No domicile B henceforth to medical aspirants from other states: CM

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted on Thursday that her government would henceforth not issue domicile B certificates to students from other states, thereby not allowing them to study undergraduate medical studies in the government-run medical colleges in the state.

It may be mentioned here that Bengal is such a state where medical aspirants from other states secure admission on the basis of domicile B issued by the state government. The candidates who are entitled to get domicile B are the residents of other states whose parents live in Bengal.

It has often been found that candidates seek domicile B from the state government after they fail to secure medical admission in their respective states. Many of these candidates find place in Bengal's medical colleges, thereby depriving the state's own candidates. Candidates enjoy domicile A of a particular state if they have stayed there for ten years.

"We would now try to admit more students from the state in MBBS course. We used to allow outside candidates to study medical studies in our state. We spend Rs 25 lakh for each medical student. When they become doctors they move out of the state in most of the cases, while in some cases they join private establishments. We would impose restrictions on domicile B so that Bengal candidates get more opportunities. Earlier, the medical entrance used to be conducted by the state government," Banerjee said, while addressing a gathering at SSKM Hospital on Thursday.

All the medical aspirants across the country have to appear and clear the nationwide National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), before they secure an admission. Many including a city-based doctor had earlier raised questions on the procedure of issuing domicile B certificate.

The Supreme Court in its ruling said that a candidate cannot enjoy more than one domicile when the NEET is a single medical entrance examination.

Dr A K Maity, a city-based doctor, had written to the Chief Minister, urging her not to issue domicile B to outside candidates as it deprives the students from Bengal. Dr Maity had also called the process 'unconstitutional'.

"Bengal allows filling up of domicile B form and admits outside candidates in various medical colleges. The other states do not issue domicile B to Bengal candidates and do not allow them to study medical studies. Many candidates from other states secure admission in Bengal only because their parents stay here. A candidate cannot seek admission to medical colleges in two states simultaneously. I hope our Chief Minister will now take some steps in this regard," Dr Maity had said in his letter.