MBBS Admission via Forged NEET Scorecard: HC Orders FIR against Hapur's Medical College 1st-year Student

Lucknow: Taking action against an MBBS student enrolled at Saraswati Institute of Medical Science, Hapur for allegedly using forged documents in her application for admission, the Allahabad High Court has ordered an FIR against her.

"The Director, National Training Agency and the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Union of India, New Delhi are directed to get a First Information Report registered against the petitioner and other persons involved in the case within a period of one month from today," the HC bench comprising Justice Salil Kumar Rai ordered.

Such directions were issued by the Court while considering a plea filed by the concerned student seeking direction to the medical college to allow her admission as a second-year MBBS student so as to continue her study in the said college and issue direction to the authorities to take action against the college.

The student claimed that she scored 585 marks out of 720 with a total percentile of 97.9650121 and NEET All India Rank of 27493. It was claimed in the plea that because of her good scorecard, she was admitted to Saraswati Institute of Medical Science, Hapur and had cleared her MBBS 1st year exam. However, she was allegedly not being admitted in 2nd year of MBBS course and therefore, she filed a plea before the HC seeking relief.

Responding to the plea, the National Testing Agency filed its counter affidavit stating that the scorecard and the admit card submitted by the petitioner were forged documents and NTA further denied the petitioner's claim. Thereafter, the Court issued an order dated 07.12.2023 directing NTA to constitute a High Power Inquiry Committee and to submit its report before the Court after providing an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner student.

Accordingly, the panel submitted its report. The Inquiry Committee after considering all the relevant records and the original OMR answer sheet has rejected the petitioner's claim and observed that the documents annexed with the writ petition are forged documents.

The panel observed that the petitioner never got 585 marks out of 720 marks which was obtained by 620 candidates which does not include the petitioner. Further, the Committee noted that the Roll Number claimed by the petitioner was allotted to another candidate. Apart from this, the panel reported that the petitioner obtained 72 marks out of total of 720 and her total percentile score was 23.7791920 and her NEET All India Rank was 1041435 and NEET Category Rank was 322016. The Inquiry Committee further noted that the All India Quota Rank at 27493 had been allotted to another candidate and not to the petitioner.

Taking note of this, the High Court noted,

"Evidently, the petitioner has not approached this Court with clean hands and tried to mislead the Court by annexing forged documents. The Inquiry Report submitted by the National Testing Agency indicates forgery and tampering conducted by the unsuccessful candidates to tamper with the results declared by the National Testing Agency and obtain relief from the Court on the basis of forged documents. It is a case, which may require further investigation regarding other persons involved in any racket formed for tampering with the results for admission on the basis of tampered results of the entrance test."

Referring to the report by the panel, the court issued directions to the NTA Director and Principal Secretary of Ministry of Higher Education to register an FIR against the petitioner and other persons involved in the case within one month.

Dismissing the plea, the High Court noted,

"At this stage, it would be relevant to state that after the report of the Inquiry Committee was taken on record by this Court and while the order was being dictated, the counsel for the petitioner prayed that the petition be dismissed as withdrawn. The said prayer has been rejected as the petitioner had initially made an attempt to mislead the Court by annexing forged documents and obtained an interim order."

"It was argued by the counsel for the petitioner that the inquiry report has been submitted without giving the petitioner any opportunity of hearing. The said fact is not relevant for the orders that have been passed in as much as any finding in the inquiry report would be subject to the report of the investigation to be conducted after the registration of the First Information Report," it further noted.

"The Registrar (Compliance) shall send a copy of this order to the Director, National Training Agency, New Delhi and the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Union of India, New Delhi for necessary compliance," the Court directed.

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/allahabad-high-court-234813.pdf

Also Read: MBBS with Forged Marksheet: Ahmedabad 'Doctor' Gets Jail after 44 Years