NEW DELHI: The CBI has initiated a probe into cash-for-clearance allegations against top officials of the National Medical Commission, the apex body that regulates medical education and medical professionals in India. Sources said the officials will soon be asked to put in their papers.
The CBI probe was initiated after Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya ordered a cleanup in the process of granting approvals to private medical colleges. Sources said the minister received multiple complaints about rampant corruption involving officials of NMC and Medical Assessment and Rating Board.
The medical education sector has been mired in corruption for long. The government had to disband the earlier avatar of NMC, the Medical Council of India, due to endemic corruption. But it appears that brokers continue to operate brazenly in this sector.
The health ministry had earlier this month conducted surprise checks in private medical colleges across five states. During the raids it was found that colleges were stage-managing inspections and getting approvals without having proper infrastructure, faculty and other facilities required to run a medical college and hospital.
In one case, the raiding team was shocked to find the college did not have even the facilities for MBBS (undergraduate) courses while it was given the go-ahead to run PG courses. Another college was doing business for the past 18 years without basic facilities. One of the colleges was allowed to operate in such violation of norms that the Supreme Court imposed `2 crore fine on it.
Explaining the modus operandi of corrupt officials working in tandem with brokers, sources said: “First an inspection date is generated on a computer. This date is shared by officials with the brokers, who alert the college management. The inspection team is sent after a deal is struck with the college, and the college is given time to arrange for the required facilities just for the day of inspection. This business has been going on forever and hundreds of crores of rupees change hands every year.”