NEET quota chaos: Puducherry hit by dual nativity allegations

Puducherry: The medical admission process in Puducherry is once again embroiled in controversy due to allegations of dual nativity, specifically concerning the draft merit list for MBBS and other NEET-based courses under the government quota, released by the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC).

The Pondicherry State Students and Parents Welfare Association, through its president, V. Balasubramanian, has brought to light serious irregularities. The association claims to have identified at least two students whose names appear on both Puducherry's CENTAC merit list and the Tamil Nadu Health Department's list, strongly suggesting fraudulent claims of nativity. This dual listing is a critical issue as nativity is a primary criterion for securing admissions under the Union Territory's government quota.

In response to these findings, the association has formally petitioned the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, and other senior officials of the UT administration, demanding an immediate and thorough investigation into the matter. The plea underscores the urgency of preventing non-Puducherry natives from unlawfully occupying seats specifically designated for genuine residents of the Union Territory.

To ensure the integrity of the admission process, the association has also called for a comprehensive cross-verification of applicants' NEET scores, rank numbers, and personal data against the merit lists published by neighbouring states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala. Balasubramanian voiced concerns that many more instances of dual nativity might remain undiscovered due to insufficient scrutiny by the authorities.

Despite explicit provisions within Puducherry's admission guidelines, which strictly prohibit students from claiming nativity in more than one state during the same academic year, this issue persistently recurs annually. These guidelines also stipulate a mandatory parental declaration to validate nativity claims, yet activists argue that the enforcement of these rules remains weak.

The recurrence of this problem is particularly frustrating given that eight students were disqualified on dual nativity grounds just last year. However, the association has criticised both CENTAC and the Puducherry Health Department for their alleged failure to effectively implement the existing regulations. Balasubramanian explicitly stated that these departments have not taken proactive measures to detect and deter fraudulent claims.

Citing the recent action by Tamil Nadu authorities, who disqualified over 23 students for submitting fake documents under NRI and other quota categories, the association has urged the Puducherry government to adopt equally stringent punitive measures. They have also demanded action not only against the students involved but also against their parents and any intermediaries who facilitate the procurement of fraudulent nativity certificates.

As the medical admissions process advances, the association has issued a stark warning: a failure to promptly address and rectify these irregularities could unjustly deprive deserving local candidates of their rightful opportunities to pursue medical education.

With inputs from IANS