Medical colleges in Punjab refuse to return original certificates to students

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, November 6

During the verification and checking of students’ original certificates for their admission in MBBS course this week, many candidates shortlisted for admission in some private medical colleges in the state are facing problem of getting back their certificates. The institutes are refusing to return original documents till the completion of their five-year course.

Though the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER) in the state condemns this practice and warns institutions against the retention of original documents, the authorities in some private medical colleges have maintained their stance on returning the certificates only after the students pass out.

Sources in the DMER said as per the rules, institutions were duty-bound to release the original certificates entrusted at the time of admission. However, the authorities of the Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, claimed the provision to retain the certificates was prominently displayed in the institute’s prospectus and this enabled the institute to withhold the certificates.

They claimed that all aspirants were aware of the fact that documents, including marksheets, character certificate, admit and result cards of entrance test of the students would be deposited with the institute at the time of admission and would be retained by the institute till the completion of the programme and submission of no-dues certificates by the students.

To discourage this practice, the DMER had warned the institutes that they would face strict action if they retained the original certificates of the students.

It is alleged that on the pretext of verification of the certificates, some private medical and allied institutes forcefully retain the admitted students by having them submit their certificates.

According to some students, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified that an institution can ask students to produce original documents for verification, but they cannot retain these.

On Sunday, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), the nodal agency to conduct admissions in medical colleges in the state, asked the students to get verification of their certificates from the allotted medical colleges. BFUHS Registrar Dr Nirmal Ouseppachan said, “Class XII certificates submitted by candidates from Digi-locker are acceptable.”

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