Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has directed all candidates seeking admission under the NRI quota for MBBS and BDS courses in Punjab to submit an Embassy certificate issued by the Indian Diplomatic Mission or Embassy concerned abroad.The certificate must confirm that the candidate’s parent — under whose NRI status the seat is being claimed — holds a valid passport, has resided abroad for more than 182 days in the last financial year, and enjoys NRI status for a specified period. It must also clearly state that it is being issued for the purpose of admission under the NRI quota in India. The certificate will remain valid for only six months from the date of issue.Punjab has 12 medical and 16 dental colleges offering 214 MBBS and 217 BDS seats under the NRI quota. University officials said the certificate, duly signed and sealed by the issuing authority, will be a critical document in verifying NRI quota claims this admission cycle.The directive comes amid growing scrutiny of alleged malpractices in state quota admissions, including cases of candidates presenting dubious NRI sponsorships or domicile claims to secure reserved seats meant for genuine non-resident Indian families.Officials warned that candidates failing to produce a valid, properly attested Embassy Certificate in the prescribed format will not be considered under the NRI quota, and their claims will be rejected during document verification. BFUHS has advised all aspiring candidates to ensure their sponsors obtain the certificate well in advance, given its limited validity, to avoid last-minute complications during counselling and admission.