Results of 193 medical entry test candidates put on hold
Candidates are required to present their docs to health ministry by 29 Jan
The Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME) has put on hold the results of 193 candidates selected under the Freedom Fighter (FF) children quota for the 2024-25 medical admission test, pending further verification.
A final decision will be made after the necessary checks are completed, according to a press release issued by the DGME on Monday (20 January) evening.
The medical entry test results, published on Sunday, have sparked protests as some secured seats under the FF quota with just 41 marks, while many with 70 marks did not secure medical seats.
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Students of Dhaka Medical College and other medical colleges gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital on Monday, demanding the abolition of all quotas, including the FF quota, in medical and dental colleges.
Dr Sayedur Rahman, special assistant of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the decision to abolish quotas in medical college admissions lies with the state, not the health ministry.
According to DGME, of the 5,380 seats available in 57 government medical colleges, 269 are reserved for the children of freedom fighters (FFs), with 39 seats allocated for disadvantaged communities.
This year, of the 269 FF quota seats, 193 candidates have passed the admission test, while the remaining seats have been filled from the merit list.
Many doctors have also criticised the admission of students who secured seats with as low as 40/41 marks under the FF quota.
Professor Rubina Yasmin, additional director general (medical education) at the DGME, said the results for these candidates would remain on hold for now.
"We will verify their documents through three committees formed for this purpose. On 27, 28 and 29 January, candidates will be required to present their documents to the ministry," she added.
She also said, "We will ensure that only the children of freedom fighters are included on the list. Any ineligible candidates will be disqualified from admission. These are provisional results and the final decision will be made after document verification."
This year, 1,35,665 students applied to sit the MBBS admission test. A total of 1,31,729 candidates participated in the exam, of whom 60,095 passed. The passing mark for the exam was 40.
