News Tamil Nadu

Sun News Byte Of Medical Student’s Rant Against NEET Backfires, Student Says He Paid ₹25 Lakhs To Get Seat In DMK MP-Owned Medical College

August 14, 2023
The Commune

A short video clip of a boy, wherein he reveals that he paid ₹25 lakhs to secure a seat for pursuing an MBBS degree in DMK MP Jagathrakshakan-owned medical college is now going viral on social media. He also added that entire course expenses at the medical college owned by DMK leader would tally up to ₹1.5 crores, which economically poor students cannot afford.

Following the tragic suicide of his 19-year-old son due to his inability to pass the NEET medical entrance exam, the father of the young boy was found dead at their residence in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the very next day.

Jagadeeswaran, who graduated from Class XII in 2022 with 427 marks, was unable to clear the NEET entrance for the medical course in two attempts. It was reported that the boy did not respond to calls from his father on Saturday and was found dead at home. The following morning, Selvasekar, his father, was found dead. Struggling to bear the immense sorrow brought about by his son’s passing, Selvasekar took his own life by hanging at his residence, according to statements from the police.

Amidst these circumstances, a video featuring Fayazdeen, a friend of Jagadheeswaran, speaking to the media, denouncing the NEET exam for its detrimental impact on economically disadvantaged students, has gained significant attention. However, during his interaction with the press, he revealed that his father paid ₹25 lakhs to secure an MBBS seat in a private medical college and that it would cost around ₹1.5 crores as fees to complete the course. This statement has now gone viral on social media.

“I am just pass in NEET. I am telling openly. I was able to get only 160 marks in NEET. Since my father was economically well-to-do, he paid ₹25 lakhs and admitted me in this college… If person who pays money and becomes doctor, what will he do? He will be focused on retrieving the money back instead of doing service to people. If NEET is the only exam that can create good doctors, then are all the doctors who have passed to this date dubakoors (waste in colloquial Tamil)?”, Fayazdeen says.

It is to be noted that until 2006, engineering or medical aspirants had to write the Tamil Nadu Professional Courses Entrance Examination (TNPCEE).

“I feel disheartened. Jagadeeswaran who was with me all along, he was not able to pay ₹25 lakhs. In fact, he was better at studies than me. He score better than me both the times… He got 400 marks in this attempt. If he is not able to join, I am not able to understand. What are you going to achieve with this exam? How many students are going to be killed by the rulers in Central Government”, Fayazdeen laments.

“My name is Fayazdeen. I am studying 1st year MBBS at Balaji Medical College. It is a deemed college only. I paid money to join the college. NEET I am just-qualified. I have no shame in saying it. My father got me admitted in this college just because he was able to afford the money. He is someone who studies better than me. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this seat. This MBBS seat I don’t want it. I don’t deserve it. Me and Jagadeeswaran feel we want to serve in the public domain. But like the chicken-egg story, I don’t know if people (doctors) earn money because they put money or whether they put money because they want to earn money”, he says.

“I’ve paid money and become a doctor. Now, you, the NMC or the Modi govt is saying NEET. If tomorrow you fall ill, if some unqualified doctor like me treat you and your life is at threat only then will you realize why the hell did we bring NEET exam. ₹25 lakhs is the fees per year. ₹1.5 crores. How will anyone have the thought-process to serve? They will be focused on earning back the money thy paid.”, he says in the video.

This disclosure triggered a contentious debate, primarily due to the fact that the institution is owned by DMK MP Jagathrakshakan.

Earlier in 2011, cheating cases were registered against Sree Balaji Medical College & Hospital for allegedly collecting lakhs of rupees as capitation fee but denying seats to the students. The college reportedly collected around ₹18 lakhs as capitation fee but did not give seats to the students in 2010.

In 2009, two of the college’s employees were caught red-handed on camera demanding capitation fee.

Netizens and the general public raised pertinent inquiries, questioning how the DMK leader is able to impose such exorbitant admission fees for the MBBS course. Furthermore, doubts were cast on the DMK’s intentions regarding their proposition to ban the NEET exam, as concerns were voiced that eliminating the exam might pave the way for even higher charges.

It is worth noting that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in September 2020 attached properties worth ₹89.19 crores, including agricultural lands, plots, and houses, belonging to DMK MP S Jagathrakshakan and his family members under Foreign Exchange Management Act. Jagathrakshagan and his son Sundeep Aanand are accused of subscribing to 70,00,000 and 20,00,000 shares respectively of Silver Park International Pte. Ltd., Singapore, without obtaining the approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

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