For a student hoping to study medicine, securing an MBBS seat is only one part of the struggle. High college fees can make admission difficult even for those who qualify. In Gujarat, allegations of agents exploiting this situation have raised questions about whether some medical seats are being blocked during counselling and later offered to other candidates for large sums of money.
Officials tracking Gujarat’s medical admissions have raised concerns after over 700 allotted seats remained unconfirmed following the second round of counselling. Officials suspect that agents are using dummy applicants to temporarily occupy seats, which they later attempt to sell to other students for hefty commissions.
The allegations point to a practice that could affect candidates competing for management-quota seats, where fees are already high.
₹1.4 Crore Quoted for a Management-Quota Seat
According to the TOI’s report, during the investigation, an intermediary reportedly demanded ₹1.4 crore to arrange a management-quota MBBS seat at a college in central Gujarat, for a student who had scored 232 out of 720 in NEET.
The amount reportedly included ₹1.15 crore in college fees for the five-year course, calculated at ₹23 lakh per year, and an additional ₹25 lakh as commission for arranging the admission. The agent also claimed to have helped secure at least 100 medical admissions in the previous year.
How Dummy Applications Are Allegedly Used
According to report, some intermediaries allegedly submit applications using the details of students who do not intend to join a medical college that year.
These students may be planning to take NEET again or may be unable to afford the cost of medical education. Their applications are reportedly used to claim seats during counselling, even when they have no intention of completing the admission process.
The seats remain occupied during the initial stages of counselling. When the applicants fail to confirm admission, the seats become available again, potentially affecting the options available to other candidates.
According to report some agents submit between 200 and 400 such applications. The report suggests that this process can be used to influence seat availability and create opportunities to offer management-quota seats to candidates willing to pay substantial sums.
Candidates’ Documents Allegedly Collected in Advance
The alleged arrangement may begin before counselling itself. The agent ask candidates for an advance payment of ₹5 lakh, along with their NEET scorecards and admission portal login details. The agents then reportedly use these details to complete the application process on the candidates’ behalf.
The report says that some students whose details are used in this way may not even know that seats have been claimed in their names. They may receive no payment or benefit despite their applications being used to block seats temporarily.
If these allegations are accurate, the practice could leave students unaware of how their personal details are being used while also interfering with the admission process.
Eligible Students Could Lose Out
Medical admissions are based on eligibility, NEET scores and the applicable counselling rules. Allegedly blocking seats through applicants who do not intend to join could disrupt the process for students who are genuinely seeking admission.
According to the report, agents may use the subsequent movement of seats during counselling to offer management-quota options to candidates with lower scores who are prepared to pay additional charges.
The concern is not simply the high cost of medical education. It is whether seats that should be available through the prescribed admission process are being used to create opportunities for intermediaries to earn commissions.
Officials tracking admissions reportedly expressed concern that such activities could keep seats beyond the reach of eligible candidates.
Questions Remain Over Oversight
The allegations raise questions about how applications are verified, how unconfirmed seats are monitored and whether candidates’ admission credentials are being misused.
For students and families already struggling with the rising cost of medical education, the allegations highlight another concern: whether the counselling process is functioning fairly and whether intermediaries are taking advantage of the pressure to secure an MBBS seat.
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