By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 29: The state government is confident about opening the Shillong Medical College (SMC) next year since it is a brownfield project and the pre-requisites are already in place.
“The Shillong Medical College (SMC) and the Tura Medical College are in an advanced stage of completion. SMC being a brownfield project will have a better chance of qualifying as a medical institute by next year before Tura as we have already have the pre-requisite norms. The norms are a huge dropdown list since you need to have a 400-bed hospital, you must have land, faculties etc…,” Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Tuesday.
Asserting that the state government is making progress, she said, “If you talk about SMC there are many components to the proposal; it is not just about building the infrastructure. It is about preparing the entire Health department to reach that target.”
“Faculty is the important component for NOC or a nod to start a medical college. Do we have the professors? Have we sent doctors willing to engage in academics going for those qualifications …percentage of in-house doctors, service rules, these are the issues causing delay,” she added.
Financial assistance for MBBS students of USTM
With over 200 students from Meghalaya already applying for 64 medical seats on offer in the PA Sangma International Medical College, the state government will take a call on whether or not further financial assistance should be provided to those students.
The USTM-run PA Sangma International Medical College is offering 64 seats under the Meghalaya quota for which students have to pay Rs 4.95 lakh per year as tuition fees, amounting to Rs 24.75 lakh for the MBBS course.
Asked about the exorbitant fees, the Health Minister said, “To say that Rs 4.5 lakh per year is a little steep may not be completely true. The chief minister is aware of the situation and will look into it.”
“We will decide whether or not any financial assistance should be given by the government for these students availing the seats. At this point of time over 200 have applied and if you go on your own expense, an MBBS seat will be far more expensive,” she added.
“When a nominee goes to the educational institute they will still have to pay a nominal fee. Those nominal fees are sometimes covered by the scholarship and sometimes additional amounts like hostel fees etc., are borne by the students,” she added.
Asked about the financial assistance or scholarships provided to students in other medical colleges, she said, “It differs like in Assam it is under Rs 2 lakh. We have reviewed this, different rates in different states but there is a scholarship that covers it.”
Asked about ST and SC quota, she said the state reservation policy is very much in play and it will be for the 25 seats fully sponsored by the government. For the rest of the seats, students have to pay half of the normal fee.