Health Bulletin 17/July/2026 - Video
Overview
Here are the top health stories for the day:
NEET UG 2026 Re-Test Results Declared; 11.21 Lakh Candidates Qualify
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has declared the results of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2026 re-examination.
This year, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination, which was conducted at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. Out of them, 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other allied undergraduate medical programmes.
A total of 138 candidates scored above 690 marks out of the maximum 720 marks. Of these, more than 93 per cent were appearing for NEET UG for the first time, and nearly 99 per cent belonged to the 17-19 age group.
For more details, check out the full story on the link mentioned below:
NEET 2026 re-exam results OUT: 11.21 lakh qualify, 138 candidates score above 690
70-Year-Old NEET Candidate Seeks 1 Percent Senior Citizen Reservation for MBBS Admissions
Seeking a one percent reservation for eligible senior citizens in medical college admissions, a 70-year-old candidate who allegedly appeared for both the May 3 NEET UG 2026 exam and the June 21 re-examination, has approached the Allahabad High Court.
The petition, filed on July 13, asks the court to direct the Central government to consider introducing a special quota for senior citizens in MBBS and other medical courses admitted through the National Eligibility, Entrance Test (NEET-UG).
The first hearing is likely to be held on Monday (July 18).
For more details, check out the full story on the link mentioned below:
NMC Adds 9,911 MBBS Seats for 2026-27, Approves 25 New Colleges
In a major boost for medical education ahead of the NEET UG 2026 counselling process, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 25 new medical colleges across the country for the 2026-27 academic session.
Along with the new colleges, the Commission has also approved 9,911 additional MBBS seats and renewed 1,27,028 MBBS seats, taking the overall MBBS seat count to 1,36,939.
With the latest approvals, India now has 823 medical colleges, including 441 government and 382 private institutions, excluding INIs.
For more details, check out the full story on the link mentioned below:
NMC approves 25 new medical colleges, 9,911 MBBS seats for 2026-27
Serum Institute Partners With Gates MRI to Develop Experimental Tuberculosis Vaccine
A new TB vaccine could be the biggest breakthrough in over 100 years. The Serum Institute of India (SII) will manufacture the experimental M72/AS01E tuberculosis (TB) vaccine under an agreement with the Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI), marking a major step toward developing the first new TB vaccine in more than a century. The vaccine candidate is currently in Phase III clinical trials, while SII plans to invest over $100 million to expand manufacturing capacity ahead of regulatory approval. Under the agreement, Gates MRI will transfer the technology required to manufacture the vaccine antigen, while GSK will continue supplying the AS01E adjuvant, which boosts the body's immune response.
Tuberculosis remains the world's deadliest infectious disease, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting 11 million new cases and 1.23 million deaths in 2024. Countries including India, Indonesia, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Nigeria bear the highest burden. If approved, the vaccine could prevent 76 million TB cases, save 8.5 million lives, and reduce the financial burden on affected families by $41.5 billion over the next 25 years. Currently, BCG is the only widely used vaccine against tuberculosis, according to The Economic Times.
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