No change in J&K MBBS seat matrix for now: JKBOPEE

J&K MBBS aspirants are looking forward to MBBS counseling and seat allocation process to begin, however, for many, the hopes to land a slot in a Government Medical College here are hanging in the air.

The J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) has said that the seat matrix for MBBS and BDS admissions stays the same as last year for now as no college has intimated any change in intake capacity. Chairperson BOPEE, Dr Minu Mahajan told Greater Kashmir that the counselling process will begin soon. However, the exact dates will be notified shortly. “We will be following the schedule as per the National Testing Authority, and after we get the merit list,” she said. Dr Mahajan said the number of available seats in J&K remains the same as last year. “There is no change in seat matrix as we have not been informed about any additional seats by any medical college here,” she said.

When Greater Kashmir inquired about the progress of seeking Letter of Permission for additional MBBS seats, principals of many medical colleges said that they awaited the inspection of National Medical Commission (NMC). “We have furnished all the details to NMC. They will need to carry out inspection and check suitability of additional MBBS seats before they issue an LoP,” Principal GMC Anantnag, Prof Rukhsana Jabeen said. At GMC Srinagar as well, the intake capacity remains 180 with no intimation from NMC for additional seats. Administrator of the Medical College, Mohammad Ashraf Hakak said that NMC had issued renewal of 180 seats but no word had been received on additional 50 seats. “We are hoping that it will be done soon,” he said.

The NMC had invited applications for increase in undergraduate seats over the end of last year, in response of which, the J&K Government had directed all the medical colleges here to apply.  J&K’s MBBS seats have increased remarkably over the past eight years with the addition of new medical colleges and also with bolstering the intake of existing medical colleges. All the new medical colleges have the intake capacity of 100 students.

GMC Jammu and Srinagar have an intake capacity of 180 each. In addition, SKIMS Medical College Hospital has 125 approved MBBS seats, while AIIMS Vijaypur admits 62 students every year. AIIMS Awantipora is yet to reach completion and hence there will be no admissions to this institute this year as well.

Together, J&K will have 1247 MBBS seats in its 11 Government Medical Colleges. ASCOMS Jammu, a private medical college in J&K also offers admission to 100 of its MBBS seats. The MBBS seat availability increased from mere 500 to 900 in 2019, when GMC Anantnag, GMC Baramulla, GMC Kathua and GMC Rajouri received a nod to start admitting students.