The Punjab government has officially notified the admission policy for medical and dental colleges across the province, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The new policy, which the provincial cabinet has approved, has now come into effect following the issuance of the notification by the Specialized Healthcare Department on Friday.
The new policy is a major setback for the students of Islamabad as only three seats have been reserved for them in Punjab’s medical colleges.
Those holding an Islamabad domicile will no longer be able to apply for admission to MBBS programs under the open merit system in Punjab’s medical colleges.
This change has caused disappointment among students from the federal capital, as they previously had the opportunity to compete for these seats on merit without restrictions.
In another significant development, Narowal Medical College has been allowed to give admission to 100 students this year, adding more capacity to Punjab’s medical education system.
The application process for government medical colleges will commence on October 21 and will continue until November 4, 2024.
For private medical colleges, students will be able to submit their applications between November 5 and November 19, 2024.
As for dental colleges, online applications for government institutions will be accepted from November 20 to December 4, 2024, while private dental colleges will receive applications from December 5 to December 19, 2024.
Classes for MBBS programs are scheduled to begin on February 1, 2025, while Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) classes will start on March 1, 2025.
The University of Health Sciences (UHS) will be responsible for overseeing the admissions to both medical and dental colleges in Punjab.
Reporter: Zahid Chaudhry