MBBS Fee Scam: DMER Maharashtra in Deep Trouble
• Fee Scam, Fake Certificate & Silence: Chandanwale Exposed
• Watchdog Turned Villain? Medical Regulator Faces Heat
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Dr. Ajay Chandanwale, once a national medical regulator, now faces serious allegations of enabling fee extortion, blocking reforms, and misusing disability quotas. As DMER chief, he allegedly ignored illegal MBBS fees and failed to implement key programs. The Sprouts News Investigation Team exposes a deepening crisis in Maharashtra’s medical education system.
Contents
MBBS Fee Scam: DMER Maharashtra in Deep Trouble• Fee Scam, Fake Certificate & Silence: Chandanwale Exposed• Watchdog Turned Villain? Medical Regulator Faces HeatTrusted Regulator Now Faces Serious AllegationsSilent on Fee Extortion Despite High-Profile UGC RoleDRP Implementation Failure Sparks Student CrisisDubious Disability Certificate Raises Ethical Red FlagsPublic Outcry, Defamation Cases, But No ResolutionIgnoring High Court Guidelines on Merit-Based AppointmentsAlso Read: Mumbai’s Backyard Scam: 448 Families, 14 Years of Betrayal.Betrayal of Public Trust in Medical RegulationDemands for Immediate AccountabilityA Symbol of India’s Medical Regulatory Collapse?
Trusted Regulator Now Faces Serious Allegations
Dr. Ajay Chandanwale, once a key figure on India’s UGC committee to curb medical fee exploitation, now stands accused of enabling the very malpractices he was tasked to prevent. As the current Director of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Maharashtra, and former Dean of B.J. Medical College, Pune, Dr. Chandanwale is under fire for regulatory failures, alleged misuse of authority, and silence in the face of widespread fee-related exploitation.
Records accessed by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) — including RTI replies, CIC orders, legal documents, and official communications — reveal that under his leadership, the DMER has allegedly failed to implement key national mandates, acted against court orders, and denied students their due academic and financial rights.
Silent on Fee Extortion Despite High-Profile UGC Role
In July 2018, Dr. Chandanwale was appointed to a University Grants Commission (UGC) expert committee formed under Madras High Court orders to monitor tuition fees in self-financing medical colleges. His inclusion was publicly confirmed in Rajya Sabha records.
However, when D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, charged full fifth-year MBBS fees — despite the officially sanctioned 4.5-year course — Dr. Chandanwale, now DMER, took no visible action. Even after the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued a formal directive in March 2025, demanding an inquiry report within 15 days, the directive went unheeded. No penalties were imposed, and students were left to bear the financial burden.
DRP Implementation Failure Sparks Student Crisis
One of the most damning failures under Dr. Chandanwale’s tenure involves the non-implementation of the District Residency Programme (DRP). As per NMC guidelines, final-year MD/MS students must be posted in district hospitals to complete their degree. Despite national circulars and state-level reminders, DMER Maharashtra issued no formal district allotments, notifications, or administrative framework for DRP.
This led to widespread confusion, with postgraduate medical students being denied degrees due to no fault of their own. Multiple RTIs and grievance portal submissions seeking DRP updates received no replies from DMER.
“Without DRP allotment, the system punishes students for the administration’s negligence,” said a Pune-based MD student. “The DMER created a deadlock — and no one is held accountable.”
Dubious Disability Certificate Raises Ethical Red Flags
Before heading DMER, Dr. Chandanwale’s own appointment as Dean of B.J. Medical College was mired in controversy. Central Information Commission records reveal that he allegedly submitted a disputed disability certificate to secure reservation benefits.
His certificate claimed 42% disability (monoparesis of the upper limb), but complainants submitted video footage and photographs showing him driving vehicles and performing orthopedic surgeries. Experts questioned the validity of the certificate and whether the claimed disability met the threshold for reservation eligibility. Despite widespread outrage, no punitive action was taken by the Medical Council of India or Maharashtra Medical Council.
Public Outcry, Defamation Cases, But No Resolution
In 2018, activist Trupti Desai held a press conference accusing Dr. Chandanwale of forging his disability certificate and demanded action from the Chief Minister. She was briefly detained by the police during a protest.
In response, Dr. Chandanwale filed a ₹1 crore defamation suit. However, the central issue — the authenticity of his disability certificate — remains unresolved to this day.
Ignoring High Court Guidelines on Merit-Based Appointments
A 2024 Bombay High Court judgment criticized the Maharashtra government for bypassing seniority norms in appointing senior DMER officials. Although Dr. Chandanwale was not explicitly named, the court indicated that multiple appointments, including the DMER post, violated a 2018 circular mandating merit-based selection.
“The process has been undermined on more than one occasion,” the judgment noted, highlighting how governance was circumvented for undisclosed reasons.
Also Read: Mumbai’s Backyard Scam: 448 Families, 14 Years of Betrayal.
Betrayal of Public Trust in Medical Regulation
Legal experts and aggrieved students argue that Dr. Chandanwale’s inaction reflects a systemic failure in India’s medical regulatory framework. From sitting on a high-powered fee regulation committee to allegedly ignoring violations within Maharashtra, the contradiction is stark.
“He was appointed to protect students. Instead, he allowed colleges to break rules with impunity,” said a parent whose daughter paid ₹32 lakh in unlawful fifth-year MBBS fees.
Demands for Immediate Accountability
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has confirmed that, as of publication, no formal inquiry has been initiated into Dr. Chandanwale’s role in the fee scandals, DRP failure, or alleged certificate fraud. There has been no suspension, no audit, and no review of his decisions as DMER.
Mounting public and student demands include:
•A Central Vigilance Commission or Lokayukta-led inquiry.
•Immediate reimbursement of illegally collected fees.
•Public disclosure of DRP status and RTI responses.
•Administrative action for procedural violations and failure to protect students.
A Symbol of India’s Medical Regulatory Collapse?
Dr. Ajay Chandanwale’s trajectory — from a national reformer to a figure accused of enabling violations — has become emblematic of the larger decay in India’s medical education system. When regulators act with impunity, and grievance redressal mechanisms fail, students and their families are left with no justice.
Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) will continue to investigate this case and publish updates as more documents and testimonies surface.
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