Legal action against medical students paid to block PG seats

NEWDELHI: MBBS graduates found guilty of accepting money to block postgraduate (PG) seats in medical colleges will face legal action, said a notice issued by the Union health ministry on Wednesday.

While blocking of seats post counselling is a common complaint, this is the first time the health ministry has warned of legal action, including forfeiting the security deposit and rendering the person ineligible for counselling from second round onwards.

“We have received complaints of candidates blocking seats with no intention of doing the course. This is sort of cartelisation and unacceptable. Since money is involved, it becomes a criminal offence and candidates found guilty can be booked under the Indian Penal Code,” said a senior health ministry official.

The ministry is tracking more than 1,000 students who have not joined after being allotted colleges in the first round of counselling, held between March 17 and April 5.

“Sometimes, there’s a genuine reason for a student to opt for the second round of AIQ counselling — for example, if they don’t like the college — but we are focusing on those who are blocking seats despite having secured admission under the state quota,” said the official.

The counselling schedule was revised to ensure admissions in all colleges except deemed universities gets over by May 18. Counselling for AIQ seats will not be postponed even if the states don’t complete counselling.

Also, there will be no exemption whatsoever from common counselling.