No hike in fee for BDS 5-year course: DCI

New Delhi, June 17 (UNI) The Dental Council of India today clarified that there has been no increase in the Fee Structure of its 5-year BDS Programme as the DCI has only an integrated internship programme in its 5-years course.

Earlier it was 4+1 year internship.

In a statement, Dental Council of India President Anil Kohli said, ''We have received few complaints that some Private Dental Colleges have hiked their fee for the 5 year B.D.S Programme which is not true. In reality, the DCI has only changed the format of the BDS and the fee part has not been touched at all.'' Dr Anil Chandna, Member DCI, clarified that Internship is integrated in 5-years period.

''So Private colleges don't have to pay the stipend to the students, as they used to. The stipend used to be from Rs. 4000/- to 5000/- per student.

However, we have increased extra hours of lecturing and clinical hours (to adjust the internship time) and extended into 5th year,'' Dr Kohli said.

''This will also ensure that the internship period is not misused by students and they get enough time to study,''he added.

Dr Chandna said that " considering the benefit of students and improvement in Dental Education, it is need of the hour that we must equip our students with important technical know-how to excel in the new technologies implant, cosmetic dentistry, laser dentistry and other latest innovation in dentistry and use them for benefit of people of India''.

''The DCI has emphasised colleges can't ask for extra fee. Any student or Parent who is asked for extra fee should come forward to inform the matter to DCI, which will immediately take action against the college,'' Dr. Kohli said.

However, a Private Dental College representative said, ''we have to give extra 1 year salary to the staff and extra use of infrastructure, stay in the college. Who will bear that extra burden.'' UNI AR RL CS1935