MBBS/BDS admissions: Punjab allows 3 pvt institutes to resume counselling

The Punjab government on Tuesday allowed three private medical institutes in the state to resume independent counselling for the MBBS/BDS admissions.

The Punjab government on Tuesday allowed three private medical institutes in the state to resume independent counselling for the MBBS/BDS admissions.

Last week’s notice of the director of medical education and research (DRME) had barred Adesh Medical University, Bathinda, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, and Shri Guru Ram Das Medical University (management quota seats), Amritsar, from admitting students after the Supreme Court upheld the central counselling and prohibited independent counselling by any medical college or university.

Medical education secretary Vikas Pratap said private institutes have been asked to resume the admission process based on the legal opinion of the attorney general’s office. “It clarifies that the SC orders have no bearing on us since it is confined only to Madhya Pradesh,” he said.

“The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, has also been asked to fill vacant seats before the cut-off admission date,” he said. A hue and cry was recently raised by students and parents after the Adesh university hiked its fee and demanded bank guarantee on the day of counselling.

An official said the Adesh university was allowed independent counselling under the provisions of the state act. “As far the CMC and Shri Guru Ram Das university are concerned, they are exempted from the central counselling for the past many years due to their status of being minority institutes,” he added.

BFUHS third counselling on Wednesday

The NEET-qualified candidates seeking admission against vacant all-India quota seats have been asked to report at the Faridkot government college on Wednesday and Thursday along with candidates for other reserved seats. The vacant BDS seats will be filled on Friday.