Govt demands DCI to report on inspection irregularities following complaints

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has directed the Dental Council of India (DCI) to submit detailed reports on recent periodic inspections conducted across dental colleges in the country.

This move, enacted within a month of the Modi 3.0 government assuming office, follows a surge of complaints regarding alleged discrepancies and procedural lapses in dental colleges across India. The directive was in response to a communication from the DCI dated 2 July 2024.

The official directive, signed by Amit Kumar, Under Secretary to the Government of India, has sought a list of inspections conducted in the last quarter, including the latest inspection dates and scheduled future inspections.

The letter has been reviewed by Business Today. “Periodic inspections, mandated five years after undergraduate recognition, were carried out during the Lok Sabha elections, despite existing code of conduct restrictions, raising allegations of corruption amid no urgent necessity,” said Dr Joseph K, former Executive Committee (EC) member, Indian Dental Association, Kerala.

Additionally, the Ministry has sought details about transparency regarding the selection process of inspectors, stressing adherence to procedures outlined under Section 15 of the Dentists Act, 1948.

Section 15 of the Dentists Act pertains to the appointment of inspectors. Specifically, it outlines the procedures for appointing inspectors to examine dental institutions and their examinations. These inspectors are appointed by the DCI to ensure that dental institutions comply with the standards and regulations set forth by the council.

The section mandates that inspectors are appointed with the approval of the EC of the DCI. The aim is to maintain the integrity and impartiality of the inspection process, ensuring that dental institutions adhere to the required educational and infrastructural standards. This procedure is designed to prevent any potential bias or corruption in the inspection process, ensuring that the inspections are conducted fairly and transparently.

“The Act mandates that inspectors must be appointed by the Executive Committee (EC) of the DCI; however, the DCI has circumvented this requirement by handpicking inspectors, thereby compromising integrity. Colleges have been pre-informed about inspector names and inspection dates, potentially undermining inspection impartiality,” said Dr J M Jeyraj, former DCI member.

“Nearly 100 such inspections have been conducted under questionable circumstances, approved by the EC post-facto, contributing to concerns over systemic corruption. Furthermore, despite government directives against policy decisions during certain periods, the DCI proceeded with appointments against official guidance,” Jeyraj added.

One of the complaints reviewed by Business Today alleged that the EC had stipulated that all inspector appointments be processed through software, yet manual appointments persisted over time. An email sent to DCI in the matter did not elicit any response till the time of publishing this story.