Date:26/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/26/stories/2008022659741000.htm

National

Quota for SCs/STs in MBBS, BDS

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The government has decided to introduce reservation for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes candidates in undergraduate medical and dental courses from this year under the all-India entrance examination.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has directed the Director-General of Health Services to implement 15 per cent reservation for SCs and 7.5 per cent for STs in the exams conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education.

With the introduction of the quota, around 310 SC and 155 ST students will benefit this year. In 2007, the total number of MBBS/BDS seats was 2,075, which were filled on the basis of merit.

Seats in government medical and dental colleges across the country that are under the all-India quota are filled on the basis of the entrance examination without any reservation.

The CBSE will conduct the preliminary test for the all-India entrance exam on April 6 and the final on May 11.