State can’t undo 33-year-old appointment: Gujarat High Court

State can’t undo 33-year-old appointment: Gujarat High Court

July 5, 2026, 01.02 AM IST

Ahmedabad: 05.07.2026

The Gujarat HighCourt has quashed a state govt order cancelling an appointment of a teacher 33 years after he was given the job and some 17 years after his death, and stopping the pension being given to his widow.

In this case, Harshad Bhavsar, along with five others, was appointed as a teacher in its school by Sugyan Education Trust in 1988. After ascertaining he got requisite qualification for the post, his appointment was regularised by the district education officer in 1989. After serving for 16 years, Bhavsar died in 2004. The education department began paying family pension to Bhavsar’s widow, Manorama.

In 2021, the director of schools cancelled the appointment of six teachers and a librarian of the school, including that of Bhavsar, withdrew grant benefits, cancelled employee numbers and stopped salary payments under the Direct Salary Scheme.

The govt action was initiated following a complaint made in 2015 by the husband of then school principal, alleging that the appointments had been made in violation of recruitment rules. The govt cancelled the appointments on the grounds that they were based on forged documents, made without obtaining a no-objection certificate, without publishing advertisements and without seeking names from the employment exchange, causing a financial loss of over Rs 6 crore to the exchequer.

The school trust and the affected employees, including Bhavsar’s widow, challenged the order before HC in 2021. A single-judge bench quashed the govt’s s decision, ruling that appointments could not be cancelled after more than three decades.

However, the state govt appealed appealed against the order regarding the revocation of Bhavsar’s appointment.

Dismissing the appeal, a division bench of N S Sanjay Gowda and Justice J L Odedra said, “If an appointment was made in the year 1988, was regularised in 1989, the same cannot be subjected to a challenge or could be doubted by the state nearly 33 years after the appointment was made.”

The bench further said, “The state, after granting a family pension to the widow of the employee, is now doubting the very appointment itself, which its own officials had regularised. The learned single judge, in our view, has rightly quashed the order of cancellation and held that the state could not exercise its powers to cancel the appointment at such a belated stage.”

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.

Paramedical intake: 27k register for 56k seats

Paramedical intake: 27k register for 56k seats 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  13.06.2026

Ahmedabad : Admissions for paramedical programmes in Gujarat, including BSc Nursing, have so far drawn a weaker-than-anticipated response, with registrations well below the total seats on offer. 

As per official information, about 26,900 candidates have registered for admission against over 56,000 seats available across govt and self-financed institutions in the state. So far, 24,442 applications have been verified. The admission procedure started on May 29 through the admission committee’s official portal, where students had to buy an online PIN and finish the registration process. 

The registration window closed on Friday, and a total of 27,347 PINs were issued during this period. Even so, the relatively small number of completed registrations suggests many seats could remain unoccupied. The deadline for document verification is June 13, and officials anticipate more candidates will complete verification by the last day. At the same time, the state board will conduct supplementary exams from June 11 to June 20. Once the supplementary results are announced, the authorities intend to restart PIN distribution and reopen registrations so additional students can apply

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

NMC proposes to reinstate 10-year rule in MBBS without diluting rigour

NMC proposes to reinstate 10-year rule in MBBS without diluting rigour

The proposed relaxation is likely to benefit students facing academic losses, and health concerns, offering them more flexibility 

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesofindia.com 08.06.2026 EDUCATION TIMES 

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a key amendment to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, which could give MBBS students an additional year to complete their undergraduate medical education, taking the total duration to 10 years. The draft notification, titled ‘Graduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2026’, has been placed in the public domain for feedback and objections. 

Under the existing regulations, students are required to complete the MBBS programme within nine years from the date of admission. The proposed amendment seeks to extend this limit to 10 years, including the compulsory rotating medical internship, offering students greater flexibility to manage academic, personal, or unforeseen challenges during the programme. 

Speaking to Education Times , NMC officials say, “The proposed amendment seeks to provide limited additional flexibility to students for completion of the MBBS programme in exceptional circumstances, while fully preserving the academic standards and competency requirements prescribed under the Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER) 2023. The amendment does not reduce, dilute or waive any academic requirement. Students will continue to be required to successfully complete all professional examinations, mandatory competencies and the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship before being awarded the MBBS degree. 

The proposal merely extends the maximum permissible period for completion of the course from nine years to 10 years.” Medical education being a long-duration programme, students may occasionally face genuine academic, personal, health-related or other unforeseen circumstances that interrupt the normal progression of their studies. “The proposed amendment is intended to address such situations in a humane and pragmatic manner without compromising educational standards,” the officials add. 

A former NMC official on condition of anonymity, points out that the proposed amendment will be beneficial for students from rural Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, who have entered medical education through NEET but struggle to follow lessons in English. “The additional year can be a critical buffer, reducing the risk of students dropping out early due to language barriers,” he adds. 

Cap on Attempts 

Under the proposed changes, no student will be allowed more than four attempts to clear the first professional MBBS examination, a provision that remains unchanged. However, students would be allowed to continue the undergraduate medical course for up to 10 years from the date of admission, including the internship period. 

This is in alignment with the NMC’s Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) regulations, 2021. “A cap of four attempts in the first professional exam is unjustified, more so if students are in their first year and are still new to the system. If all MBBS students are given one year’s additional time, then why restrict them at a crucial stage?

 Further, the proposal will give private players an opportunity to blackmail students if they have faltered on fee payment. The cap could be used as a tool to instil fear among them with threats of imminent failure if they do not pay up,” the source adds. 

The proposed relaxation which seeks to bring back the 10-year rule, is likely to benefit students facing academic losses, health concerns, personal emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances, offering them more flexibility to complete their medical education without losing eligibility

7 medical colleges not paying stipend to MBBS interns, residents- NMC tells Supreme Court, penalty proceedings initiated

7 medical colleges not paying stipend to MBBS interns, residents- NMC tells Supreme Court, penalty proceedings initiated

Written By : Barsha Misra

Published On 5 June 2026 3:46 PM | Updated On 5 June 2026 3:46 PM

New Delhi: The issue of non-payment of stipend to medical students exists only in 7 out of 756 medical colleges, the National Medical Commission (NMC) recently informed the Supreme Court.

Filing a chart, NMC has submitted the details regarding the status of payment of stipend made to interns/junior residents/senior residents by the respective medical colleges.

According to the Apex Medical Commission, there is no dispute with regard to payment of stipend by 573 colleges, and 176 medical colleges have been established in the recent past; as such, the question of payment of stipend would not arise in those 176 medical colleges.

The Commission has also assured that it has already taken steps by issuing show cause notices for the levying of a penalty to those seven medical colleges, which are not paying stipend.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Supreme Court had taken note of an allegation that MBBS interns in 70 percent of the medical colleges in the country were not paid a stipend. Accordingly, after the Supreme Court's directions, NMC had given a deadline to the medical colleges to submit the details of the stipend paid to their UG Interns, Post-Graduate Residents, and Senior Residents of PGs in Super Speciality for the financial year 2023-2024 by 23rd April 2024.

The medical colleges were directed to submit the details of their name and address, the amount of stipend paid by the State Government, and the month-wise details of the stipend paid to the MBBS interns, 1st/2nd/3rd-year Post-Graduate Residents, and 1st/2nd/3rd-year Senior Residents or PGs in Super Specialty for the academic year 2023-2024.

Back in November, 2024, NMC slapped show-cause notices on 198 institutes for not complying with the Commission's directives to upload the details of the stipend paid to the interns and resident doctors.

Last year, the Supreme Court slammed NMC for failing to take any action against the erring institute. Expressing its hope and trust that the "NMC would wake up from its slumber" and take appropriate steps as indicated in its notice dated 11.07.2025 by the next date of hearing, the Court had also directed the Commission to file an affidavit enclosing the list of medical colleges which have furnished the stipend details.

Recently. NMC's counsel submitted before the Supreme Court bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale the details regarding the status of payment of stipend made to interns/junior residents/senior residents by the respective medical colleges

"It is stated therein that out of 756 medical colleges of under graduates there is no dispute with regard to payment of stipend by 573 colleges and 176 medical colleges have been established in the recent past and as such the question of payment of stipend would not arise in those 176 medical colleges. He would also submit that 7 medical colleges have not being paying stipend for which the NMC has already taken steps by issuing show cause notices for levying of penalty and on receipt of reply further steps would be taken by them. He would also add that one medical college has remained closed and there are no interns in the said college. He further elaborates his submission by contending that 562 colleges are running post graduate courses and they are paying the stipend to the interns and only two medical colleges do not have any interns and as such question of payment of stipend by these two (2) colleges would not arise. His submission is placed on record," the Apex Court bench noted.

The top court bench appointed advocate Charu Mathur as a nodal counsel and directed the advocates appearing for the parties to furnish synopsis, charts and pleadings to her.

"Ms. Charu Mathur, learned counsel, is appointed as a nodal counsel and the learned advocates appearing for the parties are requested to furnish synopsis, charts and pleadings to her and a convenience compilation shall be prepared and be furnished to the Court for issuing further directions in these matters wherever necessary, by the next date of hearing," ordered the Apex Court, while listing the matter for further hearing on August 24, 2026.

SC relief to Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, admissions allowed for 150 MBBS, 49 PG seats

SC relief to Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, admissions allowed for 150 MBBS, 49 PG seats

03.06.2026

Written By : Barsha MisraPublished On 2 June 2026 4:39 PM | Updated On 2 June 2026 4:39 PM

Supreme Court of India

 New Delhi: Granting major relief, the Supreme Court recently allowed the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR) to proceed with admissions to 150 MBBS seats and 49 postgraduate medical seats for the academic year 2026-2027.

The medical admissions at the medical institute had earlier faced uncertainty due to a dispute over affiliation consent. While considering the matter, the Apex Court bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan held that the consent of affiliation shall be deemed to have been granted by Jamia Hamdard Deemed to be University, subject to the outcome of the ongoing legal battle between two branches of the Hamdard family.

"Consequently, in continuation of our earlier order dated 11.02.2026, we observe that the Consent of Affiliation is deemed to have been granted by the first respondent-University in favour of the third petitioner-institution subject to the result of this Special Leave Petition for the academic year 2026-2027. This is particularly in respect of 150 seats of MBBS and 49 seats post-graduate seats for the very same academic year, namely, 2026-2027," the bench observed.

"We again observe that the aforesaid order is passed having regard to the peculiar facts of this case where there is an arbitral dispute between two branches of the family and arbitral proceedings are subject to adjudication in this Special Leave Petition," it added.

Background:

The plea before the top court bench was filed seeking directions for the issuance of enrolment numbers to 49 PG students, restoration of access to the NMC portal, and the grant of consent of affiliation for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported on the ongoing conflict between HIMSR and Jamia Hamdard University. Allegedly, HIMSR was facing challenges due to the ongoing legal and administrative dispute between the founding family members, which led to the withdrawal of affiliation to HIMSR by Jamia Hamdard.

The dispute followed a family settlement dividing control over institutes operating under the Hamdard umbrella. Earlier, citing objections under the UGC Act and UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023, Jamia Hamdard had withdrawn consent of affiliation to HIMSR.

Last year, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), while releasing the tentative list of medical colleges and the MBBS seat matrix for NEET 2025 counselling, allotted zero seats to HIMSR.

Earlier this year, the issue concerning the PG medical admissions to the institute reached the Supreme Court, which had granted relief to the institute by allowing the addition of 49 postgraduate medical seats at the institute for the NEET PG counselling for the academic year 2025-2026.

The apex court bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan had issued specific directions in this regard to the National Medical Commission, which had earlier withdrawn the 49 MD seats at the institute based on purported letters of Jamia Hamdard (Deemed University).

Following this, on February 11, 2026, after the admission of 49 PG students through the counselling process, the Court deemed consent of affiliation to have been granted in favour of the institute, subject to the outcome of the case.

Last week, during the hearing of the matter, the counsel for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Dhruv Mehta, submitted that unless access to the NMC portal was restored and affiliation-related issues were resolved, HIMSR would be unable to fill up its 150 MBBS seats for the 2026-2027 academic year.

On the other hand, the counsel for Jamia Hamdard, Senior Advocate P. Chidambaram, submitted that the university would not stand in the way of orders being passed in the interest of students. However, the counsel raised concerns over compliance with Regulations 26, 31 and 34 the UGC, observations made by an Expert Committee and also the issues highlighted in a CAG report.

He submitted that any lapse on the part of the college may jeopardize not only the interest of the petitioner-college but also of the respondent-University. Therefore, he submitted that certain directions may be issued to the petitioners in the context of those compliances.

Taking note of the submissions, the Apex Court bench issued directions for the issuance of enrolment numbers to 49 PG students, restoration of access to the NMC portal and acceptance of the institute's disclosure reports. It also directed the University to issue Consent of Affiliation to HIMSR in respect of 150 UG seats and 49 PG seats for the academic year 2026-2027, and mentioned that in the alternative, deemed Consent of Affiliation be granted to Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in respect of 150 UG Seats and 49 PG seats for the academic year 2026-2027

"The pendency of this Special Leave Petition would not come in the way of the High Court adjudicating the Writ Petition(s) pending before it. The Writ Petition(s) shall be disposed of as expeditiously as possible," the top court bench clarified.

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/2026/06/02/jamia-hamdard-351445.pdf

RGUHS won’t call for new nursing college applications this year

RGUHS won’t call for new nursing college applications this year

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 27.05.2026

Bengaluru : Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has decided not to invite new applications for nursing colleges for academic year 2026-27. However, the university will process the pending 130 applications for new colleges filed for 2025-26.

Last year, the file for 130 nursing colleges was not processed. Of these, around 70 colleges are likely to be eligible. These applications will have to be checked by various bodies like academic council and senate before the final decision. No new applications will be entertained, said RGUHS vicechancellor Bhagavan BC.

“The seat matrix for nursing seats has been sent. The new additions will be sent separately once approved. As there is still time for CET counselling, we should be able to send them in time.” Last year, 671 colleges offered 34,050 seats through Karnataka Examinations Authority. In 2024, 652 colleges gave away 24,642 seats.

ICC nets 20 medical students for exam malpractice

LAST MONTH STORY

ICC nets 20 medical students for exam malpractice

The Hans India Update: 2026-04-29 07:58 IST

Vijayawada: The high-tech surveillance system at Dr NTR University of Health Sciences is proving highly effective in curbing exam irregularities.

A total of 20 medical students—including those from MBBS, PG, Dental, and AYUSH streams—have been caught red-handed for malpractice via the newly established ‘Integrated Command Control’ (ICC) centre. The ICC, launched in January to enhance transparency, utilises specialised cameras to monitor student movements across exam halls state-wide. While several students successfully bypassed initial frisking to smuggle in paper slips, Android phones, and smart-watches, they were ultimately detected by the centralised monitoring team in Vijayawada.

Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav conducted a performance review of the Command Control system with vice-chancellor

Dr Chandrasekhar, registrar Sai Sudheer, and controller of examinations Srikanth. The minister was informed that since exams began on the April 2, 14 male and six female students have been apprehended.

“Medical education is a vital field,” minister Satya Kumar said. “Justice is only served to meritorious students when exams are conducted with total transparency. There must be no compromise on this front.”

The university’s control room is connected to 540 cameras installed across 28 Medical, 9 Dental, and 7 AYUSH colleges in Andhra Pradesh.

When staff in Vijayawada spots suspicious activity, they immediately alert on-site university observers who then conduct physical inspections.

According to CoE Srikanth, the breakdown of the 20 cases includes 16 cases involving paper slips, two cases involving smartwatches, two cases involving mobile phones.

Registrar Sai Sudheer clarified that a special committee will review the severity of these cases, with the potential for students to be debarred for up to two years.

The surveillance also extended to exam staff.

The Command Control Room identified two invigilators at private medical colleges using cell phones while on duty, violating strict university protocols.

As a result, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Chandrasekhar announced that these individuals would be barred from all examination-related duties for a period of three years.

Satya Kumar directed officials to leverage these technological insights to further refine exam protocols and ensure complete integrity in future medical assessments.

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

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

Written By : Susmita Roy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesofindia.com 18.05.2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C JOSEPH VIJAY

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.

ACADEMICS PIN HOPES ON NEW GOVRNMENT

NMC lifts MBBS seat cap, relaxes medical college expansion norms

NMC lifts MBBS seat cap, relaxes medical college expansion norms 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 04.05.2026

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

HC bins RGUHS move to exclude senate members from panel

HC bins RGUHS move to exclude senate members from panel 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  03.05.2026

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

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

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

750 MP engg seats remained unfilled last yr, 66 colleges closed down

750 MP engg seats remained unfilled last yr, 66 colleges closed down 

Bhopal : 30.04.2026

In what points to a sorry state of affairs and a potential existential crisis for engineering education in Madhya Pradesh, as many as 750 seats remained unclaimed across the state in the last year alone while 66 engineering institutions closed down over the last ten years, official numbers with the technical education dept have revealed, reports Ramendra Singh . 

Marked by plummeting placements and waning interest in traditional engineering branches, colleges are being forced to surrender seats or shut down entirely, pointing to a shift toward employability over volume. As per the dept, 138 colleges offer 74,722 seats, a sharp decline from 200 colleges and 95,000 seats in 2015-16