Balangir: The admission process for the first batch of the MBBS course began at the medical college here on Monday. Two students - one from Mayurbhanj and another from Chhattisgarh - took admission in the all-India 15 per cent quota.

Admission into the 15 seats under all India quota will continue till July 3. Admissions for the 85 seats for the state quota will begin after July3. The Medical Council of India (MCI) had given the nod for admission into new medical college in Balangir earlier this month. MCI has granted admission into 100 seats for this academic year.

Ashutosh Patra of Mayurbhanj district was the first to take admission in the college. Patra said: "It feels good that I am a student of the first batch in the college."

Dean of Balangir Medical College Dr Lalit Kumar Meher said the medical college here would grow into a premier medical college in the state.

The Centre had decided to come up with medical colleges at Koraput, Balangir, Baripada and Balasore in 2014. Two of them at Koraput and Baripada have been completed and students started took admission in them in 2017.