Personnel dept to take a call, says Health minister
SHILLONG, July 3: Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday said the Personnel Department has been asked to weigh the suggestion of the Khasi Students’ Union that eligible Garo and Khasi-Jaintia candidates should be included in the open category for the government-sponsored medical seats.
She said the opinion of the Personnel Department has been sought as the Health Department cannot decide on it.
“We need to understand that this (the suggestion) is against the roster system as the KSU wants MBBS seats allocated in the open category to qualifying students who have got into the merit list,” Lyngdoh said.
She agreed that it would be unfair not to include an ST student in the open category if he or she qualifies for it.
She, however, said the issue is complicated and needs to be approached cautiously before the government makes any commitment. “Nothing should be against the spirit of the reservation policy,” she added.
In the petition submitted to the Health Minister on Tuesday, KSU education secretary Pynkmenlang Sanmiet sought transparency in the allotment of the MBBS seats under the state to various medical institutions across the country.
He suggested that eligible students from the Garo had Khasi communities should be included in the open category to pave the way for others to get selected from the reserve seats under the state quota.
Sanmiet said the students who clear the NEET and are eligible for the all-India quota should be allowed to choose their category.
Lyngdoh said students with high NEET rankings will not seek admission from the state quota. “Those who do not quality at the national level seek admission through the state quota,” she said.
“The issue sometimes is the choice of an institute. A NEET-cleared tribal student (going through the state quota) may not get an institute of choice,” she said.
She also said language is a big barrier for students who cannot write in languages other than English.
The KSU, meanwhile, asked the state government to ensure students from outside Meghalaya do not get MBBS seats under the state quota.
In response, Lyngdoh said the government instructed the deputy commissioners to follow the criteria for issuing a permanent residential certificate (PRC).
“It is easier now to cancel a PRC issued wrongly,” she said.