Assam government not to change medical seats for Meghalaya

Shillong: Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister A L Hek said the Assam government has confirmed that it would not change the allocation of 10 medical seats for students from Meghalaya.

“We have received a letter from the Assam government that only two out of ten seats would be allotted for Meghalaya. However, I called up the Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and requested him that the quota should continue till Meghalaya has its own medical college,” he said.

“Himanta has assured that the ten medical seats that were allotted for Meghalaya would continue,” Hek said.
The Supreme Court had last year directed the Assam government to allocate 10 medical seats to Meghalaya out of the 27 available seats in Assam.

Assam has been reserving 10 medical seats for Meghalaya - four each in Assam Medical College and Hospital and Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and two in Silchar Medical College.

Meghalaya stated that according to the sixth paragraph of the minutes of the meeting of the joint committee, held on March 15, 1976, on division of assets and liabilities between the two governments, it was agreed that Assam would provide Meghalaya all facilities available in "common institutions (including medical colleges)" located in Assam, provided that the expenditure was shared on pro-rata basis.