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In a stunning exposé that has shaken the foundation of India’s medical education system, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a sweeping crackdown against rampant corruption within the National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex regulatory body for medical education in the country. This comes in the wake of explosive findings following raids on the chief of the Pharmacy Council of India, Montu Patel.
Over 40 private medical colleges across multiple states were raided by the CBI, including in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and New Delhi. The result: the registration of a FIR against 36 individuals, including 11 high-ranking officials from the NMC and the Union Health Ministry.
A Systemic Scam Worth Over Rs 1,300 Crore
Preliminary estimates place the scale of the scam at a staggering ₹1,300 crore, with the CBI recovering large sums of unaccounted cash during the raids — including ₹50 lakh from the joint director of the NMC. The FIR includes serious charges of bribery, fraud, and criminal conspiracy. Among the most prominent accused is Swami Bhagatvatsaldasji, operator of Swaminarayan Medical College in Kalol, Gujarat.
This isn’t just a case of isolated corruption. What the CBI has unearthed is a deeply entrenched racket operating within the NMC’s IT and UG-PG Medical Education Boards. Evidence suggests that private medical colleges were granted clearances and recognition by NMC officials despite serious deficiencies — including the presence of “ghost faculty,” poor hospital infrastructure, inadequate patient inflow, and lack of teaching resources. These deficiencies should have automatically disqualified such colleges under standard regulatory scrutiny, yet they were brazenly approved in exchange for hefty bribes.
Nexus of Corruption: NMC and Health Ministry Officials Involved
The role of senior officials from both the NMC and the Union Health Ministry has come under intense scrutiny. Investigations point to systemic corruption, with the involvement of individuals in key decision-making positions. The complaint names several powerful figures, including spiritual leader Ravishankar Maharaj and the chairman of Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur, indicating the widespread influence and reach of the scam.
Already, six individuals, including three doctors, have been arrested. More arrests are likely, with investigators zeroing in on top bureaucrats and senior officers suspected of receiving bribes or aiding in falsification of inspection reports.
A Betrayal of Medical Aspirants and the Public
The revelations have not just triggered political shockwaves — they have deeply shaken the faith of thousands of aspiring medical students, their families, and the entire healthcare community. In a nation where lakhs of students toil for years to secure a medical seat, the fact that colleges with no faculty or patients were given approval for the right price is not just a scandal — it is a betrayal of public trust.
These approvals allowed substandard institutions to flourish, risking the quality of education and, more dangerously, the lives of patients who will one day be treated by inadequately trained doctors.
NMC’s Image in Tatters
Formed in 2020 as a replacement for the corruption-ridden Medical Council of India (MCI), the NMC was projected as a reformative body aimed at bringing transparency and quality to medical education in India. But this scandal reveals that the rot has not just persisted — it has evolved and become more sophisticated.
The very institution meant to uphold ethical standards in medical education now stands accused of selling approvals like commodities. Calls are now growing louder for a complete overhaul of the NMC and for greater transparency and accountability in its operations.
The Road Ahead
With the investigation ongoing and more names likely to emerge, this could be just the tip of the iceberg. The government must act decisively — not only to punish the guilty but to restore credibility to India’s medical education system. Independent audits, real-time digital inspections, and a reconstitution of oversight mechanisms may be necessary steps to ensure such a betrayal never happens again.
India cannot afford a medical education system tainted by corruption. The lives of future generations depend on the integrity of this ecosystem. The nation waits for justice — and reform.
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