SHILLONG: Health Minister AL Hek has assured transparency in the conduct of entrance examination for MBBS and BDS seats.
In a written reply to a call attention motion moved by Paul Lyngdoh (UDP) in the Assembly regarding holding of entrance examination, Hek said that an Entrance Committee and its Sub-Committee has already deliberated on the various aspects of the matter and the process of holding the examination is progressing very satisfactory keeping in mind the secrecy, transparency and fair play that the department would have to accord on this matter.
Narrating about the seat allotment, Hek said that the Government does not have a medical college of its own and is depending upon seats used to be received from different sources like common institutions in Assam, RIMS, Imphal, Central Pool Seats and NEIGHRIMS among others.
He said during 2013-14, a total of 56 seats were allotted to the State. “It is expected that during 2014-15, the same number of seats will be available”, he added.
Hek said during the academic session 2014-15, the Centre had issued a circular that the mode of selection of candidates for nomination against Central Pool Seats is that the selection of students will be made by the beneficiary States/UTs/Government Departments on the basis of marks obtained by the students in the Entrance Test conducted by the beneficiary States/UTs/Government Departments.
If the beneficiary States/UTs/Government Departments is not conducting an examination, the selection will be made on the basis of marks obtained by the students in All India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMT) conducted by CBSE. In any circumstance, the selection of students will not be made merely on academic merit of 10 + 2 marks, Hek said. Following the directives, Hek said there is no other option for the department but to comply with the instruction from the Centre keeping in mind the Medical Council of India’s Regulations on the matter and particular the interest of the students of the State as a whole.
In order to enable the Department to chalk out the nitty gritty of conducting the entrance examination, an Examination Committee was constituted comprising the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department as the Chairman and the Commissioner and Secretary, Education Department, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Medical Superintendent and Head of Department (Microbiology), NEIGRIHMS, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, NEHU, Director of Higher and Technical Education, State Informatics Officer, NIC, Shillong, Director of Health Services (MCH and FW- Research as members and Director of Health Services (MI) Member-Secretary.
In addition, a Sub-Committee to look into the details in the conduct of the entrance examination was also constituted with the Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department as the Chairman, Director Higher and Technical Education, Executive Chairman, Meghalaya Board of School Education, A.C.Phukan, Medical Superintendent and Head of Department (Microbiology), NEIGRIHMS, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, NEHU, Director Health Services (Research) as members and Director of Health Services(MI),Meghalaya as Member Secretary.