Dental Council of India (DCI) conceding to their demand of keeping the Bachelor
of Dental Surgery (BDS) a four-year course.
After campaigning relentlessly for almost four years, dental
students tasted victory with the health ministry and the Dental Council of India
(DCI) conceding to their demand of keeping the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
a four-year course. The decision means the students can do their one-year
internship after the completion of the four-year course.
In 2007, much to the discontent of students and teachers, the then DCI management
increased the duration of the course to five years. It also did away with the internship
programme.
Recently, students made a representation before the DCI president, Dr. Dibyendu Mazumder,
during his visit to Mumbai and told him that the new course structure deprived them
of a chance to get practical experience. The students who met Mazumder also brought
along with them letters from thousands of others in support of the old system. One
of the students who met the DCI president said he had an open mind and gave weightage
to their views.
Dean of Government Dental College Dr. Mansingh Pawar told TOI that the students’
representation had a major role to play in scrapping of the 2007 course structure.
He said the old course structure has already been implemented in 32 dental colleges
in the state. "It will come into effect immediately. The 2007-08 batch will go for
internships rather than complete the five-year course," he said. Pawar said the
students will be given two additional months to prepare for the final. "They were
supposed to appear for the exam in 2013, but it will be held in 2012," he said.
BDS students, however, have to go for a three-month rural internship. The vice president
of Maharashtra DCI, Dr. S. R. Kokade, said the final exam will be conducted in two semesters.
Courtesy: Times of India
