The Comptroller and Auditor General’s audit has uncovered systemic failures and formally validated long-standing allegations of corruption and administrative collapse at the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU). The report, covering the period from 2020 to 2023, depicted a regulatory environment defined by financial opacity, infrastructural deficits and a major disregard for academic standards. The audit findings indicated a severe breakdown in the univarsity’s mandate to oversee nursing and paramedical education. Despite the existence of 243 paramedical institutions catering to around 48,000 students, the MPMSU failed to maintain a transparent digital record of affiliations. This lack of public data prevented students from verifying the legitimacy of their chosen institutions. A physical inspection of 76 sampled institutions revealed that 32 failed to meet mandatory requirements. Contrary to established norms, the university granted affiliations to colleges lacking essential classrooms, laboratories and qualified faculty. These lapses have resulted in thousands of students being enrolled in ‘paper colleges’ that do not meet basic academic criteria. The CAG highlighted significant fiscal irregularities, specifically regarding unauthorised distribution of maintenance funds and mishandling of endowment deposits. Under existing rules, maintenance funds can only be transferred to affiliated institutions.

 

However, Rs 39.69 crore were transferred to MGM Medical College, Indore and Rs 15.83 crore to Jabalpur Medical College, amounting to Rs 55.52 crore. The CAG rejected the university’s defense that these were council-approved, citing a direct violation of statutes and directed recovery of the funds. Simultaneously, the university collected Rs 98.60 crore in endowment funds from 551 institutions but failed to deposit or record these assets appropriately. Absence of annual accounts, leaving students financially vulnerable if colleges shut down. Administrative paralysis at MPMSU is largely attributed to a chronic staffing vacuum. As of 2023, 184 of the 275 sanctioned positions remained vacant. Notably, critical leadership roles including Rector, Administrative Officer, and Finance Officer have remained unoccupied since the university’s inception. In lieu of permanent hiring, the university expended Rs 84.19 lakh on private outsourcing agencies between 2021 and 2023. This reliance on temporary staff has been linked to significant delays in conducting examinations, processing affiliations, and issuing mark sheets.

 

The administrative backlog has caused a severe bottleneck in the state's healthcare training pipeline. In several districts including Agar-Malwa, Satna and Chhindwara, students reported studying first-year syllabi for nearly three years. In Government institutions too, delays persist. In nursing education, out of 28,560 sanctioned seats, only 17,735 registrations were recorded, with nearly 38 per cent seats vacant. Only 08 of 21 Government nursing colleges reportedly have recognition. While MBBS students complete their degrees on schedule, paramedical students in Madhya Pradesh are struggling to finish three-year courses even after five to seven years. Paramedical and nursing professionals form a critical backbone of the healthcare system. The CAG findings indicated that irregular affiliations, delayed recognition, administrative lapses and financial mismanagement have collectively disrupted the training pipeline. Despite making attempts, the Vice-chancellor, Dr Ashok Khandelwal could not be contact for comment.