Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS), Jaipur, directed government dental colleges in the state to collect a ₹1 lakh bank guarantee and a ₹4 lakh bond from students admitted to the BDS course. The measure was introduced to discourage students from leaving BDS seats vacant after securing admission to MBBS courses through subsequent counselling.

Reason Behind the Bond and Bank Guarantee

The decision followed concerns raised during an official review of RPMT admissions regarding students vacating BDS seats after obtaining MBBS seats in later counselling rounds.

When a student leaves a government dental college after beginning the BDS course, the vacant seat generally cannot be filled at that stage. This results in a financial loss for the institution and also reduces the number of dental graduates produced during that admission cycle.

To address the issue, students taking admission to government BDS colleges are required to submit the ₹1 lakh bank guarantee and ₹4 lakh bond at the time of admission.

Decision Taken During RPMT Review Meeting

The provision formed part of the proceedings of a meeting convened by the Principal Secretary, Medical Education Department, to review arrangements for RPMT-2012.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Medical Education Department, RUHS and government medical colleges. Various aspects of the admission process, including the examination, counselling, document verification and admission rules for MBBS and BDS courses, were discussed.

Other Key Decisions Under RPMT-2012

The proceedings also covered several important provisions:

• RPMT-2012 examination: A three-hour paper consisting of 200 questions was proposed, based on the Rajasthan Board Class 11 and 12 NCERT syllabus.
• Centralised counselling: Counselling was to be conducted at RUHS, Jaipur, in accordance with state reservation rules and prescribed qualifying standards.
• Biometric verification: Candidates were required to undergo biometric verification, with continuous videography or photography at examination centres.
• Private college options: Private medical and dental colleges were required to submit admission option letters within the prescribed deadline, with the candidate's choice treated as final thereafter.
• Answer key objections: Answer keys were to be reviewed by an expert committee before publication, followed by a 24-hour period for candidates to raise objections.
• Grievance resolution: Issues relating to RPMT-2012 and counselling were to be addressed at the university level in accordance with applicable regulatory and court-established principles.

What It Means for BDS Aspirants

The bond and bank guarantee provision highlights the financial commitment associated with accepting a BDS seat in a Rajasthan government dental college. Candidates considering BDS while also planning to pursue an MBBS seat through subsequent counselling should carefully understand the applicable bond conditions before confirming their admission.