More than 2000 candidates, who have passed five years’ undergraduate course in dental science from three government state dental college hospitals, have urged the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB) to properly evaluate their work experience as house dental surgeons during the ongoing selection process of medical officers dental surgeon (MODS).

The WBHRB has issued a notification inviting BDS pass-outs from both government and private teaching dental hospitals for 44 posts of MODS in the three government dental hospitals. Around 4,000 candidates who have registrations issued by the West Bengal Dental Council (WBDC) have applied for the posts. The interview that started on and from 15 January at Benfish Bhaban will continue till 9 February.

Some candidates who have completed their BDS course in the three government dental colleges – R Ahmed Dental College Hospital, North Bengal Dental College Hospital and Burdwan Dental College Hospital – alleged that the WBHRB has ignored work experience as the second most important criteria for eligibility of the applicants.

The first criteria for an eligible candidate must be a BDS pass-out with WBDC registration number. “The candidates from private dental colleges have obtained more than 80 percent on an average while we who have completed BDS in government dental hospitals have got only 65 to 70 per cent marks in the undergraduate dental course. The panelists in the interv iew have a maximum 15 marks in their hands.

As a result, applicants from private colleges have a better chance to get the job as MO,” they said. “We fear that most of the 44 posts will be filled up by private dental colleges’ candidates while we will have faint hope to get jobs though we have better work experience in government dental hospitals as house dental surgeons. We have submitted a memorandum to the WBHRB chairman Dr Sudipta Roy requesting him to consider our issue seriously,” said Dr Puspendu Sarkar, who has done his undergraduate dental course from government dental college.

“The chairman has given us a patient hearing and assured us to look into our matter. Around 800 dental science graduates from three government colleges have signed the memorandum,” Dr Sarkar added. There are 250 private dental colleges in the country while the number of government colleges is only 50. “I will have to check whether any memorandum in connection with the interview process for appointment of MODS has been submitted to me. I found some candidates hanging around my office today,” Dr Roy said