Punjab expands NRI quota eligibility for MBBS and BDS admissions to include relatives

This initiative is expected to enhance the admission process and ensure that more seats are filled, addressing the long-standing issue of vacant seats in medical and dental programs under the NRI quota in Punjab

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

In a recent update, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) in Punjab has revised its provisions for admissions to MBBS and BDS courses under the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) quota. Following a directive from the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), the university will now consider the nearest relatives of NRIs for these quota seats. This modification aims to address the issue of vacant seats, which has been a recurring problem in Punjab’s medical and dental colleges.

Every year, approximately 185 NRI quota seats for MBBS and 196 for BDS are offered across various medical and dental colleges in Punjab. However, a significant number of these seats remain unfilled due to a lack of eligible candidates. The situation is similar for postgraduate courses; during the current counseling sessions for Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) admissions, all 12 NRI seats remained vacant after two rounds of counseling.

• The revised provisions aim to optimize seat utilization and provide more opportunities for students while ensuring that those benefiting from the NRI quota have a legitimate connection to non-resident Indians

• The university has also released a checklist for prospective students applying under this quota, providing clear guidance on the new eligibility requirements

The fees for an MBBS seat under the NRI quota are $110,000, while a BDS seat costs $44,000, both in private and government institutions. In Punjab, 15% of the total seats in these institutions are reserved for NRI candidates.

According to the revised guidelines issued by Priyank Bharti, Secretary of DMER, the eligibility criteria for NRI quota admissions have been expanded. Initially, only NRIs or their children who originally belonged to Punjab, or other states or union territories in India, were eligible for these seats. The new order allows candidates who are wards or nearest relatives of an NRI to be considered if seats remain vacant after accounting for the primary eligible groups.

The DMER has outlined a specific order of preference for these relatives:

1. Real brothers and sisters of the NRI’s parents (paternal uncle and aunt).
2. Real brothers and sisters of the NRI’s mother (maternal uncle and aunt).
3. Grandparents on both paternal and maternal sides.
4. First-degree paternal and maternal cousins.

Additionally, candidates under the NRI quota must be ordinarily residing abroad, and those claiming eligibility must provide proof of guardianship via an affidavit verified by a competent authority. Should NRI seats remain unoccupied after the second round of counseling, they will be offered to NEET-qualified foreign nationals. Any remaining seats after this process will be converted to general category seats. Moreover, fees for NRI candidates must be paid from an NRI or NRE bank account.

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