TN: Widespread network running medical admission scam using fake NRI certificates BUSTED
Chennai: In the latest development regarding the NRI quota postgraduate medical admission scam, the Central Crime Branch of Greater Chennai Police investigating the case uncovered a vast network of education centres operating in Chennai and the involvement of its officials in cheating aspirants with false promises.
This matter was found during raids conducted at eight private educational counselling institutions. These centres allegedly provided forged documents, such as embassy certificates and supporting paperwork, to falsely establish NRI credentials for doctors and aspirants so that they could gain medical admission under the NRI quota.
Medical Dialogues in November last year reported about this case where the Directorate of Medical Education and Research found during verification by the selection committee that at least 44 doctors had faked their certificates in their applications for admission under the non-resident Indian (NRI) quota. Additionally, eight MBBS aspirants were also identified who had submitted similar fake embassy certificates to gain admission.
Reportedly half a dozen embassies/consulates of countries, including those in the US, Dubai, Singapore, Australia, and Kuwait, recently confirmed the "ingenuity" of certificates submitted by these candidates.
Taking action against them, the DME lodged complaints with the Commissioner of Police against these 47 doctors and details of eight MBBS candidates were also submitted to the police as they had also submitted such fake embassy certificates.
Based on the complaint, the Forgery Investigation Wing of the Central Crime Branch registered a case and initiated an investigation. The inquiry revealed that students had applied for admission under the NRI quota through certain educational counselling centres operating in Chennai.
The Central Crime Branch's forgery investigation wing led by Assistant Commissioner of police M Gayathrion identified 8 such private educational counselling institutions and raided these places based on the CCB & CBCID Court order on Saturday.
These institutions include Sree Sai Educational Academy, Pallavaram, Meta Neet, Porur, Sri Sai Career Next Academy, Saligramam, Sri Sai Career Next Academy, Nungambakkam, Zion Career Solutions, Velachery, Life Link Education Consultancy, Annanagar, Study India Education Consultancy, Ashok Nagar and Madha Medical College, Kundrathur.
During the searches, the team found that these institutions were cheating medical aspirants by promising guaranteed medical seats under the NRI quota. They charged high amounts in return from the aspirants.
The raid uncovered a forgery operation that included not only counselling centres but also officials in high-ranking positions. As per a TOI news report, the team have uncovered the involvement of centre owners, staff members and potential middlemen who facilitated these illegal admissions. They forged documents, such as embassy certificates and supporting paperwork, to falsely establish NRI credentials for local candidates.
Apart from these, around 105 incriminating documents relating to the case, 19 seals, 22 computers, two pen drives, five hard disks and mobile phones along with document-forging equipment and multiple sets of fraudulent stamps have been found. The documents and other findings have been seized. It will be scrutinised, and further action will be taken soon.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research has launched a thorough review of all NRI quota admissions from previous years to uncover any potential cases of fraud.
This is considered the first time that such a large-scale discrepancy has come to light in Tamil Nadu.
Back in October 2024, the postgraduate committee published a list showing that 221 of the 446 (nearly 50%) candidates were ineligible for PG admission. Either, candidates had not submitted adequate documents, or because they were ineligible because of the errors in submission. In November, the number of ineligible candidates was reduced from 221 to 114 after many of these candidates had submitted the relevant documents.
As per the rules, up to 15% of the seats in the private medical institutes are set aside for the NRI quota and remain reserved for students with NRI/OCI/PIO status. Candidates whose parents or relatives (one of the eight categories, such as sibling, grandparent, uncle or aunt) are living abroad are eligible to apply under this category.
