The operation of PA Sangma International Medical College at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) at Khanapara, Ri-Bhoi district is set to be delayed as the State government will have to enact a law to enable the university to start the operations of the proposed medical college.
Speaking to media persons after a cabinet meeting here today, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said that the State government has decided not to allow USTM to make its medical college functional without a proper act in place.
Lyngdoh said that the government is mandated to monitor various aspects such as allocation of seats, fee structure, course etc and hence the cabinet will sit next week again after the Health Department brings its plans for the act.
Stating that the government is mandated to come up with an act for the medical college, she added that if necessary, the cabinet may come up with an ordinance
Making it clear that allocation of seats and other details of the proposed medical college has to be guided by a separate act, Lyngdoh said that there has to be some guiding rules for the medical colleges in the State as in other states.
The university has already announced a quota of 40 seats for Meghalaya and has requested an interest-free loan of Rs 233 crore from the State government.
With the academic session for 2024-25 set to begin by the end of October at the PA Sangma International Medical College under USTM, it appears that the academic session may be delayed till an ordinance for the medical college is passed by the cabinet to be followed by a separate act to be passed by the Assembly after six months.
