Admission Process to Medical and Dental Colleges in Gujarat, Punjab Underway

Admission processes have been set in motion in Gujarat and Punjab in India for medical and other related courses.

The four-day counseling process of 13,000 students for the 1,160 MBBS and 294 Dental college seats in the Indian state of Gujarat started on Saturday July 5, 2008.

Admissions in medical, engineering and pharmacy colleges in Gujarat are based on the marks secured in GUJCET, a combined entrance exam for all professional streams, and the performance in Class XII board examination (HSC). Sixty percent weightage is given to the GUJCET score and 40 percent to HSC results.

Counseling session for students belonging to the physically challenged category and those who had appeared for the class XII exams under the CBSE board was completed on the first day.

This year, the Gujarat government has planned a new quota system for admission into medical colleges.

Under the system, 10 per cent of the seats have been reserved under the management quota, 15 per cent for NRI quota, 3 per cent for the handicapped and 49 percent for SC, ST and OBC categories. This takes the total reservation in medical colleges to 77 percent.

Students and Parents Associations have called the new quota system as 'unconstitutional' and challenged it before the Gujarat High Court. On Friday, a division bench refused to put a stay on the admissions this year, and said that any changes to the government plan arising out of the petition before the court would be effective only from the next academic year.

The admission process for medical colleges in Gujarat will close on July 8. Counseling for engineering colleges will start on July 9.

On Saturday July 5, 2008, Punjab government announced that admission to MBBS and other related courses against all seats (except NRI seats), in medical, dental and other colleges in Punjab will be made by centralized admission committee at the counseling session to be held by the Punjab government.

Earlier, private colleges in Punjab were authorized to hold counseling for admission against management quota seats. Now there will be no separate college level counseling for admission against management quota seats.

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences announced on July 5, Saturday, that following the medical education minister’s direction, the provision of admission at the level of centralized admission committee had been made against all seats except the NRI seats.

Now all applications for admission including government quota seats and management quota seats, except NRI seats, will be accepted by Baba Farid University. Those who have already applied to the university for admission will also be considered for management quota seats for all colleges and courses. Candidates, who have not applied yet, have been advised by the university to deposit applications personally till the extended date to avoid postal delay.

The last date for receiving the applications from candidates seeking admission has been extended to July 10.

Source-Medindia
THK/L