P. Chandrasekhar, Vice-Chancellor Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, along with other officials addressing a press conference in Vijayawada on Monday. | Photo credit: GN RAO
Special funds are earmarked to support research and sports in government medical colleges, said P. Chandrasekhar, Vice-Chancellor Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences (Dr. NTRUHS).
Dr. Addressing the media at the university’s Vijayawada campus on Monday (March 30, 2026), Chandrasekhar said that these initiatives are being taken to improve the standards of medical education. Each government medical college will receive ₹10 lakh every year as a grant to improve infrastructure and organize inter-university/state/national tournaments, he said.
He also said that the university would set up a Disease Surveillance and Decision Support Center (DMDC) on the campus under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP).
The center institutionalizes advanced predictive modeling and scenario simulations. It designates the DMDC as a state-level technical institution under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Welfare with an estimated expenditure of ₹ 5.73 crore. In addition, it allows for the creation of 13 jobs that include technical, analytical and program management roles, while appointing Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences as the nodal academic host institution, said Dr. Chandrasekhar.
These decisions were taken during the 244th meeting of the university’s board of trustees held on March 17, he said. He also mentioned that an application has been made to allot about 25 acres of land in Amaravati for the university and that the National Capital Region Development Authority is considering it.
The university also plans to sign an agreement with Saw Swee Hock School Of Public Health, Singapore’s national health university, he said.
Further, to encourage research among students, the university will provide a scholarship of ₹30,000 (₹5,000 per month for six months) to at least 1,000 students every year, the VC announced. Currently, only 500 undergraduate medical students are receiving ₹10,000.
Over the next three years, 3,000 students will participate in short-term research projects. This will include students from allopathy, AYUSH, non-medical and other medical courses, he said, adding that the grant amount has been increased from ₹ 2 lakh to ₹ 5 lakh per person, based on the significance of the research.
Faculty research grants were also approved for 200 faculty members who work at affiliated colleges. He added that they would be given financial assistance of ₹ 2 to ₹ 5 crore.
Published – 30 March 2026 20:46 IST
