By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The KSU has strongly opposed the decision of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to reserve the MBBS seats allotted to the State from the Central Pool for the wards of the faculty members of NEIGRIHMS.
Out of the 44 MBBS seats which have been allotted to the State, KSU general secretary Augester Jyrwa said that the Centre has decided to reserve two of the MBBS seats for the wards of the faculties of NEIGRHIMS.
“We do not accept this decision of the Centre to reserve these two seats from the State quota. We fail to understand why the Central Government should alter the number of seats already allocated to the State pool,” Jyrwa said while speaking to reporters after the KSU members met Health and Family Welfare department Commissioner and Secretary DP Wahlang here on Tuesday.
The General Secretary also questioned the State Government’s acceptance of the decision knowing well that the Reservation Policy is a State subject. “We are surprise that the Government went ahead with this move without considering the impact and consequences that it would have on those deserving students.
“The action is arbitrary, unwarranted and unjustified since the present quota of 44 seats in insufficient to meet the needs of aspiring and deserving MBBS students of the State,” Jyrwa said.
“Since the reservation is for the children of faculty members of NEIGRHIMS, it is imperative on part of the Centre to create additional seats to meet those requirements instead of encroaching upon the State quota,” KSU general secretary added.
Meanwhile, Jyrwa stated that it has also come to the notice of the Union that the Meghalaya Medical Service Association (MMSA) has also demanded for reservation of five seats from the State quota for their children.
“If such be the case then there will be a beeline to encroach upon the quota already allocated for deserving MBBS students of the State. In the process, it would also encourage Ministers and bureaucrats to demand the same in the future,” he said.
“We therefore demand immediate revocation of the order of the State Government on the reservation of the two seats for the NEIGRHIMS faculties,” Jyrwa added. He also threatened that if the Government failed to comply with their demand they would be compelled to embark on a drastic course of agitation in the welfare and best interest of the student community of Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, the state executive committee of the Meghalaya Medical Service Association (MMSA) has decided to place before the State Government the issue of selection of candidates for undergoing MBBS, BDS and other courses with special reference to the new category-wards of NEIGRIHMS faculty appearing in the list of eligible candidates.
The MMSA felt that it is incumbent to point out the serious violation of the state medical policy in allotment of seats and the manner in which the same has been done to the children of NEIGRIHMS faculty.