MBBS exam scam: Students acted as ‘middlemen’ for bribery racket
The MBBS annual and supplementary exam scam at Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences Rohtak (UHSR) has exposed a well-organised network of corruption, implicating university employees and students alike. The scam has not only undermined the credibility of the examination system but also revealed the involvement of MBBS students as intermediaries in the racket.
Action taken so far
- 41 individuals booked, including 24 students and 17 UHSR employees
- Three university employees arrested so far
- Eight regular employees suspended and nine outsourced staff dismissed by UHSR
- UHSR has introduced on-the-spot evaluation of MBBS exam papers to prevent further malpractice.
- Exam centres of three private colleges changed to curb misconduct
- Exam observers have been made more accountable to prevent such scams in the future
According to sources, several students from a private medical college acted as middlemen, collecting money from their peers in exchange for helping them to clear failed subjects. These student "agents" reportedly received a commission from the racketeers for each transaction.
"Initially, the racketeers directly approached students who had failed in any subject, assuring them of success in the next attempt. Once these students passed after paying money, they were inducted into the network. They then monitored and targeted other students who had failed, offering them similar assistance for a price," claimed a source.
How the scam worked
Sources said two groups of "middlemen" students operated within the private medical college, maintaining constant contact with the racketeers. These intermediaries often received insider exam-related information from the racketeers, which they used to build trust with struggling students.
"The ‘middlemen’ students gained credibility by leaking crucial details about upcoming exams, making it easier to convince their peers to pay for help," added the source.
However, trouble arose when some students who had paid money still failed the exam. These students demanded refunds from the intermediaries, creating friction within the network. According to sources, the racketeers charged students between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per subject for ensuring they cleared their exams.
One MBBS student, who later turned whistleblower, filed a formal complaint with UHSR authorities last month, revealing details of the scandal. The complainant also alleged that the racketeers used multiple mobile phones and WhatsApp calls to avoid detection.
"The authorities must recover WhatsApp call histories to trace the full extent of the network and identify all students involved," the complainant urged in the complaint.
High-tech cheating methods
The scam involved students rewriting their answer sheets outside the university premises. A video submitted as evidence by an MBBS student captured the malpractice, showing students sitting on beds and chairs, rewriting their answers under the supervision of a university employee.
As part of the sophisticated cheating strategy, students reportedly used erasable ink pens. They later erased their original responses with hair dryers before rewriting correct answers with the help of textbooks.
