HC slams govt over reply on medical quota seat 'auction'

Times of India: Bhopal: Tuesday, 12 August 2014.

Madhya Pradesh high court on Monday slammed state government for failing to submit a satisfactory explanation on a petition alleging 'auction' of state quota medical seats to ineligible students by private medical colleges in 2013.

MPHC issued notices to chief secretary and director general of police among others while hearing a plea filed by a whistle-blower, who sought registration of FIR against six medical colleges. Petitioner alleged 270 (out of 378 seats) of state quota seats were 'sold' to unauthorized students.

Court also issued notices to principal secretaries of home and medical education department, Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), directorate of medical education (DME), additional director general (ADG) of police, in charge of Special Task Force (STF) seeking reply by August 11. Court issued notices while admitting a plea requesting cancelling admissions to these illegally allotted seats and instead to allot them to genuine students on merit basis.

None of the agencies could submit a proper reply.

Additional advocate general Pushpendra Kaurav tried to calm the court claiming Madhya Pradesh Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (MPAFRC) has already imposed fine of Rs 13 crore on these colleges.

Court objected his contention and directed state to submit their reply on affidavit by August 29. Petitioner Dr Anand Rai is a post-graduate medical officer working at Indore.

"Private medical colleges have committed offence/irregularities in respect to state quota seat allotment. However, STF has informed court that no complaints in respect to private medical colleges have been received, which is wrong. I lodged a complaint," claimed Dr Anand Rai adding whole scam has been perpetuated in collusion with top DME officers. Petitioner also demanded an inquiry into role of joint director DME Dr N M Shrivastava for overlooking illegal allotments made by private institutions.

"53 ineligible candidates were admitted under state quota seats at Index medical college Indore in 2012 while 59 ineligible students were admitted in the same college in 2013," Dr Rai alleged. Similarly, he claimed, 13 ineligible students were admitted at SAIMS, Indore, seven at RD Gardi College, Ujjain, 41 in LN Medical College, 39 in Peoples' Medical College, 48 at Chirayu Medical College. Some of the students who secured admissions to the medical course had scored only 40% marks.

Documents collected under RTI from DAVV University, Indore reveals all these admissions were made on September 30, last date for admitting students as fixed by Supreme Court. "Around Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh were charged per student by college authorities," Rai claimed.

Meanwhile Abhay Chopra, who had demanded a CBI inquiry into MPPEB scam, has challenged MPAFRC's decision of slapping Rs 13 crore fine citing it inadequate.

"They should recover more than Rs 60 crore which the private colleges have amassed as donation apart from Rs 5 lakh fee from each student," Chopra told TOI.