be stopped from taking examinations or progressing solely because of attendance shortage. SC subsequently stayed the relevant direction prospectively on May 26, 2026 and, on July 21, granted one-time protection to students whose academic sessions were underway when the HC judgment was delivered. This meant that students who had fallen short of attendance during this period were allowed to appear for and complete their examinations, but after obtaining their degrees, these students faced a fresh hurdle as they could not produce the mandatory attendance certificate required for enrolment as advocates. BCI said the one-time protection “cannot reasonably be divided into two inconsistent stages” — where the attendance shortage is disregarded for completion of the law degree but revived immediately thereafter to deny entry into the profession. 

It said state bar councils may process applications of eligible candidates “without insisting upon an attendance certificate certifying the ordinarily prescribed percentage of attendance”, where the deficiency relates to the protected academic session. The arrangement is strictly one-time and will apply uniformly to similarly situated candidates across India. It will not constitute a relaxation of attendance requirements for future batches, BCI’s notice stated.

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

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

 

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 11.08.2026

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. NTRUHS Vice-Chancellor calls for uniform implementation of revised Physiotherapy curriculum

Dr. NTRUHS Vice-Chancellor calls for uniform implementation of revised Physiotherapy curriculum

Inaugurating an orientation programme, Dr. Chandrasekhar emphasises the need to enhance the quality of Physiotherapy education and align academic standards with the national guidelines prescribed by the NCAHP

Updated - August 08, 2026 10:07 pm IST - VIJAYAWADA

The Hindu Bureau

Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences (Dr. NTRUHS) Vice-Chancellor P. Chandrasekhar and Registrar T. Sai Sudheer inaugurated an orientation programme on the revised Bachelor of Physiotherapy curriculum, as notified by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), New Delhi, in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Chandrasekhar emphasised the need for uniform implementation of the revised curriculum to enhance the quality of Physiotherapy education and align academic standards with the national guidelines prescribed by the NCAHP. He also highlighted the university efforts to introduce the Bachelor of Physiotherapy course in well-established government medical colleges in the State, adding that proposals have already been submitted to the State government for consideration.

Dr. Sai Sudheer urged the affiliated colleges to effectively implement the revised curriculum and work in close coordination with the university to ensure high academic standards and better learning outcomes for students.

The revised curriculum was discussed in detail during the programme, with participants sharing their suggestions for its effective implementation.

Additional Director of Medical Education (Academic) V. Radhika Reddy, Controller of Examinations, Dr. NTRUHS, Ch. Sreekanth, and principals of 69 affiliated Physiotherapy colleges attended the programme.

MGR Medical University told to disclose AIC members, faculty details of affiliated colleges

MGR Medical University told to disclose AIC members, faculty details of affiliated colleges

Sakshi G... Read more at: https://news.careers360.com/tamil-nadu-information-commission-orders-mgr-medical-university-to-publish-aic-members-faculty-details-of-affiliated-colleges

MGR Medical University told to disclose AIC members, faculty details of affiliated colleges Sakshi Gupta | August 8, 2026 | 04:07 PM IST | 2 mins read

The university must provide details sought under RTI by August 20 after Arappor Iyakkam sought information on AIC members and faculty at affiliated colleges

TN Information commission orders MGR medical university to publish AIC, faculty details (Image Credit: Official Website/tnmgrmu.ac.in) The Tamil Nadu Information Commission has instructed the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University to publish complete details of professors working in private medical colleges affiliated with the university, as well as the members of the Affiliation Inspection Committee (AIC), on its website.

The commission has also directed the university to furnish the information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act within four weeks of the order, by August 20, 2026. It warned that failure to comply with the order could invite action under the RTI Act.

The order follows an RTI application by Arappor Iyakkam seeking information about AIC members who conducted inspection of affiliated medical colleges during the academic years 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25. The application also sought information about faculty members working in affiliated colleges during the corresponding academic years. The university's records also refer to requests concerning affiliation committee members and faculty members for these periods.

RTI appeal seeks inspection committee details The AIC of the university conducts inspection visits to private medical colleges before affiliation is granted to assess the infrastructure, medical facilities, faculty, and compliance with the requirements of medical education.

The RTI application sought information about the members of the inspection committee, their qualifications and faculty members of affiliated medical colleges. The university's response and subsequent proceedings formed part of the RTI case before the Tamil Nadu Information Commission. The university's Public Information Officer and Registrar were also involved in the proceedings. The records show that the matter proceeded through the RTI appeal process.

After hearing the matter, the Commission instructed the university to furnish the information requested and take steps to make information about the AIC members and faculty members available on its website for public access.

Commission stresses transparency in affiliations RTI filler said greater transparency is needed in the affiliation inspection process. It said information about who inspected a particular college, the qualifications of the inspection committee members and the professors working in affiliated medical colleges should be available for public scrutiny.

The transparency in medical colleges affiliation inspections is particularly important amid investigations into allegations of irregularities in faculty appointments and inspections.

The order also records the progression of the RTI proceedings, including the stages of appeal and directions for compliance. The records show references to proceedings under section 19(1) and 19(3) of the RTI Act.

Arappor Iyakkam seeks prompt RTI action RTI filler called on the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University to immediately implement the Information Commission's order and publish college-wise details of the AIC members and professors working in affiliated private medical colleges on its website.

The organisation also called for appropriate action under the RTI Act if the university fails to comply with the commission's directions. The order and related proceedings also refer to provisions of the RTI Act, including sections 19 and 20.

Bar Council of India directive: Maharashtra orders inspection of law colleges in 6 weeks

Bar Council of India directive: Maharashtra orders inspection of law colleges in 6 weeks

Aug 5, 2026, 11.22 PM IST

Mumbai: State govt has directed all public universities to carry out an immediate and in-depth physical inspection of every law college affiliated to them and submit a detailed report to Bar Council of India (BCI) within six weeks. The state’s directive follows BCI’s order which took serious cognisance of Supreme Court’s oral observations while hearing a petition regarding the deteriorating quality of legal education in the country. The apex court observed that the legal education centres were operating with inadequate facilities and without meeting the prescribed standards.

In a letter to the universities, BCI mentioned that the SC observations “underscore the immediate need for every authority in the statutory and academic chain to discharge its own continuing responsibility with complete seriousness”. Mentioning that the universities’ responsibilities do not end with the initial grant of affiliation and that they should ensure that colleges do not merely run on the strength of paper compliance, it has sought a report on every affiliated college within six weeks.

Universities have been directed to constitute one or more competent inspection teams to carry out immediate physical inspection of law colleges. The teams have been tasked with verifying the availability of faculty members, adequate classrooms, libraries, reading rooms, journals, law reports, electronic databases, land and building infrastructure, fire and safety compliance, sanitation facilities, legal aid clinics, and other essential requirements. They have also been instructed to notify BCI of any colleges found to have made false declarations, fabricated faculty records, submitted misleading photographs, shifted their premises without approval, or admitted students in excess of the permitted intake.

BCI has directed the universities to submit a consolidated report by classifying institutions as fully compliant, deficient but capable of immediate correction without affecting academic standards and seriously deficient requiring suspension, non-renewal or withdrawal of affiliation.

Prior to this, state govt and Mumbai University had initiated separate action against colleges that failed to comply with the prescribed norms. While the state took action against 103 colleges that did not have BCI recognition, the university reduced the intake capacity of 50 colleges by up to 50% and imposed fines of up to Rs 10 lakh for failing to appoint approved teachers.

NMC plans to tighten norms to make MBBS colleges fully ready before admissions

NMC plans to tighten norms to make MBBS colleges fully ready before admissions 

EDUCATION TIMES 06.08.2026

Regulations require complete academic and teaching hospital facilities before permissions are granted, abolishing the State-issued Essentiality Certificate

 Divyansh Kumar | Posted August 03, 2026 01:00 PM

First-year MBBS students may no longer have to study in colleges with half-built anatomy halls, under-equipped labs, or temporary teaching hospitals. To strengthen the quality of medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed draft amendments that would require aspiring medical colleges to complete all academic and hospital infrastructure before applying for regulatory approval, effectively ending the practice of admitting students while facilities are still under construction.

Medical educators have welcomed the proposed ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to incomplete infrastructure, saying it could substantially improve the learning experience from the very first day of medical training. However, questions remain over whether the reforms could slow down the expansion of medical colleges and lead to a greater concentration of institutions in urban centres.

The proposed draft amendments to the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment & Rating Regulations, 2023 represent one of the most significant overhauls of the approval framework since the NMC replaced the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI). Besides mandating 100% infrastructure readiness, the draft proposes abolishing the State-issued Essentiality Certificate, introducing a mandatory institutional corpus fund, requiring solvency certificates verified by CAs, expanding the list of eligible applicants, and prescribing stricter penalties for incomplete applications or attempts to influence the approval process.

Explaining the rationale behind the changes, an NMC official tells Education Times that the objective is to make the approval mechanism more objective, transparent and quality-oriented. “The amendments are intended to further strengthen the regulatory framework for establishment of new medical colleges by making the approval process more objective, transparent and quality-oriented. The emphasis is on ensuring that essential infrastructure and institutional readiness are in place before applications are considered, thereby reducing avoidable deficiencies and facilitating a more efficient assessment process,” the official says.

Infrastructure Gap

For faculty members, the proposal directly addresses a longstanding concern that students often bear the consequences of infrastructure deficiencies during the crucial first year of training. “The first year lays the foundation for the entire medical career as students require well-equipped anatomy dissection halls, physiology and biochemistry laboratories, libraries, skills laboratories and digital learning facilities from the very first day,” says Dr Roy R Chandran, professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Government Medical College, Kozhikode. He adds that when infrastructure is incomplete, practical teaching suffers, faculty spend valuable time overcoming logistical challenges instead of focusing on academics, and students lose confidence in the quality of their training.

Welcoming the proposal to prohibit temporary hospital arrangements during inspections, stressing that medical education is fundamentally patient-centred, Dr Chandran says, “A teaching hospital develops its academic culture over time. It has established departments, multidisciplinary teams, standard treatment protocols, adequate patient load and regular academic activities. Temporary hospitals created merely to satisfy inspection requirements cannot replicate this environment. If we expect to produce competent doctors, the teaching hospital must be fully functional from the very beginning, not just on the day of inspection.”

State Stake

One of the most debated proposals remains the abolition of the State-issued Essentiality Certificate, a mandate that historically allowed state governments to assess the requirement of a new medical college in a particular region. While the NMC argues that removing the certificate will simplify approvals, experts caution that it could encourage private investment to concentrate in already developed urban markets. “Dispensing with the Essentiality Certificate is intended to simplify the regulatory process while retaining the Commission’s focus on academic, clinical and infrastructural standards,” says the NMC official.

Clinical learning depends on adequate patient exposure, and if more medical colleges are clustered in the same city, they compete for the same patient population. “This can reduce the diversity and volume of clinical cases available to each student. Expansion should be guided by regional healthcare needs rather than simply increasing the number of colleges, rather than adding that strengthening existing government hospitals may often deliver greater benefits than opening new institutions,” adds Dr Chandran.

NEET-PG aspirants to face Aadhaar checks Candidates To Get Test City Details 3 Wks In Advance

NEET-PG aspirants to face Aadhaar checks Candidates To Get Test City Details 3 Wks In Advance 

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com  02.08.2026

New Delhi: More than 2.73 lakh medical graduates have registered for NEET-PG 2026, an increase of over 12.5% over last year, as National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences rolls out enhanced authentication measures and candidate-friendly initiatives for the Aug-30 examination.

Candidates will undergo Aadhaar-based authentication during registration and on the examination day, while iris-based biometric verification will be used wherever fingerprint authentication is unsuccessful. They will also have to indicate three preferred states for allotment of examination centres, with their correspondence state as the mandatory first preference. 

Test city information will be issued nearly three weeks before the examination, enabling candidates to plan travel and accommodation in advance. Examination will comprise 180 questions that have to be answered in 210 minutes, giving candidates more time per question while retaining the overall duration of examination. 

Union health minister J P Nadda reviewed preparations for the examination on Saturday and directed officials to ensure its smooth, transparent and technology-enabled conduct while maintaining the highest standards of security and integrity. He also urged candidates not to fall prey to rumours or fraudulent claims regarding question paper leaks, saying the final paper is selected through a highly encrypted, time-bound process shortly before the examination, making any claim of prior access entirely false. 

Officials said examination will be conducted under a multi-layered security framework, which includes CCTV surveillance, biometric authentication, candidate frisking, signal jammers, dynamic computer allocation, live monitoring through central and regional command centres, and independent observers. 

More than 60,000 examination personnel will be deployed to oversee the examination. The end-to-end question paper preparation and delivery process has been reinforced through multiple layers of encryption, secure offline preparation, time-bound finalisation of paper shortly before the examination and controlled digital decryption at the scheduled commencement of the test.

Eight among top 100 NIRF institutes face retraction of research work authored by VCs, directors

Eight among top 100 NIRF institutes face retraction of research work authored by VCs, directors 

Divyansh.Kumar@timesofindia.com 27.07.2026

EDUCATION TIMES BHOPAL

An analysis of research output at India’s top 100 NIRF-ranked universities has found a string of paper retractions linked directly to sitting vice chancellors and directors at eight institutions, including six government-run, two private, with reasons ranging from image manipulation and AI-generated content to plagiarism and compromised peer review. 

The findings compiled using the Author Trends database and manually verified against Research Watch Database, to isolate retractions attribut able to alleged misconduct rather than honest error, cover only universities placed in the top 100 of the NIRF overall rankings. A prominent state university in Tamil Nadu has recorded nine retractions, almost all flagged for image manipulation. Most of these retractions occurred after thei ndividual took charge as vice chancellor, and the institution recorded a sharp rise in its NIRF standing over the past year. 

In at least one of these cases, the retraction notice records that the authors, including the vice chancellor, did not agree with the decision to retract. At a private university in Maharashtra, two retractions were traced to AI-generated content and what reviewers termed ‘tortured phrases’, a hallmark of paper-mill writing. 

Sources familiar with the university’s internal practices said its vice chancellor has directed researchers to publish atleast four papers annually. Other six institutions, including two IITs and an AIIMS, each retraction attributed to the institute’s director or executive director, for reasons spanning possible plagiarism, compromised peer review, tortured phrases and duplication. India ranks 8th globally for retractions due to misconduct, with 22.5 retractions per 10,000 citable documents.

It trails nations like Pakistan (64.1), Saudi Arabia(42.8),andNigeria(35.7). ArecentLinkedInpollbyIndianResearch Watch (IRW), drawing near 200 responses, found 83% of respondents believe individuals with misconductlinked retractions should not remain in or be appointed to VC and director posts; only 11% said it did not matter given the administrative nature of the role. 

Education Times reached out to most universities listed in the data base for their comments; but none had responded. “When institutions begin to chase publication counts, citations and patent numbers a starget sin

themselves,there is a risk that the metric becomes more important than the purpose behind it. However, every retraction should not automatically be treated as evidence of fraud and responsibility must be established through a fair and credible investigation,” says V Ramgopal Rao, group vice chancellor, BITS Pilani, and former director,IITDelhi. 

Institutional credibility hinges less on whether misconduct occurs than on the response to it. “Attempts to suppress a problem,delay an investigation or protect an individual because of position cause far greater reputational damage than the original allegation,” he says, calling for cases involving top leadership to be referred to an external research integrity panel with no prior ties to thei ndividual concerned. Prof S C Lakhotia, distinguished professor, Banaras Hindu University and former SERB Distinguished Fellow, calls the ranking system itself “the real root-cause for the expanding research misconduct in India.” 

He adds, “The pressure to publish had fed a self-sustaining vicious circle involving predatory and paper-mill journals. Ranking bodies must severely penalise retractions and unethical collaborations, which are often purchased or sold. Where allegations against leaders are established, the involved person should be immediately removed from the position being held by them and also debarred from holding any academic positions in future.” 

Achal Agrawal, founder, IRW, says, “People at the highest levels need to have a clean record to have the moral authority to ensure integrity in their institutes. More often than not, it is the students researchers who are thrown under the bus and those in power face no consequences. In the USA, even Stanford and Harvard presidents had to resign last year after accusations of misconduct. Ensuring accountability from the top will enhance the academic reputation of India as a country that takes research integrity seriously.”

With 15k MBBS seats, K’taka now leads medical edu race

With 15k MBBS seats, K’taka now leads medical edu race 

6 Govt Colleges File Appeals Seeking More

 Sruthy Susan Ullas & Srinivasa M | TNN 

Bengaluru :  19.07.2026

Karnataka has become the state with the highest number of MBBS seats in the country this year, with the total rising to 15,395. The tally could increase further, as six govt medical colleges have filed appeals seeking additional seats 

The latest increase comes from three govt colleges — HK Patil Institute of Medical Sciences, Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute, and Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences — each of which has been allotted 50 additional MBBS seats. 

Across the state’s 24 govt medical colleges, the existing intake stood at 4,250 seats. With the addition of 150 seats, the total govt MBBS intake has now risen to 4,400. 

Two new private medical colleges — Alva’s Institute of Medical Sciences and Chettinad Institute of Medical Education — have been granted 150 and 100 seats, respectively. In addition, 15 other private colleges have received approval for increased intake. 

PES University Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Sri Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, and BGS Global Institute of Medical Sciences have each been allotted 100 additional seats, while the remaining colleges have received 50 seats each. Altogether, private medical colleges have added 1,150 seats, taking their total MBBS intake to 10,995.

 “Compared to private medical colleges, only a handful of govt medical colleges have 250 seats despite handling a much larger patient load and higher admissions in their teaching hospitals. Increasing intake in govt colleges will benefit both Karnataka students and candidates under the All-India quota. The National Medical Commission (NMC) should consider this factor while increasing seats,” a medical education department official said.

 “Six govt colleges — in Karwar, Yadgir, Koppal, Haveri, Kodagu, and Shivamogga — have 1 appealed. We’re hopeful as NMC continues granting approvals until the last minute if the govt gives an undertaking to address deficiencies,” said Sujatha Rathod, director of medical education. 

The new seat matrix released by Medical Assessment and Rating Board of NMC shows that the intake at govt run Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) has increased from 150 to 200 seats. Farookh Academy of Medical Education Hospital and Research Institute, Mysuru, has also been permitted to raise its intake from 100 to 150 seats. 

MIMS director Dr Narashimhaswamy P said: “We will meet all the requirements stipulated by NMC for increasing the intake.” Last year, the annual MBBS intake at the century-old Mysore Medical College and Research Institute was increased from 200 to 250 seats. Another premier institution in the city, JSS Medical College, also has an annual intake of 250 seats. There is, however, no change in the annual intake of four other govt medical colleges in the region — Chikkamagaluru Institute of Medical Sciences, Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences and Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences. The Hassan institute continues to have an annual intake of 200 seats, while the other three colleges have 150 seats each.

RGUHS turns down proposal on fee diversion, cites paucity of funds

RGUHS turns down proposal on fee diversion, cites paucity of funds

 SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 15.07.2026

Bengaluru : Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has opposed the state govt’s proposal to utilise university admission fees paid by govt medical colleges for maintenance of those institutions, citing financial constraints. 

The govt, on April 24, 2026, proposed that undergraduate and postgraduate admission fees paid to the university can be used by the same institutions for their maintenance. However, the university rejected the proposal. At a recent syndicate meeting, the university resolved to inform the govt it is facing shortage of funds as substantial resources are being spent on the development of RGUHS campus at Ramanagara, establishment of medical colleges at Ramanagara, Kanakapura and Bagalkot, and setting up six skill labs across the state. 

The academic council earlier noted that the fees collected from govt medical colleges are essential for meeting the university’s operational expenditure. It recommended that the university fees paid by govt medical colleges should not be transferred for the maintenance of those colleges. 

There are around 25 govt medical colleges in the state. “We are giving the govt money for construction of medical colleges in Bagalkot and Kanakapura, apart from our own projects. We’ve requested the govt that it cannot be considered because we need money for completion of these projects. It may not be a big amount, but every penny is important for us,” RGUHS vice-chancellor Dr Bhagavan BC pointed out. 

No keywords for descriptive questions Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences

 (RGUHS) has decided against providing answer keys or keywords for descriptive questions in its examinations. Pointing to hundreds of petitions, Karnataka high court had in 2024 asked the university to reconsider its practice of not providing answer keys for evaluation. RGUHS sought National Medical Commission’s opinion in Nov 2024.

 The apex medical regulator supported the university’s position, stating model answers for descriptive questions should not be published. Further, at an academic council meeting, it opined that providing keywords will limit the scope of critical thinking and will not encourage logical responses. In July 2025, the university formed an expert committee comprising faculty from Karnataka as well as health sciences universities in Maharashtra and Kerala. It concluded that keywords and predetermined answers fail to adequately assess the integrated analytical abilities expected of medical graduates. The committee observed that medical education requires evaluation of critical thinking, clinical decisionmaking and communication skills. It pointed out that Kerala University of Health Sciences issues only valuation guidelines for examiners, while the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences does not provide keywords. However, the university decided to conduct a limited pilot by preparing model answer keys for firstyear Bachelor of Physiotherapy students admitted in 2026-27. A committee of physiotherapy experts will prepare question papers with keywords, gather feedback from stakeholders after the results are announced, and submit a report to the university. The academic council reiterated that the current valuation system produces satisfactory results, while recommending periodic training and orientation for evaluators and workshops for question paper setters to improve assessment standards. The syndicate accepted the council’s recommendation and decided not to share answer keys, but to roll out the pilot

Med colleges repackage fees as NMC bars internship charges

Med colleges repackage fees as NMC bars internship charges 

Five-Year Fee Payable In 4.5 Years; Cost Unchanged 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   11.07.2026

Chennai : Medical colleges are complying with the National Medical Commission’s April 2026 order barring tuition charges for the mandatory one-year MBBS internship. But instead of reducing costs, institutions have spread the same five-year fee total, or a higher amount, over 4.5 years, raising annual instalments while the overall payout stays the same — or higher. 

A revised fee chart published on the website of a deemed university for its 250 seat MBBS programme illustrates the pattern. Annual tuition fee now stands at ₹25 lakh, billed every year for 4.5 years — a total of ₹1.12 crore — up from ₹21.97 lakh paid across five instalments ( ₹1.09 crore) under the earlier structure. 

Under the NRI quota, students now pay US$52,000 per year, again compressed into 4.5 annual cycles, against US$46,800 per year paid over five instalments earlier. 

Hostel fees ( ₹1.9 lakh for non-AC, ₹2.6 lakh for AC accommodation), transport ( ₹1 lakh for air-conditioned buses) and refundable caution deposits of ₹25,000 each for college and hostel remain unchanged from prior years. 

Another university, which had allowed students to pay ₹28 lakh per year for five years — a total of ₹1.40 crore — has now told parents that if the same amount is paid over 4.5 years, the annual instalment will exceed ₹31 lakh. A third college has told parents it will allow the 4.5 year fee to be paid in five instalments instead of four. 

“It is framed as flexibility, though it changes nothing for families financially,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. Fees for self-financing colleges and private universities are fixed by the state fee fixation committee, but there is no cap on fees charged by deemed universities. 

NMC said colleges cannot ask students to pay fees during their internship year. Last week, state health minister K G 1 Arunraj said the govt will ensure all medical colleges fell in line. “Complaints against management charging additional fees, or those not paying a stipend, can be made anonymously on the state helpline 104,” he said.

State government to take legal action over deemed university status for three private medical colleges

State government to take legal action over deemed university status for three private medical colleges

Health Minister K.G. Arunraj

at the inauguration of the NalamAI WhatsApp chatbot service.B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI. 09.07.2026

With three private medical colleges obtaining ‘deemed to be university’ status, Tamil Nadu will lose 461 medical seats from the State quota, Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said on Wednesday. He added that the State government was exploring legal action, and would file a writ petition soon.

Two days ago, the State government came to know from the website of the National Medical Commission that Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, and St. Peter’s Medical College had been granted deemed university status, he said.

As a result, the State will lose 461 seats from its pool, Dr. Arunraj said, adding: “These institutions will no longer be required to follow the reservation policy, 7.5% horizontal reservation for government school students, or adhere to the fee structure prescribed by the State government. Instead, they could fill MBBS and BDS seats independently.” Additionally, 35 seats under the 7.5% quota would be lost, he said.

The State government will also take up the issue with the Centre to make a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the State government mandatory for private medical colleges to obtain deemed university status, he said.

“Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Srinivasan Medical College are owned by DMK MLA Kathiravan. As they fall under the Tamil Nadu Private University category, they did not apply for NOC with the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, and applied directly to the University Grants Commission,” he told reporters after inaugurating facilities at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

The deemed university status had been granted to St. Peter’s Medical College, Hosur, subject to an appeal filed by the Government of Tamil Nadu, he said. Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College had also applied for the status, he added.

Explaining the process, the Minister said private institutions seeking deemed university status must first obtain an NOC from their affiliated university. The affiliated university is required to issue the NOC within 60 days, failing which it shall be deemed to have been granted as per UGC rules.

In June 2023, the Karpaga Vinayaga institution, which has an engineering college and a medical college, had applied to Anna University and Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University for an NOC. 

However, no action was taken for 60 days. The NOC was issued in September 2023 during the previous regime, and the same was revoked two months later. The institution approached the High Court, and in April 2025, the court ruled that as the NOC was not issued within 60 days, it was deemed to have been issued as per UGC rules. No appeal was filed against the order by the previous government, he said.

The Minister also launched NalamAI, a WhatsApp chatbot service. The service, available on 96192 22999, has been introduced in 22 districts, where the public can generate the outpatient slips without having to wait in queues.