Around 43% dental Seats In Karnataka Remain Vacant For Academic Year 2022 -23

Karnataka: The demand for dental courses among students has seen a sharp decline. Most government quota dental seats are still left vacant at UG and PG levels. Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has returned these seats to the respective college.

2810 BDS seats and 941 MDS seats were allotted for dental admission this year. According to a recent report by The Hindu, 1,385 UG and 225 PG seats are still vacant; around 43% of the seats.

As per some of the college authorities, new dental colleges across the state lack regulation and the seats allotted in these colleges are not in a proper manner. The fee charged for the dental PG and UG courses is also quite high. The high fee structure could be a strong reason for fewer candidates applying for dental courses, adds The Hindu.

The admission process for PG and UG dental courses is based on NEET MDS and NEET UG exams conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). NEET MDS and NEET UG are an eligibility-cum-ranking examinations prescribed as the single entrance examination for admission to various MDS and BDS courses. No other entrance examination, either at the state or the Institution level, will be valid for entry to these courses.

KEA is the counselling authority that conducts the PG and UG dental counselling in the state. It is governed by the Governing Council headed by the Honourable Minister of Higher Education. The Government of Karnataka established Common Entrance Test Cell in the year 1994 for conducting entrance tests and determining the eligibility/merit for admission to the first year or first semester of full-time professional courses for Government share of seats in Medical, Dental, Indian systems of medicine and Homeopathy, Engineering / Architecture Courses, Farm Science, i.e., B.sc. (Agriculture), B.sc. (Sericulture), B.sc (Horticulture), B.sc(Forestry), B.sc. Agri Bio Tech, BHSc.(Home Science), B.Tech (Agri. Engg), B.Tech (Food Technology), B.Tech (Dairy Tech), B.FSc.(Fisheries), B.Tech (Food Science & Tech)., B.Sc. (Agri. Marketing & Co-Op), B-Pharma, Pharma-D Courses.