MBBS entrance test stalled over seats reservation in Meghalaya

Shillong, Aug 3 (UNI) The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health&Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) today postponed its maiden entrance test for Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) after Khasi Student's Union (KSU) activists obstructed candidates from entering the examination centres here, NEIGRIHMS official said.

The influential student body in Meghalaya prevented the MBBS aspirants from appearing the entrance test after the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry refused to reserve 30 per cent of MBBS seats for the indigenous people of the state.

At present, NEIGRIHMS reserves nine seats out of the total of 50 for the state, without any specific reservation for tribal students.

"The first entrance test for the MBBS course was postponed after some of the admit cards of the students were tear-off by KSU activists," NEIGRIHMS Director Dr RN Salhan told UNI over phone.

Altogether, there were 2,738 students were selected to appear for today's entrance test in four centres in Shillong.

The medical institute official, however, said a new date would be announced soon and fresh admit cards will be issued to those students whose cards were torn off by KSU activists.

Apart from demanding 30 per cent reservation, the KSU wanted the Meghalaya government to nominate or select candidates for its quota of reserved seats at NEIGRIHMS.

If Manipur has been allotted more than 30 per cent of seats at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, and Pondicherry with 27 per cent in Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research for the indigenous people what was the harm of applying the same yardstick for Meghalaya, KSU General Secretary Hamlet Dohling said.

Mr Dohling said the KSU would continue to stall the entrance test if the Centre failed to conform to its demands.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister said the state government would raise the issue again with the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

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