Operation Fraud in Private Medical Colleges
NEW DELHI: After the row over the alleged fake degree of former Delhi law minister Jitendra Tomar, another shocking matter of fraudulence has been discovered. Medical education regulator, Medical Council of India (MCI) has found that fake certificates were submitted by medical faculties while applying to establish new medical colleges.
In the application for setting up a new medical college at Akbarpur, Mathura, in UP by Rajiv Memorial Academic Welfare Society, MCI found five faculty members submitted fake experience certificates
Similarly, it found out that nine faculty members submitted fake certificates in the application for establishment of a new medical college at Kaithal, Haryana, by Dr Puran Chand Dharmarth Trust.
It also found that in some such cases, many staff members were unable to recognize their colleagues and Resident doctors. On verification, no work output data of individual faculty and Residents was available. No past attendance record was available either. Most of the faculty and Residents did not possess an ID card.
The faculty of clinical departments appeared to be present only in name as they did not know the names of their superiors or juniors.
In one of the cases, while giving legal opinion, an Additional Solicitor General of India, said, “Indulging in malpractice of forgery and fabrication is a serious offence in law and the same cannot be taken lightly. Especially in the case of medical education as the same will affect the quality of medical education provided. The institution which indulges in forgery and fabrication should be penalized as contemplated by statutory provisions as their actions affect the career of students pursuing MBBS education and may eventually affect the citizens.”
While considering the applications, the MCI decided to apply clause 8(3)(1)(d) of Establishment of Medical College Regulation Amendment, 2010 (part II), 16th April, 2010.
As per the clause (d), if any institute is found to have employed a teacher with faked/forged documents and submitted the declaration form of such a teacher, such an institute will not be considered for renewal of permission/recognition for award of MBBS degree/processing the applications for PG courses for two academic years.
As far as application for the medical college at Akbarpur is concerned, MCI found that fake experience certificates were produced by Dr Neety Singh, SR, Department of Radio-Diagnosis, Dr Vikas Chand Dubey, SR, Department of General Medicine, Dr Vivek Asthana, SR, Department of Anaesthesia, Dr Pankaj Kumar, SR, Department of ENT and Dr Mukesh Bharti, SR, Department of Orthopaedics. The MCI decided to refer the matter to the Ethics Committee.
In the case of the application for setting up the college at Kaithal, MCI said fake certificates were produced by Dr Anil Patel, associate professor, Physiology, Dr Suresh Kumar Jain, SR, Orthopaedics, Dr Supriya, SR, Pediatrics, Dr H S Chattwal, SR, Pediatrics, Dr Ghansham Dass Goyal, SR, Paediatrics, Dr Stuti Modi, SR, OBG, Dr Rakesh Kumar Grover, SR, Anesthesia, Dr Romesh Chand Mittal, SR, Anesthesia and Dr Pankaj Kumar Srivastava, SR, Ophthalmology. It referred the matter to the Ethics Committee.
In case of renewal of permission for MBBS course of 3rd batch (150 seats) of Malla Reddy Medical College for Women, Hyderabad, it decided not to renew the permission.
In case of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, Indore, MP, which applied for renewal of permission for admission of 5th batch of MBBS students, eight faculty members have not been considered as teachers, five Senior Residents have not been considered as they are not staying in campus. Seven faculty persons have been found doing private practice, whose timings of private practice overlap with the institute’s timings.
The MCI, not only refused permission for admission, also referred the matter to the Ethics Committee.