With alleged irregularities surfaced in the MBBS admissions under sports quota in Telangana, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has cracked its whip and conducted raids on multiple locations of concerned members from Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS) who are allegedly involved in giving false and concocted priority list of sports persons for admission into MBBS seats under sports quota.

As many aspiring candidates whose genuine sports certificates have not been listed in the priority list of sports quota, the doctors’ fraternity and aspiring candidates have levelled allegations against SATS authorities for resorting to corrupt measures while preparing the final priority list. “There are allegations against the SATS authorities, that they are indulging in corruption and manipulating the priority list by creating fake documents. Based on these allegations, the ACB has conducted raids on the houses of all the members who are suspected to have involved in the corruption. “We are hopeful that the ACB will soon dig out the truth and based on it the government will take necessary action,” informed Dr C Laxma Reddy, health minister, Government of Telangana.

At present under sports quota about 0.5 per cent MBBS seats are reserved for those candidates who have excelled in sports at the National and International levels. According to Dr B Karunakar Reddy, Vice Chancellor of Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) who is taking care of MBBS admissions in Telangana state, the sports quota in medical admission comes under convenor quota in government and private colleges. And overall about 12 MBBS seats are reserved under the sports quota in Telangana. “As there are only 12 seats reserved under sports quota, there is a stiff competition for sports quota seats in Telangana and may be this is the major cause of corruption being alleged,” observed the VC.

However the doctors' fraternity in the state wants the sports quota to be scrapped completely because they say it is not serving much purpose. From last twenty years, sports quota for MBBS admissions is entangled in controversies and court cases.

Dr Ramesh, Telangana Government Doctors Association (TGDA) Secretary General observed that the allegations of fake sports certificates, authenticity of certificates and nature of sports discipline have been going on since decades when it comes to MBBS admission under sports quota. But no one had taken cognisance of it as there is only 0.5 per cent reservation under the sports quota. However of late as many candidates are equally excelling in sports and education are now seeking admission into MBBS under sports quota, this has led to intense competition and each and every aspect is being looked into minutely by the candidates, observed Dr Ramesh.

The common view among the doctors’ fraternity about sports quota for MBBS admissions is that they want it to be removed completely to ensure efficient doctors come out of the system. They felt that candidates admitted in sports quota are finding it difficult to clear the MBBS course in the stipulated time period and in few cases taking more than 8 years to complete the course.