Gov’t ask to nominate candidates for 10 MBBS seats

In a letter to the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department HM Shangpliang on Monday, Director of Medical Education, Assam Prof (Dr) AK Barman said that as per the interim order, 10 seats of MBBS course in the medical colleges of Assam for the session 2017 are to be allotted for the candidates of the state of Meghalaya.

“Accordingly you are required to nominate 10 nos of candidates from your state with the Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh – 4 seats, Guahati Medical College, Guwahati – 4 seats and Silchar Medical College, Silchar – 2 seats,” he said.

Prof Barman also stated that the nominated candidates must report for admission to the Principal of the concerned institution where he/she has been allotted seats on or before October 1.

The communication from the Assam government came following direction from the Apex Court which has passed an interim order on September 22.

“Keeping in view the interest of the state of Meghalaya, it is directed that ten seats out of twenty-seven seats shall be allocated to it,” the order had stated.

Earlier, a special leave petition was filed by the Meghalaya government on September 4, seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court into the Assam government’s decision to abolish the 10 medical seats reserved for the state.

Meghalaya claimed that according to paragraph 6 of the minutes of the meeting of the joint committee held on March 15, 1976 on division of assets and liabilities between the two governments, it was agreed that Assam would provide Meghalaya all facilities available in “common institutions (including medical colleges)” located in Assam, provided the expenditure was shared on pro-rata basis.

It may also be mentioned here that Assam has been reserving 10 medical seats for Meghalaya — four each in Assam Medical College and Hospital and Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and two in Silchar Medical College.

By Our Reporter