Mizoram MBBS quota reduced

AIZAWL, Aug 22: The reduction of the Mizoram State quota for MBBS seats from the central pool by eight seats has come as a shock for Mizoram officials and students’ organisations here. This year, the Ministry of Health and Family welfare has allotted 17 medical seats from the central pool to the students of Mizoram, a decrease by eight seats compared to the previous years. 

The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the state’s apex students’ body, expressed extreme disappointment over the reduction of the central pool quota for Mizoram and termed it as “contempt” towards the people of Mizoram. “Mizoram was usually allotted 25 to 27 MBBS seats from the central pool in the previous years. Moreover, the medical colleges allotted for Mizoram students are low-ranking colleges. Why has the Central Government done this to Mizoram?” the MZP asked. The MZP today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Jaggat Nadda urging them to allot MBBS seats to Mizoram from the central pool like the previous years. 

Two Mizoram MPs, C L Ruala (Lok Sabha) and Ronald Sapa Tlau (Rajya Sabha) also expressed their anguish over the reduction of MBBS seats to Mizoram from the central pool. As Nadda was away in Himachal Pradesh, the two Mizoram MPs met with the Ministry’s Joint Secretary Arun Singhal. 

The Joint Secretary told the MPs that he understood their sentiments, but there was nothing he could do as it was the Central Government’s decision. He said allotment of MBBS seats from the central pool to the States was made based on population of each State – two to five seats to one lakh population. Meanwhile, Mizoram Higher and Technical Minister R Romawia left for New Delhi today to request the Central Government to increase the seats allocation for Mizoram.