KEA legal cell unearths fraud in CET admissions

Bengaluru: The legal cell of the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has finalised its report on the alleged irregularities in the Common Entrance Test (CET). As per the final report of the cell, allegations levelled against Ms. Neha Karanth, a first year MBBS student studying at the AJ Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore has been proved.

Ms. Karanth has secured government quota medical seat at AJ Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore, under General Merit (GM) rural quota even though she was not eligible for the rural quota. According to the report, which has been submitted to the state government by the KEA, then administrative officer of the KEA, Mr. S. P. Kulkarni, who is now under suspension, had allegedly allowed 70 students to change their category in the CET 2013-14.

As per the report, charges against most of the students i.e. changing the category through submitting false certificates, has been proved.
“Most of the changes are made by submitting false income and caste certificates. As per the inquiry committee report in the case of Ms. Neha, daughter of surgeon couple from the city, all the rules and regulations were openly thrown to the winds to secure her an MBBS seat under government category,” informed an officer.

According to the report, Ms. Neha Karanth’s actual parental income is over and above the income limit fixed to avail the GM (Rural) category. Even though she studied in prestigious schools in BBMP limits, she submitted false documents stating she is a rural student. “Soon her seat will be cancelled,”informed an officer from the state medical education department.

Findings: As per the inquiry committee report, most of the 70 students have secured seats under the General Category even after changing their category to lower groups. For example, students who have changed their category from 2A to 2 B etc have secured seats under GM category. In Neha’s case, rules were violated at several levels.