The inquiry finds that many colleges even presented "inflated fake bills" and claimed extraordinarily high fees (in the case of a Buldhana-based college, it was five-fold) compared to the fee structure approved by the government. Their bills, however, were reimbursed.
When students take admission in professional and higher education courses, the usual practice for college managements is to keep all the original documents of the candidates with themselves for up to one year. This is done to ensure that students don't take admission elsewhere, thus leaving their seats vacant.
But this practice, which is followed across the country, was misused the most by colleges in Maharashtra. Several institutions in the state have been found misusing the documents of students to manufacture "bogus quota students" and claim fee reimbursements from the state exchequer.
Since scholarships and freeships for SC/ST students is extended to those studying in unaided private colleges as well, the quota turned out to be a "milking cow" for an increasing number of private institutions.
More than two dozen private colleges in Buldhana and Nandurbar districts face serious charges of secretly photocopying marksheets, school transfer certificates and caste documents submitted by bona fide students and fraudulently showing them to be enrolled in another college under their ambit or at another "friendly" institution in exchange for similar "help" from them.
Since duplicate transfer certificates can't be accepted for admission as per rules, the social justice and special assistance and tribal development departments, which disburse the freeships and scholarships, stand accused of adopting "too liberal an approach" at the behest of college managements.
An ongoing probe into the centrally-sponsored post-matric scholarship and freeship scheme by a special task force led by Dr K Venkatesham, additional director general of police (training and special units), has led to these and some more startling revelations. Their preliminary findings were submitted to the state government in March.
The inquiry finds that many colleges even presented "inflated fake bills" and claimed extraordinarily high fees (in the case of a Buldhana-based college, it was five-fold) compared to the fee structure approved by the government. Their bills, however, were reimbursed.
Since admissions in engineering, management and other professional courses are being conducted through a common online process, college managements have found a loophole there as well. "While students switch to better colleges after an upgrade in the merit list, the previous institutions exploit their records to show them on their own rolls," finds the probe, suggesting a huge discrepancy in the system.
Even the general category students are being fraudulently shown to belong to quotas at certain colleges. Their caste certificates were never submitted and the colleges continued to claim reimbursements under the scheme.
As a result, the government ends up paying more subsidy than that required by the actual beneficiaries. The post-matric scholarship and freeship scheme, which has an annual allocation worth Rs3,000 crore, is assumed to involve 50% pilferage.
Additionally, the state offers several other central and state scholarships to quota students. "Malpractices can't be ruled out there as well," a highly-placed official in Mantralaya said.
Fake SC/ST also drawing scholarships
The probe has revealed that the scholarship money meant for SC/ST students are being withdrawn by several engineering and medical students who never submit their caste and family income certificates, both of which are mandatory documents to avail of the benefits. They are now facing charges for the same.
Freeship money traced to trustees' account
Freeship and scholarship money has been traced to the personal bank accounts of several college trustees, a gross irregularity which is now being considered as "proof" of corruption and "connivance" on the part of government officials. As per the rule, the freeship money is reimbursed to the institution and the scholarship amount is deposited in the students' accounts.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "students")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}