TNN Jan 24, 2013, 06.23AM IST
CHENNAI: The CBI on Wednesday searched 10 properties of four dental colleges and their administrators in connection with bribes reportedly paid to members of the Dental Council of India for permission for postgraduate courses. Sleuths carried out simultaneous raids around noon and continued the searches till late in the evening.
The CBI searched the premises of the Thai Moogambigai Dental College at Mogappair and the residence of the college's administrator in T Nagar; the Asan Memorial Dental College and Hospital at Chengalpet and the residence of a college official in Nungambakkam; and the campuses of the JKK Nataraja Dental College in Nammakkal and the Hitkerini Dental College in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Corruption, lack of transparency plague DCI
'Body Given Powers & Responsibilities Without Ensuring Checks & Balances'
The Dental Council of India (DCI), a statutory body that regulates dental education , is plagued with corruption and lack of transparency.
On Wednesday, CBI officials raided three of the 26 dental colleges in Tamil Nadu for allegedly bribing DCI members to get approval to introduce courses and increase the number of seats. Raids are also being conducted in offices and residences of some DCI members across the country. Almost simultaneously , DCI's executive committee met in New Delhi. "The Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn the name of Dr R Gunaseelan as the state nominee . We have requested Annamalai University to consider withdrawing its nominee Dr Murukesan," said DCI secretary S K Ojha. The two dentists were arrested by the CBI on corruption charges. The council has not considered cancelling their registration yet, he said.
Three years ago, the Medical Council of India, came under flak for corruption and its president Ketan Desai was arrested for granting permission to a private medical college without adequate infrastructure . Senior dentists and professors say corruption in dental education is no different.
Many colleges lack basic facilities such as buildings, labs and teaching faculty. The teaching standards in most colleges are poor as the faculty is inexperienced . "We need to cut down the number of medical colleges ," said Salem-based dentist George Paul, who has been campaigning for transparency in the dental education sector.
According to the World Health Organization, an ideal dentist to patient ratio is 1:7,500. With 295 dental colleges, India is churning out nearly 30,000 dentists every year. More than 90% of the colleges are private.
The DCI has said there are too many doctors for too few patients . The dentist to patient ratio in Maharashtra is 1:5,000. In TN it is 1:4,500 and in Kerala it is 1:3,300. Tamil Nadu has one government dental college, which offers 100 BDS seats, 19 self-financing colleges affiliated to the state medical university, and six colleges run by deemed universities. A former DCI member from Chennai said the influence private colleges have on the DCI is high. "Neither the election nor the nominations to DCI posts are transparent. Only influential dentists or those with money get elected. They show their gratitude by getting sanctions for undeserving colleges ," he said.
The bottom line for corruption in both MCI and DCI, doctors say, are the same. "We have given powers and responsibilities without ensuring checks and balances," said senior orthopaediacian George Thomas, former editor of Indian Journal of Medical Ethics.
Action against graft: the story so far
Jan 8: CBI officials arrest DCI member S Murugesan for allegedly demanding Rs 1 crore as bribe from a private dental college
Jan 14: CBI sleuths raid the Adyar residence of DCI member R Gunaseelan, who is also the president of state dental council
Jan 15: The CBI sends lookout circular to airports after they receive information that Gunaseelan had fled the country
Jan 18: R Gunaseelan is arrested after prolonged interrogation for his involvement in the graft case
Jan 19: The government withdraws the membership of Gunaseelan and Murukesan from the state dental council and the MCI
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-24/chennai/36526241_1_dci-members-dental-colleges-dental-education
CHENNAI: The CBI on Wednesday searched 10 properties of four dental colleges and their administrators in connection with bribes reportedly paid to members of the Dental Council of India for permission for postgraduate courses. Sleuths carried out simultaneous raids around noon and continued the searches till late in the evening.
The CBI searched the premises of the Thai Moogambigai Dental College at Mogappair and the residence of the college's administrator in T Nagar; the Asan Memorial Dental College and Hospital at Chengalpet and the residence of a college official in Nungambakkam; and the campuses of the JKK Nataraja Dental College in Nammakkal and the Hitkerini Dental College in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Corruption, lack of transparency plague DCI
'Body Given Powers & Responsibilities Without Ensuring Checks & Balances'
The Dental Council of India (DCI), a statutory body that regulates dental education , is plagued with corruption and lack of transparency.
On Wednesday, CBI officials raided three of the 26 dental colleges in Tamil Nadu for allegedly bribing DCI members to get approval to introduce courses and increase the number of seats. Raids are also being conducted in offices and residences of some DCI members across the country. Almost simultaneously , DCI's executive committee met in New Delhi. "The Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn the name of Dr R Gunaseelan as the state nominee . We have requested Annamalai University to consider withdrawing its nominee Dr Murukesan," said DCI secretary S K Ojha. The two dentists were arrested by the CBI on corruption charges. The council has not considered cancelling their registration yet, he said.
Three years ago, the Medical Council of India, came under flak for corruption and its president Ketan Desai was arrested for granting permission to a private medical college without adequate infrastructure . Senior dentists and professors say corruption in dental education is no different.
Many colleges lack basic facilities such as buildings, labs and teaching faculty. The teaching standards in most colleges are poor as the faculty is inexperienced . "We need to cut down the number of medical colleges ," said Salem-based dentist George Paul, who has been campaigning for transparency in the dental education sector.
According to the World Health Organization, an ideal dentist to patient ratio is 1:7,500. With 295 dental colleges, India is churning out nearly 30,000 dentists every year. More than 90% of the colleges are private.
The DCI has said there are too many doctors for too few patients . The dentist to patient ratio in Maharashtra is 1:5,000. In TN it is 1:4,500 and in Kerala it is 1:3,300. Tamil Nadu has one government dental college, which offers 100 BDS seats, 19 self-financing colleges affiliated to the state medical university, and six colleges run by deemed universities. A former DCI member from Chennai said the influence private colleges have on the DCI is high. "Neither the election nor the nominations to DCI posts are transparent. Only influential dentists or those with money get elected. They show their gratitude by getting sanctions for undeserving colleges ," he said.
The bottom line for corruption in both MCI and DCI, doctors say, are the same. "We have given powers and responsibilities without ensuring checks and balances," said senior orthopaediacian George Thomas, former editor of Indian Journal of Medical Ethics.
Action against graft: the story so far
Jan 8: CBI officials arrest DCI member S Murugesan for allegedly demanding Rs 1 crore as bribe from a private dental college
Jan 14: CBI sleuths raid the Adyar residence of DCI member R Gunaseelan, who is also the president of state dental council
Jan 15: The CBI sends lookout circular to airports after they receive information that Gunaseelan had fled the country
Jan 18: R Gunaseelan is arrested after prolonged interrogation for his involvement in the graft case
Jan 19: The government withdraws the membership of Gunaseelan and Murukesan from the state dental council and the MCI
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-24/chennai/36526241_1_dci-members-dental-colleges-dental-education
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