VPP wants unfilled seats reserved for locals at USTM med college

SHILLONG, Nov 5: The VPP has urged the state government to reserve unfilled MBBS seats under the Meghalaya quota for local candidates only at PA Sangma International Medical College and Hospital.
VPP MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang conveyed this request to the Health and Family Welfare Commissioner and Secretary, following a meeting with the Controller of Examinations at USTM. Marbaniang noted in his letter that the issue had been raised by several aggrieved candidates who applied for admission under the state quota but felt the allocation process had unfairly disadvantaged them.
According to Marbaniang, the state quota for MBBS admissions includes 64 seats. However, only 53 have been filled by eligible candidates from Meghalaya, leaving 11 seats in the Garo ST category vacant. “Unfortunately, these unfilled seats have been allocated to candidates from outside Meghalaya, some of whom have obtained lower NEET scores than local Khasi ST candidates,” he stated.
He argued that this allocation denies deserving local candidates a fair opportunity to pursue medical education. “We believe it would be just and equitable for these vacant seats in the Garo ST category to be offered first to other Meghalaya-based candidates, including Khasi ST applicants, before considering candidates from outside the state,” Marbaniang asserted.
He emphasised that reallocating the seats in this manner would fulfill the intended purpose of the Meghalaya state quota — expanding opportunities for local, eligible youth to access medical education within the state.
The VPP MLA called on the Health department to immediately review and adjust the allocation policy. He proposed that the 11 vacant seats originally designated for the Garo ST category be reassigned to other eligible tribal candidates from Meghalaya and only offered to out-of-state applicants if no suitable local candidates are available.
“We hope for a prompt and favorable response to safeguard the educational rights of Meghalaya’s youth,” Marbaniang concluded.