With over 200 students already applying for medical seats at the PA Sangma International Medical College, the state government is now considering whether to provide additional financial assistance to the students.
The medical college, operated by the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), offers 64 seats for MBBS students, with annual fees of Rs 4,95,000 each, totaling Rs 24,75,000 for the five-year course.
Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh commented on the situation, saying, “While some may view Rs 4,95,000 per year as steep, it may not fully capture the reality. The Chief Minister is aware of this issue and will be reviewing it. We will determine whether the government should offer any additional assistance for students securing these seats. Currently, over 200 applicants have expressed interest; in terms of personal expenses, a seat can be considerably more costly.”
She further explained, “It’s important to note that even for the normal sponsored seats provided by the government of India, there are always nominal fees involved. It’s incorrect to assume that receiving a sponsored seat means there are no costs at all. MBBS students can qualify for scholarships to help cover some of these fees at the time of enrollment.”
The fees at USTM were established in a joint meeting with the university. These terms are permissible in private colleges as they are monitored and approved by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the minister informed.
On the topic of reservations for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC), she confirmed that the state reservation policy is in effect for the 25 seats fully sponsored by the government. These 25 seats would be fully covered, while other students would pay half of the normal management fee.
The agreement with USTM will be reviewed after 30 years.
