Chandigarh, April 4
The Punjab Medical Education and Research Department has taken some vital decisions to streamline medical education and to address problems faced by students aspiring to be admitted in the medical courses.

Students appearing in the exams of the MBBS, dental, ayurvedic, homeopathic other related medical streams will be entitled for revaluation and rechecking of their answer sheets in seven days of the declaration of the result after paying the prescribed fee.

Even students appearing in the PMET will be entitled for it. “We have taken these steps after holding several brain-storming sessions under the command of medical education minister Tikshan Sud,” said Jagjit Puri, secretary, medical education. “We are keen to cleanse the examination system and rule out even minor play of mischief with students concerned.”

Talking to The Tribune, Puri said henceforth the result of the PMET would be declared on or before May 31 and the first counselling for the MBBS would be held on June 15 and second on August 5 each year. Likewise, first and second counselling for dental, ayurvedic and homoeopathic courses had been fixed. The department had issued a detailed notification to streamline the medical education.

In case of non-filling of the NRI quota seats, these will be filled in management quota, but not charging more than double of the amount that is chargeable from the student concerned for taking admission against normal management quota seats. There are 15 per cent seats of the NRI quota which can be converted to management quota in case of non-availability of NRI students. Students clearing the PMET and eligible for admission in the MBBS, BDS, BAMS and BHMS but placed under compartment or reappear in the qualifying examination - that is 10 plus II - will have to clear the reappear and compartment before the beginning of the first counselling .

In case of non-availability of the PMET qualifying students for admission in medical courses to fill the vacant seats, students passing the qualifying examination, that is 10 plus II, can be admitted to fill the seats in BDS, ayurvedic and homeopathic courses, but after giving advertisements in leading newspapers. However, it will not be applicable in case of MBBS course.