By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Student candidates who wish to pursue their studies from government quota are in a fix about what course of studies to take up. A candidate aspiring for medical studies had also applied for B Sc Agriculture and was selected.
The Department has advised her to sign the bond and proceed for admission. The problem is that she has also applied for medical and paramedical studies. Her first choice of study is medicine or other branches of studies sponsored by the Directorate of Health Services (DHS). Agricultural science is her second preference.
The girl is now in a fix as the DHS is yet to publish the list of selected candidates. Candidates who were at the office of the Directorate of Agriculture on Monday said the Department has given them till July 4 to sign the bond failing which they will forfeit the seat.
The candidates were also told that once they sign the bond, they cannot withdraw from it. If they did, they would have to pay the entire amount the government incurs for purchasing the seat.
Several students are facing similar problems. The candidates question the reason for the delay in publishing the list of the selected candidates by the DHS since most students have put medicine and allied studies as their first preference.
It is learnt that the process of screening of the candidates aspiring for medicine etc is completed, so students and parents wonder why the Health Department is causing delay? This scribe visited the office of the DHS and was informed that the department has completed the process and the file is now pending in the State secretariat. Students have also questioned the Directorate of Higher and Technical education for the delay in calling applications for technical studies under the government quota. A candidate said because of such delay, many selected candidates had to rush to claim their seats in the allotted institute.
This has created problems for candidates from poorer families since they have to fly to their place of study because of such delay. Another candidate said, “If the different departments can publish list of selected candidates well in time we can also choose our course of study.”