BHUBANESWAR: Even as the counselling for admission of students to the State’s medical colleges is likely to get slightly delayed, but there is good news as Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Committee (OJEE) officials said number of seats for MBBS course is expected to be increased by 200 in the 2022-23 academic calendar.
“The total number of MBBS seats which was 1,500 last year could increase to 1,700 as government plans to make two new medical college and hospitals (MCHs), one in Sundargarh and the other in Keonjhar, functional from this year,” said an official from OJEE Committee.
Till last academic session, counselling was being done for MBBS seats in eight Govt MCHs such as SCB Cuttack, MKCG Berhampur, VIMSAR Burla, PRM Baripada, SLN Koraput, FM Balasore, BB MCH Balangir and SJ MCH Puri.
However, the proposed Sundargarh MCH received National Medical Commission (NMC) approval on August 19 to roll out 100 MBBS seats from 2022-23 academic session. Similarly, the proposed Keonjhar MCH, to be made functional under Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Baripada, also received nod to roll out 100 MBBS seats from the current academic year.
The OJEE committee, meanwhile, has launched the process of registration for enrollment of Odisha students to MBBS and BDS courses for the 2022-23 academic session on the basis of NEET ranking from Friday. The process of registration, fee deposit, uploading of documents and online verification will continue till October 10.
Committee chairman SK Chand said though registration has started, the counselling process for admission for the MBBS and BDS courses in 10 govt MCHs, two private MCHs and two BDS colleges will start only after commencement of admission process under All India Quota and subsequent communication of seat matrix under State quota.
“Admission usually takes place to 15 per cent seats in government MCHs in the State under All India Quota after which the seat matrix under State quota is shared,” Chand said. He, however, said that the registration process will help in starting the counselling immediately after sharing of seat matrix and publication of the guidelines and schedule by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).