ED unearths massive NRI quota admission scam in medical colleges; govt tightens rules

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed a massive admission racket in private medical colleges of West Bengal and Odisha, exposing how ineligible students gained entry into MBBS and postgraduate courses through the NRI quota using “fake documents” and “forged certificates”, a senior official said here on Monday.

Searches at multiple premises led to the recovery of incriminating evidence, including “counterfeit US notary stamps”, forged NRI certificates, and fabricated family trees showing unrelated foreigners as relatives of candidates.

“A large number of NRI certificates were later confirmed as fake by Indian embassies and missions abroad,” the official said.

The probe revealed that medical colleges, in collusion with admission agents, paid intermediaries to prepare forged documents. In many cases, the same NRI’s credentials were used for multiple candidates. Family members of the students, rather than NRI sponsors, paid the fees, defeating the intended purpose of bringing foreign exchange into the country.

ED officials also found affidavits purportedly signed by NRI sponsors who were not even in India at the time of notarisation, further indicating widespread forgery.

Following the probe, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) have tightened norms for the 2025-26 academic session. Embassy-issued NRI certificates will now be verified through the MEA and Indian High Commissions. Any admission based on a fake certificate will be cancelled, and punitive action will be taken against both the candidate and the college.

With NRI quota seats accounting for nearly 15 per cent of India’s 1.2 lakh MBBS seats, ED officials said the crackdown will bring greater transparency to medical admissions. Unfilled NRI seats will now revert to the management quota, giving higher-ranked students access to medical education.

The agency added that its findings will have implications beyond medical colleges, as NRI quotas also exist in law, MBA, and other higher education institutions.