Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) on Tuesday modified provisions for admissions to MBBS and (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) BDS courses under the non-resident Indian (NRI) quota allowing the nearest relatives of an NRI to be considered under the quota following an order issued by the department of medical education and research (DMER).
All medical and dental colleges in Punjab offer about 185 NRI quota seats in MBBS and 196 seats in BDS. However, a large chunk of these seats remains vacant every year in the absence of eligible candidates.
During the ongoing counseling for admissions to postgraduate dental courses, all 12 Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) seats under NRIs have remained vacant after two rounds of counselling.
The fee for an MBBS seat is $1,10,000 at government and private medical colleges and a BDS seat costs $ 44,000. In Punjab, 15% of the total seats are earmarked for NRI candidates in private and government institutes.
Priyank Bharti, secretary, DMER, issued the order regarding the partial amendment for the provisions of NRI quota seats on Tuesday.
As per the modified provisions, the DMER has set an order for admissions under NRI quota seats. “Actual NRIs or their children who originally belong to the state of Punjab and actual NRIs or their children who originally belonged to an Indian state or union territories other than Punjab are eligible for NRI quota seats. If in case the seats of NRIs are left vacant after considering the above preferences then the candidates who is the ward or nearest relation of NRI shall also be considered under NRI quota seats,” the order reads.
{{/usCountry}}As per the modified provisions, the DMER has set an order for admissions under NRI quota seats. “Actual NRIs or their children who originally belong to the state of Punjab and actual NRIs or their children who originally belonged to an Indian state or union territories other than Punjab are eligible for NRI quota seats. If in case the seats of NRIs are left vacant after considering the above preferences then the candidates who is the ward or nearest relation of NRI shall also be considered under NRI quota seats,” the order reads.
{{/usCountry}}“The degree of relation with NRI will be considered as per the following orders of preference. He or she shall be in the nearest relation. In the definition of nearest relation, following relation having considered blood relations will be (a) real brother and sister of father i.e. uncle and real aunt. (b) real brother and sister of mother i.e. maternal uncle and maternal aunt. (c) Father and mother of father i.e. grandfather and grandmother. d) Father and mother of mother i.e. maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother. (e) the first degree-paternal and maternal cousins,” it said.
“The person should ordinarily be residing abroad and such person should have looked after such student as the guardian and evidence to that effect must have been produced before the committee by such person in the form of an affidavit duly verified by the competent authority. Any seats remaining vacant under NRI category after the second round of counselling should go to the NEET qualified eligible foreign national. However, if the seats remain vacant, they shall be converted to general category seats. The fee of the NRI candidate shall only be accepted from NRI or NRE bank account,” the order added.
The existing provisions allowed NRI or children of NRI who originally belong to Punjab and Indian states other than Punjab to take admissions to MBBS and BDS courses under NRI quota. As per the rules, the person who sponsors the student should be a first-degree relation of the student and ordinarily residing abroad as an NRI.
The varsity has also released a checklist for aspirants seeking admission to under-graduate courses under the NRI quota.