17 Years Later, Faridkot Court Acquits 53 in 2008 PMET Scam

Faridkot : A Faridkot court on Monday acquitted 53 individuals accused in the infamous 2008 Pre-Medical Entrance Test (PMET) scam due to a lack of evidence. The scam, which rocked Punjab’s medical education system, involved hiring impostors to write exams for aspiring MBBS candidates in exchange for large sums of money.

The state-level entrance test was conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. Among the acquitted were 16 MBBS aspirants hailing from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh. Of the 56 accused, two had passed away during the trial, and one remains a proclaimed offender.

The scam came to light when a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Punjab Police uncovered an elaborate network of impostors, including students from premier institutions like AIIMS Delhi and Patna Medical College. These individuals were allegedly paid up to ₹1 lakh each to impersonate candidates during the exams.

The SIT also revealed that organized gangs were behind the racket, hiring senior medical students who further recruited brilliant juniors to appear for the test. Pre-booked flights were used to transport impostors to exam centres, indicating a high level of planning and coordination.

In its verdict, the court noted that insufficient evidence failed to substantiate the charges against the accused, many of whom are now practising as medical professionals in various hospitals across India. The case highlights ongoing concerns over safeguarding the integrity of medical admissions in the country.