NDC to BDS and MDS Applicants: Verify Course, Seats and University Before Paying Fees
Published 11 Nov 20263 min read
The National Dental Commission (NDC) has asked BDS and MDS applicants to confirm that a college has permission to admit students to their chosen course for the current academic session before paying fees. It has also issued directions for colleges changing university affiliation.
For applicants, the two notices answer different questions: can the college offer this seat, and which university will award the degree?
How to Check the Seat You Have Been Offered
Step 1 — Check the NDC's searchable list of dental institutions. Look for the college, the course, and the sanctioned intake for the year you plan to join.
Step 2 — For an MDS offer, confirm the exact speciality. A college may have permission to teach BDS while its MDS Orthodontics course still lacks approval. Check the postgraduate course separately.
Step 3 — Check the session. Last year's permission does not establish how many students the college can admit this year.
Step 4 — Ask for written evidence. The NDC has asked colleges to display their permissions, approved courses, and intake on their websites and in their prospectuses. Applicants can ask for written proof, compare it with the NDC record, and confirm the affiliation directly with the university named by the college.
[VERIFY: — not stated in the source.]
What Happens When a College Changes University?
A change of affiliation is assessed as a new proposal. Key points for students:
A recognised college moving to another university faces inspection when the course starts under the new affiliation and again at the first batch's final examination.
While recognition under the new university is pending, the commission may inspect annually.
The college must document both sides of the change:
- Recognition records for courses under its previous university
- A no-objection certificate from that university
- Consent or an affiliation order from the incoming university
Private colleges must apply for inspection at least two months before starting BDS or MDS courses under the new affiliation.
Government colleges notify the commission at the start and apply at the recognition stage.
For a prospective student, the practical question is which permission covers your course and your batch. That matters when you graduate and seek registration with your State Dental Council.
Seats Offered Outside Counselling: Warning Signs
BDS applicants enter counselling through NEET UG, and MDS applicants through NEET MDS. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) or the competent state or Union Territory authority conducts the counselling.
The NDC advises applicants to treat a guaranteed seat offered outside that process as fraudulent. Warning signs include:
Requests to transfer fees to a personal account.
Backdated admission offers.
Affiliation claims the university cannot confirm.
How to Report Suspected Fraud
Students and parents can report suspected unauthorised institutions or admission offers to the NDC and local police. A qualification from an unrecognised institution cannot be used to register as a dentist.
