NEET: The news comes amid a spate of suicides in Tamil Nadu, prompting Chief Minister MK Stalin to make an emotional plea to students distraught by the test’s results last week. India’s capital, New Delhi, According to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources, a scandal involving the NEET medical entrance exams has been unearthed amid a furore over students who committed suicide after their results were announced.
The scandal involved an attempt to pass the test using proxies and payments of 50 lakh per candidate.
NEET Scam involved students paying up to 50 lakh
According to CBI sources, a coaching centre in Maharashtra named RK Education Career Guidance, its director Parimal Kotpalliwar, and several students have been implicated in the scheme.
The students allegedly paid as much as 50 lakh to ensure their admission into government medical schools.
FIR filed by CBI
An FIR filed by the CBI obtained by NDTV stated: “Information revealed that Parimal Kotpalliwar solicits the prospective aspirants by giving them admission in prominent government medical institutes through fraudulent means and unfair acts.”Prospective students’ parents have been contacted, and they have been assured of admission to medical colleges by manipulating the NEET examination procedure by utilizing proxy candidates.”
According to the investigation, parents of interested candidates were asked to deposit post-dated checks for the agreed amount as well as the candidate’s original Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets as security, which the coaching centre would return after realizing the agreed amount, which could be up to 50 lakh.
“Information further revealed that the user IDs and passwords of candidates appearing for the examination have been collected by Parimal and his associates and necessary modifications have been made for getting desired examination centres as planned by them.
They also use the process of mixing/morphing photographs to facilitate the use of proxy candidates for appearing in the examination. Copies of e-Aadhaar cards of candidates were being collected to make forged ID cards. Parimal also assured candidates of providing answer keys and manipulating OMR sheets”, the FIR stated further.
Proxies did not show up at exam centers, says agency sources
Though Parimal Kotpalliwar put up five proxy candidates for the NEET exam on September 12, agency sources say the proxies did not show up at the exam centres when agency inspectors were waiting to catch them red-handed.
According to NDTV, “searches were done at the accused promises, and arrests were made.”
The news comes after a spate of suicides in Tamil Nadu, which forced Chief Minister MK Stalin to issue an emotive appeal to students affected by the test results last week. In the last five years, 15 medical students in the state have committed suicide.
Suicide rates increase; Chief Minister Stalin makes emotional plea
Last Monday, a 17-year-old girl died purportedly by suicide in Tamil Nadu, the third such death in less than a week. The daughter of the daily wager, who had taken the NEET 2021 exam, was nervous about passing it. In Class 12, she achieved a score of 84.9 per cent.
“Please don’t terminate your lives, I beg you. You can achieve everything you set your mind to. With that assurance, study. Parents should also instil self-confidence in their children rather than stressing them out “In his plea, Chief Minister Stalin advised terrified children to call 104 to speak with mental health professionals.
Tamil Nadu has enacted a new bill prohibiting NEET-based admission to medical school. Because it challenges a central law, it would only take effect once President Ram Nath Kovind signed it.
