College ‘ran’ BEd course on paper for years

College ‘ran’ BEd course on paper for years 

20.09.2026

Bhopal: A private college in Jatkhedi has come under police scrutiny over alleged irregularities in its B.Ed course, with claims that the institution was not physically functioning for nearly a decade even as admissions, practicals, examinations and degree records were maintained every year. 

Bag Sewania police registered a case on Saturday on a complaint by Amin, a B.Ed student from Ashta, who said he enrolled in 2025 after being told the college was affiliated to Barkatullah University, was charged an excessive fee, shown another building as the premises and later told his admission was not cleared. A BU inquiry allegedly found the college non-functional. TNN

Biometric authentication must for LPG refills with subsidy

Biometric authentication must for LPG refills with subsidy

Atul.Mathur@timesofindia.com  20.09.2026

New Delhi: Govt has made biometric Aadhaar authentication mandatory for subsidised domestic LPG refills from Oct 1. The petroleum ministry said nearly 90% of consumers have already completed the authentication process. The remaining consumers can complete it at the time of delivery of the refill, at the dealer’s office or through oil companies’ mobile apps. Govt said biometric Aadhaar authentication ensures that subsidised LPG reaches only genuine and deserving households. 

“Linking each connection to the Aadhaar-authenticated consumer helps prevent diversion of subsidised domestic cylinders for commercial and industrial use, removes duplicate and ineligible connections, and makes subsidy delivery transparent and targeted,” the petroleum ministry said. 

To help consumers, video tutorials on completing self e-KYC are available on the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana portal. Of the over 30.5 crore active LPG consumers, 27.4 crore have completed biometric Aadhaar authentication. Under PMUY, eligible low-income households get subsidy on up to four cylinders every year

India will make 350 kmph bullet trains by 2030: Minister

India will make 350 kmph bullet trains by 2030: Minister 

They Will Match Japan’s E10 Series Trains 

Dipak.Dash@timesofindia.com 20.09.2026

The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSRC is expected to be ready by Dec 2030 New Delhi: 

India will manufacture indigenous high-speed or bullet trains with a design speed of 350 kmph (B35) by 2030, matching Japan’s next-generation E10 series trains that are scheduled for production the same year, according to the railway ministry’s Cabinet proposal seeking approval for the revised cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. 

Cabinet has approved the revised cost of the project at over Rs 2 lakh crore, nearly double the original estimate prepared in 2015, and the expenditure of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore escalated cost will come from budgetary support. 

TOI has learnt that the ministry informed the Cabinet it has initiated the process to develop B35 trains after the Japanese side conveyed in Dec 2024 that production of existing E5 series trains was being phased out. It mentions that Japan indicated that production of E10 trains would begin in 2030 and they would be ready for operations by 2034. 

Officials said deployment of E10 trains would be explored when they become available. The ministry has said that manufacturing of indigenous B28 high-speed trains has been taken up and India will also develop its own Bharat Train Control System (BTCS). The move mirrors China’s indigenous CTCS signalling and train control system, which manages speed, spacing and safety across conventional and high-speed rail networks.

As per the ministry, sharp increase in project cost from earlier Rs 1.1 lakh crore is largely due to a more than three-fold rise in land acquisition cost to about Rs 19,700 crore; a nearly 50% increase in infrastructure cost to over Rs 1 lakh crore, and around 100% escalation in spending on trains and signalling systems compared with the 2015 estimate. 

The current cost of the project, excluding future Japanese trains, works out to around Rs 399 crore per km. Initially, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor will operate with B28 trains having a design speed of 280 kmph, while their maximum operating speed will be “249 kmph”. BEML has received contracts to manufacture 32 B28 trains. Two prototype trains are expected to be ready for trial runs in the first quarter of 2027. BEML informed the BSE on Friday that it has received a separate Rs 5,400-crore contract to manufacture 15 additional B28 trains. The full 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor is targeted for completion by Dec 2030.

Andhra student falls to death at Rajkot univ hostel

Andhra student falls to death at Rajkot univ hostel 

20.09.2026

Rajkot: A second-year engineering student from Andhra Pradesh died after falling from the 10th floor of her hostel at Marwadi University in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Saturday morning. Police suspect it to be a suicide. 

The deceased, Sobarnika Venkatesh Alla, was pursuing a BTech degree in computer science and engineering with a specialisation in AI. According to police, the student fell around 10:30 am. Students, wardens and campus staff rushed to the spot after hearing the impact. 

Emergency medical services were called, but paramedics declared her dead at the scene. No suicide note was found in her room. Police have begun an investigation and are examining her phone records. 

DCP Hetal Patel said, “Her roommate told us that she had been shouting at somebody on the phone and suddenly jumped. We will know more after unlocking her phone and examining the call detail records.” The university’s deputy registrar, Varghese Nidheesh, said emergency assistance was sought immediately after the incident. The deceased’s cousin, who was in the city, was informed, and her family in Andhra Pradesh has also been notified. Investigators are recording statements from hostel residents and classmates as part of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death. tnn

3 fake freedom-fighter certificates put 300+ MBBS admissions under lens

3 fake freedom-fighter certificates put 300+ MBBS admissions under lens

Shivani.Azad@timesofindia.com  20.09.2026

Dehradun: Detection of three aspirants who allegedly submitted identical freedom-fighter credentials of their ancestors for MBBS admissions in govt colleges has prompted Uttarakhand to put its third round of NEET-UG counselling on hold. 

The issue has also prompted the authorities to verify documents afresh for nearly 350 past and existing MBBS students after mediaperson Pradeep Bahuguna furnished a list of students to health minister Subodh Uniyal, alleging that some may have used fake permanent residence and freedom-fighter dependent documents. 

While clarifying that he does not claim all certificates on the list are fake, Bahuguna alleged that available records raise strong suspicions. Meanwhile, officials of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Medical Education University announced on Saturday that the pause will allow for the verification of documents for all students admitted in the first and second rounds who availed benefits under any category or sub-category. 

The admissions of the three candidates were cancelled after Dehradun district magistrate rejected their freedom-fighter dependent certificates. A seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) is at present probing the fraudulent documents, and district magistrates across the state have been alerted regarding potential irregularities involving freedom-fighter, caste, domicile and EWS quota certificates.

Docs slam interview process for DME post

Docs slam interview process for DME post 

20.09.2026

Chennai: Admissions to UG medical and allied health studies are underway, and courses are now commencing at govt medical colleges across the state, but still the post of director of medical education, who holds administrative control of all medical colleges, has been lying vacant since July 31. 

While officials say selection is in progress, doctors ‘ bodies such as the Service Doctors and Postgraduate Doctors’Association, have objected to the health department’s interview-based process for selecting the next director. The association says the mandatory promotion panel was not published before the exercise. In a press release, the association general secretary Dr A Ramalingam said 10 medical college deans were interviewed for the post, which fell vacant after former DME Dr Suganthy Rajakumari retired in July. 

“Appointments in the department were usually made by preparing a promotion panel every year, based on the eligibility and seniority of doctors as on March 15. The panel would then be used to grant promotions and make appointments to senior administrative posts,” he said. The association urged the state govt to appoint an eligible senior doctor as DME on the basis of promotion panel. It also demanded that promotions to professor and associate professor posts be completed annually without delay. TNN

Masters in physiotherapy & occupational therapy not general degrees: UGC

Masters in physiotherapy & occupational therapy not general degrees: UGC 

20.09.2026

Chennai: University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that MPT (Master of Physiotherapy) and MOT (Master of Occupational Therapy) degrees should not be awarded as general degrees. 

“Based on a communication from National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), the degrees MPT and MOT shall be awarded with the respective specialisations and not as generalised ones. However, for admissions made prior to the academic year 2026-27, the degrees may be awarded in accordance with the earlier UGC notification,” said the notification issued by UGC secretary Shyama Rath on Sept 16 . 

The list of specialisations for MOT includes rehabilitation, mental health, geriatrics, hand and oncological sciences, while the specialisations for MPT includes neurosciences, cardiopulmonary sciences and sports sciences. It also includes new specified degrees such as bachelor of medical laboratory science, bachelor of emergency medical technologist (paramedics), master of advance care paramedics, bachelor of anaesthesia and operation theatre technology, bachelor of psychology, and master of medical social work. Times News Network