Punjab dental colleges are at the threat of zero admission due to lack of candidates scoring the eligibility marks in the All India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMT).

The association of private dental colleges has come up with a proposal of sponsoring the state government to conduct s separate state-level test for admission in dental colleges.

According to sources, students who score less than 50 percent marks in AIPMT cannot get admission either in MBBS or BDS courses in Punjab. Around 1300 students have scored the mandatory 50 percent mark which is equal to the MBBS seats available in Punjab. It is a matter of concern both for the dental colleges and dental aspirants because students who managed to meet the eligibility criteria will be absorbed in MBBS courses and there would be hardly any candidate left to get admission in BDS in Punjab.

Vikram Sharma, patron of Punjab Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges Association stated that, since AIPTM is a national level entrance test, the Punjab students who are on the top merit list will opt for prestigious medical colleges outside Punjab, which will lead to a scenario where all the eligible students of Punjab will get admissions in MBBS courses and the BDS seats would remain vacant.

The association is also demanding that either the Punjab government should allow to admit students on the basis of class XII examination merit, which is done in other states. They also have proposed an option to allow the colleges to conduct their own entrance test to frame a separate merit list.

Sharma further added that if the state government agrees to conduct a separate test for the benefit of Punjab students, the association is ready to sponsor the state government and bear all expenses. Punjab has 12 private and two government dental colleges having total BDS seats of 1280.