The Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a five-year undergraduate course that prepares students to acquire in-depth knowledge and practical skills in the field of dental science and oral health, as well as clinical dentistry. Admission to BDS colleges in Punjab is mainly done through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG), which is a national exam covering Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The candidates have to clear 10+2, having scored at least 50 per cent in these subjects.
Candidates who have passed NEET are then eligible for the state of Punjab counseling process, where the seats are assigned according to the ranks and choices. The counseling procedure incorporates registration, certificate checking, and seat selection in the government or private BDS colleges in Punjab. The various institutions have different fees and seats. This BDS admission process helps candidates to take admission in the best BDS colleges in Punjab, as studying under this system prepares one to be a professional in the field or as a dentist, as a result of undergoing clinical and academic studies as well.
BDS Eligibility Criteria
To take admission in the best BDS colleges in Punjab, the candidates need to meet the BDS eligibility criteria. The complete eligibility criteria for the BDS admission in Punjab are given below:
- The candidates should have passed 10+2(or its equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) as core subjects.
- The candidates need to score at least 50 percent marks (45 percent in SC/ST/OBC reserved categories) in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
- Applicants must be at the ages of 17 on or before December 31 of the admission year.
- Along with this, the candidates need to appear and qualify for the NEET UG entrance exam.
BDS Admission in Punjab: Entrance Exams
Once fulfilling the eligibility criteria, to take admission in the BDS colleges in Punjab, the candidates need to appear and qualify for the BDS entrance exam, whose details are given below.
Punjab BDS Admission Process
To take admission in the best BDS colleges in Punjab, the candidates need to follow a simple process. The Punjab BDS admission process at the Christian Medical College at CMC Ludhiana is given below:
Step 1: The candidates need to register themselves for the NEET UG exam by visiting the official website of NEET UG.
Step 2: The candidates need to complete the application form by paying the application fee.
Step 3: The candidates need to appear for the entrance exam and wait for the results.
Step 4: After the NEET results are published and the Punjab state counseling is announced, the candidates need to start the admission process by visiting the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) website.
Step 5: Fill in and submit the counseling application form of BFUHS, pay the fee, and upload the needed academic and identification documents to be checked online.
Step 6: Participate in the Punjab NEET counseling in which the CMC Ludhiana seats and other dental colleges are available as per the NEET rank, category reservation, and preferences filled in by the candidate.
Step 7: The candidates who are applying through the Christian Minority with Service Commitment category need to make an individual application on the CMC Ludhiana portal and must appear for the Bible Test in order to qualify in that category.
Step 8: The candidates need to visit the campus for document verification and reporting at CMC Ludhiana with all original documents and fee receipts.
Step 9: Once the final seat allotment is done, the candidates need to confirm their admission by paying the course fee.
Documents Required
The candidates need the following documents for the counseling process at CMC Ludhiana:
- Class 10th and 12th marksheet
- Caste certificate
- Transfer Certificate
- Migration Certificate
- Passport-sized photograph
- Signature
- NEET UG Scorecard.
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BDS Admission in Punjab FAQs
Can I get admission in BDS without NEET?
No, the candidates cannot get admission in the best BDS colleges in Punjab without qualifying for the NEET UG exam. The Dental Council of India has made NEET qualification a standardized eligibility criterion for all the dental colleges, government and private.
What is the BDS course duration and fees in Punjab?
The BDS course is a 5-year professional undergraduate level study. The four years of academic education consist of topics such as anatomy, prosthodontics, oral pathology, as well as a mandatory one year of paid rotating internship to acquire practical skills in clinical practice. The BDS fees in Punjab are highly variable. The government colleges are relatively affordable and have a fee between INR 50,000 and 80,000 a year.
Can I opt for BDS after MBBS?
Yes, the candidates may decide to enroll in the MBBS course after BDS. Otherwise, MBBS graduates usually opt to do a specific postgraduate dental course or similar allied health programs rather than opting for another undergraduate of BDS.
Which are some of the BDS government colleges in Punjab?
Some of the well-known Government dental colleges are Govt. Dental College Patiala, Christian Medical College Ludhiana, Punjab. These colleges offer good education at relatively high tuition fees and good clinical exposure. There is also intense competition in admission, and admission is completely based on merit through NEET counseling.
What is the CMC Ludhiana BDS fees structure?
The fee charged by CMC Ludhiana is not very high, nearly INR 80,000, with an increase of INR 1,50,000 per year for the BDS course. This is the payment of the tuition fee and examination fee, but the cost of hostel and incidental fees may be extra.
What is the difference between MBBS and BDS?
An MBBS degree (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) is a very broad undergraduate medical degree that emphasizes the entire human body and includes topics such as general medicine, surgery, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and other specialties. BDS, on the other hand, is an undergraduate degree course in dental medicine and surgery in dental anatomy, oral surgery, oral pathology, and dental sciences in the head and neck region.
