BDS management quota seats: HC rap for BFUHS V-C for not submitting admission schedule

The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, to submit admission schedule to the BDS course under the management quota in Punjab medical colleges on September 28, failing which he has been asked to remain present to explain the “lapses”.

The high court bench of justice GS Sandhawalia also asked the vice-chancellor to explain in the affidavit as to how many seats for the MBBS/BDS courses had been filled to date both under the government and private management quota. “The affidavit will also give the details as to how the remaining seats of the management quota are proposed to be filled on or before September 30,” the high court bench said, adjourning the matter for September 28.

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The order was passed during the resumed hearing of a petition filed by the Punjab Private Self-Finance Dental Colleges’ Association in June, challenging the state’s move to entrust the BFUHS with making admissions for seats under the management quota. On September 1, the high court had directed the BFUHS to produce schedule for the management quota seats in dental colleges. But despite three hearings (September, 5, 6 and 9), the university failed to submit the same on Monday as well.

There are 11 dental colleges in the state with intake capacity of 1,200 students, with half of the seats filled under the management quota.

Appearing for the private dental colleges, advocate Manish Kumar Singla told the court that the admissions would close on September 30, the date fixed by the Supreme Court for medical admissions, but state was yet to decide about the counselling. “Neither we are being allowed to conduct counselling on our own, nor is the university doing it. The end result is students are going for admission to other states,” Singla had told the court, citing financial losses to institutes as well as the government.

According to the association, 199 seats remained vacant in 2013; 455 in 2014 and 487 in 2015 in these colleges.

In the petition filed in June, the association had argued that colleges were ready to fill the management category/remaining seats/vacant seats as per the rules and merit of NEET or PMET. Hence, directions be given to the BFUHS to appoint a panel to monitor these admissions by the institutes themselves. It was of the view that by involving the BFUHS in the admission process of the management quota seats, the state was “interfering” in the administration of these colleges.

“The petitioner will be satisfied if the respondents take the responsibility that they will fill all management quota seats and in the event of any seat remaining vacant, the respondents will pay the entire course fee,” the association had submitted.

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