From Our Correspondent
TURA, Sep 3: The AHAM CEB on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma strongly opposing the proposal of operating Tura Medical College (TMC) under the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model as per Letter Inviting Expression of Interest (EOI) dated May 17 this year.
One of the major concerns it raised in its memorandum was the number of MBBS seats that would be lost if the college is run under PPP mode. “If the Tura Medical College operates under the PPP model, the people of Meghalaya will be allotted only 4,224 MBBS seats over a period of 66 years, whereas this number would double to 8,448 seats if the college were to be operated directly by the State Government. These numbers are concerning, especially since the Garo Hills region has only one medical college,” it said, while urging the government to operate the institution fully under government management with infrastructure support from the Union Government.
Another issue raised by the organization was the full hand over of the appointment process to the Private Sector Entity (PSE) in Section 2: Terms of reference for appointment of PSE.
“This indicates that the provision for job recruitment is also being fully handed over to the PSE. Although the availability of qualified faculty may be limited in Meghalaya, the recruitment of medical staff and technical personnel must not be overlooked. Such recruitment should follow the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy and give preference to its citizens wherever applicable,” it said.
The organisation also brought up the issue of High Fee structure if the college is to be operated under PPP mode. “As per the Notice by the Government of Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Department, dated Shillong, the 28th October 2024, the tuition fees for the MBBS in PA Sangma International Medical College and Hospital, Baridua, USTM (Operating in PPP mode), under the State quota are 495,000 per year and (24.75 lakh for the entire course). Assuming a similar fee structure in the Tura Medical College if operated by PPP mode, honestly and realistically, how many percent of people in Meghalaya (especially Garos) can afford it,” it stated.
The organization reiterated that the Tura Medical College should remain fully government-operated to maximize MBBS seats for the state’s population and to maintain transparency. It also felt that Recruitment, fee structure, and admission policies must strictly adhere to State Reservation norms, wherever it is applicable.
The group, while acknowledging financial constraints, said it would be wiser to extend the operation time even for the next two years, re-budget, and then run it fully under government management thereafter