Health Bulletin 10/March/2026

After its MBBS programme was discontinued earlier, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra (Vaishno Devi Medical College) has once again applied to the National Medical Commission (NMC) seeking permission to restart the course with 50 seats for the 2026-27 academic year.

According to NDTV media report, the institute has submitted a fresh online application to the NMC requesting a Letter of Permission (LoP) after claiming that it has addressed the deficiencies earlier pointed out by the regulator.

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Vaishno Devi medical college seeks NMC nod to restart MBBS course

Nearly 8,000 junior resident doctors, senior residents and interns are participating in a protest against the pending revision of stipends.

Due to the ongoing protest, medical services at government-run hospitals across Madhya Pradesh have been largely affected.

The state-wide protest has been called by the Junior Doctors Association (JUDA). According to JUDA, the CPI-based stipend revision was to be implemented from April 1, 2025, as per a government order, but it has not been enforced despite repeated representations.

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8000 doctors on strike in MP over stipend revision

While considering a dentist's plea against a penalty imposed for allegedly not completing her bond period after she took maternity leave while serving as an Assistant Professor under the Social Responsibility Service Scheme, the Bombay High Court held that maternity leave is a fundamental right which cannot be treated as a break in service. The bench observed that it cannot be used to penalise a woman for exercising her right to motherhood under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Allowing her writ petition, division Bench of Justice Anil S. Kilor and Justice Raj D. Wakode further stated that the petitioner cannot be denied such a right only because the bond was executed by her under Social Responsibility Service Scheme and not holding permanent status as she is also entitled to the same protective umbrella as available to regular employees when it comes to maternity related entitlement.

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Bombay HC quashes Rs 23.58 lakh bond penalty on dentist, says maternity leave not break in service

A Puducherry court has sentenced a 61-year-old man to five years of rigorous imprisonment for forging nativity, nationality, caste, and birth certificates of his wards to secure MBBS admission through the Puducherry residents' quota in 2004 via the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC).

The fraud was detected during document scrutiny by CENTAC, following which a police case was registered for cheating and forgery.

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61-year-old gets 5 years jail for forging certificates to secure MBBS seats under Puducherry quota