ED Targets Bengaluru Colleges in Engineering Seat Scam; 18 Locations Raided in Karnataka

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday carried out raids at around 18 locations in Karnataka, including some locations in Bengaluru, as part of an investigation into a huge scam involving engineering college seats.

What Is the Engineering College Seat Scam About?

During the 2024-25 admission season, over 2,000 seats in top private engineering colleges were illegally blocked and sold to students for money, instead of going to deserving candidates through the proper counselling process.

The ED believes that some colleges and middlemen worked together to block these seats and then sell them off at high prices. The students who actually qualified through the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) lost out because of this.

In Karnataka, private engineering colleges must reserve 45% of their seats for the government quota, where seats are offered at concessional fees. These seats are filled through KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority) based on the KCET (Karnataka Common Entrance Test) merit list.

The remaining 55% of seats are under the management quota, where private colleges are allowed to set their own fees. These are the seats that were reportedly blocked and sold, bypassing the proper process.

Which Bengaluru Colleges Are Involved?

According to reports, the ED is focusing on BMS College of Engineering, Akash Institute of Engineering and Technology, and New Horizon College of Engineering. These colleges were already named in an FIR filed by the Bengaluru police in November 2024. The ED's raids are focusing on individuals linked to these colleges, as well as others suspected to be involved in the racket.

As per local reports, Back in November 2024, the KEA, a state government body that manages entrance exams and college admissions, filed an FIR at the Malleshwaram police station in Bengaluru after discovering irregularities. Following the complaint, the police arrested at least 10 individuals, including a contractual KEA employee. Later, the number of arrested persons rose to 12. However, none of the colleges were properly investigated, which led to criticism.

The Next Step In Investigation

The ED is checking bank accounts, documents, and digital evidence from the people and colleges involved. As of now, they haven't released an official statement, but more details are expected soon.

This is a serious issue that has affected many students and their families. Authorities are under pressure to make sure the real culprits are caught and punished. This scam has exposed serious loopholes in Karnataka's engineering admission process and has impacted thousands of deserving students. With the ED stepping in, stricter action is now expected.