Seat-blocking scam: Time for decisive action

As the admission season begins in Karnataka, the seat-blocking scam in professional colleges has once again come under scrutiny. Despite repeated warnings and interventions, this racket which exploits the loopholes in the admission system continues with impunity. The expression of dissatisfaction by Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar over police inaction against errant colleges highlights both the depth of the problem and the institutional apathy surrounding it. Unless urgent and stringent measures are taken, this malpractice will keep depriving deserving students of quality education while enriching unscrupulous institutions. At the heart of the scam is the manipulation of the Common Entrance Test (CET) system administered by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). High-ranking students, allegedly in collusion with college management and middlemen, apply for government quota seats that are considerably cheaper than those under the management quota. However, these students do not complete the admission process and forfeit seats at the last moment. These vacant seats are then shifted to the management quota pool, where the fees are exponentially higher. These reclassified seats are later sold to other students, often for lakhs of rupees, resulting in a windfall for the colleges.

This manipulation strikes at the very foundation of merit-based admissions and equitable access to education, Poor and deserving students, who rely on government quota seats, are systematically shut out. Middle-class parents are faced to shoulder unsustainable financial burdens to secure their children’s future. The KEA has attempted to curb this through stricter verification and counselling processes, but these measures have proven insufficient. The lack of serious consequences has only emboldened institutions to continue exploiting the system. Past instances of KEA officials being arrested for complicity reveal a deeper systemic rot that demands immediate intervention.

If the government is serious about ending this scam, it must take decisive action. Investigations should not stop at the agents or students – they must reach the top brass of colluding colleges. Institutions found guilty should face severe penalties, including withdrawal of affiliation, heavy fines, and criminal prosecution. Additionally, the KEA should put in place fool-proof technological safeguards to prevent last-minute manipulations. Karnataka has long prided itself on being an educational hub, attracting students from across the country. However, if this corruption persists unchecked, the state’s reputation will be in tatters. The government must send a clear message that profiteering at the expense of students will not be tolerated. The future of thousands of students hangs in the balance and the state must act before another academic year is marred by fraud and injustice.