Shillong, Oct 23: The Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday approved an ordinance for regulation of private medical colleges in the state, pending assent from the Governor.

Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh said the Meghalaya Private Medical Institution (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fees and Reservation) Ordinance, 2024 was approved by the cabinet.

This decision was taken at the cabinet meeting held in Resubelpara, North Garo Hills. The cabinet meeting was held there as part of the MDA government’s initiative “cabinet on the move”.

Lyngdoh said the ordinance would be sent to the Governor CH Vijayashankar for his assent, and once that is received, it would be officially notified. This ordinance would be then placed in the Assembly when in session and the legislation passed.

This ordinance had to be passed since the state’s first private medical college, PA Sangma International Medical College by University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), would begin its academic session for 2024-25.

USTM has announced that it would reserve 40 seats for the students of Meghalaya out of the 150 seats. The ordinance is essential to provide a legal framework for the institute’s operations, addressing previous judicial concerns.

Several court rulings necessitate legislation for reservation of seats in medical colleges, so the ordinance was approved. This ordinance would also ensure that students from Meghalaya would also get concession in terms of fee in the institute.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya was unable to establish a medical college since its statehood 50 years back. Efforts to have a government medical college have run into obstacles in the past.

Currently, the state government is moving fast to establish the Shillong Medical College and the Tura Medical College. Both these medical colleges would begin their academic session a year apart.

Lyngdoh informed that the Shillong Medical College would begin its academic session in 2025-26 and the Tura Medical College in 2026-27.

Also Read: Heavy loaded barred from plying through Mawmaram-Nongthliew-Mawmih-Mawlyndep road

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub