Bengaluru: A day after the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) issued show-cause notice to a private nursing college and the concerned group of institutions operating from the city regarding fake degrees and forged marks cards, former nursing students and activists alleged the issue was a long standing one, but nothing has been done over the years.
Nisha (name changed), a working nurse in the city who was in the forefront of a student movement in 2015, said the issue was never considered serious whenever it was brought to the attention of officials, both at the medical education department and even the minister concerned.
“Nurses who fail to handle even a syringe and the needle have got jobs at various hospitals across the state and the situation is alarming. Over the years the situation has just worsened,” she said. She added that the case unearthed by the varsity recently is not an isolated one.
As suggested by the 1,200-page committee report from the varsity, after the analysis of the data collected from Bethel Medical Mission in the city, a comprehensive inquiry was called for on Thursday. The Criminal Investigation Department took over the probe on Friday as primary evidences submitted by the varsity showed possibilities of a larger racket to give away fake degrees with forged marks cards.
It may be recalled that the forgery came to light after an Iranian student of the college claimed that she was cheated by the institution situated at Nandini Layout. Corroborating the same view of former students, RTI activist and president of the Association of Malayali Students Studying in Karnataka (AMSSK) M.K. Thomas said the matter should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and not CID.
“All ministers since the previous HDK government in 2006 have been involved in seeing to it that medical education is commercialised to the hilt with personal benefits showered upon them in an unlimited manner. I have lost faith in the entire system as the varsity officials also play a part in it,” he alleged.
The varsity officials, however, denied allegations of being complicit, saying if it were true then they wouldn’t have initiated the state government to look into the matter and demand an inquiry.
“We have issued the show-cause notice to the group, naming all 67 institutions which come under their purview, to provide explanation. Further investigations are also welcome and the varsity will always be co-operative in providing all evidences we have collected from the institution for a thorough probe,” said RGUHS syndicate member
