Udaipur/Jodhpur (Udaipur Kiran): Serious irregularities have been exposed in Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) admissions for the 2016–17 academic session at 11 private dental colleges in Rajasthan, including Geetanjali University, where students who scored zero or even negative marks in the NEET examination were granted admission. Taking a strict view of the violations, the Supreme Court of India has imposed a total penalty of Rs 110 crore, describing the case as one driven by greed and illegal gain.
The colleges named in Udaipur include Geetanjali Dental and Research Institute, Geetanjali University, Darshan Dental College, Pacific Dental College and Hospital, and Pacific Academy of Higher Education and Research University. Other institutions covered under the court order are Vyas Dental College, Eklavya Dental College, Daswani Dental College, Surendra Dental College (Sri Ganganagar), Rajasthan Dental College (Jaipur), and Maharaja Ganga Singh Dental College (Sri Ganganagar).
According to the case details, the irregularities began after several seats remained vacant following the NEET examination in 2016. On September 30, 2016, the Rajasthan government granted a 10 per cent relaxation in the minimum NEET percentile. When seats still remained vacant, an additional 5 per cent relaxation was allowed on October 4, 2016. The Dental Council of India flagged this as a violation and informed the Union government on October 5, 2016. On October 6, 2016, the Centre warned the state government and asked it to withdraw the relaxation. Despite this, private colleges admitted students with zero and negative NEET scores, which the Supreme Court held to be a clear breach of rules.
The Supreme Court protected the degrees of students who have already completed their courses but imposed conditions. All such students must submit affidavits within eight weeks, undertaking to provide two years of free (pro bono) service whenever required by the state government. Failure to submit the affidavit could put their degrees at risk. The court clarified that this relief applies only to those who have completed the course and should not be treated as a precedent.
Each of the 11 colleges has been fined Rs 10 crore, while the state government has been fined Rs 10 lakh. The penalty amount will be deposited in fixed deposits, and the interest earned will be used for the maintenance of one-stop centres, Nari Niketan, old-age homes, and child care institutions. The court also directed the formation of a five-judge committee in the Rajasthan High Court, including at least one woman judge, to monitor the proper utilisation of these funds.
The apex court said the decision was aimed at ensuring transparency and strict compliance with rules in the education system, making it clear that such violations would not be tolerated in the future.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.