SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 12: The admission of an MBBS student at Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH), Dhanbad, has been cancelled after it was found that she had submitted a fake Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate.
The student, a native of Godda district in Jharkhand, had secured admission under the ST-reserved quota through the state MBBS counselling process. She was allotted a seat at SNMMCH Dhanbad.
However, her surname “Dutta” raised suspicion among college authorities about the authenticity of her claim to the ST category. Despite the doubts, the college granted her conditional admission and initiated an inquiry.
Inquiry Conducted by Executive Magistrate Confirms Fraud
An executive magistrate from Dhanbad visited Godda to verify the candidate’s documents and background. The investigation confirmed that the girl had fraudulently posed as a tribal candidate to obtain admission benefits under the reserved quota.
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Following the submission of the executive magistrate’s report on Tuesday evening, SNMMCH examination in-charge Dr. Ganesh Kumar recommended to Principal Dr. D.K. Gindauria that the candidate’s admission be cancelled immediately.
The college also informed the Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) about the cancellation.
Action Taken After ACS Health’s Directive
Sources revealed that SNMMCH acted promptly after Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Health, Ajay Kumar Singh, raised concerns over the possibility of fake admissions in medical colleges. During a video conference on Monday, the ACS had directed all medical colleges to verify the authenticity of caste certificates submitted by candidates.
Surname Raised Doubts During Admission
Dr. Ganesh Kumar stated that the candidate’s surname “Dutta” triggered suspicion among officials. “Since the Circle Officer (CO) of Godda had issued her caste certificate, we allowed conditional admission after obtaining an undertaking that it could be cancelled if the probe revealed any irregularity,” he said.
During the inquiry, it was discovered that the girl had forged documents and assumed the identity of a tribal student to claim ST benefits. When questioned, she argued that she used the surname “Dutta” because she had completed her schooling in Bankura district of West Bengal.
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Authorities to Tighten Verification of Reserved Quota Admissions
The case has prompted SNMMCH and other medical institutions to strengthen their verification process for reserved category admissions. Officials emphasized that strict action would be taken against anyone found misusing caste certificates to secure government quota seats.
