The number of students from Meghalaya pursuing Medicine in Ukraine and China among other countries is growing by the day. Apart from Medicine there are other professional courses, mainly the different engineering streams for which students have to move out of the state. Arunachal Pradesh which became a full- fledged state only in February 1987 has a fully functional State Medical College. It has a Regional Engineering College and a Central University.
Meghalaya which has turned 50 this year does not yet have a medical college although the conceptualisation for creation of two medical colleges dates back to 2017. Basically everything that is conceived in the State tends to run into controversy. In October last year the present Health Minister, James Sangma informed the Assembly that a lot of paperwork had to be completed in respect of the Shillong Medical College while construction of Tura Medical College has started in spite of challenges. The Health Minister said he is constantly monitoring the projects so that they are completed as soon as possible. The proposed site for the Shillong Medical College and Hospital at Umsawli in New Shillong Township was being used in 2020-21 as a corona care centre when the pandemic was at its height. Now that the pandemic has reached a plateau the Shillong Medical College will hopefully take wings and become operational soon. That said, the question that arises is why projects in Meghalaya are never completed within a timeline, thereby resulting in time and cost overruns. Every single project is delayed. Till date not a single project has been completed on schedule. This happens because the central government which funds these projects hardly takes stock or monitors them.
The absence of a state medical college has pushed many young aspirants to study outside the state and country at great cost to their families. At the moment the problems in Ukraine have heightened the fear and paranoia of family members eagerly awaiting the return of their wards. Images of the war in Ukraine being televised daily and the students crowded in bunkers with no transportation to take them to the borders from where they can take the trains to the nearest airport, are frustrating for the students and agonising for their families back home. Apart from studies, many young Meghalayans are forced to work outside the state since there is a squeeze on job opportunities at home compatible with their education. These issues require solutions at multiple levels on an urgent basis. Meghalaya @50 needs major course correction.
