Another NEET fraud? Dubai Consulate sees NRI certificates for medical admissions double in 3 years

NEW DELHI: The number of fake NRI certificates issued for medical admission has significantly increased last year, the official data from the Indian Consulate in Dubai revealed; raising concerns over the NEET admission scam. A total of 24 NRI certificates were found to be forged in 2024 compared to 9 fake documents in 2023.

The Dubai Consulate saw a surge in NRI certificates in just 3 years. The RTI reply showed that the number of NRI certificates issued for college admissions in India has more than doubled over the last three years. While over a thousand certificates were issued in 2021, the numbers jumped to nearly 3 thousand last year.

The NRI quota in medical admission is a gateway for Indian-origin students residing abroad to secure seats in Indian medical colleges without having to compete in the NEET exam; often by paying hefty fees.

However, the RTI data revealed that many certificates were issued or obtained fraudulently. In September 2024, the Supreme Court called the NRI quota in MBBS admissions “a fraud” and a “means of making money” while dismissing the Punjab government’s appeal to include relatives of NRIs in the NRI quota.

The Karnataka government has also sent its proposal to the NMC seeking 5% NRI quota in government medical colleges, however, it was strongly opposed by the student organisations.

Number of NRI certificates issued

NRI certificates are issued to those applicants who are Indian nationals with valid Indian passport. They should not have stayed in India for more than 182 days in the previous financial year. Upon verifying these criteria, the NRI certificates are issued for the admission purposes.

The number of NRI certificates issued in the last 5 years, as per the data from the Indian Consulate in Dubai.

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“With no systematic re-verification of previously issued NRI certificates, the scale of fraud remains unclear. Experts are demanding a nationwide audit of NRI admissions, along with stringent measures to prevent manipulation,” he said and urged the National Medical Commission (NMC), ministry of external affairs (MEA), and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) “to intervene and enforce transparency in the system”.

Number of fake NRI certificates

Some of the universities and state selection councils ask for the genuinity of the NRI certificates issued. On verification, it was found that 9 were forged in 2023 and 24 just last year.

Expressing concerns over the alarming numbers, Dr Lakshya Mittal, national president of United Doctors Front (UDF) said: “This is a major scam in medical admissions. The Indian government must immediately initiate a high-level inquiry into all NRI certificates issued in recent years. The NMC, MEA, and PMO must ensure strict verification to prevent abuse of the system and protect the integrity of medical education.”