‘No salary discrimination must be there between clinical & non-clinical branch residents’

No salary discrimination must be there between clinical & non-clinical branch residents’ 

04.11.2026. TIMES CHENNAI

The report was filed after detailed deliberations and consideration of suggestions made by senior advocate Maninder Singh, who is assisting Supreme Court as amicus curiae. 

“NMC is in process of issuing new regulations, which are yet to be finalised wherein only rank-based system for NEET PG & SS counselling will be adopted; no percentile marks will be declared in results; only ranks will be given to the candidates. 

A letter dated Oct 1 has been written by secretary, NMC to DGHS informing proposal for changing the existing percentile-based system to a rank-based merit system for NEET-PG and NEET-SS which is under consideration by the commission. 

The commission has accorded in-principle approval for the proposed change with a view to address the issues arising from the existing system,” the report said. On reduction of the minimum qualification, the report said, “The sanctity of NEET examinations should be maintained and minimum qualifying standards in postgraduate medical education is not diluted to the extent of permitting candidates with grossly inadequate or negative performance to become eligible for admission”. 

It also suggested that there should be no salary discrimination between residents of clinical and non-clinical branches and incentives should be provided to doctors to work in rural areas. SC is examining various petitions challenging Centre’s decision to drastically reduce the qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025. Under the revised criteria, the qualifying score for general category was reduced from 276 to 103, while that for the SC/ST/OBC categories was brought down from 235 to -40.

TN & Pondy account for 93% of vacant MBBS seats; 97% in self-financed quota ‘Colleges Must Reduce Fees To Fill Vacancies’

TN & Pondy account for 93% of vacant MBBS seats; 97% in self-financed quota ‘Colleges Must Reduce Fees To Fill Vacancies’

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com  04.11.2026

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry account for nearly 93% of the 946 MBBS seats listed in the special stray vacancy round of NEET-UG counselling 2026. The state and Union territory together have 875 vacancies, with Tamil Nadu accounting for 688 and Puducherry, 187. 

Of the 946 vacancies, 920 (over 97%) are under the self-financed merit seat quota, with just 26 falling under other categories, including all India, open seat, Delhi University and nonresident Indian quotas. 

Karnataka has 25 vacancies and Maharashtra, 13; followed by Telangana, 5; Gujarat, 4; Bihar, Uttarakhand and West Bengal (3 each), and five other states with two vacancies each. 

Goa, Haryana, Keralam, Meghalaya and Sikkim have one vacancy each. 

A senior official in health ministry told TOI that high fees were the main reason for the vacancies, with students from north India also reluctant to travel to the South because of language and cultural differences. “The South has a longer history of medical education and more established medical colleges, while many institutions in the North have come up in recent years.

With the number of seats rising, particularly in private colleges, and govt options also expanding, students are increasingly unwilling to take up expensive private seats. Colleges are now offering fee concessions, in some cases of 40-50%. Rather than lowering MBBS qualifying percentile, colleges should reduce fees to fill vacant seats,” the official said. 

The official also recalled an earlier advisory asking private medical colleges to charge govt rates for 50% of their seats but said it could not be implemented as the matter went to court. Just a few colleges account for a large share of the vacancies. 

Tamil Nadu’s Shri Sathya Sai Medical College has 188 seats, followed by Meenakshi Medical College with 117. In Puducherry, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College has 95 and Sri Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences 88, while Tamil Nadu’s Sree Balaji Medical College has 82 vacancies.  

The fifth round of BDS counselling has 207 vacancies, led by Maharashtra, 54; Karnataka, 27, and Tamil Nadu, 25. Of these, 112 are under the all India quota and 71 under the NRI quota, while 11 are self-financed merit seats. The official attributed the vacancies to limited job prospects and a rapid expansion of dental colleges. 

Many students view BDS as a basic degree and opt for an MBA or hospital management course instead, the official said, adding that some colleges struggle to fill even half their seats. The BDS qualifying percentile was lowered once around three to four years ago, but no similar relaxation has been made for MBBS. 

The matrix also lists 66 BSc Nursing vacancies, including 38 in Delhi, 17 in Karnataka and 11 in Uttar Pradesh. This takes the total number of vacancies across MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing courses to 1,219.

NMC weighs five-year rotation of HoDs after stakeholder feedback

NMC weighs five-year rotation of HoDs after stakeholder feedback

TNN | Oct 24, 2026, 07.43 PM IST

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) is considering a revised proposal to rotate heads of departments (HoDs) in medical colleges every five years, instead of the three-year tenure proposed earlier, following feedback from stakeholders.

Under the revised proposal, rotation would be restricted to professors, rather than including both professors and eligible associate professors as envisaged in the draft amendment published in May 2025, M K Ramesh, president of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), told TOI.

Ramesh said the commission had received substantial feedback on the earlier proposal and that valid points raised by stakeholders would be considered. Suggestions included rotation periods of five or 10 years, as well as doing away with mandatory rotation altogether.

The original draft amendment to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, proposed rotating the HoD post every three years among eligible professors and associate professors, based on seniority. Nearly a year and a half after the draft was published, the proposal remains unresolved.

Ramesh said the proposal would need to be taken up afresh and that the revised draft would be moved shortly. Once initiated, the process would be completed within six weeks, he said.

He did not confirm whether the NMC would invite stakeholders to comment again on the revised proposal or take a decision based on the feedback already received.

The delay had also prompted an RTI application by Dr A N Dattatri, professor and head of the department of pharmacology at Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute, Hubballi, seeking the PGMEB’s detailed note on stakeholder feedback and its views on the proposal. In a reply dated September 16, 2026, the board said the matter was under consideration and declined to disclose the information, citing Section 8(1)(i) of the RTI Act.

The proposed change could affect how leadership positions are assigned in medical college departments. The five-year rotation plan remains a proposal and has not yet been formally notified.

3 lakh deposit must for fresh MBBS, BDS intake

3 lakh deposit must for fresh MBBS, BDS intake 

03.11.2026 TIMES AHAMEDABAD

Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC) has announced an additional admission round to fill vacant MBBS and BDS seats after the admission deadline was extended to Nov 15. 

Students wishing to participate in the new round will have to deposit Rs 3 lakh with the admission committee. Only those who make the mandatory deposit will be eligible for seat allotment. For the first time, a significant number of medical and dental seats have remained vacant even after completion of the regular admission process. With similar vacancies reported in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other states, the demand for an extension of the admission deadline was raised before the central admission authorities. 

Under the state quota, 56 MBBS and 32 BDS seats will be filled through the additional round. The vacant seats include seven at NHL Municipal Medical College, 18 management quota seats at Namo Medical College and nine seats at Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, including eight ST and one SE category seat. Bhagoday Medical College, Kadi, also has three vacant management quota seats. In the dental stream, 32 seats are vacant across 16 colleges, with Ahmedabad Dental College reporting the highest number of vacancies at six. Eligible candidates have been instructed to complete choice filling by Nov 4. 

Students who are allotted seats but decline admission will forfeit the Rs 3 lakh deposit and will have to pay a Rs 10,000 penalty. Candidates who confirmed the allotted seats in a previous round are not eligible. Those allotted seats in the fourth round but who did not confirm their admission are also barred from participating

At least 2K MBBS seats vacant, regn from Nov 2

At least 2K MBBS seats vacant, regn from Nov 2 

Chennai: With at least 2,000 MBBS seats remaining vacant, Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will hold a special stray vacancy round for MBBS admissions and a fifth round for BDS and BSc Nursing, as part of NEET-UG counselling 2026. 

Registration opens on Nov 2. Candidates can register and pay fees from 10am on Nov 2 until 6 pm on Nov 4. Registration closes at 3pm on Nov 4, according to the schedule issued under Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 

Choice filling will run from Nov 2 to 11am on Nov 5. Choice locking will be available from 4pm on Nov 4 until 11am on Nov 5, as per server time. MCC will process seat allotment on Nov 5 and 6 and publish the result on Nov 7. Allotted candidates must report at their colleges between Nov 7 and 16. The reporting deadline on the last day is 5pm, as per server time. The whole round runs for about two weeks, from registration to the end of reporting. Times News Network nov 4 deadline

Gen med tops NEET-PG choices among first 100

Gen med tops NEET-PG choices among first 100 

28.10.2026 TIMES AHAMEDABAD 

New Delhi: General medicine accounted for more allotments than radiodiagnosis among top entries in the first round of NEET-PG 2026 counselling, highlighting the competing career attractions of the two sought-after PG specialties, reports Anuja Jaiswal. 

An analysis of Medical Counselling Committee’s Round 1 allotment list shows 51 allotments in general medicine as against 28 in radiodiagnosis among the first 100 entries. 

Dermatology was a distant third with six allotments, while paediatrics and general surgery had three each. Doctors say the choices reflect different career priorities. Radiology attracts candidates because of its good work-life balance

TN yet to release PG medical rank list even as nat’l counselling moves ahead

TN yet to release PG medical rank list even as nat’l counselling moves ahead 

28.10.2026 TIMES CHENNAI

Chennai: The state selection committee has not yet published the provisional rank list for postgraduate medical degree and diploma admissions, although the Centre’s Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has completed the first round of all-India counselling. MCC completed Round 1 on Oct 24, and candidates have until Nov 2 to join their allotted colleges. 

States were scheduled to hold their first round between Oct 21 and Nov 2, with Nov 10 as the last date for joining. NEET PG 2026 was held on Aug 30, and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences declared the results on Sept 24. 

The state committee has published the prospectus and closed applications for PG degree and diploma courses. “We are scrutinising more than 12,000 applications. Every application is verified. The grievance portal is now open for correction and reverification. The rank list will be released once this process is complete. It will take a few days,” said selection committee secretary Dr V Lokanayaki. 

If the rank list is released on Oct 29, candidates will have a few days to lock their options on the portal, and the process will be completed by Nov 2, officials said. The delay has left candidates uncertain. Those with all-India seats must decide whether to join before they know their state rank. “In PG, there is preference for course and institution. Candidates need time to decide what they want to choose because the course decides what they will do for the rest of their lives,” said a govt doctor waiting for admission.

191 MBBS seats vacant after record 7 counselling rounds

191 MBBS seats vacant after record 7 counselling rounds 

Colleges Reduce Fees; State Seeks Relaxation In Eligibility

Sruthysusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 27.10.2026

Bengaluru: In a first in the past five years, as many as 191 seats in Karnataka’s medical colleges have remained vacant, with counselling drawing to a close Monday night. Not a single medical seat was vacant in Karnataka in the past five years. This year, all BDS seats have been filled. 

Multiple efforts have been simultaneously launched in a bid to fill these management seats. The directorate of medical education (DME) has written to National Medical Commission to lower the entry barrier so that candidates get a chance to pick a seat; colleges are offering deep discounts to sweeten the deal; and Karnataka Examinations Authority has called for a last-minute round, asking students to enter options by 5pm and report to colleges by 6pm. 

With this, seven rounds of counselling were conducted. After the second stray vacancy round Sunday, a total of 273 medical seats remained vacant. KEA conducted two different rounds Monday, where 84 medical seats were allotted. In the morning round, 62 medical and six dental seats were allotted. In the evening round, 22 medical and five dental seats were allotted, he said. 

In recent years, “this is the first time that allotments have been carried out across so many rounds”, said KEA executive director H Prasanna. “If Medical Counselling Committee grants further permission to fill the remaining vacant seats, KEA will conduct additional rounds of counselling and allot the seats accordingly,” he added. 

An often-overlooked key factor for sluggish uptake is that NRI quota was introduced in govt colleges last year. Fees in govt colleges are way cheaper than in private colleges. Karnataka has the highest number of MBBS seats in the country, with 15,395 on offer.

In 2024, there were 9,282 seats in 65 colleges. In 2025, it rose to 10,559 in 66 colleges. With the govt planning to establish one medical college in every district, there are high chances the state will add more seats in the near future. 

Sujatha Rathod, director of medical education, said the cut-off percentile now is 50. “We’ve requested NMC to pare the percentile by a few points so that more students could make the  cut,” she said, adding they sent a letter in this regard on Thursday.

Every seat unfilled is lakhs of revenue lost. Many colleges are now offering seats for about Rs 80 lakh for 4.5 years, including hostel fees, much lower than what’s communicated to KEA at the beginning of admissions. Also, govt colleges offer NRI seats at Rs 25 lakh per annum. “It’s clear a large number of management seats would go vacant this year unless qualifying cutoff marks are lowered,” said Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje, founder, National Pre University Students, Parents and Teachers Association. “Medical colleges run on NRI fees. It makes up for subsidised fees of the other categories. It is important for colleges to have this category filled up,” said the owner of a medical college. 

While many seats came into the pool late, high fees for management quota is a deterrent. “Also, this generation is very particular about colleges they pick and they usually go by popular opinion,” added the DME. NRI quota in govt colleges is a story in itself. For instance, some 105 seats in 14 colleges are available at Rs 25 lakh per annum against nearly Rs 40 lakh per annum in private institutes. 

The NRI fee at MS Ramaiah Medical College, Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, and Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research is prohibitively high. Some 24 lakh write entrance test for 1.4 lakh seats. “While the cream gets government seats, the rest of the students cannot afford a management-quota seat,” said Bhagavan BC, vice chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, the umbrella university for all medical-related programmes. “We’ve no control over the management-quota free matrix. At best, we’ve been recommending private colleges to reduce fees,” he added. 

All MBBS seats allotted in state counselling stray round

All MBBS seats allotted in state counselling stray round 

24.10.2026 TIMES CHENNAI

Chennai: The state selection committee allotted every MBBS seat under its counselling process by the end of the stray round. This is in sharp contrast to central counselling, which left more than 800 seats in deemed universities unfilled. While annual fees of up to 35 lakh kept students away from deemed universities, a late fee cut helped one private university fill more than 100 seats in the state’s final round. 

The state’s stray round opened with 311 MBBS seats. The allotment list published on Thursday showed that the committee had allotted every seat based on NEET merit and reservation rules. In BDS, 49 seats remained vacant, none in govt colleges. 

Officials in the committee say most students who opt for seats in the stray round take them as penalties are high. Closing ranks showed that in govt colleges, admissions reached further down the state merit list in the open, BC and BCM categories, even though the corresponding NEET scores rose. “This was because more students got into govt medical colleges this year. The state added 150 seats to its seat matrix,” an official said. MBC, SC, SCA and ST categories, however, closed at better ranks than last year. In self-financing colleges, where annual tuition for govt-quota students is up to 4.50 lakh, open-category, BC and MBC admission ranks rose marginally, while BCM showed a larger shift. SC, SCA and ST admissions closed at better ranks. 

The largest shifts came in private universities. At Sri Venkateswaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, the prescribed annual tuition for govt-quota students was 5.40 lakh, but the institution said that it would charge 20 lakh, said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. “Fee is one of the key factors in admissions,” he said. “After three rounds, the college had more than 130 vacant seats. It reduced tuition to 7.40 lakh for govt quota seats and 16.40 lakh for management-quota seats. All seats were allotted.” Times News Network

FMG interns detained after protest for equal stipends

FMG interns detained after protest for equal stipends

23.10.2026

Sakshat.Tornekar@timesofindia.com  TIMES HYDERABAD 

Hyderabad: Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) interning at govt general hospitals in Telangana were allegedly detained by Hyderabad police during a protest outside the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) office in Koti on Thursday. The protesters were demanding stipend parity with Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs). A Sultan Bazaar police officer said around 91 protesters were taken into preventive custody at 3 pm and released at around 7 pm. 

Police said the protesters were taken to the Malakpet, Dabeerpura and Chikkadpally police stations. The action was taken because “protests were not permitted outside the DME office,” the officer said. “We have been asking for equal pay for equal work, but nobody is willing to meet us. The DME is avoiding us, and neither the health secretary nor the health minister has agreed to meet us. We have not received any written assurance so far,” said Suhas Mareedu, 27, an FMG intern who studied medicine in Jamaica. 

The protesting doctors cited a National Medical Commission (NMC) public notice dated Nov 22, 2023, in support of their demand for stipend parity. The notice provides for stipends on a par with those of IMGs for specified categories of FMGs, including students who completed their medical education in Ukraine. However, the applicability of these provisions to the protesting doctors, including those who graduated from other countries, remains to be clarified. 

The FMGs said they had been raising the issue for nearly a month after informing the DME of their proposed protest on Sept 23. They had earlier staged demonstrations at Dharna Chowk, People’s Plaza and the Telangana State Medical Council office before gathering outside the DME office on Thursday

Denotification of rules won’t dilute med edu standards: NMC

Denotification of rules won’t dilute med edu standards: NMC 

23.10.2026

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has said that the denotification of the 2023 medical standards regulations was done only as a “measure of regulatory rationalisation intended to remove overlapping procedures” and that it would not “in any manner, dilute the prescribed standards of medical education or the regulatory oversight exercised by NMC”. 

It said that under the NMC Act, undergraduate and post-graduate medical education boards were primarily entrusted with prescribing academic standards, while the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) was empowered to initiate “appropriate regulatory measures against institutions found deficient”. 

The 2023 regulations created a “parallel mechanism” and the NMC decided after “judicial observations and a detailed examination of the statutory framework” to “remove this duplication”. “NMC remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of medical education while ensuring that regulation is transparent, effective and free from unnecessary duplication,” it said. tnn

Sky-high fees leave 836 MBBS seats empty in final counselling round

Sky-high fees leave 836 MBBS seats empty in final counselling round

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 21.10.2026

Chennai: Deemed universities in TN and Puducherry priced out 824 of their MBBS seats, which stayed empty in final round of all-India counselling. With annual fee ranging from 23 lakh to 35 lakh, these seats went unfilled although 11 lakh candidates cleared NEET-2026 qualifying cut-off. The seats will stay vacant as the admission process is over. Unless, of course, the govt decides to allow a mop-up round. Medical Counselling Committee holds counselling for 15% of seats in state govt medical colleges and for all seats in central institutions and deemed universities. 

This year, its stray round opened with 3,426 MBBS vacancies, including 1,171 all-India quota seats. Of these, 837 went unallotted. One is at AIIMS Madurai, and 12 are at Chettinad Institute in Kolar, Karnataka. The remaining 824 are in 14 deemed universities in TN and Puducherry. 

Four colleges, each with 250 MBBS seats, account for most empty seats. Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai tops with 188 vacant — 75%. Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute in Kancheepuram has 117 (47%), Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry has 92 (37%), and Sree Balaji Medical College, Chromepet has 82 (33%). SRM Medical College and Research Institute, Saveetha Medical College and Chettinad Medical College & Research Institute also have vacancies. 

Deemed universities in TN and Puducherry charge 23 lakh to 35L a year. Elsewhere in India, the average is 22.68L. In Maharashtra’s deemed universities, where all seats are filled, the average fee is 24.58 lakh. 

In Karnataka’s, it is 20.85 lakh. Over a 4.5-year course, the gap between TN and Puducherry and rest of India comes to about 21L, consultants say. “Fee-hungry institutions must take the blame,” said DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson. “It’s time Union ministry caps fees on deemed universities. Their fees range from 18 lakh to 35 lakh across India. Without a cap on tuition, institutions raise fees every year. It’s profiteering.” Some high-fee colleges managed to fill their seats, but their closing ranks fell sharply. 

At Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, the cut-off rank dropped from 7.3 lakh to 10.68 lakh. “Seats in this college usually fill by the third round. This year, students with minimum scores got in at the stray round. Those with better marks haven’t opted  because they can’t pay this fee. It defeats the spirit of NEET,” said Manickavel Arumugam, who counsels students on medical admissions.

NMC withdraws medical education regulations: What colleges need to know

NMC withdraws medical education regulations: What colleges need to know

The NMC has withdrawn its 2023 medical education standards regulations with immediate effect, retaining mandatory Annual Disclosure Reports.

Existing approvals remain valid, while pending and fresh cases will follow the applicable legal framework.

NMC medical education rules: Commission scraps 2023 regulations, ADR filing remains mandatory

By:India Today Education Desk

New Delhi,Oct 18, 2026 15:30 IST

The National Medical Commission, NMC, has scrapped its 2023 regulations on maintaining standards in medical education, but medical colleges will still have to file Annual Disclosure Reports (ADRs) as required by law.

The decision was announced in a notification dated October 14 and published in the Gazette of India. The regulations, which came into force following their notification on September 19, 2023, and publication in the official gazette on September 21, 2023, have now been withdrawn with immediate effect.

Issued under Sections 10, 24, 25 and 57 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the notification also explains how existing approvals, legal obligations and pending regulatory matters will be handled following the withdrawal.

NMC WITHDRAWS 2023 RULES: WHAT DOES THE NOTIFICATION SAY?

The commission has not specified a separate reason for withdrawing the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023.

However, the notification makes clear that the decision will not retrospectively cancel actions taken while the regulations were in force. Approvals, renewals, orders, decisions and directions issued under the earlier framework will continue to remain valid.

Similarly, rights and privileges already acquired, along with obligations and liabilities incurred before the withdrawal, will not automatically cease to exist. These provisions establish that the removal of the regulations does not, by itself, reverse earlier regulatory decisions or extinguish existing legal responsibilities.

Despite the withdrawal, medical colleges and other medical institutions must continue submitting Annual Disclosure Reports under the applicable legal framework.

"The requirement of furnishing the Annual Disclosure Report (ADR) shall continue to operate in accordance with Section 24(i) and 25(h) of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and the regulations applicable from time to time," the notification stated.

ADRs form part of the statutory disclosure requirements applicable to medical institutions. The latest notification does not exempt colleges from these obligations. Institutions must therefore continue to follow the reporting requirements prescribed under the provisions currently in force.

For medical colleges, this means that the withdrawal of the 2023 regulations should not be interpreted as the end of their mandatory disclosure responsibilities.

HOW WILL PENDING NMC CASES AND APPLICATIONS BE HANDLED?

The notification also sets out how regulatory matters already underway will be treated.

Applications, appeals, inquiries, proceedings and other pending matters may continue to be dealt with under the withdrawn 2023 regulations, wherever applicable and in accordance with the conditions specified in the notification.

Matters arising after the date of withdrawal, meanwhile, will be governed by the NMC Act, 2019, and the statutory or regulatory provisions applicable at the time.

The distinction provides continuity for certain matters initiated under the earlier rules while establishing the legal framework for cases arising after their withdrawal.

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Medical institutions with pending applications or proceedings will need to refer to the notification and the relevant provisions to determine how their individual cases are affected.

WHAT MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS NEED TO KNOW

The withdrawal changes the regulatory framework under which medical education standards were governed, but it does not automatically invalidate earlier approvals or remove existing statutory obligations.

Medical colleges must continue filing Annual Disclosure Reports and comply with the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to them. The status of pending cases will depend on the transitional provisions set out in the NMC notification.

The National Medical Commission is the statutory authority responsible for regulating medical education and the medical profession in India. Its latest notification clarifies the consequences of withdrawing the 2023 regulations while preserving the treatment of specified earlier decisions and pending matters.

(With inputs from PTI)

Why MBBS seats under ‘freedom fighter’quota, 79 years after independence?

Why MBBS seats under ‘freedom fighter’quota, 79 years after independence? With Fake Certificates, An Adoption Claim & One Beneficiary Born In 2008, The Question Is No Longer JustWho Qualifies But How Long The Quota Can Continue | Vyapam Whistleblower Seeks A Six-Year Audit 

P.Naveen@timesofindia.com 10.10.2026 TOI BHOPAL

Bhopal: Seventy-nine years after Independence, Madhya Pradesh’s 3% freedom fighter quota for medical admissions is under scrutiny. Seven certificates were reportedly found fake during the 2025 MBBS/BDS counselling, and the admissions were cancelled. The admission rules provide for eligible sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters of recognised freedom fighters, subject to prescribed documentation. The freedom fighter must be registered in the Collectorate concerned, and the prescribed certificate has to be issued by the competent authority. The provisions available do not expressly extend the benefit to great-grandchildren or later generations. Yet one beneficiary’s date of birth is listed as 2008, 61 years after Independence. Age alone does not establish ineligibility or wrongdoing, but the case has brought the verification process under the scanner. 

Of the seven certificates found fake among candidates admitted in the first round of counselling, six were for MBBS and one for BDS. The category had 66 seats, of which 36 were allotted and 22 candidates took admission. Authorities also sought verification of other certificates after a suspicious document surfaced. The issue has also reached the criminal justice system. Shivpuri police registered an FIR on Dec 31, 2025, after a freedom fighter certificate submitted during the first round of NEETUG 2025-26 counselling came under scrutiny. 

The aspirant had sought admission under the category at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Medical College, Shivpuri. The college sought verification from the Collector, Chhatarpur, and the FIR alleges that the certificate was fake. The case has been registered under sections 318(4), 338, 336(3) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. In another instance, a student has secured an MBBS seat by claiming his father had been ‘adopted’ by a freedom fighter. The certificate was reportedly verified by Gwalior authorities. However, the available provisions do not expressly clarify whether a candidate  can claim the benefit through an adopted parent or whether a biological relationship is required. 

The question is whether a legally valid adoption makes the candidate a grandson of the freedom fighter for the purposes of the quota. The courts have repeatedly stressed the need for documentary proof of both the freedom fighter’s status and the claimant’s relationship. In Krati vs State of Madhya Pradesh, MP high court had rejected a claim based on a grandfather after finding that the material produced did not establish the required Freedom Fighter status and that the prescribed Madhya Pradesh certification was not available. In Kushal Saxena vs State of Madhya Pradesh, the court had rejected a claim based on a grandfather registered as a freedom fighter in Uttar Pradesh, even though the candidate himself was a resident of MP. 

The cases show that residence, a claimed family relationship or a certificate from another authority cannot by themselves establish entitlement to the MP quota. The original freedom fighter record and the prescribed chain of relationship have to satisfy the applicable rules. 

Whistleblower seeks six-year audit: Vyapam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai has sought details of certificates and admissions for the past six years, saying the entire system needs to be examined. “How is this possible? Many more would come saying their fathers were adopted by freedom fighters. It’s a scam which needs investigation,” Rai said. He said govt should conduct a comprehensive audit instead of examining cases individually. He has sought district-wise information on freedom fighter certificates and medical admissions, including the candidates who used the certificates, the relationship claimed with the original freedom fighter, certificates rejected during verification, certificates later cancelled and cases referred to police. The data, he said, should be matched with original Collectorate registers, freedom fighter records and pension records. Such a comparison would establish whether the family relationship claimed at the time of admission existed in the original govt records or was added or established later. 

The audit could also show whether the adoption-based claim and the 2008 case are isolated instances or whether wider weaknesses exist in the verification system. Govt review: MP’s Director of Medical Education Dr Aruna Kumar said govt was considering the category. “The govt is thinking over the freedom fighters category. A  decision will be taken once the current admission season is over,” she said. Asked how these certificates are verified, she said, “We don’t do that; it’s up to the deans to verify it.” Why the age pattern calls for a probe: The numbers alone do not prove wrongdoing, but they raise questions that only a probe can answer, says Dr Anand Rai. A person who took part in the freedom movement by 1947 was most likely born between the 1900s and the 1920s. Their children would typically have been born between the 1930s and the 1960s, and their grandchildren between the 1960s and the 1990s. 

A candidate sitting NEET in 2025 is usually 17 to 25 years old, born roughly between 2000 and 2008. On this count, most such candidates would be great-grandchildren, a generation the rules do not expressly cover. A grandchild born around 2008 would require a freedom fighter born in the 1920s, whose child was born in the 1960s or later, and whose own child arrived in the mid-2000s. That chain is possible, but stretched. It cannot be settled by looking at a certificate alone. Only the original Collectorate registers, freedom fighter records, pension files and family documents can show whether each link in the chain existed in the govt’s own records or was added later. 

“That is why a probe is needed. It would establish whether the 2008 case is a rare exception, since late fatherhood, large age gaps and adoptions can all produce long generational gaps, or whether claims that look improbable on a generational count have been passing verification year after year. If the probe finds the chains hold, the system is cleared. If it finds gaps, the question of which eligible candidates lost seats follows,” asks Dr Rai.

Service postgraduates get temporary postings without counselling

Service postgraduates get temporary postings without counselling

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI  08.10.2026

Nearly 800-odd service postgraduates (PG), who completed MD/MS, have been given temporary postings in Tamil Nadu without counselling or following seniority.

Government doctors said this was a departure from the practice followed in the past few years, when vacancy lists were notified and counselling was held for posting service PGs. However, health officials said the temporary postings were made only for salary purposes. On October 5, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and Research issued orders temporarily assigning service PGs to posts in government medical college hospitals/affiliated institutions under the DME, and to institutions under the Directorates of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) and Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine.

However, the posts and institutions were not specified for those assigned to DMS and DPH institutions.

The communication said transfer counselling for service PGs would be scheduled later and prior information would be given. The move has, however, caused concern among a section of doctors.

“Usually, vacancies in DME and DMS institutions are notified in advance when service PGs near course completion. Transparent counselling is held and postings are based on Civil Medical List (CML) seniority. This year, all of a sudden, the DME issued temporary postings without notifying vacancies or counselling. CML seniority has also not been followed, with juniors posted in DME institutions while seniors have been posted in DMS institutions,” a doctor said.

Doctors said the temporary postings and delay in transfer counselling could affect salary disbursement as it usually takes four to five months for doctors to receive their first month salary at the initial place of posting.

Some doctors recalled a similar situation in 2019, when temporary postings were issued for service PGs without a regular counselling process. They said it took nearly three years to obtain posts on the basis of CML seniority.

The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) has objected to the move.

Its president, P. Saminathan, said even temporary postings should be made through counselling while maintaining CML seniority.

“This is not about 10 or 15 doctors but a massive number of 800-odd service PGs. CML seniority has not been maintained”, he said.

Junior doctors have been posted to DME institutions, while doctors who are senior as per CML have been posted to DMS and DPH institutions. This will lead to complications in promotion counselling for associate professors in the future,” he said.

A senior health official, however, said that the temporary postings were issued only for salary purposes. DME officials said the arrangement was temporary, for a month or two, until regular counselling is conducted after transfer counselling of assistant professors.

Students get 20L fee shock after counselling allotment at city univ

Students get 20L fee shock after counselling allotment at city univ

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 06.10.2026

Chennai: Students allotted govt-quota seats on merit at Sri Venkateswaraa University said they were asked to pay an annual fee of 20 lakh, more than three times the 6.4 lakh fee published before the first round of seat allotment. Admissions to medical colleges in the state — govt-quota seats in govt colleges and all seats in self-financing colleges and state private universities — are conducted by the state selection committee through single-window counselling, based on NEET merit and reservation rules.

Private universities and self-financing colleges surrender 50%-65% of their seats for admission under the govt quota. Under the present structure, annual MBBS tuition, fixed by the fee committee, ranges from about 4.35 lakh to 5.40 lakh for govt-quota seats in self-financing colleges and state private universities. For management-quota seats, annual fees range from 15 lakh to 16.20 lakh. Before the first round of counselling in the second week of Aug, the selection committee listed Sri Venkateswaraa University’s total fee at 6.4 lakh, with an additional 2.25 lakh to 3.35 lakh for students opting for hostel accommodation. 

Students said they locked in their choices based on this amount. However, after students locked in their choices and before the first-round results were announced, the selection committee revised the fee structure to 11.5 lakh, excluding hostel charges. The university subsequently revised the fee twice on its website: to 21.9 lakh on Sept 30 and to 23.9 lakh on Monday. This is yet to be updated on the selection committee portal. 

In an advertisement announcing a uniform fee for govt and management-quota seats, the university said it was authorised, under a Supreme Court order in SLP No. 29551/2026 dated Sept 31, to collect 20 lakh as MBBS tuition from govt and management-quota students and 25 lakh from NRI-quota students for 2026-27, as fixed by its fee committee. 

Students admitted in the first two rounds were asked to pay the additional fee or opt for an upgrade and seek a seat in another college in subsequent rounds. “I joined this college because I could not afford fees in deemed universities. Now, the fee is on a par with them. I do not know if I will get a seat in round 3 or 4,” said a student. 

Several students said they had taken education loans based on the initially displayed fee. Banks had sanctioned loans for that amount and were unwilling to increase the limit after the revision, they said. Student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam said the selection committee must intervene. “It must either tell the college that the order cannot be implemented retrospectively or place students in colleges of their choice before the third round,” he said. He added that the Selection Committee’s webpage carried no mention of the revised fee. State health department officials said they were working with the legal team to move the Supreme Court.

‘Med college makes hostel stay mandatory, seeks extra 8.2L’

‘Med college makes hostel stay mandatory, seeks extra 8.2L’ 

29.09.2026

Chennai: Students allotted seats at private medical colleges in the state have written to Directorate of Medical Education, saying they were told after allotment that the MBBS programme was fully residential and would cost an extra 8.2 lakh. 

“We received complaints that students were asked to pay excess fees, including hostel charges. Complaints were forwarded to the fee committee for further action,” said selection committee secretary Dr V Lokanayaki. The fee fixation committee decides annual tuition fees for private institutions, excluding deemed universities. 

For 2026, MBBS tuition fees in private colleges range from 4.35 lakh to 5.4 lakh for govt-quota seats in self-financing colleges and state private universities, and from 15 lakh to 16.2 lakh for management seats. 

Parents said Kanyakumari Medical Mission Medical College and Research Centre made hostel accommodation compulsory while admissions were under way. “My niece chose this college because she can stay at my place. Her travel time will be just half an hour. Why should she stay at a hostel for 8.27 lakh? If they had informed us about this before counselling, we would not have opted for a seat here,” said S Sarala. 

The college, a constituent of St Joseph University, told parents that it has made it mandatory for MBBS students to stay in approved hostels for the four-and-a-half-year course and the one-year internship. Attempts to reach the college administration by TOI were unsuccessful. 

“Doctors at the college told parents the policy was intended to ensure academic continuity, clinical training, safety, and discipline. Parents were surprised by this decision when they came to pay the fees,” said student counsellor Manickavel Arumugam. 

The National Medical Commission said colleges cannot make hostel accommodation mandatory. Senior officials confirmed that while colleges must provide accommodation, students are not obliged to live on campus or pay hostel fees if they live elsewhere. 

“Complaints are filed every year. The selection committee forwards them to the fee committee, but no action is taken. Colleges then target students who complain. The selection committee must amend its rules to gain powers to act on complaints,” Arumugam said. 

Times News Network 

https://epaper.indiatimes.com/timesepaper/publication-the-times-of-india,city-chennai.cms 1/2 complaints received 29/09/2026, 06:03 

771 Gujarat MBBS-BDS allottees skip seats over fees

 771 Gujarat MBBS-BDS allottees skip seats over fees 

Many Eye Cheaper Alternatives Or Better Allotments 

Bharat.Yagnik@timesofindia.com 26.09.2026

Ahmedabad: For Meman Mohammad Shaikh, a resident of Salad village in Vadodara district, a confirmed admission at a private medical college came with a hefty price tag which his family could ill afford. The open-category candidate secured admission at Parul University, but the annual fee of about Rs 10 lakh made him abandon his long-held dream to study medicine. 

“My family cannot afford paying such exorbitant fees. I am now looking at a BHMS or BAMS course at another institute, where the annual fees of around Rs 2 lakh fit our budget,” said Meman, whose father runs a saree shop in Salad near Vadodara. 

“I have secured a government scholarship of about Rs 2 lakh and expect another Rs 2 lakh as financial assistance from my community. Despite this, my family will have to bear Rs 6 lakh for the first year itself and then Rs 10 lakh subsequently every year if I pursue the medical course,” he explains. 

Meman is among 771 students who were allotted MBBS or BDS seats in the first two rounds of Gujarat’s UG medical and dental counselling but have failed to confirm their admissions, according to data from the state Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC). 

“Students leaving confirmed seats in MBBS and BDS courses in such high numbers is unprecedented,” said a senior member of the medical admission committee. High fees have emerged as a key concern among students who are weighing whether to accept their allotted seats or wait for the next round, officials said. 

Several students said they were considering dental, pharmacy, Ayurveda and homeopathy courses where the fee burden is lower. Uday Karavadra, who scored 421 in NEET and was allotted a seat at SAL Medical College, Ahmedabad, also declined admission in MBBS. 

“The annual fee of Rs 11.68 lakh would have taken the five-year cost to nearly Rs 55 lakh. My father is a farmer and under no circumstances can we afford such a high fee,” he said. Karavadra is now considering studying Ayurveda.  

Representational pic High fees have emerged as a key concern among students who are weighing whether to accept their allotted seats or wait for the next round

Self-financing medical, dental college fee details released

Self-financing medical, dental college fee details released

The Hindu Bureau

Chennai. 16.08.2026

Tamil Nadu’s Selection Committee has put up the fee details of self-financing medical and dental colleges as a part of the ongoing counselling for MBBS/BDS courses, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive for mandatory pre-counselling disclosure of fees. It had directed that all private/deemed universities should mandatorily disclose their fees, detailing tuition, hostel, caution deposit, and miscellaneous charges.

Manickavel Arumugam, education counsellor, said: “It is a welcome move that the State Selection Committee has finally released the fee details for private colleges. This transparency is highly commendable and will empower students to make informed choices. However, the disclosure still lacks clarity in a few areas. It is not clearly mentioned whether certain components are one-time charges or recurring annual fees. For example, the ‘other fees’ of ₹1,77,500 listed by one institution does not specify if it is a one-time payment or a yearly requirement.”

Among State private universities, the hostel fee ranged from ₹1,10,000 to ₹3,25,000 per year. The fee structure in one of the institutions varies according to room type. The mess fee ranged from ₹10,000 to ₹18,000 per month. Some of these institutions also charged other fees such as development fee of ₹60,000, university fee of ₹40,000, examination fee of ₹30,000, and books/basic materials at ₹1,40,000 per year.

Among private medical colleges, the hostel fee ranged from ₹1,250 to ₹25,000 per month (depending on room type and monthly/yearly charges). The mess fee ranged from ₹9,000 to ₹22,500 per month, while it was lesser in one or two colleges.

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

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

 

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 11.08.2026

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

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

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

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

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