# NMC

• The national medical commission has proposed 100% centralized admissions in medical institutions across the country – government, private and deemed.
• The single step counseling process is intended to save students from the anxiety of the long drawn admission process through which more than 1 lakh MBBS seats are filled up every year.
• A NMC Gazette added that the government would appoint a designated authority for common counselling and decide its method for all undergraduate seats.
• A top official from NMC said the proposal will be deliberated upon by the centre and the states and can be implemented only when they agree to the modalities to be adopted.

# Economic growth

• The Indian economy is expected to expand by 6.5-7% in the current fiscal year on the back of a strong growth momentum in investments and efficiency gains from rapid pace of digital transformation and others.
• The economy grew stronger than expected at 7.2% in 2022-23 due to a robust fourth quarter performance.
• Most forecasts estimate growth to be in the range of 6.5% in the current fiscal year.
• Chief economic advisor said that the private sector is poised to attract stronger investment growth.

# Pakistan

• Cash strapped Pakistan on Friday hiked defense spending by 15.5% and allocated over ₹1.8 trillion as the government unveiled a ₹14.4 trillion budget for 2023-24. The defence sector expenses are the second biggest component of the annual expenditure after the debt payments, which for the next year would be ₹7303 billion and is the single biggest expense of the country.
• The minister declared a 3.5% GDP growth target for the next year.
• The inflation target for the next fiscal would be 21% while the budget deficit would be 6.54% of the GDP.