Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today informed that the Meghalaya government is contemplating to send a proposal to the Central government to block buying of more medical seats for the students from the State.
Speaking to media persons here, Lyngdoh explained that this step was needed in order to increase the number of medical students coming back to serve in the State after completion of their studies.
“In the last MBBS seat allotment, the total number of seats allotted is around 96 and these candidates have gone on government sponsored seats and no cost was incurred by them. The number of seats changes from year to year depending on the availability of seats by the Central government’s pool of seats,” she said.
Lyngdoh mentioned that the only additional cost against the medical seats allotted to Meghalaya by the Central government was the scholarship.
Concerning the return of passed out MBBS students to the State, the health minister said that the Meghalaya government is collecting data of medical students who have returned to the State after completion of their studies.
Stating that more or less, the Health Department “is aware of the location of some of these doctors”, Lyngdoh also said that most of them again have to go for the NEET examination for post-graduate studies.
The health minister also informed that over the years the government bond for medical students has increased. According to her, the signing of bond has been reviewed from time to time and as per the bond it is binding on the medical students to inform the government whether or not they are returning back to the State after completing their studies.
Lyngdoh also mentioned that earlier Meghalaya did not have a medical board or a registry where students who have passed the MBBS have to report.
“In the past, due to the State not having the medical board, some of our medical students after completing their studies registered themselves in other states. Now we have our own medical board and registration is now compulsory. We have to tell the doctors to come and register with our own board,” she said.
