<p>Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar has announced that a fine of Rs 25 lakh will be levied on students who surrender their medical seats at the last moment. But the question is, will this really end what has come to be known as the ‘seat surrendering scam’, considering that most medical colleges are owned by powerful politicians belonging to all parties.</p>.<p>This is how the scam works: A few students who have obtained high ranks in the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) are identified by certain private medical colleges and made to apply to the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) and block their seats. During the last round of counselling, these students surrender their seats and get admitted to a college in another state. Since the Supreme Court has ruled that only three rounds of counselling can be held, the seats that fall vacant have to be transferred to private colleges, which then sell them for exorbitant sums under the management quota to students with much lower merit. In the process, many deserving candidates lose out. </p>.<p>Until now, the government levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh per surrendered seat but the problem persisted with private colleges making good this amount to the students. What’s more, the colleges bear the costs of their travel and stay and even pay them a ‘fee’ of Rs 5 lakh or more for their ‘services’. This pay-out does not pinch the managements, since they sell the surrendered seats for crores of rupees. Last year alone, the KEA collected Rs 40 crore in fines and other fees, which gives an indication of the extent of the scam. Former DGP Shankar Bidari had some time ago alleged that it’s a Rs 1,000-crore racket; BJP member N Ravikumar, who raised the issue in the Council, recalled that the Income Tax department had unearthed Rs 400 crore in unaccounted money during raids on medical colleges. </p>.<p>Increasing the penalty is fine, but it is doubtful if it will put an end to the scam. Instead, the government should approach the Supreme Court and seek permission to hold an additional round of counselling exclusively for surrendered seats. Indeed, the state could seek a review of the apex court’s various orders on professional college admissions to make them relevant to the current times. The Centre, too, should consider linking the examination authorities of all states to prevent a student from seeking multiple admissions and thereby blocking seats. There are ways to put an end to this scam, what is needed is the political will to do so.</p>
<p>Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar has announced that a fine of Rs 25 lakh will be levied on students who surrender their medical seats at the last moment. But the question is, will this really end what has come to be known as the ‘seat surrendering scam’, considering that most medical colleges are owned by powerful politicians belonging to all parties.</p>.<p>This is how the scam works: A few students who have obtained high ranks in the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) are identified by certain private medical colleges and made to apply to the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) and block their seats. During the last round of counselling, these students surrender their seats and get admitted to a college in another state. Since the Supreme Court has ruled that only three rounds of counselling can be held, the seats that fall vacant have to be transferred to private colleges, which then sell them for exorbitant sums under the management quota to students with much lower merit. In the process, many deserving candidates lose out. </p>.<p>Until now, the government levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh per surrendered seat but the problem persisted with private colleges making good this amount to the students. What’s more, the colleges bear the costs of their travel and stay and even pay them a ‘fee’ of Rs 5 lakh or more for their ‘services’. This pay-out does not pinch the managements, since they sell the surrendered seats for crores of rupees. Last year alone, the KEA collected Rs 40 crore in fines and other fees, which gives an indication of the extent of the scam. Former DGP Shankar Bidari had some time ago alleged that it’s a Rs 1,000-crore racket; BJP member N Ravikumar, who raised the issue in the Council, recalled that the Income Tax department had unearthed Rs 400 crore in unaccounted money during raids on medical colleges. </p>.<p>Increasing the penalty is fine, but it is doubtful if it will put an end to the scam. Instead, the government should approach the Supreme Court and seek permission to hold an additional round of counselling exclusively for surrendered seats. Indeed, the state could seek a review of the apex court’s various orders on professional college admissions to make them relevant to the current times. The Centre, too, should consider linking the examination authorities of all states to prevent a student from seeking multiple admissions and thereby blocking seats. There are ways to put an end to this scam, what is needed is the political will to do so.</p>
