MBBS, BDS JOINT COUNSELLING A MUST

PATIALA: After deciding in favour of joint counselling for postgraduate medical courses, there is no escape for Punjab on joint counselling for the undergraduate (UG) courses — MBBS and BDS — too. The Centre’s latest letter of March 11 to Punjab informed that states will have to compulsorily go for common counselling.

EARLIER, CENTRE’S DIRECTION FOR JOINT COUNSELLING WAS ADVISORY IN NATURE. THAT IS HOW PUNJAB IGNORED IT DURING LAST SESSION’S ADMISSIONS

PATIALA : After deciding in favour of joint counselling for postgraduate medical courses, there is no escape for Punjab on joint counselling for the undergraduate (UG) courses — MBBS and BDS — too.

The Centre’s latest letter of March 11 to Punjab and other states informed that it has made legal provision for common counselling in Medical Council of India’s regulations, making it binding on states to implement it from the 2017 session on basis of the merit of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG.

Earlier, the Centre’s direction for joint counselling was advisory in nature. That is how Punjab ignored it during last session’s MBBS and BDS admissions and gave a free hand to private institutes to conduct their own counselling. But there is no possibility for private institutions to violate the latest orders since the Centre’s amendment in MCI Act, 1956, has clarified that the states/ UTs will conduct joint counselling for all medical education institutions including government and private colleges, deemed universities and even minority institutions. State director, medical education and research, Dr Sujata Sharma confirmed this and said it will be implemented.

The Centre’s letter adds that the move will bring in transparency and curb the practice of capitation fee charged by private colleges at the time of admission process. “In medical education, capitation fee runs into lakhs and even crores in postgraduate courses. The joint counselling was important after the Supreme Court upheld the common entrance test. This reform is a big saviour for students,” said Chandigarh-based NEET tutor Arvind Goyal.

PUNJAB’S CASE AGAINST CMC GETS STRENGTH

Officials in the Punjab medical education department believe the latest law change will strengthen their case in the Supreme Court after Ludhiana-based Christian Medical College challenged Punjab’s joint counselling for PG courses last month. “In the next hearing on March 24, we will present Centre’s latest regulations to justify our stand,” said a senior official.