- A massive medical college bribery racket has exposed corruption within India’s health and education sectors.
- Key figures include a godman, a former UGC chief, ministry insiders, and NMC officials.
- The scam involved fake inspections, ghost faculty, and regulatory approvals traded for cash.
A sweeping investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unmasked a far-reaching scam within India’s medical education system, implicating over 34 individuals across seven states.
Those named in the CBI’s FIR span a wide spectrum of influence: controversial spiritual leader Ravi Shankar Maharaj, former UGC chairman Prof. D.P. Singh, college trustees, and at least eight officials from the Health Ministry.
Rot at the Core: How India’s Medical Oversight Was Hijacked by Bribes and Power
What makes this scandal particularly alarming is the betrayal of public trust by individuals tasked with upholding educational and healthcare standards. The NMC, which replaced the Medical Council of India with promises of transparency, now finds itself at the center of the storm. Key assessors were allegedly working in tandem with middlemen and college owners to manipulate outcomes in exchange for personal gains, undermining the entire purpose of medical regulation.
Beyond the institutional fallout, the scandal casts a shadow over thousands of medical students whose colleges may have never met minimum standards. These students, unknowingly enrolled in compromised institutions, face uncertain futures. This crisis raises critical questions about the competence of graduates produced under such fraudulent circumstances and the safety of patients who may one day rely on their care.
The financial trail uncovered by the CBI spans across Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka, indicating a coordinated, pan-India racket. In some cases, officials accepted bribes as high as ₹75 lakh per institution. Such figures reveal how deep corruption runs—not just among those directly benefiting, but also in how regulatory systems were exploited at multiple levels.
Calls are growing for independent oversight into the approval process of medical colleges and an urgent reassessment of existing institutions. Civil society groups and health experts are demanding a judicial commission to oversee investigations, ensure accountability, and restore trust. With the scope of the scam expanding, the coming weeks may prove pivotal for India’s higher education and healthcare landscape.
This scandal is a wake-up call for India’s medical education system—showcasing how unchecked power, corruption, and negligence can endanger both future doctors and patients.
“The health of the people is really the foundation upon which all their happiness and all their powers as a state depend.” — Benjamin Disraeli
