MBBS, BDS Admissions in Punjab: Revocation of new notification on Eligibility criteria Demanded

Chandigarh- Demanding revocation of the Congress government’s new notification changing the criteria for admission into MBBS and BDS courses in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday said the new norms had broadened the eligibility criteria to the severe disadvantage of native students of the state.

In a statement here, SAD senior vice president Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said following the new notification students from outside the state would be eligible to take advantage of the 85 percent state quota. “This will hurt the chances of bonafide state students and is an anti- Punjab step which needs to be revoked immediately”.

The Akali leader said after a high court decision, the erstwhile SAD-BJP government had issued a notification announcing eligibility criteria for admissions into MBBS and BDS courses in Punjab for the session 2019-20. As per the notification, the students were required to pass 10th and 12th class from any school in Punjab besides being bona fide residents of the state. He said that these conditions were imposed to ensure 85 percent quota for native students as they could avail only 15 percent quota in other states.

Disclosing about the changes made in the admission norms by the Congress government, Dr Cheema said the eligibility criteria had been widened indiscriminately. He said the condition to pass 10th class from Punjab had been removed under the new admission norms laid out for the medical education department. Under the new notification, all candidates who had studied in Punjab for five years or studied in the state for two years preceding the qualifying examination were eligible to avail the 85 percent state quota.

He said even those who had held immovable property in Punjab for five years, those who were born in Punjab, wards of persons who settled in Punjab for five years, wards of employees of the Punjab government posted in or outside the state and central employees posted in Chandigarh or Punjab could also avail the 85 per cent State quota.

Dr Cheema said Punjab was the only state in the country whose residents were being discriminated and cheated by it’s own government. He demanded immediate revocation of the notification and asked the state government to ensure 85 percent quota for native students in medical colleges by redrafting its notification.