With an inquiry already underway into the allegedmoney-for-seat scam involving functionaries of two private Tamil Nadu medicalcolleges, one hopes that the issue shall not die down at this early stageitself.

Most inquiries into issues related to corruptionin high office reach a dead end and the process of fixing fault usually takeslong, with several rounds of committees and inquiry panels being constituted.

But it would be in the larger public interest toprevent the matter from being put on the back burner so easily.

From the perspective of the MCI and its chiefKetan Desai, it would be good if issues related to alleged seeking ofcapitation fee by medical colleges can be treated as a matter separate fromthose related to facilities and infrastructure in these colleges and deemeduniversities.

Desai’s view that even UGC comes into play whiledealing with deemed universities carries weight.

While it is easy to heap the entire blame onDesai’s head for the alleged corrupt practices in some private medicalcolleges, one cannot ignore the fact that his role is limited to owning upresponsibility for the collective inability of MCI, UGC and Health Ministry inchecking the menace of capitation fee.

Apart from some introspection, Desai and his teamwould do good by drawing a lesson or two from the Tamil Nadu episode.

The most crucial one could be that seekingcapitation fee from students could be included in the list of grounds on whicha private medical college’s derecognition could be recommended by a regulatorybody like the MCI.

But the crucial aspect, as in most cases relatedto corruption in public places, is to prove the allegations.

Hopefully, the current probe by the executivecommittee will succeed in nailing the culprits and restoring public faith inthe system that governs medical education in the country.

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