No takers for BDS: Shortage of NRI Quota Applicants in Punjab Dental Colleges

Former BFUHS Vice-Chancellor Dr. SS Gill claims that a limited number of students will continue to choose NRI quota seats because of the expensive tuition. The five-year degree becomes expensive due to the additional costs that the students must take into account. According to Dr. SS Gill, one important factor in NRIs choosing other nations over India for medical education is the fact that many of those who would like to send their children to India for medical study do not have large resources.

72% of BDS state quota seats and 37% of MBBS state quota seats were still unfilled after the first round of counselling. 1,482 of the 2,772 MBBS and BDS state quota seats at the state's 10 medical and 16 dental colleges were still unfilled. In 10 medical colleges, including four government medical colleges across the state, 525 of the 1,437 MBBS state quota seats are vacant. Much to the dismay of the 16 dental colleges in the state, of the 1,335 BDS seats in private and government colleges, only 378 seats have been allotted during the online counselling session held by the BFUHS. An official said 957 BDS seats remained vacant.

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