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Time of India
4 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Disability guidelines for NEET 2025 admission fall short, defy Supreme Court directives
NEET 2025 disability guidelines fall short of Supreme Court directives, say activists. (AI Image) Candidates will be assessed based on the benchmark disability criteria outlined in their respective UDID cards The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently released the disability guidelines for MBBS admissions for the academic year 2025-26. Disappointed that the guidelines do not adhere to the Supreme Court (SC) directives, disability rights activists wrote a letter to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), calling for the need to rectify the guidelines. However, the NMC says that the interim disability guidelines will be updated regularly in a phased manner based on the feedback collected from the students falling under the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) category. Dr Vikrant Sirohi, activist, Doctors with Disabilities, Agents of Change organisation, stated in the letter to the DGHS, "In the case of Omkar Ramchandra Gond vs Union of India, the SC directed an increase in the number of medical boards across the country, mandating at least one medical board in each state and Union Territory for proper medical examinations. However, the list of medical boards notified for the 2025 counselling includes only 16 centres located in 11 states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo " Furthermore, the SC directives also required that enabling units and equal opportunity cells, as mandated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), be included in MBBS admission booklets and college websites. Additionally, a database on accessibility and reasonable accommodations at medical colleges should be created. Dr Sirohi added, "These directives remain unimplemented. Moreover, the UGC's accessibility guidelines and standards for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) 2024 also mandate the establishment of enabling units." A NEET-qualified candidate from Malda, West Bengal, who cleared NEET 2025 with 338 marks and a PwBD rank of 496, says, "I have to travel to Varanasi to get the screening done as there are no medical boards available in my state and the nearest one is in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh." He has low vision disability of approximately 60%. Speaking to Education Times, Dr BN Gangadhar, chairman, NMC, says, "To improve accessibility of medical boards for PwBD candidates, the NMC is working to increase the number of medical boards. These reforms are part of our commitment to service and welfare. The commission will seek feedback from PwBD students admitted to MBBS colleges to gather information and build a database on accessibility and reasonable accommodations. For now, the NMC has refrained from fully implementing this, as each disability is unique and requires special attention." Dr Satendra Singh, disability rights activist and faculty member at University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), Delhi, says, "NEET 2025-qualified PwBD students have contacted us, reporting the difficulties they face. For example, a PwBD candidate who uses a motorised wheelchair went to a medical board in Tamil Nadu for the required screening and assessment for medical college admission. She was taken aback when questioned about her ability to save a patient bleeding on the roadside. Her guardians were told to take her home and get her treated by a physiotherapist instead." Dr Gangadhar says, "We have conducted awareness programmes for these medical boards, sensitising them to the needs of PwBD candidates and their screening process. Furthermore, medical assessment officials are now required to submit a report specifying the candidate's disability and the reasons for denial of admission." Self-declaration Form Under Appendix D of the new disability guidelines, PwBD students must declare their locomotor disabilities. This appendix contains a list of activities related to their functional abilities, such as whether they can bear weight and stand on both legs, bear weight and stand on the affected leg, walk on plain surfaces, climb stairs independently, go downstairs independently, and other similar tasks. Dr Sharad Philip, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS Guwahati, who has 70% permanent disability due to retinitis pigmentosa in both eyes, was disheartened with the type of functional abilities students are required to declare for admission. He says, "Self-declaration is acceptable if it ends there, but it does not. The self-declaration form requires learners with disabilities to comment on abilities such as 'I can stand on my affected leg,' 'I can hold and drink a glass of water,' and more. None of these is relevant to medical training or education. These guidelines fail to adhere to the universal design for PwBD education, assistive technology, or reasonable accommodations. Instead, the onus is on the learner with disabilities to essentially screen themselves." Dr Gangadhar says, "The assessment form is used to declare the type of disability. However, candidates with disabilities will be evaluated by designated medical boards, where the assessment will focus on functional ability rather than a technical evaluation. Furthermore, candidates will be assessed based on the benchmark disability criteria outlined in the Unique Disability Identification (UDID) card." The UDID card is a mandatory document for individuals with disabilities and serves as an essential and authoritative proof for determining the eligibility of NEET-qualified candidates under the disability category. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
7 of 47 projects incomplete, Smart City shift to NMC begins
Nagpur: Of the 47 projects implemented under the Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited (NSSCDCL), seven remain incomplete as the agency prepares to wind up operations and transfer all assets to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) by December 31, 2025. Nagpur, selected under the Centre's Smart Cities Mission in 2016, was initially expected to complete its projects by June 2021. The deadline was extended to June 2023, then June 2024, and finally to December 2025. Under the mission, NSSCDCL received Rs741.63 crore from the central govt, with projects divided into two key components: Rs524 crore Smart and Safe City Project which introduced 17 smart solutions including CCTV surveillance, an integrated command and control centre, and traffic monitoring systems; and the Rs741.62 crore area-based development (ABD) plan to revamp 1,743 acres in Pardi, Bharatwada, Bhandewadi and Punapur in East Nagpur. Funding was further boosted by then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who sanctioned Rs400 crore from the state govt for Smart and Safe City, while Rs124 crore came from the central Smart Cities fund. Of the seven incomplete projects, six are in progress — mostly road works — while one, meant to rehabilitate brick kiln families, has stalled due to the Nagpur Improvement Trust's refusal to issue a No Objection Certificate for the land parcel identified for relocation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The handover process for 39 completed projects is already under way. Additional municipal commissioner Vasumana Pant told TOI that the process to hand over projects, including the smart solutions component with 3,698 CCTV cameras installed across the city has already commenced. NMC has already entrusted KELTRON with the operation and maintenance of CCTV cameras for a period of five years. "NMC will pay Rs 25 crore per annum to the Kerala state-based firm for this purpose," Pant said. A decision is still pending on the robotics scavenger project, a mechanised drain-cleaning system, for which a seven-year operation and maintenance contract is proposed. While the CCTV network has proved vital for crime detection, traffic regulation and flood monitoring, other Smart City assets have fared poorly. The 65 smart kiosks installed in 2018 to provide citizens one-stop access to civic, state and central govt services remain non-functional due to the absence of integration with key departments. Despite having IT professionals, the NSSCDCL failed to ensure that these kiosks remain operational. Now these kiosks, installed with taxpayers' money, are lying defunct. Once the handover is complete, NMC will take on the responsibility for operating, maintaining, and monetising the entire Smart City infrastructure. With manpower shortages and financial constraints already weighing heavily on the civic body, experts warn that without proper planning, high-value assets could meet the same fate as the smart kiosks. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
NMC to register dog feeders, identify feeding spots as per SC orders
1 2 Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) will soon begin the process of registering dog feeders and identifying designated feeding spots in line with Supreme Court directives, Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari announced on Saturday. He said this step is necessary to reduce growing conflicts between residents and feeders while ensuring that stray dogs are cared for responsibly. The announcement came during a high-level coordination meeting at Police Bhavan, chaired jointly by Commissioner of Police Ravinder Singal and Chaudhari, which was attended by the district collector, senior officers of the animal husbandry department, civic officials, NGOs, animal welfare organizations, and concerned citizens. The meeting was convened in view of recent court rulings and rising incidents of dog-bite cases in the city. Police Commissioner Singal emphasized that any intervention must remain strictly within the legal framework. "Our aim is to reduce conflict situations, ensure compliance with law, and protect both citizens and animals," he said. Officers, he added, will undergo training programmes to better handle stray dog-related issues in accordance with existing statutes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Singal highlighted Section 44 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, which empowers cops to detain, sell, or destroy stray dogs found without muzzles or identification. However, he said this provision must be carefully applied in conjunction with rules and subject to judicial scrutiny. "Police and civic officers must not only act within the law but also be trained to handle these sensitive issues with balance and care," he noted. The NMC is upgrading dog-catching vans and shelter facilities to strengthen ground-level interventions. Chaudhari announced that a state-of-the-art animal care centre modelled on Bengaluru's facility will be constructed at a cost of Rs7–8 crore, with work orders to be issued within 10 days. Once completed, the centre will be handed over to a reputed NGO for scientific management. Vaccination, a critical gap in city's dog management system, was also flagged. Chaudhari admitted that while NMC vaccinates 5,000–10,000 dogs annually, the coverage remains inadequate. To bridge this gap, NMC plans to set up permanent vaccination centres at its premises, alongside ensuring wider availability of anti-rabies vaccines at municipal hospitals in addition to state-run facilities. The civic chief also stressed that the issue cannot be tackled by NMC or the police alone. "Only a multi-pronged approach can work—stray dog numbers must be controlled through sterilization, vaccination must be expanded, and citizens need to be involved in awareness campaigns," he said. The meeting concluded with broad consensus that a lawful, humane, and collaborative approach—covering regulation of feeding practices, vaccination drives, and scientific management of shelters—is the only sustainable way to address the growing stray dog menace in Nagpur. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Delay in police nod leaves Ganesh Mandal anxious, NOCs for 200 applications in limbo
Nagpur: Even as the Ganesh festival will commence from August 27, the mandatory permission process for mandals is moving at an alarmingly slow pace. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has received 204 online applications, but not a single final NOC was issued by August 15, leaving organisers anxious as they race against time to prepare pandals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Of the 204 applications, four have been rejected. The final NOC depends on approvals from police, traffic, and fire departments. Organisers say the biggest hurdle is securing police department permission. Out of 204 applications, police cleared only 14. In comparison, the traffic department granted 45 approvals, while the fire department was the most proactive with 109 NOCs. Without police clearances, final approval cannot be granted. NMC Dharampeth Zone, which tops the city with 30 applications, received only seven police NOCs, 10 traffic, and 14 fire approvals. Laxmi Nagar Zone, with 26 applications, has received six police, one traffic and 20 fire NOCs. In Hanuman Nagar, while the fire department cleared 14 of 18 cases, police are yet to act on a single application. Some zones have seen zero police action despite heavy demand. Gandhibagh (25 applications), Satranjipura (12), Lakadganj (18), Ashi Nagar (7), and Mangalwari (35) remain completely untouched, even though traffic and fire clearances are partially in place. Of the 15 applications from Nehru Nagar, the traffic department processed seven, but the fire department has not cleared a single case, while police issued just one NOC. For Dhantoli zone has received one traffic and seven fire approvals, but no police clearance. Police officers attribute the delay to a two-stage verification process. After an online application is received, the intelligence wing first inspects the pandal site and documents, followed by verification at the police station concerned. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Only after both checks are complete, an NOC issued, they said and claimed that clearances will be given on priority from Monday onwards. Officials acknowledge inter-departmental coordination is the weakest link in issuing final NOCs. Even as the clearances are awaited, most mandals have begun erecting pandals and welcome arches across the city. Organisers warned that if approvals continue to trickle in at this pace, the city risks last-minute chaos for Nagpur's biggest public celebration. ++++++++++ Total applications received: 204 # NOCs issued Police: 14 Traffic: 45 Fire: 109 Pending Police NOCs: 190 # ZONE-WISE STATUS Zones | Applications | Under Process | Final NOC | Rejected Laxmi Nagar | 26 | 25 | 0 | 1 Dharampeth | 30 | 29 | 0 | 1 Hanuman Nagar | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 Dhantoli | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 Nehru Nagar | 15 | 14 | 0 | 1 Gandhibagh | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 Satranjipura | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 Lakadganj | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 Ashi Nagar | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 Mangalwari | 35 | 35 | 0 | 0 * Blank applications | 7 |7 | 0 | 0 Total | 204 | 200 | 0 | 4
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Nearly 3,600 choked trees freed
1 2 Nagpur: Nearly 3,600 trees across the city have been rescued from cement and asphalt choke following intervention by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. Out of 4,147 trees identified on 375 roads by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), NHAI, PWD, MahaMetro and NIT, as many as 3,546 have already been freed from concrete and asphalt that had encased their roots. The problem arose during road construction when contractors buried tree bases in cement, cutting off water and air supply and slowly suffocating them. Acting on repeated complaints, the HC directed the formation of a high-powered committee under divisional commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari on March 20, 2025. The panel, which held its first meeting on April 15, instructed all agencies to remove the concrete encasements and free all 4,147 affected trees. It also ordered strict precautions to ensure such practices are not repeated in future road works. Officials confirmed that efforts are underway to release the remaining 600 from the concrete trap. According to the Central Urban Development Ministry's Urban Green Guidelines 2014, it is necessary to leave 1.25X1.25 metre space around each tree trunk. Department Choked trees Trees freed NMC 3,226 | 3,161 | NHAI 9 | 370 | 50 | NH (Div) 36 | 30 | State PWD 294 | 184 | PWD (WB Div)101 | 101 | Maha Metro 9 | 9 | NIT11 | 11 | * Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
