MBBS Seat Fraud Case: Bangalore Police Registers 15 Cases of Agencies Cheating Parents & Medical Aspirants to Secure Admissions

Securing a seat to study medicine in India has become a significant challenge for the students. Every year, lakhs of students participate in entrance exams to get placed at top medical colleges for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) courses. But only a few can clear them. The competitiveness in today’s education has increased vehemently paving the way to forgery. Fake agencies promising medical seats to students can be found at many corners now. In one such case at Bangalore, police officials sweat in 15 cases of individuals or agencies cheating parents and students in less than a month. MBBS 2018 Fee Hike: Colleges Under Deemed Universities of Maharashtra Increase Fees by Over 50 Per Cent. 

The medical colleges in the city are busy with their admission procedure. In the midst, TOI reported that these cases had been registered at different police stations and the cops claim that such people cheat nearly 40 parents. More than Rs. 5 crores have been exchanged in total with parents, each losing in the range of Rs. 10-70 lakh to secure a medical seat. The same report quoted police saying these fraudsters are organised gangs who only act during the admission season.

An investigating officer said, “They are so organised that they have access to a database of seat seekers who are approached through hired tele-callers or through bulk SMSs.” They further informed that the cheaters also create separate bank accounts for the purpose of using fake identities and credentials, but mostly they demand cash in exchange for their services. This allows them to even lay below the income tax department’s radar. Besides, the investigators also have found people working in a medical college or close to the management are involved in cheating aspirants. Medical College with Highest Fees in Maharashtra has No Facilities & Inadequate Staff!

Meanwhile, the police officials also blame the parents for entertaining these fake consultants who approach them. DCP D Devaraj says, “We don’t know why parents approach such people, or entertain them when they are approached.” The identities of the cheaters were not revealed given the status of the investigation.

There have been a lot of controversies recently related to securing seats at the medical colleges. While cases of students scoring zero in the national level entrances like NEET and still getting admissions in top colleges have stunned many aspirants. On the other hand, as medical colleges increase their admission fees, a few of them do not even have any facilities and adequate staff. Again, it is important to note here that, colleges’ demanding for a big donation to provide seats is also a major flaw back.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2018 10:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).