Alleged Mass Scale Corruption: High-Level Committee finds 278 non-students awarded degrees by MP Medical Science University
Bhopal: While probing the allegations of irregularities in the results of the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University, a High-level committee, constituted on the orders of the High Court, has found out that 278 degrees had been given to people that were never students.
Apart from this, the committee has also highlighted other issues including overwritten answer sheets, reevaluation of the papers when the rules offered no such chances, and favouring certain students in the examination.
As per the report submitted by the committee, the colleges, the University and the IT agency in charge of delivering question paper and declaring results- all of them acted together in this mass scale corruption.
The committee was investigating complaints filed by seven different petitioners in several medical and paramedical colleges. While the Committee submitted its reports before the HC back in July, the findings of the report shall be discussed at the next date of hearing on January 2, 2023.
These petitioners had approached the HC bench back on August 16, 2021. Alleging "mass scale corruption" in the conduct of 2018-2019 examinations in the medical and nursing colleges of the University, these petitioners had urged the court for an inquiry by an independent agency.
While considering these appeals, the HC bench comprising of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vishal Dhagat had ordered the State back on October 4, 2021 to set-up a high-level committee headed by a retired judge of the High Court, a Police Officer and three experts for probing the allegations. Consequently, after seven days, the State formed the Committee under HC judge KK Trivedi.
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As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, the Committee submitted the report back in July 2022 and the report mentioned that the University's report showed a mismatch between the number of the enrolled students and those that received the degrees. Mentioning that this mismatch had been found in 278 cases, the Committee report stated that the University took action only "in respect of a few candidates and institution."
According to the report in most of these instances, the mark sheets were issued "in the name of other candidates whereas the enrolment number reflects a different name."
"From the analysis it is clear that all three, the colleges, the university and the IT agency, have acted hand-in-glove in this mischief. It is unbelievable that in the garb of making corrections to the application form for taking part in the examination, altogether complete changes are made and a person who was not even a student in the college and never shown as admitted and enrolled in the university is permitted to take part in the final examination and go with a degree in his/her hand," stated the report.
As per the daily, the concerned IT company which had the responsibility of delivering questions papers under the University and declaring the results of 2 lakh students was Mindlogics Infratech.
Providing details regarding the motif behind these fraud degrees, the report further mentioned that the colleges apply to the University for minor corrections in examination entry forms. "The university in turn, without conducting any inquiry, solely on the discretion of the authorities of the university, directs the IT agency to reset (re-open) the portal. After the portal is reopened, the entire data relating to the student is changed by the college, except the enrolment number-- even the name, father's name, gender etc (are changed). Once this change is locked, the system of the IT agency automatically generates the admit card in the name of the fraudulent candidate," stated the report.
Another issue that was highlighted in the report is giving marks to students when their answer sheets are overwritten during "revaluation and special revaluation". While the rules do not allow revaluation, the Committee report has identified a list of 13 students of different colleges who had been admitted under the NRI quota in MBBS and BDS courses in the 2018-2019 academic year. While 11 of these students failed annual examination in 2018, they cleared the exam during revaluation. Those two students who could not clear the exam in revaluation, had been allegedly given passing marks in a "special revaluation".
In this regard, the report stated, "Surprisingly, it was noted that even though there was no provision of revaluation in the entire scheme of conducting examination as prescribed in Ordinance VI of 2014, not was revaluation done but in some cases special revaluation was also done and the results of such students were declared through a special result committee. This raises a serious question as to why this option of "special revaluation" was not made available for all students when it was granted and executed for a select few which points towards favouritism."
Further, the report also recorded the name of the exam controller Vrinda Saxena for admitting that she had been forced to favour some students. Referring to this, the report mentioned, "When a specific question was asked to Dr. Vrinda Saxena, the then Controller of Examination, that whether at any point of time any attempt was made by anyone to manipulate the examination results, she hesitatingly stated that on two occasions such attempts were made and she was asked to favour certain students."
In fact, the report has reportedly attached two papers showing such requests. Among these, one paper was allegedly hand written by the then Vice Chancellor of the University, TN Dubey and another one was written by registrar JK Gupta.
"The first paper written by the VC Dubey contains five names of students with their roll number and enrollment number and the second, a printed document, the names of seven students. Though it was stated that there was no change made in the results of the aforesaid students , this is enough to demonstrate that the then officials posted in the university were not working honestly and fairly," said the report.
While commenting on this, the former VC Dubey told the daily, "This is in the past. The day I left the university on August 15, 2021, I left things behind and don't want to discuss it."
Declining to comment on his allegations, the registrar JK Gupta mentioned, "In fact, action was taken against whistleblowers. I probed the matter first in July2021 and gave a report to the state government with the recommendation to black list the IT company. But I was removed from the postof registrar. I moved the courton July 28, 2021 and was reinstated, so they suspended me. The real culprits went untouched."
Meanwhile, a doctor Tripti Gupta has claimed that she had been terminated from her position at the University on November 4 (2021 or 2022) for flagging these issues. She said, "I sent an email to the vice chancellor highlighting the irregularities and was punished for unearthing the truth."
While commenting on the report, one of the petitioners of the case told HT, "This shows the massive corruption and fraud in the university. We are pleading before the court to cancel the degrees of students who received degrees in place of other enrolled students."
"What this means is that several unqualified people are roaming around with medical degrees. We have raised this issue many times but it is now on record. The degrees of such students should be cancelled," said Health Expert and Vyapam Scam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai.
Speaking about this, the VC of the University Dr Ashok Khandelwal told the daily, "The action was taken by the state government, who are responsible for the irregularities. Now, we have strengthened the system and made the system transparent."
Meanwhile, the additional director general of the cyber cell of the state police, Yogesh Deshmukh, who was also a member of the committee told the daily that the report was submitted and the court will take its decision accordingly.
"We have taken action against people involved in irregularities. More action will follow if directed by the court," said Madhya Pradesh medical education minister Vishwas Sarang.
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