D.Y. Patil Medical College Defies SC Fee Order
• D.Y. Patil Medical College’s Fake Fifth-Year Fee Triggers ₹200 Cr Scam
• NMC, DMER, MCC Shielded D.Y. Patil Scam
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, is at the center of a ₹200 crore scam for charging an illegal “fifth-year fee” in violation of a Supreme Court order. The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) uncovered collusion involving NMC, DMER, and MCC, exposing a deep-rooted medical education fraud.
A landmark Supreme Court judgment meant to curb exploitative fee structures in medical education has been brazenly flouted by the controversial Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, triggering what could be India’s most audacious medical education scam.
According to evidence obtained by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) through RTI queries and official documents, the college imposed an illegal “fifth-year fee” of ₹32–33 lakh per student—despite the MBBS course being statutorily limited to 4.5 years. The scheme, allegedly sanctioned by the college’s Finance Committee, has siphoned off over ₹200 crore, with tacit support from national and state regulators.
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Supreme Court Directive Ignored: ₹33 Lakh Fee for a Non-Existent Year
The 2025 judgment in State of Kerala vs. KMCT Medical College (INSC 518), authored by Justice Surya Kant, categorically stated:
•Institutions cannot collect fees or corpus funds without legislative backing.
•Fee committees must ensure non-exploitative, cost-based fees.
•Welfare claims do not justify unconstitutional levies.
Despite this ruling, Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College demanded a fifth-year fee from students of the 2019–2020 MBBS batch, violating both judicial guidelines and academic regulations. Students who refused to pay were reportedly denied degree certificates for over a year.
Finance Committee Engineered the Fraud: A Phantom Fifth Year
At the heart of this scam lies the college’s Finance Committee, which restructured the MBBS fee into five installments to create an artificial fifth year. This move lacked statutory backing and was designed purely for illegal revenue generation.
Official Committee Members (per finance-committee.pdf):
•Chairperson (VC): Prof. Dr. N. J. Pawar
•Pro-VC: Dr. Smita Y. Jadhav
•Society Nominee: Dr. Yashraj P. Patil
•Executive Council Members: Dr. Tushar Palekar, Dr. Minal Wani, Dr. D. B. Sharma
•Central Govt Nominee: Dr. Prashant Sathe
•Chancellor Nominees: Dr. C.M. Chitale, Mr. A.J. Dighe
•Finance Officer: Not named
•One seat remained vacant
Key Players Behind the Scenes:
•Shivani Patil (Trustee)
•CA Milind Kulkarni (Finance Controller)
•Dr. A.N. Suryakar (Registrar)
•Dr. Sanjay Patil (Pro-Chancellor)
These individuals, while not always officially listed, are believed to have directly driven the illegal fee approvals by manipulating internal committee procedures.
NMC, DMER & MCC Under Fire for Regulatory Failure
A major aspect of this scam is the regulatory collusion that enabled it. National and state agencies failed to act despite receiving documented complaints.
National Medical Commission (NMC):
•Director Sukh Lal Meena and Under Secretary Leena George merely forwarded complaints to state authorities, violating their mandate under the NMC Act, 2019.
DMER Maharashtra:
•Director Dr. Ajay Chandanwale ignored repeated written complaints from students and whistleblowers, facilitating the ongoing exploitation.
Medical Counseling Committee (MCC):
•Approved a prospectus listing five installments without verifying the statutory MBBS duration.
•Issued a clarification only in June 2025—too late to offer any relief.
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) found that the college also evaded RTI scrutiny by falsely claiming that deemed universities are not public authorities, a claim previously quashed by the Supreme Court in P.A. Inamdar.
Student Victimization: Pay ₹33 Lakh or No Degree
Several students spoke to Sprouts SIT, detailing psychological pressure and administrative coercion:
“They laughed at the Supreme Court verdict. I was told bluntly—pay ₹33 lakh or forget your degree,” said a 2020 batch student.
Over 150 students were denied their MBBS degrees for nearly a year, severely disrupting their careers, mental health, and eligibility for postgraduate education.
Deliberate Regulatory Loopholes: A “Grey Zone” Conspiracy
Sprouts SIT has outlined a three-pronged strategy that helped the institution evade accountability:
1.Abuse of Financial Autonomy: The Finance Committee’s internal autonomy was weaponized to bypass UGC and NMC rules.
2.Pass-the-Parcel Tactics: NMC, DMER, MCC, and the college kept shifting responsibility to avoid action.
3.Legal Smoke and Mirrors: Outdated legal interpretations were misused to justify non-disclosure under RTI and evade public scrutiny.
Internal Contradictions: Weak Oversight Within the Finance Committee
Despite UGC norms requiring external oversight, key decisions were made by insiders like Shivani Patil and CA Kulkarni without transparency. The vacant Chancellor nominee seat further weakened checks and balances.
Members with legal responsibilities—including the VC, Pro-VC, and government nominee—failed to intervene, raising questions about their complicity or negligence.
Also Read: MahaRERA Involved in Ambernath Scam: Judicial Probe Demanded.
Related Article: DY Patil: Dean Faces Probe for Violating MMC Norms, Legal Action Looms.
Systemic Reform Needed: Immediate Action Demanded
Based on documentary evidence and Supreme Court directives, Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) recommends the following actions:
1.Full Refund + 12% Interest: All illegally collected fifth-year fees must be refunded with interest.
2.Immediate Degree Issuance: MBBS degrees withheld unlawfully must be released without further delay.
3.CBI Investigation & Derecognition: The college must face a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and admission suspension.
4.Criminal Prosecution: All conspirators—including NMC and DMER officials—should face criminal charges.
5.NMC Act Amendments: The Act must be amended to enforce strict penalties for violation of Supreme Court orders.
A Historic Betrayal of Medical Education
The ₹200 crore scam orchestrated by Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune—with regulatory enablers across NMC, DMER, and MCC—has revealed a systematic subversion of India’s medical education framework.
This is not merely a case of financial fraud, but a structural assault on the Supreme Court’s authority, the NMC’s regulatory mandate, and most importantly, the rights of medical students across India.
If left unchecked, this scandal could eclipse even the infamous Vyapam scam, cementing its place as India’s most institutionalized educational fraud.
