NEET Scam: Proxies paid Rs 50 lakh per candidate to take the exam

According to CBI sources, a scandal has come to the surface wherein people used proxies and paid them Rs. 50 lakh per candidate to take the NEET medical entrance examination, reported NDTV.

RK Education Career Guidance, a Maharashtra-based coaching center, is reportedly involved in the scam. Its director, Parimal Kotpalliwar and students have been charged in the scam.

NDTV accessed the FIR filed by CBI, which said, "Information revealed that Parimal Kotpalliwar solicits the aspiring candidates by offering them admission in top government medical colleges by adopting fraudulent means and unfair practices. The parents of prospective candidates have been contacted and are being assured of admission in medical colleges by manipulating the process of examination being conducted by NEET by using proxy candidates."

"Information further revealed that the user IDs and passwords of candidates appearing for the examination have been collected by Parimal and his associates and necessary modifications have been made for getting desired examination centres as planned by them. They also use the process of mixing/morphing photographs to facilitate use of proxy candidates for appearing in the examination. Copies of e-Aadhaar card of candidates were being collected for the purpose of making forged ID cards. Parimal also assured candidates of providing answer keys and manipulating OMR sheets", the FIR added.

NDTV reported that the parents submitted the documents of their children, which were later morphed by the coaching center, and post-dated cheques.

CBI sources revealed that the agency officials had planned to catch the proxies red-handed but the five proxy candidates set up by the coaching institute did not turn up to take the exam. So, instead the agency conducted searches at the accused premises and arrested people.

All this is happening in the wake of the student suicides in Tamil Nadu after the NEET exam. At least three students died by suicide in less than a week. TN CM MK Stalin had made a plea to the students to not take any extreme steps.

Meanwhile Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a Bill on September 13 to scrap the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) and allow admission to medical courses based on Class 12 marks to “ensure social justice”. Chief Minister Stalin passed the Bill based on the recommendations of a high-level committee led by retired judge AK Rajan.

After Tamil Nadu, there is a growing demand in Maharashtra too to exempt the medical course aspirants from NEET.