Puducherry Govt. Misleads MCI on Irregularities in Medical Admissions: Kiran Bedi

Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Ms. Kiran Bedi has complained to the Medical Council of India (MCI) with regards to the state government misleading the MCI on the matter relating to irregularities in the medical admissions in deemed and private universities.

In a letter dated July 12, 2017, Kiran Bedi pointed the state government’s claim seeking action against the medical colleges that violated the rules is incorrect. She clarified that the file never reached her office. Following this, Bedi wrote a letter to the President of the MCI highlighting the state government’s failure to take action against the medical colleges that have violated the rules.

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In June 2017, the state government informed the MCI about the submission of the file by the Cabinet that contained details of the irregularities in the medical admissions to the Governor's office. After that, the state government was to take the Governor's approval for taking up the matter with MCI.

Kiran Bedi has asked the MCI, through a written statement, to take action against the medical colleges that have violated admission rules. MCI Secretary confirmed the receipt of the complaint and is further inquiring her allegations. The medical council will take strict action if the allegations are found to be genuine.

In 2016, the state government appointed a Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) to conduct admission process for all the government, private and deemed medical institutes across the state. In total, these colleges together offer 1,200 seats out of which 767 were filled based on NEET merit list by September 30, 2016, the deadline set by the Supreme Court of India. But the admission process by CENTAC continued until October 7, 2016 (a week more than the designated deadline) and also is reported to have violated admission norms by granting admissions to students without a valid NEET score.

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After receiving several complaints from the students regarding malpractices in the medical admissions, the state government appointed Permanent Admission Committee (PAC), headed by retired Judge of the High Court that confirmed the loopholes in the admission process. Even though the committee submitted its report a long time ago, the state government has failed to take up the issue with the higher education regulatory like MCI and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.