After row, eligibility criteria for MBBS, BDS seats changed

Faridkot, October 14

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Days after a controversy erupted over eligibility criteria for admission to the MBBS and BDS courses in the state, principals of all medical and dental colleges convened a meeting today on the directions of Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER).

New condition

The candidate should be a bona fide resident of Punjab in terms of a letter of the Dept of Personnel and Administrative Reforms of June 6, 1996. Nirmal Ouseppachan, BFUHS Registrar

After the meet, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) decided that those candidates who had cleared Class XII exams from the state or were born here (permanent residence) will be eligible for admission.

Nirmal Ouseppachan, Registrar, BFUHS, said the candidate should be a bonafide resident of Punjab in terms of a letter of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms of June 6, 1996.

Due to the confusion over the eligibility criteria, the last date for the admission was extended from October 13 to 15.

Earlier, the DMER had come out with a notification stating that only those candidates who mentioned Punjab in their domicile in the NEET-UG entrance test form would be eligible for 85 per cent state quota.

Now, all candidates who studied for a period of five years or for two years in the state preceding the NEET-UG test, children/ wards of persons who held immovable property in Punjab for a period of five years and who were born in the state and produced a certificate to that effect would be eligible for the state quota seats.

The state government employees posted in or outside Punjab or working on deputation having at least three years of service and staff of the Centre posted in Chandigarh or in Punjab for a period of three years would also eligible for this quota.

Children/wards of persons settled or had resided in the state for a period of at least five years at any time prior to the date of submission of the application either in pursuit of a profession or holding of a job would also be eligible. The state has 26 medical and dental colleges, which offer 1,500 MBBS and 1,350 BDS seats.