Chennai: A major scam involving fraudulent NRI certificates for undergraduate and postgraduate medical admissions has been exposed in Tamil Nadu, revealing a network of educational counselling centres manipulating the admission process.
Key Findings
- In November 2024, the Director of Medical Education reported that 44 doctors submitted fake certificates to secure postgraduate medical course seats under the NRI quota.
- Six MBBS aspirants also forged embassy certificates, with three of them securing seats in self-financing colleges. Their admissions have since been cancelled.
- Embassies/consulates from countries including the US, Dubai, Canada, Singapore, Australia, and Kuwait confirmed the falsification of certificates and sought a report on actions taken by the state government.
Raids and Seizures
The Central Crime Branch’s forgery investigation team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Gayathri, conducted raids across eight private educational institutions.
- Raided locations include Sree Sai Educational Academy (Pallavaram), Meta Neet (Porur), Sri Sai Career Next Academy (Saligramam and Nungambakkam), Zion Career Solutions (Velachery), Life Link Education Consultancy (Anna Nagar), Study India Education Consultancy (Ashok Nagar), and Madha Medical College (Kundrathur).
- Investigators seized 105 incriminating documents, 19 forged seals, 22 computers, 2 pen drives, 5 hard disks, and mobile phones.
Modus Operandi
Counselling centres were found to be charging exorbitant fees, guaranteeing medical seats under the NRI quota by fabricating documents such as embassy certificates. Local candidates were falsely portrayed as NRIs to secure admissions.
Government Action
- The Directorate of Medical Education and Research has launched a comprehensive review of past NRI quota admissions and is implementing stricter verification protocols for upcoming admission cycles.
- The Tamil Nadu Medical Council has been informed and may take disciplinary action against licensed medical professionals involved.
- The state government is considering new regulations to prevent future fraudulent practices.
Financial and Legal Investigations
Authorities are tracing the financial transactions of the implicated counselling centres to uncover the money trail. Evidence suggests potential collusion with officials in key positions and the involvement of middlemen.
Advisory for Students
Students who unknowingly secured fraudulent admissions are being encouraged to cooperate with investigators. The probe is expanding, with further evidence potentially implicating more institutions and consultancies across Tamil Nadu.
The investigation underscores the need for stringent oversight in medical admissions and serves as a warning against malpractice in the education sector.
