MBBS Scam Hits PMO
• DY Patil College in ₹200 Crore Fees Fraud
• Illegal ‘5th-Year Fee’ Rocks Medical College
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College is accused of extorting over ₹200 crore by demanding illegal “5th-year fees” from 750 MBBS students. Despite regulatory inaction, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has escalated the matter to PM Modi. Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) exposes this as India’s biggest educational fees scam.
Contents
MBBS Scam Hits PMO• DY Patil College in ₹200 Crore Fees Fraud• Illegal ‘5th-Year Fee’ Rocks Medical College₹200+ Crore Scam: Unjustified “5th-Year Fees” at D.Y. Patil Medical CollegeInstitutional Apathy and Regulatory Collusion: DMER & NMC Under Fire“Self-Financed” Lie Exposed: Deemed University Covers Up Public GrantsPresidential Office and Consumer Affairs Ministry InterveneAlso Read: Bombay HC Slams Yes Bank for Aadhaar Misuse, Imposes ₹50K Fine.The Legal Path Forward: Students Ready to Move Bombay High CourtWill PM Modi Act on Maharashtra’s Biggest Medical Fees Scam?
Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) reveals India’s largest educational extortion scam involving 750 MBBS students, illegal “5th-year fees,” and institutional silence. PMO, President’s Secretariat, and Ministry of Consumer Affairs step in.
₹200+ Crore Scam: Unjustified “5th-Year Fees” at D.Y. Patil Medical College
In a shocking expose that may redefine India’s education reform narrative, Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, has been accused of extorting over ₹200 crore from 750 MBBS students by demanding illegal “5th-year fees” of ₹32 lakh per student—despite the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) standard MBBS course duration being only 4.5 years.
The scam, first exposed by whistleblower Dr. Divyansh Dwivedi, MS (Surgery), has spiraled into a national controversy. In retaliation for his courage, Dr. Dwivedi’s degree and documents were illegally withheld, effectively derailing his career. Regulatory bodies like the NMC and DMER Maharashtra have been accused of ignoring formal complaints, thereby enabling the malpractice.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has now intervened, transferring key RTI cases to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), seeking justice and accountability for thousands of affected students.
Institutional Apathy and Regulatory Collusion: DMER & NMC Under Fire
Despite several complaints—including CPGRAMS No. DHLTH/E/2025/0005735—neither the NMC nor DMER Maharashtra took meaningful action. Instead, complaints were repeatedly redirected or closed without redressal. RTI records accessed by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) show NMC responses such as,
“Forwarded to DMER Maharashtra… no reply received,”
highlighting regulatory inertia.
On June 5, 2025, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) issued an official notice to the college demanding clarification on the so-called “fifth installment.” The college blatantly ignored it, revealing contempt for oversight institutions.
“Self-Financed” Lie Exposed: Deemed University Covers Up Public Grants
While claiming exemption under the RTI Act by asserting it is “not a public authority,” the college simultaneously accepted over ₹10 crore in central and state grants, as documented in NAAC accreditation reports. The contradiction lays bare the falsehood of its “self-financed” status.
Registrar Jitendra Shyam Sunder Bhawalkar, in a 28/10/2024 reply to the University Grants Commission (UGC), claimed that students are paid stipends during internship and are not charged for that period. However, complaints and internal memos accessed by Sprouts News SIT indicate coercion, unofficial demands, and academic blackmail to enforce the 5th-year fee payments.
Bhawalkar is also accused of misrepresenting facts in communications with UGC, an act that could attract criminal scrutiny.
Presidential Office and Consumer Affairs Ministry Intervene
Realizing the scale and brazenness of the scam, the President’s Secretariat forwarded petitions from affected students to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, citing “illegal extortion, academic withholding, and regulatory apathy.” This rare intervention signals the constitutional seriousness of the issue.
In a landmark move, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs transferred RTI appeal No. DOCAF/R/T/25/00178 to the PMO under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act. The ministry’s demands include:
•Action Taken Reports on the entire scam.
•Disclosure of PMO’s internal communications with the college.
•A binding timeline for refunding illegal fees and penalizing those responsible.
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has verified these developments through internal ministry records and legal sources.
Also Read: Bombay HC Slams Yes Bank for Aadhaar Misuse, Imposes ₹50K Fine.
The Legal Path Forward: Students Ready to Move Bombay High Court
Over 750 affected students and their families are now rallying for justice. If the Prime Minister’s Office does not initiate swift corrective action—including refunds, penal action against the college, and release of withheld degrees—a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is expected to be filed in the Bombay High Court.
Sprouts News Legal experts say this case could become India’s “watershed moment” against education-sector corruption. With judicial precedent available under the Consumer Protection Act and Education Tribunal laws, students have a strong case.
Dr. Dwivedi, still facing threats and professional uncertainty, remains the voice of the movement. “When deemed universities lie and regulators assist them, only the Prime Minister can restore justice,” he told Sprouts News SIT.
Will PM Modi Act on Maharashtra’s Biggest Medical Fees Scam?
The involvement of the PMO signals the gravity of the ₹200 crore scam. However, justice remains elusive unless immediate steps are taken to:
•Reverse the unlawful 5th-year fee collection.
•Penalize DMER, NMC, and the college management.
•Protect whistleblowers and restore careers of impacted students.
As public outrage grows, the Modi government is under pressure to make this case an example of zero tolerance against educational exploitation.
Earthquake and ground breaking