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The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh sees major boost in road infrastructure under CRIF: Nitin Gadkari
Andhra Pradesh's road network is set for a significant upgrade, with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announcing impressive progress and fresh approvals under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF). Responding in the Lok Sabha to a question from Eluru MP Putta Mahesh Kumar, the Union Minister revealed that over the past three years, including the current financial year, Andhra Pradesh had seen 20 State road projects completed, spanning 691 km at a cost of ₹535 crore. 'The momentum is far from over. Fifty-five more projects, covering 534 km, are currently underway in Andhra Pradesh with a sanctioned cost of ₹1,256 crore. These works promise to further strengthen connectivity across districts and ease travel for both commuters and freight movement,' he said. Looking ahead, the Centre approved 57 new projects under CRIF in the State. These would cover 718 km and involved a financial commitment of ₹1,928 crore, a move expected to create thousands of jobs and accelerate economic activity along key corridors. Mr. Gadkari emphasised that the CRIF operates under the provisions of the CRIF Act, 2000, ensuring that all States and Union Territories received their share of funds for the development and maintenance of vital road infrastructure. 'With sustained investment and coordinated planning, Andhra Pradesh is well on its way to achieving a world-class road network,' he noted.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Thousands of medical seats are going vacant: What's really wrong with MBBS admissions in India?
India has seen a substantial rise in MBBS seats, from 83,275 in 2020–21 to 1,15,900 in 2024–25, yet the number of unfilled undergraduate medical seats remains a concern. On August 1, data shared in the Lok Sabha by Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, confirmed that underutilisation of seats persists across medical colleges (excluding AIIMS and JIPMER), despite expanded capacity. The statistics were presented in response to an unstarred question raised by Telugu Desam Party MP Putta Mahesh Kumar and were sourced from the National Medical Commission (NMC). The highest number of vacancies was recorded in 2022–23 with 4,146 seats remaining unfilled. This number dropped to 2,959 in 2023–24 and further declined to 2,849 in the 2024–25 academic cycle. In 2021–22, 2,012 seats were vacant. Vacant UG Seats (Excluding AIIMS & JIPMER) 2021–22: 2,012 2022–23: 4,146 2023–24: 2,959 2024–25: 2,849 What's driving the expansion in MBBS seats? The government attributes the 39% increase in seats to three main factors: Opening of new medical colleges Improvements in faculty availability Strengthening of institutional infrastructure To ensure quality, the NMC has introduced the Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations, 2023, which prescribe benchmarks for infrastructure, clinical material, faculty, and facilities for establishing and maintaining medical colleges. Which states saw the biggest jump in seats? According to government data, states like Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat have added the most seats between 2020–21 and 2024–25. Smaller states and Union Territories have also seen increases. For instance: Arunachal Pradesh went from 50 to 100 seats Manipur from 225 to 525 Nagaland from 0 to 100 Meghalaya from 50 to 150 Full list of MBBS seat expansion by State/UT State/UT 2020–21 2024–25 Andaman & Nicobar 100 114 Andhra Pradesh 5,210 6,585 Arunachal Pradesh 50 100 Assam 1,050 1,700 Bihar 2,140 2,995 Chandigarh 150 150 Chhattisgarh 1,345 2,105 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 150 177 Delhi 1,422 1,346 Goa 180 200 Gujarat 5,700 7,000 Haryana 1,660 2,185 Himachal Pradesh 920 920 Jammu & Kashmir 1,135 1,385 Jharkhand 780 1,055 Karnataka 9,345 12,194 Kerala 4,105 4,705 Madhya Pradesh 3,585 4,900 Maharashtra 9,000 11,844 Manipur 225 525 Meghalaya 50 150 Mizoram 100 100 Nagaland 0 100 Odisha 1,950 2,675 Puducherry 1,530 1,873 Punjab 1,425 1,699 Rajasthan 4,200 6,279 Sikkim 50 150 Tamil Nadu 8,000 12,000 Telangana 5,240 8,915 Tripura 225 400 Uttar Pradesh 7,428 12,325 Uttarakhand 825 1,350 West Bengal 4,000 5,699 Why do MBBS seats continue to go unfilled? Despite the steady expansion in capacity, several systemic and structural factors contribute to the underutilisation of available undergraduate medical seats: High cost of private medical education: While government colleges remain highly sought-after, a large number of candidates find private options financially out of reach. For students who miss out on a government seat, the cost barrier becomes a deciding factor. Complex counselling and sudden withdrawals: Complicated state-level counselling procedures, delayed decisions by candidates, and last-minute withdrawals can disrupt the allocation process and leave seats unfilled. Limited support in marginalised regions: Students from rural or underserved areas often face a lack of proper guidance during the admission process, reducing their chances of successfully securing a seat through counselling. Perceived gaps in institutional quality: Many candidates prioritise well-established or high-ranking colleges. As a result, newly established or less popular institutions may see a higher proportion of vacant seats despite having the required infrastructure. What steps is the government taking? According to the Ministry, the government is implementing multiple strategies to further boost the number of seats while maintaining educational standards. Centrally sponsored scheme: A key initiative involves converting district and referral hospitals into medical colleges. So far, 157 medical colleges have been approved under this scheme, and 131 are already operational. These efforts are targeted particularly at underserved and aspirational districts. Capacity building in existing colleges: Another central scheme is focused on expanding infrastructure in existing state and central government medical colleges. This is aimed at increasing both MBBS and postgraduate (PG) seat capacity. Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY): As part of this scheme, 75 government medical colleges are being upgraded through the addition of Super Speciality Blocks. Of these, 71 projects have been completed. Expansion of AIIMS: Under the central sector scheme, 22 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been approved. Undergraduate courses have already begun in 19 of them. The steady increase in MBBS seats points to the government's sustained focus on expanding healthcare education. However, the persistence of vacant seats, even with the rising capacity, raises questions about admission processes, affordability, regional distribution of institutions, and the preparedness of students to meet eligibility criteria. As infrastructure improves and access broadens, the next steps may lie in addressing why seats are left vacant even when the demand for medical education remains high. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Centre hikes PM-SHRI funding in Andhra under NDA, 120% rise over Jagan Reddy-era
The Centre has nearly doubled its allocation to Andhra Pradesh under the PM-SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme in 2024–25, marking a 120 per cent increase over the previous year when the state was under YSR Congress Party state education department cited information received by TDP MPs GM Harish Balayogi and Putta Mahesh Kumar, who had raised questions in the Lok Sabha on August 4 regarding the district-wise details of PM-SHRI schools established in Andhra Pradesh and the funds allocated over the past three Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said Andhra Pradesh was sanctioned Rs 354.85 crore under the scheme in 2023–24, with Rs 212.91 crore coming from the Centre. For 2024-25, the sanctioned outlay rose to Rs 782.39 crore, with the Centre contributing Rs 469.43 crore. For the current financial year, 2025–26, the outlay stands at Rs 555.76 crore, of which Rs 333.46 crore is the Central share, as per official information published on the Lok Sabha move signals a renewed push by the NDA government to upgrade school infrastructure in the far, 935 schools across Andhra Pradesh have been selected under the PM-SHRI scheme, including 37 in Eluru and 28 in Konaseema. The scheme aims to convert existing schools into model institutions equipped with smart classrooms, modern infrastructure, and a focus on improved learning outcomes.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
NEET UG Counselling 2025: MCC puts round 1 choice filing, locking facility on hold
NEET UG Counselling 2025: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has put on hold the NEET UG 2025 round one choice filing and choice locking facility. The Committee has not shared any reason for the hold, but has mentioned that the revised schedule will be released shortly. 'The Choice Filling & Choice Locking for Round-1 has been put on hold. The revised schedule will be announced shortly,' read the official website. According to the revised NEET UG counselling schedule for 2025, candidates were required to submit and lock their choices by August 4. The round 1 seat allotment results were initially set to be released on August 6. However, the schedule was extended to accommodate Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), who had requested additional time to obtain their certificates from designated centres. In addition, the counselling committee had advised all participating institutions under the All India Quota (AIQ)—including central universities, deemed universities, AIIMS, and BSc nursing colleges involved in the NEET UG 2025 counselling for MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing programmes — to verify the accuracy of the tentative vacancies listed in the MCC seat matrix. Meanwhile, the Committee (MCC) has approved the conversion of 188 candidates from Indian to NRI status for the NEET UG 2025 counselling process. These candidates were required to submit their scanned documents to MCC via email at no later than August 3, 2025. The list of NRI candidates was compiled following a thorough review of documents submitted by applicants, ensuring compliance with the eligibility criteria set by MCC. Additionally, despite a significant 39 per cent increase in MBBS seats over the past few years, a considerable number of undergraduate medical seats remain vacant across India, data from the National Medical Commission (NMC) reveals. The data was presented in the Lok Sabha on August 1 by Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The unstarred question was asked by a member of the Telugu Desam Party, Putta Mahesh Kumar. The number of MBBS seats rose from 83,275 in 2020–21 to 1,15,900 by 2024–25; however, the number of vacant UG seats (excluding AIIMS and JIPMER) peaked at 4,146 in 2022–23, before witnessing a gradual decline to 2,849 in 2024–25.
The Hindu
01-08-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Many MBBS seats remain vacant in country, says Union Minister Anupriya Patel
Despite a substantial increase in the number of MBBS seats across the country, a significant number of undergraduate medical seats have remained vacant in the recent academic years, the Union Government has admitted in the Lok Sabha. Responding to a question from Eluru MP Putta Mahesh Kumar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said that 2,012 undergraduate medical seats went unfilled in 2021–22, followed by 4,146 in 2022–23, 2,959 in 2023–24, and 2,849 in 2024–25. These figures, sourced from the National Medical Commission, exclude AIIMS and JIPMER institutions. The Union Minister emphasised that while the government increased the MBBS seats by 39% in the last five years — from 83,275 in 2020–21 to 1,15,900 in 2024–25 — vacancies persist, underscoring concerns around access, affordability, and distribution of institutions. To enhance quality, the Centre introduced the 'Minimum Standard Requirements–2023', mandating infrastructure norms such as a 220-bed hospital for every 50 students and compulsory rural and urban clinical training. Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), 157 new medical colleges had been approved, with 131 operational, and 75 super-speciality projects sanctioned, of which 71 were complete. Additionally, 19 out of 22 new AIIMS had commenced undergraduate courses. These efforts, the Union Minister said, demonstrate the Centre's commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure and access to quality medical education across India.
