NEET is Not Enough for NRI Medical Aspirants, May Have to Clear One More Special Test

NRI students who were hopeful of getting a Medical seat in Punjab after clear NEET examination will now have to cross one more hurdle as the Punjab state government is planning to conduct a special medical entrance test for NRI candidates. The proposed structure will be applicable for NRI students planning to apply for bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBBS) or bachelor in dental surgery (BDS) courses.

Principal Secretary, medical education and research, Vini Mahajan, said Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) vice-chancellor had been told to make arrangements to conduct the test for the coming academic session.

"After admitting NEET-qualified NRI students, the vacant seats will be filled separately through a special entrance test in all medical colleges. BFUHS authorities have been directed to invite applications from aspirants," Mahajan said, who was at Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital for inauguration of ward number 1.

There are around 2,500 MBBS and BDS seats across the state and each college has 15% seats reserved for NRI candidates. In the past, the vacant NRI seats were being filled by converting them as general category seats or through management quota.

Hefty fee structure for NRI students has been a lucrative source of income for the colleges. "The special test will help fill all NRI seats in the colleges," Mahajan said.

Though the plan is still in the pipeline, clouds over its success are already hovering over as Supreme Court has rejected NEET. Introducing two tests might not be digested well by the students. Only time will tell. 

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