While the dream of the Meghalaya government to start its own state medical college is yet to become a reality, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today informed that the department is preparing a memo to put forward before the cabinet to seek their guidance.
While the minister is positive about the progress of this medical college, the service rules are yet to be completed as it is still under the purview of the Personnel Department. Once the service rules and other modalities are decided and accordingly passed, the Health Department will be on the road towards the setting up the medical college.
Assuring that no memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed as yet, Lyngdoh explained that it can only be signed if the nitty gritty and the details of the MoU are understood and are put in black and white and are notified accordingly.
These matters will take time to sort out. She cited that any state that comes up with a medical college has to conform to the norms of the central government and that even Assam, which has more than a dozen medical colleges, has to conform to those procedures.
The minister reiterated that the department is targeting the 2025-26 academic year to begin courses and everything is on track for that.