The Meghalaya government is playing on the back foot on a sticky wicket with regards to its association with the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) and its PA Sangma International Medical College.
USTM and its Chancellor Mahbabul Hoque have been under attack from the Assam government over alleged irregularities in awarding degrees and the quality of its education and Hoque has now found himself in jail on charges that his educational foundation had been illegally aiding students in their higher secondary exams.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Meghalaya has leapt onto the bandwagon started by the BJP-ruled Assam government and has demanded to know how USTM could charge higher private institution rates when Hoque had once declared that the varsity was a state-run one.
Today, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh was unable to say anything categorical on this but defended the government’s relationship with USTM and the medical college.
“A private medical college is good for students in Meghalaya,” she said. “Under the NOC (no-objection certificate signed by the government for the USTM medical college), there are mandatory terms and conditions ensuring access to higher and technical education for our students. This is particularly important given the limited opportunities we had before. Hopefully, we will also have our own state-run medical college soon.”
She further stated that opinions and inferences are subjective. “People are free to infer what they wish, but we stand by our decisions after evaluating all the pros and cons. The reservation of seats for local students gives us an advantage. Beyond the issuance of the NOC, what happens within the institution is not within our purview and we do not engage in debates over matters beyond our jurisdiction,” she said.
