Magnitude Of Corruption In Medical Council Of India Unimaginable

Owing to the omnipresence of corruption in every dimension of life we have been accustomed to it and think that any further step without corruption is impossible. That it has crept also into academic institutions is worrisome as it is education which leads a nation to advancement. It remains to be seen what lesson we learnt from MCI president Ketan Desai and what we are going to ensure a corruption free India.

In what seems to be a strong resolve by the Indian government to weed out corruption from bodies that control technical and medical education, the CBI on April 22nd arrested president of Medical Council of India Dr. Ketan Desai along with his three associates, on charges of corruption and misusing regulatory power.

It came exactly nine months after the CBI had arrested senior officials of the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE)—an institution that controls 1600 engineering colleges in India--on the same charges of being corrupt and indulging in abuse of power.

The MCI, that regulates medical education, is under the ministry of health and family affairs headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad. The AICTE, responsible for promoting and regulating technical education, comes under the ministry of human resource development (HRD) headed by Kapil Sibal.

According to the CBI spokesperson Harsh Bahal, the agency raided Desai’s office following information that he along with his associate Jitender Pal Singh was allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs. Eight crore for granting recognition to a medical college in Punjab. Out of that total a sum of Rs. 2 crore was being delivered to Desai when he was apprehended.

According to the CBI spokesperson Harsh Bahal, the agency raided Desai’s office following information that he along with his associate Jitender Pal Singh was allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs. Eight crore for granting recognition to a medical college in Punjab. Out of that total a sum of Rs. 2 crore was being delivered to Desai when he was apprehended.

Besides Dr. Desai, J. P. Singh, Patiala-based Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital vice-chairman Sukhwinder Singh and another associate Dr Kanwaljit Singh of Gyan Sagar Medical College in Punjab were arrested in this case. While cash and jewellery worth Rs. 180 crore were recovered from Desai’s possession, it is being estimated that financial dealings of upto Rs. 2500 crore may be unearthed.

Starting his career as a teacher in a medical college in Ahmedabad in 1983 Desai soon became the president of Gujarat chapter of MCI and finally president of the Medical Council of India. Then he was in every reputed medical association like Indian Medical Association, Dental Clinic of India, World Medical Association etc. holding several prestigious positions and became president or the decision maker.

Desai, during his 20-year-presidency over the MCI, granted recognition to 60 plus colleges. During his tenure, there has been a sudden increase in number of private medical colleges.


Desai has been the centre of a range of allegations regarding corruption and manipulation for couple of years. According to the reports, being a president of MCI, Desai misused his regulatory power to earn money and to gain support from politicians of different parties who own and run different medical colleges.

The main functions of the MCI, set up under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933 are to ensure uniform standards in medical education and grant recognition to medical degrees awarded in India and abroad. Even medical colleges across the country require MCI’s permission to increase the number of seats, to set up new medical college, to add new courses and also to increase student intake.

Desai, during his 20-year-presidency over the MCI, granted recognition to 60 plus colleges. During his tenure, there has been a sudden increase in number of private medical colleges.


The damage that Desai caused during his long tenure by granting admission to unskilled students just for a handsome amount of bribe is huge and irreparable. Each seat in private medical colleges costs from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 75 lakh and obviously MCI’s support is must for the smooth functioning of these private colleges.

Across the country out of 290 medical colleges 160 are run by the private sector. According to the media reports, Desai would fix as many as five seats in every college for himself and allotted them to the ones offering maximum bribe. Admissions on the basis of bribe or caste pave way to intrusion of unskilled students while at the same time depriving the deserving talents of their right.

The damage that Desai caused during his long tenure by granting admission to unskilled students just for a handsome amount of bribe is huge and irreparable. Each seat in private medical colleges costs from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 75 lakh and obviously MCI’s support is must for the smooth functioning of these private colleges.

It was on February 18 and 20, 2000 that the Income Tax Department raided his business and residential premises and bank drafts for Rs 65 lakhs were found. The Delhi High Court found him guilty of taking bribes and abusing power and also ordered CBI for further enquiry into the matter. But in 2005, CBI gave him a clean chit saying that it was goodwill money.

On the charges of corruption Desai was removed from MCI but he was re-elected on June 20, in the MCI presidential election with a majority, he received 69 out of the total 73 votes that raised questions on the election itself. He was also the chairman of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). While operating through IMA he entered the executive council of the World Medical Association (WMA) and got himself elected as its president.

It is also believed that as president of MCI, Dr Desai was a single authority for granting approvals and to carry out inspections of colleges. Many times the inspection reports of medical colleges were also changed according to Desai’s demand. Even the inspections were carried out by council inspectors appointed by him.
Interestingly, among his colleagues Desai was known for strictly observing rules.
In 2008, the Tamil Nadu government found it a difficult process to have some medical colleges approved by Medical Council of India. A DMK minister T R Baalu spent four days in Delhi to meet Desai in regards to the recognition of the colleges. Yet he could not meet him.

However, during this duration Desai was being watched by the CBI as he granted recognition to three private medical colleges.

The CBI raided his premises and now he has been exposed. A Tamil magazine “Kumudar Reporter” wrote that the CBI found Rs 1,800 crore in cash and many property documents during raids on his offices and houses in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Haryana etc.

“When CBI entered his house in Ahmedabad, it appeared to them if they had entered the cave of Ali Baba. There alone, they found currency worth 215 crore and also 1,500 kg gold. They had to use a lorry to ferry the currency and the gold biscuits.”
Meanwhile, the judicial custody of MCI chief Ketan Desai has been extended till May 14. Only time will reveal what is in store for Desai and what steps the government takes to ensure that no such corruption finds any place in future.

By Junaid Maseeh
Email: junaidmaseeh@yahoo.com