Medical students unearth fake EWS certificate scam

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IN the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, a group of Post Graduate medical students and their parents in Maharashtra claimed to have unearthed a scam involving Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota admissions. They alleged that some rich people have acquired EWS certificates, snatching away the opportunity from those really in need.

Close to 200 students and parents got together in March to conduct an inquiry after the PG Medical admissions seat metrics were declared. They identified a few candidates who took admission under EWS category and started checking their personal background and even spoke to them. By May end, the group shortlisted nearly 12 candidates who did not belong to the EWS category but took advantage of the quota.

They have now submitted the list to Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell. "It has come to notice that many EWS students are actually affluent and are applying under EWS quota with fraudulently obtained certificates. It has been found that a lot of students, including some top rankers, applying under EWS quota are actually rich but are getting away with fake certificates due to the rampant corruption in the ill-conceived EWS certification system," they said in a statement.

"We demand an impartial panel consisting of Unreserved Class to be a part of this scrutiny process to bust this fake certificate racket so that the benefits reach out to genuine poor and needy for whom it is intended," it added.

A student from the group told mid-day, "There are candidates whose parents are doctors and run hospitals, who have social media posts of leisure foreign trips. A few we spoke to have confirmed that they acquired the certificates."

Students and parents from open category who have waging legal war against massive percentage of reservation in admissions took this step in the hope that the government will now intervene.

One of the parents, Sudha Shenoy, said, "We found that these students were taking advantage of the quota, while people really in need struggled. If the concerned authority conducts an investigation, it might find many such candidates." CET Cell Commissioner Sandeep Kadam told mid-day, "We are taking a serious look into it."

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