148 EWS category students take around Rs 1 crore Management, NRI quota seats, NMC calls for state-level probe
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New Delhi: Around 148 students belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category have secured their PG medical admission by getting enrolled in the expensive management and NRI quota seats in private medical colleges during the first round of counselling for the post-graduate courses this year, the Indian Express has reported.
Consequently, the admission of such students, who come from a weaker financial background, and their willingness to pay exorbitant fees, which can go as high as Rs 1 crore per year, has drawn the attention of the Apex Medical Education Regulatory Body- the National Medical Commission.
As per the latest media report by the Indian Express, the head of the Apex Medical Education Regulator, NMC, has called for a probe in this regard at the State level.
Under the existing rules, 10% of the medical seats remain reserved for the candidates having EWS certificates, i.e., general category students coming from poor financial backgrounds. This reservation is granted to ensure that poorer students can join the government medical colleges that usually have a lower fee structure.
The District officials grant the EWS certificate, acknowledging that a candidate's family income is less than Rs 8 lakh per annum and their family does not possess assets such as agricultural land of 5 acres or more, residential flat of 1,000 square feet or bigger, or a residential plot of 100 or 200 square yards or more.
Generally, no concession in fees is granted to EWS quota students. In the subsequent rounds of medical counselling, the number of EWS category students who have availed of such seats is likely to go up.
Speaking about the EWS category candidates getting admitted to PG medical seats under NRI and management quota, the Chairperson of National Medical Commission (NMC), Dr. Abhijat Sheth told the Indian Express, "The management or NRI quota seats were allocated to the EWS candidates during the state counselling — this is not part of the all India quota. The states should investigate the matter and take appropriate action."
Meanwhile, highlighting that the difference between means and the fees paid by candidates has existed since the implementation of the quota during the 2021-2022 academic year, the former head of Maharashtra's Department of Medical Education and Research, Dr. Pravin Shingare, told Indian Express, "This has been happening since the quota was introduced. The intent behind the EWS quota was good — candidates who may not belong to the SC/ST or OBC categories but have been economically backward for generations would benefit. But many people are able to get fake certificates. The matter has previously been raised at the NMC, but there is no good way to plug the loophole."
He pointed out that students having EWS certificates apply with the hopes of being benefitted from the quota, but when they secure a lower rank, they have to take the management quota seats. All unreserved seats, including those under management or NRI quota, are open to all including those who have previously applied through the EWS, SC, ST or OBC quota.
"When you investigate the matter, the candidates say that their uncle, aunt, or other family members are sponsoring their education, or a trust is funding it, or they have secured a loan. What do you do then?" Dr. Shingare asked.
The first rank of such EWS category candidates to avail such management or NRI quota seat is close to 12,000 at JSS medical college in Karnataka, while the last rank to get admitted to such seats is close to 1.13 lakh at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences in Karad. The last rank of candidates to secure a PG medical seat during the first round of counselling for PG medical seats was around 1.38 lakh.
Most of these seats belong to highly sought-after specialties such as general medicine (26), general surgery (20) and anaesthesiology (17) and these seats were also in private medical colleges.
Around 55 seats in private medical colleges in Maharashtra, 27 seats in Karnataka, 23 seats in Tamil Nadu have been filled by such students. The highet number (19) of these paid seats allocated to EWS candidates were in medical colleges and they belong to the DY Patil Group in Kolhapur, Navi Mumbai and Pune.
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