Puducherry, Aug 2 (IANS) The contentious issue of dual nativity has once again marred the medical admission process in Puducherry, with allegations surfacing over irregularities in the draft merit list released by the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) for MBBS and other NEET-based courses under the government quota.

The Pondicherry State Students and Parents Welfare Association has raised an alarm over suspected misuse of nativity claims, with its president V. Balasubramanian revealing that at least two students were found to be listed in both Puducherry’s CENTAC merit list and the Tamil Nadu Health Department’s list.

This duplication, he said, points to potential fraud in the declaration of nativity, a critical factor in admissions under the Union Territory’s government quota.

In a formal petition addressed to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister and senior officials of the UT administration, the association has demanded an immediate probe and intervention.

It has urged authorities to prevent candidates from other states from cornering seats meant exclusively for Puducherry natives.

The association has also sought a thorough cross-verification of applicants’ NEET scores, rank numbers, and personal details against the merit lists released in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.

Balasubramanian expressed concern that multiple similar cases may have gone undetected due to insufficient scrutiny.

Despite clear provisions in Puducherry’s admission guidelines — which disqualify any student claiming nativity in more than one state during the same academic year — the issue continues to recur annually.

The rules also mandate a parental declaration affirming the legitimacy of the nativity claim, but activists allege that enforcement remains weak.

Last year, eight students were disqualified on dual nativity grounds.

However, the association criticised CENTAC and the Puducherry Health Department for not implementing the rules effectively.

Balasubramanian alleged that the departments have failed to take proactive steps to detect and deter fraudulent claims.

Drawing attention to recent action taken by Tamil Nadu authorities, who disqualified over 23 students for submitting fake documents under the NRI and other quota categories, the association urged the Puducherry government to adopt similar strict punitive measures.

It also called for action against students, parents, and intermediaries involved in procuring bogus nativity certificates.

With the admissions process underway, the association has warned that failure to address the issue promptly could deny deserving local candidates their rightful opportunity to pursue medical education.

–IANS

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