Guwahati, July 9: All medical admissions in Assam during the past five years against surrendered seats have come under scrutiny with the government today admitting that the irregularities detected in Dibrugarh recently could be ?only the tip of the iceberg?.

Health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government was planning major reforms in medical education alongside an inquiry into the process of admission to MBBS and postgraduate courses at the three medical colleges of the state.

Sarma said the government had already found evidence to nail the three doctors ? S.R. Laskar, Nabin Kumar and Siddhartha Shankar Bhattacharjee ? who secured admission to postgraduate courses at the Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibugarh on June 30 without figuring in the merit-based all-India waiting list.

Half of the seats at the three medical colleges in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Silchar are reserved for those who pass the state-level entrance examination. The remaining seats are for those who appear for the all-India entrance test. The seats surrendered by successful candidates go to those on the waiting list, based on recommendations by the director general of health services to the director of medical education.

Laskar, Nabin and Siddhartha had produced a forged letter to the health and family welfare department from assistant director general (medical entrance) Raj Kapur, recommending their admission to postgraduate courses against vacancies.

When Kapur was contacted for a clarification, it transpired that he had made no such recommendation. ?The letter came both by fax and post, in accordance with government procedures. The forged signature is so similar to the original that nobody doubted the authenticity of the letter. An original annexure was attached to the letter, too,? the health minister said.

The minister did not reveal what the annexure contained, but sources said it was a recommendation from Union minister Sontosh Mohan Dev.

Sarma said a criminal investigation would be initiated against the three doctors for forging a government letter.

?Irregularities have been noticed in medical entrance examinations. Aspirants from rural areas are seemingly unable to clear the entrance test, but some mediocre students from the ?creamy layer? of society are getting through with flying colours despite poor academic performances at the higher secondary level.?