Many medical colleges debarred from admitting students for two academic years by the Medical Council of India are openly flouting the ban and selling MBBS seats, an expose by the India Today Special Investigation Team has revealed.

The investigation covered three medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh and caught college officials on camera offering admissions.

"You need to pay Rs 5 lakh to book a seat, if you delay, the next week rates will be different," says Ajay Tomar, the official in charge of admissions at Krishna Mohan Medical College in Mathura. The college was debarred after an MCI team found out that did not meet eligibility criteria.

Tomar claims counseling will happen at the college which is contrary to reality. Under the new scheme being implemented after Supreme Court orders, NEET counseling takes place at the all-India and state level, and colleges are allotted online.

At the Glocal Medical College Super Specialty Hospital and Research Centre in Saharanpur, the admission official Junaid told the undercover reporters about the total MBBS package, which included hostel and tuition fees. The package would add to nearly Rs 80 lakh.

Junaid also claimed that he can fix NEET counseling. "We will get your counseling done. You will get a phone call. Come to Lucknow, we will get seat allotted," he said.

When asked if Glocal had all the government clearances, Junaid dodged the question and said, "We have all the government permissions, but there is one issue in court which will be settled." Junaid also offered to accept payments in cash up to Rs 20 lakh.

Later, when the India Today team confronted the principal of the college and the director of Glocal University, they flatly denied the charge. "This year we are waiting for the court decision. We have not started taking admission or distributing admission forms," says Dr Ranjana Vij, the principal of Glocal Medical College.

NEET COUNSELING OFFERED

The Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in Gajraula, the third college caught in the sting operation, also offered to overcome the NEET counseling hurdle. "We are registering students. We ensure that student will get that particular option. There will be a final call. There my man will deal directly come with you," says Shakeel, the officer in charge of admissions at the college.

The three institutes are among the 32 debarred by the MCI for not meeting essential criteria for functioning as a medical college. For instance, the inspection team of the MCI had found 86% deficiency of faculty at the Krishna Mohan Medical College.

There was 89 per cent shortage of residents, the bed occupancy was zero, and no doctors were found in casualty and no patients in the ICU. The Krishna Mohan Medical College failed on many other parameters as well.

"Any admissions by these debarred colleges will be illegal. We have put a list of the debarred colleges on our website. Anybody who flouts the ban faces legal action," warns Dr. Reena Nayyar, Additional Secretary, MCI.

The Central government too has stepped in. Reacting to the investigation, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said, "We faced a lot of opposition when we debarred these colleges. The government is determined to clean up medical education. We will take strict action against the colleges that are violating rules."

The colleges barred by MCI had challenged the ban in the Supreme Court. The court in its order on Tuesday has asked the Central govt to hear out the colleges one more time, but until and unless the ban is lifted, these admissions are illegal.

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