First round of counselling: No takers for BDS seats under NRI quota in Punjab
After the first round of counselling for admissions to undergraduate medical courses by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, all Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) seats under the non-resident Indian (NRI) quota in 16 dental colleges, including government institutions, remained vacant
Faridkot : After the first round of counselling for admissions to undergraduate medical courses by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, all Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) seats under the non-resident Indian (NRI) quota in 16 dental colleges, including government institutions, remained vacant.
According to officials, 84% of the NRI quota MBBS seats also remained vacant in 10 medical colleges in Punjab.
Of the 380 MBBS and BDS seats under the quota, 350 (92%) are vacant after the first round of counselling, due to exorbitant tuition fee.
NRI quota seats are the main source of revenue for medical and dental colleges. A full course fee for an NRI quota MBBS seat is US$1.1 lakh ( ₹91lakh) in all private and government medical colleges of the state. The fee for NRI quota BDS seat is US$44,000 ( ₹36lakh).
Ten medical colleges in Punjab offer 185 NRI quota MBBS seats of which 155 are vacant. The number of BDS seats reserved for the NRI candidates in 16 dental colleges in the state is 195 and all remained vacant.
“With high fee structure, the NRI quota seats will continue to witness low number of students opting for it. Students also have to account for other expenses during the five-year course, making it an expensive proposition. Most of the NRIs who want to send their wards to India for medical education are not so rich, so that is the big reason as they are opting for other countries,” says former BFUHS V-C Dr SS Gill
72% BDS, 37% MBBS seats in general category vacant
After the first round of counselling, 72% of BDS and 37% MBBS state quota seats remained vacant. Of the total 2,772 MBBS and BDS state quota seats, 1,482 remained vacant in 10 medical and 16 dental colleges in the state.
In 10 medical colleges, including four government medical colleges across the state, 525 of the 1,437 MBBS state quota seats are vacant. Much to the dismay of the 16 dental colleges in the state, of the 1,335 BDS seats in private and government colleges, only 378 seats have been allotted during the online counselling session held by the BFUHS. An official said 957 BDS seats remained vacant.
