MP DMAT scam bigger than Vyapam: CBI tells Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: CBI on Thursday told the Supreme Court that Madhya Pradesh Dental and Medical Admission Test ( DMAT) scam, relating to admission in private dental and medical colleges, appears to be many times larger than the Vyapam scam but expressed inability to take over the investigation due to shortage of manpower.

In an affidavit filed in the court, CBI said around 27 per cent posts from inspector to additional SP level in the agency are vacant and it was impossible for it to take over the new cases as it was already overburdened with Vyapam and chit fund scam cases.

"The DMAT scam as highlighted by the petitioners, purportedly started from 2009 and ever year thousands of students have been admitted in private dental and medical colleges against the management quota. Hence in its scope and depth, the DMAT scam appears to be many times more than the Vyapam scam," the affidavit said.

After Vyapam, irregularities and corruption in Madhya Pradesh Dental and Medical Admission Test (DMAT) also came under judicial scrutiny with the Supreme Court agreeing to hear a plea for CBI probe into the scam. The court had sought response from the agency.

In its reply, CBI said the apex court should not accept the plea for a probe by the agency in the case. "It is humbly submitted that the CBI is finding it extremely hard and almost impossible to cope with the extent of cases already being investigated, including Vyapam scam cases, due to scarcity of resources particularly human resources. Apart from the Vyapam cases, the CBI is already investigating more than 1000 cases related to chit fund scam in several states," it said.

"In CBI investigation is normally conducted by the officers of the rank of inspector to additional SP whose sanctioned strength is 1264 only and out of them 348 posts are presently vacant," it said.

There are 15 private dental colleges and six private medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh with approximately 2,800 seats for which the Association for Private Medical and Dental Colleges (APDMC) conducts DMAT every year. Forty-two per cent seats are for the state quota, 43 per cent for management quota and the remaining 15 per cent for NRIs.

The petitioners contended that almost all admissions to 58 per cent seats (43 per cent management quota and 15 per cent NRI quota) under DMAT were rigged. They said admissions under 42 per cent state quota were also rigged by using scorers.

Explaining the alleged modus operandi of the scam, the petitioners told the apex court that candidates were instructed to submit blank answer sheets in the examination hall and DMAT officials filled up the sheets after the exam. They also said MBBS students appeared in the entrance exam as scorers and would block the seat after clearing the exam. They vacated the seat on the last date of admission, allowing private colleges to sell the seat without fair counseling.