UP govt recommends CBI probe into irregularities in AYUSH colleges in 2021 admissions

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in admission to AYUSH colleges in 2021. The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has launched an investigation into alleged “fraudulent admissions” at colleges for Ayurveda and Unani under the AYUSH department in the state through NEET-2021.

A complaint was filed by AYUSH director SN Singh at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station, in which it was alleged that during the online counselling for admissions for NEET 2021-22, some irregularities were found. “During the counselling for NEET 2021-22, ineligible candidates were given admission in under graduate courses. Kindly lodge a case against the agency – Uptron Powertronics in Lucknow and the vendor company named by it (V3 Soft Solutions Private Limited) whose representative is Kuldeep Singh,” stated the complaint lodged by Singh.

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The decision came on directives of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, an official statement issued here said on Monday November 7, 2022. Senior officials of the department have also been suspended, it said. Professor Dr S N Singh, acting director Ayurveda Services - member secretary, counselling, and Umakant Yadav, officer-in-charge, directorate of education, Ayurveda Services, are among those who have been suspended, the statement added.

“As per our initial information, candidates who did not have total marks above the cut-off also got admission…It is likely that someone from within the AYUSH department may have been involved,” said an STF official, adding that AYUSH officials involved in the counselling process will be questioned.

“The details of a candidate, who scored well, were changed and then they were replaced by non-deserving and fraudulent candidates. To ensure that the candidates whose details were changed were from outside the state to avoid complications and getting caught,” said the official.

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It said departmental proceedings have been initiated against Dr Mohammad Wasim, Officer-in-Charge of Unani Directorate, and Professor Vijay Pushkar, Acting Joint Director, Directorate of Teaching Homeopathy. Fraudulent admissions to AYUSH colleges across the state via NEET-2021 have recently come to the fore