NEW DELHI, July 15 -- In a significant effort to ensure transparency and accountability in medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) blacklisted four assessors and suspended renewal of undergraduate and postgraduate seats at six medical colleges.
This strict action follows a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) First Information Report (FIR) on June 30, which accuses 34 people-ranging from NMC-appointed evaluators, medical college authorities, and officials-of a widespread bribery and corruption network.
The CBI probe holds that the accused persons conspired to subvert the regulatory process aimed at ensuring the quality of medical education. The FIR describes the manner in which sensitive information regarding surprise inspections was illegally passed to certain private colleges beforehand.
In one case, a college is said to have been warned four days ahead of a surprise visit and even provided with the names of the inspectors to make it possible to set up false arrangements-bribing examiners, employing fake staff, recruiting fictitious patients, and manipulating biometric attendance records.
The controversy uncovered deeper flaws in the inspection and approval process, with inspectors reportedly accepting bribes to turn a blind eye to huge deficiencies in infrastructure, staffing, and clinical exposure-all critical factors needed for approval and renewal of medical education programs.
The NMC had already suspended new course approvals and seat additions previously when the investigation was revealed.
A top official confirmed that, lacking credible inspection, the commission is turning to virtual audits now, depending on self-reported information from institutions and CCTV camera footage installed throughout campuses.
The CBI report reveals that the use of silicon fingerprints has tainted biometric records, which are also under investigation.
It was earlier brought to the fore how the vacant positions in the NMC were limiting routine inspections-a gap that seems to have provided opportunities for malpractices to thrive.
These inspections are necessary to ensure that medical colleges uphold standards for training future physicians.
As the probe continues, the NMC is likely to introduce more stringent protocols and technology-based monitoring systems to revive credibility and ensure that medical education in India is in line with international standards.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.