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.

Four pvt colleges exploited legal loopholes: Min ‘Owned By DMK, AIADMK Leaders’

Four pvt colleges exploited legal loopholes: Min ‘Owned By DMK, AIADMK Leaders’ 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK    09.07.2026

Chennai : At least four private colleges that exploited legal loopholes to gain deemed university status, sidestepping the state’s seat-sharing rules and fee caps, are managed or owned by leaders of DMK or AIADMK, health minister K G Arunraj said Wednesday. 

At least 462 govt-quota MBBS seats and 35 seats reserved for govt-school students under the 7.5% quota, along with management-quota and BDS seats, are likely to be stripped from the state’s seat matrix, since allotments to deemed universities are made by the Centre’s medical counselling committee.

 “Two more colleges have applied for deemed status,” Arunraj said. First, two of the colleges by passed the state altogether, going straight to national regulators for approval. Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences and Srinivasan Medical College, both previously classified as state private universities, were granted deemed status without the state’s knowledge; the govt learnt of it only two days ago, Arunraj said. 

The state will move a writ petition seeking cancellation of the new status. “The college owned by DMK MLA S Kathiravan (Manachanallur) never applied for an NOC, yet it is listed as a deemed university. They used procedural loopholes to bypass the process and approached the UGC directly,” Arunraj said. 

“They violated state rights and social justice. “They are denying meritorious and govt school students their seats,” he added. The DMK govt also ignored mandatory procedures and failed to act on legal options in time. Karpaga Vinayaga sought clearance from Anna University for its engineering programmes and Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University for its medical college, on June 7, 2023. But neither responded within the mandated 60-day window. “So, as per the rules, it was deemed granted. Three months later, the DMK govt issued the NOC. 

For reasons unclear, it was revoked two months later. The college moved the court and got an order in its favour since no reply was given within 60 days. The govt did not appeal the ruling,” Arunraj said. St Peter’s Medical College’s application was decided within the mandated period in Dec 2023; but it was communicated six days late. The college moved Delhi high court and secured a favourable order. The state has appealed against this order, he said. Two other institutions received no response within the deadline, and their NOCs were deemed granted by default. 

The minister called the pattern evidence of political bias in vetting such applications. The state will negotiate with the Centre for legislative amendments while pursuing that legal route. “We want the govt to withdraw the amendments issued in the May 2026 notification and amend the UGC Act to restore state powers,” he said. 

A permanent fix would require moving education to the state list. But as an interim step, the state is pursuing fee caps for deemed-university colleges and seat-sharing arrangements similar to Karnataka’s system, he said. Students facing excessive fees or denied stipends at these institutions can file anonymous complaints with the state’s 104 helpline, the minister added

TN mulls legal action over deemed univ tag for med colleges

TN mulls legal action over deemed univ tag for med colleges 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 08.07.2026

Chennai : Tamil Nadu is considering legal action, including moving the Supreme Court early next week, after some medical colleges in the state were granted ‘deemed university’ status — a change that could wipe out state quota seats and reshape access to medical education across the region.

Officials said that while 650 MBBS seats are likely to be removed from the state’s seat matrix since allotments to deemed universities are handled by the Centre, three more colleges have told the govt that they are expected to be added to the list soon. These institutions will no longer be obligated to reserve seats for students admitted through the state’s counselling process. “This will mean at least 700 govt quota seats, and more than 50 seats meant for govt school students, will be affected,” a senior health department official said. 

On Tuesday, after day-long discussions with legal experts, a senior legal officer questioned how these institutions were granted the permission, since UGC norms for this status require a high NAAC grade across three cycles, or NBA accreditation for two thirds of programmes, or a top  100 overall or top-50 discipline-specific NIRF ranking for three consecutive years. 

While a legal challenge may take months to resolve, student counsellors and academicians have urged the govt to rein in fees at deemed institutions, as directed by the HC. The state has no control over fees charged by deemed universities, since they fall outside state fee committee’s purview. Under the existing structure, the committee fixed annual MBBS tuition for govt quota seats in self-financing colleges and private universities at ₹4.35 lakh to ₹5.40 lakh, and for management-quota seats at ₹15 lakh to ₹16.2 lakh. 

The Centre has not fixed tuition fees for deemed universities, which charge between ₹20 lakh and ₹35 lakh a year. “Earlier, an association of private universities moved the court to prevent this from being implemented. For some reason, that case was withdrawn. So the state or the Centre must now implement the high court order,” said N Narendran, a NEET coach.  If the govt cannot immediately regulate fees, experts want it to adopt Karnataka’s approach.

 “In Karnataka, deemed universities continue sharing seats with the state govt despite their elevated status. At least six of the 12 deemed universities share around 188 seats with the state quota, at fees ranging from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹6 lakh,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “That’s one way to ensure meritorious and govt school students passing out this year are not punished,” he said. 

“For many meritorious students from modest backgrounds, this is a critical pathway into medicine, as they can only afford subsidised, govt-regulated seats,” he added. The state medical university, meanwhile, is appealing to UGC and NMC, stating that it never issued a no-objection certificate for the change in affiliation to these institutions.

Ahead of admissions, 30 MU law colleges lose affiliation

Ahead of admissions, 30 MU law colleges lose affiliation

 Yogita.Rao@timesofindia.com  05.07.2026

Mumbai : Days before the commencement of the centralised admission process (CAP) for law courses, Mumbai University has denied affiliation to 30 law colleges. It has around 110 affiliated law colleges. The decision to withhold affiliation certificates, which could keep the colleges out of the stateconducted CAP rounds, was taken following recommendations by local inspection committees. The committees found that the colleges failed to appoint regular principals and adequate teaching staff, and other essential infrastructure required under university and Bar Council of India norms. Even last year, the colleges were granted conditional affiliation and were expected to fix the deficiencies. Since the colleges failed to fulfil the norms, the university declined to renew their affiliation for the current academic year. The move is expected to reduce the total intake for three-year and five-year law programmes by around 2,000 seats, said a students’ organisation. The last day to apply for three-year LLB is July 8. Over 50,000 students have already registered for the process. 

A university official said that they constituted inspection committees to visit law colleges early this year. Based on the reports submitted by these committees, affiliation certificates were not granted to colleges that did not have a regular principal, adequate teaching faculty, and other essential infrastructure in place, added the official. The university classified the colleges in three categories based on the faculty strength and administrative compliance. Newly established institutions were placed in Category A, while Category B comprised established colleges with university-approved principals and faculty, or those that initiated recruitment by issuing advertisements. Category C included older colleges operating without approved principals or the prescribed faculty strength and that had not begun the recruitment process. While colleges in Categories A and B were granted affiliation, those in Category C were denied affiliation certificates, said sources. Manoj Tekade. president, Prahar Vidyarthi Sanghatana, a students’ organisation, alleged that the university seemed to have adopted a selective approach. “No law college in Mumbai has a fully approved faculty strength, but the action seems to be targeting select institutions,” Tekade said. He said the university should have instead provided a transition period or granted temporary affiliation instead

We need doctors in this country’: SC dismisses plea seeking cap on private medical college fees

We need doctors in this country’: SC dismisses plea seeking cap on private medical college fees

Court upholds Rajasthan HC order, refuses directions on fee regulation despite concerns over affordability for EWS candidates.

Petitioner argued annual fees of up to ₹25 lakh undermine EWS reservation benefits; court says issue falls within regulators’ domain.(File Photo | ANI)

Suchitra Kalyan Mohanty

Updated on:

25 Jun 2026, 7:56 am

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the fee structure of the private medical colleges in Rajasthan, observing that “we need doctors in this country” while dismissing a petition that called the charges exorbitant.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi heard a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging a Rajasthan High Court order. The HC had earlier rejected a plea by a medical aspirant claiming annual tuition fees in private colleges range from `18.90 lakh to `25 lakh, which, he said, was inconsistent with the `8 lakh income cap for EWS reservation.

“We need doctors in this country,” said the top court while refusing to entertain a plea which alleged that the fee structure in private medical colleges in Rajasthan was exorbitant.

The counsel argued that high fees made MBBS unaffordable for EWS candidates despite quotas and urged the court to direct the state and Centre to cap fees at affordable levels.

The bench, however, declined to step in and refused to pass any order on the plea. “Medical education requires infrastructure, faculty, and equipment. Fee fixation is a policy decision for regulators,” it said while dismissing the plea.

Noting that fee regulation falls within the domain of the state authorities and bodies like the Medical Council, the SC clarified that judicial interference is warranted only if there is manifest illegality or arbitrariness, which was not shown here in this present case. “One person cannot say that it is exorbitant in private institutions and make it on par with government institutions,” the bench observed.

The bench observed that one has the option to avail a scholarship. “We need doctors in this country,” it said. “We don’t find any reason to interfere with the impugned order passed by the high court. The special leave petition is dismissed. Question of law, if any, is kept open,” the bench said.

With this, the SC upheld the High Court’s order. No directions were issued to the Centre, Rajasthan government, or MCI/NMC on fee caps.

The petitioner is a general category candidate, who possesses an EWS certificate. He felt aggrieved that the counseling board allocated him a seat in a private college despite he giving preference for 73 colleges.

He argued that EWS students were charged the same fee as other general category students, thus making medical education unaffordable to the EWS students. He also relied on a National Medical Commission notice, which stated that 50 per cent of seats in private colleges should be at par with government colleges.

Pvt colleges, deemed univs launch digi regn drives ahead of NEET counselling

Pvt colleges, deemed univs launch digi regn drives ahead of NEET counselling

Experts warn Of Backdoor Admissions, Fee Deals

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 25.06.2026

Chennai : Weeks before NEET counselling for undergraduate medical admissions begins, private medical colleges and deemed universities have quietly launched digital registration portals for MBBS aspirants — a practice academicians and student counsellors say has no legal standing and could pave the way for backdoor admissions and under-the-table fee arrangements. 

The registrations, once conducted discreetly on campuses, have now moved online. Under the existing regulatory framework, admissions to MBBS seats are governed exclusively by state and central counselling committees. After NEET-UG results are declared, the Medical Counselling Committee under the Directorate General of Health Services, New Delhi, allots candidates to central institutions, deemed universities and 15% of state medical college seats, based on merit in NEET, reservation norms and student preference. 

State committees allot candidates to the remaining 85% of govt seats and all seats in self-financing and state private colleges. Colleges are barred from directly admitting students. Yet, the portals ask prospective candidates to submit personal details — name, address, mobile number, NEET admit card number and scores. “Some parents assume early registration will help their children secure seats,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Colleges then meet parents, offer financial incentives such as fee discount of up tos 5 lakh a year and ask them to pay a part of the fee in advance. 

They also help them fill admission forms in ways that could steer allotments toward the college," he said. These arrangements can affect merit, he said.  

A parent said a college official promised a discount of up to 5 lakh a year — on annual fees that already run as high as 30 lakh — in exchange for early registration. “I decided to pay and pick the seat in the first round of counselling. But my son's teacher warned me I could lose the money,” said Varadharajan S, who works for an IT firm.

RGUHS to honour college founder amid legal dispute

RGUHS to honour college founder amid legal dispute 

Times News Network  BENGALURU 13.06.2026

Bengaluru : Ironically, RGUHS will award honorary doctorate to AC Shanmugam, founder chancellor of Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital, an institute with which the varsity is having a legal tussle. 

In 2019, the Centre and UGC approved an application to change the college from under the ambit of RGUHS and transfer it to Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, a deemed university in Chennai. 

RGUHS and the state govt opposed the move. They argued it will result in a massive loss of medical seats for Karnataka students and that UGC bypassed mandatory procedures by not consulting the state. 

The case is yet to conclude. The college is currently a constituent college of Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute. 

RGUHS said the name came from the governor’s office and they cannot do anything about it. RGUHS VC Bhagavan BC said, “It was a decision taken by the committee constituted by governor. There are three members, of which former VC Sacchidanand was the university’s nominee. We have no role in this beyond nominating a person to the panel.” 

Sharan Prakash Patil, medical education minister, wasn’t too happy about the choice. “This has come to my notice. We have gone to court against the college and they have got a stay. The legal fight is still on. But govt has no say in the selection process of honorary doctorates. All we can do is to initiate processes so that such things don’t happen in future.” 

Rajarajeshwari medical college official said the college has no issues with RGUHS. Apart from Shanmugam, the other awardees are Nailady Sridhar Shetty, former Dental Council of India president, and Harshangi Veerbhadrappa, paediatrician

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

Academicians draw CM Vijay’s attention to higher education

Academicians draw CM Vijay’s attention to higher education

 Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com  11,05.2026

Chennai : Educationists drew chief minister Joseph Vijay’s attention to the pressing challenges faced by higher education in the state, including declining academic standards, huge faculty vacancies, and the absence of vice-chancellors in state universities. 

They urged him to immediately take steps to appoint vice-chancellors to all state universities. The new state govt also has to take a decision on whether to accept the National Education Policy (NEP) or implement State Education Policy (SEP) in higher education. 

Due to a tussle between the then Governor R N Ravi and state govt on including UGC’s nominee on V-C search panels, as many as 15 state universities out of 22 have been functioning without vice hancellors for a period ranging from one year to three years. 

E Balagurusamy, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, said the prolonged vacancies in key leadership positions are adversely affecting academic governance, policy decisions, institution growth and overall quality of higher education. “CM Vijay must initiate comprehensive reforms such as curriculum modernisation, faculty development, industry-academia collaboration and research enhancement to prevent further deterioration,” he said. 

University of Madras former vice-chancellor S P Thyagarajan said the CM should ensure financial stability for all state universities. “Students from economically weaker sections and poor families depend on the govt-run institutions for higher education. So, the state govt should not increase the fees of degree programmes. A high-power committee must be formed to find solutions,” he said. 

Alagappa University former vice-chancellor S Subbiah said students are affected by the lack of vice-chancellors in state universities. “Students do not get their degree certificates on time. The state universities are crippled due to a lack of academic leadership,” he said. 

Tamil Nadu Teacher Education University’s former vice-chancellor G Visvanathan said the new govt should allow the universities to fill their own vacancies. Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB)  is in the process of recruiting about 2,700 assistant professors to govt arts and science colleges in the state. Professors asked the new govt to expedite the appointments to ensure new faculty members join the colleges before the next academic year.