Fake NRI seats scam: Private colleges used single sponsor's paperwork
A massive scam in India's medical college admissions just got exposed: the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) found that nearly 18,000 seats meant for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) students were facilitated using fake certificates and documents.
Private colleges reportedly created bogus family connections and reused a single NRI's paperwork to help multiple students grab spots they weren't actually eligible for.
Families, not sponsors, paying fees
During raids in West Bengal and Odisha, the ED uncovered counterfeit notary seals and hundreds of forged NRI certificates—most quickly flagged as fakes by Indian embassies.
Investigators also found that families, not actual NRI sponsors, were paying the fees.
Now, the government has tightened the rules: all NRI certificates must be verified by Indian embassies to close these loopholes and keep things fair going forward.