Marks card scam: 7 nursing, allied colleges in dock

The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Research (RGUHS) will issue show-cause notices to seven nursing and allied sciences colleges with regard to the fake marks card scam.

Dr S Sachidanand, director, medical education, said the colleges would be served notices as per rules. Asked if they would be disaffiliated, he said a decision was taken in the syndicate and as part of the disaffiliation process, notices would be served.

As many as 350 seats would be cut short this year from Bethel Medical Institute of Nursing Sciences, Hosmat College of Nursing, Gayathridevi College of Nursing, Pan Asia College of Nursing, Bethel College of Physiotherapy, Hosmat College of Physiotherapy and Hosmat Hospital and Educational Institution. He said these were to do with the issue of fake marks cards.

Recently, one college was in the news after a faculty member raised a sexual harassment complaint against the institute chairman. "This is not among the reasons for considering disaffiliation. However, we have sought an explanation. The complaint has also reached the governor's office," said Sachidanand.

In March 2018, an FIR was registered against Bethel Medical Mission over the marks card issue after an Iranian student approached RGUHS, saying she didn't get her results despite appearing for exams.

There was also a couter FIR against the RGUHS, with the institute claiming that the university officials had trespassed into their campus on the pretext of conducting an inspection. The RGUHS, however, maintained that the inspection yielded substantial evidence with fake signatures of in-charge vice-chancellor.

Sachidanand said admissions to these colleges for the academic year had been stopped. A public notice would be issued in this regard for the benefit of students.