From Our Special Correspondent
BANGALORE, JUN 1: All private dental colleges in the state have been asked to give admisision to eligible candidates in their institutions if they were unable to fill up their seats through the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) during the current academic year.
The Government had been forced to give the direction as seats in several dental colleges in the state remained vacant last year following disinterest among the candidates who had appeared for the entrance test conducted by KEA to join, according to Medical Education Minister Ramachandra Gowda.
The minister pointed out that as many as 47 seats remained vacant in Bellary Dental College alone last year.
Candidates have to obtain a minimum of 50% marks in relevant subjects in second year PUC to seek admission to the course. In case of failure to get the students through KEA, the private colleges were free to give the seats to eligible candidates.
The seat sharing ratio between the government and managements of non-minority colleges in the dental course is 65:35 for the year 2009-10.
The minister felt it was desirable to discontinue entrance test for the dental course from the next academic year (2010-11).
He said 15 acres of land had been given to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology to set up its branch in Mysore Medical College in Mysore. The branch is expected to be opened in September at the existing college building for the time being.
Out of 60 acres granted to the Mysore Medical College, 15 acres would be given to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology to set up a separate hospital, Gowda said.
A sum of Rs 5 crore has been provided to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in the State budget for 2009-10. The institute’s Hubli branch would be established at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubli, for the benefit of people in north Karnataka.
The Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology woul also establish its branches in Mysore and Hubli and a sum of Rs 5 crore had been allocated for the purpose during the current year. Kidney dialysis centres would be established in all district hospitals in the state in the next four year of the BJP government, the minister added.