Hello Ananya,

In a boost for medial aspirants, the state has got additional 100 MBBS seats to implement 10 per cent quota for economically weaker section (EWS). Fifty seats each have been increase in Amritsar and Patiala government medical colleges.

The Board of Governors (BoG) of the Medical Council of India (MCI) has given its nod for increase in seats in two state-run medical colleges from the current academic session 2019-20. Now, MBBS aspirants, who belong to the EWS category, can directly apply for the reserved seats.

Following a proposal of the MCI, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed the counselling authorities concerned of the states and union territories to fill EWS seats for the forthcoming session.

Experts believe that additional 100 seats will be a boon for the aspirants as it will not create any additional burden on other categories. The MCI has said the increase in the seats would not entail any corresponding increase in the infrastructure or faculty as of now.

Meanwhile, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has also sought increase in seats for Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, which is a government institution but is being run by it. Though the MCI has not approved the proposal, the university is still hopeful.