Students seeking admission to postgraduate (PG) medical courses in Maharashtra have conducted a sting operation to unearth a scam, involving their peers submitting fake economically weaker section (EWS) certificates to get seats in government medical colleges. Background checks of some PG course applicants have revealed that that they do not fall under the EWS category and actually come from well-to-do families. These findings have been submitted to the state CET cell.
This year, over 6,000 students are vying for 1,128 seats in government medical colleges for PG courses in Maharashtra. While the admission process is currently going on, some students and alumni conducted a sting operation to check for fake EWS certificates. According to the guidelines of the central government, 10 per cent of the seats are reserved under the EWS category -- students whose family income is less than Rs 8 lakh per annum in the general category.
Aditya Shastri, a PG medical aspirant, researched the backgrounds of those of his batchmates applying under EWS category. Shastri said, "I found it fishy when some of my batchmates from affluent families, having parents with jobs in renowned companies, were securing seats under the EWS category. When I spoke to them, I learnt that there are local agents who cook up fake EWS certificates with students showing the annual family income of just one earning member, rather than the entire family."
When The Free Press Journal spoke to some students who had fought the EWS reservation introduced in 2019 but are supporting it this year, some aspirants claimed it was because fake EWS certificates can be obtained by paying Rs 1,000. An aspirant said, "It is almost impossible to secure a seat in a government college in cities like Mumbai, Pune or Nagpur because there are over 6,000 students fighting for just 1,000 seats. To add to this, there is quota reservation, so we are compelled to get a fake certificate from a local agent and apply under EWS category."
Another aspirant said, "In government colleges, the fee is around Rs 1 lakh per year while in private colleges, it is Rs 25 lakh per year under management quota. Also, there are limited seats in government colleges, so desperate times call for desperate measures."
It is unfair to students working hard to secure seats, said Sudha Shenoy, representative of the Medical Parents' Association. Shenoy said, "Some students are getting away with fake EWS certificates even though their annual family income is above Rs 8 lakh. There are students who are genuinely from financially weak backgrounds and in need of aid. Also, the total reservation of seats has gone up to 74 per cent (instead of the earlier 50 per cent) leaving approximately, only 300 of 1,128 seats for open category students in Maharashtra. The state has not increased the number of seats in government medical colleges but in private colleges, which charge exorbitant fees."
Based on these findings submitted by students, the Maharashtra State CET Cell Commissioner has asked these students to provide information on those candidates who have fake certificates and the 'authorities' issuing them.
