M A I N   N E W S

In Punjab, 50% MBBS/BDS seats await eligible takers
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

The scenario Of the total 2,170 seats available in the medical and dental colleges in Punjab, 1,028 (122 MBBS, 906 BDS) are lying vacant Baba Farid University of Health Sciences has failed to find enough candidates. One needs minimum 50% marks in the AIPMET to be eligible for application The varsity plans to conduct a fresh 'easy' test to fill BDS seats

Faridkot, July 29
It's a classic trend reversal. While 'more aspirants, less seats' remains a norm for professional colleges in the country, Punjab is experiencing a deviation.

Of the total 2,170 seats available in the medical and dental colleges in Punjab, 1,028 (122 MBBS, 906 BDS) are lying vacant. Reason: Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has failed to find sufficient number of eligible candidates even after the second round of counselling that ended on July 26.

BDS students of Panjab University. A file photo

For admission to MBBS/BDS courses, it is necessary for a candidate to obtain minimum 50% marks (45% for disabled and 40% for SC/BC categories) in All India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMET).

Over 15,000 students from Punjab appeared in AIPMET on May 4 this year, but less than 1,400 qualified the test, said BFUHS sources. Among these were many meritorious candidates who opted for premier medical institutions in other states. BFUHS said it received 1,215 applications to fill 2,170 seats in Punjab. But the varsity could not find eligible candidates.

After a second round of counselling, as many as 59 government quota MBBS seats were lying vacant. Also, there were no eligible candidates for 63 management quota MBBS seats. Apart from this, over 120 NRI quota seats are lying vacant too.

The scenario is more dismal in dental colleges. Of the total 1,000 BDS seats in 12 dental colleges, 906 (510 government quota and 396 management quota) are lying vacant. Even 15 seats in two government dental colleges remain vacant.

BFUHS sources said more dental seats will fall vacant in the coming days as BDS candidates would be automatically upgraded to MBBS course.

To fill vacant BDS seats, the BFUHS is now conducting a special entrance test on August 24, said Vice-Chancellor Dr SS Gill. It is believed that the test will be much easier than the one conducted by the AIPMET.