NEET Scam in Tamil Nadu: DME orders all Medical Colleges to gather thumbprints of 1st year MBBS students

Chennai: Alert with the NEET impersonation scandal, the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has ordered all the medical colleges in the state to collect thumbprints of the first year MBBS students for detailed forensic scrutiny to ascertain if the students appeared for the eligibility test or not.

The direction has been given via email to the Deans of all the government and private medical colleges in which the DME has asked the authorities to gather three thumb imprints of the MBBS freshers. It has also warned the students of failure to give the thumbprints.

This action is taken in the wake of the NEET scam that surfaced in the state recently. Medical Dialogues had been extensively reporting about the same.

The fraud was exposed after a Theni Medical College's medico was booked under IPC Sections 419, 420 and 120 (B) for alleged impersonation in NEET. The matter was forwarded to the Selection Committee of the DME and the cops on the basis of the complaint filed by the Theni Medical College Dean Dr AK Rajendran.

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The investigation into the matter kept on unfolding unexpected twists, wherein a doctor, who was allegedly liaisoned with an agent who facilitated the impersonation; a Keralite agent; three more MBBS students and their parents also fell under the scanner of the CB-CID.

Read Also: NEET Scam: 2 medical colleges Deans to face inquiry; MBBS students, parents allege threat calls by agents

A proxy candidate had allegedly appeared for NEET instead of the MBBS student, who joined the Theni Medical College, based on the marks secured by the hired man in the exam. Apart from the use of proxy candidates, other angles like fudging NEET score were also being looked into in the case.

After questioning of the three, it came to light that a number of other students from Tamil Nadu had also used foul means to gain MBBS admission into medical colleges. During the preliminary inquiry, it was revealed that lakhs of rupees reportedly changed hands to help aspirants join MBBS through illegal means.

At least four of the five students arrested were discharged from the erstwhile Ponniah Ramajayam Medical College. The Medical Council of Indi (MCI) a had discharged 36 students who were admitted to the institute without clearing NEET, reports TOI.

Further, the matter reached the Madras High Court where the bench observed that the fraud of NEET impersonation for acquiring MBBS Admission may have not been confined to Tamil Nadu alone, but may have spread all over India.

Read Also: Probe into NEET scam to go Pan India: Madras High Court

Now, taking serious cognizance of the issue, the DME has now sent an email to all the medical colleges stating, "Students must give the impressions in front of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry professors at the dean's office. The student, professors and dean should sign the forms. Two copies of the forms should be sent in sealed envelopes to the directorate within five working days."

"Students who don't submit their thumbprints or go on leave shall not be allowed to attend classes," Director of Medical Education Dr R Narayanababu warned.

"This will be one of the most scientific ways of ascertaining if the students who have joined us have impersonated their entrance test," he informed TOI.