Aspirants of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course in Jammu and Kashmir are feeling cheated by the J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), which regulates NEET MBBS and BDS admissions. Four BDS seats under state quota remained vacant in the Indira Gandhi Government Dental College (IGGDC), Jammu, despite being informed by IGGDC officials that there was a shortfall of 5 seats, 4 under State quota and 1 under Central quota. Students who were allotted Private Dental Colleges are paying annual fees in lakhs compared to just a few thousand at the Government Dental College. BOPEE had been informed of the shortfall but had failed to fill the vacant seats; a second mop-up round couldn’t be conducted as there were no candidates on the waiting list and the Government had not lowered the percentile for admission. The four students belonging to poor families who were initially allotted Private Dental Colleges were also not adjusted against the vacant seats in IGGDC Jammu and have been made to pay fees in lakhs.
The lack of job opportunities for BDS graduates in Jammu and Kashmir can be a factor that discourages students from pursuing a career in dentistry. Getting an almost free seat and not joining the course is a matter of introspection. GoI has given UT some extra medical seats, but the waste of seats by a callous attitude just nullifies all GoI efforts.
The vacant BDS seats in Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in a loss of opportunities for both students and institutions. The students have to pay higher fees in comparison to Government Dental Colleges, and IGGDC Jammu is facing a loss in terms of revenue and resources. Additionally, this also highlights the issue of mismanagement and a lack of accountability in the admissions process. This lack of accountability on the part of the BOPEE is a cause for concern, as it undermines the trust and confidence of students in the admission process and the regulatory authorities responsible for ensuring its smooth functioning.
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